Large‐scale movement patterns in a social vulture are influenced by seasonality, sex, and breeding region

Ecology and Evolution, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 13(2)

Published: Feb. 1, 2023

Quantifying space use and segregation, as well the extrinsic intrinsic factors affecting them, is crucial to increase our knowledge of species-specific movement ecology design effective management conservation measures. This particularly relevant in case species that are highly mobile dependent on sparse unpredictable trophic resources, such vultures. Here, we used GPS-tagged data 127 adult Griffon Vultures Gyps fulvus captured at five different breeding regions Spain describe patterns (home-range size fidelity, monthly cumulative distance). We also examined how individual sex, season, region determined distance traveled overlap between consecutive home-ranges. Overall, exhibited very large annual home-range sizes 5027 ± 2123 km2, mean distances 1776 1497 km, showed a fidelity 67.8 25.5%. However, individuals from northern smaller home-ranges shorter than those southern ones. In all cases, were larger spring summer winter autumn, which could be related difference flying conditions food requirements associated with reproduction. Moreover, females less males, indicating latter tended similar areas throughout year. results indicate both modulate Vulture spatial segregation depends sex season level, without differences site fidelity. These have important implications for conservation, identifying key threat necessary improve actions policy decisions.Cuantificar el uso y la segregación del espacio, así como los factores extrínsecos e intrínsecos que afectan, es para aumentar nuestro conocimiento de ecología movimientos cada especie diseñar medidas eficaces gestión conservación. Esto especialmente relevante en caso especies con gran movilidad dependientes recursos tróficos escasos impredecibles, son buitres. En este trabajo se utilizaron datos GPS buitres leonados adultos capturados cinco regiones cría diferentes España describir patrones movimiento (tamaño fidelidad área campeo distancia acumulada mensual). También examinamos cómo sexo, estación año región determinaban recorrida tamaño solapamiento entre áreas mensuales consecutivas. conjunto, mostraron un anual muy extensa una mensual media km al Sin embargo, individuos las más septentrionales pequeñas recorrieron distancias cortas meridionales. todos casos, fueron mayores primavera verano otoño invierno, lo podría estar relacionado diferencias condiciones vuelo necesidades tróficas asociadas reproducción. Además, hembras menor machos, indica estos últimos tienden utilizar zonas similares durante todo año. nuestros resultados indican tanto modulan buitre leonado espacial depende sexo nivel individual, sin existan relevantes cuanto lugar. Estos podrían tener importantes implicaciones conservación, identificación principales necesarios mejorar decisiones políticas.

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Glucocorticoid responses of wildlife to anthropogenic stressors are influenced by disturbance type and species traits

Functional Ecology, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: Jan. 3, 2025

Abstract Ecological and conservation research has focused on documenting wildlife's behavioural demographic responses to anthropogenic disturbance. Yet, a significant gap remains in our understanding of the physiological mechanisms that underlie or adaptations human activities. Glucocorticoid concentrations (GCCs) are widely considered as relevant endpoints assess response wildlife natural stressors, yet recent studies show mixed outcomes concerning GCC shifts disturbed populations. Consequently, uncertainties remain around role GCCs reliable indicators effect disturbance organisms' physiology, likely due masking several confounding factors. To unveil generalizable patterns effects wildlife, we collected measured conspecific populations living undisturbed areas from 121 114 species terrestrial vertebrates, assessed roles type traits shaping using phylogenetic meta‐analysis log ratios (lnRRΔ). We found 36% increase mammals (lnRRΔ = 0.304), but no evidence for birds, non‐avian reptiles amphibians. Mammals showed similar all forms disturbance, while birds 24.6% habitat conversion only 0.221). Furthermore, change tended be higher large‐sized than small‐sized mammals, comparatively lower herbivorous mammals. Finally, non‐migratory elicit stronger compared with migratory 0.234). Our study provides novel supporting influential diet body mass behaviours glucocorticoid establishing link between magnitude pace‐of‐life‐related traits. trends coherent known responses, suggesting might costly sustain, thus serving potential early‐warning signals population decline. consistency facing types highlighting even seemingly innocuous interactions humans may still induce substantial changes. Read free Plain Language Summary this article Journal blog.

Language: Английский

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Apex scavengers from different European populations converge at threatened savannah landscapes

Scientific Reports, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 12(1)

Published: Feb. 15, 2022

Abstract Over millennia, human intervention has transformed European habitats mainly through extensive livestock grazing. “Dehesas/Montados” are an Iberian savannah-like ecosystem dominated by oak-trees, bushes and grass species that subject to agricultural uses. They a good example of how large-scale, low intensive transformations can maintain high biodiversity levels as well socio-economic cultural values. However, the role these human-modified play for individuals or living beyond their borders is unknown. Here, using dataset 106 adult GPS-tagged Eurasian griffon vultures ( Gyps fulvus ) monitored over seven years, we show breeding in western populations from Northern, Central, Southern Spain, France made long-range forays (LRFs) up 800 km converge threatened “dehesas” forage. There, wild ungulates provide large amounts carcasses, which available scavengers traditional exploitations rewilding processes. Our results highlight maintaining critical not only local but also long-term conservation services provided avian across continent.

Language: Английский

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Vulture culture: dietary specialization of an obligate scavenger

Proceedings of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 290(1998)

Published: May 3, 2023

Individual dietary variation has important ecological and evolutionary consequences. However, it been overlooked in many taxa that are thought to have homogeneous diets. This is the case of vultures, considered merely as ‘carrion eaters’. Given their high degree sociality, vultures an excellent model investigate how inter-individual transmissible behaviours drive individual variation. Here, we combine GPS-tracking accelerometers with exhaustive fieldwork campaign identify diet 55 griffon ( Gyps fulvus ) from two Spanish populations partially overlap foraging areas. We found individuals more humanized population consumed anthropic resources (e.g. stabled livestock or rubbish), resulting By contrast, wilder wild ungulates, increasing variability. Between sexes, males than females did. Interestingly, shared area, retained preference original population, highlighting a strong cultural component. Overall, these results expand role traits shaping key call for need including Optimal Foraging models, especially those species strongly rely on social information while foraging.

Language: Английский

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Large-Scale Quantification and Correlates of Ungulate Carrion Production in the Anthropocene

Ecosystems, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 26(2), P. 383 - 396

Published: April 13, 2022

Language: Английский

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Livelihood in anthropic landscapes: Stable isotopes as indicators of dependence of obligate avian scavengers on intensive animal farming

Ecological Indicators, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 174, P. 113467 - 113467

Published: April 13, 2025

Language: Английский

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The value of transhumance for biodiversity conservation: Vulture foraging in relation to livestock movements

AMBIO, Journal Year: 2021, Volume and Issue: 51(5), P. 1330 - 1342

Published: Dec. 7, 2021

In recent decades, intensive techniques of livestock raising have flourished, which has largely replaced traditional farming practices such as transhumance. These changes may affected scavengers' behaviour and ecology, extensive is a key source carrion. This study evaluates the spatial responses avian scavengers to seasonal movements transhumant herds in south-eastern Spain. We surveyed abundance ungulates, analysed factors affecting space use by 30 GPS-tracked griffon vultures (Gyps fulvus). Griffons' foraging activity increased pasturelands occupied herds, implied greater vulture at landscape level during season. contrast, facultative were more abundant without wild ungulates did not change relation presence. conclude that fostering transhumance other systems, detriment intensification, could favour conservation.

Language: Английский

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Causes and consequences of variation in early‐life telomere length in a bird metapopulation

Ecology and Evolution, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 12(8)

Published: July 31, 2022

Environmental conditions during early-life development can have lasting effects shaping individual heterogeneity in fitness and fitness-related traits. The length of telomeres, the DNA sequences protecting chromosome ends, may be affected by conditions, telomere (TL) has been associated with performance within some wild animal populations. Thus, knowledge mechanisms that generate variation TL, relationship between TL fitness, is important understanding role telomeres ecology life-history evolution. Here, we investigate how environmental morphological traits are blood if predicts natal dispersal probability or components 2746 house sparrow (Passer domesticus) nestlings from two populations sampled across 20 years (1994-2013). We retrieved weather data monitored population fluctuations, survival, reproductive output using field observations genetic pedigrees. found a negative effect density on but only one There was curvilinear association maximum daily North Atlantic Oscillation index incubation, suggesting there optimal result longest TL. Dispersers tended to shorter than non-dispersers. did not predict tendency for individuals short higher annual success. Our study showed shaped growth, density, supporting stressors negatively affect In addition, faster pace-of-life, as rates reproduction

Language: Английский

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Hidden effects of high numbers of tourists in protected areas: displacement of foraging top scavengers

Ibis, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 165(1), P. 305 - 311

Published: July 29, 2022

Protected areas in southern Europe are important for the conservation of large avian scavengers. However, effects an increasing number visitors may have on scavengers' patterns movement unknown. Here, we took advantage data collected from seven GPS‐tagged adult Griffon Vultures Gyps fulvus breeding Bardenas Reales Natural Park northern Spain to determine whether foraging birds moved more remote days when increased. We found that although did appear affect patterns, this had a smaller effect size compared with mean temperature day. Additionally, males further than females. If natural continues increase, local exclusions become common, so research is needed address potential consequences scavenger population and ecosystem functions services they provide.

Language: Английский

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Eurasian Griffon (Gyps fulvus)

Birds of the World, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: Nov. 22, 2024

Language: Английский

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