Ecological and evolutionary implications of food subsidies from humans

Ecology Letters, Journal Year: 2013, Volume and Issue: 16(12), P. 1501 - 1514

Published: Oct. 18, 2013

Abstract Human activities are the main current driver of global change. From hunter‐gatherers through to Neolithic societies–and particularly in contemporary industrialised countries–humans have (voluntarily or involuntarily) provided other animals with food, often a high spatio‐temporal predictability. Nowadays, as much 30–40% all food produced Earth is wasted. We argue here that predictable anthropogenic subsidies ( PAFS ) historically by humans has shaped many communities and ecosystems we see them nowadays. improve individual fitness triggering population increases opportunistic species, which may affect communities, webs altering processes such competition, predator–prey interactions nutrient transfer between biotopes ecosystems. also show decrease temporal variability, increase resilience species reduce community diversity. Recent environmental policies, regulation dumps ban fishing discards, constitute natural experiments should our understanding role supply range ecological evolutionary at ecosystem level. Comparison subsidised non‐subsidised can help predict changes diversity related services suffered impact change agents.

Language: Английский

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Are white storks addicted to junk food? Impacts of landfill use on the movement and behaviour of resident white storks (Ciconia ciconia) from a partially migratory population

Movement Ecology, Journal Year: 2016, Volume and Issue: 4(1)

Published: March 4, 2016

The migratory patterns of animals are changing in response to global environmental change with many species forming resident populations areas where they were once migratory. white stork (Ciconia ciconia) was wholly Europe but recently guaranteed, year-round food from landfill sites has facilitated the establishment Iberia. In this study 17 storks fitted GPS/GSM data loggers (including accelerometer) and tracked for 9.1 ± 3.7 months quantify extent consistency attendance by individuals during non-breeding breeding seasons assess influence use on daily distances travelled, percentage GPS fixes spent foraging non-landfill ranges. Resident used more (20.1 % 2.3 fixes) than (14.9 2.2). Landfill declined increasing distance between nest both seasons. During a large occurred throughout day (27 3.0 majority tagged storks. This provides first confirmation not influenced site. Storks travelled up 48.2 km visit landfills maximum 28.1 breeding, notably further previous estimates. nesting close had smaller ranges habitat indicating higher reliance landfill. around long trips made specifically continuous availability resources is influencing their home movement behaviour. White rely especially season when other scarcer artificial supplementation probably populations. closure landfills, as required EU Directives, will likely cause dramatic impacts

Language: Английский

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Explaining the Immigrant Health Advantage: Self-selection and Protection in Health-Related Factors Among Five Major National-Origin Immigrant Groups in the United States

Demography, Journal Year: 2017, Volume and Issue: 54(1), P. 175 - 200

Published: Jan. 13, 2017

Language: Английский

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Supplementary feeding and endangered avian scavengers: benefits, caveats, and controversies

Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, Journal Year: 2016, Volume and Issue: 14(4), P. 191 - 199

Published: May 1, 2016

Large avian scavengers are among the most vulnerable vertebrates, and many of their populations have declined severely in recent decades. To help mitigate this marked reduction abundance, supplementary feeding stations ( SFS ; colloquially termed “vulture restaurants”) been created worldwide, often without consideration scientific evidence supporting suitability practice. effective important tools for conservation reintroduction scavengers. However, negative consequences can result from large aggregations individual birds, disrupting intraguild processes promoting density‐dependent decreases productivity. At community level, favor congregation predators (ie facultative scavengers), increasing predation risk on small‐ medium‐sized vertebrates vicinity . These might also affect natural selection even render maladapted to environments. We examine future scenarios relation ecosystem services, changes agro‐grazing economies land uses, ultimately rewilding landscapes where play a controversial role.

Language: Английский

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How Cheap Is Soaring Flight in Raptors? A Preliminary Investigation in Freely-Flying Vultures

PLoS ONE, Journal Year: 2014, Volume and Issue: 9(1), P. e84887 - e84887

Published: Jan. 15, 2014

Measuring the costs of soaring, gliding and flapping flight in raptors is challenging, but essential for understanding their ecology. Among raptors, vultures are scavengers that have evolved highly efficient soaring-gliding techniques to minimize energy find unpredictable food resources. Using electrocardiogram, GPS accelerometer bio-loggers, we report heart rate (HR) captive griffon (Gyps fulvus G. himalayensis) trained freely-flying. HR increased three-fold at take-off (characterized by prolonged flight) landing (>300 beats-per-minute, (bpm)) compared baseline levels (80-100 bpm). However, within 10 minutes after initial phase, soaring/gliding dropped values similar levels, i.e. slightly lower than theoretically expected. extremely rapid decrease was unexpected, when with other marine gliders, such as albatrosses. Weather conditions influenced performance noticeably higher during cloudy sunny soaring made easier thermal ascending air currents. Soaring a cheap locomotory mode crucial adaptation who spend so long on wing wide-ranging movements food.

Language: Английский

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Environmental drivers of variability in the movement ecology of turkey vultures (Cathartes aura) in North and South America

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences, Journal Year: 2014, Volume and Issue: 369(1643), P. 20130195 - 20130195

Published: April 15, 2014

Variation is key to the adaptability of species and their ability survive changes Earth's climate habitats. Plasticity in movement strategies allows a better track spatial dynamics habitat quality. We describe mechanisms that shape long-distance migrant bird (turkey vulture, Cathartes aura ) across two continents using satellite tracking coupled with remote-sensing science. Using nearly 10 years data from 24 satellite-tracked vultures four distinct populations, we an enormous amount variation patterns. related vulture environmental conditions found important correlations explaining how far they need move find food (indexed by Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) fast can based on prevalence thermals temperature. conclude extensive variability ecology turkey vultures, facilitated energetically efficient thermal soaring, suggests this likely do well periods modest change. The large scale sample sizes needed for such analysis widespread emphasizes integrated collaborative efforts obtain policies, tools open datasets encourage collaborations sharing.

Language: Английский

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High juvenile mortality during migration in a declining population of a long‐distance migratory raptor

Ibis, Journal Year: 2015, Volume and Issue: 157(3), P. 545 - 557

Published: March 11, 2015

Many populations of long‐distance migrants are declining and there is increasing evidence that declines may be caused by factors operating outside the breeding season. Among four vulture species in western Palaearctic, showing steepest population decline, Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus , a migrant wintering Africa. However, flyways areas only known for some populations, without knowledge where mortality occurs, effective conservation management not possible. We tracked 19 juvenile Vultures from on Balkan Peninsula between 2010 2014 to estimate survival identify important migratory routes this species. Mortality during first autumn migration was high (monthly probability 0.75) but exclusively associated with suboptimal navigation. All birds three central eastern attempted fly south over Mediterranean Sea, one 10 survived route, probably due stronger tailwind. eight using route via Turkey Middle East successfully completed their migration. Of 14 individual environmental variables examined explain why did or complete migration, natal origin bird most influential. speculate fewer experienced adults, an proportion forced migrate conspecific guidance, leading as consequence following sub‐optimal routes. Juvenile wintered across vast range Sahel Africa, had large movement ranges core use at intermediate elevations savannah, cropland desert. Two were shot several significant threats exist vultures continental scales. Given broad distribution threats, Africa will challenging require long‐term investment. recommend short term, more efficient could target narrow corridors southern East, congregation sites African areas.

Language: Английский

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Changing land use and its impact on the habitat suitability for wintering Anseriformes in China's Poyang Lake region

The Science of The Total Environment, Journal Year: 2016, Volume and Issue: 557-558, P. 296 - 306

Published: March 24, 2016

Language: Английский

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Individual-Based Tracking Systems in Ornithology: Welcome to the Era of Big Data

Ardeola, Journal Year: 2016, Volume and Issue: 63(1), P. 103 - 103

Published: April 25, 2016

Technological innovations have led to exciting fast-moving developments in science. Today, we are living a technology-driven era of biological discovery. Consequently, tracking technologies facilitated dramatic advances the fundamental understanding ecology and animal behaviour. Major technological improvements, such as development GPS dataloggers, geolocators other bio-logging technologies, provide volume data that were hitherto unconceivable. Hence can claim ornithology has entered big data. In this paper, which is particularly addressed undergraduate students starting researchers emerging field movement ecology, I summarise current state art individual-based methods for birds well most important challenges that, personal user, consider should address future. To end, first brief overview individual systems birds. then discuss with remote telemetry, including (i.e., tag miniaturisation, incorporation more sensors, better efficiency archiving processing), scientific new computational tools, investigation spatial temporal autocorrelation data, improvement environmental annotation processes, need novel behavioural segmentation algorithms, change from two three, even four, dimensions scale analysis, inclusion interactions). also highlight future prospects research set questions been answered by means telemetry or expected be Finally, some ethical aspects bird tracking, putting special emphases on getting out enhancing culture multidisciplinary collaboration among groups.

Language: Английский

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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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