Suchergebnisse

[ES]: Los buitres y el hombre han convivido históricamente gracias a unos beneficios recíprocos. Tradicionalmente los carroñeros se alimentaban de los cadáveres que los ganaderos le proporcionaban y éstos se deshacían de restos que podían provocar focos de infección. Sin embargo, ya en el último siglo, la densidad y tendencias demográficas de las aves carroñeras se ha visto modelada por la mano del hombre de forma decisiva. Por un lado ha desencadenado factores de mortalidad no naturales relacionados con la persecución directa (disparos, uso de cebos envenenados) e indirecta (colisiones y electrocuciones con líneas eléctricas y más recientemente colisiones con aerogeneradores, ingestión de productos veterinarios) han afectado a la demografía y dinámica poblacional de diferentes especies. Por otro, ha creado "muladares" puntos de alimentación suplementaria que modificaron la calidad del hábitat distorsionando un escenario natural que originalmente ofrecía recursos impredecibles en el tiempo y en el espacio y que ahora pasaban a ser del todo predecibles. La dependencia creada a los buitres como consecuencia de la artificialización de su hábitat se ha visto drásticamente modificada con la aplicación de leyes sanitarias muy estrictas derivadas de la aparición de la Encefalopatía Espongiforme Bovina. Este nuevo elemento provocó una importante reducción de los recursos alimenticios y el cierre de muchos puntos de alimentación suplementaria cuyos efectos y consecuencias, además de la reducción de los parámetros reproductivos y la previsible ralentización del crecimiento poblacional, están todavía por cuantificar. En este complejo escenario, las actuaciones futuras deben tener en cuenta todos los factores y elementos que han arrojado información sobre los pros y contras de las estrategias de manejo, muy especialmente la alimentación suplementaria, que se utiliza masivamente en proyectos de reintroducción y conservación que en muchos casos se han basado en medidas no evaluadas con criterios científicos. En el presente capítulo revisamos algunos ejemplos y proponemos algunas medidas de manejo y gestión futuras que deberían priorizar en favorecer las bajas de la ganadería extensiva para que el alimento se presente de forma heterogénea y lo más natural posible. La presencia aleatoria de cadáveres en el campo debe ser la forma más adecuada de gestionar y conservar a las aves carroñeras evitándose así además algunos graves problemas derivados de una gestión intensiva del ganado y de sus restos. Sólo con estrategias similares será posible regular la capacidad de carga del medio estableciendo densidades acordes a la calidad (natural) del hábitat. El reto de los gestores es lidiar con las legislaciones sanitarias modernas y vertebrar la presencia de carroñas en los ecosistemas con la necesidad de eliminar los residuos ganaderos y la conservación de las especies. Sólo de este modo las aves carroñeras tendrán una oportunidad de convivir estrechamente con las sociedades europeas del siglo XXI. ; [EN]: Man and vultures have lived together in a mutually beneficial relationship since time immemorial: traditionally, these avian scavengers fed on the carcasses that the farmers threw out for them, thereby cleaning up animal remains that might otherwise have become foci of infection and disease. Nevertheless, during the last century the density and demographic tendency of vulture populations have been artificially shaped by the actions of mankind. Non-natural causes of death originating from direct persecution (shooting and the use of poisoned bait) and indirect factors (collisions and electrocution on power lines and, more recently, collisions with wind turbines and the ingestion of veterinary-prescribed drugs) have affected the demography and population dynamics of a number of different species. On the other hand, the creation of vulture feeding stations or muladares has modified habitat quality and distorted a natural environment that once provided trophic resources unpredictably over both time and space; instead, these supplementary feeding points now represent a totally reliable food supply. The dependence that vultures have acquired as a result of the artificialisation of their habitat was suddenly altered by the implementation of a series of public health regulations enacted in light of the outbreak of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy. This new element in the equation has caused a severe reduction in the trophic resources available to vultures and has led to the closure of many feeding stations whose consequences – aside from a fall in breeding rates and a slowing down in population growth – are still to be fully quantified. In the context of this complex scenario, future conservation strategies must take into account all known factors that may shed light on the validity of management policies; above all, close scrutiny is needed of projects involving supplementary feeding, used frequently, for example, in reintroduction and conservation projects, but in many cases without any prior scientific evaluation. In this chapter we review a number of specific examples and propose alternative management methods that should be prioritised in the future as means of favouring the appearance in the wild – as irregularly and naturally as possible – of animal carcasses originating from extensive production systems. The random presence of carcasses is the most appropriate way of managing and conserving avian scavengers and avoids the serious problems that arise from intensive animal husbandry and the disposal of its waste: only in this way will we be able to regulate the carrying capacity of the environment by establishing densities that respond to (natural) habitat quality. The challenge faced by conservation managers is how to cope with modern sanitary legislation and make the presence of carrion in ecosystems compatible with the need to eliminate animal waste and the demands of species conservation. If this can be achieved, avian scavengers will continue to live in close association with European human societies in the twenty-first century. ; [EU]: Saiak eta gizakia denbora historikoetatik bizi izan dira elkarrekin, bientzat onuragarria izanik. Hegazti sarraskijaleak abeltzainek ematen zizkieten gorpuetatik elikatzen ziren, eta horrela, kutsadura eragin zezaketen hondarrez libratzen ziren. Azken hamarkadetan, ordea, hegazti sarraskijaleen dentsitatea eta demografia-joera gizakiaren eskuak modelatua izan da era artifizial batez. Alde batetik, zuzeneko jazarpenarekin (tiroak, garnata pozoituak) eta zeharkako jazarpenarekin (elektrizitate-hariekin talkak eta elektrokuzioak, albaitaritzan erabiliak diren droga-ingestioak, eta berrikitan airesorgailuen aurkako talkak) loturik dauden hilkortasun-faktore ez-naturalak eragin ditu, hainbat espezieren populazio-dinamikan eragina izan dutenak. Beste alde batetik, "simaurtegiak" sortu ditu, habitataren kalitatea aldatu zuten elikadura osagarriko puntuak alegia, denboran eta espazioan baliabide iragarrezinak eskaintzen zituen gertaleku natural bat distortsionatuz, eta orain erabat iragargarriak izatera igaro direnak. Beren habitata artifizial bilakatzearen ondorioz saiei eragin zaien mendekotasuna drastikoki aldatua izan da oso zorrotzak diren osasun-legeak direla-medio, Behien Entzefalopatia Espongiformearen kariaz. Elementu berri honek elikagai-baliabideak nabarmen murriztu eta elikadura osagarriko puntu askoren itxiera ekarri zuen berekin, zeinaren eraginak eta ondorioak, ugaltze-parametroak urritzeaz gain eta aurreikustekoa den populazio-hazkundea murrizteaz gain, oraindik kuantifikatu gabe daude. Gertaleku konplexu honetan, etorkizuneko ekimenek erabilera-estrategien alde on eta txarrei buruzko informazioa ematen duten faktore eta elementu guztiak izan behar dituzte kontuan, eta bereziki elikadura osagarriari buruzkoak, azken hau masiboki erabilia izan baita, esaterako, birsartze- eta kontserbazio-proiektuetan, zeinak askotan oinarrituta egon baitira irizpide zientifikoekin ebaluaturik ez zeuden neurrietan. Honako atal honetan zenbait adibide berrikusten ditugu eta, elikadura modu heterogeneoan eta ahalik eta modurik naturalenean aurkez dadin, abeltzaintza estentsiboaren bajak laguntzeari lehenetsi beharko lioketen etorkizuneko erabilera- eta kudeaketa-neurri batzuk proposatzen ditugu. Landan noizean behin gorpuak uztea izan beharko litzateke erarik egokiena hegazti sarraskijaleak kudeatu eta kontserbatzeko, ganaduaren eta bere hondarren kudeaketa intentsibotik ondorioztatzen diren arazo larrietako batzuk ekidinez. Gisa horretako gertaleku batean soilik izango da posible ingurunearen zama-gaitasuna arautzea, habitataren kalitatearekin (kalitate naturalarekin) bat datozen dentsitateak ezarriz. Kudeatzaileen erronka egungo osasun-legeriekin borrokatu eta abeltzaintzako hondarrak ezabatzeko premia eta espezieen kontserbazioa ekosistemetako sarraskien presentziarekin egituratzea izango da. Hegazti sarraskijaleek honela bakarrik izan ahalko dute XXI. mendeko gizarteen ondoan bizitzeko aukera. ; Peer reviewed

International audience ; Among vertebrates, specialization in scavenging has appeared only in "true" vultures, which usually base their diet almost exclusively on carcasses of medium and large-sized mammals, whereas all other scavengers rely on broader ranges of prey. The availability of food for scavengers in Western Europe has not been limited during recent decades permitting the existence and growth of huge vulture populations. From 2000 onwards, however, EU sanitary legislation has progressively limited the abandonment of dead animals in the field resulting in a sudden reduction of food availability with unknown ecological and conservation consequences. Here, we examine the dietary response of a tandem of carrion eaters, the griffon vulture () and the Egyptian vulture (), showing different degrees of dietary specialization. Our results showed that after the reduction in numbers of supplementary feeding stations (vulture restaurants) the niche breadth of the griffon vulture has broadened and now includes significant amounts of wild rabbits () and garbage. The diet of the Egyptian vulture, on the contrary, did not vary substantially. The diet overlap showed patterns probably conditioned by interspecific competition and the progressive exploitation of unpredictable carcasses. On a short-term scale, consequences for smaller scavengers could be negative due to the monopolization of resources by the dominant and much more abundant griffon vulture, however in the long-term all guild species would benefit from the exploitation of unpredictable carcasses, which could enhance the possibilities of coexistence.

Current European sanitary laws are promoting the concentration of domestic livestock carcasses in lim- ited locations called 'vulture restaurants' or supplementary feeding stations in order to safeguard human health. However, this type of food concentration could lead to monopolization by a few, large dominant species. Management guidelines are urgently needed to ensure that potentially less competitive and more endangered scavengers can also benefit from this resource, considering that once abundant car- casses are now absent from the field. Here, we assess factors affecting the abundance of six avian scav- enger species at 17 feeding stations in northern Spain, considering aspects such as carrion availability, physiographic features, humanization, presence of heterospecifics and densities of scavengers during both winter and summer seasons. Results indicate that conditions for interspecific facilitatory processes are possible at low numbers (<100 individuals) of griffon vultures (Gyps fulvus). Otherwise, the other avian scavengers are excluded. In a few cases, spatio-temporal patterns of segregation become apparent. Differences in the size of carcasses supplied to feeding stations as well as the local characteristics influ- ence the balance of species at these points and, therefore, how species of conservation concern use feed- ing stations. Future legislation should encourage the opening of numerous feeding stations supplied with low quantities of food to mimic the original condition of temporal and spatial unpredictability of car- casses and to maintain ecological relationships within the scavenger guild. ; Peer reviewed

Between 1996 and 2000 the appearance of bovine spongiform encephalopathy swiftly became one of the most serious public health and political crises concerning food safety ever experienced in the European Union (EU). Subsequent sanitary regulations led to profound changes in the management of livestock carcasses (i.e. the industrial destruction of around 80% of all animal carcasses), thereby threatening the last remaining healthy scavenger populations of the Old World and thus contradicting the long-term environmental policies of the EU.2. Several warning signs such as a decrease in breeding success, an apparent increase in mortality in young age classes of vultures and an increase in the number of cases of vultures attacking and killing cattle, as well as a halt in population growth, suggest that the decrease in the availability of food resources has had harmful effects on vulture populations.3. Between 2002 and 2005, a number of dispositions to the EU regulations (2003/322/CE 2005/830/CE) enabled conservation managers to adopt rapid solutions (i.e. the creation of vulture restaurants) aimed at satisfying the food requirements of vultures. However, these conservation measures may seriously modify habitat quality and have indirect detrimental effects on avian scavenger populations and communities.4. Synthesis and applications. Conservation managers and policy-makers need to balance the demands of public health protection and the long-term conservation of biodiversity. The regulations concerning carrion provisioning need to be more flexible and there needs to be greater compatibility between sanitary and environmental policies. We advocate policies that authorize the abandonment of livestock carcasses and favours populations of wild herbivores to help to maintain populations of avian scavengers. Conservation strategies should be incorporated into new European Commission regulations, which should be effective in 2011. © 2010 The Authors. Journal compilation © 2010 British Ecological Society. ; Financial support was received by Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovacion (DGL2009-12753-C02), Ministerio de Medio Ambiente and Departament de Medi Ambient i Habitatge of Generalitat de Catalunya. ; Peer Reviewed

European pseudo-steppes have suffered from extensive changes in agricultural practices during the past decades with the disappearance of field margins and fallow systems and the increase of biocide treatments. The negative effect on wildlife has led to the adoption by the European Union of policies more compatible with environmental conservation, but decisions about optimal land use are difficult to make because of lack of information. We studied habitat use by the Lesser Kestrel (Falco naumanni), a globally vulnerable species, in a Spanish pseudo-steppe (Los Monegros) where traditional agro-grazing systems are still being practiced, and we compared the results with those of another Spanish pseudo-steppe where modern and intensive agriculture has been implemented. We focused on the use by Lesser Kestrels of habitats subject to changes provoked by recent agricultural policies. Habitat availability was determined in a 3-km radius around 11 colonies, where 23 Lesser Kestrels were radio-tracked during the chick-rearing stage. Habitat selection was determined through compositional analysis. The rank of selected habitats was similar for all kestrels, considering both habitats surveyed and habitats where kestrels hunted. Kestrels selected field margins and cereal fields and rejected abandoned crops and scrubland. This selectivity seemed to be due to prey availability. In the intensively cultivated areas the kestrels selected similar habitats but used only small foraging patches and obtained smaller prey than in the traditional agro-grazing systems, probably because of the irregular distribution of prey resources as a result of the intensive biocide treatments. Consequently, in intensively cultivated habitats Lesser Kestrels had larger home ranges (63.65 km2) than in those with traditional systems (12.36 km2). These differences are reflected in the productivity and population trends of both populations. Thus, the best strategy for conserving the Lesser Kestrel seems to be the maintainance of traditional cereal cultures with low biocide treatments and numerous field margins. Both agricultural intensification and marginal land abandonment (with subsequent scrubland invasion) have detrimental consequences for this and probably for other pseudo-steppe species. Positive management steps can be encouraged by recent agro-environmental regulations such as the 2078/92 European Union Reglament, which favors the creation of programs in which agricultural practices accord with wildlife conservation. ; Peer Reviewed

SIMPLE SUMMARY: The abandonment of carcasses around livestock farms has been recently legalized in Europe. Since little is known about how vultures use this kind of resource, we aimed to determine the main drivers of vultures' visits to farms. We evaluated the effects of characteristics of both birds and farms regarding the way that vultures visit farms thanks to data collected from 45 GPS-tagged Egyptian Vultures and most farms on Fuerteventura Island, Spain (318 farms with >94% of insular livestock). We found that farms were more visited when they were located close to highly predictable feeding places, when they had more available food, and during the vulture breeding season, whereas farms located close to roads and vultures' breeding territories received fewer visits. Younger territorial birds visited a farm more frequently than older territorial ones, whereas older non-territorial individuals concentrated those visits on farms closer to their main centers of activity compared with younger ones. Our findings indicate that visits to farms were determined by their spatial distribution regarding bird activity centers, availability of carcasses, seasonality, and vulture characteristics. Hence, these factors should be considered in vulture conservation, avoiding very general solutions that ignore population structure and that could be not enough to protect the biodiversity. ABSTRACT: Recent changes in European legislation have legalized the abandonment of carcasses around livestock farms, but our understanding of how vultures exploit these semi-predictable food sources is still very limited. For filling this gap, we determine the individual and ecological drivers influencing vulture visits to farms. We assessed the effects of individual characteristics of both birds and farms on the frequency of vultures' visits to livestock facilities using data collected from 45 GPS-tagged Egyptian Vultures (Neophron percnopterus) and 318 farms (>94% of livestock) on Fuerteventura Island, Spain. Farms were more visited ...

Wind-farms receive public and governmental support as an alternative energy source mitigating air pollution. However, they can have adverse effects on wildlife, particularly through collision with turbines. Research on wind-farm effects has focused on estimating mortality rates, behavioural changes or interspecific differences in vulnerability. Studies dealing with their effects on endangered or rare species populations are notably scarce. We tested the hypothesis that wind-farms increase extinction probability of long-lived species through increments in mortality rates. For this purpose, we evaluate potential consequences of wind-farms on the population dynamics of a globally endangered long-lived raptor in an area where the species maintains its greatest stronghold and wind-farms are rapidly increasing. Nearly one-third of all breeding territories of our model species are in wind-farm risk zones. Our intensive survey shows that wind-farms decrease survival rates of this species differently depending on individual breeding status. Consistent with population monitoring, population projections showed that all subpopulations and the meta-population are decreasing. However, population sizes and, therefore, time to extinction significantly decreased when wind-farm mortality was included in models. Our results represent a qualitative warning exercise showing how very low reductions in survival of territorial and non-territorial birds associated with wind-farms can strongly impact population viability of long-lived species. This highlights the need for examining long-term impacts of wind-farms rather than focusing on short-term mortality, as is often promoted by power companies and some wildlife agencies. Unlike other non-natural causes of mortality difficult to eradicate or control, wind-farm fatalities can be lowered by powering down or removing risky turbines and/or farms, and by placing them outside areas critical for endangered birds. © 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. ; Peer Reviewed

In this study we examined long-term variation in the selection of nesting cliffs for the recovering population of the Bearded Vulture Gypaetus barbatus inhabiting the Spanish Pyrenees. We focussed on variables indicating a high probability of cliff occupancy as determined by a previously published model. Although the breeding population increased from 53 to 93 territories between 1991 and 2002, the breeding range expanded only slightly. New and old nesting cliffs had similar habitat features in relation to topography, altitude and degree of human influence, but the distance between occupied cliffs was reduced (from 11.1 to 8.9 km). Thus the probabilities of occupation predicted by the model were lower for newly colonized locales. Our study shows that territory compression may occur without serious modification of nesting habitat quality. These results may arise from the lack of strong territorial behaviour by Bearded Vultures and the availability of high-quality cliffs. The relatively low quality of sites in adjacent mountains may prevent the expansion of the breeding range, but conspecific attraction may also play a role. Our study confirms that monitoring changes in key variables important to habitat selection is useful in determining long-term trends in settlement patterns in heterogeneous environments. The results also suggest that the available nest-site selection model may accurately predict cliff occupancy by Bearded Vultures in those areas where the distance to the nearest neighbour is not a limiting factor. In particular, the model may be useful in establishing priority areas for reintroduction ; This work was financed by the Ministry of Environment of the Autonomous Government of Andalusía, within the Project 'Studies of viability for the reintroduction of the Bearded Vulture in Andalusía'. Support was also obtained from the BBVA Foundation through its award for scientific research in Conservation Biology (2004). ; Peer reviewed

Under a Creative Commons license. ; Epizootics and deliberate changes in policies affecting the environment may affect large groups of species and the functioning of entire ecosystems. Although these effects often overlap in time, their simultaneous effect is rarely examined despite their importance as causes of current biodiversity loss. Here, based on the monitoring of an Egyptian vulture (Neophron percnopterus) population over thirty-three years (1986–2018), we increase our knowledge about the effects of anthropogenic-induced changes in food availability, both direct (sanitary policies limiting livestock carcass disposal) and indirect (a wild rabbit epizootic), on brood size and body condition of fledglings at nests. We compared the body mass of fledglings of broods with one chick (Single) and two chicks (within which we distinguished First and Second-hatched). The mass of Second-hatched chicks decreased after the plummet in rabbit populations (in the year 1990) and the regulations limiting carcass disposal (2005), reaching minimum values during the period with lowest food availability (i.e. 2005–2013). Recent sanitary legislation allowing carcass disposal by farmers coincides with a slight recovery in the observed body masses. Overall, this study shows that environmental changes of disparate origin can have synergistic effects on individual condition. Conservation of endangered vultures will require multi-targeted conservation plans aimed at ensuring nutritional requirements, in addition to detailed long-term monitoring, in order to detect obscure/masked drivers that affect body condition of fledglings. ; This research was funded by the Comunidad de Bardenas Reales de Navarra and the Projects CGL2015-66966-C2-1-2-R and RTI2018-099609-B-C21 (Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness and EU/FEDER), AAEE123/2017 (accions especials d'R+D Conselleria d'Innovació, Recerca I Turisme, Govern Balear). ACA was supported by a Post-Doctoral contract Juan de la Cierva Incorporación (IJCI-2014-20744) from Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad, Spain and a post-doctoral contract Programa Viçent Mut of Govern Balear, Spain (PD/039/2017). EA was supported by La Caixa-Severo Ochoa International PhD Program 2015. ; Peer reviewed

Current changes in the environment and increases in threats to wildlife have prompted the need for a better understanding of species' conservation requirements. Strategies for the conservation of large-sized animal species with large home ranges have included the creation of large protected areas, or for migrants, the creation of protected breeding, stop-over and wintering areas. We aim to describe the movement behaviour of Andean condors (Vultur gryphus), and to relate it to its significance in the conservation of this species and its environment. We examine whether current conservation strategies are sufficient to ensure the daily requirements of the species, and evaluate the degree to which breeding and foraging areas are covered by protected areas. We present as a new challenge the conservation of large-sized species that perform daily long-range movements across a number of political and ecological borders. Andean condors tagged with GPS-satellite transmitters make long daily flights from their breeding areas (mountains in Argentina and Chile) to their feeding areas (the steppe in Argentina) crossing over the Andean Cordillera. These flights demonstrate that current conservation strategies are insufficient to protect species with such daily movement patterns, and that new approaches are needed. Thus, it is necessary to gain a more in-depth knowledge of the movement ecology of these organisms through individual-level approaches integrating intrinsic (reproductive and foraging behaviour) and extrinsic (political and geomorphological boundaries) factors that shape movement patterns. Conservation efforts must include international cooperation aiming to combine the conservation of flagship species, the management of public and private lands, and the maintenance of valuable ecosystem services. ; Peer reviewed

Despite widespread occurrence of seasonal sociality among animals, little is still known about the social drivers and populationlevel social implications of seasonal grouping behaviours, especially in birds. Here, we studied the combined effects of ecological and social factors on seasonal grouping patterns in a sedentary population of Egyptian vultures living on the Eastern Canary Islands. We focussed on the social significance of large-scale gatherings taking place outside the breeding season at a highly preferred feeding station and a nearby temporary roost. Group sizes at this feeding patch followed a strong seasonal pattern characterized by distinct monthly changes in group composition, according to sex, age and territorial status. In between reproductive periods, vulture numbers at the feeding station may reach up 50% of the total population on a single day. GPS-tracking showed that this increase in vulture numbers was in part due to a shift in foraging range towards the centre of Fuerteventura by low-ranked territorial birds breeding in remote areas. During this period, vultures may spend on average 30% of their monthly time in a social gatherings context, depending on social status. We show that seasonal grouping patterns are shaped by the complex interplay between ecological factors (reproductive constraints, resource seasonality, food predictability), age-specific traits and social competitive processes, while social attraction may be an important additional component. We propose that for facultative social foragers living in highly despotic territorial systems, collective foraging may be of particular relevance regarding the development of hierarchical social relations and maintenance of population-level social cohesion ; TvO received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie grant agreement no. "SocForVul 659008 ; During writing, LG was supported by a Marie Sklodowska-Curie Fellowship of the European Commission (grant number: ...

Political boundaries may represent ecological barriers due to differences in wildlife management policies. In the European Union, it might be expected that these differences should be highly diluted, because all countries have to comply with common directives issued by the European Commission. However, the subsidiarity principle may lead to the uneven uptake of European Union regulations, which can impact on biodiversity conservation due to unequal legislation in neighboring countries, particularly in the case of highly mobile organisms. Here we address this issue, by analyzing how EU regulations issued in response to the Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) crisis differentially affected vulture conservation in Portugal and Spain. Taking advantage of the intensive GPS-tracking of 60 griffon (Gyps fulvus) and 11 cinereous vultures (Aegypius monachus) from Spain, we found that the Spanish-Portuguese border acts as a quasi-impermeable barrier. In fact, there was an abrupt decline in the number of vulture locations across the Spanish-Portuguese border, with modelling showing that this was unlikely to be related to differences in land cover or topography. Instead, the pattern found was likely due to differences in trophic resource availability, namely carcasses from extensive livestock husbandry, resulting from the differential application of European sanitary legislation regarding the mandatory removal of dead livestock from the field. Overall, our results should be seen as a warning signal to policy makers and conservation managers, highlighting the need for a stronger integration of sanitary and environmental policies at the European level. ; This research was funded by the Consejeria de economia innovacion ciencia y empleo Junta de Andalucia (Proyecto de Excelencia 2012 RNM-1925) (Junta de Andalucía), Comunidad de Bardenas Reales de Navarra (Convenios EBD-CSIC 2014-2017), ; MInisterio de Economia, Industria y competitividad (Projecto CGL2015-66966-C2-1- 2-R) (Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness and ...

Migrant populations must cope not only with environmental changes in different biomes, but also with the continuous constraints imposed by human-induced changes through landscape transformation and resource patchiness. Theoretical studies suggest that changes in food distribution can promote changes in the social arrangement of individuals without apparent adaptive value. Empirical research on this subject has only been performed at reduced geographical scales and/or for single species. However, the relative contribution of food patchiness and predictability, both in space and time, to abundance and sociality can vary among species, depending on their degree of flexibility. ; This work was supported by the project CGL2004-00270 of Spanish Government. ; Peer reviewed

Aim Farmland abandonment or "ecological rewilding" shapes species distribution and ecological process ultimately affecting the biodiversity and functionality of ecosystems. Land abandonment predictions based on alternative future socioeconomic scenarios allow foretell the future of biota in Europe. From here, we predict how these forecasts may affect large‐scale distribution of the Cinereous vulture (Aegypius monachus), an apex scavenger closely linked to Mediterranean agro‐grazing systems. Location Iberian Peninsula. Methods Firstly, we modelled nest‐site and foraging habitat selection in relation to variables quantifying physiography, trophic resources and human disturbance. Secondly, we evaluate to what extent land abandonment may affect the life traits of the species and finally we determined how potential future distribution of the species would vary according to asymmetric socioeconomic land‐abandonment predictions for year 2040. Results Cinereous vultures selected breeding areas with steep slopes and low human presence whereas foraging areas are characterized by high abundance of European rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) and wild ungulates. Liberalization of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) could potentially transform positively 66% of the current nesting habitat, favouring the recovery of mature forest. Contrarily, land abandonment would negatively affect the 63% of the current foraging habitat reducing the availability of preferred food resources (wild European rabbit). On the other hand, the maintenance of the CAP would determine lower frequencies (24%–22%) of nesting and foraging habitat change. Main conclusions Land abandonment may result into opposite effects on the focal species because of the increase in nesting habitats and wild ungulates populations and, on the other hand, lower availability of open areas with poorer densities of European rabbits. Land‐abandonment models' scenarios are still coarse‐grained; the apparition of new human uses in natural areas may take place at small‐sized and ...

Aim: Farmland abandonment or "ecological rewilding" shapes species distribution and ecological process ultimately affecting the biodiversity and functionality of ecosystems. Land abandonment predictions based on alternative future socioeconomic scenarios allow foretell the future of biota in Europe. From here, we predict how these forecasts may affect large-scale distribution of the Cinereous vulture (Aegypius monachus), an apex scavenger closely linked to Mediterranean agro-grazing systems. Location: Iberian Peninsula. Methods: Firstly, we modelled nest-site and foraging habitat selection in relation to variables quantifying physiography, trophic resources and human disturbance. Secondly, we evaluate to what extent land abandonment may affect the life traits of the species and finally we determined how potential future distribution of the species would vary according to asymmetric socioeconomic land-abandonment predictions for year 2040. Results: Cinereous vultures selected breeding areas with steep slopes and low human presence whereas foraging areas are characterized by high abundance of European rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) and wild ungulates. Liberalization of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) could potentially transform positively 66% of the current nesting habitat, favouring the recovery of mature forest. Contrarily, land abandonment would negatively affect the 63% of the current foraging habitat reducing the availability of preferred food resources (wild European rabbit). On the other hand, the maintenance of the CAP would determine lower frequencies (24%–22%) of nesting and foraging habitat change. Main conclusions: Land abandonment may result into opposite effects on the focal species because of the increase in nesting habitats and wild ungulates populations and, on the other hand, lower availability of open areas with poorer densities of European rabbits. Land-abandonment models' scenarios are still coarse-grained; the apparition of new human uses in natural areas may take place at small-sized and medium-sized scales, ultimately adding complexity to the prediction on the future of biota and ecosystems.