Effects of environmental variability and offspring growth on the movement ecology of breeding Scopoli's shearwater Calonectris diomedea

Abstract Most seabird species display colonial behavior during the breeding period which implies that food resources around breeding sites can easily go depleted. Seabirds need to both reach profitable areas, which can be located far from the colony, and return to the colony regularly. In this context, flexibility in movement behavior may be crucial for breeding success. During chick-rearing, Procellariformes species can alternate short trips lasting 1–4 days for chick provisioning with longer trips for self-provisioning in what has been called a dual-foraging strategy. We analyzed foraging trips from 136 Scopoli's shearwaters from three Mediterranean colonies tracked with GPS during 6 chick-rearing seasons to assess whether the adoption of a dual foraging strategy depends on the quality of habitat surrounding the colony. We found a marked dual-foraging strategy only in birds from the Linosa colony which was the largest colony in terms of breeding pairs and was characterized by having a lower marine habitat quality. Birds from this colony performed foraging trips that extended up to 369 km from the nest and lasted more than 10 days. In general, the decision to perform long lasting trips was triggered by lower values of primary production and higher offspring weight. Contrary to expectation, the decision to feed far from the colony was not related to the parents' weight. At the same time, despite the higher productivity offered by distant areas, the higher proportion of long trips performed by birds breeding in poor areas was not sufficient to maintain the same body mass as the ones breeding in richer areas

[Wetlands in the Continental biogeographical region of Northern Italy: from scenarios of change to conservation perspectives]

[Wetlands are extremely important ecosystems for supporting biodiversity and providing services. Nonetheless, although they are mostly protected through several regulations, wetlands are affected by many negative factors that are leading to progressive deterioration of their conservation status. This circumstance is especially obvious in the Continental biogeographical region of Northern Italy, which is included in Piedmont and Lombardy on the left hydrographic side of the River Po. The goal of this study was to assess the main ecological drivers, i.e. the most important ecological factors, including pressures and threats, that shape negatively ecosystem dynamics, hence affecting conservation targets, and finally to suggest actions for counteracting them. Analyses were done at different scales, through bibliographic researches and site-specific data processing. As a result, we identified groups of ecological drivers, among which three were recognized as prevalent: a) the anthropic alteration of water levels; and b) the natural ecological succession in combination to c) the abandonment of traditional land use practices. The last two main ecological drivers were regarded as those to be counteracted by removing biomass (through digging, mowing, fire), because they may produce cascading effects and work against all the other ecological drivers. However, it is necessary to define a new reference framework based on pointing out conservation priorities at large scale (regional or supra-regional) and conservation actions at local scale, both focused on adaptive management.] [Article in Italian

Global assessment of marine plastic exposure risk for oceanic birds

Plastic pollution is distributed patchily around the world’s oceans. Likewise, marine organisms that are vulnerable to plastic ingestion or entanglement have uneven distributions. Understanding where wildlife encounters plastic is crucial for targeting research and mitigation. Oceanic seabirds, particularly petrels, frequently ingest plastic, are highly threatened, and cover vast distances during foraging and migration. However, the spatial overlap between petrels and plastics is poorly understood. Here we combine marine plastic density estimates with individual movement data for 7137 birds of 77 petrel species to estimate relative exposure risk. We identify high exposure risk areas in the Mediterranean and Black seas, and the northeast Pacific, northwest Pacific, South Atlantic and southwest Indian oceans. Plastic exposure risk varies greatly among species and populations, and between breeding and non-breeding seasons. Exposure risk is disproportionately high for Threatened species. Outside the Mediterranean and Black seas, exposure risk is highest in the high seas and Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) of the USA, Japan, and the UK. Birds generally had higher plastic exposure risk outside the EEZ of the country where they breed. We identify conservation and research priorities, and highlight that international collaboration is key to addressing the impacts of marine plastic on wide-ranging species

Global assessment of marine plastic exposure risk for oceanic birds

Plastic pollution is distributed patchily around the world's oceans. Likewise, marine organisms that are vulnerable to plastic ingestion or entanglement have uneven distributions. Understanding where wildlife encounters plastic is crucial for targeting research and mitigation. Oceanic seabirds, particularly petrels, frequently ingest plastic, are highly threatened, and cover vast distances during foraging and migration. However, the spatial overlap between petrels and plastics is poorly understood. Here we combine marine plastic density estimates with individual movement data for 7137 birds of 77 petrel species to estimate relative exposure risk. We identify high exposure risk areas in the Mediterranean and Black seas, and the northeast Pacific, northwest Pacific, South Atlantic and southwest Indian oceans. Plastic exposure risk varies greatly among species and populations, and between breeding and non-breeding seasons. Exposure risk is disproportionately high for Threatened species. Outside the Mediterranean and Black seas, exposure risk is highest in the high seas and Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) of the USA, Japan, and the UK. Birds generally had higher plastic exposure risk outside the EEZ of the country where they breed. We identify conservation and research priorities, and highlight that international collaboration is key to addressing the impacts of marine plastic on wide-ranging species.B.L.C., C.H., and A.M. were funded by the Cambridge Conservation Initiative’s Collaborative Fund sponsored by the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation. E.J.P. was supported by the Natural Environment Research Council C-CLEAR doctoral training programme (Grant no. NE/S007164/1). We are grateful to all those who assisted with the collection and curation of tracking data. Further details are provided in the Supplementary Acknowledgements. Any use of trade, firm, or product names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.Peer reviewe

Global assessment of marine plastic exposure risk for oceanic birds

Plastic pollution is distributed patchily around the world’s oceans. Likewise, marine organisms that are vulnerable to plastic ingestion or entanglement have uneven distributions. Understanding where wildlife encounters plastic is crucial for targeting research and mitigation. Oceanic seabirds, particularly petrels, frequently ingest plastic, are highly threatened, and cover vast distances during foraging and migration. However, the spatial overlap between petrels and plastics is poorly understood. Here we combine marine plastic density estimates with individual movement data for 7137 birds of 77 petrel species to estimate relative exposure risk. We identify high exposure risk areas in the Mediterranean and Black seas, and the northeast Pacific, northwest Pacific, South Atlantic and southwest Indian oceans. Plastic exposure risk varies greatly among species and populations, and between breeding and non-breeding seasons. Exposure risk is disproportionately high for Threatened species. Outside the Mediterranean and Black seas, exposure risk is highest in the high seas and Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) of the USA, Japan, and the UK. Birds generally had higher plastic exposure risk outside the EEZ of the country where they breed. We identify conservation and research priorities, and highlight that international collaboration is key to addressing the impacts of marine plastic on wide-ranging species

Fattori influenzanti la scelta sessuale e le cure parentali nel gheppio eurasiatico (Falco tinnunculus)

Dottorato di ricerca in biologia animale (etologia). 12. ciclo. A.a. 1996-99. Coordinatore Stefano Turillazzi. Revisore Davide CsermelyConsiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche - Biblioteca Centrale - P.le Aldo Moro, 7, Rome; Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale - P.za Cavalleggeri, 1, Florence / CNR - Consiglio Nazionale delle RichercheSIGLEITItal

Tentativo di misurare la pressione della stretta su una preda artificiale da parte di uccelli rapaci

Nel corso di vari test condotti in passato per studiare il comportamento predatorio di alcune specie di Falconiformi, era emerso chiaramente come quei rapaci usassero la stretta delle dita per l'uccisione di una preda a terra piuttosto che ferirla con gli artigli. Al contrario, questi paiono essere usati più come un prolungamento delle dita, cioè utili ad aumentare la superficie utile ad entrare in contatto con la preda stessa. In questa occasione si vuole illustrare il tentativo di effettuare una misura assoluta della pressione esercitata da due specie di uccelli rapaci nel corso della stretta predatoria, analizzandone l'andamento temporale nonchè la compatibilità con l'ipotesi dell'uso della pressione delle zampe come metodo di uccisione della preda. Sono stati utilizzati sei individui selvatici di poiana (_Buteo buteo_) e altrettanti gheppi (_Falco tinnunculus_). Tutti questi uccelli erano in perfette condizioni fisiche e si trovavano momentaneamente in cattività in quanto al termine del periodo di riabilitazione, dopo traumi di varia natura, presso il Centro Recupero Rapaci della LIPU a Sala Baganza (Parma). Ogni soggetto era sottoposto individualmente a due prove di predazione: nella prima veniva offerto un topo di laboratorio (_Mus musculus domesticus_) morto, di manto agouti (ceppo C3H), mentre nella seconda era usato uno zimbello di topo, con il medesimo manto, costituito da una pelle di topo cucita attorno ad un tubo di plastica contenente olio. Il tubo era collegato in serie ad un sensore di voltaggio, ad un dinamometro e ad un registratore a pennino. In questo modo si potevano rilevare istantaneamente i valori assoluti della pressione esercitata dal rapace sullo zimbello di topo e l'andamento nel tempo della stretta. Altri parametri comportamentali venivano registrati a parte e per tutta la durata del test. Non sono state rilevate differenze comportamentali, sia per le poiane che per i gheppi, tra le prove di predazione con il topo morto e quelle con lo zimbello; ciò ha portato a concludere che la "predazione" dello zimbello era attuata realisticamente da parte del rapace. I gheppi hanno mostrato di esercitare una pressione molto incostante nel tempo; infatti, il tracciato su carta rivela picchi di pressione molto variabili ed estremamente ravvicinati tra loro, ma senza raggiungere mai il valore zero. La media della pressione massima raggiunta dai gheppi nel corso di tutte le prove è risultata essere abbastanza bassa (Kg 0,69 ± 0,12). Al contrario, le poiane hanno esercitato una pressione molto più discontinua, con picchi di pressione elevata, ma durata di pochi secondi, alternati a periodi, anche lunghi, in cui la pressione calava quasi a zero. La media della pressione massima raggiunta dalle poiane è risultata essere molto maggiore rispetto ai gheppi (Kg 5,85 ± 0,93). Questa differenza nella tecnica adottata durante la stretta predatoria può essere in relazione alle differenze morfologiche dei due rapaci: il gheppio stringe il topo quasi continuativamente, ma con bassa pressione, mentre la poiana, di mole molto maggiore, esercita una pressione più alta e può permettersi di farlo ad intervalli, ottenendo così un risparmio di energia. Nel gheppio, anche se la pressione assoluta non raggiunge valori elevati, tuttavia l'efficienza nell'indurre la morte per soffocamento in un micromammifero è assicurata dalla continuità nel tempo della stretta