Human-carnivore relations: conflicts, tolerance and coexistence in the American West

Carnivore and humans live in proximity due to carnivore recovery efforts and ongoing human encroachment into carnivore habitats globally. The American West is a region that uniquely exemplifies these human-carnivore dynamics, however, it is unclear how the research community here integrates social and ecological factors to examine human-carnivore relations. Therefore, strategies promoting human-carnivore coexistence are urgently needed.Weconducted a systematic review on human-carnivore relations in the American West covering studies between 2000 and 2018. Wefirst characterized human-carnivore relations across states of the American West. Second, we analyzed similarities and dissimilarities across states in terms of coexistence, tolerance, number of ecosystem services and conflicts mentioned in literature. Third, we used Bayesian modeling to quantify the effect of social and ecological factors influencing the scientific interest on coexistence, tolerance, ecosystem services and conflicts. Results revealed some underlying biases in humancarnivore relations research. Colorado and Montana were the states where the highest proportion of studies were conducted with bears and wolves the most studied species. Non-lethal management was the most common strategy to mitigate conflicts. Overall, conflicts with carnivores were much more frequently mentioned than benefits.Wefound similarities among Arizona, California, Utah, and New Mexico according to how coexistence, tolerance, services and conflicts are addressed in literature.MEG was supported by a research contract from Sistema Nacional de Garantía Juvenil co-funded by the Social European Fund and the Junta de Andalucía, Spain (PID_UAL_2018/001). AJC, NHC, and JMRM were funded by the NSF Idaho EPSCoR Program under award number IIA-1301792 and OIA‐1757324. MM and AFM were supported by Ramón y Cajal research contracts from the MINECO (RYC-2015- 19231 and RYC-2016-21114, respectively), ZMR by a postdoctoral contract from the Generalitat Valenciana (APOSTD/2019/016) and ACA by a postdoctoral contract of Programa Viçent Mut of Govern Balear, Spain (PD/039/2017)

The role of emotions in human–nature connectedness within Mediterranean landscapes in Spain

Landscapes can lead to different emotions towards nature that in turn shape people’s environmental behavior and decision processes. This study explores the role of emotions that Mediterranean landscapes foster in people and to what extent these emotions are associated with human–nature connectedness (HNC). We conducted 176 face-to-face surveys to explore HNC and the diversity of emotions associated with a suite of landscapes in Southeast Spain. Results revealed that Marine and Coastal Protected Areas received the highest number of positive emotions, whereas Greenhouses and Non-Protected Littoral were linked to negative emotions. We propose a framework for classifying emotional landscapes according to four groups: emotionally positive, negative, polarized or neutral. Results showed that emotions might play a key role in shaping HNC in Spanish Mediterranean landscapes and may be used as a common ground for understanding roots underpinning human decisions and actions that lead to sustainable management or landscape degradationHORIZON EUROPE Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions (Grant no. 101031168

Vertebrate populations' trends across the Iberian Peninsula

Resumen del trabajo presentado a: 2nd Meeting of the Iberian Ecological Society (SIBECOL); XXI conference of the Iberian Association of Limnology (AIL) and 21st National Congress of Ecology of the Portuguese Ecological Society (SPECO), celebrados en Aveiro (Portugal) del 3 al 8 de julio de 2022.Understanding and identifying the impacts of multiple stressors on natural populations has become a key objective for post-2020 biodiversity conservation. Of particular concern are the impacts of stressors at the local scale, which are not necessarily reflected in current global conservation assessments. As a hotspot of biodiversity, the Iberian Peninsula is an area of special interest for conservation, but it is currently facing myriad environmental problems. Yet, a synthesis of the impacts of multiple stressors on the Iberian faunal populations is glaringly missing. To contribute to this challenge, we join our efforts in an Early Career Researchers project funded by SIBECOL, which aims to synthesise current knowledge on population trends of Iberian marine, terrestrial and freshwater vertebrates, and, eventually, to identify the most common stressors for Iberian fauna populations, and their differences between major taxonomic groups and ecosystems. Here, we will present the results of the first phase of this project, whose objective was to describe the trends of Iberian vertebrate populations and identify knowledge gaps related to taxonomic groups and ecosystems. To that aim, we conducted an extensive literature review, with more than 5,000 scientific manuscripts and grey literature screened. From this initial review, and after applying data quality controls, we obtained > 1,000 population time series of Iberian vertebrates across marine, terrestrial, and freshwater ecosystems. Once we compiled this database, we analysed the population trends using a two-step modelling process: (i) first, we applied state-space models to derive the population trend of each population time series; and (ii) second, we used multilevel Bayesian models to determine the factors influencing these population trends. Overall, we found that Iberian vertebrate populations display a disparity in trends, with both declines and increases, with fishes (both marine and freshwater) being the taxa showing clear signs of decline. Additionally, we identified important gaps in monitoring data across the Iberian Peninsula, with amphibians and reptiles severely underrepresented in our dataset, despite being among the most threatened taxonomic groups. These gaps may limit our understanding of the impacts of stressors at local scales and eventually bias current conservation assessments. Overall, our approach will bridge the significant gap in our knowledge between the global and local scale conservation status of wild Iberian populations and help focus future conservation policies.Peer reviewe

An experimental test of host’s life history traits modulation in response to cuckoo parasitism risk

Hosts can counteract parasites through defences based on resistance and/or tolerance. The mechanistic basis of tolerance, which involve defensive mechanisms minimizing parasite damage after a successful parasitic attack, remains poorly explored in the study of cuckoo-host interactions. Here, we experimentally explore the possibility that the risk of great spotted cuckoo Clamator glandarius parasitism may induce tolerance defences in magpie Pica pica hosts through plasticity in life-history traits. We predict that magpies exposed to auditory cues indicating high parasitism risk will more likely exhibit resistance and/or modify their life-history traits to minimize parasitism costs (i.e. tolerance) compared to magpies under low parasitism risk. We found that manipulating the perceived parasitism risk did not affect host resistance (i.e. rejection of parasitic eggs) nor host life-history traits. Unexpectedly, host's egg volume increased over the season in nests exposed to auditory cues of control non-harmful hoopoes Upupa epops. Our results do not provide support for inducible defences (either based on resistance or tolerance) in response to risk of parasitism in magpie hosts. Even so, we encourage studying plastic expression of breeding strategies in response to risk of cuckoo parasitism to achieve a better understanding of the mechanistic basis of tolerance defences.This work was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science/FEDER (Projects CGL2011-27561/BOS and CGL2014-56769-P to D. P. and J.M.A.). D.P. was supported by the Government of Extremadura while writing (contract number TA13002). M.E.G. was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (grant number BES-2012-051898).

Efectos comportamentales, fisiológicos y reproductivos del riesgo de depredación y del parasitismo de cría en la reproducción de las aves: ¿importa el miedo?

En resumen, esta tesis aporta nuevas evidencias de los efectos sub-letales de la depredación y parasitismo de cría sobre las decisiones previas a la reproducción de las aves en ambientes naturales. Estos efectos se han mostrado a través de cambios en la elección de los territorios de reproducción y tienen efectos indirectos sobre la estructura, composición y nivel de interacción entre gremios dentro de la comunidad. Encontramos también efectos del riesgo de depredación percibido durante la reproducción mediante cambios en el cuidado parental. Sin embargo, no hemos encontrado evidencias claras de los efectos del riesgo de parasitismo sobre rasgos reproductivos y fisiológicos en un hospedador de un parásito obligado de cría una vez comenzada la reproducción. Finalmente, los resultados sugieren que la actividad humana también puede ser percibida como un factor de riesgo modulando el estado fisiológico de especies en declive poblacional como consecuencia de la alteración de sus hábitats. Por tanto, los resultados conjuntos de esta tesis ofrecen nuevos avances en el estudio del riesgo de depredación y parasitismo de cría en tiempo ecológico de gran interés tanto en el campo de la Ecología Evolutiva y del Comportamiento como por su aplicación en la Conservación y Gestión Animal. Además, los resultados de la tesis en su conjunto sugieren que el estudio de múltiples pistas es fundamental para llegar a una compresión profunda de los efectos del riesgo puesto que las aves tienen la capacidad de evaluarlo en base a pistas que perciben por distintos canales de comunicación.In summary, this thesis provides new evidence of the sub-lethal effects of predation and inter-specific brood parasitism on decisions prior to the reproduction of birds in natural environments. These effects have been shown through changes in nest-site choice and have indirect effects on the structure, composition and level of interaction between guilds within the community. We also found effects of the risk of nest predation perceived during reproduction through changes in parental care. However, we have not found clear evidence of the effects of the risk of parasitism on reproductive and physiological traits in a host of an obligate brood parasite, once reproduction has begun. Finally, the results suggest that human activity can also be perceived as a risk factor modulating the physiological state of species under population decline, as a consequence of the alteration and disturbances in their habitats. Therefore, the results of this thesis offer new advances in the study of the risk of predation and the risk of cuckoo parasitism in ecological time of great interest both in the field of Evolutionary Ecology and Behavior and its application in Animal Conservation and Management. In addition, the results of the thesis suggest that the study of multiple cues is necessary to deeply understand the effects of risk, given that birds may evaluate threats perceived by cues through different communication channels.Tesis Univ. Granada.Beca predoctoral de formación de personal investigador (FPI, BES-2012- 051898) con fondos FEDER (CGL2011-27561/BOS and CGL2014- 56769-P) del Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad

Physiological stress and behavioural responses of European Rollers and Eurasian Scops Owls to human disturbance differ in farming habitats in the south of Spain

International audienceHuman activities are altering ecosystems and threatening the well-being of wildlife. The study of the stressful effects of human disturbances on animal distribution, physiology and behaviour can provide fundamental insights for wildlife conservation. Here, we assess how two declining birds, the European Roller Coracias garrulus and the European Scops Owl Otus scops, cope with alteration by human activities in farming habitats of the south of Spain. We studied nest distribution, quantified nestling physiology (corticosterone levels in plasma and feathers and body weight close to fledgling) and parental behaviour (feeding rates) of both species along a human alteration gradient. Rollers and Scops Owls used the same type of habitat and their spatial distribution was not determined by individual quality. In Rollers, nestlings raised in scrubland areas had high stress-induced corticosterone levels, possibly due to high predation risk in this habitat. In addition, Rollers and Scops Owls showed opposite relationships with farming activity and human disturbance. Nestling Rollers showed the highest corticosterone levels in feathers, weight and parental feeding rates in areas with intense farming activity. These results suggest that despite the disturbance produced by farming activities, inducing a higher stress in these areas, cultivated areas may, simultaneously, provide parents with a higher abundance of prey which would trigger increased feeding rates and, hence, higher nestling weights. Furthermore, nestling Scops Owls showed the highest stress-induced corticosterone levels in areas close to roads, suggesting that they would be affected by human disturbance due to infrastructures that disturb also at night when Scops Owls are active. Therefore, susceptibility to human disturbance may vary between species, probably due to variation in the daily pattern of human activities and the species’ activity rhythm, buffering or exacerbating the effects, which should be considered in future studies on human alterations and birds

Apparent survival, growth rate and dispersal in a declining European Roller population

Studying demographic parameters and how they may influence population growth is critical to the development of meaningful conservation actions for endangered species. The European Roller Coracias garrulus has experienced a drastic decline through its breeding distribution range, but very little is known about its demography (i.e. dispersal and survival). Here, we investigated the apparent survival, population growth and breeding site fidelity in a Roller population in the south of Spain over a period of 8 years. We used capture–recapture histories of 202 ringed adults and 369 fledglings to estimate annual survival, and studied factors affecting site fidelity in 56 adults found breeding over two consecutive years. Adult male and female apparent survival overlapped widely and was similar to that found in other similar migratory species. However, juvenile apparent survival, which was markedly lower than adult survival, was low relative to that found for other birds. Population growth was nearly stable during the study period. Regarding site fidelity, males raising more fledglings one year were more prone to be faithful the following year. In females, however, we did not find any factor influencing either site fidelity decisions or distance between consecutive breeding sites. Concerning settlement decisions, males, but not females, moved to nest-boxes where density of Rollers was lower than that at the nest-box of origin. Altogether, our results suggest that the low productivity and a potential decrease in immigration might be compromising the viability of the population.DP and JMA were funded by the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science/FEDER through the projects CGL2008-00718, CGL2011-27561/BOS, CGL2014-56769-P, CGL2017-83503-P and by the Government of Extremadura through the project TA13002 to D

Redness associates with inter-individual differencesin behaviour and hormone profiles in male scops owls (Otus Scops) [dataset]

Todos los años, a partir de la última semana de abril, se visitaron las cajas nido una vez por semana hasta que se detectó la puesta de huevos. Tras de la eclosión de los huevos, se visitaron los nidos semanalmente para registrar los parámetros reproductivos. La captura de adultos para este estudio se realizó a mano, mientras dormía en el nido en el caso de las hembras y, en el caso de los machos, con trampas para nidos cuando llevan alimento para los pollos. Todos los individuos se marcaron con anillas metálicas y fueron sexados según la placa de incubación (solo presente en hembras). Además, tras la captura, se fotografió a todos los adultos para la asignación de color, se extrajeron muestras de sangre y se recogieron plumas para evaluar el perfil de corticosterona y se midió la tasa de respiraciones por minuto. Además se midió la territorialidad de los machos como el tiempo que tardaron en responder al canto de otro macho en su territorio, así como la duración de esta respuesta. Para ello se emitieron cantos de machos adultos en el entorno del nido. En el caso de las hembras, se grabó su comportamiento de respuesta frente al investigador al visitarlas en el nido. Adicionalmente, se realizaron grabaciones internas en todos los nidos durante el periodo nidícola de los pollos, de las que se extrajeron datos sobre el tiempo de latencia en retornar al nido de ambos progenitores y las tasas de cebas aportadas al nido.This work was founded by Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness by the projects CGL2008-00718, CGL2011-27561, CGL2014-56769-P and CGL2017-83503-P. ACM was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (BES-2015-074948). DP was supported by the government of Extremadura (TA13002).Parental care data; Behavioural traits and corticosterone levels dataPeer reviewe

Phaeomelanin matters: Redness associates with inter-individual differences in behaviour and feather corticosterone in male scops owls (Otus scops).

Individuals within populations often show consistent variation in behavioural and physiological traits which are frequently inter-correlated, potentially leading to phenotypic integration. Understanding the mechanisms behind such integration is a key task in evolutionary ecology, and melanin based colouration has been suggested to play a pivotal role. In birds, most of plumage colour variation is determined by two types of melanin, eumelanin and phaeomelanin, but the role of phaeomelanin in avian phenotype integration has been barely investigated. Here, we test for covariation between phaeomelanin-based colouration, behavioural traits (i.e. nest territoriality, aggressiveness, breath rate and parental behaviour) and corticosterone in feathers in the polymorphic scops owl Otus scops, a bird species in which more phaeomelanic individuals display reddish colourations. In males, we observed that reddish males took longer to return to their nests and showed higher levels of feather CORT than more greyish ones. Behaviour and feather CORT were not associated to plumage colour in females. The found associations between redness, behaviour and feather CORT in males, but not in females, might suggest the existence of a sex-specific integrated phaeomelanic phenotype in scops owls