From Pyrenees to Andes: The relationship between transhumant livestock and vultures

Transhumance is the traditional livestock practice consisting in the seasonal movement of herds between winter and summer pastures. Transhumance have important effects on the ecosystem functions from local to regional scales. Here, we 1) explored the relationship of vultures to transhumant herds, and 2) tested whether there is a shift on the use of space by vultures due to the decline of transhumance. For that, we first assessed whether vultures follow transhumant herds in two mountain areas with transhumant tradition, Pyrenees (Spain) and Andes (Argentina). Second, we compared both systems to determine whether the impact of transhumance on the use of space of vultures is greater in the area where transhumance is still relevant (Andes) than where this activity is in decline (Pyrenees). For this purpose, we analyzed the use of the summer pastures made by 50 griffon vultures (Gyps fulvus) and 18 Andean condors (Vultur gryphus), as assessed by GPS tracking. Our findings showed that both species respond to transhumance by making greater use of summer pastures when herds are present. A higher proportion of condors made use of summer pastures than griffons, and condors individually made a more intense use of it than griffons. Differences could be explained by the fact that transhumance in the Andes is still important while in the Pyrenees is declining and the amount of carrion provided is lower. Given that the abandonment of traditional activities is a phenomenon underway, it is urgent to evaluate the effects it will have on biodiversity conservationComunidad de MadridLa Caixa-Severo Ochoa International PhD Program 2015Generalitat Valenciana and European Social Fund (APOSTD/2021)Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities ContractsJunta de AndaluciaPeregrin FundANPCyT Spanish Government PICT 2021-I-A-00484 04/B227Universidad Nacional del Comahue 04/B227 RTI2018-099609-B-C21-C22IAATE Conservation AwardConsejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas (CONICET)Project TRASCAR P18-RT-1321Junta de Andalucia TED2021-130005B-C21-C22Spanish GovernmentEuropean CommissionProject DIGITALPASTPlan NextGenerationEU PICT 2014-072

Beneficio tributario a pensionistas y adultos mayores afecta recaudación en municipalidades de Lima Metropolitana con menor valor de autoavalúo 2023

Este trabajo, tuvo como objetivo analizar en qué medida la aplicación de beneficios tributarios para los pensionistas y/o persona adulta mayor sin tener en cuenta la distinta valorización del autoavalúo entre los distritos, afecta la recaudación en los municipios con menor valor en sus predios. Se ha buscado analizar como un beneficio en el pago del IP para los pensionistas o adultos mayores puede ser perjudicial en los ingresos que tienen las municipalidades por este concepto. Con un tipo de investigación tipo básica de enfoque cualitativo, se ha tenido como resultado que la aplicación del beneficio de deducción de 50 UIT perjudica a las municipalidades con menor valor de autoavalúo, dado que la valorización que se da en cada municipio, difiere abismalmente entre diversas jurisdicciones, sin embargo, los requisitos para aplicar este beneficio a los pensionistas y/o adultos mayores es igual en toda la república, lo que ocasiona que los municipios más pobres o de menor valor de sus terrenos se vean perjudicados en su recaudación. Información al año 2023 de las Municipalidades de Lima Metropolitana, y la entrevista a funcionarios y expertos en la materia, teniendo en cuenta los antecedentes que se dan en otros países de la región

Distribution and breeding performance of ahigh-density Eagle Owl Bubo bubo population in southeast Spain

CapsuleDespite very high breeding density, no density-dependent effects on reproductive parameterswere detected.AimsTo describe the distribution, abundance and breeding performance of Eagle Owls and to analysedensity-dependent effects on breeding parameters.MethodsWe censused a high-density population of Eagle Owls in southeast Spain between 2003 and2010. To census the population we employed acoustic signals and searched for field signs. Breedingperformance was determined by nest monitoring.ResultsThe population’s density, productivity and fledgling rate were the highest recorded for this species.We detected a negative relationship between the laying date and productivity. Despite breeding pairs’ highdensity, no density-dependent effects on reproductive parameters were detected.ConclusionsOur results suggest that resources in the study area (mainly the availability of RabbitsOryc-tolagus cuniculus) and adult turnover might be responsible for this population’s high density and breedingsuccess

Conserving outside protected areas: edge effects and avian electrocutions on the periphery of Special Protection Areas

Electrocution on power lines is one of the principal problems facing raptors and other mediumand large-sized birds at the global scale. The recent European-based Spanish state legislation on avian electrocutions has focused on Special Protection Areas (SPA). Here we evaluate whether this policy has been successful, using the Community of Valencia, Spain, as a regional model. We compiled a database of 400 electrocution events from information on electrocuted birds taken into Wildlife Recovery Centres and incidents registered by the main local power company during the last decade. A small proportion (c.18%) of electrocution casualties occurred within SPA boundaries but the 5 km wide belt immediately surrounding the SPAs produced more than three times the number of avian electrocutions (c.60% of the total recorded). This was probably caused by higher densities of both power lines and susceptible birds, and higher use of the pylons for perching and roosting in the areas surrounding the SPAs. We therefore conclude that the focus on preventative measures being applied within SPAs is inefficient and that action should be targeted in these peripheral areas. Our results illustrate a classic problem of an edge effect associated with a protected area, where external human influences directly affect the persistence of protected species within reserves. Equally, they support the idea that management strategies within parks cannot be independent of the human activities surrounding them

Descripción de una especie nueva del género Athous Eschscholtz, 1829, de la Península Ibérica (Coleoptera: Elateridae: Dendrometrinae: Dendrometrini)

Se describe una especie nueva de Athous Eschscholtz, 1829 del subgénero Haplathous Reitter, 1905 de la península ibérica: A. (H.) dianae sp.n. Esta especie se ha encontrado hasta el momento únicamente en la provincia de Alicante, siendo la primera especie del subgénero Haplathous conocida para la Comunidad Valenciana.A new species of the genus Athous Escscholtz, 1829 subgenus Haplathous Reitter, 1905 is described from the Iberian Peninsula: Athous (Haplatous) dianae n.sp. At present this species is only known from the Alicante province, being the first species of Haplathous subgenus known form Valencian Community.Proyecto (PROMETEO/2013/034, I.P. Eduardo Galante) subvencionado por la Generalitat Valenciana

Effects of Renewable Energy Production and Infrastructure on Wildlife

The high levels of human demands of resources—from food to space and energy—are one of the main drivers of global change and are causing large negative impacts on ecosystems functioning worldwide (Vitousek et al. 1997 ). Global change components range from climate change to habitat destruction, species invasions, pollution and eutrophication. Although these factors can produce ecosystem changes independently, the final descent is often driven by synergistic processes. The resulting amplifying feedbacks can be disconnected from the original driver of change, leading to a state shift in the biosphere with unexpected consequences (Barnosky et al. 2012 ). Climate change seems to have taken prominence over other drivers of global change, leading to larger funding and attention with respect to other major components of global change (Veríssimo et al. 2014 )

Effects of Renewable Energy Production and Infrastructure on Wildlife

The high levels of human demands of resources—from food to space and energy—are one of the main drivers of global change and are causing large negative impacts on ecosystems functioning worldwide (Vitousek et al. 1997 ). Global change components range from climate change to habitat destruction, species invasions, pollution and eutrophication. Although these factors can produce ecosystem changes independently, the final descent is often driven by synergistic processes. The resulting amplifying feedbacks can be disconnected from the original driver of change, leading to a state shift in the biosphere with unexpected consequences (Barnosky et al. 2012 ). Climate change seems to have taken prominence over other drivers of global change, leading to larger funding and attention with respect to other major components of global change (Veríssimo et al. 2014 )

Fine-scale collision risk mapping and validation with long-term mortality data reveal current and future wind energy development impact on sensitive species

The ongoing demand for renewable energy has boosted the development of wind farms worldwide. Given the impact these facilities have on flying species, a spatially explicit assessment of collision risk in vulnerable species is needed to guide management actions and prioritise areas for installing these infrastructures. We used GPStracking data of 127 adult and 50 juvenile griffon vultures in peninsular Spain gathered between 2014 and 2022 to evaluate factors influencing vulnerability and exposure and predict collision risk. We validate the observed collision risk with recorded long-term mortality data (1999–2022) at regional and wind farm scales and evaluate the estimated impact of current and future turbine facilities. Our results showed that overall food availability increases vulnerability and exposure, whilst distance to nesting areas and the presence of conspecifics decreased both vulnerability and exposure in adults and juveniles, respectively. Our maps revealed that 19% and 10% of the Spanish peninsular area had a high collision risk for adults and juveniles, respectively. Importantly, the number of turbine casualties was positively related to collision risk at the regional and wind farm scale and ~ 18 of the breeding population lies within high collision risk areas.Moreover, the areas with the highest risk of collision also have the highest number of turbines and largely overlap with areas suitable for developing new wind farms. Our study highlights the need to reduce collision risk mapping uncertainties by validating model outputs with actual mortality data. Moreover, it emphasises the urgent need for spatial planning of wind energy development, searching for safer alternatives for biodiversity. This approach undoubtedly serves as a tool to define “not go to” areas for installing new turbines for one of the most sensitive species

Day and night wind drift and evaporation losses in sprinkler solid sets and moving laterals

The definitive version is available at: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/03783774 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2005.01.015Wind drift and evaporation losses (WDEL) represent a relevant water sink in sprinkler irrigation, particularly in areas with strong winds and high evaporative demand. The objectives of this paper include: 1) Characterize WDEL under day and night operation conditions for solid-set and moving lateral configurations; 2) Propose adequate predictive equations; and 3) Prospect the effect of sprinkler irrigation on the meteorological variables and on the estimates of reference evapotranspiration. A total of 89 catch can irrigation evaluations were performed in both irrigation systems and under day and night conditions. Different predictive equations of WDEL were proposed for combinations of the two irrigation systems and the two operation times. The equations were selected based on their capability to explain and predict WDEL. Most equations use wind speed alone as an independent variable, although some use relative humidity or combinations of both variables plus air temperature. In the semi-arid meteorological conditions of Zaragoza (Spain), the average WDEL for the solid-set were 15.4 % and 8.5 % during day and night irrigations, respectively. For the experimental moving lateral, losses amounted to 9.8 % during the day and 5.0 % during the night. The effect of sprinkler irrigation on the meteorological variables was moderate, with small increases in relative humidity (3.9 %) and decreases in air temperature (0.5 ºC) during the irrigation event and a few minutes afterwards. Consequently, reference evapotranspiration, estimated by the Penman-Monteith method, decreased during the irrigation event by 0.023 mm h-1 on the average. This decrease represents 2.1 % of WDEL, suggesting that the WDEL do not significantly contribute to satisfy crop water requirements, and therefore constitute a consumptive water loss.This research was funded by the CONSI+D of the Government of Aragón (Spain) through grant P028/2000 and by the Plan Nacional de I+D+I of the government of Spain through grant AGL2004-06675-C03-03/AGR.Peer reviewe

From on-farm solid-set sprinkler irrigation design to collective irrigation network design in windy areas

The definitive version is available at: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/03783774In this paper, a contribution to the design of collective pressurized irrigation networks in solid-set sprinkler irrigated windy areas is presented. The methodology is based on guaranteeing minimum on-farm performance, using a historical hourly wind speed database and a ballistic solid-set irrigation simulation model. The proposed method was applied to the Montesnegros Irrigation District (central Ebro basin, Spain). The district irrigates an area of 3,493 ha using an on-demand schedule. The average wind speed in the area is 2,8 m s-1. An analysis of district water records showed that farmers often reduce water demand when the wind speed is high, but their irrigation decision making is limited by the capacity of the irrigation network and by the unpredictable character of local winds. Simulations were performed for eleven irrigation seasons, two triangular sprinkler spacings (18x18 and 18x15 m), and two sprinkler models. The percentage of monthly suitable time for irrigation was determined for four management strategies. The first one was based on a wind speed threshold (3 m s-1), while the other three were based on three levels (standard, relaxed and restrictive) of two irrigation performance parameters: the Christiansen Uniformity Coefficient (CU) and the Wind Drift and Evaporation Losses (WDEL). The thresholds for the standard strategy were CU ≥ 84% and WDEL ≤ 20%. The suitable time for the first strategy (56%) was always lower than for the standard and the relaxed strategies (with respective average values of 75 and 86%), and higher than for the restrictive strategy (30%). In order to design the collective network, the hydrant operating time was equalled to the suitable time for irrigation. The differences in the cost of the collective network plus the on-farm equipment were particularly relevant between the restrictive strategy and the other three. Differences in suitable operating time were clear between sprinkler spacings, and less evident between sprinkler models. The application of the proposed methodology may be limited by the availability of historical wind speed records and CU estimates for different combinations of sprinkler models, sprinkler spacings and wind speed.CICYT of the Government of Spain (grant AGL2004-06675-C03-03/AGR) Government of Aragón (grant PIP090/2005)Peer reviewe