Habitats of gods: The room 100 of the site Casas del Turuñuelo (Guareña, Badajoz)

Se presentan en este trabajo los resultados obtenidos durante la excavación de la estancia 100 del yacimiento de ‘Casas del Turuñuelo’ (Guareña, Badajoz). Para ello realizamos un recorrido a través de su arquitectura y de los elementos materiales documentados durante las excavaciones. A partir de su análisis planteamos una primera lectura del espacio, donde incluimos su funcionalidad y comparativa con otros ejemplos documentados tanto en el núcleo de Tarteso como en su periferia geográfica, el valle medio del Guadiana.In this paper we present the results obtained during the excavations in the ‘room 100’ in the settlement of ‘Casas del Turuñuelo’ (Guareña). For that, we make an analysis through its architecture and the material elements documented during the excavations. From the analysis of the excavations, we propose a first reading of this space, where we include its functionality and relationship with other examples located in the territory of Tartessos as well as in its geographic periphery, the central Guadiana ValleyI+D+i: “Construyendo Tarteso: análisis constructivo, espacial y territorial de un modelo arquitectónico en el valle medio del Guadiana” (HAR2015-63788-P). Así mismo forma parte de los trabajos que se desarrollan dentro de la Unidad Asociada ‘ANTA’ (UAM-IAM) que actúa como promotora de las labores arqueológicas que se llevan a cabo en el yacimiento de ‘Casas del Turuñuelo

Scavenging in changing environments: woody encroachment shapes rural scavenger assemblages in Europe

Rural abandonment and subsequent vegetation regeneration (‘passive rewilding') are expected to increase worldwide, producing cascades of dynamic socioeconomic, landscape and biological changes. Although landscape characteristics strongly influence the structure and functioning of scavengers, little is known about the ecological consequences of passive rewilding due to woody encroachment (i.e.‘landscape closure') on scavenging assemblages. We investigated differences in ‘scavenger assemblage composition' (species richness and abundances) and ‘scavenging efficiency' (scavenging frequency, detection and consumption times and consumption rates) in a mountain agroecosystem (Pyrenees) undergoing passive rewilding. We monitored 178 carcasses in three landscapes: ‘open', ‘shrubland' and ‘forest', and evaluated the effects of landscape type on ‘scavenger assemblage composition' and ‘scavenging efficiency' at the community and species levels, while accounting for the influences of carcass size, type and placement time. We also examined whether the locally most abundant and efficient scavenger (i.e. the griffon vulture Gyps fulvus) affects scavenging patterns. We found that landscape type was the main factor governing scavenging dynamics. Overall and average scavenger richness were similar in open and shrubland landscapes, while forests contained the lowest number of scavengers, mainly comprising mammals. Unlike mammals, avian scavenging frequency decreased as vegetation cover increased, especially for obligate scavengers (i.e. vultures). Scavenger abundances were highest in open landscapes, and carcasses were detected and consumed more rapidly in these landscapes. Carcass size did not influence detection and consumption times, although it did affect average scavenger richness, abundances and consumption rates. Consumption rates were higher in open landscapes and were strongly associated with the presence of griffon vultures. Interestingly, we found that griffon vultures influenced scavenging dynamics via facilitation processes. However, woody encroachment could reduce the scavenging role of this species, while favoring mammalian facultative scavengers. Finally, our findings highlight the pivotal role of griffon vultures, mediated by landscape characteristics, in reducing carcass persistence.POV and AM were funded within the framework of the project RTI2018-099609-B-C22, from the I + D + I National Plan funded by the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities. ESG was funded by a Ramón y Cajal fellow (RYC-2019-027216-I)

Nested species- rich networks of scavenging vertebrates support high levels of interspecific competition

et al.Disentangling the processes that shape the organization of ecological assemblages and its implications for species coexistence is one of the foremost challenges of ecology. Although insightful advances have recently related community composition and structure with species coexistence in mutualistic and antagonistic networks, little is known regarding other species assemblages, such as those of scavengers exploiting carrion. Here we studied seven assemblages of scavengers feeding on ungulate carcasses in mainland Spain. We used dynamical models to investigate if community composition, species richness and structure (nestedness) affect species coexistence at carcasses. Scavenging networks showed a nested pattern in sites where highly efficient, obligate scavengers (i.e., vultures) were present and a non- nested pattern everywhere else. Griffon Vulture ( Gyps fulvus ) and certain meso- facultative mammalian scavengers (i.e., red fox, Vulpes vulpes, and stone marten, Martes foina ) were the main species contributing to nestedness. Assemblages with vultures were also the richest ones in species. Nested species- rich assemblages with vulture presence were associated with high carcass consumption rates, indicating higher interspecific competition at the local scale. However, the proportion of species stopping the consumption of carrion (as derived from the competitive dynamic model) stabilized at high richness and nestedness levels. This suggests that high species richness and nestedness may characterize scavenging networks that are robust to high levels of interspecific competition for carrion. Some facilitative interactions driven by vultures and major facultative scavengers could be behind these observations. Our findings are relevant for understanding species' coexistence in highly competitive systems.E. Sebastián-González and P. R. Guimarães benefited from FAPESP Research Foundation grants numbers 2011/17968-2 and 2009/054422-8, respectively; E. Sebastián-González is currently funded under the NSF grant NSF Award #1345247, M. Moleón by a postdoctoral grant from the Spanish Ministry of Education (Plan Nacional de I+D+I 2008-2011), J. P. Gibert by an Other Fellowship and SBS Special Funds (U. of N.), and P. Mateo-Tomás by a postdoctoral grant of the Junta de Comunidades de Castilla- La Mancha and Fondo Social Europeo. The study was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation through projects 23/2007 ICTS- RBD, CGL2009-12753-C02-02, and CGL2012-40013-C02-02, FEDER funds, the Generalitat Valenciana through project ACOMP/2012/147, and the Junta de Andalucía through project RNM-1925.Peer Reviewe

The underestimated role of carrion in vertebrates' diet studies

Aim: Despite the increasing scientific evidence on the importance of carrion in the ecology and evolution of many vertebrates, scavenging is still barely considered in diet studies. Here, we draw attention to how scientific literature has underestimated the role of vertebrates as scavengers, identifying the ecological traits that characterize those species whose role as scavengers could have gone especially unnoticed. Location: Global. Time Period: 1938–2022. Major Taxa Studied: Terrestrial vertebrate scavengers. Methods: We analysed and compared (a) the largest database available on scavenging patterns by carrion-consuming vertebrates, (b) 908 diet studies about 156 scavenger species and (c) one of the most complete databases on bird and mammal diets (Elton Traits database). For each of these 156 species, we calculated their scavenging degree (i.e. proportion of carcases where the species is detected consuming carrion) as a proxy for carrion consumption, and related their ecological traits with the probability of being identified as scavengers in diet studies and in the Elton Traits database. Results: More than half of the species identified as scavengers at monitored carcasses were not assigned carrion as food source in their diet studies nor in the Elton Traits database. Using a subset of study sites, we found a direct relationship between a species' scavenging degree and its rate of carrion biomass removal. In addition, scavenger species, which were classified as non-predators and mammals had a lower probability of being identified as scavengers in diet studies and in the Elton Traits database, respectively. Main Conclusions: Our results clearly indicate an underestimation of the role of scavenging in vertebrate food webs. Given that detritus recycling is fundamental to ecosystem functioning, we encourage further recognition and investigation of the role of carrion as a food resource for vertebrates, especially for non-predator species and mammals with higher scavenging degree.Junta de Andalucia POSTDOC_21_00353 PREDOC_00262Eusko Jaurlaritza PRE_2018_2_0112Center for Forestry Research & Experimentation (CIEF) ACIF/2019/056 APOSTD/2019/016 APOSTD/2021/028HORIZON EUROPE Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions 101086387Instituto de Salud Carlos III Spanish Government IJC-2019-038968 PID2021-128952NB-I00 RYC-2015-19231 RYC-2019-027216-I TED2021-130890B-C2

Unravelling the gender productivity gap in science: A meta-analytical review

Women underrepresentation in science has frequently been associated with women being less productive than men (i.e. the gender productivity gap), which may be explained by women having lower success rates, producing science of lower impact and/or suffering gender bias. By performing global meta-analyses, we show that there is a gender productivity gap mostly supported by a larger scientific production ascribed to men. However, women and men show similar success rates when the researchers´ work is directly evaluated (i.e. publishing articles). Men´s success rate is higher only in productivity proxies involving peer recognition (e.g. evaluation committees, academic positions). Men´s articles showed a tendency to have higher global impact but only if studies include self-citations. We detected gender bias against women in research fields where women are underrepresented (i.e. those different from Psychology). Historical numerical unbalance, socio-psychological aspects and cultural factors may influence differences in success rate, science impact and gender bias. Thus, the maintenance of a women-unfriendly academic and non-academic environment may perpetuate the gender productivity gap. New policies to build a more egalitarian and heterogeneous scientific community and society are needed to close the gender gap in science.Fil: Astegiano, Julia. Universidade de Sao Paulo; Brasil. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal; ArgentinaFil: Sebastián-González, Esther. Universidade de Sao Paulo; Brasil. Universidad de Miguel Hernández; EspañaFil: Castanho, Camila De Toledo. Universidade de Sao Paulo; Brasil. Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo; Brasi

Textiles and rituality in the late Tartessian Culture of the Guadiana valley

Número monográfico titulado: Interweaving traditions: clothing and textiles in Bronze and Iron Age Iberia. Eds. B. Marín-Aguilera and M. GlebaAfter the downfall of the Guadalquivir’s Tartessian Culture at the end of the sixth century BC, the Tartessian core located along the Middle Guadiana Valley continued its cultural and economic development as a type of hybrid response, having a unique, prosperous period throughout the fifth century BC. The archaeology of this complex society is represented in Tartessic lowland buildings covered by tumuli, like the well-known examples at Cancho Roano (Zalamea de la Serena, Badajoz) and La Mata (Campanario, Badajoz). In the case of the former, remnants of textile activities such as spinning and weaving are plentiful, including loom weights, spindle whorls, metal and bone needles, as well as pins. Textile fibres were not recovered; however, recent finds provide insight into the technical and ritual meanings of textiles in these unique contexts. An example of this are the discoveries at the Casas del Turuñuelo site (Guareña, Badajoz), a newly-excavated building under a tumulus that produced fabrics and textile tools. These new discoveries are presented herein, along with a review of prior finds to permit us new interpretation

Habitat selection of two sympatric species of Ameiva in East Costa Rica

Identifying the differences in habitat use for sympatric species is important for understanding the species preferences and the limits of population distribution. We studied the differences in the habitat use of two understudied sympatric species of Ameiva (A. festiva and A. quadrilineata) in a natural reserve of the Caribbean coast of Coast Rica. Ameiva quadrilineata showed a more restrictive habitat use pattern than A. festiva. A. quadrilineata’s smaller body size may be one of the factors limiting its habitat range. Both species showed higher density in regenerated forests, while A. quadrilineata was never found in swamp forests. The air temperature and the meteorological condition at the moment of the survey also influenced the occurrence of the A. quadrilineata, while the juveniles of A. festiva were only affected by the meteorological condition. None of the studied variables seemed to affect the occurrence of A. festiva adults. The results of this study can be useful to evaluate possible changes in the species distribution patterns as a consequence of direct (i.e., deforestation) or indirect (i.e., climate change) human activities in the distribution area of these species

Behavioral interactions are modulated by facilitation along a heterotrophic succession

Competition and facilitation drive ecological succession but are often hard to quantify. In this sense, behavioral data may be a key tool to analyze interaction networks, providing insights into temporal trends in facilitation and competition processes within animal heterotrophic succession. Here, we perform the first in-depth analysis of the factors driving temporal dynamics of carcass consumption by analyzing behavioral patterns (i.e., interactions) and community dynamics metrics (i.e., species richness, abundance, turnover, and diversity) in a Neotropical scavenger guild. For this purpose, we monitored goat carcasses using automatic cameras. From 573 reviewed videos, we registered 1784 intraspecific and 624 interspecific interactions, using intraspecific and interspecific aggressions (n = 2048) as a behavioral proxy of competition intensity. Our results show that resource availability shapes behavioral interactions between vultures, with a specific effect of the different species on behavioral and competition dynamics, showing the existence of a hierarchy between species. Furthermore, behavioral processes linked to carcass opening tended to be facilitative, related to moments of higher tolerance (i.e., lower aggressiveness), thus reducing competition intensity and also affecting community structure and dynamics. This novel framework demonstrates complex ephemeral successional processes characterized by a fluctuation in facilitation and competition intensity during the consumption of an unpredictable resource linked to key ecosystem processes.Lara Naves-Alegre, and Esther Sebastián-González were supported by the Generalitat Valenciana and the European Social Fund (ACIF/2019/056, SEJI/2018/024, respectively). Esther Sebastián-González also received the grant RYC2019-027216-I funded by MCIN/AEI/ 10.13039/501100011033 and by ESF Investing in Your Future

First evidence of a banquet: architectural and material analysis of room S-1 of the site Casas del Turuñuelo (Guareña, Badajoz)

En el año 2016, durante la II Campaña de excavaciones en el yacimiento de Casas del Turuñuelo, se procedió a la excavación del vestíbulo y la estancia S-1, comúnmente conocida como estancia del banquete. En este trabajo se analizan los hallazgos materiales y las estructuras arquitectónicas de este espacio, a través de cuyo estudio hemos podido determinar la funcionalidad de la estancia, diferenciando la existencia de dos actividades distintas pero continuas en el tiempo: la preparación y cocinado de los alimentos y su posterior consumo. Esto nos ha permitido reconstruir la secuencia completa y los elementos empleados en cada una de las fases del banquete celebradas en esta habitaciónIn the year 2016, during the second excavation campaign at the archaeological site of Casas del Turuñuelo, the vestibule and the S-1 room were excavated, considered as the banquet room. In this work we analyse the material and the architectural findings produced in this space. Building on this study, we were able to identify the functionality of the room. In this regard, we have differentiated the existence of two different continuous activities over time: the preparation and cooking of food and its subsequent consumption. This has allowed us to reconstruct the complete sequence and the elements used at all stages of the banquet carried out in this roo

Scavenger assemblages are structured by complex competition and facilitation processes among vultures

Understanding the factors that allow multiple species to coexist and share resources is an outstanding question in community ecology. Animals that share resources tend to use different strategies to decrease potential competition, through morphological adaptations, establishment of hierarchies, behavioral adaptations or spatial or temporal segregation. The main objective of this study was to infer interspecific processes of competition and facilitation through the study of species co-occurrence patterns in a vertebrate scavenger guild in de Brazilian cerrado. We analyzed patterns of spatial and temporal co-occurrence between species pairs, both qualitatively and quantitatively, and determined the activity patterns of the different scavenger species. For this purpose, we placed and monitored 11 large (i.e. goat) and 45 small (i.e. chicken) carcasses by camera-trapping, obtaining a total of 27 448 images. Our results show complex competitive and facilitative relationships among scavenging species in the Brazilian cerrado that are influenced by carcass size and change depending on the spatial and temporal scale at which they are analyzed. The scavenger assemblages that consumed large and small carcasses were different, evidencing resource partitioning between obligate and facultative scavengers. Furthermore, as an alternative to reduce competition levels, most species showed differences in their scavenging patterns, in addition to a strong temporal segregation during carcass consumption. Regarding New World vultures, our results suggest a strong interference competition between species with clear differences in their ecological traits (e.g. size, social behavior). However, we also found evidence of facilitation processes between vulture species in the location and access to the interior of the carcasses. Our findings highlight the role of obligate scavengers both in competition and facilitation processes in this vertebrate scavenger community. Future research should focus on investigating which species play the most important role in the structure and dynamics of this community, also considering intraspecific and behavioral patterns.LNA, ZMR and ESG were supported by the Generalitat Valenciana and the European Social Fund (ACIF/2019/056, APOSTD/2019/016, SEJI/2018/024, respectively), and JASZ by funds from the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities and the European Regional Development Fund (RTI2018-099609-B-C21). ESG received the grant RYC2019-027216-I funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and by ESF Investing in your future. ZMR was also supported by a postdoctoral contract funded by the Junta de Andalucía (POSTDOC_21_00353)