Postgraduate career: Master program in wildlife management. Twenty years of experience in training professionals in conservation

Fil: Martella, Mónica B. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales; Argentina.Fil: Navarro, Joaquín L. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales; Argentina.The Master Program in Wildlife Management (National University of Córdoba) was a pioneer in the Southern Cone of South America and has been functioning continuously since 1992.Fil: Martella, Mónica B. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales; Argentina.Fil: Navarro, Joaquín L. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales; Argentina.Conservación de la Biodiversida

Conservation actions in the master rogram in wildlife management, National University of Córdoba, Argentina: achievements and challenge

Fil: Martella, Mónica B. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales; Argentina.Fil: Bruno, Gabriela. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales; Argentina.Fil: Rosati, Victoria. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales; Argentina.Fil: Bonino, Estela. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales; Argentina.Fil: Navarro, Joaquín L. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales; Argentina.Over its twenty years of experience, the Master Program in Wildlife Management has developed different wildlife conservation and management actions through research, education, and outreach programs, and products of students’ thesis works.Fil: Martella, Mónica B. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales; Argentina.Fil: Bruno, Gabriela. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales; Argentina.Fil: Rosati, Victoria. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales; Argentina.Fil: Bonino, Estela. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales; Argentina.Fil: Navarro, Joaquín L. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales; Argentina.Educación General (incluye capacitación, pedagogía y didáctica

Foraging habitat preferences of a selective herbivorous bird, the Puna Rhea Rhea tarapacencis in the desert Puna, midwestern Argentina

In herbivores, habitat preference is influenced by resource availability, which is most evident in desert ecosystems. The desert puna is a South American environment dominated by grassy steppes with local grassy cushion plants associated with moist soil conditions, which form the habitat called 'vegas'. In this environment, Puna Rhea Rhea tarapacencis has a strongly selective foraging strategy towards plant species that are in low abundance but that exhibit low contents of secondary compounds, fiber, or both. This contrasts with other generalist herbivores of arid environments, which prefer plant species with high fiber content and are highly abundant. We determined habitat use by Rheas in three habitat types: foothills, valley and vegas; and provided evidence of their feeding habitat preferences. From 2011 to 2014, we estimated density of birds and environmental variables such as total plant cover and abundance of total food, preferred foods and non-preferred foods. In particular, the density was estimated indirectly based on counting and collecting feces of the birds in transects. We analyzed the effect of the habitat type and environment variables on bird density; and compared the environmental variables among habitats. Puna Rheas used the three habitats, but fecal records were very scarce in vegas. The density was higher in foothills than in the valley (0.45 and 0.01 inds/km2, respectively), increased with higher abundance of the preferred foods and declined with increased non-preferred foods. The foothills were preferred as they had the highest abundance of the preferred foods and the non-preferred foods were similarly abundant in foothills and valley. The vegas had the highest total plant cover and the lowest abundance of all food species consumed by the Rheas. Therefore, the abundance of preferred foods, which have the best nutritional quality, represents a good predictor of habitat preference and, possibly, an essential resource during the life cycle of the Puna Rhea.Fil: Marinero, Nancy Veronica. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - San Juan. Centro de Investigaciones de la Geosfera y Biosfera. Universidad Nacional de San Juan. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Centro de Investigaciones de la Geosfera y Biosfera; ArgentinaFil: Navarro, Joaquin Luis. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Centro de Zoología Aplicada; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal; ArgentinaFil: Martella, Mónica B.. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Centro de Zoología Aplicada; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal; Argentin

Seasonal variation in abundance of Blue-crowned Conures (<i>Aratinga acuticaudata</i> ) at the Chancani Reserve, Córdoba, Argentina

We recorded the annual variation in abundance of Blue-crowned Conures (<i>Aratinga acuticaudata</i>) at the Chancaní Reserve, Córdoba, Argentina. This parrot was more frequently recorded during the breeding season (August, October and December) than in the non breeding season (March and May), possibly because of movements to more suitable feeding areas. The Chancani Reserve, a mature Chaco woodland, could be a source habitat that keeps populations stable at the regional level, as it provides suitable nest cavities, scarce in the surrounding agropastoral landscapeso

Uso del espacio por ñandúes (<i>Rhea americana</i>) silvestres en un relicto de pastizal del centro de Argentina durante la estación no reproductiva

To determine movement patterns and home range of wild Greater Rhea (<i>Rhea americana</i>), two subadult males were radio-tracked during the non-breeding season in a relict grassland of San Luis Province, Argentina. The average home range was 452.8 ha, the average daily distance travelled was 1.08 km/day, and the maximum distance from the capture/release site was 13.66 km. Rheas showed differences in habitat types used throughout the day. Grasslands were more frequently used early in the morning and late in the afternoon, whereas cultivated pastures (<i>Medicago sativa</i>) were used at noon. Although data is considered preliminary due to the small sample size, the importance of this study is here emphasized because it provides the first records of the spatial ecology of wild individuals for this species.Para determinar los patrones de movimiento y el área de acción de ñandúes (<i>Rhea americana</i>) silvestres, se capturaron dos machos subadultos durante la temporada no reproductiva en un relicto de pastizal en la provincia de San Luis, Argentina. Cada individuo fue monitoreado por radio telemetría. El área de acción promedio estimada fue de 452.8 ha, la distancia promedio recorrida de 1.08 km/día y la máxima distancia atravesada desde el sitio de captura de 13.66 km. Los ñandúes usaron diferencialmente el hábitat a lo largo del día. Los pastizales fueron más utilizados por la mañana y por la tarde y las pasturas cultivadas (<i>Medicago sativa</i>) al mediodía. Si bien los resultados de este estudio son preliminares debido al pequeño tamaño de muestra, representan el primer registro de la ecología espacial de individuos silvestres de esta especie

Los ñandúes de Argentina : manual educativo para su conservación y aprovechamiento sustentable

Este material ha sido realizado dentro del proyecto "Degradación de la tierra y la pérdida de especies en el Sur del Gran Chaco Americano: Implementación de un sistema integrado bio-físico y social para su conservación".Fil: Martella, Mónica B. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales. Departamento de Diversidad Biológica y Ecología. Cátedra de Ecología y Conservación; Argentina.En el marco del Proyecto “Degradación de la tierra y la pérdida de especies en el sur del Gran Chaco Americano: implementación de un sistema integrado bio-físico y social para su conservación” desarrollado por investigadores del IDEA (CONICET-UNC) y financiado por U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, se ha elaborado un manual para docentes, productores, técnicos, políticos y otros tomadores de decisiones con información sobre el estado actual de las poblaciones, amenazas a la supervivencia y distintas herramientas para el manejo y aprovechamiento sustentable de los ñandúes como representantes emblemáticos de especies amenazadas de la región.Fil: Martella, Mónica B. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales. Departamento de Diversidad Biológica y Ecología. Cátedra de Ecología y Conservación; Argentina

Seasonal changes in plasma levels of sex hormones in the greater Rhea (Rhea americana), a South American Ratite with a complex mating system.

Seasonal rhythm in sex hormones has been extensively studied in birds, as well as its relationship with the type of mating system. The Greater Rhea (Rhea americana), a South American ratite species, reproduces seasonally and has a complex mating system: female-defense polygyny and sequential polyandry. The present study aimed at analyzing the endocrine basis of reproduction in this species and its relationship with its mating system. We used HPLC and electrochemiluminescence techniques to identify and measure plasma testosterone and estradiol levels. Annual oscillations in sex hormones, testosterone and estradiol, in adult males and females were observed. Lower levels of these hormones were exhibited during the non reproductive season (February to July), whereas their maximum values were reached in September for males and November-December for females. These fluctuations reflect the seasonal changes in gonadal function. By contrast, no significant sex hormones oscillations were observed in juvenile males and females (negative control of seasonal changes). Greater rheas maintain high testosterone and estradiol levels throughout the reproductive period. The high testosterone levels during incubation and chick rearing did not inhibit parental behavior in males, which appears not to conform to the "Challenge Hypothesis". In females, the high estradiol levels throughout the reproductive season would be needed to sustain their long egg-laying period

Supplement 1. Raw data used in statistical analysis of Greater Rhea habitat models.

<h2>File List</h2><blockquote> <p><a href="data.txt">data.txt</a></p> </blockquote><h2>Description</h2><blockquote> <p>The data.txt file is a tab-separated ascii file. The file contains all raw data used in statistical analyses of Greater Rheas habitat models.</p> <p>The spatial resolution chosen for the analysis was based on the 20 % of Greater Rhea home range. Sampling area is equivalent to 1.5 × 1.5 km moving window, including 2,500 Landsat pixels. The mean value of all pixels within the window was used in each variable.</p> <p>Column definitions:</p> <p>1 = ID, Data identification</p> <p>2 to 7 = Correlation index (CR, second order texture variable corresponding to Landsat band 1,2,3,4,5, and 7 respectively)</p> <p>8 to 13 = Variance index (second order texture variable corresponding to Landsat band 1,2,3,4,5, and 7 respectively)</p> <p>14 to 19 = Mean index (MN, second order texture variable corresponding to Landsat band 1,2,3,4,5, and 7 respectively)</p> <p>20 to 25 = homogeneity index (HG, second order texture variable corresponding to Landsat band 1,2,3,4,5, and 7 respectively).</p> <p>26 to 31 = entropy index (ENT, second order texture variable corresponding to Landsat band 1,2,3,4,5, and 7 respectively).</p> <p>32 to 37 = dissimilarity index (DISS, second order texture variable corresponding to Landsat band 1,2,3,4,5, and 7 respectively).</p> <p>38 to 43 = contrast index (CONT, second order texture variable corresponding to Landsat band 1,2,3,4,5, and 7 respectively).</p> <p>44 to 49 = second moment index (SECM, second order texture variable corresponding to Landsat band 1,2,3,4,5, and 7 respectively).</p> <p>50 to 55 = variance index (VR, first order texture variable corresponding to Landsat band 1,2,3,4,5, and 7 respectively).</p> <p>56 to 61 = mean index (MN, first order texture variable corresponding to Landsat band 1,2,3,4,5, and 7 respectively).</p> <p>62 to 67 = entropy index (entro, first order texture variable corresponding to Landsat band 1,2,3,4,5, and 7 respectively).</p> <p>68 to 73 = skewness index (skw, first order texture variable corresponding to Landsat band 1,2,3,4,5, and 7 respectively).</p> <p>74 = proportion of bare soil </p> <p>75 = proportion of grassland </p> <p>76 = proportion of crops </p> <p>77 = proportion of forest </p> <p>78 = proportion of alfalfa </p> <p>79 = NDVI </p> <p>80 = Coefficient of variation of NDVI (%) </p> <p>81 = Distance to houses (km) </p> <p>82 = Distance to roads (km)</p> <p>83 = Distance to water (km) </p> <p>84 = Greater rhea group size</p> <p>85 = location of each group; UTM_X (m)</p> <p>86 = location of each group; UTM_Y (m)</p> </blockquote