A study from the Doñana Biological Station has developed a seed dispersal model based on the movement of gulls monitored by GPS telemetry, while feeding in rice fields in Andalusia, South-West Spain.
Modelling shows that gulls can disperse weeds over large distances and between different hábitats, causing the exchange of weed and alien plant species between agricultural crops and natural areas.

Researchers from the Doñana Biological Station assessed the spatial variation in concentrations of ten metals in faeces of the lesser black-backed gull (Larus fuscus) wintering at seven localities in South-West Spain. They found high concentrations of metals in gull faeces, with several elements (arsenic, copper, molybdenum, lead and zinc) locally exceeding (by 2 to 11 times) derived Lowest Effect Level (LEL) values.

Population expansions of successful species have gained importance as a major conservation and management concern. The success of these ‘winners’ is widely attributed to their high adaptability and behavioural plasticity, which allow them to efficiently use opportunities provided by human-modified habitats. However, the individual components within populations is critical for a better understanding of the main ecological mechanisms related to the success of winning species. Here, the spatial...