A study led by the Doñana Biological Station (EBD-CSIC) found that the first step in seed dispersal by waterfowl – seed ingestion – depends on seed availability in the waterfowl foraging habitats. Researchers found that the main gradient found to determine such interactions is related to soil moisture, in line with differences between waterfowl groups in their microhabitat preferences along the land-water continuum

The lesser black backed gull Larus fuscus is now the second most abundant wintering waterbird in Andalusia, and has increased in numbers in recent years. Fuente de Piedra, the biggest shallow lake in Andalusia and a Ramsar site famous for its flamingo colony, is the principal gulls roosting site in midwinter. Gulls are the most important source of nitrogen and phosphorus inputs to the lake during winter through their guano, and feed in four landfills up to 80 km away in Málaga and Córdoba...

Wetlands are one of the most threatened habitats, but they continue to be destroyed and degraded all over the world. In recent years, various studies have argued that artificial wetlands can compensate for the loss of natural ones, and facilitate conservation of waterbirds. In this study waterbird communities are compared in a set of natural, restored and artificial wetlands within the Doñana Natural Space, which are well known for their birds.

Dabbling ducks have long been recognized as important vectors of dispersal for strictly aquatic plants. In terrestrial ecosystems they are widely assumed to be irrelevant. In this study we identified the plant species dispersed by seven duck species in Europe based on a comprehensive review of gut contents

The importance of waterbirds as vectors of aliens has been recognized since Darwin's time, yet research by pioneers has been forgotten during the development of modern invasion biology, which tends to overlook this means of dispersal. Waterbirds are ignored in databases of alien species and invasion pathways, making management and prevention of invasions more difficult. This article summarizes studies that provide empirical evidence for the dispersal of alien plants and invertebrates by...