Ecological effects of the spatial distribution of trophic resources: from individuals to ecosystem services. CGL2012-40013-C02-01. Codirected by José A. Sánchez-Zapata, Univ. Miguel Hernandez, Alicante.
Pulsed trophic resources in nature are well known to ecologists and managers but their effects on the regulation of populations, communities and ecosystem functioning has only recently begun to be recognized. However, many resources appear unpredictably in space and time and have been almost neglected in ecological research. Vertebrate carrion may largely vary in availability (from grams to tons), is often subject to temporal variability (including manipulation by man) and is also a major resource for food webs including taxa as distant as bacteria, vultures and large carnivores. Therefore this is a good study model to analyze the effects of resource predictability at different ecological levels from individuals to populations and communities. From this objective we will develop two main lines of work for two separate subprojects. The first one is based on the long-term monitoring of populations of a long-lived avian scavenger and aims to evaluate the role of the individual response to resource availability and predictability in population dynamics and viability. The second one aims to elaborate predictive mapping of the effectiveness of ecosystem services provided by vertebrate scavengers nationwide and evaluate the intensity of the indirect effects mediated by obligate scavenger extinctions. The project as a whole integrates classical approaches to the ecology of populations and communities, the application of advanced radio-telemetry monitoring, and the combination of computational procedures and statistical modelling.
Big-game hunting and conservation of threatened populations and ecological processes: wild ungulates and avian scavengers in Andalusia. Funded by the Junta de Andalucía, RNM 1925. Codirected by José A. Sánchez-Zapata, Univ. Miguel Hernandez, Alicante.
Wild ungulates have staged a spectacular recovery process in Europe over the last decades. This process has led to an increase in both the population size and the extent of its range. Thus again they become a key role in the functioning of ecosystems being also an important socioeconomic resource. Andalusia hosts important populations of native and introduced wild ungulates and game management is a dynamic element of rural economies and a source of food resources for communities of vertebrate scavengers many of which are endangered species. In fact, the binomial ungulates-scavengers provide an important ecosystem service that has hardly been studied. This project aims to address the interactions between conservation biology and game management. With this overall objective is intended to analyze the factors that determine the structure and functioning of food webs associated scavengers to the big game, the movement patterns of resource consumers that have different spatial and temporal predictability, the capacity of the system to maintain viable populations of carrion birds and, finally, to evaluate some of the emerging risks associated with consumption of carcasses of large game such as lead poisoning.
Egyptian vulture's worldwide population genetics and phylogeography: from the past to the present. Micro-project "Ochoa" EBD-CSIC.
The Egyptian vulture (Neophron percnopterus) provides a paradigmatic example of an endangered species that went through a recent demographic decline. Its populations dropped dramatically during the20th century in India, the Circunmediterranean and the Middle East (>50% Over the last three generations) plus ongoing declines through much of the rest of its African range. The species is currently considered as "Globally Endangered" with a total world population below 30000 individuals. The aims of this project are: 1- To evaluate the genetic diversity and structure of current Egyptian vulture populations worldwide in order to identify which populations are more susceptible to genetic erosion. 2- To assess genetic changes through time by current and historic populations to identify populations affected by recent genetic drift and to better calibrate the risks of inbreeding depression. 3- To reconstruct the mitochondrial genealogy of the species with additional samples to clarify its evolutionary history, with a focus on the divergence between N. p. percnopterus and N. p. ginginianus.The proposed research will deepen our understanding of the genetic changes after accompanying population contraction in species on the verge of extintion. This will be one of the first studies addressing this issue covering the whole distribution area including the old world continents. In addition we will approach the temporal dynamics by adding museum specimens. This temporal scale is crucial to understand how species deal with a strong demographic decline, identifying when genetic erosion starts.
Conservation genetics of the Balkan Egyptian vulture population. Funded by the Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds, within the Life-Nature Project "The Return of the Neohpron" (http://www.lifeneophron.eu/)
The Egyptian vulture used to be widespread and common in the early XXth century in the Balkans. First indications for decline in this region were reported for the 60es but in the last 30 years, the range of the species has considerably shrunk and fragmented with population decline estimated of over 80% and annual decline rate of 4-7% (Velevski et al. Bird Cons Int. 2015). Consequently, genetic diversity might be lost, slightly deleterious alleles and homozygosity might increase as a consequence of diversity loss and the increased opportunities among relatives. The occurrence of these circumstances might in turn compromise population viability due to a reduced in adaptive potential and a lower individual fitness. The aims of this project are to: (1) assess the genetic status of the Balkans population in terms of genetic diversity and differentiation, (2) determine the relation between this population and other Mediterranean populations, and find genetic signals of past demographic changes.
Effects of recreational activities on endangered vertebrate populations in the Bardenas Reales Natural Park. Funded by the Ministerio de Medio Ambiente and the Comunidad de Bardenas Reales de Navarra. Codirected by Ainara Cortés-Avizanda, Centro de Biologia Ambiental Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa.
Public interest for natural values is determining that recreational activities are experiencing sharp increases in protected areas worldwide. Concealing public uses and conservation of ecosystems and populations of endangered species is therefore an imperative necessity. The Bardenas Reales Natural Park, in northern Spain, receives more than 30,000 visitors annually. They are attracted by the scenic landscapes and singular biota. Apart of this, within the limits of the Park, there is a training area for the air force. Our main goals are to determine how recreational and military activities affect the distribution, abundance, demography and behaviour of vertebrate species of interest in conservation (large cliff-nesting raptors). The ultimate aim is to compile scientific evidences helping managers to adopt appropriate decisions.
Conservation of long-lived vertebrates: the Andean condor face to ecosystem and land-use changes in Patagonia. Funded by FBBA. Codirected by Sergio Lambertucci, Ecotono Laboratory, INIBIOMA-CONICET, Universidad Nacional del Comahue Quintral, Argentina
Large vertebrates of the Americas have undergone processes of rarefaction and local extinction due to direct persecution as changes in local economies. In particular Patagonia is now subject to further transformations that are part of the general dynamics of global change. Our goal is to determine the effect of these transformations in the populations of a "flagship" species, the Andean Condor, a top-scavenger exploiting open ecosystems of the South American Andes which is very intertwined with rural societies. The information obtained will be useful to preserve the functionality of the Patagonian ecosystems, serving as a reference for the conservation of this and other long-lived bird species. The project is being developed since 2010 and has involved the GPS-satellite radiotracking of 40 birds both adult and inmatures. Apart of this specific aims are devoted to the determination of lead contamination and sex-biased mortality drove by the increasing humanization as well as to the understanding of the ecological and evolutionary pressures which may have determined the unique life-history traits distinguishing this amazing species.
Pulsed trophic resources in nature are well known to ecologists and managers but their effects on the regulation of populations, communities and ecosystem functioning has only recently begun to be recognized. However, many resources appear unpredictably in space and time and have been almost neglected in ecological research. Vertebrate carrion may largely vary in availability (from grams to tons), is often subject to temporal variability (including manipulation by man) and is also a major resource for food webs including taxa as distant as bacteria, vultures and large carnivores. Therefore this is a good study model to analyze the effects of resource predictability at different ecological levels from individuals to populations and communities. From this objective we will develop two main lines of work for two separate subprojects. The first one is based on the long-term monitoring of populations of a long-lived avian scavenger and aims to evaluate the role of the individual response to resource availability and predictability in population dynamics and viability. The second one aims to elaborate predictive mapping of the effectiveness of ecosystem services provided by vertebrate scavengers nationwide and evaluate the intensity of the indirect effects mediated by obligate scavenger extinctions. The project as a whole integrates classical approaches to the ecology of populations and communities, the application of advanced radio-telemetry monitoring, and the combination of computational procedures and statistical modelling. 
Wild ungulates have staged a spectacular recovery process in Europe over the last decades. This process has led to an increase in both the population size and the extent of its range. Thus again they become a key role in the functioning of ecosystems being also an important socioeconomic resource. Andalusia hosts important populations of native and introduced wild ungulates and game management is a dynamic element of rural economies and a source of food resources for communities of vertebrate scavengers many of which are endangered species. In fact, the binomial ungulates-scavengers provide an important ecosystem service that has hardly been studied. This project aims to address the interactions between conservation biology and game management. With this overall objective is intended to analyze the factors that determine the structure and functioning of food webs associated scavengers to the big game, the movement patterns of resource consumers that have different spatial and temporal predictability, the capacity of the system to maintain viable populations of carrion birds and, finally, to evaluate some of the emerging risks associated with consumption of carcasses of large game such as lead poisoning. 
The Egyptian vulture (Neophron percnopterus) provides a paradigmatic example of an endangered species that went through a recent demographic decline. Its populations dropped dramatically during the20th century in India, the Circunmediterranean and the Middle East (>50% Over the last three generations) plus ongoing declines through much of the rest of its African range. The species is currently considered as "Globally Endangered" with a total world population below 30000 individuals. The aims of this project are: 1- To evaluate the genetic diversity and structure of current Egyptian vulture populations worldwide in order to identify which populations are more susceptible to genetic erosion. 2- To assess genetic changes through time by current and historic populations to identify populations affected by recent genetic drift and to better calibrate the risks of inbreeding depression. 3- To reconstruct the mitochondrial genealogy of the species with additional samples to clarify its evolutionary history, with a focus on the divergence between N. p. percnopterus and N. p. ginginianus.The proposed research will deepen our understanding of the genetic changes after accompanying population contraction in species on the verge of extintion. This will be one of the first studies addressing this issue covering the whole distribution area including the old world continents. In addition we will approach the temporal dynamics by adding museum specimens. This temporal scale is crucial to understand how species deal with a strong demographic decline, identifying when genetic erosion starts. 
The Egyptian vulture used to be widespread and common in the early XXth century in the Balkans. First indications for decline in this region were reported for the 60es but in the last 30 years, the range of the species has considerably shrunk and fragmented with population decline estimated of over 80% and annual decline rate of 4-7% (Velevski et al. Bird Cons Int. 2015). Consequently, genetic diversity might be lost, slightly deleterious alleles and homozygosity might increase as a consequence of diversity loss and the increased opportunities among relatives. The occurrence of these circumstances might in turn compromise population viability due to a reduced in adaptive potential and a lower individual fitness. The aims of this project are to: (1) assess the genetic status of the Balkans population in terms of genetic diversity and differentiation, (2) determine the relation between this population and other Mediterranean populations, and find genetic signals of past demographic changes. 
Public interest for natural values is determining that recreational activities are experiencing sharp increases in protected areas worldwide. Concealing public uses and conservation of ecosystems and populations of endangered species is therefore an imperative necessity. The Bardenas Reales Natural Park, in northern Spain, receives more than 30,000 visitors annually. They are attracted by the scenic landscapes and singular biota. Apart of this, within the limits of the Park, there is a training area for the air force. Our main goals are to determine how recreational and military activities affect the distribution, abundance, demography and behaviour of vertebrate species of interest in conservation (large cliff-nesting raptors). The ultimate aim is to compile scientific evidences helping managers to adopt appropriate decisions. 
Large vertebrates of the Americas have undergone processes of rarefaction and local extinction due to direct persecution as changes in local economies. In particular Patagonia is now subject to further transformations that are part of the general dynamics of global change. Our goal is to determine the effect of these transformations in the populations of a "flagship" species, the Andean Condor, a top-scavenger exploiting open ecosystems of the South American Andes which is very intertwined with rural societies. The information obtained will be useful to preserve the functionality of the Patagonian ecosystems, serving as a reference for the conservation of this and other long-lived bird species. The project is being developed since 2010 and has involved the GPS-satellite radiotracking of 40 birds both adult and inmatures. Apart of this specific aims are devoted to the determination of lead contamination and sex-biased mortality drove by the increasing humanization as well as to the understanding of the ecological and evolutionary pressures which may have determined the unique life-history traits distinguishing this amazing species.