Genetic signatures of population bottlenecks, relatedness, and inbreeding highlight recent and novel conservation concerns in the Egyptian vulture

Blanco, Guillermo; Morinha, Francisco

doi:10.7717/peerj.11139

Cited by 6 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 111 publications

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“…This value is comparable to the one found in other birds of prey like Aplomado falcon ( Falco femoralis ) whose values ranged from 5.2–8.8% ( Johnson et al, 2021 ). In addition, the detected level of relatedness exhibits nearly four times lower values of relatedness compared to the values found in endangered Egyptian vulture ( Neophron percnopterus ) in Spain ( Blanco & Morinha, 2021 ). Further evaluation of the mtDNA lineages of the most closely related dyads showed the importance of the proper choice of relatedness estimator and the need to include other markers in the analysis.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 66%

Sex ratio and relatedness in the Griffon vulture (Gyps fulvus) population of Serbia

Davidović

Marinković

Hribšek

et al. 2022

PeerJ

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Background Once a widespread species across the region of Southeast Europe, the Griffon vulture is now confined to small and isolated populations across the Balkan Peninsula. The population from Serbia represents its biggest and most viable population that can serve as an important reservoir of genetic diversity from which the birds can be used for the region’s reintroduction programmes. The available genetic data for this valuable population are scarce and as a protected species that belongs to the highly endangered vulture group, it needs to be well described so that it can be properly managed and used as a restocking population. Considering the serious recent bottleneck event that the Griffon vulture population from Serbia experienced we estimated the overall relatedness among the birds from this population. Sex ratio, another important parameter that shows the vitality and strength of the population was evaluated as well. Methods During the annual monitoring that was performed in the period from 2013–2021, we collected blood samples from individual birds that were marked in the nests. In total, 169 samples were collected and each was used for molecular sexing while 58 presumably unrelated birds from different nests were used for inbreeding and relatedness analyses. The relatedness was estimated using both biparentally (10 microsatellite loci) and uniparentally (Cytb and D-loop I of mitochondrial DNA) inherited markers. Results The level of inbreeding was relatively high and on average it was 8.3% while the mean number of relatives for each bird was close to three. The sex ratio was close to 1:1 and for the analysed period of 9 years, it didn’t demonstrate a statistically significant deviation from the expected ratio of 1:1, suggesting that this is a stable and healthy population. Our data suggest that, even though a relatively high level of inbreeding can be detected among the individual birds, the Griffon vulture population from Serbia can be used as a source population for restocking and reintroduction programmes in the region. These data combined with previously observed genetic differentiation between the populations from the Iberian and Balkan Peninsulas suggest that the introduction of foreign birds should be avoided and that local birds should be used instead.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 66%

Sex ratio and relatedness in the Griffon vulture (Gyps fulvus) population of Serbia

Davidović

Marinković

Hribšek

et al. 2022

PeerJ

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“…The Egyptian vulture in the study area is limited to the breeding population in the Segovia province. In this area, a small and declining population of about 30 pairs nests mostly in large gorges located in two protected areas (Natural Parks of Hoces del Río Duratón and Hoces del Río Riaza), with isolated pairs nesting in the surrounding areas ( Blanco and Morinha 2021 ; Serrano et al 2021 ). The diet of Egyptian vultures is comparatively more diverse than those of the other 2 species, and includes a variety of wild vertebrates and livestock carcasses ( Blanco et al 2017 , 2019 ).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Interspecific differences in plasma carotenoid profiles in nestlings of three sympatric vulture species

Blanco

Hornero‐Méndez

2022

Current Zoology

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Carotenoids are diet-based micronutrients important in health and coloration signaling. Related species with similar diets can differ in the kinds and levels of circulating carotenoids, which suggests specific physiological mechanisms to efficiently utilize these micronutrients, regardless of their availability. We explored whether diet and parental provisioning of unusual sources of carotenoids (fresh vegetal matter and vertebrate feces) can explain the occurrence and concentrations of carotenoids in the cinereous vulture Aegypius monachus, griffon vulture Gyps fulvus, and Egyptian vulture Neophron percnopterus nestlings, even when these pigments appear to not be deposited in their integumentary system. A greater diversity of wild prey in diet could be behind the profile of higher concentrations of carotenoids in the Egyptian vulture, the species with carotenoid-dependent coloration during adulthood, while differences in diet composition between cinereous and griffon vultures do not translate to different carotenoid profiles. The carotenoid profile appears to not be related to the ingestion of unusual matter rich in these compounds, although the infrequent occurrence of lycopene and an unidentified γ-carotene-like compounds suggest that these vultures may be exploiting vegetal matter that left no identifiable unconsumed remains in the nest of Egyptian vultures. The consumption of green plant material by griffon vultures does not result in especially high levels of carotenoids when compared to the carotenoids found in cinereous vultures, which do not consume green plant material. Ungulate feces were not provisioned to Egyptian vulture nestlings, despite the fact they contain carotenoids that adults need for appropriate coloration. Overall, this study indicates that diet differences alone appear insufficient to explain contrasting inter-specific carotenoid profiles, especially since all types of food consumed are considered to be poor in carotenoids, except vegetable matter. We suggest that nestling Egyptian vultures are comparatively efficient in up taking carotenoids present in low concentrations in food when these compounds are not deposited in their integument, which suggests allocation to other functions.

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“…In particular, the beak and feather disease virus (BFDV), an avian circovirus (family Circoviridae ), has mainly been detected in psittacine species, but also less frequently in non-psittacine species of several orders in their native ranges, which has been attributed to transmission from native psittacines living in sympatry [ 10 , 13 ]. In addition, this virus has been recorded in nestling Egyptian vultures ( Neophron percnopterus ) from Spain, with fatal disease expressed in generalized feather malformations in an inbred individual [ 14 ]. However, information on the occurrence and impact of circovirus on birds other than psittacines in their native ranges is very scarce [ 15 ] and, to our knowledge, the possible transmission of BFDV from invasive psittacines to native bird species with which they share a habitat has not been assessed.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Apparent Lack of Circovirus Transmission from Invasive Parakeets to Native Birds

Blanco

Morinha²,

Carrete

et al. 2022

IJERPH

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The transmission of pathogens to native species has been highlighted as one of the most important impacts of biological invasions. In this study, we evaluated the presence of psittacine beak and feather disease virus (BFDV) and other circoviruses in native bird species cohabiting with invasive populations of wild rose-ringed (Psittacula krameri) and monk parakeets (Myiopsitta monachus) that were found positive for a particular BFDV genotype in Sevilla, southern Spain. None of the 290 individuals from the 18 native bird species captured showed typical signs of disease caused by BFDV. A sample of 79 individuals from 15 native species showed negative results for the presence of the BFDV genotype previously detected in the sympatric invasive parakeets, as well as any other of the circoviruses tested. Although preliminary, this study suggests a lack of circovirus transmission from invasive parakeets to native birds at the study site. Further research is needed to determine if this apparent absence in transmission depends on the BFDV genotype present in the parakeets, which requires additional screening in other invasive and native populations living in sympatry.

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Genetic signatures of population bottlenecks, relatedness, and inbreeding highlight recent and novel conservation concerns in the Egyptian vulture

Cited by 6 publications

References 111 publications

Sex ratio and relatedness in the Griffon vulture (Gyps fulvus) population of Serbia

Sex ratio and relatedness in the Griffon vulture (Gyps fulvus) population of Serbia

Interspecific differences in plasma carotenoid profiles in nestlings of three sympatric vulture species

Apparent Lack of Circovirus Transmission from Invasive Parakeets to Native Birds

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