How to fit the distribution of apex scavengers into land‐abandonment scenarios? The Cinereous vulture in the Mediterranean biome

Abstract

Aim Farmland abandonment or “ecological rewilding” shapes species distribution and ecological process ultimately affecting the biodiversity and functionality of ecosystems. Land abandonment predictions based on alternative future socioeconomic scenarios allow foretell the future of biota in Europe. From here, we predict how these forecasts may affect large‐scale distribution of the Cinereous vulture (Aegypius monachus), an apex scavenger closely linked to Mediterranean agro‐grazing systems. Location Iberian Peninsula. Methods Firstly, we modelled nest‐site and foraging habitat selection in relation to variables quantifying physiography, trophic resources and human disturbance. Secondly, we evaluate to what extent land abandonment may affect the life traits of the species and finally we determined how potential future distribution of the species would vary according to asymmetric socioeconomic land‐abandonment predictions for year 2040. Results Cinereous vultures selected breeding areas with steep slopes and low human presence whereas foraging areas are characterized by high abundance of European rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) and wild ungulates. Liberalization of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) could potentially transform positively 66% of the current nesting habitat, favouring the recovery of mature forest. Contrarily, land abandonment would negatively affect the 63% of the current foraging habitat reducing the availability of preferred food resources (wild European rabbit). On the other hand, the maintenance of the CAP would determine lower frequencies (24%–22%) of nesting and foraging habitat change. Main conclusions Land abandonment may result into opposite effects on the focal species because of the increase in nesting habitats and wild ungulates populations and, on the other hand, lower availability of open areas with poorer densities of European rabbits. Land‐abandonment models’ scenarios are still coarse‐grained; the apparition of new human uses in natural areas may take place at small‐sized and medium‐sized scales, ultimately adding complexity to the prediction on the future of biota and ecosystems.

Epizootics and sanitary regulations drive long-term changes in fledgling body condition of a threatened vulture

“…As we stated above, the recovery of the European wild rabbit population seems, for the moment, unlikely in the study area, even more so given a new viral disease that appeared in the Iberian Peninsula in 2012-2013, increasing European wild rabbit mortality (Abrantes et al, 2013;Delibes-Mateos et al, 2014). Additionally, land abandonment may, in the medium-and long-term, lead to the weakening of extensive grazing and the loss of Mediterranean cultural landscapes where European wild rabbit populations found an appropriate habitat (García-Barón et al, 2018). Moreover, extensive and semi-extensive livestock sheep husbandry are in decline, as they are being substituted by intensive pig and poultry farming (Bernués et al, 2011) whose sub-products are not permitted to be abandoned for avian scavengers.…”

Apex scavengers from different European populations converge at threatened savannah landscapes

“…We used a binomial error (log link function). Based on previous studies 78 and references therein, we chose a primary set of thirteen explanatory variables (see Supplementary Table 1 and Supplementary Fig. 1 ) describing the habitat (physiography and vegetation), the degree of human disturbance, the availability of trophic resources (domestic or wild ungulates), and the strength of intraspecific competition.…”

Ecological consequences of human depopulation of rural areas on wildlife: A unifying perspective

“…Approach to anthropic habitats is also enabled by the change in attitude towards wildlife of people living in urban areas, and is fostered by the services these habitats provide as sources of food and as sites of low predation. the case for the cinereous vulture (Aegypius monachus), an obligate treenester that scavenges in open land (García-Barón et al, 2018). Cropland abandonment and changes in pasture use in mountainous areas are also seen as threats for some small mammal species, such as the Cantabrian endemic broom hare (Lepus castroviejoi), due to loss of landscape diversity (Ballesteros, 2018).…”