Macro- and microhabitat preferences of eastern Hermann’s tortoise (Testudo hermanni boettgeri)

Nikolić, M.; Cvetković, Jovana; Stojadinović, Dragana; Crnobrnja‐Isailović, Jelka

doi:10.1163/15685381-20201267

Cited by 4 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 17 publications

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“…This trend, apart from other negative biodiversity impacts [93,94] reduces the open areas raptors such as the golden eagle rely for hunting [95][96][97], like the small openings where reptile capture is possible [13] and the open ridges that we found to favor hare predation in the breeding season. Both tortoises and hare abundance has been found to be greater in open habitats such as pasture and scrubland mosaics [56,87,98]. Habitat loss through wildfires and increased canopy cover has been found to affect golden eagle populations and particularly pairs in areas of high density that cannot compensate for this loss through range expansion [99,100].…”

Section: Conservation Implicationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pronounced Seasonal Diet Diversity Expansion of Golden Eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) in Northern Greece during the Non-Breeding Season: The Role of Tortoises

Sidiropoulos

Whitfield²,

Astaras³

et al. 2022

Diversity

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Golden Eagles are resident in Greece and known to feed mainly on tortoises when breeding. However, information on alternative prey is scarce, especially during the tortoise brumation, that roughly coincides with the eagles’ non-breeding season. We analyzed 827 prey items collected from 12 territories over five territory years and 84 records of eagles hunting or feeding behavior. Tortoises dominated the breeding season diet (71% of prey categories on average) and over half of all hunting/feeding observations. While no spatial structure was evident, habitat variables such as forest canopy cover were important associates in golden eagle diet seasonally. A significant seasonal pattern emerged in diet diversity, using a subset of six territories with at least 10 samples per season. Eagles shifted from a narrow, reptile- based breeding season diet dominated by tortoises to a broader non-breeding season diet, that included more carrion, mammals and birds. Breeding season specialization on ectothermic prey is a trait usually associated with migratory raptors in the Western Palearctic. The observed dietary diversity expansion accompanied by residency in the absence of ectothermic prey, highlights the adaptability of the golden eagle, a generalist predator. Tortoise populations in Greece are of conservation concern and land use changes as well as climate change, such as development and land abandonment may increase the prevalence of catastrophic megafires, exacerbating the threats to the golden eagle’s main prey when breeding. We discuss this and other diet related conservation implications for the species in northern Greece.

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Section: Conservation Implicationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pronounced Seasonal Diet Diversity Expansion of Golden Eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) in Northern Greece during the Non-Breeding Season: The Role of Tortoises

Sidiropoulos

Whitfield²,

Astaras³

et al. 2022

Diversity

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“…De Griekse landschildpad heeft voorkeur voor open grasgebieden in bosrijke en struik rijke omgeving en kustduin gebieden (Rugiero and Luiselli 2006;Nikolić et al 2020;Berardo et al 2015).…”

Section: Punt 31unclassified

Dierenwelzijn en zoönosenrisico’s op Nederlandse reptielenbeurzen

Westerhof¹,

Swanenburg²,

Kik³

et al. 2022

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Het houden van beurzen met dieren is een maatschappelijk relevant onderwerp in Nederland en de rest van de wereld. Daarbij kunnen drie belangrijke aspecten worden onderscheiden. Allereerst het welzijn van de dieren die op deze beurzen worden aangeboden. Ten tweede het risico op verspreiding van ziektes van dier naar mens (zoönosen). Ten derde het risico op verspreiding van ziektes die van dier op dier over kunnen gaan. Het in dit rapport beschreven project richt zich op in Nederland gehouden beurzen met reptielen. Via een deskstudie is informatie verzameld over de frequentie en omvang van dergelijke beurzen. Op basis van waarnemingen op beurzen zijn gegevens verzameld over de gang van zaken. Hierbij is gekeken naar mogelijke risico's voor dierenwelzijn en voor de overdracht van ziektes van reptielen naar mensen. Verspreiding van ziektes tussen dieren valt buiten het huidige project. Door middel van een literatuurstudie zijn pathogenen die een gevaar kunnen vormen voor mensen geïnventariseerd. Ten slotte worden aanbevelingen gedaan die eventuele gezondheidsrisico's voor mens en welzijnsrisico's voor dier kunnen beperken.

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Dispersal Ecology of Golden Eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) in Northern Greece: Onset, Ranging, Temporary and Territorial Settlement

Sidiropoulos,

Whitfield,

Poirazidis

et al. 2024

Diversity

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Natal dispersal is a crucial period for raptors with serious implications for individuals’ survival and population demography. In this study we analyzed data from 18 GPS-tracked golden eagles in order to describe their dispersal ecology in northern Greece, where the species feeds mostly on tortoises. Young eagles in our population dispersed at 176 days post fledging, spent their first year of independence relatively close (40–60 kms) to their natal ranges and exhibited a variable temporary settlement behavior. Overall dispersal range sizes did not differ seasonally, but temporary settlement area range sizes were significantly larger in winter. Three eagles survived to territorial settlement and occupied ranges 20–60 kms from their natal areas. The application and refinement of the Scottish GET dispersal ranging model suggested that eagles used areas that had higher topographical relief and lower canopy cover during their natal dispersal. Habitat heterogeneity seems to also be influential during temporary settlement. Our study is the first to provide both such insights for golden eagles in southern eastern Europe and a method for delineating temporary settlement areas for the species. Our findings can be explained in terms of food and habitat availability. We highlight the importance of conserving heterogeneous open areas of complex topography and applying proactive management measures within temporary settlement areas for our population’s conservation.

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Macro- and microhabitat preferences of eastern Hermann’s tortoise (Testudo hermanni boettgeri)

Cited by 4 publications

References 17 publications

Pronounced Seasonal Diet Diversity Expansion of Golden Eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) in Northern Greece during the Non-Breeding Season: The Role of Tortoises

Pronounced Seasonal Diet Diversity Expansion of Golden Eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) in Northern Greece during the Non-Breeding Season: The Role of Tortoises

Dierenwelzijn en zoönosenrisico’s op Nederlandse reptielenbeurzen

Dispersal Ecology of Golden Eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) in Northern Greece: Onset, Ranging, Temporary and Territorial Settlement

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