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Si us plau utilitzeu sempre aquest identificador per citar o enllaçar aquest document: https://hdl.handle.net/2445/214263
Spatial Ecology of the Endangered Egyptian Vulture: from Distribution and Movement to Biological Conservation
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[eng] The current rampant loss of biodiversity is known to be affecting human well-being the world over. Sustainability has become the global go-to solution to ensure the balance between economic growth, social well-being and environmental care is maintained. This concept implies the need for a reduction in human environmental impact if wildlife species are to be preserved and the adequate functioning of ecosystems is to be guaranteed. Obligate avian scavengers, one of the most globally threatened of all groups of vertebrates, play a vital role in the nature-ecosystem services-human well-being dynamic. However, the pursuit of sustainable development can negatively impact vulture conservation and all that it entails. In this thesis, we explore the conservation challenges facing the Egyptian vulture Neophron percnopterus, a globally threatened migrant species, within the current context of sustainability. Specifically, we assess the impact of human-driven transformations, changes in food availability and on-going conservation measures on the spatial ecology of this species of great conservation concern. By using novel technologies such as GPS and information generated by classical long-term monitoring schemes, we aimed to increase the knowledge of the environmental factors that have shaped the spatial distribution and movement patterns of this species up to the present day and asses the spatial coverage of the main conservation tool, the Protected Areas (PAs), committed to safeguarding this species. To do so, we focused on the populations of continental and NE of Spain. First, we found that the breeding population of Egyptian vultures in continental Spain has been stable since 2000 but that its abundance is distributed heterogeneously across the whole region. The availability of food sources such as the presence of livestock and supplementary feeding stations and the abundance of griffon vultures were found to be the main factors aggregating breeding pairs and increased local densities in certain areas. By contrast, the increasing number of wind farms correlated with low-density Egyptian vulture areas. However, some of these environmental factors were only significant at specific spatial scales, a significant finding that has practical implications. Second, we found that predictable food sources such
as landfills influence the foraging behaviour and movement patterns of tagged vultures in Catalonia (N=16). Whilst the feeding strategy of non-breeding individuals is centred on predictable sources such as landfills, breeders have a more diversified approach and incorporate less predictable food sources such as extensive farms. Additionally, the novel spatial network analysis used in this thesis proves to be a valuable tool for understanding the behavioural dynamics of vultures and this approach highlights the vulnerability of this species to the loss of predictable food sources. The potential closure of landfills will foreseeably prompt behavioural shifts towards other less predictable food sources such as extensive livestock, with non-breeding individuals being particularly affected. Third, an assessment of the coverage of PAs reveals the need to adequately protect key areas of the Egyptian vulture population in Catalonia, especially those linked to feeding areas that are currently unprotected. During PA planning, criteria should be based on ecological and behavioural aspects of breeding and non-breeding vultures rather than on purely administrative factors if the entire population is to be conserved efficiently. This thesis presents new methods for studying the spatial ecology of vultures and provides a greater understanding of the distributions and movements of these long-lived mobile species, thereby contributing to a more complete explanation of these spatial patterns. Finally, it sheds light on the detrimental effects of possible future sustainable actions on vulture populations –keystone species in ecosystems and providers of services at zero cost– and provides essential knowledge that will help inform future guidelines and conservation efforts.
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CERECEDO IGLESIAS, Catuxa. Spatial Ecology of the Endangered Egyptian Vulture: from Distribution and Movement to Biological Conservation. [consulta: 4 de desembre de 2025]. [Disponible a: https://hdl.handle.net/2445/214263]