Article
Zoology
Alfredo Attisano, Kasper Hlebowicz, Roman Gula, Jorn Theuerkauf
Summary: The study found that adult fan-tailed gerygones can discriminate between different predator and brood parasite models and respond accordingly. Although adult gerygones do not show awareness of parasitism risk and do not increase nestling ejection rates following exposure to the cuckoo model.
Article
Ecology
Gustavo A. Londono, Juliana Sandoval-H, Mohamed F. Sallam, Julie M. Allen
Summary: This study investigates Batesian mimicry and its evolution in a Neotropical species of the suboscine passerine. The researchers traced the origin of mimetic traits and examined antipredator characteristics using images and field-collected data. They found a complex set of behavior and morphology traits in this group, including hiding, camouflage, and mimicry. The study also proposed the evolution of two distinctive mimicry strategies within the Laniisominae clade.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Raquel A. Rodrigues, Gabriel M. F. Felix, Mauro Pichorim, Patricia A. Moreira, Erika M. Braga
Summary: The study investigated avian haemosporidian parasites in a protected area in northeastern Brazil, showing that migration and temperature may predict parasite prevalence. Individual-level traits and other species-specific factors were not related to infection probability.
Article
Ornithology
Shilong Liu, Qiao Xie, Aiwu Jiang, Eben Goodale
Summary: Begging behavior in nestling birds has both benefits and costs, as it helps them communicate with their parents but also attracts predators. However, human-associated noise can disrupt communication and the ability of predators to locate nests. The study found that human noise can disturb nest predators and influence their behavior.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
M. Andreina Pacheco, Francisco C. Ferreira, Corina J. Logan, Kelsey B. McCune, Maggie P. MacPherson, Sergio Albino Miranda, Diego Santiago-Alarcon, Ananias A. Escalante
Summary: This study investigated the infection of haemosporidian parasites in Great-tailed grackles in Arizona, a newly expanded geographic range for the species. The results showed a high prevalence of Plasmodium parasites in the grackles, indicating their competence as hosts for certain parasite species and the potential impact on local bird communities through parasite transmission.
Article
Parasitology
Daniela Doussang, Nicole Sallaberry-Pincheira, Gustavo S. Cabanne, Dario A. Lijtmaer, Daniel Gonzalez-Acuna, Juliana A. Vianna
Summary: The study found that Haemoproteus has higher prevalence and diversity compared to Plasmodium, largely influenced by their avian hosts and environmental factors. Additionally, the prevalences of Haemoproteus and Plasmodium are positively correlated with host diversity, suggesting a possible amplification effect.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR PARASITOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Ornithology
Fabian Anger, Marc I. Foerschler, Nils Anthes
Summary: Most farmland birds in Europe are experiencing declines, likely due to agricultural intensification. Our study on Meadow Pipits in the Northern Black Forest found that the observed population declines may be driven by reduced reproductive success. We also found that higher altitude and adverse weather conditions delay hatching dates, and dense grass swards and small clutch sizes are associated with lower reproductive success. Restoration efforts involving cattle grazing and vegetation control may be key to increasing population productivity.
JOURNAL OF ORNITHOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Zoology
Luz Garcia-Longoria, Jaime Muriel, Sergio Magallanes, Zaira Hellen Villa-Galarce, Leonila Ricopa, Wilson Giancarlo Inga-Diaz, Esteban Fong, Daniel Vecco, Cesar Guerra-SaldaNa, Teresa Salas-Rengifo, Wendy Flores-Saavedra, Kathya Espinoza, Carlos Mendoza, Blanca SaldaNa, Manuel Gonzalez-Blazquez, Henry Gonzales-Pinedo, Charlene Lujan-Vega, Carlos Alberto Del Aguila, Yessica Vilca-Herrera, Carlos Alberto Pineda, Carmen Reategui, Jorge Manuel Cardenas-Callirgos, Jose Alberto Iannacone, Jorge Luis Mendoza, Ravinder N. M. Sehgal, Alfonso Marzal
Summary: This study found that the effective diversity for both birds and parasite lineages was higher in the Amazon basin ecoregions. Additionally, it was also shown that ecoregions with greater diversity of bird species also had high parasite richness, suggesting the importance of host community in explaining parasite richness. Generalist parasites were found in ecoregions with lower bird diversity, which implies that the abundance and richness of hosts may influence the exploitation strategy followed by haemosporidian parasites.
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Sarah C. Hays, Rebecca G. Cheek, James C. Mouton, T. Scott Sillett, Cameron K. Ghalambor
Summary: Orange-crowned warblers on the California Channel Islands show remarkable variation in nest structure and placement. Nest construction is influenced by nest height, with higher nests being more successful. However, individual nest construction varies greatly and is not strongly correlated with nest success after controlling for nest height. This behavioral plasticity is likely a response to the absence of avian predators.
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Melanie Duc, Mikas Ilgunas, Monika Kubiliunaite, Gediminas Valkiunas
Summary: This study focused on the megalomeronts of Haemoproteus pastoris in Common starlings, which were found to develop in various organs including the brain. This contributes to a better understanding of avian haemoproteids' life cycle and sheds light on the pathology research during avian haemoproteosis, highlighting the importance for birds' health.
Article
Behavioral Sciences
H. M. Scharf, W. M. Schelsky, M. L. Chamberlain, M. E. Hauber
Summary: Communication between parents and dependent offspring is crucial for reproduction and anti-predation. Prothonotary warblers do not learn alarm calls of brown-headed cowbirds from breeding experiences, and cowbirds may use a generalized alarm call strategy.
Article
Parasitology
Daniela de Angeli Dutra, Asmat U. Khan, Francisco C. Ferreira, Marina V. Beirao, Mauro Pichorim, Patricia A. Moreira, Erika M. Braga
Summary: This study examined the relationship between the prevalence of avian haemosporidians and seasonality and host functional traits in the Brazilian Caatinga. The results showed that parasite prevalence was correlated with phylogenetic relatedness among avian species and varied greatly among different species. Seasonality was found to be the main factor associated with infections, but the influence of this factor varied depending on the host-parasite system. The study also revealed that even in dry regions, a high prevalence and diversity of vector-borne parasites can exist.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Harrison H. Jones, Maria Juliana Bedoya-Duran, Z. Gabriel J. J. Colorado, Gustavo Londono, Scott K. Robinson
Summary: The fragmentation of tropical forests has a significant impact on avian biodiversity loss, especially insectivores. In this study, the researchers investigated the mechanisms underlying area sensitivity in a cloud forest bird community. They found that specialized diets, use of canopy and subcanopy habitats, larger eye sizes, and larger clutch sizes were correlated with higher area sensitivity.
BIODIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Loren Merrill, Todd M. Jones, Jeffrey D. Brawn, Michael P. Ward
Summary: Life history studies show that trade-offs between growth and survival are common, both within and among species. This study examined traits in temperate-zone passerine birds to understand the causes and consequences of variation in early-life growth. The results suggest that nest predation risk and trait covariance play a role in postfledging mortality.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Ornithology
Manuel Soler, Tomas Perez-Contreras, Francisco Ruiz-Raya
Summary: Brood parasites usually lay only one egg per nest to avoid competition, but multiparasitism is surprisingly frequent in the great spotted cuckoo. This is because the cuckoo is less harmful and magpie hosts can successfully raise multiple parasitic nestlings. The total number of cuckoo chicks raised is higher in multiparasitized nests and there is no difference in magpie breeding success between single-, double-, and multiparasitized nests. The intensity of parasitism does not affect nest desertion or predation rate, suggesting that nest concealment does not impact susceptibility to parasitism and predation.
JOURNAL OF AVIAN BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
J. Garcia, A. Moran-Ordonez, J. T. Garcia, M. Calero-Riestra, F. Alda, J. Sanz, S. Suarez-Seoane
Summary: Studies have shown that landscape resistance plays a more significant role than geographic distance in driving genetic differentiation in Iberian bluethroat populations. The highest gene flow and population connectivity were found in areas with stable vegetation and low annual precipitation, highlighting the importance of landscape stability for the conservation of this migratory bird species.
ANIMAL CONSERVATION
(2021)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
David Gonzalez-Barrio, Isabel Jado, Javier Vinuela, Jesus T. Garcia, Pedro P. Olea, Fernando Arce, Francisco Ruiz-Fons
Summary: Coxiella burnetii is a zoonotic infectious bacterium that can replicate in multiple host species, with a study in Spain showing Microtus arvalis has the highest infection rates and may have led to human infection during handling.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Julio C. Dominguez, Maria Calero-Riestra, Pedro P. Olea, Juan E. Malo, Christopher P. Burridge, Kirstin Proft, Sonia Illanas, Javier Vinuela, Jesus T. Garcia
Summary: The study found that cyclic voles may mitigate the genetic impacts of roads during population density peaks through massive dispersal. Therefore, when considering the genetic effects of roads on animals, the influence of population density fluctuations on genetic impact should be taken into account.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Kathrin Jeske, Duygu Emirhar, Jesus T. Garcia, David Gonzalez-Barrio, Pedro P. Olea, Francisco Ruiz Fons, Jana Schulz, Anne Mayer-Scholl, Gerald Heckel, Rainer G. Ulrich
Summary: The study found the presence of Leptospira spp. in common voles and Lusitanian pine voles in Spain, with a higher detection rate in the latter species. Factors such as maximum air temperature, vole weight, and accumulated rainfall were found to significantly affect the prevalence of Leptospira spp. in common voles.
JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Jesus T. Garcia, Javier Vinuela, Maria Calero-Riestra, Ines S. Sanchez-Barbudo, Diego Villanua, Fabian Casas
Summary: This study found that the release of farm-reared birds can introduce exotic parasites, leading to changes in the spatial structure of local parasite fauna. In non-release sites, similar prevalence of avian malaria was observed in spring and autumn; whereas in release sites, the prevalence was higher in autumn compared to spring, likely due to restocking with infected birds at the beginning of hunting season.
Article
Ornithology
Daniel Bustillo-de la Rosa, Maria Calero-Riestra, Cristian Perez-Granados, Silvia Mereu, Manuel B. Morales, Juan Traba, German M. Lopez-Iborra, Adrian Barrero, Julia Gomez-Catasus, Margarita Reverter, Javier Vinuela, Juan J. Onate, Israel Hervas, Jorge Hernandez Justribo, Jesus T. Garcia
Summary: The study examined the stress variation in Dupont's Lark, finding that H/L ratio did not vary between countries but was higher in individuals captured during the breeding season. Higher body condition was associated with lower H/L ratio, while malaria-infected individuals had higher H/L values. The study gives new insights into the species' biology and provides valuable reference information for assessing the status and survival of other populations.
JOURNAL OF ORNITHOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Fatima Vioque, Alejandro Dashti, Monica Santin, Francisco Ruiz-Fons, Pamela C. Koster, Carolina Hernandez-Castro, Jesus T. Garcia, Begona Bailo, Sheila Ortega, Pedro P. Olea, Fernando Arce, Carmen Chicharro, Javier Nieto, Fernando Gonzalez, Javier Vinuela, David Carmena, David Gonzalez-Barrio
Summary: Micromammals can carry various intestinal eukaryotic parasites, including Cryptosporidium spp., Giardia duodenalis, Enterocytozoon bieneusi, Blastocystis sp., and Leishmania infantum. Molecular data indicate that these infections are primarily caused by rodent-adapted species/genotypes, suggesting a limited role of wild micromammals as a source of human infections.
TRANSBOUNDARY AND EMERGING DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Javier Fernandez-de-Simon, Francisco Diaz-Ruiz, Daniel Jareno, Julio C. Dominguez, Jose F. Lima-Barbero, Noelia de Diego, Ana E. Santamaria, Marta Herrero-Villar, Pablo R. Camarero, Pedro P. Olea, Jesus T. Garcia, Rafael Mateo, Javier Vinuela
Summary: This study investigated the exposure of weasels in Spain to bromadiolone, an anticoagulant rodenticide commonly used against rodent pests. The results showed that bromadiolone was present in the weasels, with the trans-diastereomer being the predominant form. The occurrence and concentration of bromadiolone varied yearly and were associated with vole outbreaks.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Mateusz Baca, Danijela Popovic, Anna Lemanik, Sandra Banuls-Cardona, Nicholas J. Conard, Gloria Cuenca-Bescos, Emmanuel Desclaux, Helen Fewlass, Jesus T. Garcia, Tereza Hadravova, Gerald Heckel, Ivan Horacek, Monika Vlasta Knul, Loic Lebreton, Juan Manuel Lopez-Garcia, Elisa Luzi, Zoran Markovic, Jadranka Mauch Lenardic, Xabier Murelaga, Pierre Noiret, Alexandru Petculescu, Vasil Popov, Sara E. Rhodes, Bogdan Ridush, Aurelien Royer, John R. Stewart, Joanna Stojak, Sahra Talamo, Xuejing Wang, Jan M. Wojcik, Adam Nadachowski
Summary: This study investigated the population dynamics of the common vole and found that the decrease in open habitat during the last glacial period was the main factor affecting their populations. Climate deterioration during the Last Glacial Maximum had little impact on their population dynamics.
JOURNAL OF BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Daniel Bustillo-de La Rosa, Juan Traba, Maria Calero-Riestra, Manuel B. Morales, Adrian Barrero, Javier Vinuela, Cristian Perez-Granados, Julia Gomez-Catasus, Juan J. Onate, Margarita Reverter, Israel Hervas, Jorge Hernandez Justribo, Eladio L. Garcia de la Morena, German M. Lopez-Iborra, Jesus T. Garcia
Summary: Monitoring genetic diversity in Dupont's lark revealed temporal variation in genetic parameters, with no substantial loss at the species level, but significant changes among regions. Connectivity plays a major role in maintaining genetic diversity, although evidence of genetic bottleneck and erosion in certain areas signal a rapid decline in populations, necessitating urgent conservation efforts.
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Aimara Planillo, Javier Vinuela, Juan E. Malo, Jesus T. Garcia, Pablo Acebes, Ana E. Santamaria, Julio C. Dominguez, Pedro P. Olea
Summary: In simplified agricultural landscapes, common voles can become agricultural pests due to their high abundance. This study aimed to identify the margin variables that determine vole population response and the spatial scale at which this response can be managed. Vole abundance was sampled in field margins in two replicated areas of north-western Spain over five years. The results showed that the broader spatial scale accounted better for vole abundance response, with vegetation structure having the strongest effect during the peak phase of the population cycle. Nearby crops did not have a clear effect on vole abundance in the models.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Julio C. Dominguez, Fernando Alda, Maria Calero-Riestra, Pedro P. Olea, Jesus Martinez-Padilla, Jesus Herranz, Juan Jose Onate, Ana Santamaria, Javier Vinuela, Jesus T. Garcia
Summary: In the Anthropocene, species are changing their ranges due to human-driven habitat modifications. Studying the genetic signatures of range shifts helps us understand how species adapt to environmental disturbances and predict future shifts in response to global environmental change. This study examined the genetic diversity and structure of the Iberian common vole Microtus arvalis asturianus during a wide-range expansion, revealing a genetic footprint consistent with true range expansion rather than colonization from within. Natural landscape features and anthropogenic barriers influenced the colonization pathways used by voles.
Article
Zoology
J. T. Garcia, L. Perez-Rodriguez, M. Calero-Riestra, I. Sanchez-Barbudo, J. Vinuela, F. Casas
Summary: A central issue in avian ecology is the trade-off between reproductive effort and parasite resistance. This study investigates blood parasite infections in relation to sex, year, body condition, and carotenoid levels in wild Red-legged partridges. The results show that males have higher prevalence of blood parasites than females and infected females have lower carotenoid levels. This suggests sex-related differences in the use of carotenoids for fighting infections. The study also proposes that the contrasting patterns between sexes may be due to different costs of reproduction and sexual selection.
JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Juan J. Onate, Francisco Suarez, Maria Calero-Riestra, Jorge H. H. Justribo, Israel Hervas, Eladio L. Garcia de la Morena, Alvaro Ramirez, Javier Vinuela, Jesus T. Garcia
Summary: This study investigates the influence of habitat structure on bird density and species richness in the poorly known bird communities in the steppes of Eastern Morocco. Based on surveys and measurements along a gradient of increasing aridity, it was found that habitat structure has a significant impact on bird communities, with different factors playing a role in winter and spring seasons.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Javier Vinuela, Jesus T. Garcia, Francisco Suarez
Summary: The effect of global warming and desertification on bird populations in semi-arid North African ecosystems has not been well-studied. This study focused on the endangered Dupont's lark in Tunisia and found that its population and distribution have greatly decreased, likely due to the disappearance and degradation of suitable habitat. The current extent of occurrence and area of occupancy are much smaller than previous estimates, and further surveys are needed to locate possible remnant populations.
