GEDA conference on Lizards !

Dr. A. Rotger will give a seminar on the ecology and life-history of the Balearic Wall lizard at the Visitor Centre of Carbrera National Park in Colonia St Jordi. 

The seminar is free and for all public. Friday 19/04/2024, 19h - Colonia St Jordi.

New Publication on mortality of migratory birds!

Serratosa, J., Oppel, S., Rotichs, S, Santangeli, A., [...] , Jones, V. R. 2024 Tracking data highlight the importance of human-induced mortality for large migratory birds at a flyway scale. Biological Conservation 293, 110525

In a shell: Despite stable frequencies of human-induced mortality over the past 15 years in the African-Eurasian flyway, conservation efforts targeting energy infrastructure and other human activities are necessary to mitigate these threats and safeguard bird species.

Abstract: Human-induced direct mortality affects huge numbers of birds each year, threatening hundreds of species worldwide. Tracking technologies can be an important tool to investigate temporal and spatial patterns of bird mortality as well as their drivers. We compiled 1704 mortality records from tracking studies across the African-Eurasian flyway for 45 species, including raptors, storks, and cranes, covering the period from 2003 to 2021. Our results show a higher frequency of human-induced causes of mortality than natural causes across taxonomic groups, geographical areas, and age classes. Moreover, we found that the frequency of human-induced mortality remained stable over the study period. From the human-induced mortality events with a known cause (n = 637), three main causes were identified: electrocution (40.5 %), illegal killing (21.7 %), and poisoning (16.3 %). 

Additionally, combined energy infrastructure-related mortality (i.e., electrocution, power line collision, and wind-farm collision) represented 49 % of all human-induced mortality events. Using a random forest model, the main predictors of human-induced mortality were found to be taxonomic group, geographic location (latitude and longitude), and human footprint index value at the location of mortality. Despite conservation efforts, human drivers of bird mortality in the African-Eurasian flyway do not appear to have declined over the last 15 years for the studied group of species. Results suggest that stronger conservation actions to address these threats across the flyway can reduce their impacts on species. In particular, projected future development of energy infrastructure is a representative example where application of planning, operation, and mitigation measures can enhance bird conservation.

 

 

New Publication on birds and humans!

Marjakangas, E.-L., Johnston, A., Santangeli, A., & Lehikoinen, A. (2024). Bird species' tolerance to human pressures and associations with population change. Global Ecology and Biogeography, 00, e13816. https://doi.org/10.1111/geb.13816

In a shell: About 22% of bird species can tolerate heavily modified human-dominated environments, while only 0.001% are exclusive to intact environments, with variations in HTI linked to species' population trends, providing valuable insights for conservation planning and identifying species at risk

 Abstract: Some species thrive in human-dominated environments, while others are highly sensitive to all human pressures. However, standardized estimates of species' tolerances to human pressures are lacking at large spatial extents and taxonomic breadth. Here, we quantify the world's bird species' tolerances to human pressures. The associated precision values can be applied to scientific research and conservation. We used binary observation data from eBird and modelled species' occurrences as a function of the Human Footprint Index (HFI). With these models, we predicted how likely each species was to occur under different levels of human pressures.

Then, we calculated each species' Human Tolerance Index (HTI) as the level of the HFI where predicted occurrence probability was reduced to 50% of the maximum species' occurrence probability. We used resampling to obtain estimates of uncertainty of the Human Tolerance Indices. We also compared tolerances across species with increasing, stable, and decreasing population trends. We found that 22% of the bird species tolerated the most modified human-dominated environments, whereas 0.001% of species only occurred in the intact environments. We also found that HTI varied according to species' population trend categories, whereby species with decreasing population trends had a lower tolerance than species with increasing or stable population trends. 

The estimated HTI indicates the potential of species to exist in a landscape of intensifying human pressures. It can identify species unable to tolerate these environments and inform subsequent conservation efforts. We found evidence that species' sensitivity to human-dominated environments may be driving birds' use of space. Bird species' tolerances are also linked to their population trends, making the tolerances a relevant addition to conservation planning.

 

GEDA at the 11F!

GEDA at the 11F, the International day of Women and Girls in Science. More info on the activities here and interviews here. For updates: https://www.instagram.com/imedea_uib_csic/

Incoming workshop on IPM!

Intermediate-level workshop (in person only)
Bayesian integrated population modelling (IPM) using JAGS

Date
14 – 18 October 2024

Venue
Institute for Mediterranean Studies (IMEDEA), CSIC-UIB, Esporles, Spain (Majorca)

Instructors
Michael Schaub (Population Biology Research Unit, Swiss Ornithological Institute, Sempach, Switzerland)
Marc Kéry Giacomo Tavecchia (Animal Demography and Ecology Unit, IMEDEA, CSIC-UIB, Esporles, Spain)

Computers
Bring your own laptop with latest R and JAGS

Registration
Euro 500 (Euro 300 for Mster and PhD students).
Integrated population models (IPMs) represent the powerful combination, typically around a single matrix population model, of multiple data sources that are informative about the dynamics of an animal population. Typical IPMs combine one or more time-series of counts with other data sets that are directly informative about survival probabilities, such as ring-recovery or capture-recapture, or about productivity, such as nest survey data. However, many other sources of demographic information may be envisioned instead or in addition, including age-at-death data, radio tracking data, occupancy or replicated point count data. For non-statisticians the only practical manner to develop and fit IPMs is by using BUGS software (JAGS and Nimble). This course is a practical and hands-on introduction to developing and fitting integrated population models. It is based on the new book by Schaub & Kéry, Integrated Population Models (Academic Press, 2022). Beyond IPMs, the course also provides a broad introduction for ecologists and wildlife managers to a wide variety of models fit using BUGS software.

Contents include the following topics:
1. Basic introduction:
• Hierarchical models as an overarching theme of population modelling, including IPMs
• Bayesian analysis of hierarchical models
• Introduction to BUGS software in the context of GLMs and traditional random-effects models

2. Ingredients of Integrated Population Models:
• State-space models for time-series of counts
• Cormack-Jolly-Seber models for estimating survival probabilities
• Multistate capture-recapture models for estimating survival and transition probabilities

3. Integrated Population Models (IPMs)
• Introduction to matrix population models and their analysis with BUGS
• Theory of integrated population models
• Various case studies which differ in complexity and in the data types that are combined

In this intermediate-level workshop about 80% of the time is spent on lecturing and 20% on solving exercises. No previous experience with BUGS software, or Bayesian statistics, is assumed. However, a good working knowledge of modern regression methods (linear models, GLMs) and of program R is required. Moreover, a basic understanding of capture-recapture and/or occupancy models is highly desirable.

Send your application to Michael Schaub (michael.schaub@vogelwarte.ch), with CC to Marc Kéry (marc.kery@vogelwarte.ch); describing your background and knowledge in statistical modelling, R and JAGS/Nimble, and capture-recapture, by 30 April 2024 at the latest. Workshop invitations will be sent out immediately afterwards.

Protected areas on the news!

Dr. A. Santangeli explains here why protected areas are insufficient to reduce the current biodiversity loss. They should be larger, better connected but efforts should be made outside the areas with a more sustainable agricultures and practices. 

The interview is framed by the scientific work of Dr. Santangeli and his colleagues (here).

The 2023 Workshop on CMR ended!

The 2023 Workshop on the Introduction to capture-mark-recapture analyses ended last Friday. It has been a busy and exciting week. We have learnt about bees, marmots, sharks, choughs, rays, vultures...and many other species and biological systems. Thanks to all for coming.

GEDAi at the European Vulture Conference 2023!

Dr. A. Santangeli presents his first results on the age-dependent survival probabilities of vulture in Europe and Middle East at the European Vulture Conference 2023 in Caceres, Spain.