Research Highlights (2012, 2011)

Luis M. CARRASCAL, MNCN-CSIC

 

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Topic: identification of species-specific traits that make a species a better surrogate of taxonomic biodiversity.
           * Abundance of those surrogate species which are typically targeted by local conservation managers (according to their rarity and increase public awareness) proves to be a poor predictor of three different measures of species richness of the native terrestrial avifauna of Fuerteventura island (Canary Islands).
           * The best surrogates for global bird species richness are those smaller birds of medium-high abundances, broad habitat preferences, less threatened status, and with a high degree of endemicity. No spatial-scale dependency was observed in the surrogacy power of species. Read more.

 

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Topic: influence of geographic variation in day length on the abundance of wintering birds.
            * This paper demonstrates for the first time that spatial variation in winter bird abundance increases with day length after controlling for the effect of other environmental variables, such as food availability, minimum night temperature, habitat structure and landscape characteristics. Read more [… y más].

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Topic: conservation priority lists for bird species in an island scenario.
            * We propose a simple model of threat based on natural descriptors of rarity and taxonomic distinctiveness (area of occupancy, population abundance and trend, and endemicity), and assess its correlation with ecological features of the species (habitat preferences and body size).
            * The Spanish Red data Book and the Canary Islands administrative lists are poorly related to descriptors ordering the extinction risk and loss of taxonomic singularity, so some changes would make their categories more coherent after considering the ecological bases of rarity of this insular avifauna. Read more.