PUBLICACIÓN CIENTÍFICA

Situación actual do proceso de colonización do gaivotón Larus marinus en Galicia

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Mouriño, J., Bermejo, A., Silvar, X. 2016. Situación actual do proceso de colonización do gaivotón Larus marinus en Galicia. Libro de Resumos do IX Congreso Galego de Ornitoloxía. Pontevedra, novembro 2016. Sociedade Galega de Ornitoloxía.

O gaivotón Larus marinus encóntrase en expansión en Europa, proceso que o levou a comezar a reproducirse en Galicia, cun primeiro rexistro confirmado nos Farallóns (Cervo) en 2005. Desde entón, novas parellas reprodutoras citáronse en Asturias e Euskadi, mentres en Galicia a colonización se concentrou na Mariña e na ría de Arousa, ocupando pequenas illas que contan con colonias doutras especies de gaivotas, fundamentalmente gaivota patiamarela L. michahellis. Coa intención de actualizar a información referida aos seus efectivos e distribución, en 2016 prospectáronse as principais localidades de cría coñecida do gaivotón en Galicia, asi como outras illas con colonias de gaivotas onde podería nidificar. En xeral, procurouse realizar unha primeira visita en maio para contabilizar niños ou, no seu defecto, territorios aparentemente ocupados; máis unha segunda visita a fins de xuño, coa fin de determinar o éxito reprodutor. Foron detectadas entre 13 e 15 parellas nidificantes, repartidas en dous núcleos, situados na metade occidental da Mariña lucense e na Ría de Arousa. Na Mariña, o gaivotón cría no arquipélago dos Farallóns (5-7 parellas), Ansarón (1 parella) e Gabeira de Viveiro (1 parella), mentres na ría de Arousa nidifica no Guidoiro Areoso, Guidoiro Pedregoso e Rúa (unha parella en cada illa) máis no arquipélago de Sálvora, no denominado Parque Nacional das Illas Atlánticas de Galicia (3 parellas). Os rexistros obtidos en 2016 e anos anteriores permiten apuntar que o período reprodutor comeza pouco antes que na gaivota patiamarela (L. michahellis), con postas a mediados de abril e polos voantóns desde finais de xuño, sendo máis atrasado nas parellas que se reproducen por vez primeira. O éxito reprodutor foi estimado en 0,8 polos/ parella (n=5). Adicionalmente, obtivéronse evidencias do recrutamento de aves nacidas en Galicia en anos anteriores.

Invasion and eradication of the American mink in the Atlantic Islands National Park (NW Spain): a retrospective analysis

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Velando, A., Morán, P., Romero, R., Fernández, J. & Piorno, V. 2016. Invasion and eradication of the American mink in the Atlantic Islands National Park (NW Spain): a retrospective analysis. Biological Invasions, pp.1-15. doi:10.1007/s10530-016-1326-8

Alien predators exert severe effects on island ecosystems, and their eradication from island habitats may therefore be necessary to conserve the native biota. Efforts are being made to eradicate the American mink (Neovison vison) from the Atlantic Islands of Galicia National Park (NW Spain), a protected site inhabited by vulnerable island fauna. We applied a molecular genetic approach to elucidate the source of the invaders and to evaluate the effectiveness of the trapping programe. We collected mink scats in the field and obtained tissue samples from culled mink. Populations of feral mink were known to be present in coastal areas close to the National Park archipelagos in the 1980–1990s. However, the molecular findings suggest that these populations were not the main source of the mink populations that colonized the islands during the 2000s. Recent releases from farms directly on to the islands are a more likely source of these invaders. Genetic analysis suggested that mink reproduced successfully on the islands and were relatively isolated from other mainland populations. The findings also suggest that most of the culled mink were juveniles, probably because it was more difficult to catch adults. Since mink are short-lived animals, it seems that eradication may also be achieved when a large proportion of juveniles are culled in isolated and small populations.

Population Trend of the World’s Monitored Seabirds, 1950-2010

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Paleczny, M., Hammill, E., Karpouzi, V. & Pauly, D., 2015. Population trend of the world’s monitored seabirds, 1950-2010. PloS one, 10(6), p.e0129342.

Seabird population changes are good indicators of long-term and large-scale change in marine ecosystems, and important because of their many impacts on marine ecosystems.We assessed the population trend of the world’s monitored seabirds (1950–2010) by compiling a global database of seabird population size records and applying multivariate autoregressive state-space (MARSS) modeling to estimate the overall population trend of the portion of the population with sufficient data (i.e., at least five records). This monitored population represented approximately 19% of the global seabird population. We found the monitored portion of the global seabird population to have declined overall by 69.7% between 1950 and 2010. This declining trend may reflect the global seabird population trend, given the large and apparently representative sample. Furthermore, the largest declines were observed in families containing wide-ranging pelagic species, suggesting that pan-global populations may be more at risk than shorter-ranging coastal populations.

Seabird conservation status, threats and priority actions: a global assessment

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Croxall, J.P., Butchart, S.H., Lascelles, B.E.N., Stattersfield, A.J., Sullivan, B.E.N., Symes, A. & Taylor, P.H.I.L., 2012. Seabird conservation status, threats and priority actions: a global assessment. Bird Conservation International, 22(01), pp.1-34.

We review the conservation status of, and threats to, all 346 species of seabirds, based on BirdLife International’s data and assessments for the 2010 IUCN Red List. We show that overall, seabirds are more threatened than other comparable groups of birds and that their status has deteriorated faster over recent decades. The principal current threats at sea are posed by commercial fisheries (through competition and mortality on fishing gear) and pollution, whereas on land, alien invasive predators, habitat degradation and human disturbance are the main threats. Direct exploitation remains a problem for some species both at sea and ashore. The priority actions needed involve: a) formal and effective site protection, especially for Important Bird Area (IBA) breeding sites and for marine IBA feeding and aggregation sites, as part of national, regional and global networks of Marine Protected Areas; b) removal of invasive, especially predatory, alien species (a list of priority sites is provided), as part of habitat and species recovery initiatives; and c) reduction of bycatch to negligible levels, as part of comprehensive implementation of ecosystem approaches to fisheries. The main knowledge gaps and research priorities relate to the three topics above but new work is needed on impacts of aquaculture, energy generation operations and climate change (especially effects on the distribution of prey species and rise in sea level). We summarise the relevant national and international jurisdictional responsibilities, especially in relation to endemic and globally threatened species.

Ingestion and dispersal: direct and indirect effects of frugivores on seed viability and germination of Corema album (Empetraceae)

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Calviño-Cancela, M., 2004. Ingestion and dispersal: direct and indirect effects of frugivores on seed viability and germination of Corema album (Empetraceae). Acta Oecologica, 26(1), pp.55-64.

The effect of gulls, blackbirds and rabbits on the viability and germination of Corema album seeds are compared. Frugivores can affect seed viability and germination (1) directly, through the effect of ingestion and (2) indirectly, dispersing seeds to different sites with different conditions. These two major factors in the quality of a seed disperser are not necessarily concordant in direction and magnitude. Gulls and blackbirds have similar direct effects, being much better than those of rabbits, due to the low probability of germination of seeds within rabbit pellets. Seed germination occurs mainly in the open ground, particularly in the sparse scrub, and is very low under vegetation cover. This pattern becomes crucial determining the indirect effects of seed dispersers that will depend on their capacity to carry seeds to the most suitable sites for germination. Gulls and rabbits disperse most of seeds to open ground, exerting a positive indirect effect on germination, whereas blackbirds disperse seeds mainly under shrubs, thus exerting a negative indirect effect. Direct and indirect effects on seed germination are concordant for gulls but discordant for blackbirds and rabbits. Gulls were the best dispersers; the overall probability of germination for a seed dispersed by gulls was 17.59%. The quality of blackbirds and rabbits was relatively low (3.49% and 1.17%, respectively). Frugivores seem to be essential for germination of C. album seeds, not as much for their direct effects but for their ability to carry seeds to suitable sites.

Fruit consumers and seed dispersers of the rare shrub Corema album, Empetraceae, in coastal sand dunes

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Calviño-Cancela, M., 2005. Fruit consumers and seed dispersers of the rare shrub Corema album, Empetraceae, in coastal sand dunes. Rev Ecol (Terre Vie), 60, pp.97-106.

Avec des goélands, des lapins, des mammifères carnivores, des petits lézards et des passériformes, le cortège des frugivores qui consomment les fruits de Corema album (Empetraceae), un arbuste rare, est remarquable par sa diversité et parce que quelques espèces sont des disséminateurs de graines inhabituels. Les merles et les goélands jouent un rôle important dans les îles Cíes. Les goélands sont aussi des disséminateurs importants dans la baie de Trece, mais ne semblent pas jouer un rôle important à São Jacinto où les mammifères carnivores jouent le rôle prédominant. Dans les îles Cíes, les observations des visites alimentaires ont montré que le nombre des visites aux plantes par les disséminateurs est le meilleur indice de leur importance quantitative, suivi du nombre de fruits manipulés par visite, alors que l’efficacité de la manipulation des fruits n’a eu qu’un effet mineur. Le nombre des fruits manipulés par visite, mais non la proportion de fruits avalés entiers, s’est avéré significativement
lié â la taille des oiseaux.

Seed and microsite limitations of recruitment and the impacts of post-dispersal seed predation at the within population level

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Calviño-Cancela, M., 2007. Seed and microsite limitations of recruitment and the impacts of post-dispersal seed predation at the within population level. Plant Ecology, 192(1), pp.35-44.

Seed predation may cause important seed losses in plant populations, but its impact on the dynamics of populations will depend on the degree of seed or microsite limitations for recruitment. Seed losses will only affect recruitment if it is seed limited. The nature of recruitment limitation (seeds or microsites) is usually ascribed to whole plant populations but it may vary within populations among microhabitats and habitats. Thus, the potential impact of seed predation will also vary within the population, being highest where recruitment is seed limited. The impact to the whole population will depend on the spatial concordance between the intensity of seed predation and that of seed limitation. Recruitment limitations (with seed addition experiments), seed predation (with seed removal experiments), and the dynamics of seed availability in the soil (with soil samples taken both after seed dispersal and before the following dispersal event) of the shrub Corema album (Empetraceae) were investigated in dunes in NW Spain, at microhabitats ‘open ground’, ‘underneath C. album’, and ‘underneath C. album’ at two habitats, sparse and dense scrub. The nature of recruitment limitation (seeds vs. microsites) varied within the population. It was seed limited in the microhabitat ‘open ground’ and microsite limited under shrub cover. The spatial patterns of seedling recruitment were unrelated to seed availability but strongly affected by germination requirements. The spatial discordance between seed availability and recruitment implies a crucial constraint for processes affecting seed availability (seed predation but also e.g., dispersal) to impact recruitment. They will not affect its spatial pattern but only its quantity as long as they act in those sites selected by seeds to germinate. Seed predation was highest underneath mother plants and lowest in open ground. Thus, its potential impact is low, as it is centred where recruitment is not seed limited. This study shows that the analysis of seed predation in relation to recruitment limitations at smaller spatial scales within the population provides more insight to understand its impact.

Simplifying methods to assess site suitability for plant recruitment

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Calvino-Cancela, M., 2011. Simplifying methods to assess site suitability for plant recruitment. Plant Ecology, 212(8), pp.1375-1383.

Few studies link seed dispersal with its demographic consequences, or provide reliable estimates of seed dispersal effectiveness. One reason is the complexity of measuring the suitability for plant recruitment of seed arrival sites. In this study, I compare three methods that differ in the effort required to measure site suitability for seedling recruitment. All are based on the proportion of seeds that become seedlings (seedling-to-seed ratios). Method I is the most detailed and labour intensive. The fate of seeds was followed throughout the different steps of the recruitment process, from fruit removal until seedling emergence, including both seeds dispersed by different animals and undispersed seeds. Method II is based on seed addition experiments. Seeds were sowed in plots, and seedlings emerging were counted in the following two seasons. In Method III, average seed input during dispersal was measured with soil seed bank samples taken in pre- and post-dispersal periods, and seedling emergence estimated with samples of three seasons. Method II provided results similar to those of Method I, which, conversely, provides more insight in the actual processes driving recruitment. Method III, however, systematically underestimated site suitability (seedling-to-seed ratios) by about 50% as compared to the other methods in all microhabitats studied. Relative instead of absolute indices of site suitability were, however, reliable with this method. Method II and III are significantly less costly and could be good alternatives to Method I for some purposes, simplifying future studies on the demographic consequences of seed dispersal and the effectiveness of dispersers.

Helminth fauna of the yellow-legged gull Larus cachinnans in Galicia, north-west Spain

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Sanmartín, M.L., Cordeiro, J.A., Alvarez, M.F. and Leiro, J., 2005. Helminth fauna of the yellow-legged gull Larus cachinnans in Galicia, north-west Spain. Journal of Helminthology, 79(04), pp.361-371.

Thirty-six helminth species were found in 324 gulls examined during June 1994 to February 1996 from different localities of Galicia: 25 trematodes (Brachylaima sp., Brachylecithum microtesticulatum, Cardiocephaloides longicollis, Cryptocotyle lingua, Cryptocotyle concavum, Diplostomum spathaceum, Echinostephilla virgula, Galactosomum phalacrocoracis, Gigantobilharzia acotylea, Gymnophallus deliciosus, Gynaecotyla longiintestinata, Himasthla elongata, Himasthla quissetensis, Knipowitschiatrema nicolai, Levinseniella (Levinseniella) propinqua, Maritrema gratiosum, Maritrema linguilla, Microphallus primas, Microphallus similis, Ornithobilharzia canaliculata, Parorchis acanthus, Phagicola minuta, Psilostomum brevicolle, Renicola sp. and Stephanoprora denticulata), four cestodes (Alcataenia micracantha, Microsomacanthus ductilis, Tetrabothrius (Oriana) erostris and Wardium cirrosa), six nematodes (Anisakis simplex, Contracaecum rudolphii, Cosmocephalus obvelatus), Eucoleus contortus, Paracuaria adunca and Tetrameres (Tetrameres) skrjabini) and one acanthocephalan (Arhythmorhynchus longicollis). Tetrabothrius erostris was the most prevalent species (79.6%), followed by C. obvelatus (47.8%), C. lingua (37.4%), G deliciosus (30.9%), G. longiintestinata (22.8%), P. adunca (21.9%), B. microtesticulatum (17.6%), E. contortus (14.5%) and M. similis (9.3%). Microphallus similis was the dominant species, with a Berger-Parker index (BP) of 0.32, followed by T. erostris (BP=0.10). All species presented an aggregated dispersion except G. acotylea and G. phalacrocoracis, which showed a random dispersion. Species that seem to have the greatest predilection for specific sites along the intestine are: C. longicollis and A. micracantha (first third), Brachylaima sp., M. similis and G. longiintestinata (last third) and A. longicollis (second half). Eight species are known to be pathogenic to commercially important fish or molluscan species and several are pathogenic to humans.

Influence of host age and sex on the helminth fauna of the yellow-legged gull (Larus michahellis) in Galicia (northwestern Spain)

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Álvarez, M.F., Cordeiro, J.A., Leiro, J.M. & Sanmartín, M.L., 2006. Influence of host age and sex on the helminth fauna of the yellow-legged gull (Larus michahellis) in Galicia (northwestern Spain). Journal of Parasitology, 92(3), pp.454-458.

We studied the influence of host age and sex on the helminth fauna of 324 Larus michahellis captured in different locations in the region of Galicia (northwestern Spain). Gulls were grouped into prefledglings, first-year immature birds, second- and third-year immature birds, and adults. Second-year, third-year, and adult birds were grouped by sex. Thirty-six helminth species were recorded. Total species richness and mean infracommunity species richness were both significantly lower for prefledglings than for the other age groups. Prevalence increased significantly with age for Brachylecithum microtesticulatum, probably reflecting changing feeding habits. Likewise, 8 species (Cardiocephaloides longicollis, Microphallus similis, Maritrema gratiosum, Gynaecotyla longiintestinata, Brachylecithum microtesticulatum, Himasthla elongata, Parorchis acanthus, and Renicola sp.) were absent or had very low prevalence in prefledglings. At least 5 of these 8 species are transmitted to gulls through ingestion of molluscs or crustaceans, which suggests that these types of prey are seldom fed to prefledglings. In Gymnophallus deliciosus, G. longiintestinata, and Cosmocephalus obvelatus, mean intensity, and in the latter case prevalence, declined with age, suggesting that protective immunity against these species increase with age. Only G. deliciosus, Microphallus similis, and G. longiintestinata presented significant differences between the sexes.