New Publication on the multidimensional value of long-term studies !

Tavecchia, G., Oro, D., Sanz-Aguilar, A., and Béchet, A. 2017. The multidimensional value of long-term individual.based studies: more than lots of data. Avocetta 41: 19-21

With the present rate of biodiversity loss and the profound effects of global changes, population and conservation ecologists face new questions. Many of these are related to how fast individuals can adapt to the strength and pace of environmental variability and can only be answered using individual data collected over long-term (Long Terms Individual Based Studies). Beside this undoubted scientific value, a 20 – 30 years study is likely to have trained several generations of scientists, fostered collaborations between a large number of research institutes and promoted public awareness on scientific themes and wildlife conservation problems. With current public systems providing funds for 3 to 4 years, it is increasingly difficult to initiate and maintain a long-term individual based study. As a consequence, many field studies end before time, without reaching the number of years or the amount of data needed to meet current scientific challenges and to demonstrate their educational value.Here, we argue that the value of LTIBS is multidimensional and it grows steadily with time. How and when does a long-term field study become important? [..] continue reading here

This text is in honor of Dr. Alan Roy Johnson (1941-2014, Photo), Dr. Heinz Hafner (1940-2003) and other pioneers of LTIBS. By focusing the attention on the multidimensional value of LTIBS we aimed to pay a tribute to them and to those people who, thanks to their passion, personal sacrifices and tenacity are keeping these projects alive.

 

A. Johnson (photo. H. Hôte)

New Publication on colonization in social species !

Payo-Payo, A., Genovart, M., Sanz-Aguilar, A., Greño, J.L., García-Tarrasón, ., Bertlero A. and Oro, D., Colonisation in social species: the importance of breeding experience for dispersal in overcoming information barriers. Scientific Report. doi:10.1038/srep42866

Abstract: Studying colonisation is crucial to understand metapopulations, evolutionary ecology and species resilience to global change. Unfortunately, few empirical data are available because field monitoring that includes empty patches at large spatiotemporal scales is required.

from wikipedia.com

We examine the colonisation dynamics of a long-lived seabird over 34 years in the western Mediterranean by comparing population and individual data from both source colony and the newly-formed colonies. Since social information is not available, we hypothesize that colonisation should follow particular dispersal dynamics and personal information must be crucial in decision making. We test if adverse breeding conditions trigger colonisation events, if personal information plays a role in colonisation and if colonisers experience greater fitness. Our results show a temporal mismatch between colonisation events and both density-dependence and perturbations at the source colony, probably because colonisers needed a longer prospecting period to compensate for the lack of public information. Colonisers were mostly experienced individuals gaining higher breeding success in the new colony. Our results highlight the demographic value that experienced individuals can have on metapopulation dynamics of social long-lived organisms.