Scopoli's Shearwaters: new press release and radio interview !

Photo Ana Sanz-Aguilar

A new press release on the two last work on Scopoli Shearwaer by the G.E.P. appeared this week at "B@leòpolis" the scientific suplement of "El Mundo" (Balearic version). You can read the full note here (in Spanish).

J.-M. Igual (GEP) and M. McMinn on Shearwater management actions at "Balears Fa Ciència" is here (from 10').

New Publication on the rescue effect in Scopoli's Shearwaters !

Sanz-Aguilar, A.; Igual, J.M.; Tavecchia, G.; Genovart, M; Oro, D. 2016. When immigration mask threats: The rescue effect of a Scopoli’s shearwater colony in the Western Mediterranean as a case study. Biological Conservation, 198, 33–36. doi:10.1016/j.biocon.2016.03.034

Photo: M. Gomila

Abstract: Populations of long-lived species are highly sensitive to increases in mortality, but a loss of breeders can be compensated for by recruitment of local individuals or immigrants. Populations maintained through immigration can be sinks, jeopardizing the viability of the metapopulation in the long term when additive mortality from anthropogenic impacts occurs. Thus, the correct identification of whether a breeding population is maintained by local recruitment or by immigration is of special importance for conservation purposes. We developed robust population models to disentangle the importance of local recruitment and immigration in the dynamics of a Western Mediterranean population of Scopoli's shearwater Calonectris diomedea showing low adult survival but stable breeding numbers. Our results show that the shearwater population is not self-maintained but rescued by immigration: yearly immigrants recruiting in the population represents ~ 10–12% of total population size. We believe that this situation may be common to other Western Mediterranean populations, currently acting as sinks. We recommend urgent demographic studies at large core colonies to evaluate the global conservation status of the species.

 
A press release of the publication has just appeared. You can read the spanish version here

New Publication on Scopoli's Shearwater!

Hernandez, N., Genovart, M., Igual, J.-M. and Oro, D., 2015 The influence of environmental conditions on the age pattern in breeding performance in a transequatorial migratory seabird. Forntiers in Ecology and Evolution.http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2015.00069

 Abstract: Several studies of marine top predators, above all of seabirds, have analyzed the effects of either individual age or environmental fluctuations on reproduction; nevertheless, little is known about the age patterns in breeding performance in a variable environment.

Photo: Pedro Trejo (c)

To investigate the simultaneous influence of age and environmental conditions on laying dates and egg volumes, we tested different climate and food availability indices in a transequatorial migratory seabird using female data from a 23-year study. Our results show an improvement in breeding parameters with age (i.e., earlier laying dates and greater egg volumes) but no pattern of senescence in older age groups. The best models showed an interaction of time and age in breeding performance, i.e., the age pattern of breeding performance changed each year likely as a result of environmental variability.
Nevertheless, climatic indexes used here explained part of that annual variability: NAO and SOI index accounted for 24 and 20% of deviances in laying dates and egg volume, respectively. Part of that unexplained variability might be related to other processes such as intermittent breeding and the individual quality of breeders, which were not assessed in our study.

Erasmus+ at the GEP

Serena Manserra is joining the GEP for four months as part of her training in the Erasmus+ program of the University of Pavia (Italy). Serena will investigate the factors influencing the breeding success of Scopoli's shearwaters. Welcome Serena !

Fledgling !!

It is time for young Scopoli´s shearwater to leave their nests. 

They will go to the open ocean, for the first time, and possibly they will be back to breed in 4 to 7 years. 

Have a nice journey !!!!

More GEP !

Capitan Q...y las pardelas.  Manolo and Ana introducing Scopoli's Shearwater to Capitan Q

SeaBirdstagram:  Los vigilantes de Aves Marinos  by E. Soto