Rewilding processes shape the use of Mediterranean landscapes by an avian top scavenger.

ABSTRACT: The Mediterranean biome has seen a great decline in its rural population. This trend has been followed by an abandonment of agricultural and livestock practices, which has provided an opportunity for rewilding to take place. Rewilding processes can modify the availability of carrion resources for avian obligate scavengers and reduce accessible open areas due to the increase of shrub and forest. We examined how changes in landscape configuration in the past five decades (1956-2011) mediate the foraging behaviour of griffon vultures. Particularly, we examined whether vultures use those areas under natural succession and with a high availability of wild ungulate carcasses. We used GPS information yielded by 30 adult griffon vultures exploiting large regions of southern Spain. We determined (a

SUBMITTER: Martin-Diaz P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7028937 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature