Kestrel-prey dynamic in a Mediterranean region: the effect of generalist predation and climatic factors
13 pages, 6 figures.-- PMID: 19234618 [PubMed]. [Background] Most hypotheses on population limitation of small mammals and their predators come from studies carried out in northern latitudes, mainly in boreal ecosystems. In such regions, many predators specialize on voles and predator-prey systems a...
Published in: | PLoS ONE |
---|---|
Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
Published: |
Public Library of Science
2009
|
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/10261/11537 https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0004311 |
id |
ftcsic:oai:digital.csic.es:10261/11537 |
---|---|
record_format |
openpolar |
spelling |
ftcsic:oai:digital.csic.es:10261/11537 2023-05-15T15:56:34+02:00 Kestrel-prey dynamic in a Mediterranean region: the effect of generalist predation and climatic factors Fargallo, Juan A. Martínez-Padilla, Jesús Viñuela, Javier Blanco, Guillermo Torre, Ignacio Vergara, Pablo Neve, Liesbeth de 2009-02-23 551235 bytes application/pdf http://hdl.handle.net/10261/11537 https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0004311 eng eng Public Library of Science Publisher’s version http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0004311 PLoS ONE 4(2): e4311 (2009) 1932-6203 http://hdl.handle.net/10261/11537 doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0004311 openAccess Predators Small mammals Eurasian kestrel Falco tinnunculus Microtus arvalis Lacerta lepida Crocidura russula Per capita growth rate (PCGR) Population dynamics Mediterranean region artículo 2009 ftcsic https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0004311 2019-08-13T23:23:35Z 13 pages, 6 figures.-- PMID: 19234618 [PubMed]. [Background] Most hypotheses on population limitation of small mammals and their predators come from studies carried out in northern latitudes, mainly in boreal ecosystems. In such regions, many predators specialize on voles and predator-prey systems are simpler compared to southern ecosystems where predator communities are made up mostly of generalists and predator-prey systems are more complex. Determining food limitation in generalist predators is difficult due to their capacity to switch to alternative prey when the basic prey becomes scarce. [Methodology] We monitored the population density of a generalist raptor, the Eurasian kestrel Falco tinnunculus over 15 years in a mountainous Mediterranean area. In addition, we have recorded over 11 years the inter-annual variation in the abundance of two main prey species of kestrels, the common vole Microtus arvalis and the eyed lizard Lacerta lepida and a third species scarcely represented in kestrel diet, the great white-toothed shrew Crocidura russula. We estimated the per capita growth rate (PCGR) to analyse population dynamics of kestrel and predator species. [Principal Findings] Multimodel inference determined that the PCGR of kestrels was better explained by a model containing the population density of only one prey species (the common vole) than a model using a combination of the densities of the three prey species. The PCGR of voles was explained by kestrel abundance in combination with annual rainfall and mean annual temperature. In the case of shrews, growth rate was also affected by kestrel abundance and temperature. Finally, we did not find any correlation between kestrel and lizard abundances. [Significance] Our study showed for the first time vertebrate predator-prey relationships at southern latitudes and determined that only one prey species has the capacity to modulate population dynamics of generalist predators and reveals the importance of climatic factors in the dynamics of micromammal species and lizards in the Mediterranean region. The Spanish Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia (Projects: CGL2004-04479/BOS and CGL2007-61395/BOS) financed the study over the last four years. Peer reviewed Article in Journal/Newspaper Common vole Microtus arvalis Digital.CSIC (Spanish National Research Council) PLoS ONE 4 2 e4311 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Digital.CSIC (Spanish National Research Council) |
op_collection_id |
ftcsic |
language |
English |
topic |
Predators Small mammals Eurasian kestrel Falco tinnunculus Microtus arvalis Lacerta lepida Crocidura russula Per capita growth rate (PCGR) Population dynamics Mediterranean region |
spellingShingle |
Predators Small mammals Eurasian kestrel Falco tinnunculus Microtus arvalis Lacerta lepida Crocidura russula Per capita growth rate (PCGR) Population dynamics Mediterranean region Fargallo, Juan A. Martínez-Padilla, Jesús Viñuela, Javier Blanco, Guillermo Torre, Ignacio Vergara, Pablo Neve, Liesbeth de Kestrel-prey dynamic in a Mediterranean region: the effect of generalist predation and climatic factors |
topic_facet |
Predators Small mammals Eurasian kestrel Falco tinnunculus Microtus arvalis Lacerta lepida Crocidura russula Per capita growth rate (PCGR) Population dynamics Mediterranean region |
description |
13 pages, 6 figures.-- PMID: 19234618 [PubMed]. [Background] Most hypotheses on population limitation of small mammals and their predators come from studies carried out in northern latitudes, mainly in boreal ecosystems. In such regions, many predators specialize on voles and predator-prey systems are simpler compared to southern ecosystems where predator communities are made up mostly of generalists and predator-prey systems are more complex. Determining food limitation in generalist predators is difficult due to their capacity to switch to alternative prey when the basic prey becomes scarce. [Methodology] We monitored the population density of a generalist raptor, the Eurasian kestrel Falco tinnunculus over 15 years in a mountainous Mediterranean area. In addition, we have recorded over 11 years the inter-annual variation in the abundance of two main prey species of kestrels, the common vole Microtus arvalis and the eyed lizard Lacerta lepida and a third species scarcely represented in kestrel diet, the great white-toothed shrew Crocidura russula. We estimated the per capita growth rate (PCGR) to analyse population dynamics of kestrel and predator species. [Principal Findings] Multimodel inference determined that the PCGR of kestrels was better explained by a model containing the population density of only one prey species (the common vole) than a model using a combination of the densities of the three prey species. The PCGR of voles was explained by kestrel abundance in combination with annual rainfall and mean annual temperature. In the case of shrews, growth rate was also affected by kestrel abundance and temperature. Finally, we did not find any correlation between kestrel and lizard abundances. [Significance] Our study showed for the first time vertebrate predator-prey relationships at southern latitudes and determined that only one prey species has the capacity to modulate population dynamics of generalist predators and reveals the importance of climatic factors in the dynamics of micromammal species and lizards in the Mediterranean region. The Spanish Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia (Projects: CGL2004-04479/BOS and CGL2007-61395/BOS) financed the study over the last four years. Peer reviewed |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Fargallo, Juan A. Martínez-Padilla, Jesús Viñuela, Javier Blanco, Guillermo Torre, Ignacio Vergara, Pablo Neve, Liesbeth de |
author_facet |
Fargallo, Juan A. Martínez-Padilla, Jesús Viñuela, Javier Blanco, Guillermo Torre, Ignacio Vergara, Pablo Neve, Liesbeth de |
author_sort |
Fargallo, Juan A. |
title |
Kestrel-prey dynamic in a Mediterranean region: the effect of generalist predation and climatic factors |
title_short |
Kestrel-prey dynamic in a Mediterranean region: the effect of generalist predation and climatic factors |
title_full |
Kestrel-prey dynamic in a Mediterranean region: the effect of generalist predation and climatic factors |
title_fullStr |
Kestrel-prey dynamic in a Mediterranean region: the effect of generalist predation and climatic factors |
title_full_unstemmed |
Kestrel-prey dynamic in a Mediterranean region: the effect of generalist predation and climatic factors |
title_sort |
kestrel-prey dynamic in a mediterranean region: the effect of generalist predation and climatic factors |
publisher |
Public Library of Science |
publishDate |
2009 |
url |
http://hdl.handle.net/10261/11537 https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0004311 |
genre |
Common vole Microtus arvalis |
genre_facet |
Common vole Microtus arvalis |
op_relation |
Publisher’s version http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0004311 PLoS ONE 4(2): e4311 (2009) 1932-6203 http://hdl.handle.net/10261/11537 doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0004311 |
op_rights |
openAccess |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0004311 |
container_title |
PLoS ONE |
container_volume |
4 |
container_issue |
2 |
container_start_page |
e4311 |
_version_ |
1766391968811712512 |