TY - JOUR

T1 - Farmer Perceptions of the Ecosystem Services Provided by Scavengers

T2 - What, Who, and to Whom

AU - Morales-Reyes, Zebensui

AU - Martín-López, Berta

AU - Moleón, Marcos

AU - Mateo-Tomás, Patricia

AU - Botella, Francisco

AU - Margalida, Antoni

AU - Donázar, José A.

AU - Blanco, Guillermo

AU - Pérez, Irene

AU - Sánchez-Zapata, José A.

N1 - Funding Information: M. Yécora-Molina, M. Valverde, I. Baños-González, R. Pascual-Rico, E. Arrondo, J.L. González del Barrio, M. González, J. García-Fernández, A. Trujillano helped during the fieldwork. We are grateful to the farmers, for generously sharing their knowledge and time. The study was supported by MINECO and ERDF (project CGL2015-66966-C2-1-R). Z.M.R. was supported by a pre-doctoral grant (FPU12/00823) and a mobility grant (EST15/00741) from the MECD, M.M. by a Severo Ochoa Program for Centres of Excellence in R+D+I (SEV-2012-0262) and by a research contract Ramón y Cajal from the MINECO (RYC-2015-19231), P.M.T. by a Portuguese FCT grant (SFRH/BPD/112437/2015), and A.M. by a research contract Ramón y Cajal from the MINECO (RYC-2012-11867). Publisher Copyright: Copyright and Photocopying: © 2017 The Authors. Conservation Letters published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

PY - 2018/4/15

Y1 - 2018/4/15

N2 - A socioecological approach to biodiversity conservation has recently been encouraged. We examined farmer perceptions of ecosystem services provided by scavenging vertebrates in Spain through face-to-face surveys with farmers in seven large extensive livestock systems. Scavenging services (i.e., carrion consumption) was the most perceived benefit whereas the role of some scavengers as predators was the most recognized damage. The most beneficial scavengers perceived were vultures. Overall, we detected a "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" paradox as the same species and species within the same guild can be dually perceived as beneficial or harmful. Our findings provide evidence that traditional extensive farming linked to experience-based and local ecological knowledge drives positive perceptions of scavengers and their consideration as ecosystem services providers. Research on social perceptions can contribute to the conservation of scavengers by raising awareness about the ecosystem services provided by this functional group.

AB - A socioecological approach to biodiversity conservation has recently been encouraged. We examined farmer perceptions of ecosystem services provided by scavenging vertebrates in Spain through face-to-face surveys with farmers in seven large extensive livestock systems. Scavenging services (i.e., carrion consumption) was the most perceived benefit whereas the role of some scavengers as predators was the most recognized damage. The most beneficial scavengers perceived were vultures. Overall, we detected a "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" paradox as the same species and species within the same guild can be dually perceived as beneficial or harmful. Our findings provide evidence that traditional extensive farming linked to experience-based and local ecological knowledge drives positive perceptions of scavengers and their consideration as ecosystem services providers. Research on social perceptions can contribute to the conservation of scavengers by raising awareness about the ecosystem services provided by this functional group.

KW - Carrion removal

KW - Functional diversity

KW - Predators

KW - Traditional farming

KW - Transhumance

KW - Vultures

KW - Biology

KW - Sustainability Science

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85026484713&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1111/conl.12392

DO - 10.1111/conl.12392

M3 - Journal articles

AN - SCOPUS:85026484713

VL - 11

JO - Conservation Letters

JF - Conservation Letters

SN - 1755-263X

IS - 2

M1 - e12392

ER -