The priority value of scrubland habitats for carnivore conservation in Mediterranean ecosystems

Publikation: Beiträge in ZeitschriftenZeitschriftenaufsätzeForschungbegutachtet

Authors

Carnivores are umbrella species with a key role in ecosystems. In the Mediterranean, they face with several conservation problems, mainly habitat loss or transformation. In this region, scrubland habitats are considered of minor conservation relevance as compared to mature forest formations. Conservation of scrublands in Mediterranean ecosystems is also difficult because to control fires, they are removed over large areas. For carnivores, scrublands may be essential to guarantee shelter and food. Here, we analyzed the importance of scrublands and other habitat variables in determining the richness of medium-sized carnivores in a typical Mediterranean area of central Spain (Monfragüe Natural Park). The Park was divided into plots of 2 × 2 km (n = 30). In each plot, a 2 km-length survey route was walked searching for carnivore scats. We recorded the number of species of carnivores and we related this value to several habitat variables. Habitat variables were summarized by means of Principal Component Analysis (PCA). Habitat models were developed by, using multiple regression models, including PCA factors and the habitat type as predictors. The only variable included in the final model was the first PCA factor. Carnivore richness was positively associated with large tree, shrub, and rock cover areas, which is the typical habitat structure of scrublands. This habitat offers the best available area for shelter and may be considered as a key element for carnivore conservation in the Mediterranean region. To reconciliate carnivore conservation and forestry management, we proposed small-scale clearances as a management alternative to typical large scrubland removals.

OriginalspracheEnglisch
ZeitschriftBiodiversity and Conservation
Jahrgang17
Ausgabenummer1
Seiten (von - bis)43-51
Anzahl der Seiten9
ISSN0960-3115
DOIs
PublikationsstatusErschienen - 01.2008
Extern publiziertJa

DOI

Zuletzt angesehen

Publikationen

  1. The impact of soft-skills training for entrepreneurs in Jamaica
  2. Fatigue behaviour of multi-spot joints of 2024-T3 aluminium sheets obtained by refill Friction Stir Spot Welding with polysulfide sealant
  3. Distortion related aspects of cold forging as part of the manufacturing process
  4. Anticipatory Adjustments to Being Picked Up in Infancy
  5. On the influence of settling of (ZrB2)P inoculants on Grain Refinement of Mg-alloys
  6. Is the future still open? The mediating role of occupational future time perspective in the effects of career adaptability and aging experience on late career planning
  7. Choosing between Internet-based psychodynamic versus cognitive behavioral therapy for depression
  8. Apologies and Corpus Pragmatics
  9. PSK-Kinder
  10. Effects of free-air CO 2 enrichment and nitrogen supply on grain quality parameters and elemental composition of wheat and barley grown in a crop rotation
  11. In-Beziehung-Setzen
  12. Foreign and Domestic Takeovers in Germany: Cherry-picking and Lemon-grabbing
  13. Mathematics teachers’ domain-specific professional knowledge: conceptualization and test construction in COACTIV
  14. Nitrogen losses from fertilizers applied to maize, wheat and rice in the North China Plain
  15. Patterns and hotspots of carabid beetle diversity in the Palaearctic – insights from a hyperdiverse invertebrate taxon
  16. A sticky affair
  17. Friction analyses in twisted and helical profile extrusion of aluminum alloys
  18. Die Rentenreform in der Diskussion
  19. A Lyapunov-based Adaptive Control Law for an Electromagnetic Actuator
  20. The Challenge of Long-Term Climate Change
  21. Course Evaluations
  22. Do red herrings swim in circles?
  23. In situ studies of light metals with synchrotron radiation and neutrons
  24. Multiple import sourcing
  25. Exports and Firm Characteristics in Germany: A Survey of Empirical Studies (1991 to 2011)
  26. The reputation costs of executive misconduct accusations
  27. Relative inequality and poverty in Germany and the United States using alternative equivalence scales
  28. Export entry, export exit and productivity in German manufacturing industries
  29. Fourier methods for quasi-periodic oscillations
  30. Dating the Neanderthal environment
  31. Gewalt
  32. Ecophysiological isotope tools for characterising the drought sensitivity of Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii Mirb. Franco)
  33. Simulationsbasierte Optimierung der Reihenfolgeplanung am Beispiel eines Liniensorters in der Automobilindustrie
  34. Species diversity of forest floor biota in non-native Douglas-fir stands is similar to that of native stands
  35. Öffentlichkeiten
  36. Gaseous nitrogen losses from urea applied to maize on a calcareous fluvo-aquic soil in the North China Plain
  37. Effect of heat treatment on the microstructure and creep behavior of Mg-Sn-Ca alloys
  38. Palaeodose underestimation of heated quartz in red-TL dating of volcanic contexts
  39. What is green worth to you? Activating environmental values lowers price sensitivity towards electric vehicles
  40. Parketto
  41. Der Kompass "Nachhaltiger Konsum"
  42. In situ tensile texture analysis of a new Mg-RE alloy
  43. Verteilungseffekte von Kapazitätsmechanismen
  44. Optimal maintenance in the supply chain
  45. BRANGE EFFECTS IN HEDONIC EVALUATION OF OLFACTORY STIMULI