Artículo
Potential functional and numerical response in a large sized raptor may be mediated by the abundance of an exotic lagomorph
Ignazi, Gonzalo Oscar
; Barbar, Facundo
; Hiraldo, Fernando; Donázar, José Antonio; Trejo, Ana Raquel; Lambertucci, Sergio Agustin
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Fecha de publicación:
04/2020
Editorial:
Elsevier
Revista:
Journal of King Saud University - Science
ISSN:
1018-3647
e-ISSN:
2213-686X
Idioma:
Inglés
Tipo de recurso:
Artículo publicado
Clasificación temática:
Resumen
Predators relying on a particular prey as their main food resource are especially susceptible to fluctuation in prey availability. When prey abundance decreases they show a functional response by adjusting their diet. After this, predators may suffer a numerical response. These responses have been poorly studied in presence of alien invasive preys. The black-chested buzzard-eagle (Geranoaetus melanoleucus) is a large raptor inhabiting open areas of South America. Here we present the first long-term study on this eagle population tendency, analyzing functional and numerical responses associated with changes in the abundance of the exotic European hare (Lepus europaeus). We measured breeding performance and studied eagles? diet during the breeding seasons of 1991, 1992, 2006, 2011 and 2012. We also estimated the relative abundance of hares at each count site. Eagles diets changed over the years with a decrease in hare consumption. The number of eagles decreased from 1992 to less than half in 2012. Forty one percent of the total eagles observed in 1992/92, and 27% in 2006 were immature, while in 2011 and 2012 no immature were observed. We found similar tendencies of decrease in the abundance of hares which suggest that the decrease in eagles population may be related with the decreasing tendency of hares. No other factor that may have affected immature eagles abundance was evident in the area during this period. Our data suggest that changes in the abundance of an exotic lagomorph can lead numerical and functional responses in a top predator by affecting its diet, age structure, and ultimately abundance.
Palabras clave:
FUNCTIONAL RESPONSE
,
NUMERICAL RESPONSE
,
EAGLE
,
HARE
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Identificadores
Colecciones
Articulos(INIBIOMA)
Articulos de INST. DE INVEST.EN BIODIVERSIDAD Y MEDIOAMBIENTE
Articulos de INST. DE INVEST.EN BIODIVERSIDAD Y MEDIOAMBIENTE
Citación
Ignazi, Gonzalo Oscar; Barbar, Facundo; Hiraldo, Fernando; Donázar, José Antonio; Trejo, Ana Raquel; et al.; Potential functional and numerical response in a large sized raptor may be mediated by the abundance of an exotic lagomorph; Elsevier; Journal of King Saud University - Science; 32; 3; 4-2020; 2222-2228
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