Linking Functional Traits To Trophic Roles In Scavenger Assemblages
Scavenging is a widespread feeding strategy involving a diversity of taxa from different trophic levels, from apex predators toobligate scavengers. Scavenger species play a crucial role in ecosystem functioning by removing carcasses, recycling nutrientsand preventing disease spread. Understanding th...
| Autores: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Tipo de recurso: | artículo |
| Estado: | Versión publicada |
| Fecha de publicación: | 2025 |
| País: | España |
| Institución: | Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC) |
| Repositorio: | DIGITAL.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSIC |
| OAI Identifier: | oai:digital.csic.es:10261/379700 |
| Acceso en línea: | http://hdl.handle.net/10261/379700 https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/85214911575 |
| Access Level: | acceso abierto |
| Palabra clave: | Carcasses Functional traits Interaction networks Scavengers Spain Trophic role |
| Sumario: | Scavenging is a widespread feeding strategy involving a diversity of taxa from different trophic levels, from apex predators toobligate scavengers. Scavenger species play a crucial role in ecosystem functioning by removing carcasses, recycling nutrientsand preventing disease spread. Understanding the trophic roles of scavenger species can help identify specialized species withunique roles and species that may be more vulnerable to ecological changes. To identify species with specialized roles, we studiedthree scavenger networks (one in north temperate Spain and two in central-south Mediterranean Spain) that comprised 25 scav-enger species (65% birds and 35% mammals), consuming carcasses of four wild ungulate species. We characterized the trophicrole of a species by combining four species-level network metrics (normalized degree, specialization, closeness, and betweennesscentrality) into a single centrality metric, quantifying how scavenger species interact with carcass species within their ecologicalnetwork. Higher centrality indicates the species feeds on a greater variety of carcasses and may contribute more to carrion con-sumption than species with lower centrality, which have more peripheral and specialized roles. The griffon vulture (Gyps fulvus)and the azure-winged magpie (Cyanopica cyanus) had the highest centrality. In contrast, the red kite (Milvus milvus) in thenorthern site had the lowest centrality, and the Egyptian vulture (Neophron percnopterus) was among the most peripheral speciesfor all three networks. In general, scavengers with large home ranges and nocturnal or crepuscular activity patterns tended tohave more central roles, whereas species that forage silently tended to have more peripheral roles. Changes in species' centralitybetween sites and the high centrality of species with large home ranges suggest that management strategies in one location canhave implications that extend beyond, highlighting the need to implement coordinated transboundary protection efforts to en-sure the resilience and functionality of scavenger networks and derived ecosystem services. |
|---|