Vertebrate scavenger assemblages and their functioning differ between artificial and natural wetlands: Implications for ecosystem management

Natural wetlands perform essential ecological functions, but their area has dramatically decreased. Partly to counteract this loss, artificial wetlands have been created. While studies comparing animal communities between artificial and natural wetlands abound, research on their comparative ecologic...

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Autores: Orihuela Torres, Adrián, Pérez García, Juan Manuel, Arrondo, Eneko, Pessano Serrat, Tatiana, Green, Andy J., Naves Alegre, Lara, Botella Robles, Francisco, Selva Fernández, Nuria, Sánchez Zapata, José Antonio, Sebastián González, Esther
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Fecha de publicación:2025
País:España
Institución:Universidad de Huelva (UHU)
Repositorio:Arias Montano. Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Huelva
Idioma:inglés
OAI Identifier:oai:ariasmontano.uhu.es:10272/25063
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/10272/25063
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Aquatic–terrestrial interface
Carrion
Drought
Ecological function
Groundwater abstraction
Nutrient cycling
2401 Biología Animal (Zoología)
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spelling Vertebrate scavenger assemblages and their functioning differ between artificial and natural wetlands: Implications for ecosystem managementOrihuela Torres, AdriánPérez García, Juan ManuelArrondo, EnekoPessano Serrat, TatianaGreen, Andy J.Naves Alegre, LaraBotella Robles, FranciscoSelva Fernández, NuriaSánchez Zapata, José AntonioSebastián González, EstherAquatic–terrestrial interfaceCarrionDroughtEcological functionGroundwater abstractionNutrient cycling2401 Biología Animal (Zoología)Natural wetlands perform essential ecological functions, but their area has dramatically decreased. Partly to counteract this loss, artificial wetlands have been created. While studies comparing animal communities between artificial and natural wetlands abound, research on their comparative ecological functions is scarce. In particular, vertebrate scavengers in aquatic ecosystems have been little studied despite their critical role in nutrient cycling. This study compared vertebrate scavenger assemblages and their consumption patterns in natural and artificial wetlands in Doñana, Spain, to evaluate the effects of wetland management (natural vs. artificial hydrology) across different seasons. We placed 120 carcasses (carp and chicken) in natural and artificial wetlands. We recorded 22 vertebrate scavenger species efficiently consuming 100 % of carrion in an average of less than two days, highlighting their role in nutrient recycling. Carrion of aquatic-origin was consumed faster and by a greater variety of species than that of terrestrial-origin, facilitating the transport of essential nutrients from water to land. Artificial wetlands exhibited higher efficiency in carrion removal (twice as fast as natural wetlands). However, they hosted less diverse assemblages, dominated by opportunistic and non-native species. This suggests that artificial wetlands are not replacing natural wetlands in terms of biodiversity, despite sustaining water levels and functions. Importantly, ‘kidnapping’ water for irrigation reduces the ability of natural wetlands to maintain ecological functions provided by scavengers. Urgent regulation of water abstraction from aquifers, especially for crop irrigation, is necessary to maintain minimum groundwater levels, preserving the functionality and ecological processes of this critical wetland complex.Elsevier20252025-02-0120252025-02-01journal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501VoRhttp://purl.org/coar/version/c_970fb48d4fbd8a85info:eu-repo/semantics/articleapplication/pdfhttps://hdl.handle.net/10272/25063reponame:Arias Montano. Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Huelvainstname:Universidad de Huelva (UHU)Inglésengopen accesshttp://purl.org/coar/access_right/c_abf2Atribución-NoComercial-SinDerivadas 3.0 Españahttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/es/info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessoai:ariasmontano.uhu.es:10272/250632026-06-02T14:58:11Z
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv Vertebrate scavenger assemblages and their functioning differ between artificial and natural wetlands: Implications for ecosystem management
title Vertebrate scavenger assemblages and their functioning differ between artificial and natural wetlands: Implications for ecosystem management
spellingShingle Vertebrate scavenger assemblages and their functioning differ between artificial and natural wetlands: Implications for ecosystem management
Orihuela Torres, Adrián
Aquatic–terrestrial interface
Carrion
Drought
Ecological function
Groundwater abstraction
Nutrient cycling
2401 Biología Animal (Zoología)
title_short Vertebrate scavenger assemblages and their functioning differ between artificial and natural wetlands: Implications for ecosystem management
title_full Vertebrate scavenger assemblages and their functioning differ between artificial and natural wetlands: Implications for ecosystem management
title_fullStr Vertebrate scavenger assemblages and their functioning differ between artificial and natural wetlands: Implications for ecosystem management
title_full_unstemmed Vertebrate scavenger assemblages and their functioning differ between artificial and natural wetlands: Implications for ecosystem management
title_sort Vertebrate scavenger assemblages and their functioning differ between artificial and natural wetlands: Implications for ecosystem management
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv Orihuela Torres, Adrián
Pérez García, Juan Manuel
Arrondo, Eneko
Pessano Serrat, Tatiana
Green, Andy J.
Naves Alegre, Lara
Botella Robles, Francisco
Selva Fernández, Nuria
Sánchez Zapata, José Antonio
Sebastián González, Esther
author Orihuela Torres, Adrián
author_facet Orihuela Torres, Adrián
Pérez García, Juan Manuel
Arrondo, Eneko
Pessano Serrat, Tatiana
Green, Andy J.
Naves Alegre, Lara
Botella Robles, Francisco
Selva Fernández, Nuria
Sánchez Zapata, José Antonio
Sebastián González, Esther
author_role author
author2 Pérez García, Juan Manuel
Arrondo, Eneko
Pessano Serrat, Tatiana
Green, Andy J.
Naves Alegre, Lara
Botella Robles, Francisco
Selva Fernández, Nuria
Sánchez Zapata, José Antonio
Sebastián González, Esther
author2_role author
author
author
author
author
author
author
author
author
dc.contributor.none.fl_str_mv
dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv Aquatic–terrestrial interface
Carrion
Drought
Ecological function
Groundwater abstraction
Nutrient cycling
2401 Biología Animal (Zoología)
topic Aquatic–terrestrial interface
Carrion
Drought
Ecological function
Groundwater abstraction
Nutrient cycling
2401 Biología Animal (Zoología)
description Natural wetlands perform essential ecological functions, but their area has dramatically decreased. Partly to counteract this loss, artificial wetlands have been created. While studies comparing animal communities between artificial and natural wetlands abound, research on their comparative ecological functions is scarce. In particular, vertebrate scavengers in aquatic ecosystems have been little studied despite their critical role in nutrient cycling. This study compared vertebrate scavenger assemblages and their consumption patterns in natural and artificial wetlands in Doñana, Spain, to evaluate the effects of wetland management (natural vs. artificial hydrology) across different seasons. We placed 120 carcasses (carp and chicken) in natural and artificial wetlands. We recorded 22 vertebrate scavenger species efficiently consuming 100 % of carrion in an average of less than two days, highlighting their role in nutrient recycling. Carrion of aquatic-origin was consumed faster and by a greater variety of species than that of terrestrial-origin, facilitating the transport of essential nutrients from water to land. Artificial wetlands exhibited higher efficiency in carrion removal (twice as fast as natural wetlands). However, they hosted less diverse assemblages, dominated by opportunistic and non-native species. This suggests that artificial wetlands are not replacing natural wetlands in terms of biodiversity, despite sustaining water levels and functions. Importantly, ‘kidnapping’ water for irrigation reduces the ability of natural wetlands to maintain ecological functions provided by scavengers. Urgent regulation of water abstraction from aquifers, especially for crop irrigation, is necessary to maintain minimum groundwater levels, preserving the functionality and ecological processes of this critical wetland complex.
publishDate 2025
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2025
2025-02-01
2025
2025-02-01
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv journal article
http://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501
VoR
http://purl.org/coar/version/c_970fb48d4fbd8a85
dc.type.openaire.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/article
format article
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv https://hdl.handle.net/10272/25063
url https://hdl.handle.net/10272/25063
dc.language.none.fl_str_mv Inglés
eng
language_invalid_str_mv Inglés
language eng
dc.rights.none.fl_str_mv open access
http://purl.org/coar/access_right/c_abf2
Atribución-NoComercial-SinDerivadas 3.0 España
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/es/
dc.rights.openaire.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
rights_invalid_str_mv open access
http://purl.org/coar/access_right/c_abf2
Atribución-NoComercial-SinDerivadas 3.0 España
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/es/
eu_rights_str_mv openAccess
dc.format.none.fl_str_mv application/pdf
dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv Elsevier
publisher.none.fl_str_mv Elsevier
dc.source.none.fl_str_mv reponame:Arias Montano. Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Huelva
instname:Universidad de Huelva (UHU)
instname_str Universidad de Huelva (UHU)
reponame_str Arias Montano. Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Huelva
collection Arias Montano. Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Huelva
repository.name.fl_str_mv
repository.mail.fl_str_mv
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score 15.811543

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