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Science for Sapiens A year in research (2024)

A
new study led by researchers from
the University Miguel Hernández of
Elche (UMH) and the Doñana Biologi-
cal Station (EBD-CSIC) concludes that
the reproductive success of the Ca-
narian guirre, an endemic subspecies
of Egyptian vulture from the Canary
Islands, depends to a large extent on
the productivity of the ecosystem. This study, published in
the scientific journal Science of the Total Environment, has
been possible thanks to the 22 years of intensive monito-
ring – funded by the Cabildo de Fuerteventura, two LIFE-EU
projects and the Ministry of Science and Innovation – of this
scavenger bird.

The work of researchers at the UMH and EBD-CSIC has The population of Fuerteventura’s Canary Island guirres is related to ecosystem
shed light on the complex interactions between environ- dynamics. The more livestock, the less available vegetation. Therefore, the animals on
which the scavenger feeds do not thrive, directly affecting their reproductive success.
mental conditions, available resources and community
policies that affect the reproductive success of the Ca-
narian guirre, an endemic subspecies of Egyptian vulture
(Neophron percnopterus majorensis). This species was Since part of the diet of
widely distributed throughout the Canary archipelago, the guirre are vertebrates
but at the end of the 20th century, it suffered a sharp de-
cline and was classified as endangered. Currently, they that take refuge and feed
persist only on the islands of Fuerteventura and Lanzaro- on that vegetation, when
te, where their populations seem to recover thanks to the
conservation plans. the grass is recovered, the

The state of conservation of the Canarian guirre bird has more food and
The island of Fuerteventura is known for the number of reproduces more
goats it has. There, it is the main livestock species. Howe-
ver, due to changes in the subsidies under the Common
Agricultural Policy, the number of livestock fell in 2013 since minimal changes in ecological conditions can have
from 100 heads per km2 to 50. This, in turn, caused chan- direct consequences in stages that are crucial for popu-
ges in the vegetation of the island, subjected to less her- lation development, such as reproduction. This work will
bivory pressure by the goats. Since part of the diet of the allow the design of tools for dealing with and managing
guirre are vertebrates that take refuge and feed on that this subspecies, as well as the design of effective conser-
vegetation, when the grass is recovered, the bird has vation strategies.
more food and reproduces more. Therefore, the study
concludes that the number of livestock present on the is- This study had the participation of the researcher of
land influences the survival of the species. Applied Biology of the Institute for Agri-Food Research
CIAGRO-UMH Lola Fernández Gómez, the researcher of
The research, which followed the populations of guirre Applied Biology of the UMH Jomar M. Barbosa, the pro-
of the Canary Islands from 2000 to 2021, shows that this fessor of Ecology of the UMH José Antonio Sánchez Za-
population of scavengers is connected to the dynamics pata, the researcher of Conservation Biology of EBD-CSIC
of the ecosystem. The researchers underline the impor- José Antonio Donázar, as well as the researcher of Statis-
tance of understanding how these interactions between tics of the Institute Centre for Operational Research ICIO-
the different elements that make up the food chains work, UMH Xabier Barber.

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