PAISAJE lab

Research group

Projects

Satellite monitoring of the wintering ring ouzel Turdus torquatus in El Teide National Park: knowing its movements to promote the recovery of the Canary juniper

Period: 2021–2022

TRAGSA (OTRI contract by the University of Cádiz) – Ref: OT2021/013

RESEARCH TEAM

  • University of Cádiz (Spain): Beatriz Rumeu (PI)
  • University of Cádiz (Spain): Juan P. González-Varo
  • University of Oviedo (Spain): Juan Carlos Illera
  • IPNA-CSIC (Spain): Manuel Nogales
  • University of Cádiz (Spain): Rubén Tarifa
Photo: Juan P. González-Varo

Migratory birds as long-distance seed dispersers of plant communities under climate change (MIGRANTSEEDS)

Period: 2020–2023

Proyectos de I+D+i de los Programa Estatal de Generación de Conocimiento (Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación) – Ref: PID2019-104922GA-I00

RESEARCH TEAM

photo: David Chapman

Movement ecology of mobile links in fragmented landscapes

Period: 2019

Ayudas para Proyectos de Equipos de Investigacion Emergentes (University of Oviedo)

This project constitutes a pilot study on the movement ecology of a frugivorous bird that plays an important role as seed disperser at its wintering grounds. We are testing satellite GPS tags to assess the suitability of this last-generation technology to uncover large-scale movement patterns. Such movements can foster connectivity between fragmented plant populations through long-distance seed dispersal and the colonization of distant suitable areas.

RESEARCH TEAM

Keystone species for ecosystem-services feedback in agroecosystems (ClaveSER)

Period: 2019–2021

Ayudas a Equipos de Investigación Científica (FBBVA) – info here: FBBVA ClaveSER

RESEARCH TEAM

Does local fruit abundance affects body condition of facultative frugivores?

Period: 2018–2019

Percy Sladen Memorial Fund Grant

This project aims at filling the knowledge gap on the fitness consequences of plant-frugivore mutualisms for the animal partners. We will test whether local fruit abundance affects the body condition of frugivore populations, focusing on a resident passerine as study species (the Sardinian Warbler Sylvia melanocephala). We will work in Mediterranean forest patches of the Guadalquivir Valley (south Iberia) with varying abundance of fleshy fruits due to differences in local management and successional stage.

RESEARCH TEAM

Photo: Juan P. González-Varo

Mobile links in fragmented landscapes: implications for biodiversity conservation (MOBILELINKS)

Period: 2015–2017

Marie Sklodowska-Curie project (EU H2020-MSCA-IF-2014)

This project aims at providing a large-scale and integrative assessment of seed dispersal by avian frugivores through fragmented landscapes of Europe. The project includes several study sites distributed across different European biomes. Besides, it combines field sampling and ground-breaking DNA-barcoding techniques for resolving seed dispersal networks, which will provide unprecedented information about the functional value of specific frugivore species in fragmented landscapes. Resulting knowledge can be incorporated into management and policy-making decisions for preserving woodland biodiversity in fragmented regions.

RESEARCH TEAM