Unravelling the multi-scale structure of vertebrate scavenger communities: The role of beta-diversity in livestock carcass consumption
Understanding the structure of communities across multiple scales is useful for predicting impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. Scavenging, an important ecological function performed by scavenger assemblages, stands as a significant force shaping ecosystems. Using biodiversity partitio...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2025-03-01
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| Series: | Basic and Applied Ecology |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1439179125000088 |
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| author | María Eugenia Cabrera-García Patricia Mateo-Tomás José Hernán Sarasola Juan I. Zanón Martínez Beatriz Martínez-Miranzo Pedro P. Olea |
| author_facet | María Eugenia Cabrera-García Patricia Mateo-Tomás José Hernán Sarasola Juan I. Zanón Martínez Beatriz Martínez-Miranzo Pedro P. Olea |
| author_sort | María Eugenia Cabrera-García |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Understanding the structure of communities across multiple scales is useful for predicting impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. Scavenging, an important ecological function performed by scavenger assemblages, stands as a significant force shaping ecosystems. Using biodiversity partitioning, we assess the relative contribution of multiple scales (i.e., within and among individual carcasses, species and habitats) to the richness and Shannon diversity of vertebrate scavenger communities consuming anthropogenic food subsidies (i.e. livestock carrion) in central Argentina. We further evaluate the potential effect of carcass and habitat characteristics (including human impact) on the richness, abundance and diversity of vertebrate scavengers. A total of 31 carcasses, 22 of cow and nine of sheep, were monitored using remote cameras in cropland and natural habitats, recording consumption by 10 vertebrate species (four birds and six mammals). 50 % of scavenger species were observed at carcass level (α1 = 4.94 species), a contribution lower than expected by chance. While the turnover of species among carcasses (β1 diversity) significantly contributed (40 %) to regional richness (γ diversity), turnover of species between carrion types and habitats (β2 diversity) contributed a smaller fraction (10 %). Partitioning of Shannon diversity showed similar patterns to richness. Scavenger abundance increased during spring and was positively influenced by carcass weight; furthermore, carcasses in croplands supported less abundance that those located in natural habitats. Aligning with the theory of carrion unpredictability in maintaining biodiversity, our results suggest that scavenger species replacement (turnover) at human-mediated carcasses scattered in the field plays a significant role in shaping vertebrate scavenger assemblages. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-cd945bdf217f45e7a9d8d8890fbf0fa8 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1439-1791 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Basic and Applied Ecology |
| spelling | doaj-art-cd945bdf217f45e7a9d8d8890fbf0fa82025-02-03T04:16:30ZengElsevierBasic and Applied Ecology1439-17912025-03-01836472Unravelling the multi-scale structure of vertebrate scavenger communities: The role of beta-diversity in livestock carcass consumptionMaría Eugenia Cabrera-García0Patricia Mateo-Tomás1José Hernán Sarasola2Juan I. Zanón Martínez3Beatriz Martínez-Miranzo4Pedro P. Olea5Centro para el Estudio y Conservación de las Aves Rapaces en Argentina (CECARA), Universidad Nacional de La Pampa (UNLPam), La Pampa, Argentina; Instituto de Ciencias Ambientales y de la Tierra de La Pampa (INCITAP), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Santa Rosa, La Pampa, Argentina; Corresponding authors.Biodiversity Research Institute (CSIC – University of Oviedo – Principality of Asturias), 33600, Mieres, Spain; Corresponding authors.Centro para el Estudio y Conservación de las Aves Rapaces en Argentina (CECARA), Universidad Nacional de La Pampa (UNLPam), La Pampa, Argentina; Instituto de Ciencias Ambientales y de la Tierra de La Pampa (INCITAP), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Santa Rosa, La Pampa, ArgentinaCentro para el Estudio y Conservación de las Aves Rapaces en Argentina (CECARA), Universidad Nacional de La Pampa (UNLPam), La Pampa, Argentina; Instituto Multidisciplinario sobre Ecosistemas y Desarrollo Sustentable, Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires, Tandil, Buenos Aires, ArgentinaCentro para el Estudio y Conservación de las Aves Rapaces en Argentina (CECARA), Universidad Nacional de La Pampa (UNLPam), La Pampa, Argentina; Instituto de Ciencias Ambientales y de la Tierra de La Pampa (INCITAP), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Santa Rosa, La Pampa, Argentina; Department of Biodiversity, Ecology and Evolution, Facultad de CC. Biológicas, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, José Antonio Novais 12, Madrid, 28040, SpainTerrestrial Ecology Group (TEG), Departamento de Ecología, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain; Centro de Investigación en Biodiversidad y Cambio Global (CIBC-UAM), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, SpainUnderstanding the structure of communities across multiple scales is useful for predicting impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. Scavenging, an important ecological function performed by scavenger assemblages, stands as a significant force shaping ecosystems. Using biodiversity partitioning, we assess the relative contribution of multiple scales (i.e., within and among individual carcasses, species and habitats) to the richness and Shannon diversity of vertebrate scavenger communities consuming anthropogenic food subsidies (i.e. livestock carrion) in central Argentina. We further evaluate the potential effect of carcass and habitat characteristics (including human impact) on the richness, abundance and diversity of vertebrate scavengers. A total of 31 carcasses, 22 of cow and nine of sheep, were monitored using remote cameras in cropland and natural habitats, recording consumption by 10 vertebrate species (four birds and six mammals). 50 % of scavenger species were observed at carcass level (α1 = 4.94 species), a contribution lower than expected by chance. While the turnover of species among carcasses (β1 diversity) significantly contributed (40 %) to regional richness (γ diversity), turnover of species between carrion types and habitats (β2 diversity) contributed a smaller fraction (10 %). Partitioning of Shannon diversity showed similar patterns to richness. Scavenger abundance increased during spring and was positively influenced by carcass weight; furthermore, carcasses in croplands supported less abundance that those located in natural habitats. Aligning with the theory of carrion unpredictability in maintaining biodiversity, our results suggest that scavenger species replacement (turnover) at human-mediated carcasses scattered in the field plays a significant role in shaping vertebrate scavenger assemblages.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1439179125000088Scavenger communitySpecies richnessLivestockDiversity partitioning |
| spellingShingle | María Eugenia Cabrera-García Patricia Mateo-Tomás José Hernán Sarasola Juan I. Zanón Martínez Beatriz Martínez-Miranzo Pedro P. Olea Unravelling the multi-scale structure of vertebrate scavenger communities: The role of beta-diversity in livestock carcass consumption Basic and Applied Ecology Scavenger community Species richness Livestock Diversity partitioning |
| title | Unravelling the multi-scale structure of vertebrate scavenger communities: The role of beta-diversity in livestock carcass consumption |
| title_full | Unravelling the multi-scale structure of vertebrate scavenger communities: The role of beta-diversity in livestock carcass consumption |
| title_fullStr | Unravelling the multi-scale structure of vertebrate scavenger communities: The role of beta-diversity in livestock carcass consumption |
| title_full_unstemmed | Unravelling the multi-scale structure of vertebrate scavenger communities: The role of beta-diversity in livestock carcass consumption |
| title_short | Unravelling the multi-scale structure of vertebrate scavenger communities: The role of beta-diversity in livestock carcass consumption |
| title_sort | unravelling the multi scale structure of vertebrate scavenger communities the role of beta diversity in livestock carcass consumption |
| topic | Scavenger community Species richness Livestock Diversity partitioning |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1439179125000088 |
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