Person:
Tellería Jorge, José Luis

First Name

José Luis

Last Name

Tellería Jorge

Affiliation

Universidad Complutense de Madrid

Faculty / Institute

Ciencias Biológicas

Department

Biodiversidad, Ecología y Evolución

Area

Zoología

Identifiers

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Now showing 1 - 10 of 32

Effect of climate change on Mediterranean winter ranges of two migratory passerines
(2016-01) Tellería Jorge, José Luis; Fernández López, Javier; Fandos Guzmán, Guillermo
We studied the effect of climate change on the distribution of two insectivorous passerines (the meadow pipit Anthus pratensis and the chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita) in wintering grounds of the Western Mediterranean basin. In this region, precipitation and temperature can affect the distribution of these birds through direct (thermoregulation costs) or indirect effects (primary productivity). Thus, it can be postulated that projected climate changes in the region will affect the extent and suitability of their wintering grounds. We studied pipit and chiffchaff abundance in several hundred localities along a belt crossing Spain and Morocco and assessed the effects of climate and other geographical and habitat predictors on bird distribution. Multivariate analyses reported a positive effect of temperature on the present distribution of the two species, with an additional effect of precipitation on the meadow pipit. These climate variables were used with Maxent to model the occurrence probabilities of species using ring recoveries as presence data. Abundance and occupancy of the two species in the study localities adjusted to the distribution models, with more birds in sectors of high climate suitability. After validation, these models were used to forecast the distribution of climate suitability according to climate projections for 2050–2070 (temperature increase and precipitation reduction). Results show an expansion of climatically suitable sectors into the highlands by the effect of warming on the two species, and a retreat of the meadow pipit from southern sectors related to rain reduction. The predicted patterns show a mean increase in climate suitability for the two species due to the warming of the large highland expanses typical of the western Mediterranean.
Constraints on raptor distribution at the southwestern boundary of the Palaearctic: implications for conservation
(Springer, 2019-03) Tellería Jorge, José Luis; Fandos Guzmán, Guillermo; Tena López, Elena; Carbonell Alanís, Roberto; Onrubia, Alejandro; Abdeljebbar, Qninba; Ramírez García, Álvaro
Populations at the far edges of their ranges tend to be scarce, and they are frequently of conservation concern. This paper examines the distribution of three raptors (Circaetus gallicus, Hieraaetus pennatus and Milvus migrans) at the southwestern boundary of their breeding range. We modelled species distribution to obtain habitat suitability indexes that were validated with extensive fieldwork in Morocco and Spain. Our results support a strong effect of habitat suitability and a bottleneck effect of the Strait of Gibraltar on raptor distribution. However, after controlling for these effects, the three species were scarcer in Morocco than in Spain. We did not find differences between the two countries in the number of power lines that are dangerous to raptors or in general impacts of agricultural intensification on bird populations (we assessed more farmland birds in Morocco). However, many more people (i.e., shepherds) were detected in Morocco, whose negative effect on raptors could explain the depletion of their populations. These transboundary differences are used to discuss the fate of these peripheral populations in a context of climate change and rural abandonment. They also highlight the need for strengthening raptor conservation around the Strait of Gibraltar, where a permanent flow of raptors converges throughout the year.
Habitat segregation by breeding origin in the declining populations of European Robins wintering in southern Iberia
(Wiley, 2018-04) Hera Fernández, Iván de la; Fandos Guzmán, Guillermo; Fernández López, Javier; Onrubia, Alejandro; Pérez Rodríguez, Antón David; Pérez Tris, Javier; Tellería Jorge, José Luis
Mediterranean woodlands and associated shrub formations of southern Iberia are key habitats for conservation of migratory birds. In some bird species, migratory and sedentary conspecifics meet in these areas during winter, but our understanding of how each population group is distributed over available habitats and the factors that determine their spatial organization are still unclear. This seriously limits our ability to assess their vulnerability to ongoing environmental changes affecting wintering habitats in this region. We used hydrogen isotopic signatures of feathers (dDf) to shed light on the habitat distribution of seasonally sympatric European Robin Erithacus rubecula populations wintering in Campo de Gibraltar that are currently facing a drastic decline. In contrast to previous studies that used morphological methods to distinguish the migratory behaviour of wintering Robins in this area, our isotopic approach revealed that sedentary Robins were not outcompeted upon the arrival of migrants and remained in the woodlands where they reproduce, which agrees with results obtained in other regions. Interestingly, we also found that migratory Robins with a closer breeding origin (higher dDf values) had a higher probability of occupying woodlands than did migrants coming from further away. Overall, our results suggest that the role of breeding origin in shaping the distribution of Robins during winter in Campo de Gibraltar is more relevant than the effects of sex, age or body size, which might facilitate the evolution of local adaptations for the exploitation of each habitat type.
Stable isotope analysis reveals biases in the performance of a morphological method to distinguish the migratory behaviour of European Robins Erithacus Rubecula
(Sociedad Española de Ornitología (SEO/BirdLife), 2017-07) Hera Fernández, Iván de la; Fandos Guzmán, Guillermo; Fernández López, Javier; Onrubia, Alejandro; Pérez-Rodríguez, Antón; Pérez Tris, Javier; Tellería Jorge, José Luis
Morphological methods to distinguish between avian groups of research interest (e.g. differentsexes, populations or cryptic species) need to be externally validated to ensure reliable performance across situations. In this study, we used stable hydrogen isotope ratios of feathers (δ2 Hf ) to test the validity of morphological classification functions (MCFs) previously designed to assess the migratory behaviour of European Robins Erithacus rubecula wintering in southern Iberia. Our results show that a great number of migrants (mostly females and juveniles) were erroneously assigned as sedentary, which could compromise the reliability of previous ecological studies that made use of these MCFs. The development of improved MCFs or the use of alternative differentiation methods (δ2 Hf ) could help us to gain a more realistic insight into the habitat distribution and ecological interactions of sympatric migratory and sedentary robins overwintering in southern Iberia.
Winter distribution of passerine richness in the Maghreb (North Africa): a conservation assessment
(Sociedad Española de Ornitología (SEO/BirdLife), 2014-12) Tellería Jorge, José Luis; Fandos Guzmán, Guillermo; Fernández López, Javier; Onrubia, Alejandro; Refoyo Román, Pablo
This paper studies the factors affecting passerine (Order Passeriformes) species richness in the Western Maghreb, a region at the southwestern border of the Palearctic reputed as a primary wintering ground for many common European birds. The effect of productivity, temperature, landscape structure and geographical location on bird richness was explored at 220 localities across Morocco. The models resulting from multivariate analyses supported the effects of productivity, temperature and landscape cover on bird richness, with higher numbers of species occurring in warm farmlands of the northwest. The most suitable areas for birds avoided the cold and arid expanses of the Atlas Mountains and the Sahara and overlapped with the most human-impacted sectors. Within these areas, we detected an interspersed distribution of sectors of high bird richness and low human incidence. These sectors can be used as priority targets for conservation programmes of common birds during the winter.
Does microhabitat use affect population differentiation? A test with southwestern Palaearctic forest birds
(Springer Nature, 2022-06-21) Talavera, Adrián; Tellería Jorge, José Luis
We tested whether microhabitat use afects dispersal and population diferentiation in forest birds of the southwestern Palaearctic, a link previously suggested in Neotropical birds. To approach this, the number of subspecies within 32 species was used as a metric of population diferentiation and was related to their feeding substrata and seasonal changes in abundance (a surrogate of dispersal) in a mountain range (Guadarrama Mountains, Central Spain). Multivariate analyses in which the efect of range size (a main correlate of within-species diversifcation) and phylogeny relatedness were considered, showed that those birds adapted to exploit the tree canopy had lower seasonal changes in abundance and more subspecies than grounddweller birds. Our results support a cause-efect link between the use of stable resources in the canopy, seasonal movements and population diferentiation of birds from temperate forests of the southwestern Palaearctic.
Has the Number of European Robins Erithacus rubecula Wintering in Spain Decreased?
(Sociedad Española de Ornitología (SEO/BirdLife), 2014-12) Tellería Jorge, José Luis
This paper explores the numerical trends of winter ring recoveries of the European robin Erithacus rubecula in Spain to determine whether the number of extra-Iberian individuals has decreased in recent decades. Results show that despite the increasing numbers of ringed and controlled robins, the number of recoveries of individuals of northern origin has decreased since the 1970s. This pattern is congruent with the northwards retreat of the wintering grounds of some partially migratory bird species that may be due to global warming.
Altitudinal shifts in forest birds in a Mediterranean mountain range: causes and conservation prospects
(Cambridge University Press, 2019-12-09) Tellería Jorge, José Luis
Mediterranean mountains are biodiversity hotspots where northern species occur surrounded by drier and warmer lowlands. In this context, global warming is pushing these species to higher elevations. This paper assesses whether forest birds have experienced a shift upwards over the elevation gradient in the last 35 years in the Guadarrama Mountains (600–2,400 m asl; central Spain). Alternatively, the paper tests whether the reported shifts are related to changes in forest structure resulting from rural abandonment and/or forest management. To do this, sampling carried out from 1976 to 1980 along the elevation gradient was repeated in 2014–2015. In addition, the habitat preferences of birds were used to test if the elevation shifts were related to changes in forest structure. Results show that the mean range position of birds associated with tree cover shifted downwards, a trend supported by an increase in tree-dependent birds at mid-elevations. These trends suggest that an increase in tree cover has buffered the altitudinal shifts of forest birds predicted by climate warming. Results also suggest that proper forest management may improve the resilience of forest bird communities to the pervasive effects of climate warming.
Distribution of the european turtle dove (Streptopelia turtur) at the edge of the South-Western Palaearctic: transboundary differences and conservation prospects
(Springer, 2020-08-22) Tellería Jorge, José Luis; Carbonell Alanís, Roberto; Fandos Guzmán, Guillermo; Tena López, Elena; Onrubia, Alejandro; Qninba, Abdeljebbar; Aguirre de Miguel, José Ignacio; Hernández-Téllez, Irene; Martín, Carlos A.; Ramírez García, Álvaro
The European turtle dove (Streptopelia turtur) is classified as vulnerable by the IUCN. In this context, it is important to explore the factors affecting its abundance and the ways in which it can be effectively managed for conservation. This study compares the distribution of this dove in Spain and Morocco. These countries, which are separated by the Strait of Gibraltar, are each occupied by a different subspecies (i.e. Streptopelia turtur turtur in Spain and S. t. arenicola in Morocco) that may be adapted to different environmental conditions. Such differentiation could result in differences in the species’ abundance between the two countries. The occurrence of this dove was assessed by means of road counts, and the resulting records were used to explore the niche overlap between the two subspecies. The niches of both populations overlapped, suggesting the selection of similar environmental conditions in the two countries. However, the species occurred more frequently in Morocco than in Spain. To study the potential role of local effects on the observed differences in abundance, 494 sampling points were surveyed in four different sectors of Spain and Morocco. These additional counts indicated that, after controlling for the effect of local habitat structure and climate, the European turtle dove is more frequent in Morocco than in Spain. Differences between the two countries, in relation to hunting pressure, agricultural intensification and the abandonment of marginal cultures and woodlands, could account for the observed transboundary differences in the abundance of European turtle dove and help to explain its severe decline in Spain.
Adventitious feather replacement favours amore rapid regeneration of primaries over rectrices in two passerine bird species
(Wiley, 2015-10) Hera Fernández, Iván de la; Pérez Tris, Javier; Tellería Jorge, José Luis
There is increasing evidence of adaptive preferential investment during moult in those feather tracts that are more advantageous for fitness. In this study, we assessed whether, after the manual removal of two functionally different flight feathers (one primary and one rectrix), birds from two common passerine species (Eurasian Blackcap Sylvia atricapillaand European Robin Erithacus rubecula) favoured the regeneration of primary (supposedly the most functionally important feathers) over rectrix feathers. Our results did not show differences between replaced primary and rectrix feathers in their final length, but demonstrated that the gap left by the loss of the primary feather was filled earlier, suggesting that a rapid repair of the most essential feather tracts is also evolutionarily advantageous during the adventitious replacement of plumage.