RT Journal Article
T1 Unravelling the multi-scale structure of vertebrate scavenger communities: The role of beta-diversity in livestock carcass consumption
A1 Cabrera García, María Eugenia
A1 Mateo Tomás, Patricia
A1 Sarasola, José Hernán
A1 Martínez, Juan I. Zanón
A1 Martínez Miranzo, Beatriz
A1 Olea, Pedro P.
AB 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.
PB Elsevier
SN 1439-1791
YR 2025
FD 2025
LK https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/120335
UL https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/120335
LA eng
NO Cabrera-García, M. E., Mateo-Tomás, P., Sarasola, J. H., Martínez, J. I. Z., Martínez-Miranzo, B., & Olea, P. P. (2025). Unravelling the multi-scale structure of vertebrate scavenger communities: The role of beta-diversity in livestock carcass consumption. Basic and Applied Ecology, 83, 64-72. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.baae.2025.01.008
NO MECG was supported by Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET, Argentina) predoctoral fellowship. PMT was funded in part by the Regional Government of Asturias (GRUPIN grant IDI/2021/000075). PPO was partially funded by TOXICO project “BBVA FOUNDATION GRANTS TO SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH TEAMS, CALL 2018″. BMM was supported by Maria Zambrano UCM contract, financed by the Ministry of Universities with Next Generation funds from the European Union.
NO Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (Argentina)
NO Principado de Asturias
NO Fundación BBVA
NO Universidad Complutense de Madrid
NO Ministerio de Universidades (España)
NO European Commission
DS Docta Complutense
RD 19 dic 2025