Range Contraction and Population Decline of the European Dupont’s Lark Population
The Dupont’s lark (<i>Chersophilus duponti</i>) is an endangered passerine typical of Mediterranean shrub-steppes, whose European distribution is restricted to Spain. Here, we update the population size and distribution range of the species at a European scale and evaluate (i) the curren...
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MDPI AG
2023-08-01
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| author | Margarita Reverter Cristian Pérez-Granados Germán M. López-Iborra Amparo García-Mellado Emilio Aledo-Olivares Manuel Alcántara Antonio Aranda Adrián Barrero Gerard Bota Daniel Bustillo-de la Rosa David Cubero David Giralt Julia Gómez-Catasús Matías de las Heras José M. Fernández-Palacios José R. Garrido Mariano Paracuellos Miguel A. Rubio Gema Ruiz Pedro Sáez-Gómez Víctor Salvador Javier Sampietro Ana Santos-Torres David Serrano Julia Zurdo Juan Traba |
| author_facet | Margarita Reverter Cristian Pérez-Granados Germán M. López-Iborra Amparo García-Mellado Emilio Aledo-Olivares Manuel Alcántara Antonio Aranda Adrián Barrero Gerard Bota Daniel Bustillo-de la Rosa David Cubero David Giralt Julia Gómez-Catasús Matías de las Heras José M. Fernández-Palacios José R. Garrido Mariano Paracuellos Miguel A. Rubio Gema Ruiz Pedro Sáez-Gómez Víctor Salvador Javier Sampietro Ana Santos-Torres David Serrano Julia Zurdo Juan Traba |
| author_sort | Margarita Reverter |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The Dupont’s lark (<i>Chersophilus duponti</i>) is an endangered passerine typical of Mediterranean shrub-steppes, whose European distribution is restricted to Spain. Here, we update the population size and distribution range of the species at a European scale and evaluate (i) the current status; (ii) the change in population size and distribution range of the species from 2004 to 2009 to the current period (2017–2022); and (iii) the effectiveness of the current network of special protection areas (SPAs) for protecting the Dupont’s lark. The European Dupont’s lark population showed a decrease of 29.9%, declining from ca. 3267 to 2289 territorial males from 2004 to 2009 to the current period. Moreover, the species has suffered a contraction in its distribution range of 35.9%, with only 39.3% of the species’ territories located within the current network of SPAs. Our findings agree with the previously described decline of the Dupont’s lark in Europe. The population decline was even larger in peripheral regions, which suggests that the species is suffering a centripetal process of contraction and extinction. These results indicate that if there is no change in present-day declining forces, several peripheral populations will reach extinction in a few decades and the overall population size of the species will continue decreasing. Our study should be considered as a last call for action and used for implementing urgent conservation measures to protect the species and its habitat. Future studies should focus on analyzing and managing the factors driving the species’ extinction and future actions for the conservation of the species should focus on increasing the percentage of the Dupont’s lark territories within protected areas, since the data are alarmingly low for a species that is facing clear risk of extinction. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T00:00:47Z |
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| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1424-2818 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T00:00:47Z |
| publishDate | 2023-08-01 |
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| spelling | doaj.art-fc18b654fc4f4fa5b06a94696e97a12b2023-11-19T00:49:46ZengMDPI AGDiversity1424-28182023-08-0115892810.3390/d15080928Range Contraction and Population Decline of the European Dupont’s Lark PopulationMargarita Reverter0Cristian Pérez-Granados1Germán M. López-Iborra2Amparo García-Mellado3Emilio Aledo-Olivares4Manuel Alcántara5Antonio Aranda6Adrián Barrero7Gerard Bota8Daniel Bustillo-de la Rosa9David Cubero10David Giralt11Julia Gómez-Catasús12Matías de las Heras13José M. Fernández-Palacios14José R. Garrido15Mariano Paracuellos16Miguel A. Rubio17Gema Ruiz18Pedro Sáez-Gómez19Víctor Salvador20Javier Sampietro21Ana Santos-Torres22David Serrano23Julia Zurdo24Juan Traba25Terrestrial Ecology Group (TEG-UAM), Department of Ecology, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049 Madrid, SpainEcology Department, Alicante University, 03690 Alicante, SpainEcology Department, Alicante University, 03690 Alicante, SpainGeneral Directorate of the Natural Environment, Ministry of Environment, Mar Menor, Universities and Research, Region of Murcia, 30510 Yecla, SpainGeneral Directorate of the Natural Environment, Ministry of Environment, Mar Menor, Universities and Research, Region of Murcia, 30510 Yecla, SpainServicio de Biodiversidad, Departamento de Agricultura, Ganadería y Medio Ambiente, Gobierno de Aragón, 50001 Zaragoza, SpainDirección General de Medio Natural y Biodiversidad, Consejería de Desarrollo Sostenible, Junta de Castilla-La Mancha, 45071 Toledo, SpainTerrestrial Ecology Group (TEG-UAM), Department of Ecology, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049 Madrid, SpainConservation Biology Group, Landscape Dynamics and Biodiversity Programme, Forest Science and Technology Center of Catalonia (CTFC), 25280 Solsona, SpainTerrestrial Ecology Group (TEG-UAM), Department of Ecology, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049 Madrid, SpainServicio de Espacios Naturales, Flora y Fauna, Dirección General de Patrimonio Natural y Política Forestal, Consejería de Medio Ambiente, Vivienda y Ordenación del Territorio, Junta de Castilla y León, 47014 Valladolid, SpainConservation Biology Group, Landscape Dynamics and Biodiversity Programme, Forest Science and Technology Center of Catalonia (CTFC), 25280 Solsona, SpainTerrestrial Ecology Group (TEG-UAM), Department of Ecology, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049 Madrid, SpainConsejería de Sostenibilidad, Medio Ambiente y Economía Azul, Junta de Andalucía, 41013 Seville, SpainConsejería de Sostenibilidad, Medio Ambiente y Economía Azul, Junta de Andalucía, 41013 Seville, SpainConsejería de Sostenibilidad, Medio Ambiente y Economía Azul, Junta de Andalucía, 41013 Seville, SpainConsejería de Sostenibilidad, Medio Ambiente y Economía Azul, Junta de Andalucía, 41013 Seville, SpainDirección General de Medio Natural y Biodiversidad, Consejería de Desarrollo Sostenible, Junta de Castilla-La Mancha, 45071 Toledo, SpainConsejería de Sostenibilidad, Medio Ambiente y Economía Azul, Junta de Andalucía, 41013 Seville, SpainTerrestrial Ecology Group (TEG-UAM), Department of Ecology, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049 Madrid, SpainServicio de Espacios Naturales, Flora y Fauna, Dirección General de Patrimonio Natural y Política Forestal, Consejería de Medio Ambiente, Vivienda y Ordenación del Territorio, Junta de Castilla y León, 47014 Valladolid, SpainSociedad Aragonesa de Gestión Agroambiental, 50018 Zaragoza, SpainTerrestrial Ecology Group (TEG-UAM), Department of Ecology, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049 Madrid, SpainDepartment of Conservation Biology, Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC), 41092 Sevilla, SpainTerrestrial Ecology Group (TEG-UAM), Department of Ecology, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049 Madrid, SpainTerrestrial Ecology Group (TEG-UAM), Department of Ecology, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049 Madrid, SpainThe Dupont’s lark (<i>Chersophilus duponti</i>) is an endangered passerine typical of Mediterranean shrub-steppes, whose European distribution is restricted to Spain. Here, we update the population size and distribution range of the species at a European scale and evaluate (i) the current status; (ii) the change in population size and distribution range of the species from 2004 to 2009 to the current period (2017–2022); and (iii) the effectiveness of the current network of special protection areas (SPAs) for protecting the Dupont’s lark. The European Dupont’s lark population showed a decrease of 29.9%, declining from ca. 3267 to 2289 territorial males from 2004 to 2009 to the current period. Moreover, the species has suffered a contraction in its distribution range of 35.9%, with only 39.3% of the species’ territories located within the current network of SPAs. Our findings agree with the previously described decline of the Dupont’s lark in Europe. The population decline was even larger in peripheral regions, which suggests that the species is suffering a centripetal process of contraction and extinction. These results indicate that if there is no change in present-day declining forces, several peripheral populations will reach extinction in a few decades and the overall population size of the species will continue decreasing. Our study should be considered as a last call for action and used for implementing urgent conservation measures to protect the species and its habitat. Future studies should focus on analyzing and managing the factors driving the species’ extinction and future actions for the conservation of the species should focus on increasing the percentage of the Dupont’s lark territories within protected areas, since the data are alarmingly low for a species that is facing clear risk of extinction.https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/15/8/928endangered larkrange contractionsteppe birds |
| spellingShingle | Margarita Reverter Cristian Pérez-Granados Germán M. López-Iborra Amparo García-Mellado Emilio Aledo-Olivares Manuel Alcántara Antonio Aranda Adrián Barrero Gerard Bota Daniel Bustillo-de la Rosa David Cubero David Giralt Julia Gómez-Catasús Matías de las Heras José M. Fernández-Palacios José R. Garrido Mariano Paracuellos Miguel A. Rubio Gema Ruiz Pedro Sáez-Gómez Víctor Salvador Javier Sampietro Ana Santos-Torres David Serrano Julia Zurdo Juan Traba Range Contraction and Population Decline of the European Dupont’s Lark Population Diversity endangered lark range contraction steppe birds |
| title | Range Contraction and Population Decline of the European Dupont’s Lark Population |
| title_full | Range Contraction and Population Decline of the European Dupont’s Lark Population |
| title_fullStr | Range Contraction and Population Decline of the European Dupont’s Lark Population |
| title_full_unstemmed | Range Contraction and Population Decline of the European Dupont’s Lark Population |
| title_short | Range Contraction and Population Decline of the European Dupont’s Lark Population |
| title_sort | range contraction and population decline of the european dupont s lark population |
| topic | endangered lark range contraction steppe birds |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/15/8/928 |
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