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January 15, 2026
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Contrasting vital rate contributions across interconnected populations of a highly vagile avian scavenger: A multisite modelling approach

Publicated to: BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION. 311 111454- - 2025-11-01 311(), DOI: 10.1016/j.biocon.2025.111454

Authors:

Arévalo-Ayala, DJ; Real, J; Margalida, A; Badia-Boher, JA; Mañosa, S; Durà, C; Aymerich, J; Jiménez, J; Martínez, JM; Hernández-Matías, A
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Affiliations

CSIC, Pyrenean Inst Ecol, Avda Nuestra Senora Victoria 12 - Author
Generalitat Valenciana, Serv Vida Silvestre, Red Nat 2000, Conselleria Med Ambient Infraestruct & Terr, Ciutat Adm 9 Octubre Torre 1,C Democracia 77 - Author
Gobierno Aragon, Dept Medio Ambiente & Turismo, Serv Prov Medio Ambiente & Turismo, Secc Biodivers, Plaza Cervantes 6 - Author
Grup Anellament Calldetenes Osona GACO - Author
Swiss Ornithol Inst, Populat Biol Res Unit - Author
Univ Barcelona, Dept Biol Evolut Ecol & Ciencies Ambientals, Equip Biol Conservacio, Fac Biol, Avda Diagonal 643 - Author
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Abstract

Identifying the key drivers of population dynamics in long-lived species is critical for understanding their life history and guiding conservation. However, dispersal processes like immigration and emigration are often overlooked in long-term studies of highly vagile, transboundary species such as vultures, despite their role on population trends. Additionally, estimating often-neglected population fractions like non-breeders is essential to assess trends accurately, especially in species of conservation concern. Using the Eurasian griffon vulture (Gyps fulvus) as a model species, we assessed the dynamics of three neighbouring populations in northeastern Iberia (Catalonia -CAT-, Aragon -ARA-, Valencian Community -VAL-) over 14 years using a Bayesian multisite Integrated Population Model (ms-IPM), explicitly incorporating movements between regions. Results showed distinct trends: steady growth (CAT), stabilization (VAL), and decline followed by stabilization (ARA). Adult survival was the key driver of population growth in ARA, despite being the lowest (0.94 vs. 0.97 in VAL and 0.98 in CAT), likely due to mortality from windfarms and electrocution. In contrast, the floater (non-breeder)-to-breeder ratio and immigration were more influential in CAT and VAL, but both were negatively correlated with population size across regions, indicating density dependence. In VAL density dependence suggested that the population was approaching its carrying capacity, increasing dispersal. Our study highlights the importance of ms-IPM for understanding complex demographic processes, such as the role of dispersal and non-breeders, in population dynamics of wide-ranging species. We provide a comprehensive framework to account for spatial and demographic heterogeneity, aimed at improving vulture conservation at both local and transboundary scales.
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Keywords

Bayesian population analysisBonellis eagleConservationDemographyDensityDensity dependenceDispersalFloatersGriffon vulturesGypsMovementsParametersPopulation growth rateProductivityReintroductionSurvival

Quality index

Bibliometric impact. Analysis of the contribution and dissemination channel

The work has been published in the journal BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION due to its progression and the good impact it has achieved in recent years, according to the agency WoS (JCR), it has become a reference in its field. In the year of publication of the work, 2025, it was in position 8/74, thus managing to position itself as a Q1 (Primer Cuartil), in the category Biodiversity Conservation.

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Impact and social visibility

From the perspective of influence or social adoption, and based on metrics associated with mentions and interactions provided by agencies specializing in calculating the so-called "Alternative or Social Metrics," we can highlight as of 2026-03-12:

  • The use, from an academic perspective evidenced by the Altmetric agency indicator referring to aggregations made by the personal bibliographic manager Mendeley, gives us a total of: 3.
  • The use of this contribution in bookmarks, code forks, additions to favorite lists for recurrent reading, as well as general views, indicates that someone is using the publication as a basis for their current work. This may be a notable indicator of future more formal and academic citations. This claim is supported by the result of the "Capture" indicator, which yields a total of: 3 (PlumX).

With a more dissemination-oriented intent and targeting more general audiences, we can observe other more global scores such as:

  • The Total Score from Altmetric: 8.
  • The number of mentions on the social network Facebook: 1 (Altmetric).
  • The number of mentions on the social network X (formerly Twitter): 9 (Altmetric).

It is essential to present evidence supporting full alignment with institutional principles and guidelines on Open Science and the Conservation and Dissemination of Intellectual Heritage. A clear example of this is:

  • The work has been submitted to a journal whose editorial policy allows open Open Access publication.
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Leadership analysis of institutional authors

This work has been carried out with international collaboration, specifically with researchers from: Switzerland.

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