Articles | Volume 21, issue 2
https://doi.org/10.5194/we-21-79-2021
© Author(s) 2021. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/we-21-79-2021
© Author(s) 2021. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Standard article
| 
18 Oct 2021
Standard article |
| 18 Oct 2021
| 18 Oct 2021
Models of poisoning effects on vulture populations show that small but frequent episodes have a larger effect than large but rare ones
Rigas Tsiakiris
Department of Forest Administration and Management, Forestry Service of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece
John M. Halley
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Laboratory of Ecology, Department of Biological Applications and Technology, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece
Kalliopi Stara
Laboratory of Ecology, Department of Biological Applications and Technology, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece
Nikos Monokrousos
Laboratory of Ecology, Department of Biological Applications and Technology, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece
Institute of Soil and Water Resources, Hellenic Agricultural Organization DEMETER, Athens, Greece
Chryso Karyou
Laboratory of Ecology, Department of Biological Applications and Technology, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece
Nicolaos Kassinis
Game and Fauna Service, Ministry of Interior, Nicosia, Cyprus
Minas Papadopoulos
Department of Forests, Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment, Strovolos, Nicosia, Cyprus
Stavros M. Xirouchakis
School of Sciences and Engineering, Natural History Museum of Crete, University of Crete, Heraklion, Crete, Greece
Related authors
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Theofilos Dostos, Pantelitsa D. Kapagianni, Nikolaos Monokrousos, George P. Stamou, and Efimia M. Papatheodorou
Web Ecol., 22, 21–31, https://doi.org/10.5194/we-22-21-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/we-22-21-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Biocrusts in arid and semiarid regions interact with soil microbes and plants. The knowledge of the spatial scale of the interactions adds value to crusts' use for plant and soil restoration. Soil sampling was confined to an area with Erica spp. shrubs interspaced by crust cover (Cladonia rangiformis) or uncovered at different distances from the base of the shrubs towards the periphery. The community composition and the microbial networks showed response to spatial heterogeneity.
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Short summary
Despite frequent media references about the mass poisoning of vultures, this study shows that small but frequent poisoning events may be even worse. Using both mathematical and computer simulation approaches we show that a chain of small poisoning events is more likely to extirpate a newly established colony than a few massive ones with the same overall mortality. Survival also depends critically on the initial population size. These results are of great relevance for restocking initiatives.
Despite frequent media references about the mass poisoning of vultures, this study shows that...
