Bats and Birds in Natural and Semi-Natural Ecosystems

Bats and Birds in Natural and Semi-Natural Ecosystems

Bats and birds are speciose groups with very diverse ecologies, and play important roles in the functioning of ecosystems. Most of our work focuses the ecology of these two groups or uses them as models to address ecosystem level questions. We study how large-scale changes in African and South American rainforest influence biodiversity, mostly through habitat degradation and fragmentation. In Mediterranean oak woodlands and grasslands, we investigate how anthropogenic elements (livestock, tree rows, roads, power lines) impact animal species and communities, and how to better manage those impacts. We also study the impact of climate change on birds in Mediterranean ecosystems. We are intensifying research on services provided by animals, such as seed dispersal, pest suppression and landscape engineering and expect this topic to become an increasingly important part of our research.


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