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Sett Use, Density and Breeding Phenology of Badgers in Mediterranean Agro-Sylvo-Pastoral Systems

2021-09Journal article Open access
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dc.contributor.authorSilva, Marcelo
dc.contributor.authorRosalino, L. M.
dc.contributor.authorAlcobia, Sandra
dc.contributor.authorSantos-Reis, Margarida
dc.date.accessioned2021-10-06T18:48:59Z
dc.date.available2021-10-06T18:48:59Z
dc.date.issued2021-09
dc.description.abstractCarnivores social organization varies widely, from strongly social to solitary predators. European badgers are facultative social carnivores that also shows a geographical variation in social structure. These patterns derive mainly from central/west European regions, with an underrepresentation of Mediterranean populations that face different conservation challenges, especially regarding group composition, sett use patterns and breeding phenology. We addressed these traits topics for a population inhabiting a Portuguese agro-silvo-pastoral system. Based on monthly monitoring of 34 setts and continuous camera-trapping surveys of 12, we showed that setts surrounded by diversified vegetation and located in sandy sites are more used, a pattern probably linked to food availability and ease of sett excavation and maintenance, respectively. Badgers followed a general pattern regarding group size (2–4 adults), but showed an intermediate population density (0.49–0.73 badgers/km2), with values higher than those estimated for other Mediterranean environments, but lower than for central-western populations. This, together with the breeding (November/January) and cub emergence (1.8 cubs/sett; March/April) periods, indicates an ecological adaptation to the landscape context, where human-related resources and mild environmental conditions allow badger to reach higher densities than in many southern populations, and to reproduce earlier than their northern counterparts.pt_PT
dc.description.abstractUnderstanding carnivores social structure variation is pivotal for properly addressing conservation challenges and solutions. The European badgers is a social carnivore for which most of the available information regarding how this species is socially organized derives from central west populations. This article describes the group composition, den use patterns and breeding phenology of a Mediterranean population of badgers. We showed that badger live in low density, in relatively small groups, composed by 2–4 adult animals and ca. 2 cubs, born in winter. These patterns, representing a variation of what was described for other populations, show that badgers take advantage of the landscape context, where human-related resources and mild environmental conditions allow badger to reach higher densities than in many southern populations, and to reproduce earlier than their northern counterparts.pt_PT
dc.description.versioninfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersionpt_PT
dc.identifier.citationSilva, M.; Rosalino, L.M.; Alcobia, S.; Santos-Reis, M. Sett Use, Density and Breeding Phenology of Badgers in Mediterranean Agro-Sylvo-Pastoral Systems. Animals 2021, 11, 2663. https:// doi.org/10.3390/ani11092663pt_PT
dc.identifier.doi10.3390/ani11092663pt_PT
dc.identifier.issn2076-2615
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10451/49802
dc.language.isoengpt_PT
dc.peerreviewedyespt_PT
dc.publisherMDPIpt_PT
dc.relation.publisherversionhttps://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/11/9/2663pt_PT
dc.rights.urihttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/pt_PT
dc.subjectcamera-trappingpt_PT
dc.subjectMeles melespt_PT
dc.subjectdensitypt_PT
dc.subjectsocial organizationpt_PT
dc.subjectreproductionpt_PT
dc.titleSett Use, Density and Breeding Phenology of Badgers in Mediterranean Agro-Sylvo-Pastoral Systemspt_PT
dc.typejournal article
dspace.entity.typePublication
oaire.awardURIinfo:eu-repo/grantAgreement/FCT/6817 - DCRRNI ID/157405/PT
oaire.citation.startPage2663pt_PT
oaire.citation.titleAnimalspt_PT
oaire.citation.volume11pt_PT
oaire.fundingStream6817 - DCRRNI ID
person.familyNameRosalino
person.familyNameAlcobia
person.familyNameSantos-Reis
person.givenNameLuís Miguel
person.givenNameSandra
person.givenNameMargarida
person.identifierB-9406-2009
person.identifier.ciencia-id9D1D-B42A-286C
person.identifier.ciencia-id4911-7756-340F
person.identifier.orcid0000-0003-4186-7332
person.identifier.orcid0000-0002-5200-5183
person.identifier.orcid0000-0002-0337-963X
person.identifier.scopus-author-id6506527252
person.identifier.scopus-author-id6603189806
project.funder.identifierhttp://doi.org/10.13039/501100001871
project.funder.nameFundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
rcaap.rightsopenAccesspt_PT
rcaap.typearticlept_PT
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relation.isAuthorOfPublication.latestForDiscovery762bbd4c-d2ca-4045-a9f1-50a72ec05144
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