Carles Tobella

The background modification of ecosystems affected by fire can cause black or dark colours in animals to become adaptive, providing better protection against visually oriented predators. We surveyed fire-prone Mediterranean woodlands to describe the behaviour, position and background characteristics of the black cicada Tibicina quadrisignata Hagen, 1855 found in recently burnt and unburnt trees. A human detectability test, using cicada pictures in natural backgrounds taken during the fieldwork, was used to assess detection risk. Most cicadas found were solitary males uttering courtship song. Many cicadas flew when approached, with 82% of flight initiation distances being less than 3 m and half of the flights being less than 30 m. Cicadas favoured sunny locations in early morning, and shady sites as the temperature increased. Fire altered fine-scale microhabitat use by cicadas, since cicadas were found in 71% thicker stems and at 14% lower height on the tree, in burnt trees, in relation to unburnt trees. Generalised Linear Mixed Models (GLMMs) revealed a negative fire effect on cicada detection by human test participants. The probability of detection fell from 0.62 in unburnt backgrounds to 0.48 in burnt backgrounds, while the time needed for detection did not change between burnt and unburnt sites. Overall, these results show that T. quadrisignata cicadas adjust their substrate use after fire and are less detectable on burnt backgrounds. Real predation risk, however, also depends on thermoregulation-associated exposure, courtship song activity and predator densities.

Age-specific survival is a fundamental demographic parameter shaping population dynamics, particularly in species with medium to slow life histories. Despite increasing conservation concern for aerial insectivores, survival estimates remain scarce for many species, including the red-rumped swallow Cecropis daurica. Using capture-mark-recapture data collected between 2016 and 2022 in northeastern Iberia, where the species is actively colonising motorway infrastructures, we provide the first estimates of juvenile and adult apparent survival for this species. Multi-event Cormack-Jolly-Seber models revealed a marked difference between age classes: annual apparent survival was 0.068 (SE = 0.034) for juveniles and 0.278 (SE = 0.081) for adults. Recapture probability was moderate (p = 0.579, SE = 0.162), and models indicated stronger support for age-structured survival over constant survival. As expected, survival was much lower for the early post-fledging stage than for adults in a population undergoing recent range expansion. We found no statistically significant differences in adult survival for males and females. In a comparative context, survival values for adults of C. daurica were among the lowest reported for hirundinids, especially considering that survival tends to increase with species’ body size. Our study establishes a demographic baseline for C. daurica, providing parameters essential for predictive population models and for comparative analyses across aerial insectivores, many of which are undergoing widespread declines.

Recently burnt and logged habitats challenge the persistence of animal populations. Insects like cicadas, which survive belowground during fire and logging, are exposed to hostile conditions due to increased predation and limited resources when they emerge as adults. This study investigates the combined effects of wildfire and post‐fire salvage logging on the survival, spatial behavior, and habitat selection of the cicada Lyristes plebejus in Mediterranean pine forests. A total of 63 individuals were captured, tagged, and released across six plots in three disturbance contexts: burnt and logged, burnt and unlogged, and unburnt. Using radio telemetry, we tracked their movements and compared home range size and survival across these contexts. Results show that cicadas in burnt but unlogged areas were more mobile and tended to select areas of lower fire severity compared to those in burnt and logged areas. Salvage logging removed essential fire refuges, increasing exposure to predators. Although no significant differences in total distance covered were found, cicadas in burnt and logged areas displayed lower movement rates, indicating a reduced ability to explore and select suitable habitats. These findings highlight the importance of considering both wildfire and post‐fire management practices in conservation. Salvage logging exacerbates the negative effects of fire, emphasizing the need to preserve biological legacies and fire refuges to promote ecosystem resilience. The study suggests that careful forest management is crucial for protecting biodiversity, particularly for species like cicadas that depend on both above and below‐ground habitats.

Biometrics have been widely employed to predict sex when clear dimorphism is lacking. In this study, we aimed to assess sexual dimorphism in the Mediterranean Shag (Phalacrocorax aristotelis desmarestii) and provide predictive functions for sex determination based on biometrics. A total of 102 individuals were employed, with 62 individuals used for model construction and 40 for effectiveness testing. Sex determination was accomplished through feather samples via CHD gene amplification for live birds and gonadal inspection for deceased birds. Eleven measurements were taken and analysed: bill depth, bill width, culmen length, bill length to feathers of side, wing length, 3rd primary length, tarsus length, tarsus depth, tarsus width, tail length, and body mass. We employed Generalized Linear Models (GLM) to construct the predictive equations. Sexual dimorphism was evident, with males displaying significantly larger bill depth, tarsus length, and wing length than females. The developed models, based on these variables, achieved accuracies ranging from 89.29% to 97.62% in sexing the birds. Determining the sex of birds enhances insights into behavioural and population dynamics of this vulnerable subspecies.

An average of 213,000 ha of European forest is affected by fire every year, with 90% of this area corresponding to Mediterranean countries. The timber of the burned forests is usually harvested by clearcutting over large areas to be used mainly as bioenergy. Recent scientific evidence has shown the strong impact that these “salvage logging” practices have on the ecosystem. However, forest owners and companies largely ignore academic debate, and salvage logging decisions are usually taken for economic, practical and emotional reasons. We propose a process to connect scientists and practitioners with the aim of providing evidence-based guidelines to protect biodiversity and ecosystem services, which can be used as a general model. The process involves five steps: (1) to review the available scientific knowledge on post-fire forest management; (2) to synthesize the information to produce a handbook of best practices in Mediterranean burned forests; (3) to provide a tool to help decision-making in post-fire management; (4) to actively disseminate this knowledge to the forest sector; and (5) to fill knowledge gaps with new experimental studies aimed to assess the environmental impact of some of the most feasible management alternatives. The feedback of the forest sector has been obtained along the process, and recommendations for better practices are already being promoted among forest owners by the administration. We suggest that similar processes can be conducted in other socio-environmental contexts to improve the management of disturbed forests and to generalize our knowledge on the topic.