 Research interests
Animals may finally become either prey or carcasses. The ecology and behaviour of predation have received much attention from researchers. On the contrary, the ecology of scavenging processes is largely unexplored. My PhD Thesis focus on behaviour, ecology and conservation topics of scavengers and other species indirectly affected by the presence of carcasses in the wild. I deep into the ecological implications of carcasses disposed at supplementary feeding stations (so-called vulture restaurants) in relation to unpredictable natural carcasses. Both of them differ in their spatial and temporal predictability; what consequences will trigger on the structure and functioning of scavenger guilds?
Publications
SCI Journals
9. Margalida, A., Oro, D., Cortés-Avizanda, A., Heredia, R. and Donázar, J.A. (2011). Misleading estimates: biases and consistency of visual surveys and matrix modelling in the endangered bearded vulture. PLoS ONE 6 (6): e26784.8
8. Cortés-Avizanda, A., Almaraz, P., Carrete, M., Sánchez-Zapata, J.A., Delgado, A., Hiraldo, F. and Donázar, J.A. (2011). Spatial heterogeneity in resource distribution promotes facultative sociality in two trans-Saharan migratory birds. PLoS ONE 6 (6): e21016
7. Selva, N., Cortés-Avizanda, A., Lemus, J.A., Blanco, G., Mueller, T., Heinrich, B. and Donázar, J.A. (2011). Stress associated with group living in a long-lived bird. Biology Letters 7(4): 608-610 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2010.1204 6. Cortés-Avizanda, A., Carrete, M. and Donázar, J.A. (2010). Managing supplementary feeding for avian scavengers: guidelines for optimal design using ecological criteria. Biological Conservation 143, 1707-1715. DOI: 10.1016/j.biocon.2010.04.016 5. Donázar, J.A., Cortés-Avizanda A., and Carrete M. (2010). Dietary shifts in two vultures after the demise of supplementary feeding stations: consequences of the EU sanitary legislation. European Journal of Wildlife Research, 56, 613-621. DOI: 10.1007/s10344-009-0358-0
4. Cortés-Avizanda, A., Ceballos, O., Urmeneta, A., and Donázar, J.A. (2010). First case of albinism in Egyptian vultures. Journal of Raptor Research 44 (4) 325-330. DOI: 10.3356/JRR-10-12.1
3. Cortés-Avizanda, A., Carrete, M., Serrano, D. and Donázar, J.A. (2009). Carcasses increase the probability of predation of ground nesting birds: a caveat regarding the conservation value of vulture restaurants. Animal Conservation 12(1) 85-88. DOI:10.1111/j.1469-1795.2008.00231.x
2. Cortés-Avizanda A., Selva N., Carrete M. and Donázar J.A. (2009). Effects of carrion resources on herbivore spatial distribution are mediated by facultative scavengers. Basic and Applied Ecology 10(3), 265-272. DOI: 10.1016/j.baae.2008.03.009 1. Cortés-Avizanda A., Ceballos, O. and Donázar, J.A. (2009). Long-term trends in population size and breeding success in the Egyptian vulture (Neophron percnopterus) in Northern Spain. Journal of Raptor Research 43(1) 43-49. DOI: 10.3356/JRR-08-24.1
No SCI Journals and Popular Science 5. Cortés-Avizanda, A. (2008, Published in 2010). Pros and cons of vulture restaurants ESU Journal vol 25 No. 1: 19-22. Invited to submission. 4. Cortés-Avizanda A., Selva N., Carrete M., Serrano, D. and Donázar J.A. (2009). ¿Dónde ubicar un muladar? Quercus 284:28-32. 3. Sanchez-Zapata, J.A., Donázar, J.A., Carrete, M., Tella, J.L., Hiraldo, F., Cortés-Avizanda, A., Selva, N., Margalida, A., Blanco, G., Lemus, J.A., and Blázquez, M. (2008). ¿Ecosistemas asépticos? Muladares y conservación de la biodiversidad. Quercus 268:80-81.
2. Donázar J. A., Ceballos O., Cortés-Avizanda A. and Urmeneta A. (2008). Las Bardenas Reales pierden sus alimoches por culpa del veneno. Quercus 266:60-61 1. Margalida A., García D. and Cortés-Avizanda A. (2007) Factors influencing the breeding density of bearded vultures, Egyptian vultures and griffons vultures in Catalonia (NE Spain): management implications. Animal Biodiversity and Conservation 30 (2):189-200. Book Chapters
4. Donázar, J.A. and Cortés-Avizanda A. (2011) El papel de los vertebrados necrófagos en los ecosistemas mediterráneos. Pags 5-25. Pérez Marín, A y ´González, R. (Codirectores) 2011. El uso ilegal de cebos envenenados: Análisis técnicos-jurídicos. Consejería de medio Ambiente. Junta Andalucía. 3. Selva, N. and Cortés-Avizanda A. (2009) The effects of carcasses and carrion dumps sites on communities and ecosystems. In Donázar, J.A., Margalida, A. and Campión, D. (Ed.). Vultures, feeding stations and sanitary legislation: a conflict and its consequences from the perspective of conservation biology. Sociedad de Ciencias Aranzadi, Donostia. ISSN 1698-3807; 29.
2. Donázar, J.A., Cortés-Avizanda A. and Carrete, M. (2009) The role of trophic resource predictability in the structure of scavenger guilds. In Donázar, J.A., Margalida, A. and Campión, D. (Ed.). Vultures, feeding stations and sanitary legislation: a conflict and its consequences from the perspective of conservation biology. Sociedad de Ciencias Aranzadi, Donostia. ISSN 1698-3807; 29.
1. Benítez, JR., Cortés-Avizanda, A., Ávila, E. and García, R (2009) Effects of the creation of a supplementary feeding station for the conservation of an Egyptian vulture (Neophron percnopterus) population in Andalucía. In Donázar, J.A., Margalida, A. and Campión, D. (Ed.). Vultures, feeding stations and sanitary legislation: a conflict and its consequences from the perspective of conservation biology. Sociedad de Ciencias Aranzadi, Donostia. ISSN 1698-3807; 29.
(please, e-mail me for pdfs and ref. that you need, ainara@ebd.csic.es; cortesavizanda@gmail.com )
Academic and professional history 2004 – 2010 PhD thesis “Ecological effects of spatial heterogeneity and predictability in the distribution of resources: individuals, populations and guild of scavengers” at Estación Biológica de Doñana (CSIC), under the supervision of Prof. J.A. Donázar and Dra. M. Carrete.
2004. Self-employed biologist. Responsible of projects involving the monitoring of the use of vulture restaurants by endangered scavengers. 2003. Biologist employed at Estación Biológica de Doñana (CSIC). Responsible of the monitoring of the Egyptian Vulture population at the Bardenas Reales Natural Park (northern Spain). 1999 - 2002. Student assistant, Estación Biológica de Doñana (CSIC) 1997 - 2002. Degree in biology, University of Navarra, Spain |