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A new breeding population of Mediterranean Gulls Larus melanocephalus in the species' main wintering area maintains independent spatial dynamics
Author(s) -
Carboneras Carles,
Dies José Ignacio
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
ibis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.933
H-Index - 80
eISSN - 1474-919X
pISSN - 0019-1019
DOI - 10.1111/ibi.12324
Subject(s) - mediterranean climate , range (aeronautics) , geography , population , ecology , larus , biology , fishery , fish <actinopterygii> , demography , materials science , sociology , composite material , herring
We studied a newly established breeding population of the range‐expanding Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus in eastern Spain, situated in close proximity to the species' main wintering area. By investigating the origin, population composition and wintering area of the new breeders, we found that recruitment from locally wintering birds was unlikely and that the emerging colonies were probably attracting birds from populations wintering 700–1200 km away in Portugal and southern Spain. Our findings reveal that expanding populations may follow their own dynamics, independently of other populations of the same species, and may consist of different individuals altogether.