<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><xml><records><record><source-app name="Biblio" version="7.x">Drupal-Biblio</source-app><ref-type>17</ref-type><contributors></contributors><titles><title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Use of tree hollows by a Mediterranean forest carnivore</style></title><secondary-title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Forest Ecology and Management</style></secondary-title></titles><dates><year><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2014</style></year></dates><publisher><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Elsevier B.V.</style></publisher><volume><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">315</style></volume><pages><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">54-62</style></pages><language><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">eng</style></language><abstract><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Although tree hollows seem to be key structures for a wide range of forest mammals, their importance for Mediterranean forest carnivores remain poorly understood. Here we address this issue, by analysing daily resting site use by 21 radio-collared common genets. Tree hollows were used far more frequently during the wet season (October–April; 73.1% of daily locations) than in the dry season (May–September; 47.6%). Nests and underground dens were the second and third most frequently used resting sites, respectively, in both wet (17.5% and 9.4%) and dry (34.1% and 18.3%) seasons. Each individual reused a large percentage of its resting sites (65.7%). Some resting sites (17.3%) were used by more than one individual, but simultaneous sharing was exceedingly rare (0.56% of daily locations). Hollow use probability during the wet season varied little in relation to environmental variables, though there was a tendency to be higher away from riparian habitats (&gt;50m) and to be lower in sites with very high shrub cover (&gt;80%). Environmental influences were responsible for more variability in the dry season, when hollow usage was highest in hot days, in days with precipitation, far from riparian habitats, close to sources of human disturbance, in landscapes dominated by continuous forest habitats, and in sites with low shrub cover. Results support the importance of tree hollows for Mediterranean forest carnivores, probably because they provide safe shelter against unfavourable weather, predators and human disturbance. However, results also revealed the importance of riparian trees, which offer support for building nests close to sources of water and food during the dry season. Considering home range size and the average number of hollow-bearing trees used by each genet, we recommend that management of cork and holm oak forests should strive to safeguard at least 4.6 hollow-bearing trees per 100ha, while simultaneously maintaining large riparian trees. This will improve the resting habitat for common genets, while presumably favouring also other Mediterranean carnivores.</style></abstract></record><record><source-app name="Biblio" version="7.x">Drupal-Biblio</source-app><ref-type>17</ref-type><contributors></contributors><titles><title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Predator abundance in relation to small game management in southern Portugal: conservation implications</style></title><secondary-title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">European Journal of Wildlife Research</style></secondary-title></titles><dates><year><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2008</style></year></dates><volume><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">55</style></volume><pages><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">227-238</style></pages><language><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">eng</style></language><abstract><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">The interaction between hunting interests and legally protected predators is often a contentious conservation problem, requiring detailed understanding of predator responses to game management. This issue was addressed in southern Portugal in a treatment-control natural experiment, whereby the abundances of small game, corvids, birds of prey and carnivores were compared in 12 game estates (&gt;500 ha) and 12 matching areas with similar sizes and land uses but no gamemanagement. European rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus), Iberian hares (Lepus granatensis) and, less so, red-legged partridges (Alectoris rufa) were far more numerous in game estates than elsewhere. Among legally controlled species, there were less Eurasian jays (Garrulus glandarius) but more red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) in game estates, though the latter were primary targets of predator culling. Fox abundance within game estates varied inversely with an index of management intensity (density of small game feeding sites) and increased along with hare abundance. As for protected species, only common kestrels (Falco tinnunculus) and genets (Genetta genetta) were fewer in game estates. The abundance of raptors within game estates varied inversely with gamekeeper density, whereas that of common buzzards (Buteo buteo) increased along with rabbit abundance. Overall, there was little evidence that game management reduced local predator abundances, except in the most intensively managed estates. Game estates provided concentrations of prey that was scarce elsewhere, which may have favoured increased abundances of some predators. Further investigations are needed to find out whether high prey densities may attract predators to game estates with increased mortality risk, which may thus become population sinks for protected species.</style></abstract></record><record><source-app name="Biblio" version="7.x">Drupal-Biblio</source-app><ref-type>17</ref-type><contributors><authors><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Beja, Pedro</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Gordinho, Luís</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Reino, Luís</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Loureiro, Filipa</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Santos-Reis, Margarida</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Borralho, Rui</style></author></authors></contributors><titles><title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Predator abundance in relation to small game management in southern Portugal: conservation implications</style></title><secondary-title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">European Journal of Wildlife Research</style></secondary-title></titles><keywords><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">birds of prey</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">carnivores</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">conservation conflict</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">hunting</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">predator control</style></keyword></keywords><dates><year><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2008</style></year><pub-dates><date><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2008///</style></date></pub-dates></dates><urls><web-urls><url><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">http://www.springerlink.com/index/10.1007/s10344-008-0236-1</style></url></web-urls></urls><volume><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">55</style></volume><pages><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">227 - 238</style></pages><language><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">eng</style></language><abstract><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">The interaction between hunting interests and legally protected predators is often a contentious conservation problem, requiring detailed understanding of predator responses to game management. This issue was addressed in southern Portugal in a treatment-control natural experiment, whereby the abundances of small game, corvids, birds of prey and carnivores were compared in 12 game estates (&gt;500 ha) and 12 matching areas with similar sizes and land uses but no gamemanagement. European rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus), Iberian hares (Lepus granatensis) and, less so, red-legged partridges (Alectoris rufa) were far more numerous in game estates than elsewhere. Among legally controlled species, there were less Eurasian jays (Garrulus glandarius) but more red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) in game estates, though the latter were primary targets of predator culling. Fox abundance within game estates varied inversely with an index of management intensity (density of small game feeding sites) and increased along with hare abundance. As for protected species, only common kestrels (Falco tinnunculus) and genets (Genetta genetta) were fewer in game estates. The abundance of raptors within game estates varied inversely with gamekeeper density, whereas that of common buzzards (Buteo buteo) increased along with rabbit abundance. Overall, there was little evidence that game management reduced local predator abundances, except in the most intensively managed estates. Game estates provided concentrations of prey that was scarce elsewhere, which may have favoured increased abundances of some predators. Further investigations are needed to find out whether high prey densities may attract predators to game estates with increased mortality risk, which may thus become population sinks for protected species.</style></abstract><issue><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">3</style></issue></record></records></xml>