Feeding and breeding ecology of three insectivorous birds in Mediterranean ecosystems

• Autores: Francisco Atienzar Navarro
• Directores de la Tesis: Eduardo J. Belda (dir. tes.), Emilio Barba Campos (dir. tes.)
• Lectura: En la Universitat de València ( España ) en 2009
• Idioma: inglés
• Tribunal Calificador de la Tesis: Juan José Sanz Cid (presid.), Juan Salvador Monrós (secret.), Paulo A. M. Marques (voc.), José Verdejo Bravo (voc.), Francisco Valera Hernández (voc.)
• Materias:
  • Ciencias de la vida
    • Biología animal (zoología)
      • Ecología animal
    • Etología
      • Animal
  • Ciencias agrarias
    • Peces y fauna silvestre
      • Influencia del hábitat
• Enlaces
  • Tesis en acceso abierto en:  TDX  TDX  TESEO 
• Resumen

  • Tits (Paridae) are one of the most and better passerines known owing to they are broadly distributed, breeding in different habitats from gardens to forests, and they make use of nest boxes for breeding. Hence, such species are ideal for comparative studies on a large geographical scale. Despite the great amount of information concerned to tits, we still do not really understand life-history strategies of birds living under most ecological conditions. The present thesis is focused on achieving a better understanding of how birds are adapted to their environment. In particular, to examine the existence and the consequences of food limitation in Mediterranean evergreen habitats, through an adequate knowledge of the constraints affecting both feeding behaviour and breeding success. To achieve the main objectives proposed, studies were conducted in three Mediterranean ecosystems: pine and Holm Oak Quercux iles forests, and an orange grove. This was carried out mainly over Great Tits Parus major, and in certain cases over Crested Tits Lophophanes cristatus and Coal Tits Periparus ater. The specific aims pursued in this thesis are as follows: