Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Small game water troughs in a Spanish agrarian pseudo steppe: visits and water site choice by wild fauna

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
European Journal of Wildlife Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This paper studies the visits of wild fauna, the influence of vegetal cover and fencing at water site election, and consumption tendency in water troughs designed for small game species distributed in an agricultural Mediterranean area during the summers from 2002 to 2005. Red-legged partridges (Alectoris rufa), lagomorphs (Oryctolagus cuniculus, Lepus granatensis), and other autochthonous species (birds and wild canids) visited water sources throughout the study. The number of visits by target species was higher than non-game. Lagomorphs preferred protected troughs (with surrounding vegetal cover) while partridges opted for open ones (without cover). Fencing had no effect on the visits of birds and lagomorphs, but it did reduce the visits of wild canids. Harsh climatic conditions determined an increase in water consumption in summer. Before designing a water trough device for this fauna, managers should consider that (1) target and non-target species could try to make use of it, (2) water points should be adapted to target species self protection, (3) fencing can prevent undesirable visitors (particularly predators), and (4) water requirements increase in the harsh moments of the dry season.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Alonso ME, Pérez JA, Gaudioso VR, Díez C, Prieto R (2005) Study of survival, dispersal and home range of autumn-released red-legged partridges (Alectoris rufa). Br Poult Sci 46(4):401–406

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bartholomew GA, Cade TJ (1963) Water economy of land bird. Auk 80:504–539

    Google Scholar 

  • Bartolomé DJ (2002) Utilización del radioseguimiento para la valoración del comportamiento de la liebre ibérica (Lepus granatensis, Rosenhauer, 1856), en un paisaje agroestepario. 122 pp. Dissertation. Universidad de León

  • Beja P, Gordinho L, Reino L, Loureiro F, Santos-Reis M, Borralho R (2009) Predator abundance in relation to small game management in southern Portugal: conservation implications. Eur J Wildl Res 55:227–238

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Benolkin P (1988) Strategic placement of artificial watering devices for use by Chukar partridge. In: G.K. Tsukamoto and S.J. Stiver [EDS.]. Proc. Wildlife Water Development Symposium, 30 Nov–1 Dec 1988, Las Vegas, Nev. Nevada Chapter The Wildl. Soc., USDI BLM, and Nevada Dept. Wildl. p. 59–62.

  • Bernabéu RL (2000) Evaluación económica de la caza en Castilla La Mancha. PhD Thesis, IREC, Universidad de Castilla La Mancha, Spain

  • Borralho R, Rito A, Rêgo F, Simôes H, Pinto PV (1998) Summer distribution of red-legged partrigdes (Alectoris rufa) in relation to water availability on Mediterranean farmland. Ibis 140:620–662

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brown, RL (1994) Effects of timber management practices on elk. Arizona Game and Fish Dep. Res. Branch Tech. Rep. No. 10. Phoenix, Arizona

  • Canavos GC (1986) Probabilidad y estadística. Aplicaciones y Métodos. Ed. Mc-Graw Hill, Madrid

    Google Scholar 

  • Casas F (2008) Gestión Agraria y Cinegética: efectos sobre la perdiz roja (Alectoris rufa) y aves esteparias protegidas. PhD Thesis, IREC, Universidad de Castilla La Mancha, Spain

  • Casas F, Guzmán JL, Carrasco J, Ruiz-Peinado JV, González JM, Moraleda J, Viñuela J (2006) Especies que comparten el uso de los bebederos de perdiz roja (Alectoris rufa). XVIII Congreso español y III Ibérico de ornitología, Elche (Alicante)

    Google Scholar 

  • Chamaillé-Jammes S, Valeix M, Fritz H (2007) Managing heterogeneity in elephant distribution: interactions between elephant population density and surface water availability. J Appl Ecol 44:625–633

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cutler PL (1996) Wildlife use of two artificial water developments on the Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge, southwestern Arizona. Thesis, University of Arizona, Tucson

  • Instituto Nacional de Meteorología, Ministerio de Medio ambiente (2006) Resumen anual climatológico del año 2005. Available in http://www.aemet.es/documentos/es/elclima/datos_climat/resumenes_climat/anuales/res_anual_clim_2005.pdf.

  • De Stefano S, Schmidt SL, De Vos JC (2000) Observations of predator activity at wildlife water developments in southern Arizona. J Range Manag 53:255–258

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Degen AA (1987) Responses of two Negev Desert phaisanids, the chukar (Alectoris chukar) and the sand partridge (Ammoperdix heyi), to diets of different water content. J Arid Environ 12:169–174

    Google Scholar 

  • Degen AA, Pinshow B, Alkon PU (1983) Summer water turnover rates in free living Chukars and sand partridges in the Negev Desert. Condor 85:333–337

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Díez C, Pérez JA, Prieto R, Bartolomé DJ, Gaudioso VR, Alonso ME (2004) Plan de repoblación de conejo de monte (O. cuniculus) en dos ecosistemas diferentes de Castilla y León. Montaña de León y Meseta Castellana. In: Resultados del Plan de Experimentación Agraria 2004. ITACyL (ed) p. 53–66

  • El Digital Castilla La Mancha (2007, 7 de octubre). Comienza la temporada de caza en Castilla La Mancha. Available in http://www.eldigitalcastillalamancha.es/articulos.asp?idarticulo=22213. Accessed on 14 Dec 2007

  • European Environment Agency (1998). La actividad agraria. En: Medio Ambiente en Europa. El Informe Dobris. Oficina de Publicaciones Oficiales de las Comunidades Europeas. Ed. Ministerio de Medio Ambiente. 678 pp.

  • Garrido G (2001) SPSS Aplicado a las ciencias de la salud. Ed. RA-MA. Madrid

  • Gortázar C (1998). Ecología y Patología del zorro (Vulpes vulpes, L.) en el valle del medio Ebro. Thesis, Universidad de Zaragoza

  • Gortázar C, Villafuerte R, Escudero MA, Marco J (2002) Post-breeding densities of the Red-legged Partridge (Alectoris rufa) in agrosystems: A large-scale study in Aragon, Northeastern Spain. Z. Jagdwlss. 48:94–101

    Google Scholar 

  • Hayward JS (1961) The ability of the wild rabbit to survive conditions of water restriction. C.S.I.R.O. Wild Res 6:160–175

    Google Scholar 

  • James CD, Landsberg J, Morton SR (1999) Provision of watering points in the Australian arid zone: a review of effects on biota. J Arid Environ 41:87–212

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Korchert MN, Millsap BA, Steenhof, K (1988) Effects of livestock grazing on raptors with emphasis on the southwestern US, p. 325–340. In: R.L. Glinski, B.g. Pendelton, M.B. Moss, M.N. Le Franc Jr., B.A. Millsap and S.W. Hoffman, (Eds.), Proc. Southwest Raptor Management Symposium and Workshop. Nat. Wildl. Federation Science and Tech. Ser. No. 11. Nat. Wildl. Federation, Washington, D.C.

  • Larsen RT, Flinders JT, Mitchell DL, Perkins ER, Whiting DG (2007a) Chukar watering patterns and water site selection. Rangeland Eco Man 60:559–565

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Larsen RT, Flinders JT, Mitchell DL, Perkins ER, Whiting DG (2007b) Conservation risk of exotic chukars (Alectoris chukar) and their associated management: implications for a widely introduced phasianid. Wildl Res 34:262–270

    Google Scholar 

  • Leeuw J, Waweru MN, Okello OO, Maloba M, Nguru P, Said MY, Aligula HM, Heitkönig IMA, Reid RS (2001) Distribution and diversity of wildlife in northern Kenya in relation to livestock and permanent water points. Biol Conserv 100:297–306

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Leopold AS (1933) Game management. Charles Scribner´s Sons, New York, 1986 reprint

    Google Scholar 

  • Manrique A (1992) El agua de calidad, un bien cada día más escaso. In: Consejería de Medio Ambiente de la Junta de Castilla y León [ed.] Segundas jornadas castellano y leonesas de Medio Ambiente. Valladolid.

  • McCarty JP (2001) Ecological consequences of recent climate change. Conserv Biol 15:320–331

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McCarty CW, Bailey JA (1994) Habitat requirements of desert bighorn sheep. Colorado Division of Wildl. Spec. Rep. 69. Denver, Colorado

  • Moreno S, Villafuerte R, Delibes M (1996) Cover is safe during the day but dangerous at night: the use for vegetation by European wild rabbits. Can J Zool 74:1656–1660

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Olcina J (1999) La sequía en España. Zaragoza. In: Universidad de Zaragoza (ed) Congreso Ibérico sobre planificación y gestión del agua. El agua a debate desde la universidad. Hacia una nueva cultura del agua 237. Zaragoza, Spain

  • Onrubia A (2009) Inventario y caracterización de poblaciones de fauna salvaje. Técnicas de censo, seguimiento de poblaciones y estudio de su dinámica poblacional. In: WAVES (ed) Máster en Gestión y Conservación de Fauna Salvaje y Espacios Protegidos. Modulo III. Gestión de la fauna silvestre y los Espacios Naturales. Zamora. Spain. pp 213–234.

  • Owen-Smith N (1996) Ecological guidelines for waterpoints in extensive protected areas. S Afr J Wildl Res 26:107–112

    Google Scholar 

  • Papadakis J (1966) Climates of the world and their agricultural potentialities. J. Papadakis (ed) Buenos Aires, Argentina

  • Peiró V (1997) Gestión ecológica de los recursos cinegéticos. Universidad de Alicante, Alicante

    Google Scholar 

  • Pérez JA (2006) Determinación de los principales parámetros ecoetológicos de la perdiz roja (Alectoris rufa, L. 1758) y su aplicación a la evaluación de animales destinados a repoblación. Thesis, Universidad de León, España.

  • Pérez JA, Gaudioso VR, Alonso ME, Olmedo JA, Díez C, Bartolomé DJ (2004) Use of radiotracking techniques to study a summer repopulation with red-legged partridge (Alectoris rufa) chicks. Poult Sci 83:882–888

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Pintos R, Braza F, Álvarez F (1985) Etograma de la perdiz roja (Alectoris rufa) en libertad. Donana Acta Vertebr 12(2):231–250

    Google Scholar 

  • Pongrácz P, Altbäcker V (2000) Ontogeny of the responses of European rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) to aerial and ground predators. Can J Zool 78:655–665

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Potts GR (1985) Herbicides and the decline of the partrigde: an internacional presepctive. In: Proceedings 1985 British Crop Protection Conference. Weeds 3:983–990

  • Redfern JV, Grant CC, Gaylard A, Getz WM (2005) Surface water availability and the management of herbivore distributions in an African ecosystem. J Arid Environ 63:406–424

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rito A, Borralho R (1997) Importancia da disponibilidade de água para galiformes bravios em situaçôes de carência. Revista de Ciencias Agrárias, 20

  • Rosenstock SS, Ballard WB, De Vos JC (1999) Viewpoint: benefits and impacts of wildlife water developments. J Range Manag 52:302–311

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rosenstock SS, Rabe MJ, O’Brien CS, Waddell RB (2004) Studies of wildlife water developments in southwestern Arizona: wildlife use, water quality, wildlife diseases, wildlife mortalities and influences on native pollinators. Arizona Game and Fish Department, Research Branch Technical Guidance Bulletin, No. 8, Phoenix. 15 p

  • Ryan SJ, Getz WM (2005) A spatial location-allocation GIS framework for managing water sources in a savanna nature reserve. S Afr J Wildl Res 35:163–178

    Google Scholar 

  • Schmidt SL, De Stefano S (1996) Impact of artificial water developments on nongame wildlife in the Sonoran Desert of southern Arizona: 1996 annual report. Arizona Cooperative Fish and Wildl. Res. Unit, Univ. Arizona. Tucson, Ariz.

  • Smith NS, Henry RS (1985) Short-term effects or artificial oases on wildlife. Final Rep. to USDI Bur. Reclamation. Arizona Coop. Wildl. Res. Unit, Univ. Arizona. Tucson, Ariz.

  • The Game Conservancy Limited (1992). Wild partridge management, 4. Fordingbridge Hampshire pp. 74

  • Valeix M, Fritz H, Loveridge AJ, Davidson Z, Hunt JE, Murindagomo F, Macdonald DW (2009) Does the risk of encountering lions influence African herbivore behaviour at waterholes? Behav Ecol Sociobiol 63:1483–1494

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Villafuerte R, Kufner MB, Delibes M, Moreno S (1993) Environmental factors influencing the seasonal daily activity of the European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) in a Mediterranean area. Mammalia 57(3):341–347

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wakefield S, Attum O (2005) The effects of human visits on the use of a waterhole by endangered ungulates. J Arid Environ 65:668–672

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Walther GR, Post E, Convey P, Menzel A, Parmesan C, Beebee TJC, Fromentin JM, Hoegh-Gulberg O, Bairlen F (2002) Ecological responses to recent climate change. Nature 416:389–395

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wilson LO, Hannans D (1977) Guidelines and recommendations for design and modification of livestock watering developments to facilitate safe use by wildlife. USDI. Bur. Land. Manage. Tech. Note 305

Download references

Acknowledgments

This work was financially supported by the Junta de Castilla y León (Spain). We also thank Ignacio Prieto Sarro (Carthography Service of the University of León), Juan Antonio Olmedo for his faithful support, and Donal J. Savage and Courtnee L. Henry for their help with the English version of this manuscript. Special thanks are extended to the two reviewers of the manuscript for their constructive comments.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Research Group on Game Species Breeding and Management, Departamento de Producción Animal, Universidad de León, 24071, León, Spain

    Vicente R. Gaudioso Lacasa, Carlos Sánchez García-Abad, Raquel Prieto Martín, José A. Pérez Garrido & Marta E. Alonso de La Varga

  2. Instituto Tecnológico Agrario de Castilla y León, Paseo Canalejas no. 77, 2º A 37001, Salamanca, Spain

    Daniel J. Bartolomé Rodríguez

Authors
  1. Vicente R. Gaudioso Lacasa
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Carlos Sánchez García-Abad
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Raquel Prieto Martín
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Daniel J. Bartolomé Rodríguez
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. José A. Pérez Garrido
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Marta E. Alonso de La Varga
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Carlos Sánchez García-Abad.

Additional information

Communicated by C. Gortázar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Gaudioso Lacasa, V.R., Sánchez García-Abad, C., Prieto Martín, R. et al. Small game water troughs in a Spanish agrarian pseudo steppe: visits and water site choice by wild fauna. Eur J Wildl Res 56, 591–599 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10344-009-0352-6

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10344-009-0352-6

Keywords

Search

Navigation