Abstract
The Eurasian collared dove (Streptopelia decaocto) is an invader species, and its distribution is continuously on the increase. Today its expansion has spread to the American continent. In this study we describe the effects of the urban environment on the Eurasian collared dove in eastern Spain. The abundance and presence of this dove were analyzed in 46 localities using counting points. Overall, 220-point counts were surveyed between autumn 2015 and late-winter 2016. A hierarchical partitioning analysis was used to identify explanatory variables of different types such as resources, climate and urban structure, and human presence, which may influence the presence and abundance of this species. In the case of presence, the number of town inhabitants, parks, mean minimum temperature, exotic vegetation and schools had a positive association, while pedestrian number and restaurants had a negative association. Abundance was positively related to native vegetation, exotic vegetation, and water, while urban area was negatively associated with it. Exotic vegetation was the only variable that has a positive relation to presence and abundance. These results can help to predict the use of urban habitats in potential localities for its invasion.
Highlights
The extent of urban areas is increasing worldwide and most of the human population lives in towns and cities (Johnson and Munshi-South 2017)
The emergence of new small urban areas, near big towns and cities, would be an ideal environment to facilitate the expansion of the Eurasian collared dove (Streptopelia decaocto)
The presence Hierarchical partitioning (HP) analysis showed in the resources group that the positive and significant variables were parks, schools, and exotic vegetation
Summary
The extent of urban areas is increasing worldwide and most of the human population lives in towns and cities (Johnson and Munshi-South 2017). The emergence of new small urban areas, near big towns and cities, would be an ideal environment to facilitate the expansion of the Eurasian collared dove (Streptopelia decaocto). This species came from South-Western Asia (Baptista et al 1997) and has expanded through Europe due to anthropic corridors that facilitate invasions according to processes that have been known for more than 40 years (Udvardy 1969, Blackburn et al 2009). At the beginning of the twentieth century in Europe, increased rainfall weakened the North Balkan barrier and opened the way for the Eurasian collared-dove to expand from Turkey (Bernis et al 1985) and its spread since the 1930s (Hengeveld and Van den Bosch 1991)
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