Phd-Dissertation Reviews in Ornithology in Spain (2021-2022 Academic Year)

Abstract

: Biological control of rodents by predation in agricultural ecosystems has been suggested for several decades as a sustainable alternative to the widespread use of anticoagulant rodenticides, due to the lower environmental impact of the former method. Cavity-nesting raptors can be considered optimal biological agents, as their abundances tend to increase rapidly through the installation of nest boxes, especially in agricultural environments where the availability of natural nesting cavities is often scarce. In this thesis, we evaluated the biological control on the Common Vole ( Microtus arvalis ), and the Mediterranean Pine Vole ( Microtus duodecimcostatus ), by favoring the presence of two predators (one generalist and the other specialist), with high mobility capacity: the Common Kestrel ( Fal-co tinnunculus ) and the Barn Owl ( Tyto alba ), in regions of the Iberian Peninsula where recurrent demographic explosions of voles associated with agricultural damage have been recorded. Biological control by predation can