Ana C. Andreu

Estación Biológica de Doñana · Monitoring Team at Doñana Biological Area

The overexploitation of groundwater is directly altering the temporary pond network located in the sandy area of the Doñana National Park. Some ponds have disappeared, and many others have reduced their hydroperiod and flooded area which, in turn, have impacted the species inhabiting them. The most vulnerable species are those requiring a long hydr...

In a very dry year, when aquatic habitats were scarce, we observed exceptionally massive corixid oviposition on terrapin shells in Doñana National Park, southwestern Spain. Most terrapins inhabiting a large pond devoid of aquatic vegetation exhibited a dense cover of corixid eggs, whilst terrapins from vegetated ponds had no egg cover. Corixid ovip...

The present study uses bird eggs of 7 wild species as a biomonitoring tool for sunscreens occurrence. Seven UV filters (UV-Fs), including 3 hydroxy-metabolites of oxybenzone (benzophenone 3, BP3) were characterized in unhatched eggs from Doñana Natural Space (Southwestern, Spain). High frequency of detection was observed for all UV-Fs, ranging from...

Recent studies demonstrated that the common pyrethroid insecticides are present in aquatic biota tissues. In this study, 123 samples of unhatched eggs of 16 wild bird species collected from 2010 to 2012 in Doñana National and Natural Park were analysed to determine 13 pyrethroids. This study represents the first time that pyrethroids are detected i...

Human-mediated secondary contact of recently diverged taxa offers valuable opportunities for studying the evolutionary mechanisms involved in the establishment and maintenance of genetic boundaries between taxa. We used mitochondrial and microsatellite markers to examine a recently introduced population of the spur-thighed tortoise (Testudo graeca)...

Esta novedad legal ha provo-cado una gran alarma entre los particulares que hasta la fecha tenían tortugas de tierra en cau-tividad –algo que pasa de ser fal-ta administrativa a delito penal– en provincias como las de Murcia y Almería. Este es el motivo por el cual los centros de recuperación de fauna silvestre se han visto satura-dos por la llegad...

We monitored reproductive females of Emys orbicularis and Mauremys leprosa during the summer of 2001 in Doñana National Park. Radiographs revealed that females of both species may lay at least two clutches from May to July. We recorded incubation temperatures in one nest of each species, and found them to be 24.7ºC in E. orbicularis and 28.7ºC in M...

The occurrence of classical (polybrominated diphenyl ethers, PBDEs) and emerging FRs (dechloranes, hexabromobenzene (HBB), pentabromoethyl benzene (PBEB) and decabromodiphenyl ethane (DBDPE)) in unborn eggs of 14 different species from Doñana Natural Space and surrounding areas was studied. PBDEs, Dec-602, Dec-603 and DP were detected in all the sp...

Invasive crayfish have severely impacted invaded aquatic ecosystems worldwide. We studied temporal and spatial variation in the range expansion of the red swamp crayfish at one of the first European localities to which it was introduced: Doñana National Park (SW Spain). In contrast to the rapid range expansion witnessed in other areas, this invasiv...

The Iberian hare Lepus granatensis is a common and abundant species throughout the Iberian Peninsula; however, studies documenting its ecology are scarce. Between August 1996 and September 1997, after a long drought, we studied the effects of a widespread flood on the Iberian hare ecology in ecotone pastures of Doñana National Park. Hares were capt...

Reproduction in female spur-thighed tortoises (Testudo graeca) in a population from southwestern Spain was studied by X-radiography of thread-trailed and radio-tagged individuals. Most females reproduce every year, laying one to four clutches from April to June with internesting intervals ranging from 21 to 29 days. Clutch size varied from 1 to 7 e...

Activity, mobility, growth rates, and space use of 48 hatchling spur-thighed tortoises, Testudo graeca, were monitored over a period of 8 months, from emergence from the nest in September until May. Individuals were followed by means of thread trailing and radio tracking. Overall average distance moved was 4.42 m/day and average home-range size was...

Hatching success, egg incubation, emergence and hatchling characteristics were assessed for 44 naturally incubating nests of Testudo graeca in south-western Spain. Nest predation rate was 4.5% and overall hatching success was 82.4%. Incubation periods ranged from 78 to 114 days, and hatchlings delayed emergence from the nest from one to 23 days. Em...

Spur-thighed tortoises, Testudo graeca, in south-western Spain lay 3-4 clutches in shallow nests from April to June. In the present study the incubation temperature of nests laid in field enclosures in April, May and June was monitored over four years. Mean daily temperature throughout incubation averaged 27.9°C, but displayed a wide daily range, w...

The spur-thighed tortoise (Testudo graeca) is a terrestrial species in which multiple mating is frequently observed. We assessed the probability of multiple paternity in clutches (n = 15) laid by eight females, including successive clutches. Paternity was determined by microsatellite analyses at three loci. A large number of alleles per locus (n =...

We assessed the dynamics of a population of spur-thighed tortoises, Testudo graeca. placed under long-term protection from human interference. We estimated demographic parameters and constructed vertical life tables based on age structures for two different study periods separated by a 12-yr interval. Average age at maturity was 6.9 yr for males an...

Cuatro espies de reptiles amenazados, todos ellos pertenecientes a a fauna espanyola, sirven de modelo para valorar las ventajas e inconvenientes de la cria en cautividad como alternativa a la conservacion de poblaciones naturales. En tres de estas especies se ha revelado como una herramienta util, mientras que en la cuarta puede llegar a ser del t...

Testudo graeca is an endangered species of tortoise that inhabits Mediterranean areas of Africa, Asia, and Europe. Western populations are found on both sides of the Straits of Gibraltar. The effects of geographical isolation on genetic divergence were assessed by the sequence analysis of two mitochondrial DNA regions of the 12S rRNA and cytochrome...

We assessed mortality causes and survival rates for 59 free ranging Testudo graeca hatchlings. Individuals were followed for varying lengths of time from emergence from the nest in August-September to April using thread-trailing. Hatchlings died from unknown causes, mainly soon after emergence and belonged mainly to clutches which contained also un...

Tlrc sizc and agc strltctLtrc of-a population of' Ettl's r¡rbiculuri.t ltis¡ttuticrt front Lhc Natiotlal Park of' Doñanit (SW Spain) is prcsented. No si il'icant scxual l'ou nd arìlolìg adults, rnean adul fntn strar t-len h (scL) for g for rnalcs and l4 les. Mean adult wet was 6gfor es an lèrnales, apd dil'lèred signil'icantly between sexes AdLrlt...

Hatching success, egg incubation, emergence and hatchling characteristics were assessed for 44 naturally incubating nests of Testudo graeca in south-western Spain. Nest predation rate was 4.5% and overall hatching success was 82.4%. Incubation periods ranged from 78 to 114 days, and hatchlings delayed emergence from the nest from one to 23 days. Em...

The body size of specimens of Triturus marmoratus pygmaeus from Doñana is the smallest recorded for this subspecies. Snout-vent length averages 42.3 mm in males, and 43.9 mm in females. Mean body mass in males is 2.04 g and 2.29 g in females. The age of newts was estimated by means of skeletochronological methods. The maximum longevity recorded was...

The main activity period of Blanus cinereus occurred from March to July, and a second period with lower activity was detected in autumn. Individuals were mainly diurnal, but they also exhibited nocturnal activity in April, June and especially in July. Daily activity appeared to be related to air and surface temperatures, while the annual variation...

Seeds belonging to 34 species, mainly Poaceae, Asteraceae and Juncaceae, were identified in a sample of 170 faecal pellets of Testudo graeca from Donana Biological Reserve, Huelva province, Spain. The effect of the digestion of these chelonians on the seeds of Spergula arvensis, Hypochaeris glabra, Rumex bucephalophorus, Ornithopus sativus, Briza m...

Ecología y dinámica poblacional de las tortugas moras de Doñana. 1987. Universidad de Sevilla. España.