María Martínez-Jauregui

• PhD
• Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria

Herbivory by ungulates is a seminal driving force in Mediterranean landscapes, where habitat diversity contributes to supporting high population densities. We investigated the influence of grazing and browsing, primarily by red deer (Cervus elaphus), on herbaceous and woody plant species, using a twin-plot design with herbivory exclusion. The promp...

Los índices de calidad de la dieta son herramientas útiles para investigar la ecología, el comportamiento y la gestión de la fauna salvaje. Concretamente en ungulados en ecosistemas mediterráneos es esperable que la calidad de la dieta varíe a lo largo del año debido a la alta estacionalidad. El nitrógeno fecal (NF) ha sido ampliamente utilizado co...

La caza recreativa de trofeos constituye un uso significativo de las poblaciones de ungulados en España, con implicaciones directas tanto en la ecología de las especies cinegéticas como en la conservación de sus hábitats. La gestión orientada hacia la obtención de trofeos afecta diversos aspectos ecológicos de las poblaciones y de los ecosistemas e...

Recreational hunting, especially big game trophy hunting, has a significant impact on large areas and requires specific wildlife management strategies. However, because the pursuit of maximum hunter satisfaction can jeopardize species conservation, it is crucial to identify the factors that determine recreational trophy hunter satisfaction. We inve...

In the pursuit of sustainable coexistence between people and wildlife, the integration of sustainable game management practices into land use policies is paramount. Our proposal is to implement a third-party certification scheme to assess the sustainability of game management systems using the Principles, Criteria, and Indicators approach (PCI sche...

La caza recreativa es una actividad popular que disfrutan millones de personas en el mundo y desempeña un papel importante en algunas sociedades. Sin embargo, en el sur de Europa, se ha observado una notable disminución en el número de cazadores, atribuida a la reducción de la caza menor, al éxodo rural y al sentimiento anti-caza en las zonas urban...

Sustainability of land use is a guiding paradigm for natural resource policy in the 21st century and should also be pursued in wildlife management. We have bridged the theoretical sustainability framework with practical policy implementation by defining a certification scheme whereby landowners implement game management systems that are aligned wit...

The effect of wild ungulate density on ecosystems varies according to different factors: climate and physiography conditions, forest type, management history, and herbivore identity. In this study, we evaluated the effect of historically high densities of red deer (Cervus elaphus L.) on the soil fungal communities in Mediterranean ecosystems using...

Managing game species suffering population declines demands effective harvest regulation to allow for species recovery. Striking a balance is crucial to ensure that regulations are not perceived as unfair impositions, potentially leading to non-compliance issues. The European turtle-dove (Streptopelia turtur) is a unique example of such conservatio...

Abstract A new regulation has led to the prohibition of recreational hunting on estates located within Spanish National Parks (NPs). Before the ban, eleven NPs in Spain had already reported negative ecological consequences associated with high densities of wild ungulates. The new situation that has occurred after the ban signifies that policies wi...

ABSTRACT. Social perception of ungulates and their management depends on both their abundance and the socioeconomic context. However, an approach that addresses this issue is currently unavailable. Our objective was to employ a survey in Spain (n = 440) to evaluate the knowledge and perceptions on the eight species of wild ungulates that inhabit th...

Brown trout population dynamics are driven by endogenous and exogenous factors acting together or interacting. Endogenous mechanisms include stock–recruitment relationship and cohort effects, whereas the main external driver is often stream discharge. However, detailed consequences at the cohort and population level of the effects of endogenous and...

Zoonotic emerging diseases (ZEDs) are increasing and may deeply impact human wellbeing, but our recent survey of public opinion in six European countries (n = 2415 participants) suggests a low concern among Europeans about the risk associated with ZEDs. This contrasts with Europeans’ high awareness of climate change risks, which was confirmed by ou...

Public surveys can be valuable tools to collect information on wildlife distribution. Our objective was to improve the knowledge on the distribution and expanding areas of the Egyptian mongoose (Herpestes ichneumon) in central Spain by using an on‐line questionnaire to hunters. We assessed the reliability of information that hunters provided by com...

The EU biodiversity strategy for 2030 sets out a framework of commitments and actions to tackle the main drivers of biodiversity loss. Such framework needs to be built on a whole-of-society approach to biodiversity protection, mobilizing private and public funding. In this context, our goal was estimating societal support and preferences about some...

Local communities surrounding wildlife corridors and natural reserves often face challenges related to human–wildlife coexistence. To mitigate the challenges and ensure the long-term conservation of wildlife, it is important to engage local communities in the design of conservation strategies. By conducting 480 face-to-face interviews in 30 village...

The INCREMENTO project attempts to evaluate the consequences of a progressive increase of wild ungulate (red deer, Cervus elaphus) abundance on the structure and functioning of two Mediterranean environments (Quintos de Mora, Toledo and Muela de Cortes, Valencia). We are conducting a manipulative approach based on the release of herds of female red...

Only a handful of bird species can be considered specialists of Mediterranean pine forests; however, many forest birds occupy pine and mixed forest, due to the biogeographic history of Mediterranean forest birds. Nevertheless, pine forest bird communities show clear-cut responses to changes in forest distribution, structure and composition at both...

The Egyptian mongoose Herpestes ichneumon (Linnaeus, 1758) is the only species of family Herpestidae that occurs naturally in Europe. It was restricted to SW Iberian Peninsula from where it seems to be expanding in the last decades. However, information on mongoose distribution and recent trends in some areas, such as central Spain (e.g. Castilla -...

GECISO Manual proposes a conceptual framework to develop: The Technical Standard (TE) GECISO®. GECISO® is a technical standard for the territorially-based certification of game management by companies accredited by ENAC, the Spanish national entity for accreditation. GECISO provides detailed regulatory specifications for the certification of susta...

GECISO® is a technical standard for the territorially-based certification of game management by companies accredited by ENAC, the Spanish national entity for accreditation. GECISO provides detailed regulatory specifications for the certification of sustainable management, and it is beginning to be translated into practice on hunting grounds in Spai...

Natural corridors are essential components of wildlife conservation but, when human‐wildlife conflicts emerge, the participation of local communities becomes imperative to ensure their efficacy and long‐term persistence. Therefore, local people initiatives and commitments (community‐based strategies) promoting human‐wildlife coexistence are urgentl...

Conflicts derived from the proactive management of ecosystems and wildlife populations abound in national parks, which can prevent the control of some animal populations, consequently causing negative effects to the ecological values and creating health risks for the ecosystems. This work quantifies a conflict related to population control of the I...

Preservation and sustainable use of biodiversity brings multiple health, societal and economic benefits, including life-supporting services. Biodiversity indicators are important in framing the benefits of conservation and management programs and monitoring progress toward their outcomes. Biodiversity indicators therefore provide useful tools for p...

The Egyptian mongoose (Herpestes ichneumon L.) is a medium-size carnivore widely distributed in Africa and in a small part of southern Europe, the Iberian Peninsula, where mongoose populations have recently expanded. The mongoose is relatively easily detectable because of its diurnal habits and because it is the only species of Herpestidae occurrin...

The extraordinary population growth of certain ungulate species is increasingly a concern in agroforestry areas because overabundance may negatively affect natural environments and human livelihoods. However, society may have negative perceptions of killing wildlife to reduce their numbers and mitigate damage. We used an online survey that included...

Biodiversity indicators are commonly monitored to ensure the sustainable management of ecosystems and the conservation of multiple ecosystem goods and services. Indicators are important for tracking the ecological outcomes of conservation programmes, but they are also important in a wider context such as monitoring progress towards broader sustaina...

Abstract National accounting either ignores or fails to give due values to the ecosystem services, products, incomes and environmental assets of a country. To overcome these shortcomings, we apply spatially-explicit extended accounts that incorporate a novel environmental income indicator, which we test in the forests of Andalusia (Spain). Extende...

There are many possible strategies to promote naturalization in anthropogenic landscapes to mitigate global change effects. We combined large-scale databases available for continental Spain on: (1) distribution of breeding birds, (2) forest inventory stands, (3) land-use cover, (4) 18 global climate models recently developed at local scales, and (5...

There are many possible strategies to promote naturalization in anthropogenic landscapes to mitigate global change effects. We combined large-scale databases available for continental Spain on: (1) distribution of breeding birds, (2) forest inventory stands, (3) land-use cover, (4) 18 global climate models recently developed at local scales, and (5...

Bird species that occupy frequently pine forest for breeding. Total number of 10x10-km UTM grids with presence of Pinus spp and the percentage of pine plantations and natural forest occupied by each species are also shown. (DOCX)

Since ancient times, Mediterranean pine forests have been habitat for human activity, providing a wide range of goods such as timber, seeds, resin and derived products. Among them, tar and resin have played an historical role on the interaction between human activity and forests. In Spain, the resin played an important role in the economic and soci...

Plantations with alien forest species could be a major way for invasive plant and animal species to become introduced and naturally established in a territory, but the sensitivity of plantations with native forest species to invasive plant and animal species is still unknown. This paper studies the probability of the presence and the richness of in...

National accounting either ignores or fails to give due values to a country ́s ecosystem services, products, total income and environmental asset variations. To overcome these shortcomings, wedevelop a spatially-explicit extended ecosystem accounting framework, which we test intheMediterranean forests of Andalusia (Spain). This framework goes beyon...

Aim of study: To present the evolution of the current multi-objective Spanish National Forest Inventory (SNFI) through the assessment of different key indicators on challenging areas of the forestry sector. Area of study: Using information from the Second, Third and Fourth SNFI, this work provides case studies in Navarra, La Rioja, Galicia and Bal...

Aim of study: This paper objective focuses on the contribution of multifunctional natural forest silviculture, incorporating both private and public product managements, to forest and woodland economics. Area of study: Spain and California (USA). Material and methods: This conceptual article has developed a critical revision of the existing liter...

Sustainable forest management has been approached on many occasions by defining and subsequently measuring a set of initially accepted indicators. This methodology permits the aggregation of multiple goods and services with heterogeneous characteristics into forest management. However, the calculation of these indicators has usually been static. Wh...

AimTree plantations can have beneficial or detrimental effects on regional biodiversity. Here, we focus on how the contribution of pine plantations to the maintenance of regional bird diversity varies geographically compared to natural pine forests, after controlling for the effects of other factors that are known to influence the regional richness...

This paper proposes a novel approach for simulating the price of hunting self-consumption by owners in the experimental Agroforestry Accounting System (AAS). The “enlightenment approach” allows allocating a competitive price or, alternatively, a price that matches the recreational hunting cost for driven hunts associated with self-consumption. The...

Forest plantations are increasingly used as tools to restore local biodiversity. Measures aimed at making plantations more complex and similar to natural forests to preserve biodiversity are still under debate. In this paper, we compare the role of natural and planted Pinus spp. for the maintenance of regional forest bird diversity along large-scal...

Much of the biodiversity in the Mediterranean region depends upon extensive livestock rearing. However, this activity is decreasing, especially in arid environments, where considerable biodiversity loss is expected in the near future. Meanwhile, wild ungulate populations are regaining long lost territories and densities. The question arises as to h...

Research has addressed the valuation of hunting and game species according to their extractive value, using both market and non-market methodologies. This study provides a new perspective to estimate environmental prices of game animals based on game hunting leases, population dynamics, the assumption of a steady state, and the use of the residual...

Context Hunting transactions can be considered a composite good that includes various attributes or characteristics. Obtaining information regarding the utility derived from the different characteristics of the hunter’s bag might help elucidate the purchasing behaviour of hunters. This behaviour is, in turn, an important aspect to be considered by...

Wildlife occupies a very relevant place in ecosystems by providing multiple goods and services to society, gaining an important role in mountain systems. In this manuscript, we calculate gross margin figures associated with game hunting activity in nine European mountainous case study areas. Information about local game population and their managem...

Big game populations are being raised in areas characterized by different land uses and are being managed under a wide range of circumstances which might influence their population densities and structure. However, the consideration of explanatory variables related to management activities is not generally explicitly considered in game population m...

Terrestrial ecosystems, such as forestlands and grasslands, provide many ecosystems services, and in most cases these services are provided by working landscapes that also generates relevant manufactured products (Haines-Young and Potschin, 2013). Conventional national accounts for agriculture and forestry activities neglect nonmarket environmental...

Aim of study: Game species are considered a scarce natural resource and therefore they are subject to economic analysis. Current studies on factors affecting big game trends have mostly emphasized the impact of ecological supply variables. This study intends to expand this analysis by considering two important supply and demand economic parameters....

The project SUST-FOREST (Multifunctionality, conservation and rural employment in the territory of southern Europe through resin tapping) was funded by the Territorial Cooperation Program for the European Southeast Space 2007- 2013 SUDOE Interreg IV B of the European Union (project SOE2/P2/E261) and marked as targets to support and recover the extr...

Environmental and demographic stochasticity alone can push small populations to extinction. However, some small populations can persist for a long time at a low density, maintaining potential for rapid growth. We investigated the demographic mechanisms underlying the response of the population of the Mediterranean monk seal Monachus monachus on the...

We examine whether different guilds of foragers remove seeds differentially according to seed quality (seed size and insect infestation) and seed location (habitat and microhabitat) in a mixed oak-beech forest. Video recordings indicated that the wood mouse (Apodemus sylvaticus) was first to encounter seeds. Foragers preferred acorns to beechnuts,...

Hunting is assuming a growing role in the current European forestry and agroforestry landscape. However, consistent statistical sources that provide quantitative information for policy-making, planning and management of game resources are often lacking. In addition, in many instances statistical information can be used without sufficient evaluation...

In Spain, wild rabbits are essential for some highly endangered species, and, therefore, many actions have been undertaken to increase their populations. In the present study, artificial warrens are provided as a means to increase shelter for native wild rabbit populations in a given area. We evaluate the use of three types of warrens by rabbits an...

There are multiple paths via which environmental variation can impact herbivore ecology and this makes the identification of drivers challenging. Researchers have used diverse approaches to describe the association between environmental variation and ecology, including local weather, large-scale patterns of climate, and satellite imagery reflecting...

Los sistemas agroforestales (mosaicos de bosques, arbustedos, matorrales, pastos herbaceos y cultivos) dedicados a la caza del ciervo constituyen una forma rentable y creciente de uso territorial en la Espana mediterranea desde la decada de 1960. Como consecuencia, las cargas cinegeticas han aumentado mucho y sobrepasan con frecuencia los 50 indivi...

Much insight can be derived from records of shot animals. Most researchers using such data assume that their data represents a random sample of a particular demographic class. However, hunters typically select a non-random subset of the population and hunting is, therefore, not a random process. Here, with red deer (Cervus elaphus) hunting data fro...