8th Conference of the European Ornithologists’ Union

27–30 August 2011, Riga

European O rnithologists’ U

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Programme and AbstractsEdited by Leonida Fusani, Timothy Coppack & Māris Strazds

Latvian Ornithological Society Riga, 2011

Conference website: University of Daugavpils, Arvis SoldānsSPC website: Leonida FusaniCover design and photographs (with frames taken

from his grandmother’s photo album): Māris StrazdsLayout: Indra VaļeniecePrinted by: Mr. Munks Ltd

ISBN 978-9984-9747-2-9

© Latvian Ornithological Society, 2011

The Organizers would like to thank all people who helped us to prepare the Programme and organize the Conference. In particular, we want to thank Eduarts Ekarts, Agnese Grundberga, Mareks Kilups, Indriķis Muižnieks, Andrey Mukhin, Nils Rostoks and Māris Znotiņš

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8th ConferenCe of the european ornithologists’ union

rīga, 27–30 august 2011

Conference Organisers: University of Latvia, RigaUniversity of DaugavpilsLatvian Ornithological Society (LOB) / BirdLife Latvia

Local Organising Committee:Māris Strazds, University of Latvia and LOB (Chair)Jānis Vīksne, University of Latvia (Honorary Chair)Zane Altenburga, LOB (Accomodation)Inga Freiberga, LOB (Volunteers)Indriķis Krams, University of Daugavpils Valters Pranks, LOB and Motacilla Ltd. (Excursions)Jānis Priednieks, University of LatviaIlze Vilšķērste, LOBLelde Vītiņa, LOB (Finance manager)

Scientific Programme CommitteeLeonida Fusani, University of Ferrara, Italy (Chair)Timothy Coppack, Institute for Applied Ecology, Broderstorf, GermanyGötz Eichhorn, Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien, Strasbourg, FranceBarbara Helm, Max-Planck-Institute for Ornithology, GermanyErik Matthysen, Evolutionary Ecology Group, University of Antwerp, BelgiumStoyan C. Nikolov, Central Laboratory of General Ecology, Sofia, BulgariaMāris Strazds, University of Latvia, RigaTomasz Wesolowski, Dept. of Avian Ecology, Wroclaw University, Poland

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Welcome to the EOU’s 2011 conference

Despite downturns and disasters the world is a better place for most people than it was a generation ago: not only are we materially more prosperous but restrictions on travel have been hugely diminished. Science has become international not just in principle but in practice, with many scientists having worked in several different countries by the mid-point of their careers, producing great benefits in terms of the cross-fertilization of ideas and practices. Our biennial EOU conferences provide an important means for us all to broaden our perspectives by talking to colleagues from across the continent.

The EOU, without staff and almost without financial resources, depends on the voluntary efforts of many people. Conferences depend on the hard work of the organizing team in the host country and our Latvian hosts have done us proud this year. Even more, conferences depend on the quality of the scientific programme, for which we have to thank not only the speakers and presenters of posters but especially the Scientific Programme Committee for pulling together an exciting and coherent programme. Continuity and communication between conferences depends on the Council — and the Council depends on those who attend the general meeting at each conference both for electing new Council members and for raising ideas about how the work of the union may be developed.

I thank everyone for their support and express my hope that those attending the conference will find it an enjoyable and stimulating experience. Welcome to Riga and to EOU 2011!

Tomasz WesołowskiEOU President

Abstracts

Sorted alphabetically by the Presenting Author

268 8th Conference of the European Ornithologists’ Union Riga, 27—30 August, 2011

Session: Poster (107)

preliMinarY MoleCular investigation anD CharaCterization of subspeCies in the stone CurleW (burhinuS oedicneMuS l.)

Presented by Alessia Mori

A. Mori1, N.E. Baldaccini2, M. Baratti1, C. Caccamo2, F. Dessì-Fulgheri3, R. Grasso4, E. Pollonara2, F. Rodriguez5, M.T. Spena4, D. Giunchi2

1 Institute for the Study of Ecosystems,CNR,Via Madonna del Piano 10, Sesto Fiorentino, Florence 50019, Italy; 2 Department of Biology, University of Pisa, Via A. Volta 6, Pisa 56126, Italy; 3 Department of Evolutionary Biology “Leo Pardi”, University of Florence, Via Romana 17, Florence 50125, Italy; 4 Department of Biology, University of Catania, Via Androne 81, Catania 95124, Italy; 5 Biodiversity Service, Gobierno de Canarias, Edf. Servicios Múltiples II, 4ª planta, 35071 Las Palmas, Spain

The stone curlew Burhinus oedicnemus (Linnaeus 1758) is a species of conservation concern in Europe, with an overall declining trend throughout most of its native distribution in this continent. Actually, Europe hosts between a quarter and a half of the global breeding population, which is mainly distributed in Iberia, France, Russia, Turkey and Italy. According to morphological studies, the species is polytypic, with six subspecies. The Mediterranean populations are considered belonging to two forms, namely the nominate subspecies (western populations: Spain, France, continental Italy) and saharae (North Africa, Cyprus, Turkey, Greece and smaller Mediterranean islands), although no clear-cut boundary between saharae and nominate oedicnemus can be identified. While genetics may offer important information for conservation and management plans, up to now no molecular studies have been carried out to delineate subspecies’ ranges of the stone curlew. To clarify if the present-day subspecies designations or population boundaries are supported by genetic data, we investigated the levels of molecular differentiation using two gene mtDNA fragments, Cytochrome b and NADH dehydrogenase 2. Sequences from the two genes were analyzed from Italy (Sicily and Taro River Regional Park, PR), Tunisia and Greece (Crete and Rodhes), covering oedicnemus and saharae subspecies, and from Canary Islands (Fuerteventura and Gran Canaria), insularum and distinctus subspecies. The mtDNA data did not support current boundary limits neither between the first two above mentioned subspecies, nor between the two Canary Island ones. In contrast, there was more genetic distance among Tunisian samples and all the other studied populations. Surprisingly, Greek and Canary samples versus Italian populations showed less levels of divergences. While preliminary, our data suggest the need of an in depth genetic investigation of the species to shed some light on its complex taxonomy and phylogeography.

alesmori@libero.it