Seasonal variation in populations of Eurasian Coot Fulica atra: relationships with environmental variables in Mediterranean wetlands

Abstract

Mediterranean wetlands represent a broad variety of natural resources with a huge role in the maintenance of biological diversity. Waterbirds are significant components of this diversity. Among them, the Eurasian Coot Fulica atra is a key species when studying the correlations and interactions between waterbirds and environmental variables, because of its abundance, ease of detection, and relation with some basic aspects of the functioning of wetlands. The present study aimed to analyse the annual and seasonal variation in populations of Eurasian Coot in 31 wetlands in Andalusia, southern Spain, from 2003 to 2008, paying particular attention to correlations with biotic and abiotic variables. The results showed a positive correlation between water depth and coot abundance, while a negative relationship was observed with salinity and no correlation was observed between wetland size and coot abundance. These environmental variables, together with submerged macrophyte coverage, stand out as playing important roles in the use of habitat by coots in Andalusian wetlands.