title: Sex- and age-dependent patterns of survival and breeding success in a long-lived endangered avian scavenger.
abstract: In long-lived species, the age-, stage- and/or sex-dependent patterns of survival and reproduction determine the evolution of life history strategies, the shape of the reproductive value, and ultimately population dynamics. We evaluate the combined effects of age and sex in recruitment, breeder survival and breeding success of the globally endangered Egyptian vulture (Neophron percnopterus), using 31-years of exhaustive data on marked individuals in Spain. Mean age of first reproduction was 7-yrs for both sexes, but females showed an earlier median and a larger variance than males. We found an age-related improvement in breeding success at the population level responding to the selective appearance and disappearance of phenotypes of different quality but unrelated to within-individual aging effects. Old males (≥8 yrs) showed a higher survival than both young males (≤7 yrs) and females, these later in turn not showing aging effects. Evolutionary trade-offs between age of recruitment and fitness (probably related to costs of territory acquisition and defense) as well as human-related mortality may explain these findings. Sex- and age-related differences in foraging strategies and susceptibility to toxics could be behind the relatively low survival of females and young males, adding a new concern for the conservation of this endangered species.
authors.affiliation: Department of Conservation Biology, Estación Biológica de Doñana, CSIC. Americo Vespucio s/n, Isla La Cartuja E-41092 Sevilla, Spain.|Population Ecology Group, Instituto Mediterráneo de Estudios Avanzados (CSIC-UIB), Miquel Marqués 21, E-07190 Esporles, Islas Baleares, Spain.|Ecology Area, Department of Applied Biology, Miguel Hernández University. Avda. de la Universidad s/n, E-03202 Elche, Alicante, Spain.
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sanz-Aguilar
authors.affiliation: Department of Conservation Biology, Estación Biológica de Doñana, CSIC. Americo Vespucio s/n, Isla La Cartuja E-41092 Sevilla, Spain.|Infraestruturas de Portugal Biodiversity Chair CIBIO/InBIO. Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Universidade do Porto. Campus Agrário de Vairão, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal.|CEABN/InBio, Centro de Ecologia Aplicada "Professor Baeta Neves", Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade de Lisboa, Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017 Lisboa, Portugal.
authors.forename: Ainara
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cortés-Avizanda
authors.affiliation: Department of Conservation Biology, Estación Biológica de Doñana, CSIC. Americo Vespucio s/n, Isla La Cartuja E-41092 Sevilla, Spain.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Serrano
authors.affiliation: Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, CSIC, José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, 28006 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Guillermo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Blanco
authors.affiliation: UGARRA, Avda. Carlos III 1, 31002, Pamplona, Spain.
authors.forename: Olga
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ceballos
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Ciencias de la Tierra y Ambientales de La Pampa, CONICET, Avda. Uruguay 151, 6300 Santa Rosa, La Pampa, Argentina.|Centro para el Estudio y Conservación de las Aves Rapaces en Argentina, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de La Pampa, Avda. Uruguay 151, 6300 Santa Rosa, La Pampa, Argentina.
authors.forename: Juan M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Grande
authors.affiliation: Department of Conservation Biology, Estación Biológica de Doñana, CSIC. Americo Vespucio s/n, Isla La Cartuja E-41092 Sevilla, Spain.
authors.forename: José L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Tella
authors.affiliation: Department of Conservation Biology, Estación Biológica de Doñana, CSIC. Americo Vespucio s/n, Isla La Cartuja E-41092 Sevilla, Spain.
authors.forename: José A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Donázar
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D046093:Falconiformes / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D012098:Reproduction; D012737:Sex Factors; D013030:Spain; D013534:Survival