Migration strategies and circannual patterns of habitat use of snowfinches (Montifringilla nivalis nivalis) in a patchy alpine landscape

Abstract

Biodiversity is intimately linked with ecosystem functioning, and thus with human well-being. Changes are occurring at a worrying rate, in response to overexploitation, pollution, species invasions, habitat fragmentation and alteration and climate change. Species responses are not always linear or instantaneous, nor they are equal at any spatial scale. Detection of early-warning signs of critical biodiversity changes is thus needed and the monitoring of essential biodiversity variables (EBVs) has been proposed as a tool to capture major dimensions of biodiversity change.