Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos

Effectiveness of multi-component, dynamic begging displays as honest signals of nestling hunger

Abstract Parent–offspring communication depends on offspring signals that help parents assess need and allocate care. Nestling begging is often treated as a graded, information-rich and therefore honest signal of hunger, as predicted by costly signalling models. We quantified how...

Molecular investigation of tick-borne pathogens in Ixodes ricinus feeding on lizards in the Central Pyrenees, Spain

Abstract Ixodes ricinus is the most widespread tick species in Europe, parasitizing a broad range of vertebrate hosts, including reptiles. However, the role of lizards in the ecology of tick-borne pathogens remains poorly understood. This study investigated tick infestation level...

Recovery and characterization of a field derived Bagaza virus with broad cellular host range

Abstract Bagaza virus (BAGV) is an emerging orthoflavivirus that primarily infects wild birds, but its ability to infect other hosts remains poorly understood. We isolated infectious BAGV from the brain of a dead red-legged partridge by transfection of extracted viral RNA and eva...

Improving methods for identifying pair bonds in animal social networks

In social animals, maintaining strong bonds with conspecifics can be important for reproduction and survival. However, it remains unclear how best to quantify these bonds. Existing social network techniques typically focus on building robust overall networks of co-occurrences but...