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A review of constraints and solutions for collecting raptor samples and contextual data for a European Raptor Biomonitoring Facility

Journal

SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
Volume 793, Issue -, Pages -

Publisher

ELSEVIER
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.148599

Keywords

Ecotoxicology; Environmental contaminants; Long-term monitoring schemes; Sampling constraints; Sentinel species; Top predators

Funding

  1. COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology) - [CA16224]
  2. Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovacion y Universidades (Juan de la Cierva-Incorporacion postdoctoral contract) [IJCI-2017-34653]
  3. Horizon 2020 Framework Programme of the European Union

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The study aims to comprehensively review constraints on gathering raptor samples and contextual data in the field, and propose solutions based on input obtained from scientific workshops and stakeholder questionnaires. The most important constraints identified were related to the collection of complex contextual data and the lack of existing raptor population monitoring schemes and ecological studies.
The COST Action 'European Raptor Biomonitoring Facility' (ERBFacility) aims to develop pan-European raptor biomonitoring in support of better chemicals management in Europe, using raptors as sentinel species. This presents a significant challenge involving a range of constraints that must be identified and addressed. The aims of this study were to: (1) carry out a comprehensive review of the constraints that may limit the gathering in the field of raptor samples and contextual data, and assess their relative importance across Europe; and (2) identify and discuss possible solutions to the key constraints that were identified. We applied a participatory approach to identify constraints and to discuss feasible solutions. Thirty-one constraints were identified, which were divided into four categories: legal, methodological, spatial coverage, and skills constraints. To assess the importance of the constraints and their possible solutions, we collected information through scientific workshops and by distributing a questionnaire to stakeholders in all the countries involved in ERBFacility. We obtained 74 answers to the questionnaire, from 24 of the 39 COST participating countries. The most important constraints identified were related to the collection of complex contextual data about sources of contamination, and the low number of existing raptor population national/regional monitoring schemes and ecological studies that could provide raptor samples. Legal constraints, such as permits to allow the collection of invasive samples, and skills constraints, such as the lack of expertise to practice necropsies, were also highlighted. Here, we present solutions for all the constraints identified, thus suggesting the feasibility of establishing a long-term European Raptor Sampling Programme as a key element of the planned European Raptor Biomonitoring Facility. (c) 2021 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

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