A nationwide collapse of a priority grassland bird related to livestock conversion and intensification.

Grassland birds are among the most threatened and fastest declining terrestrial vertebrate species in Europe, principally due to agricultural intensification and transformation. The little bustard is a priority grassland bird under the European Directive (2009/147/CE) that led to the classification of a network of Special Protected Areas (SPAs) in Portugal. A third national survey carried out in 2022 reveals a worsening of an ongoing population collapse at a national scale.

Individual variability in space use near power lines by a long-lived territorial raptor.

Evaluating species responses to anthropogenic infrastructures and other habitat changes is often used to assess environmental impacts and to guide conservation actions. However, such studies are generally carried out at the population level, disregarding inter-individual variability. Here, we investigate population- and individual-level responses toward power lines of a territorial raptor, the Bonelli's eagle A.

Changes in grassland management and linear infrastructures associated to the decline of an endangered bird population.

European grassland birds are experiencing major population declines, mainly due to changes in farmland management. We analyzed the role of habitat availability, grazing management and linear infrastructures (roads and power lines) in explaining spatial and temporal variation in the population density of little bustards (Tetrax tetrax) in Portugal, during a decade in which the species population size halved. We used data from 51 areas (totaling ca.

Synergistic photoluminescence enhancement in conjugated polymer-di-ureasil organic-inorganic composites.

Poly(fluorene) conjugated polyelectrolyte (CPE)-di-ureasil organic-inorganic composites have been prepared using a versatile sol-gel processing method, which enables selective localisation of the CPE within the di-ureasil matrix. Introduction of the CPE during the sol-gel reaction leads to a homogeneous distribution of the CPE throughout the di-ureasil, whereas a post-synthesis solvent permeation route leads to the formation of a confined layer of the CPE at the di-ureasil surface. The CPE and the di-ureasil both function as photoactive components, contributing directly to, and enhancing the optical properties of their composite material.