I examined the nest site selection of the Spanish Imperial Eagle Aquila adalberti population of the Donana National Park (SW Spain) from 1984 to 1994, in relation to the microhabitat and macrohabitat representing vegetative composition, degree of human influence and land use. The study included 75 active nest sites and 75 random sites. Univariate analyses and Generalized Linear Models were used. Nest sites differed significantly from the random sites for 87% of habitat variables measured. The model correctly classified 85.3% of the nest sites and 86.7% of the random sites. The probability of occupation of a site by a Spanish Imperial Eagle increased with tree height, angle of aperture of the wood stand, distance to paved roads, distance to urban centre and distance to water body. / Four productivity parameters (laying date, number of eggs, number of nestlings and number of chicks fledged) were measured over the same 10-year period for 16 territories in the Donana Park. Spearman correlation coefficient analyses ($r sb{s}$) were used to test for relationships between territory habitat characteristics, representing microhabitat, vegetative composition, degree of human influence and land use, and productivity. Egg-laying was later in territories situated closer to urban centres (n = 16 $r sb{s}$ = $-$0,529, $P < 0.05)$ and those with more kilometres of power lines (n = 16, $r sb{s}$ = 0.518, $P < 0.05)$. No other productivity parameter was found to be influenced significantly by any of the territory features measured.

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Wetlands are globally important biogeochemical hotspots, and their roles as either significant sources of greenhouse gas or carbon sinks are strongly controlled by environmental drivers such as carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus availability, which can stimulate emission of three greenhouse gases: nitrous oxide (N2O), carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4). Mounting evidence suggests that aquatic invertebrate activity can enhance wetland greenhouse gas flux, through bioturbation and bioirrigation of surrounding sediments. However, waterbirds reduce the density of aquatic invertebrates, which could potentially reduce greenhouse gas flux. Alternatively, the nutrient contents of waterbird guano may stimulate microbial activity responsible for these gas fluxes. The research project FLAMMINGGOS (Functional Links in Avian, Microbial, Macrophyte, and INvertebrate Greenhouse Gas Output Stimulation) aims to test the relative strength of top-down and bottom-up effects of predatory waterbirds on wetland greenhouse gas fluxes. This study is a part of the FLAMMINGGOS project and studied the bottom-up stimuli effects of methane flux, through addition of waterbird guano to sediment cores sampled from three sites in Doñana, Spain. Guano did not enhance methane flux; on the contrary, the overall flux rates decreased after guano addition for one site. There was also a positive correlation between methane flux and the presence of benthic invertebrates. This suggests that the top-down gas-stimuli effects of waterbirds may be stronger than the bottom-up; benthivorous waterbirds, such as flamingos, may lessen the emissions of CH4 through predation on benthic invertebrates. Further research is however required to fully understand these interactions and gas flux stimuli effects. / FLAMMINGGOS

Au XIXe siècle, les premiers espaces protégés d'Occident durent lier une mission de protection de l'environnement à celle d'accueil du public, et notamment des touristes. Ce double objectif se retrouve aujourd'hui dans des espaces protégés qui se veulent,depuis 1970, intégrateurs. Une première étude (2006-2008) au sein d'un Parc Naturel Régional avait révélé l'existence d'une tension entre l'objectif de protection et celui de développement touristique : les touristes y étaient perçus comme une menace, et les gestionnaires se consacraient plus volontiers à la protection. Dans cette thèse, nous avons voulu prolong er la réflexion à partir de trois espaces : le Parc National du Lake District (Royaume-Uni), l'Espace Naturel de Doñana(Espagne) et le Parc Naturel Régional du Verdon (France). Notre enjeu est de vérifier si la même tension entre protection environnementale et développement touristique y est sensible, dans quelle mesure, et pour quelles raisons cette tension se manifeste (ou non) .Après une analyse de contenu mettant en lumière la façon plutôt sévère dont le tourisme est traité dans les discours, l'étude de l'aménagement des espaces, du système d'acteurs en présence et des chiffres du tourisme montrent une rupture totale entre les espaces protégés, leurs gestionnaires et les touristes dont les pratiques ne sont pas comprises ni acceptées. L'étude de facteurs culturels et historiques permettant d'explique rune telle tension révèle la forte influence de l'ancienneté du tourisme dans le lieu, de l'ancrage artistique, de l'histoire politique, religieuse et économique sur la définition de la nature et l'acceptation du tourisme dans chaque espace. / During the 19 th century, the first protected areas in the Western world were created and had two missions to fulfil : environmental protection and promoting opportunities for enjoyment in order to welcome tourists. Since 1970 newly created protected areas have followed this double goal. The first 'Parc Naturel Régional' we studied from 2006 to 2008 had such goals but the relationship between the environmental protection goal and the tourism development goal was very tense. Tourists were seen as a threat, and managers had rather focusing on environmental protection. This thesis deals with three protected areas : the Lake District National Park (UK), the 'Espacio Natural de Doñana' (Spain) and the 'Parc Naturel Régional du Verdon' (France). What is at stake is the discovery of whether or not the tension is real between environmental protection and tourism in these areas. We aim at understanding in what way this tension can be felt and the reasons why these areas experience this tension (or not). After a content analysis showing that words used by managers were quite severe about tourists, we study the way the area is spatially ordered ,the relationships between actors, and statistics in tourism, revealing a total breaking off between the protected area, managers and tourists, whose practices are not understood nor accepted. The study of cultural and historical factors that can explain this tension shows a strong influence of the history of tourism,artistic heritage, political and economical history on the way nature is defined and the way tourism is accepted in each area.