A review of the multifunctional key role of European rabbits in the Iberian Mediterranean scrubland

This review addresses the role of European rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) as a multifunctional keystone species in the Iberian Peninsula. Rabbits serve as prey for > 40 predators, including the critically endangered Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus) and the Spanish imperial eagle (Aquila adalberti). Moreover, they conspicuously alter plant species composition and vegetation structure through grazing and seed dispersal, creating open areas and contributing to plant species diversity. Additionally, rabbit burrows provide nest sites and shelter for several vertebrates and invertebrates, and can have significant effects on herbaceous species composition. Finally, rabbit latrines have a demonstrable effect on soil chemical fertility and plant growth, and provide new feeding resources for many invertebrate species. Rabbits exert a multifunctional influence on ecosystem processes and have a key role in the maintenance of biodiversity, so the recovery of their populations should be a conservation priority in the western Mediterranean Basin Hotspot.