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Marin C, Werno J, LE Campion G, Couderchet L. Navigating discreetly: Spatial ecology of urban wild boar in Bordeaux City's landscape of fear, France. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 954:176436. [PMID: 39312969 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.176436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2024] [Revised: 08/19/2024] [Accepted: 09/19/2024] [Indexed: 09/25/2024]
Abstract
An exemplary urban adapter, the wild boar (Sus scrofa) has successfully colonized urban ecological niches worldwide. Improvement of strategies for optimal management of urban wild boar need to gather more empirical evidence of their spatial ecology. This study is based on GPS tracking and capture-mark-recapture (CMR) of 10 and 59 wild boar, respectively, captured in Bordeaux Metropolis (France). It shows that wild boar have become urban dwellers, with intra-urban home ranges varying from 1.3 to 64.6 km2 (MCP 100 %) and from 0.5 to 9.6 km2 (KDE 95 %), depending on urban conditions. CMR results confirm the low propensity to move away from urban areas (with a mean distance of 2 km between capture and recapture sites), despite a relatively low one-year survival rate since capture (47.5 %), primarily attributable to removal efforts. Wild boar strongly depended on urban woods, mostly during daytime resting, and highly frequented urban meadows during night foraging. Their use of urban agricultural areas was minimal, but they were mostly monitored following corn and grape harvests. Wild boar mitigated the risk associated with close proximity to humans by: a nocturnal activity (72.2 % of active locations registered from sunset to sunrise), which could also be partially attributed to their sensitivity to heat; a strong use of covered habitats, especially during daytime resting and when close to buildings and roads; and a low mobility during night-time foraging (1974 m average daily distance travelled). Moreover, we demonstrate high inter- and intra-individual variability in the spatio-temporal behaviour of urban wild boar. Finally, we discuss the gap between these results and the narratives surrounding the spatial ecology of urban wild boar. Our results not only confirm the species' ability to adapt to urban environments, but also highlight their behavioural flexibility, underscoring the relevance of significant changes in representations and management activities to mitigate human-urban wild boar conflicts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carole Marin
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) - Laboratoire Passages CNRS 5319, 12 Esplanade des Antilles, 33600 Pessac, France.
| | - Jérôme Werno
- Ministère de la Transition écologique et solidaire, Gironde Hunting Federation - Capet, 33290 Ludon-Médoc, France
| | - Grégoire LE Campion
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) - Laboratoire Passages CNRS 5319, 12 Esplanade des Antilles, 33600 Pessac, France.
| | - Laurent Couderchet
- Michel de Montaigne University Bordeaux 3, Geography Department, Laboratoire Passages CNRS 5319, 12 Esplanade des Antilles, 33600 Pessac, France.
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Fidino M, Sander HA, Lewis JS, Lehrer EW, Rivera K, Murray MH, Adams HC, Kase A, Flores A, Stankowich T, Schell CJ, Salsbury CM, Rohnke AT, Jordan MJ, Green AM, R. Gramza A, Zellmer AJ, Williamson J, Surasinghe TD, Storm H, Sparks KL, Ryan TJ, Remine KR, Pendergast ME, Mullen K, Minier DE, Middaugh CR, Mertl AL, McClung MR, Long RA, Larson RN, Kohl MT, Harris LR, Hall CT, Haight JD, Drake D, Davidge AM, Cheek AO, Bloch CP, Biro EG, Anthonysamy WJB, Angstmann JL, Allen ML, Adalsteinsson SA, Short Gianotti AG, LaMontagne JM, Gelmi-Candusso TA, Magle SB. Gentrification drives patterns of alpha and beta diversity in cities. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2318596121. [PMID: 38621142 PMCID: PMC11047091 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2318596121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024] Open
Abstract
While there is increasing recognition that social processes in cities like gentrification have ecological consequences, we lack nuanced understanding of the ways gentrification affects urban biodiversity. We analyzed a large camera trap dataset of mammals (>500 g) to evaluate how gentrification impacts species richness and community composition across 23 US cities. After controlling for the negative effect of impervious cover, gentrified parts of cities had the highest mammal species richness. Change in community composition was associated with gentrification in a few cities, which were mostly located along the West Coast. At the species level, roughly half (11 of 21 mammals) had higher occupancy in gentrified parts of a city, especially when impervious cover was low. Our results indicate that the impacts of gentrification extend to nonhuman animals, which provides further evidence that some aspects of nature in cities, such as wildlife, are chronically inaccessible to marginalized human populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mason Fidino
- Conservation and Science Department, Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, IL60614
| | - Heather A. Sander
- Department of Geographical and Sustainability Sciences, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA52242
| | - Jesse S. Lewis
- College of Integrative Sciences and Arts, Arizona State University, Mesa, AZ85287
| | | | - Kimberly Rivera
- Conservation and Science Department, Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, IL60614
| | - Maureen H. Murray
- Conservation and Science Department, Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, IL60614
| | - Henry C. Adams
- Conservation and Science Department, Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, IL60614
| | - Anna Kase
- Conservation and Science Department, Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, IL60614
| | - Andrea Flores
- Conservation and Science Department, Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, IL60614
| | - Theodore Stankowich
- Department of Biological Sciences, California State University, Long Beach, CA90840
| | - Christopher J. Schell
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California, Berkeley, CA94720
| | - Carmen M. Salsbury
- Department of Biological Sciences, Butler University, Indianapolis, IN46208
| | - Adam T. Rohnke
- Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Aquaculture, Mississippi State University, Jackson, MS39759
| | - Mark J. Jordan
- Department of Biology, Seattle University, Seattle, WA98112
| | - Austin M. Green
- Science Research Initiative, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT84112
| | | | - Amanda J. Zellmer
- Department of Biology, Occidental College, Los Angeles, CA90042
- Arroyos & Foothills Conservancy, Pasadena, CA91102
| | | | - Thilina D. Surasinghe
- Department of Biological Sciences, Bridgewater State University, Bridgewater, MA02325
| | - Hunter Storm
- University Honors College, Portland State University, Portland, OR97201
| | - Kimberly L. Sparks
- Research Division, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, Little Rock, AR72205
| | - Travis J. Ryan
- Department of Biological Sciences, Butler University, Indianapolis, IN46208
| | - Katie R. Remine
- Wildlife Conservation Division, Woodland Park Zoo, Seattle, WA98103
| | | | - Kayleigh Mullen
- Conservation Department, Utah’s Hogle Zoo, Salt Lake City, UT84108
| | | | | | - Amy L. Mertl
- Department of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Lesley University, Cambridge, MA02138
| | | | - Robert A. Long
- Wildlife Conservation Division, Woodland Park Zoo, Seattle, WA98103
| | - Rachel N. Larson
- Department of Geographical and Sustainability Sciences, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA52242
| | - Michel T. Kohl
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA30602
| | - Lavendar R. Harris
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA30602
| | - Courtney T. Hall
- Conservation Operations Department, Memorial Park Conservancy, Houston, TX77007
| | | | - David Drake
- Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI53706
| | - Alyssa M. Davidge
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Colorado, Denver, CO80204
| | - Ann O. Cheek
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Houston, TX77004
| | - Christopher P. Bloch
- Department of Biological Sciences, Bridgewater State University, Bridgewater, MA02325
| | - Elizabeth G. Biro
- Tyson Research Center, Washington University in St. Louis, Eureka, MO63025
| | | | - Julia L. Angstmann
- Center for Urban Ecology and Sustainability, Butler University, Indianapolis, IN42608
| | - Maximilian L. Allen
- Illinois Natural History Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois, Champaign, IL61820
| | | | | | - Jalene M. LaMontagne
- Conservation and Science Department, Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, IL60614
- Department of Biological Sciences, DePaul University, Chicago, IL60614
| | | | - Seth B. Magle
- Conservation and Science Department, Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, IL60614
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3
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Barnas AF, Ladle A, Burgar JM, Burton AC, Boyce MS, Eliuk L, Grey F, Heim N, Paczkowski J, Stewart FEC, Tattersall E, Fisher JT. How landscape traits affect boreal mammal responses to anthropogenic disturbance. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 915:169285. [PMID: 38103612 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.169285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Revised: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 12/09/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
Understanding mammalian responses to anthropogenic disturbance is challenging, as ecological processes and the patterns arising therefrom notoriously change across spatial and temporal scales, and among different landscape contexts. Responses to local scale disturbances are likely influenced by landscape context (e.g., overall landscape-level disturbance, landscape-level productivity). Hierarchical approaches considering small-scale sampling sites as nested holons within larger-scale landscapes, which constrain processes in lower-level holons, can potentially explain differences in ecological processes between multiple locations. We tested hypotheses about mammal responses to disturbance and interactions among holons using collected images from 957 camera sites across 9 landscapes in Alberta from 2007 to 2020 and examined occurrence for 11 mammal species using generalized linear mixed models. White-tailed deer occurred more in higher disturbed sites within lower disturbed landscapes (β = -0.30 [-0.4 to -0.15]), whereas occurrence was greater in highly disturbed sites within highly disturbed landscapes for moose (β = 0.20 [0.09-0.31]), coyote (β = 0.20 [0.08-0.26]), and lynx (β = 0.20 [0.07-0.26]). High disturbance sites in high productivity landscapes had higher occurrence of black bears (β = -0.20 [-0.46 to -0.01]), lynx (β = -0.70 [-0.97 to -0.34]), and wolves (β = -0.50 [-0.73 to -0.21]). Conversely, we found higher probability of occurrence in low productivity landscapes with increasing site disturbance for mule deer (β = 0.80 [0.39-1.14]), and white-tailed deer (β = 0.20 [0.01-0.47]). We found the ecological context created by aggregate sums (high overall landscape disturbance), and by subcontinental hydrogeological processes in which that landscape is embedded (high landscape productivity), alter mammalian responses to anthropogenic disturbance at local scales. These responses also vary by species, which has implications for large-scale conservation planning. Management interventions must consider large-scale geoclimatic processes and geographic location of a landscape when assessing wildlife responses to disturbance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew F Barnas
- School of Environmental Studies, University of Victoria, Victoria, Canada.
| | - Andrew Ladle
- School of Environmental Studies, University of Victoria, Victoria, Canada; Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
| | - Joanna M Burgar
- School of Environmental Studies, University of Victoria, Victoria, Canada; Department of Forest Resources Management, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - A Cole Burton
- Department of Forest Resources Management, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada; Biodiversity Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Mark S Boyce
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
| | - Laura Eliuk
- School of Environmental Studies, University of Victoria, Victoria, Canada
| | - Fabian Grey
- Whitefish Lake First Nation #459, Atikameg, Alberta, Canada
| | - Nicole Heim
- School of Environmental Studies, University of Victoria, Victoria, Canada
| | - John Paczkowski
- Government of Alberta, Forests, Parks, and Tourism, Canmore, Alberta, Canada
| | - Frances E C Stewart
- School of Environmental Studies, University of Victoria, Victoria, Canada; Department of Biology, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, Ontario (Haldimand Tract), Canada
| | - Erin Tattersall
- Department of Forest Resources Management, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Jason T Fisher
- School of Environmental Studies, University of Victoria, Victoria, Canada
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4
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Fusco NA, Cosentino BJ, Gibbs JP, Allen ML, Blumenfeld AJ, Boettner GH, Carlen EJ, Collins M, Dennison C, DiGiacopo D, Drapeau Picard AP, Edmonson J, Fisher-Reid MC, Fyffe R, Gallo T, Grant A, Harbold W, Heard SB, Lafferty DJR, Lehtinen RM, Marino S, McDonald JE, Mortelliti A, Murray M, Newman A, Oswald KN, Ott-Conn C, Richardson JL, Rimbach R, Salaman P, Steele M, Stothart MR, Urban MC, Vandegrift K, Vanek JP, Vanderluit SN, Vezina L, Caccone A. Population genomic structure of a widespread, urban-dwelling mammal: The eastern grey squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis). Mol Ecol 2024; 33:e17230. [PMID: 38078558 DOI: 10.1111/mec.17230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Revised: 11/19/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2024]
Abstract
Urbanization is a persistent and widespread driver of global environmental change, potentially shaping evolutionary processes due to genetic drift and reduced gene flow in cities induced by habitat fragmentation and small population sizes. We tested this prediction for the eastern grey squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis), a common and conspicuous forest-dwelling rodent, by obtaining 44K SNPs using reduced representation sequencing (ddRAD) for 403 individuals sampled across the species' native range in eastern North America. We observed moderate levels of genetic diversity, low levels of inbreeding, and only a modest signal of isolation-by-distance. Clustering and migration analyses show that estimated levels of migration and genetic connectivity were higher than expected across cities and forested areas, specifically within the eastern portion of the species' range dominated by urbanization, and genetic connectivity was less than expected within the western range where the landscape is fragmented by agriculture. Landscape genetic methods revealed greater gene flow among individual squirrels in forested regions, which likely provide abundant food and shelter for squirrels. Although gene flow appears to be higher in areas with more tree cover, only slight discontinuities in gene flow suggest eastern grey squirrels have maintained connected populations across urban areas in all but the most heavily fragmented agricultural landscapes. Our results suggest urbanization shapes biological evolution in wildlife species depending strongly on the composition and habitability of the landscape matrix surrounding urban areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole A Fusco
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Bradley J Cosentino
- Department of Biology, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, Geneva, New York, USA
| | - James P Gibbs
- Department of Environmental Biology, State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse, New York, USA
| | - Maximilian L Allen
- Illinois Natural History Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, Illinois, USA
| | - Alexander J Blumenfeld
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - George H Boettner
- Department of Environmental Conservation, University of Massachusetts-Amherst, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Elizabeth J Carlen
- Department of Biology, Washington University-St. Louis Campus, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Merri Collins
- Department of Environmental Science and Technology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA
| | | | - Devin DiGiacopo
- Yreka Fish and Wildlife Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Yreka, CA, USA
| | | | - Jonathan Edmonson
- Sonderegger Science Center, Edgewood College, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - M Caitlin Fisher-Reid
- Department of Biological Sciences, Bridgewater State University, Bridgewater, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Rebecca Fyffe
- Landmark Pest Management, ABC Humane Wildlife Control & Prevention Inc., Arlington Heights, Illinois, USA
| | - Travis Gallo
- Department of Environmental Science and Technology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA
| | - Alannah Grant
- Department of Integrative Biology, College of Biological Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - William Harbold
- Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Monitoring and Non-Tidal Assessment Division, Annapolis, Maryland, USA
| | - Stephen B Heard
- Department of Biology, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada
| | - Diana J R Lafferty
- Department of Biology, Northern Michigan University, Marqeutte, Michigan, USA
| | | | - Shealyn Marino
- Department of Biology, Wilkes University, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - John E McDonald
- Department of Environmental Science, Westfield State University, Westfield, Massachusetts, USA
| | | | - Maureen Murray
- Department of Conservation and Science, Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Amy Newman
- Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Monitoring and Non-Tidal Assessment Division, Annapolis, Maryland, USA
| | - Krista N Oswald
- Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Midreshet Ben-Gurion, Israel
| | - Caitlin Ott-Conn
- Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Disease Laboratory - Wildlife Division, Naubinway, Michigan, USA
| | | | - Rebecca Rimbach
- Department of Behavioural Biology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Paul Salaman
- Galapagos Conservancy, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Michael Steele
- Department of Biology, Wilkes University, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Mason R Stothart
- Department of Ecosystem and Public Health, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Mark C Urban
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Center of Biological Risk, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, USA
| | - Kurt Vandegrift
- Department of Biology, Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, The Pennsylvania State University, State College, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - John P Vanek
- New York Natural Heritage Program, Albany, New York, USA
| | | | - Lucie Vezina
- Department of Biology, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada
| | - Adalgisa Caccone
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
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5
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Haight JD, Hall SJ, Fidino M, Adalsteinsson SA, Ahlers AA, Angstmann J, Anthonysamy WJB, Biro E, Collins MK, Dugelby B, Gallo T, Green AM, Hartley L, Jordan MJ, Kay CAM, Lehrer EW, Long RA, MacDougall B, Magle SB, Minier DE, Mowry C, Murray M, Nininger K, Pendergast ME, Remine KR, Ryan T, Salsbury C, Sander HA, Schell CJ, Șekercioğlu ÇH, Shier CJ, Simon KC, St Clair CC, Stankowich T, Stevenson CJ, Wayne L, Will D, Williamson J, Wilson L, Zellmer AJ, Lewis JS. Urbanization, climate and species traits shape mammal communities from local to continental scales. Nat Ecol Evol 2023; 7:1654-1666. [PMID: 37667002 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-023-02166-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 09/06/2023]
Abstract
Human-driven environmental changes shape ecological communities from local to global scales. Within cities, landscape-scale patterns and processes and species characteristics generally drive local-scale wildlife diversity. However, cities differ in their structure, species pools, geographies and histories, calling into question the extent to which these drivers of wildlife diversity are predictive at continental scales. In partnership with the Urban Wildlife Information Network, we used occurrence data from 725 sites located across 20 North American cities and a multi-city, multi-species occupancy modelling approach to evaluate the effects of ecoregional characteristics and mammal species traits on the urbanization-diversity relationship. Among 37 native terrestrial mammal species, regional environmental characteristics and species traits influenced within-city effects of urbanization on species occupancy and community composition. Species occupancy and diversity were most negatively related to urbanization in the warmer, less vegetated cities. Additionally, larger-bodied species were most negatively impacted by urbanization across North America. Our results suggest that shifting climate conditions could worsen the effects of urbanization on native wildlife communities, such that conservation strategies should seek to mitigate the combined effects of a warming and urbanizing world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey D Haight
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA.
| | - Sharon J Hall
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
| | - Mason Fidino
- Urban Wildlife Institute, Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, IL, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Austin M Green
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | | | | | - Cria A M Kay
- Urban Wildlife Institute, Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, IL, USA
| | | | | | | | - Seth B Magle
- Urban Wildlife Institute, Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, IL, USA
| | | | | | - Maureen Murray
- Urban Wildlife Institute, Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, IL, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Çagan H Șekercioğlu
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Koç University, Istanbul, Türkiye
| | | | - Kelly C Simon
- Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Austin, TX, USA
| | | | | | | | - Lisa Wayne
- San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | | | | | | | - Amanda J Zellmer
- Occidental College, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Arroyos & Foothills Conservancy, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Jesse S Lewis
- College of Integrative Sciences and Arts, Arizona State University, Mesa, AZ, USA
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Torhorst CW, Ledger KJ, White ZS, Milleson MP, Corral CC, Beatty NL, Wisely SM. Trypanosoma cruzi infection in mammals in Florida: New insight into the transmission of T. cruzi in the southeastern United States. Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl 2023; 21:237-245. [PMID: 37575667 PMCID: PMC10422094 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2023.06.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2023] [Revised: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023]
Abstract
In Latin America, synanthropic mammalian reservoirs maintain Trypanosoma cruzi, a parasitic protozoan, where they facilitate the transmission of the parasite to humans and other reservoir hosts in peridomestic settings. In the United States, raccoons (Procyon lotor) and Virginia opossums (Didelphis virginiana) are known synanthropic T. cruzi reservoir hosts; however, the role these species have in the peridomestic transmission cycle in the US is not well understood. This study aimed to identify the suite of mammalian reservoirs of T. cruzi in Florida. We also compared infection prevalence in raccoon populations sampled from within and outside of the estimated distribution of the common T. cruzi vector in Florida to gain insight into how the arthropod vector distribution impacts the distribution of infected reservoirs in the state. Finally, to investigate the impact of peridomestic landscapes on parasite prevalence, we compared the prevalence of T. cruzi-infected raccoons and opossums across five paired peridomestic and sylvatic sites. We live-trapped and collected peripheral blood samples from 135 raccoons, 112 opossums, 18 nine-banded armadillos (Dasypus novemcinctus), and nine species of rodents in north central Florida. Using quantitative PCR methods, we found that raccoons (42.2%, 95% CI [34.2-50.7%]) and opossums (50.9%, 95% CI [41.8-60.0%]) were infected with T. cruzi and the prevalence across habitats was similar for both raccoons (peridomestic: n = 77, 44.2%, 95% CI [33.6-55.3%], sylvatic: n = 58, 39.7%, 95% CI [28.1-52.5%]) and opossums (peridomestic: n = 66, 48.5%, 95% CI [36.8-60.3%], sylvatic: n = 46, 54.3%, 95% CI [40.2-67.8%]). Raccoons sampled outside the estimated distribution of Triatoma sanguisuga were not infected with T. cruzi (n = 73, 0.0%, 95% CI [0.0-5.0%]). Our study did not indicate that peridomestic habitats in Florida maintained a higher infection prevalence than their sylvatic counterparts; however, we did find a difference in prevalence within vs. outside the estimated vector distribution in Florida.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carson W. Torhorst
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Kimberly J. Ledger
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Zoe S. White
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Michael P. Milleson
- United States Department of Agriculture-Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, National Wildlife Disease Surveillance and Emergency Response Program, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Catalina C. Corral
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Norman L. Beatty
- Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Medicine, Department of Medicine in the College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Samantha M. Wisely
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
- Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
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7
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Landim AS, de Menezes Souza J, Dos Santos LB, de Freitas Lins-Neto EM, da Silva DT, Ferreira FS. Food taboos and animal conservation: a systematic review on how cultural expressions influence interaction with wildlife species. JOURNAL OF ETHNOBIOLOGY AND ETHNOMEDICINE 2023; 19:31. [PMID: 37454092 DOI: 10.1186/s13002-023-00600-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2023] [Accepted: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Human societies have food taboos as social rules that restrict access to a particular animal. Taboos are pointed out as tools for the conservation of animals, considering that the presence of this social rule prevents the consumption of animals. This work consists of a systematic review that aimed to verify how food taboos vary between different animal species, and how this relationship has influenced their conservation. METHODS For this systematic review, the search for articles by keywords took place in the databases "Science Direct," Scopus," "SciELo" and "Web of Science," associating the term "taboo" with the taxa "amphibians," "birds," "mammals," "fish" and "reptiles." From this search, 3959 titles were found related to the key terms of the research. After the entire screening process carried out by paired reviewers, only 25 articles were included in the search. RESULTS It was identified that 100 species of animals are related to some type of taboo, and segmental taboos and specific taboos were predominant, with 93 and 31 citations, respectively. In addition, the taxon with the most taboos recorded was fish, followed by mammals. Our findings indicate that the taboo protects 99% of the animal species mentioned, being a crucial tool for the conservation of these species. CONCLUSIONS The present study covered the status of current knowledge about food taboos associated with wildlife in the world. It is noticeable that taboos have a considerable effect on animal conservation, as the social restrictions imposed by taboos effectively contribute to the local conservation of species.
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Affiliation(s)
- André Santos Landim
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde e Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Vale do São Francisco (UNIVASF), Petrolina, Pernambuco, Brazil
| | - Jeferson de Menezes Souza
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biotecnologia, Universidade Estadual de Feira de Santana (UEFS), Feira de Santana, Bahia, Brazil
| | - Lucrécia Braz Dos Santos
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde e Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Vale do São Francisco (UNIVASF), Petrolina, Pernambuco, Brazil
| | - Ernani Machado de Freitas Lins-Neto
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde e Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Vale do São Francisco (UNIVASF), Petrolina, Pernambuco, Brazil
- Núcleo de Estudos de Conservação da Caatinga (NECC)/Colegiado de Ecologia, Universidade Federal do Vale do São Francisco (UNIVASF), Petrolina, Pernambuco, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia Humana e Gestão Socioambiental, Universidade Do Estado da Bahia (UNEB), Juazeiro, Bahia, Brazil
| | - Daniel Tenório da Silva
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde e Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Vale do São Francisco (UNIVASF), Petrolina, Pernambuco, Brazil
| | - Felipe Silva Ferreira
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde e Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Vale do São Francisco (UNIVASF), Petrolina, Pernambuco, Brazil.
- Núcleo de Estudos de Conservação da Caatinga (NECC)/Colegiado de Ecologia, Universidade Federal do Vale do São Francisco (UNIVASF), Petrolina, Pernambuco, Brazil.
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia e Evolução, Universidade Estadual de Feira de Santana (UEFS), Feira de Santana, Bahia, Brazil.
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8
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Davis KP, Sofaer HR, Pejchar L. Land cover differentially affects abundance of common and rare birds. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2023; 29:2999-3009. [PMID: 36974627 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2022] [Revised: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 03/13/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
While rare species are vulnerable to global change, large declines in common species (i.e., those with large population sizes, large geographic distributions, and/or that are habitat generalists) also are of conservation concern. Understanding if and how commonness mediates species' responses to global change, including land cover change, can help guide conservation strategies. We explored avian population responses to land cover change along a gradient from common to rare species using avian data from the North American Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) and land cover data from the National Land Cover Database for the conterminous United States. Specifically, we used generalized linear mixed effects models to ask if species' commonness affected the relationship between land cover and counts, using the initial amount of and change in land cover surrounding each North American BBS route from 2001 to 2016. We quantified species' commonness as a continuous metric at the national scale using the logarithm (base 10) of each species' total count across all routes in the conterminous United States in 2001. For our focal 15-year period, we found that higher proportions of initial natural land cover favored (i.e., were correlated with higher) counts of rare but not common species. We also found that commonness mediated how change in human land cover, but not natural land cover, was associated with species' counts at the end of the study period. Increases in developed lands did not favor counts of any species. Increases in agriculture and declines in pasture favored counts of common but not rare species. Our findings show a signal of commonness in how species respond to a major dimension of global change. Evaluating how and why commonness mediates species' responses to land cover change can help managers design conservation portfolios that sustain the spectrum of common to rare species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristin P Davis
- Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
- Department of Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Helen R Sofaer
- U.S. Geological Survey, Pacific Island Ecosystems Research Center, Hawaii National Park, Hawaii, USA
| | - Liba Pejchar
- Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
- Department of Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
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9
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Neate-Clegg MHC, Tonelli BA, Youngflesh C, Wu JX, Montgomery GA, Şekercioğlu ÇH, Tingley MW. Traits shaping urban tolerance in birds differ around the world. Curr Biol 2023; 33:1677-1688.e6. [PMID: 37023752 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.03.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2022] [Revised: 12/24/2022] [Accepted: 03/09/2023] [Indexed: 04/08/2023]
Abstract
As human density increases, biodiversity must increasingly co-exist with urbanization or face local extinction. Tolerance of urban areas has been linked to numerous functional traits, yet few globally consistent patterns have emerged to explain variation in urban tolerance, which stymies attempts at a generalizable predictive framework. Here, we calculate an Urban Association Index (UAI) for 3,768 bird species in 137 cities across all permanently inhabited continents. We then assess how this UAI varies as a function of ten species-specific traits and further test whether the strength of trait relationships vary as a function of three city-specific variables. Of the ten species traits, nine were significantly associated with urban tolerance. Urban-associated species tend to be smaller, less territorial, have greater dispersal ability, broader dietary and habitat niches, larger clutch sizes, greater longevity, and lower elevational limits. Only bill shape showed no global association with urban tolerance. Additionally, the strength of several trait relationships varied across cities as a function of latitude and/or human population density. For example, the associations of body mass and diet breadth were more pronounced at higher latitudes, while the associations of territoriality and longevity were reduced in cities with higher population density. Thus, the importance of trait filters in birds varies predictably across cities, indicating biogeographic variation in selection for urban tolerance that could explain prior challenges in the search for global patterns. A globally informed framework that predicts urban tolerance will be integral to conservation as increasing proportions of the world's biodiversity are impacted by urbanization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Montague H C Neate-Clegg
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
| | - Benjamin A Tonelli
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Casey Youngflesh
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Joanna X Wu
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Graham A Montgomery
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Çağan H Şekercioğlu
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA; Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Koç University, Sarıyer, 34450 İstanbul, Türkiye
| | - Morgan W Tingley
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
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10
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Callaghan CT, Palacio FX, Benedetti Y, Morelli F, Bowler DE. Large-scale spatial variability in urban tolerance of birds. J Anim Ecol 2023; 92:403-416. [PMID: 36477754 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2021] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Quantifying intraspecific and interspecific trait variability is critical to our understanding of biogeography, ecology and conservation. But quantifying such variability and understanding the importance of intraspecific and interspecific variability remain challenging. This is especially true of large geographic scales as this is where the differences between intraspecific and interspecific variability are likely to be greatest. Our goal is to address this research gap using broad-scale citizen science data to quantify intraspecific variability and compare it with interspecific variability, using the example of bird responses to urbanization across the continental United States. Using more than 100 million observations, we quantified urban tolerance for 338 species within randomly sampled spatial regions and then calculated the standard deviation of each species' urban tolerance. We found that species' spatial variability in urban tolerance (i.e. standard deviation) was largely explained by the variability of urban cover throughout a species' range (R2 = 0.70). Variability in urban tolerance was greater in species that were more tolerant of urban cover (i.e. the average urban tolerance throughout their range), suggesting that generalist life histories are better suited to adapt to novel anthropogenic environments. Overall, species differences explained most of the variability in urban tolerance across spatial regions. Together, our results indicate that (1) intraspecific variability is largely predicted by local environmental variability in urban cover at a large spatial scale and (2) interspecific variability is greater than intraspecific variability, supporting the common use of mean values (i.e. collapsing observations across a species' range) when assessing species-environment relationships. Further studies, across different taxa, traits and species-environment relationships are needed to test the role of intraspecific variability, but nevertheless, we recommend that when possible, ecologists should avoid using discrete categories to classify species in how they respond to the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corey T Callaghan
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center, University of Florida, Davie, Florida, USA.,German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle - Jena - Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.,Institute of Biology, Martin Luther University Halle - Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany.,Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Facundo X Palacio
- Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo, Universidad Nacional de la Plata, La Plata, Argentina
| | - Yanina Benedetti
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Federico Morelli
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic.,Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Zielona Góra, Zielona Góra, Poland
| | - Diana E Bowler
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle - Jena - Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.,Institute of Biodiversity, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany.,Helmoholtz Center for Environmental Research - UFZ, Department of Ecosystem Services, Leipzig, Germany
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11
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Estimates of wildlife species richness, occupancy, and habitat preference in a residential landscape in New York State. Urban Ecosyst 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s11252-022-01318-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
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12
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Caspi T, Johnson JR, Lambert MR, Schell CJ, Sih A. Behavioral plasticity can facilitate evolution in urban environments. Trends Ecol Evol 2022; 37:1092-1103. [PMID: 36058767 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2022.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2021] [Revised: 08/01/2022] [Accepted: 08/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Plasticity-led evolution is central to evolutionary theory. Although challenging to study in nature, this process may be particularly apparent in novel environments such as cities. We document abundant evidence of plastic behavioral changes in urban animals, including learning, contextual, developmental, and transgenerational plasticities. Using behavioral drive as a conceptual framework, our analysis of notable case studies suggests that plastic behaviors, such as altered habitat use, migration, diurnal and seasonal activity, and courtship, can have faciliatory and cascading effects on urban evolution via spatial, temporal, and mate-choice mechanisms. Our findings highlight (i) the need to incorporate behavioral plasticity more formally into urban evolutionary research and (ii) the opportunity provided by urban environments to study behavioral mechanisms of plasticity-led processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tal Caspi
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA.
| | - Jacob R Johnson
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA.
| | - Max R Lambert
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA; Science Division, Habitat Program, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Olympia, WA, USA
| | - Christopher J Schell
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Andrew Sih
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
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13
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Gray squirrels consume anthropogenic food waste most often during winter. Mamm Biol 2022; 103:69-81. [PMID: 36373055 PMCID: PMC9638426 DOI: 10.1007/s42991-022-00326-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Urban habitats provide wildlife with predictable, easily accessible and abundant food sources in the form of human food waste. Urban eastern gray squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis) are commonly observed feeding in trash bins, but we lack data regarding the type, quantity and seasonal changes in food waste usage. We observed five trash bins on an urban university campus during four different observation periods. We recorded the time squirrels spent on and inside trash bins and type of retrieved food items. We also recorded ambient temperature, human presence and trash bin filling. Moreover, we determined changes in squirrel population density in a natural and three anthropogenic habitats during the same periods. Trash bins were fuller when human presence was higher. The higher human presence, the more squirrels went on and inside the bin, but there was no effect on number of retrieved food items. Trash bin usage by squirrels decreased when ambient temperature and bin filling increased. Most food items were retrieved during the coldest observation period, a period of high human presence, and the majority of retrieved food items were starchy foods (e.g., bread, French fries). The relationship between the number of squirrels observed along transects and a measure of urbanization, the normalized difference built-up index, was negative in periods with high ambient temperatures and positive in periods with low ambient temperatures, indicating winter may be less challenging in urban areas, likely facilitated by the availability of anthropogenic food sources, allowing a higher level of activity throughout winter. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s42991-022-00326-3.
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14
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Fidino M, Lehrer EW, Kay CAM, Yarmey NT, Murray MH, Fake K, Adams HC, Magle SB. Integrated species distribution models reveal spatiotemporal patterns of human-wildlife conflict. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2022; 32:e2647. [PMID: 35535608 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2022] [Revised: 03/15/2022] [Accepted: 03/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
To mitigate human-wildlife conflict it is imperative to know where and when conflict occurs. However, standard methods used to predict the occurrence of human-wildlife conflict often fail to recognize how a species distribution likely limits where and when conflict may happen. As such, methods that predict human-wildlife conflict could be improved if they could identify where conflict will occur relative to species' underlying distribution. To this end, we used an integrated species distribution model that combined presence-only wildlife complaints with data from a systematic camera trapping survey throughout Chicago, Illinois. This model draws upon both data sources to estimate a latent distribution of species; in addition, the model can estimate where conflict is most likely to occur within that distribution. We modeled the occupancy and conflict potential of coyote (Canis latrans), Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana), and raccoon (Procyon lotor) as a function of urban intensity, per capita income, and home vacancy rates throughout Chicago. Overall, the distribution of each species constrained the spatiotemporal patterns of conflict throughout the city of Chicago. Within each species distribution, we found that human-wildlife conflict was most likely to occur where humans and wildlife habitat overlap (e.g., featuring higher-than-average canopy cover and housing density). Furthermore, human-wildlife conflict was most likely to occur in high-income neighborhoods for Virginia opossum and raccoon, despite the fact that those two species have higher occupancy in low-income neighborhoods. As such, knowing where species are distributed can inform guidelines on where wildlife management should be focused, especially if it overlaps with human habitats. Finally, because this integrated model can incorporate data that have already been collected by wildlife managers or city officials, this approach could be used to develop stronger collaborations with wildlife management agencies and conduct applied research that will inform landscape-scale wildlife management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mason Fidino
- Conservation and Science Department, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | | | - Cria A M Kay
- Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA
| | - Nicholas T Yarmey
- Prentice Institute for Global Population and Economy, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
| | | | - Kimberly Fake
- Conservation and Science Department, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Henry C Adams
- Conservation and Science Department, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Seth B Magle
- Conservation and Science Department, Chicago, Illinois, USA
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15
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Murray MH, Byers KA, Buckley J, Lehrer EW, Kay C, Fidino M, Magle SB, German D. Public perception of urban wildlife during a COVID-19 stay-at-home quarantine order in Chicago. Urban Ecosyst 2022; 26:127-140. [PMID: 36196074 PMCID: PMC9523173 DOI: 10.1007/s11252-022-01284-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/09/2022] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Reduced human activity to mitigate the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic was accompanied by reports of unusual wildlife sightings in highly developed areas. Such experiences with urban nature may have helped residents cope with the stress of the pandemic and increased public interest in urban wildlife; however, this may depend on the species residents encountered. In this study, we surveyed Chicago, Illinois, USA residents during a stay-at-home order to understand if residents in more affluent or greener neighborhoods saw more wildlife species. We also evaluated whether encounters with pest and non-pest species were associated with residents' values about wildlife. Of 593 responses included in our analyses, respondents in higher-income and greener neighborhoods were more likely to perceive increased wildlife sightings and respondents in higher-income areas reported observing a higher number common birds and mammals. Support for seeing wildlife in residential areas was associated with seeing passerine birds and not seeing rats during the stay-at-home order. Our results suggest that perceived increases in wildlife sightings were common during a stay-at-home order, especially for affluent residents, and that residents' perceptions depended on the species encountered. Understanding how changes in human behavior modifies human-wildlife interactions can help mitigate human-wildlife conflict and foster positive engagement with local wildlife. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11252-022-01284-x.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maureen H. Murray
- Dept. of Conservation and Science, Urban Wildlife Institute, Lincoln Park Zoo, 2001 N Clark St, 60614 Chicago, IL USA
| | - Kaylee A. Byers
- grid.17091.3e0000 0001 2288 9830Department of Interdisciplinary Studies, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC Canada
- Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, Animal Health Centre, Abbotsford, BC Canada
| | - Jacqueline Buckley
- Dept. of Conservation and Science, Urban Wildlife Institute, Lincoln Park Zoo, 2001 N Clark St, 60614 Chicago, IL USA
| | - Elizabeth W. Lehrer
- Dept. of Conservation and Science, Urban Wildlife Institute, Lincoln Park Zoo, 2001 N Clark St, 60614 Chicago, IL USA
| | - Cria Kay
- Dept. of Conservation and Science, Urban Wildlife Institute, Lincoln Park Zoo, 2001 N Clark St, 60614 Chicago, IL USA
| | - Mason Fidino
- Dept. of Conservation and Science, Urban Wildlife Institute, Lincoln Park Zoo, 2001 N Clark St, 60614 Chicago, IL USA
| | - Seth B. Magle
- Dept. of Conservation and Science, Urban Wildlife Institute, Lincoln Park Zoo, 2001 N Clark St, 60614 Chicago, IL USA
| | - Danielle German
- grid.21107.350000 0001 2171 9311Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD USA
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16
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Kay AD, Hughes MT, Ammend MG, Granger MR, Hodge JJ, Mohamud J, Romfoe EA, Said H, Selden L, Welter AL, Heinen-Kay JL. College squirrels gone wild? Using Sciurus carolinensis behavior to assess the ecosystem value of urban green spaces. Urban Ecosyst 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s11252-022-01288-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
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17
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Hagemann J, Conejero C, Stillfried M, Mentaberre G, Castillo-Contreras R, Fickel J, López-Olvera JR. Genetic population structure defines wild boar as an urban exploiter species in Barcelona, Spain. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 833:155126. [PMID: 35405223 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.155126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Revised: 03/27/2022] [Accepted: 04/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Urban wildlife ecology is gaining relevance as metropolitan areas grow throughout the world, reducing natural habitats and creating new ecological niches. However, knowledge is still scarce about the colonisation processes of such urban niches, the establishment of new communities, populations and/or species, and the related changes in behaviour and life histories of urban wildlife. Wild boar (Sus scrofa) has successfully colonised urban niches throughout Europe. The aim of this study is to unveil the processes driving the establishment and maintenance of an urban wild boar population by analysing its genetic structure. A set of 19 microsatellite loci was used to test whether urban wild boars in Barcelona, Spain, are an isolated population or if gene flow prevents genetic differentiation between rural and urban wild boars. This knowledge will contribute to the understanding of the effects of synurbisation and the associated management measures on the genetic change of large mammals in urban ecosystems. Despite the unidirectional gene flow from rural to urban areas, the urban wild boars in Barcelona form an island population genotypically differentiated from the surrounding rural ones. The comparison with previous genetic studies of urban wild boar populations suggests that forest patches act as suitable islands for wild boar genetic differentiation. Previous results and the genetic structure of the urban wild boar population in Barcelona classify wild boar as an urban exploiter species. These wild boar peri-urban island populations are responsible for conflict with humans and thus should be managed by reducing the attractiveness of urban areas. The management of peri-urban wild boar populations should aim at reducing migration into urban areas and preventing phenotypic changes (either genetic or plastic) causing habituation of wild boars to humans and urban environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justus Hagemann
- Leibniz-Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Alfred-Kowalke-Str. 17, D-10315 Berlin, Germany; University of Potsdam, Evolutionary Adaptive Genomics, Institute for Biochemistry and Biology, Karl-Liebknecht-Str. 24-25, 14476 Potsdam, Germany
| | - Carles Conejero
- Wildlife Ecology & Health group (WE&H) and Servei d'Ecopatologia de Fauna Salvatge (SEFaS), Departament de Medicina i Cirurgia Animals, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Milena Stillfried
- Leibniz-Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Alfred-Kowalke-Str. 17, D-10315 Berlin, Germany
| | - Gregorio Mentaberre
- Wildlife Ecology & Health group (WE&H) and Servei d'Ecopatologia de Fauna Salvatge (SEFaS), Departament de Medicina i Cirurgia Animals, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain; Departament de Ciència Animal, Escola Tècnica Superior d'Enginyeria Agraria (ETSEA), Universitat de Lleida (UdL), 25098 Lleida, Spain
| | - Raquel Castillo-Contreras
- Wildlife Ecology & Health group (WE&H) and Servei d'Ecopatologia de Fauna Salvatge (SEFaS), Departament de Medicina i Cirurgia Animals, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jörns Fickel
- Leibniz-Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Alfred-Kowalke-Str. 17, D-10315 Berlin, Germany; University of Potsdam, Molecular Ecology and Evolution, Institute for Biochemistry and Biology, Karl-Liebknecht-Str. 24-25, 14476 Potsdam, Germany
| | - Jorge Ramón López-Olvera
- Wildlife Ecology & Health group (WE&H) and Servei d'Ecopatologia de Fauna Salvatge (SEFaS), Departament de Medicina i Cirurgia Animals, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain.
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18
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Bradfield AA, Nagy CM, Weckel M, Lahti DC, Habig B. Predictors of Mammalian Diversity in the New York Metropolitan Area. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.903211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Urbanization can have profound consequences for mammalian biodiversity and is thought to contribute to patterns of species richness and community composition. Large cities can be particularly challenging environments for mammals because these habitats are often impacted by anthropogenic perturbations, including high human population density, fragmented habitats, and extensive human development. In this study, we investigated mammalian species richness, Shannon–Wiener diversity, and evenness in the most densely populated region in the United States: the New York metropolitan area. Specifically, we deployed camera traps from 2015 to 2019 to investigate six drivers of mammalian diversity across 31 greenspaces: (1) human population density, (2) patch size, (3) habitat type, (4) surrounding land cover, (5) geographical barriers to dispersal, and (6) habitat heterogeneity. We found that mammal community composition is largely influenced by a multitude of anthropogenic factors. Specifically, mammal species richness was higher in greenspaces with larger patch sizes and lower in greenspaces surrounded by more development. Moreover, Shannon–Wiener diversity and evenness were higher in urban natural landscapes than human-altered landscapes. In a subset of data that only included carnivores, we found that carnivore Shannon–Wiener diversity was higher in urban natural habitats and in sites with lower human population densities. Finally, we found that geographical barriers to dispersal contributed to both patterns of mammalian diversity and patterns of carnivore diversity: mammal taxa richness, Shannon–Wiener diversity, and evenness were all significantly higher on the continent (Bronx/Westchester) than on Long Island. These results suggest that preserving urban greenspaces is important for maintaining both mammalian and carnivore biodiversity and that management of mammals in cities should concentrate on maintaining large, connected, natural greenspaces.
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19
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Moura CW, Clucas B, Furnas BJ. Humans Are More Influential Than Coyotes on Mammalian Mesopredator Spatiotemporal Activity Across an Urban Gradient. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.867188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
For mammalian mesopredators, human-dominated landscapes offer a mosaic of risk and reward. While the reward of anthropogenic food resources may attract mesopredators to human-dominated areas, increased mesopredator activity and abundance in these areas may cause interspecific conflict. For smaller-bodied mesopredators, the perceived risk of intraguild predation by larger mesopredators may be enough to drive spatial and temporal avoidance strategies to reduce risk while still benefiting from anthropogenic resources. We evaluated how the spatiotemporal activity of four non-canid mammalian mesopredators – raccoon (Procyon lotor), striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis), opossum (Didelphis virginiana), and domestic cat (Felis catus) – might change in the presence of an intraguild predator, the coyote (Canis latrans), and a “super predator,” humans. We quantified mesopredator activity by deploying camera traps at 110 sites across an urban gradient in the Sacramento Metropolitan Area in central California, USA. We hypothesized that mesopredators would likely change their spatiotemporal activity in response to urban intensity (H1), coyotes (H2), human presence (H3), and if urban intensity might mediate the response to humans and coyotes (H4). We used single-species occupancy models to test how mesopredators responded to different spatial scales of urbanization, as well as the temporal presence of coyotes and humans. Top single-species models then informed two-species conditional occupancy models to evaluate how mesopredators responded to “dominant” coyotes. Finally, we used temporal overlap analyzes to evaluate whether activity patterns of mesopredators changed in response to humans and coyotes across three levels of urban intensity. Mesopredators did not change their spatial or temporal activity across the urban gradient when coyotes were present. Additionally, coyotes did not influence mesopredator temporal activity at 1-3-day scales; however, raccoons and cats may avoid coyotes at finer scales. Humans influenced mesopredator detectability, as cats and coyotes avoided humans after 1 and 2 days respectively, and opossums avoided urban areas when humans were present within 3 days. Coyotes may play a limited role in altering smaller-bodied mesopredator activity, especially when humans are present. While the impacts of human presence and urban features are often linked, mesopredators may perceive the risk each poses differently, and adjust their activity accordingly.
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21
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Gallo T, Fidino M, Gerber B, Ahlers AA, Angstmann JL, Amaya M, Concilio AL, Drake D, Gay D, Lehrer EW, Murray MH, Ryan TJ, St Clair CC, Salsbury CM, Sander HA, Stankowich T, Williamson J, Belaire JA, Simon K, Magle SB. Mammals adjust diel activity across gradients of urbanization. eLife 2022; 11:74756. [PMID: 35357308 PMCID: PMC8986314 DOI: 10.7554/elife.74756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2021] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Time is a fundamental component of ecological processes. How animal behavior changes over time has been explored through well-known ecological theories like niche partitioning and predator-prey dynamics. Yet, changes in animal behavior within the shorter 24-hour light-dark cycle have largely gone unstudied. Understanding if an animal can adjust their temporal activity to mitigate or adapt to environmental change has become a recent topic of discussion and is important for effective wildlife management and conservation. While spatial habitat is a fundamental consideration in wildlife management and conservation, temporal habitat is often ignored. We formulated a temporal resource selection model to quantify the diel behavior of eight mammal species across ten U.S. cities. We found high variability in diel activity patterns within and among species and species-specific correlations between diel activity and human population density, impervious land cover, available greenspace, vegetation cover, and mean daily temperature. We also found that some species may modulate temporal behaviors to manage both natural and anthropogenic risks. Our results highlight the complexity with which temporal activity patterns interact with local environmental characteristics, and suggest that urban mammals may use time along the 24-hour cycle to reduce risk, adapt, and therefore persist, and in some cases thrive, in human-dominated ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Travis Gallo
- College of Science, George Mason University, Fairfax, United States
| | - Mason Fidino
- Urban Wildlife Institute, Conservation and Science Department, Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, United States
| | - Brian Gerber
- Department of Natural Resource Science, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, United States
| | - Adam A Ahlers
- Department of Horticulture and Natural Resources, Kansas State University, Manhattan, United States
| | - Julia L Angstmann
- Department of Biological Sciences, Butler University, Indianapolis, United States
| | - Max Amaya
- Department of Biological Sciences, California State University, Long Beach, Long Beach, United States
| | - Amy L Concilio
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, St. Edward's University, Austin, United States
| | - David Drake
- Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, United States
| | - Danielle Gay
- Austin Parks and Recreation, City of Austin, Austin, United States
| | - Elizabeth W Lehrer
- Urban Wildlife Institute, Conservation and Science Department, Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, United States
| | - Maureen H Murray
- Urban Wildlife Institute, Conservation and Science Department, Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, United States
| | - Travis J Ryan
- Department of Biological Sciences, Butler University, Indianapolis, United States
| | | | - Carmen M Salsbury
- Department of Biological Sciences, Butler University, Indianapolis, United States
| | - Heather A Sander
- Department of Geographical and Sustainability Sciences, University of Iowa, Iowa City, United States
| | - Theodore Stankowich
- Department of Biological Sciences, California State University, Long Beach, Long Beach, United States
| | - Jaque Williamson
- Department of Education and Conservation, Brandywine Zoo, Wilmington, United States
| | | | - Kelly Simon
- Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Austin, United States
| | - Seth B Magle
- Urban Wildlife Institute, Conservation and Science Department, Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, United States
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22
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Gámez S, Potts A, Mills KL, Allen AA, Holman A, Randon PM, Linson O, Harris NC. Downtown diet: a global meta-analysis of increased urbanization on the diets of vertebrate predators. Proc Biol Sci 2022; 289:20212487. [PMID: 35232241 PMCID: PMC8889190 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2021.2487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Predation is a fundamental ecological process that shapes communities and drives evolutionary dynamics. As the world rapidly urbanizes, it is critical to understand how human perturbations alter predation and meat consumption across taxa. We conducted a meta-analysis to quantify the effects of urban environments on three components of trophic ecology in predators: dietary species richness, dietary evenness and stable isotopic ratios (IRs) (δ13C and δ15N IR). We evaluated whether the intensity of anthropogenic pressure, using the human footprint index (HFI), explained variation in effect sizes of dietary attributes using a meta-regression. We calculated Hedges' g effect sizes from 44 studies including 11 986 samples across 40 predatory species in 39 cities globally. The direction and magnitude of effect sizes varied among predator taxa with reptilian diets exhibiting the most sensitivity to urbanization. Effect sizes revealed that predators in cities had comparable diet richness, evenness and nitrogen ratios, though carbon IRs were more enriched in cities. We found that neither the 1993 nor 2009 HFI editions explained effect size variation. Our study provides, to our knowledge, the first assessment of how urbanization has perturbed predator-prey interactions for multiple taxa at a global scale. We conclude that the functional role of predators is conserved in cities and urbanization does not inherently relax predation, despite diets broadening to include anthropogenic food sources such as sugar, wheat and corn.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siria Gámez
- Applied Wildlife Ecology Laboratory, School of the Environment, Yale University, 195 Prospect Street, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Abigail Potts
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, 500 S State Street #2005, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Kirby L Mills
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, 500 S State Street #2005, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Aurelia A Allen
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, 500 S State Street #2005, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Allyson Holman
- School for Environment and Sustainability, University of Michigan, 500 S State Street #2005, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Peggy M Randon
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, 500 S State Street #2005, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Olivia Linson
- College of Literature, Science and the Arts, University of Michigan, 500 S State Street #2005, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Nyeema C Harris
- Applied Wildlife Ecology Laboratory, School of the Environment, Yale University, 195 Prospect Street, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
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23
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Sweet FST, Apfelbeck B, Hanusch M, Garland Monteagudo C, Weisser WW. Data from public and governmental databases show that a large proportion of the regional animal species pool occur in cities in Germany. JOURNAL OF URBAN ECOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1093/jue/juac002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Cities have been shown to be biodiverse, but it is unclear what fraction of a regional species pool can live within city borders and how this differs between taxa. Among animals, most research has focused on a few well-studied taxa, such as birds or butterflies. For other species, progress is limited by the paucity of data. We used species occurrence data for 11 taxa and 23 German cities from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) and the different German states, in a 50-km buffer around the city centre, to investigate what proportion of species of the regional species pools also occur in cities. While data could be obtained for all cities from GBIF, state databases only provided data for a subset of cities. Sample coverage of data from GBIF was higher across all taxa than of the state databases. For each database and taxon, we analysed (i) all cities where the number of occurrences of a taxon was >50 and (ii) only those cities where additionally sample coverage was >0.85. Across all taxa studied on average, 44.9 ± 7.2% (GBIF) and 40.8 ± 9.6% (German states) of the species of the regional species pool were also found in cities. When all cities were considered together, more than 76% of all species occurred within city borders. Our results show that German cities harbour a large part of the regional diversity of different taxa when city borders rather than the city centre is considered. This opens up ample opportunities for conservation and for fostering human–nature relationships.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabio S T Sweet
- Terrestrial Ecology Research Group, Department of Life Science Systems, School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Hans-Carl-von-Carlowitz-Platz 2, Freising 85354, Germany
| | - Beate Apfelbeck
- Terrestrial Ecology Research Group, Department of Life Science Systems, School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Hans-Carl-von-Carlowitz-Platz 2, Freising 85354, Germany
- Department of Environment and Biodiversity, Paris-Lodron-Universität Salzburg, Hellbrunnerstraße 34, Salzburg 5020, Austria
| | - Maximilian Hanusch
- Terrestrial Ecology Research Group, Department of Life Science Systems, School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Hans-Carl-von-Carlowitz-Platz 2, Freising 85354, Germany
- Department of Environment and Biodiversity, Paris-Lodron-Universität Salzburg, Hellbrunnerstraße 34, Salzburg 5020, Austria
| | - Cynthia Garland Monteagudo
- Terrestrial Ecology Research Group, Department of Life Science Systems, School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Hans-Carl-von-Carlowitz-Platz 2, Freising 85354, Germany
| | - Wolfgang W Weisser
- Terrestrial Ecology Research Group, Department of Life Science Systems, School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Hans-Carl-von-Carlowitz-Platz 2, Freising 85354, Germany
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24
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Parallel evolution of urban-rural clines in melanism in a widespread mammal. Sci Rep 2022; 12:1752. [PMID: 35110609 PMCID: PMC8810909 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-05746-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2021] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Urbanization is the dominant trend of global land use change. The replicated nature of environmental change associated with urbanization should drive parallel evolution, yet insight into the repeatability of evolutionary processes in urban areas has been limited by a lack of multi-city studies. Here we leverage community science data on coat color in > 60,000 eastern gray squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis) across 43 North American cities to test for parallel clines in melanism, a genetically based trait associated with thermoregulation and crypsis. We show the prevalence of melanism was positively associated with urbanization as measured by impervious cover. Urban–rural clines in melanism were strongest in the largest cities with extensive forest cover and weakest or absent in cities with warmer winter temperatures, where thermal selection likely limits the prevalence of melanism. Our results suggest that novel traits can evolve in a highly repeatable manner among urban areas, modified by factors intrinsic to individual cities, including their size, land cover, and climate.
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25
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Padilla BJ, Sutherland C. Defining dual-axis landscape gradients of human influence for studying ecological processes. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0252364. [PMID: 34793474 PMCID: PMC8601559 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0252364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2021] [Accepted: 10/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Ecological processes are strongly shaped by human landscape modification, and understanding the reciprocal relationship between ecosystems and modified landscapes is critical for informed conservation. Single axis measures of spatial heterogeneity proliferate in the contemporary gradient ecology literature, though they are unlikely to capture the complexity of ecological responses. Here, we develop a standardized approach for defining multi-dimensional gradients of human influence in heterogeneous landscapes and demonstrate this approach to analyze landscape characteristics of ten ecologically distinct US cities. Using occupancy data of a common human-adaptive songbird collected in each of the cities, we then use our dual-axis gradients to evaluate the utility of our approach. Spatial analysis of landscapes surrounding ten US cities revealed two important axes of variation that are intuitively consistent with the characteristics of multi-use landscapes, but are often confounded in single axis gradients. These were, a hard-to-soft gradient, representing transition from developed areas to non-structural soft areas; and brown-to-green, differentiating between two dominant types of soft landscapes: agriculture (brown) and natural areas (green). Analysis of American robin occurrence data demonstrated that occupancy responds to both hard-to-soft (decreasing with development intensity) and brown-to-green gradient (increasing with more natural area). Overall, our results reveal striking consistency in the dominant sources of variation across ten geographically distinct cities and suggests that our approach advances how we relate variation in ecological responses to human influence. Our case study demonstrates this: robins show a remarkably consistent response to a gradient differentiating agricultural and natural areas, but city-specific responses to the more traditional gradient of development intensity, which would be overlooked with a single gradient approach. Managing ecological communities in human dominated landscapes is extremely challenging due to a lack of standardized approaches and a general understanding of how socio-ecological systems function, and our approach offers promising solutions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Juan Padilla
- Research Institute – Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Indiana, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Chris Sutherland
- Centre for Research into Ecological and Environmental Modelling, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
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26
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Assessment of the Impact of Land Use Change on Spatial Differentiation of Landscape and Ecosystem Service Values in the Case of Study the Pearl River Delta in China. LAND 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/land10111219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Industrialization and urbanization have led to continuous urban development. The rapid change in land-use type and extent has a significant impact on the capacity of ecosystem services. Changes in the landscape pattern of roads, rivers, railway stations, and expressway entrances and exits have evident geographical proximity effects. We used landscape pattern indices and ecosystem service value (ESV) to evaluate the landscape pattern and ESV spatial differentiation of the Pearl River Delta region and its typical transportation infrastructure and rivers in 1990, 2000, and 2017. The results show that rapid urbanization and industrialization have led to changes in urban land use along the Pearl River Estuary. Urban land changes on the east bank of the Pearl River are greater than urban land changes on the west bank of the Pearl River; the landscape diversity of the Pearl River Delta has increased, the connectivity of the landscape has decreased, and the degree of fragmentation has increased. Second, the city size of the Pearl River Delta was negatively correlated with the ESVs. The ESVs in the core areas of the Pearl River Delta urban agglomeration were smaller than those in the fringe areas. With the gradient change in urban land use, ESVs showed a growing trend from the city center to the surrounding areas. The key areas for ecological protection and restoration should be central urban areas and suburbs. Third, the siphoning effect of the buffer zones of railway stations and expressway entrances and exits was very strong and drove the development and utilization of the surrounding land. As the degree of land development in the buffer zone decreased, the ESVs increased. Fourth, different grades of roads in the Pearl River Delta had different impacts on the regional landscape and ESVs. County roads had a greater interference effect than expressways, national roads, and provincial roads, and the riverside plains of the Pearl River Delta have a large development space, low urban development costs, and multiple land-use activities that have profoundly changed the landscape of the river buffer zone.
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27
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Murray MH, Fidino M, Lehrer EW, Simonis JL, Magle SB. A multi-state occupancy model to non-invasively monitor visible signs of wildlife health with camera traps that accounts for image quality. J Anim Ecol 2021; 90:1973-1984. [PMID: 33942308 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2020] [Accepted: 04/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Camera traps are an increasingly popular tool to monitor wildlife distributions. However, traditional analytical approaches to camera trap data are difficult to apply to visible wildlife characteristics in single images, such as infection status. Several parasites produce visible signs of infection that could be sampled via camera traps. Sarcoptic mange Sarcoptes scabiei is an ideal disease to study using cameras because it results in visible hair loss and affects a broad host range. Here, we developed a multi-state occupancy model to estimate the occurrence of mange in coyotes Canis latrans across an urban gradient. This model incorporates a secondary detection function for apparent by-image infection status to provide detection-corrected estimates of mange occurrence. We analysed a multi-year camera trap dataset in Chicago, Illinois, United States, to test whether the apparent occurrence of sarcoptic mange in coyotes Canis latrans increases with urbanization or varies through time. We documented visible signs consistent with current or recovering mange infection and variables we hypothesized would improve mange detection: The proportion of the coyote in frame, image blur and whether the image was in colour. We were more likely to detect coyotes with mange in images that were less blurry, in colour, and if a greater proportion of the coyote was visible. Mangy coyote occupancy was significantly higher in urban developed areas with low housing density and higher canopy cover whereas coyote occupancy, mangy or otherwise, decreased with urbanization. By incorporating image quality into our by-image detection function, we provide a robust method to non-invasively survey visible aspects of wildlife health with camera traps. Apparently mangy coyotes were associated with low-density forested neighbourhoods, which may offer vegetated areas while containing sources of anthropogenic resources. This association may contribute to human-wildlife conflict and reinforces posited relationships between infection risk and habitat use. More generally, our model could provide detection-corrected occupancy estimates of visible characteristics that vary by image such as body condition or injuries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maureen H Murray
- Department of Conservation and Science, Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Mason Fidino
- Department of Conservation and Science, Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Elizabeth W Lehrer
- Department of Conservation and Science, Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, IL, USA
| | | | - Seth B Magle
- Department of Conservation and Science, Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, IL, USA
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