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Gonçalves LO, Brack IV, Zank C, Beduschi J, Kindel A. Spatially prioritizing mitigation for amphibian roadkills based on fatality estimation and landscape conversion. Front Ecol Evol 2023. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2023.1123292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Roads cause biodiversity loss and the effects of wildlife-vehicle collisions may ripple from individuals and populations to ecosystem functioning. Amphibians are threatened worldwide and, despite being particularly prone to roadkill impacts, they are often neglected in assessments. Here, we develop a sampling and analytical framework for spatially prioritizing mitigation actions for anuran amphibian roadkills based on fatality estimation and landscape conversion. The framework is composed of the six following steps: (1) pre-selection of segments to survey using the wetland coverage in the surroundings and the presence of roadkills of aquatic reptiles as a proxy for wet areas; (2) spatiotemporally replicated counts with a dependent double-observer protocol, that is, each segment is sampled multiple times by two pairs of people on foot; (3) extraction of covariates hypothesized to affect spatial and temporal variation in roadkill rates and persistence; (4) hierarchical open-population N-mixture modelling to estimate population dynamics parameters, which accounts for imperfect detection and spatiotemporal heterogeneity in removal, detection, and roadkill rates, and explicitly estimates carcass entries per time interval. (5) Assessment of land cover transition to infer landscape stability; and (6) prioritization of segments based on higher fatality rates and lower landscape conversion rates. We estimated a mean of 136 (95%CrI = 130–142) anurans roadkill per km per day in the 50 sample sites selected. The initial number of carcasses had a positive relationship with the percentage occupied by wetlands and a negative association with the percentage occupied by urban areas. The number of entrant carcass per interval was higher in the presence of rainfall and had a positive association with the wetlands cover. Carcass persistence probability was higher at night and lower in sites with high traffic volume. Ten segments (~1% of road extension) were prioritized using the median as threshold for fatality estimates and landscape conversion. It is urgent to appropriately evaluate the number of amphibians roadkilled aiming to plan and implement mitigation measures specifically designed for these small animals. Our approach accounts for feasibility (focused on sites with greater relevance), robustness (considering imperfect detection), and steadiness (less prone to loss of effectiveness due to landscape dynamics).
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Ramsey DSL, Forsyth DM, Perry M, Thomas P, McKay M, Wright EF. Using helicopter counts to estimate the abundance of Himalayan tahr in New Zealand's Southern Alps. J Wildl Manage 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.22252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- David S. L. Ramsey
- Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research, Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning 123 Brown Street Heidelberg Victoria 3084 Australia
| | - David M. Forsyth
- Vertebrate Pest Research Unit, Department of Primary Industries 1447 Forest Road Orange New South Wales 2800 Australia
| | - Mike Perry
- Department of Conservation 28 North Street Palmerston North 4410 New Zealand
| | - Pete Thomas
- Department of Conservation 10 Sewell Street Hokitika 7810 New Zealand
| | - Meredith McKay
- Science and Policy Group, Department of Conservation 70 Moorhouse Avenue Christchurch 8011 New Zealand
| | - Elaine F. Wright
- Science and Policy Group, Department of Conservation 70 Moorhouse Avenue Christchurch 8011 New Zealand
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Udell B, Martin J, Romagosa C, Waddle H, Johnson F, Falk B, Yackel Adams A, Funck S, Ketterlin J, Suarez E, Mazzotti F. Open removal models with temporary emigration and population dynamics to inform invasive animal management. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e9173. [PMID: 35991280 PMCID: PMC9382647 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.9173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2021] [Revised: 06/09/2022] [Accepted: 07/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Removal sampling data are the primary source of monitoring information for many populations (e.g., invasive species, fisheries). Population dynamics, temporary emigration, and imperfect detection are common sources of variation in monitoring data and are key parameters for informing management. We developed two open robust-design removal models for simultaneously modeling population dynamics, temporary emigration, and imperfect detection: a random walk linear trend model (estimable without ancillary information), and a 2-age class informed population model (InfoPM, closely related to integrated population models) that incorporated prior information for age-structured vital rates and relative juvenile availability. We applied both models to multiyear, removal trapping time-series of a large invasive lizard (Argentine black and white tegu, Salvator merianae) in three management areas of South Florida to evaluate the effectiveness of management programs. Although estimates of the two models were similar, the InfoPMs generally returned more precise estimates, partitioned dynamics into births, deaths, net migration, and provided a decision support tool to predict population dynamics under different effort scenarios while accounting for uncertainty. Trends in tegu superpopulation abundance estimates were increasing in two management areas despite generally high removal rates. However, tegu abundance appeared to decline in the Core management area, where trapping density was the highest and immigration the lowest. Finally, comparing abundance predictions of no-removal scenarios to those estimated in each management area suggested significant population reductions due to management. These results suggest that local tegu population control via systematic trapping may be feasible with high enough trap density and limited immigration; and highlights the value of these trapping programs. We provided the first estimates of tegu abundance, capture probabilities, and population dynamics, which is critical for effective management. Furthermore, our models are applicable to a wide range of monitoring programs (e.g., carcass recovery or removal point-counts).
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Affiliation(s)
- Bradley Udell
- Wildlife Ecology and ConservationUniversity of FloridaGainesvilleFloridaUSA
| | - Julien Martin
- Wetland and Aquatic Research CenterU.S. Geological SurveyGainesvilleFloridaUSA
- Eastern Ecological Science CenterU.S. Geological SurveyLaurelMarylandUSA
| | - Christina Romagosa
- Wildlife Ecology and ConservationUniversity of FloridaGainesvilleFloridaUSA
| | - Hardin Waddle
- Wetland and Aquatic Research CenterU.S. Geological SurveyGainesvilleFloridaUSA
| | - Fred Johnson
- Department of BioscienceAarhus UniversityRøndeDenmark
| | - Bryan Falk
- Fort Collins Science CenterU.S. Geological SurveyFort CollinsColoradoUSA
- South Florida Natural Resources CenterNational Park ServiceHomesteadFloridaUSA
| | - Amy Yackel Adams
- Fort Collins Science CenterU.S. Geological SurveyFort CollinsColoradoUSA
| | - Sarah Funck
- Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation CommissionWest Palm BeachFloridaUSA
| | - Jennifer Ketterlin
- South Florida Natural Resources CenterNational Park ServiceHomesteadFloridaUSA
| | - Eric Suarez
- Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation CommissionWest Palm BeachFloridaUSA
| | - Frank Mazzotti
- Fort Lauderdale Research and Education CenterUniversity of FloridaDavieFloridaUSA
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Zhao Q, Fuller AK, Royle JA. Spatial dynamic N‐mixture models with interspecific interactions. Methods Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/2041-210x.13936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Qing Zhao
- Bird Conservancy of the Rockies Fort Collins CO USA
| | - Angela K. Fuller
- U.S. Geological Survey, New York Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Natural Resources and the Environment, Cornell University Ithaca NY USA
| | - J. Andrew Royle
- U.S. Geological Survey, Eastern Ecological Science Center Laurel MD USA
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Doser JW, Weed AS, Zipkin EF, Miller KM, Finley AO. Trends in bird abundance differ among protected forests but not bird guilds. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2021; 31:e02377. [PMID: 33988277 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2020] [Revised: 12/16/2020] [Accepted: 02/04/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Improved monitoring and associated inferential tools to efficiently identify declining bird populations, particularly of rare or sparsely distributed species, is key to informed conservation and management across large spatiotemporal regions. We assess abundance trends for 106 bird species in a network of eight forested national parks located within the northeast United States from 2006 to 2019 using a novel hierarchical model. We develop a multispecies, multiregion, removal-sampling model that shares information across species and parks to enable inference on rare species and sparsely sampled parks and to evaluate the effects of local forest structure. Trends in bird abundance over time varied widely across parks, but species showed similar trends within parks. Three parks (Acadia National Park and Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller and Morristown National Historical Parks [NHP]) decreased in bird abundance across all species, while three parks (Saratoga NHP and Roosevelt-Vanderbilt and Weir-Farm National Historic Sites) increased in abundance. Bird abundance peaked at medium levels of basal area and high levels of percent forest and forest regeneration, with percent forest having the largest effect. Variation in these effects across parks could be a result of differences in forest structural stage and diversity. By sharing information across both communities and parks, our novel hierarchical model enables uncertainty-quantified estimates of abundance across multiple geographical (i.e., network, park) and taxonomic (i.e., community, guild, species) levels over a large spatiotemporal region. We found large variation in abundance trends across parks but not across bird guilds, suggesting that local forest condition might have a broad and consistent effect on the entire bird community within a given park. Research should target the three parks with overall decreasing trends in bird abundance to further identify what specific factors are driving observed declines across the bird community. Understanding how bird communities respond to local forest structure and other stressors (e.g., pest outbreaks, climate change) is crucial for informed and lasting management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey W Doser
- Department of Forestry, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, 48824, USA
- Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, 48824, USA
| | - Aaron S Weed
- Northeast Temperate Inventory and Monitoring Network, National Park Service, Woodstock, Vermont, 05091, USA
| | - Elise F Zipkin
- Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, 48824, USA
- Department of Integrative Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, 48824, USA
| | - Kathryn M Miller
- Northeast Temperate Inventory and Monitoring Network, National Park Service, Bar Harbor, Maine, 04609, USA
| | - Andrew O Finley
- Department of Forestry, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, 48824, USA
- Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, 48824, USA
- Department of Geography, Environment, and Spatial Sciences, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, 48824, USA
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Assessing recovery of spectacled eiders using a Bayesian decision analysis. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0253895. [PMID: 34197512 PMCID: PMC8248636 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0253895] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2020] [Accepted: 06/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Assessing species status and making classification decisions under the Endangered Species Act is a critical step towards effective species conservation. However, classification decisions are liable to two errors: i) failing to classify a species as threatened or endangered that should be classified (underprotection), or ii) classifying a species as threatened or endangered when it is not warranted (overprotection). Recent surveys indicate threatened spectacled eider populations are increasing in western Alaska, prompting the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to reconsider the federal listing status. There are multiple criteria set for assessing spectacled eider status, and here we focus on the abundance and decision analysis criteria. We estimated population metrics using state-space models for Alaskan breeding populations of spectacled eiders. We projected abundance over 50 years using posterior estimates of abundance and process variation to estimate the probability of quasi-extinction. The decision analysis maps the risk of quasi-extinction to the loss associated with making a misclassification error (i.e., underprotection) through a loss function. Our results indicate that the Yukon Kuskokwim Delta breeding population in western Alaska has met the recovery criteria but the Arctic Coastal Plain population in northern Alaska has not. The methods employed here provide an example of accounting for uncertainty and incorporating value judgements in such a way that the decision-makers may understand the risk of committing a misclassification error. Incorporating the abundance threshold and decision analysis in the reclassification criteria greatly increases the transparency and defensibility of the classification decision, a critical aspect for making effective decisions about species management and conservation.
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Zhao Q. A simulation study of the age‐structured spatially explicit dynamic N‐mixture model. Ecol Res 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/1440-1703.12222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Qing Zhao
- School of Natural Resources University of Missouri Columbia Missouri USA
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