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Silva AA, Mendonça TD, Ribeiro CA, Lima DG, Graças de Oliveira BRD, Cárdenas VJ, Cassino RF, Magalhães ALB, Antonini Y, Cardoso JCF, de Azevedo CS. Behavioural changes of native freshwater prawn in the presence of a predator fish. Behav Processes 2024; 221:105095. [PMID: 39245395 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2024.105095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2024] [Revised: 09/02/2024] [Accepted: 09/03/2024] [Indexed: 09/10/2024]
Abstract
Predation pressure influences animal behaviour in relation to feeding, exposure to predators and habitat use. In the presence of a predator, prey usually decreases feeding and activity, avoiding predation-risk areas. This study evaluated the visual effects of a predator fish (red-bellied piranha Pygocentrus nattereri) on the behaviour and habitat use of Macrobrachium jelskii prawn. It was hypothesized that prawns would modify their behaviour in the presence of a predator, decreasing their general activity (foraging and locomotion) and seeking shelter more frequently. Twenty behavioural tests were carried out without and with the presence of a predator using five different M. jelskii individuals per trial. Behavioural data were collected using scan sampling with instantaneous recording of behaviours every 15seconds during 5minutes in each trial. The presence of the predator caused prawns to decrease their locomotion and feeding and increase environment exploration and predator inspection. Prawns used the shelter more frequently when the predator was present. Red-bellied piranha elicited anti-predator behaviour in M. jelskii. The patterns observed suggested that the most common anti-predatory behaviours exhibited by M. jelskii are beneficial as they reduce vigilance and active anti-predation strategies, such as escape.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arthur Afeitos Silva
- Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Programa de Pós-graduação em Ecologia de Biomas Tropicais, Instituto de Ciências Exatas e Biológicas. Departamento de Biodiversidade, Evolução e Meio Ambiente. Campus Morro do Cruzeiro, s/n, Bauxita. 35402-136, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brasil.
| | - Thais Dias Mendonça
- Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Programa de Pós-graduação em Ecologia de Biomas Tropicais, Instituto de Ciências Exatas e Biológicas. Departamento de Biodiversidade, Evolução e Meio Ambiente. Campus Morro do Cruzeiro, s/n, Bauxita. 35402-136, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brasil.
| | - Carolina Alves Ribeiro
- Universidade Federal de Lavras, Programa de Pós-graduação em Ecologia Aplicada, Instituto de Ciências Naturais. Departamento de Ecologia e Conservação. Campus Universitário, Aquenta Sol. 37200-900, Lavras, Minas Gerais, Brasil.
| | - Débora Golçalves Lima
- Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Programa de Pós-graduação em Ecologia de Biomas Tropicais, Instituto de Ciências Exatas e Biológicas. Departamento de Biodiversidade, Evolução e Meio Ambiente. Campus Morro do Cruzeiro, s/n, Bauxita. 35402-136, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brasil.
| | - Bruna Raiary das Graças de Oliveira
- Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Programa de Pós-graduação em Ecologia de Biomas Tropicais, Instituto de Ciências Exatas e Biológicas. Departamento de Biodiversidade, Evolução e Meio Ambiente. Campus Morro do Cruzeiro, s/n, Bauxita. 35402-136, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brasil.
| | - Valeria Jiménez Cárdenas
- Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Programa de Pós-graduação em Ecologia de Biomas Tropicais, Instituto de Ciências Exatas e Biológicas. Departamento de Biodiversidade, Evolução e Meio Ambiente. Campus Morro do Cruzeiro, s/n, Bauxita. 35402-136, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brasil.
| | - Raquel Franco Cassino
- Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Programa de Pós-graduação em Ecologia de Biomas Tropicais, Instituto de Ciências Exatas e Biológicas. Departamento de Biodiversidade, Evolução e Meio Ambiente. Campus Morro do Cruzeiro, s/n, Bauxita. 35402-136, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brasil.
| | - André Lincoln Barroso Magalhães
- Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Programa de Pós-graduação em Ecologia de Biomas Tropicais, Instituto de Ciências Exatas e Biológicas. Departamento de Biodiversidade, Evolução e Meio Ambiente. Campus Morro do Cruzeiro, s/n, Bauxita. 35402-136, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brasil.
| | - Yasmine Antonini
- Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Programa de Pós-graduação em Ecologia de Biomas Tropicais, Instituto de Ciências Exatas e Biológicas. Departamento de Biodiversidade, Evolução e Meio Ambiente. Campus Morro do Cruzeiro, s/n, Bauxita. 35402-136, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brasil.
| | - João Custódio Fernandes Cardoso
- Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Programa de Pós-graduação em Ecologia de Biomas Tropicais, Instituto de Ciências Exatas e Biológicas. Departamento de Biodiversidade, Evolução e Meio Ambiente. Campus Morro do Cruzeiro, s/n, Bauxita. 35402-136, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brasil.
| | - Cristiano Schetini de Azevedo
- Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Programa de Pós-graduação em Ecologia de Biomas Tropicais, Instituto de Ciências Exatas e Biológicas. Departamento de Biodiversidade, Evolução e Meio Ambiente. Campus Morro do Cruzeiro, s/n, Bauxita. 35402-136, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brasil.
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Ritwika VPS, Gopinathan A, Yeakel JD. Beyond the kill: The allometry of predation behaviours among large carnivores. J Anim Ecol 2024; 93:554-566. [PMID: 38459609 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.14070] [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: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/10/2024]
Abstract
The costs of foraging can be high while also carrying significant risks, especially for consumers feeding at the top of the food chain. To mitigate these risks, many predators supplement active hunting with scavenging and kleptoparasitic behaviours, in some cases specializing in these alternative modes of predation. The factors that drive differential utilization of these tactics from species to species are not well understood. Here, we use an energetics approach to investigate the survival advantages of hunting, scavenging and kleptoparasitism as a function of predator, prey and potential competitor body sizes for terrestrial mammalian carnivores. The results of our framework reveal that predator tactics become more diverse closer to starvation, while the deployment of scavenging and kleptoparasitism is strongly constrained by the ratio of predator to prey body size. Our model accurately predicts a behavioural transition away from hunting towards alternative modes of predation with increasing prey size for predators spanning an order of magnitude in body size, closely matching observational data across a range of species. We then show that this behavioural boundary follows an allometric power-law scaling relationship where the predator size scales with an exponent nearing 3/4 with prey size, meaning that this behavioural switch occurs at relatively larger threshold prey body size for larger carnivores. We suggest that our approach may provide a holistic framework for guiding future observational efforts exploring the diverse array of predator foraging behaviours.
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Affiliation(s)
- V P S Ritwika
- Department of Physics, UC Merced, Merced, California, USA
- Department of Communication, UCLA, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Life and Environmental Sciences, UC Merced, Merced, California, USA
| | | | - Justin D Yeakel
- Life and Environmental Sciences, UC Merced, Merced, California, USA
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3
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Gaston MV, Barnas AF, Smith RM, Murray S, Fisher JT. Native prey, not landscape change or novel prey, drive cougar ( Puma concolor) distribution at a boreal forest range edge. Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e11146. [PMID: 38571804 PMCID: PMC10985369 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.11146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2023] [Revised: 02/22/2024] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Many large carnivores, despite widespread habitat alteration, are rebounding in parts of their former ranges after decades of persecution and exploitation. Cougars (Puma concolor) are apex predator with their remaining northern core range constricted to mountain landscapes and areas of western North America; however, cougar populations have recently started rebounding in several locations across North America, including northward in boreal forest landscapes. A camera-trap survey of multiple landscapes across Alberta, Canada, delineated a range edge; within this region, we deployed an array of 47 camera traps in a random stratified design across a landscape spanning a gradient of anthropogenic development relative to the predicted expansion front. We completed multiple hypotheses in an information-theoretic framework to determine if cougar occurrence is best explained by natural land cover features, anthropogenic development features, or competitor and prey activity. We predicted that anthropogenic development features from resource extraction and invading white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virgianius) explain cougar distribution at this boreal range edge. Counter to our predictions, the relative activity of native prey, predominantly snowshoe hare (Lepus americanus), was the best predictor of cougar occurrence at this range edge. Small-bodied prey items are particularly important for female and sub-adult cougars and may support breeding individuals in the northeast boreal forest. Also, counter to our predictions, there was not a strong relationship detected between cougar occurrence and gray wolf (Canis lupus) activity at this range edge. However, further investigation is recommended as the possibility of cougar expansion into areas of the multi-prey boreal system, where wolves have recently been controlled, could have negative consequences for conservation goals in this region (e.g. the recovery of woodland caribou [Rangifer tarandus caribou]). Our study highlights the need to monitor contemporary distributions to inform conservation management objectives as large carnivores recover across North America.
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Affiliation(s)
- Millicent V. Gaston
- School of Environmental StudiesUniversity of VictoriaVictoriaBritish ColumbiaCanada
| | - Andrew F. Barnas
- School of Environmental StudiesUniversity of VictoriaVictoriaBritish ColumbiaCanada
| | - Rebecca M. Smith
- School of Environmental StudiesUniversity of VictoriaVictoriaBritish ColumbiaCanada
| | - Sean Murray
- School of Environmental StudiesUniversity of VictoriaVictoriaBritish ColumbiaCanada
| | - Jason T. Fisher
- School of Environmental StudiesUniversity of VictoriaVictoriaBritish ColumbiaCanada
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Turner JW, Prokopenko CM, Kingdon KA, Dupont DLJ, Zabihi-Seissan S, Vander Wal E. Death comes for us all: relating movement-integrated habitat selection and social behavior to human-associated and disease-related mortality among gray wolves. Oecologia 2023; 202:685-697. [PMID: 37515598 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-023-05426-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2022] [Accepted: 07/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/31/2023]
Abstract
Avoiding death affects biological processes, including behavior. Habitat selection, movement, and sociality are highly flexible behaviors that influence the mortality risks and subsequent fitness of individuals. In the Anthropocene, animals are experiencing increased risks from direct human causes and increased spread of infectious diseases. Using integrated step selection analysis, we tested how the habitat selection, movement, and social behaviors of gray wolves vary in the two months prior to death due to humans (being shot or trapped) or canine distemper virus (CDV). We further tested how those behaviors vary as a prelude to death. We studied populations of wolves that occurred under two different management schemes: a national park managed for conservation and a provincially managed multi-use area. Behaviors that changed prior to death were strongly related to how an animal eventually died. Wolves killed by humans moved slower than wolves that survived and selected to be nearer roads closer in time to their death. Wolves that died due to CDV moved progressively slower as they neared death and reduced their avoidance of wet habitats. All animals, regardless of dying or living, maintained selection to be near packmates across time, which seemingly contributed to disease dynamics in the packs infected with CDV. There were no noticeable differences in behavior between the two management areas. Overall, habitat selection, movement, and sociality interact to put individuals and groups at greater risks, influencing their cause-specific mortality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie W Turner
- Department of Biology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, 45 Arctic Ave., St. John's, NL, A1B 3X9, Canada.
| | - Christina M Prokopenko
- Department of Biology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, 45 Arctic Ave., St. John's, NL, A1B 3X9, Canada
| | - Katrien A Kingdon
- Department of Biology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, 45 Arctic Ave., St. John's, NL, A1B 3X9, Canada
| | - Daniel L J Dupont
- Department of Biology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, 45 Arctic Ave., St. John's, NL, A1B 3X9, Canada
- Département des sciences expérimentales, Université de Saint-Boniface, 200 ave de la Cathédrale, Winnipeg, MB, R2H 0H7, Canada
| | - Sana Zabihi-Seissan
- Department of Biology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, 45 Arctic Ave., St. John's, NL, A1B 3X9, Canada
| | - Eric Vander Wal
- Department of Biology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, 45 Arctic Ave., St. John's, NL, A1B 3X9, Canada
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5
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Stoner DC, McDonald Z, Coon CAC. Stepping stones to extirpation: Puma patch occupancy thresholds in an urban-wildland matrix. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e10381. [PMID: 37546565 PMCID: PMC10401668 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2022] [Revised: 07/04/2023] [Accepted: 07/19/2023] [Indexed: 08/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Habitat loss and fragmentation are the leading causes of species range contraction and extirpation, worldwide. Factors that predict sensitivity to fragmentation include high trophic level, large body size, and extensive spatial requirements. Pumas (Puma concolor) exemplify these qualities, making them particularly susceptible to fragmentation and subsequent reductions in demographic connectivity. The chaparral-dominated ecosystems surrounding the greater San Francisco Bay Area encompass over 10,000 km2 of suitable puma habitat, but inland waterways, croplands, urban land uses, and extensive transportation infrastructure have resulted in widespread habitat fragmentation. Pumas in this region now exist as a metapopulation marked by loss of genetic diversity, collisions with vehicles, and extensive human-puma conflict. Given these trends, we conducted a photo survey from 2017 to 2021 across 19 patches of predicted habitat and compiled a dataset of >6584 puma images. We used a logistic regression analytical framework to evaluate the hypothesis that puma patch occupancy would exhibit a threshold response explained by patch size, isolation, and habitat quality. Contrary to predictions, only variables related to patch size demonstrated any power to explain occupancy. On average, occupied patches were 18× larger than those where they were not detected (825 ± 1238 vs. 46 ± 101 km2). Although we observed pumas in patches as small as 1 km2, logistic regression models indicated a threshold occupancy probability between 300 and 400 km2, which is remarkably close to the mean male puma home range size in coastal California (~381 km2). Puma populations dependent on habitats below this value may be susceptible to inbreeding depression and human-wildlife conflict, and therefore vulnerable to extirpation. For species conservation, we suggest conflicts might be ameliorated by identifying the largest, isolated patches for public education campaigns with respect to management of domestic animals, and remaining connective parcels be identified, mapped, and prioritized for targeted mitigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- David C. Stoner
- Department of Wildland ResourcesUtah State UniversityLoganUtahUSA
- Felidae Conservation FundMill ValleyCaliforniaUSA
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6
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Brown L, Zedrosser A, Arnemo JM, Fuchs B, Kindberg J, Pelletier F. Landscape of fear or landscape of food? Moose hunting triggers an antipredator response in brown bears. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2023; 33:e2840. [PMID: 36912774 PMCID: PMC10909462 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2021] [Revised: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Hunters can affect the behavior of wildlife by inducing a landscape of fear, selecting individuals with specific traits, or altering resource availability across the landscape. Most research investigating the influence of hunting on wildlife resource selection has focused on target species and less attention has been devoted to nontarget species, such as scavengers that can be both attracted or repelled by hunting activities. We used resource selection functions to identify areas where hunters were most likely to kill moose (Alces alces) in south-central Sweden during the fall. Then, we used step-selection functions to determine whether female brown bears (Ursus arctos) selected or avoided these areas and specific resources during the moose hunting season. We found that, during both day and nighttime, female brown bears avoided areas where hunters were more likely to kill moose. We found evidence that resource selection by brown bears varied substantially during the fall and that some behavioral changes were consistent with disturbance associated with moose hunters. Brown bears were more likely to select concealed locations in young (i.e., regenerating) and coniferous forests and areas further away from roads during the moose hunting season. Our results suggest that brown bears react to both spatial and temporal variations in apparent risk during the fall: moose hunters create a landscape of fear and trigger an antipredator response in a large carnivore even if bears are not specifically targeted during the moose hunting season. Such antipredator responses might lead to indirect habitat loss and lower foraging efficiency and the resulting consequences should be considered when planning hunting seasons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ludovick Brown
- Département de biologieUniversité de SherbrookeSherbrookeCanada
| | - Andreas Zedrosser
- Department of Natural Sciences and Environmental HealthUniversity of South‐Eastern NorwayBø in TelemarkNorway
- Institute for Wildlife Biology and Game ManagementUniversity for Natural Resources and Life SciencesViennaAustria
| | - Jon M. Arnemo
- Department of Forestry and Wildlife ManagementInland Norway University of Applied SciencesKoppangNorway
- Department of Wildlife, Fish and Environmental StudiesSwedish University of Agricultural SciencesUmeåSweden
| | - Boris Fuchs
- Department of Forestry and Wildlife ManagementInland Norway University of Applied SciencesKoppangNorway
| | - Jonas Kindberg
- Department of Wildlife, Fish and Environmental StudiesSwedish University of Agricultural SciencesUmeåSweden
- Norwegian Institute for Nature ResearchTrondheimNorway
| | - Fanie Pelletier
- Département de biologieUniversité de SherbrookeSherbrookeCanada
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Everatt KT, Kokes R, Robinson H, Kerley GIH. Optimal foraging of lions at the human wildlands interface. Afr J Ecol 2023. [DOI: 10.1111/aje.13113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Kristoffer T. Everatt
- Department of Zoology, Center for African Conservation Ecology Nelson Mandela University Port Elizabeth South Africa
- Panthera New York New York USA
- Greater Limpopo Carnivore Programme Limpopo National Park Mozambique
| | - Rae Kokes
- Greater Limpopo Carnivore Programme Limpopo National Park Mozambique
| | - Hugh Robinson
- Department of Zoology, Center for African Conservation Ecology Nelson Mandela University Port Elizabeth South Africa
| | - Graham I. H. Kerley
- Department of Zoology, Center for African Conservation Ecology Nelson Mandela University Port Elizabeth South Africa
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Blakey RV, Sikich JA, Blumstein DT, Riley SP. Mountain lions avoid burned areas and increase risky behavior after wildfire in a fragmented urban landscape. Curr Biol 2022; 32:4762-4768.e5. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2022.08.082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2022] [Revised: 06/13/2022] [Accepted: 08/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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9
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Behavioural adjustments of predators and prey to wind speed in the boreal forest. Oecologia 2022; 200:349-358. [PMID: 36175692 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-022-05266-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2022] [Accepted: 09/19/2022] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
Wind speed can have multifaceted effects on organisms including altering thermoregulation, locomotion, and sensory reception. While forest cover can substantially reduce wind speed at ground level, it is not known if animals living in forests show any behavioural responses to changes in wind speed. Here, we explored how three boreal forest mammals, a predator and two prey, altered their behaviour in response to average daily wind speeds during winter. We collected accelerometer data to determine wind speed effects on activity patterns and kill rates of free-ranging red squirrels (n = 144), snowshoe hares (n = 101), and Canada lynx (n = 27) in Kluane, Yukon from 2015 to 2018. All 3 species responded to increasing wind speeds by changing the time they were active, but effects were strongest in hares, which reduced daily activity by 25%, and lynx, which increased daily activity by 25%. Lynx also increased the number of feeding events by 40% on windy days. These results highlight that wind speed is an important abiotic variable that can affect behaviour, even in forested environments.
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10
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Short- and long-term modulation of forager motivation by colony state in bumble bees. Anim Behav 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2022.05.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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11
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Carlson AR, Helmers DP, Hawbaker TJ, Mockrin MH, Radeloff VC. The wildland-urban interface in the United States based on 125 million building locations. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2022; 32:e2597. [PMID: 35340097 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2021] [Revised: 11/09/2021] [Accepted: 12/21/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The wildland-urban interface (WUI) is the focus of many important land management issues, such as wildfire, habitat fragmentation, invasive species, and human-wildlife conflicts. Wildfire is an especially critical issue, because housing growth in the WUI increases wildfire ignitions and the number of homes at risk. Identifying the WUI is important for assessing and mitigating impacts of development on wildlands and for protecting homes from natural hazards, but data on housing development for large areas are often coarse. We created new WUI maps for the conterminous United States based on 125 million individual building locations, offering higher spatial precision compared to existing maps based on U.S. census housing data. Building point locations were based on a building footprint data set from Microsoft. We classified WUI across the conterminous United States at 30-m resolution using a circular neighborhood mapping algorithm with a variable radius to determine thresholds of housing density and vegetation cover. We used our maps to (1) determine the total area of the WUI and number of buildings included, (2) assess the sensitivity of WUI area included and spatial pattern of WUI maps to choice of neighborhood size, (3) assess regional differences between building-based WUI maps and census-based WUI maps, and (4) determine how building location accuracy affected WUI map accuracy. Our building-based WUI maps identified 5.6%-18.8% of the conterminous United States as being in the WUI, with larger neighborhoods increasing WUI area but excluding isolated building clusters. Building-based maps identified more WUI area relative to census-based maps for all but the smallest neighborhoods, particularly in the north-central states, and large differences were attributable to high numbers of non-housing structures in rural areas. Overall WUI classification accuracy was 98.0%. For wildfire risk mapping and for general purposes, WUI maps based on the 500-m neighborhood represent the original Federal Register definition of the WUI; these maps include clusters of buildings in and adjacent to wildlands and exclude remote, isolated buildings. Our approach for mapping the WUI offers flexibility and high spatial detail and can be widely applied to take advantage of the growing availability of high-resolution building footprint data sets and classification methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda R Carlson
- SILVIS Lab, Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - David P Helmers
- SILVIS Lab, Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Todd J Hawbaker
- U.S. Geological Survey, Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center, Denver, Colorado, USA
| | - Miranda H Mockrin
- Northern Research Station, U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Volker C Radeloff
- SILVIS Lab, Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
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Guerisoli MDLM, Schiaffini MI. “I Did, I Did Taw a Puddy Tat!” Pumas in Urban Ecosystems of Latin America: A Review of the Mediatic Information. FRONTIERS IN CONSERVATION SCIENCE 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fcosc.2022.739026] [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
The concentration of people living in small areas has increased in the last decade, with more than half of the world's population living in cities. This is particularly true for Latin America, a region with no particular high contribution to the world total population, but hosts several large cities. The increase in urbanization causes several threats to wildlife that face the loss of their habitat and novel environmental pressures. As the number of wildlife entering cities seems to have increased in the last year, we characterize the temporal and geographical events of a widely distributed carnivore, the puma, Puma concolor. We performed an exhaustive search for media news regarding the sighting, capture, and/or killing of pumas within human settlement areas, and tried to relate them with potential explanatory variables. We found a total of 162 events in Latin America in a period of the last 10 years, particularly concentrated in the year 2020. Most records came from Brazil, followed by Argentina, Chile, and Mexico. Of the total, 41% were only sightings, 58% were captures, and a minor percentage were considered as mascotism. Almost the same number of records came from highly populated areas (cities) than from low populated areas (rural) but with important differences between countries. The countries with more records in urban areas (Brazil and Mexico) showed a larger surface occupied by cities. The countries with most records in rural areas (Argentina and Chile) present the opposite pattern of occupied surface. This might indicate that different percentages of areas dedicated to cities or urban spaces might explain the differences among countries. The most important variable related to puma events in the populated areas was sky brightness, while human density and cattle density explained minor parts. The “anthropause” due to the COVID-19 pandemic might explain the larger number of records from 2020, while the absence of high-quality habitats due to fragmentation and high cattle density, might force the pumas to enter populated areas searching for food. Minor values of night lights could be related to a facilitation of efficiency of foraging behavior. Although some bias might exist in the data, the results should be taken into account as general statements for all analyzed countries.
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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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14
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Nisi AC, Benson JF, Wilmers CC. Puma responses to unreliable human cues suggest an ecological trap in a fragmented landscape. OIKOS 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.09051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Anna C. Nisi
- Center for Integrated Spatial Research, Environmental Studies Dept, Univ. of California Santa Cruz CA USA
- Biology Dept, Univ. of Washington Seattle WA USA
| | - John F. Benson
- School of Natural Resources, University of Nebraska Lincoln NE USA
| | - Christopher C. Wilmers
- Center for Integrated Spatial Research, Environmental Studies Dept, Univ. of California Santa Cruz CA USA
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15
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The effect of urbanization on spatiotemporal interactions between gray foxes and coyotes. Ecosphere 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
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16
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Cristescu B, Elbroch LM, Dellinger JA, Binder W, Wilmers CC, Wittmer HU. Kill rates and associated ecological factors for an apex predator. Mamm Biol 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s42991-022-00240-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
AbstractKill rates and functional responses are fundamental to the study of predator ecology and the understanding of predatory-prey dynamics. As the most widely distributed apex predator in the western hemisphere, pumas (Puma concolor) have been well studied, yet a synthesis of their kill rates is currently lacking. We reviewed the literature and compiled data on sex- and age-specific kill rate estimates of pumas on ungulates, and conducted analyses aimed at understanding ecological factors explaining the observed spatial variation. Kill rate studies on pumas, while numerous, were primarily conducted in Temperate Conifer Forests (< 10% of puma range), revealing a dearth of knowledge across much of their range, especially from tropical and subtropical habitats. Across studies, kill rates in ungulates/week were highest for adult females with kitten(s) (1.24 ± 0.41 ungulates/week) but did not vary significantly between adult males (0.84 ± 0.18) and solitary adult females (0.99 ± 0.26). Kill rates in kg/day differed only marginally among reproductive classes. Kill rates of adult pumas increased with ungulate density, particularly for males. Ungulate species richness had a weak negative association with adult male kill rates. Neither scavenger richness, puma density, the proportion of non-ungulate prey in the diet, nor regional human population density had a significant effect on ungulate kill rates, but additional studies and standardization would provide further insights. Our results had a strong temperate-ecosystem bias highlighting the need for further research across the diverse biomes pumas occupy to fully interpret kill rates for the species. Data from more populations would also allow for multivariate analyses providing deeper inference into the ecological and behavioural factors driving kill rates and functional responses of pumas, and apex predators in general.
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17
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Bista D, Baxter GS, Hudson NJ, Murray PJ. Seasonal resource selection of an arboreal habitat specialist in a human-dominated landscape: a case study using red panda. Curr Zool 2022; 69:1-11. [PMID: 36974152 PMCID: PMC10039176 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zoac014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2021] [Accepted: 02/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Human dominated landscapes provide heterogeneous wildlife habitat. Conservation of habitat specialists, like red pandas Ailurus fulgens, inhabiting such landscapes is challenging. Therefore information on resource use across spatial and temporal scales could enable informed-decision making with better conservation outcomes. We aimed to examine the effect of geo-physical, vegetation, and disturbance variables on fine-scale habitat selection of red pandas in one such landscape. We equipped 10 red pandas with GPS collars in eastern Nepal in 2019 and monitored them for one year. Our analysis was based on a generalized-linear-mixed model. We found the combined effect of geo-physical, vegetation and disturbance variables resulted in differences in resource selection of red pandas and that the degree of response to these variables varied across seasons. Human disturbances, especially road and cattle herding activities, affected habitat utilization throughout the year whereas other variables were important only during restricted periods. For instance, geo-physical variables were influential in the premating and cub-rearing seasons while vegetation variables were important in all seasons other than premating. Red pandas selected steeper slopes with high solar insolation in the premating season while they occupied elevated areas and preferred specific aspects in the cub-rearing season. Furthermore, the utilized areas had tall bamboo in the birthing and cub-rearing seasons while they also preferred diverse tree species and high shrub cover in the latter. Our study demonstrates the significance of season-specific management, suggests the importance of specific types of vegetation during biologically crucial periods, and emphasizes the necessity to minimize disturbances throughout the year.
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Affiliation(s)
- Damber Bista
- School of Agriculture and Food Sciences, The University of Queensland, Gatton QLD 4343, Australia
| | - Greg S Baxter
- School of Agriculture and Environmental Science, University of Southern Queensland, West St, Darling Heights QLD 4350, Australia
| | - Nicholas J Hudson
- School of Agriculture and Food Sciences, The University of Queensland, Gatton QLD 4343, Australia
| | - Peter J Murray
- School of Agriculture and Environmental Science, University of Southern Queensland, West St, Darling Heights QLD 4350, Australia
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18
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Hernández DL, Bump JK. Predation of a Beaver (Castor canadensis) by a Gray Wolf (Canis lupus) during Winter. AMERICAN MIDLAND NATURALIST 2022. [DOI: 10.1674/0003-0031-187.1.97] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel L. Hernández
- Biology Department, Carleton College, 1 North College Street, Northfield, MN 55057
| | - Joseph K. Bump
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, University of Minnesota 2003 Upper Buford Circle, St. Paul, MN 5510
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19
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Kertson BN, Keren IN. Cougar use of residential areas and interactions with people in periods of population stability and growth. J Mammal 2021. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyab145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
The presence of large carnivores close to people poses unique challenges for wildlife managers working to maintain fully functioning ecosystems while simultaneously minimizing potential risks to public safety and private property. In western North America, cougar (Puma concolor) use of residential areas is relatively commonplace and has contributed to undesirable interactions with people. A common assumption is that cougar population growth translates into greater proximity to people and more interactions, but to our knowledge, direct evaluation of this assumption has not occurred. We used GPS telemetry locations and confirmed cougar–human interaction reports to construct single-sex Leslie matrices, utilization distributions, and a two-stage hurdle model within a Bayesian framework to investigate the effects of population trajectory on cougar use of residential areas and interactions with people in the wildland–urban interface of western Washington. We collected data during two time periods with different expected population growth rates, anticipating greater cougar use of residential areas and interaction levels during the period of increased growth. Contrary to our initial expectations, we did not detect meaningful differences in cougar presence in residential areas or number of interactions with humans between study periods. Instead, we documented consistent space use patterns by all demographic classes that seemed to be governed by different life-history strategies. Interactions with humans were largely a function of individual cougar behaviors during both study periods. The consistent presence of abundant, well-connected wildlands coupled with cougar dispersal likely mitigated the potential effects of population trajectory as the increased expected growth rate in Period 2 manifested primarily as subadult emigration via wildlands. We found that a source population does not necessarily translate into greater proximity to people and more interactions. Cougar management in wildland–urban environments would benefit from the application of strategies that address the complex interplay of biological and anthropogenic factors that contribute to cougar presence in residential areas and their likelihood of interacting with people.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian N Kertson
- Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, 7007 Curtis DR SE, Snoqualmie, WA, USA
| | - Ilai N Keren
- Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, 1111 Washington Street SE, Olympia, WA, USA
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20
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Nisi AC, Suraci JP, Ranc N, Frank LG, Oriol-Cotterill A, Ekwanga S, Williams TM, Wilmers CC. Temporal scale of habitat selection for large carnivores: Balancing energetics, risk and finding prey. J Anim Ecol 2021; 91:182-195. [PMID: 34668571 PMCID: PMC9298125 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13613] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2021] [Accepted: 09/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
When navigating heterogeneous landscapes, large carnivores must balance trade-offs between multiple goals, including minimizing energetic expenditure, maintaining access to hunting opportunities and avoiding potential risk from humans. The relative importance of these goals in driving carnivore movement likely changes across temporal scales, but our understanding of these dynamics remains limited. Here we quantified how drivers of movement and habitat selection changed with temporal grain for two large carnivore species living in human-dominated landscapes, providing insights into commonalities in carnivore movement strategies across regions. We used high-resolution GPS collar data and integrated step selection analyses to model movement and habitat selection for African lions Panthera leo in Laikipia, Kenya and pumas Puma concolor in the Santa Cruz Mountains of California across eight temporal grains, ranging from 5 min to 12 hr. Analyses considered landscape covariates that are related to energetics, resource acquisition and anthropogenic risk. For both species, topographic slope, which strongly influences energetic expenditure, drove habitat selection and movement patterns over fine temporal grains but was less important at longer temporal grains. In contrast, avoiding anthropogenic risk during the day, when risk was highest, was consistently important across grains, but the degree to which carnivores relaxed this avoidance at night was strongest for longer term movements. Lions and pumas modified their movement behaviour differently in response to anthropogenic features: lions sped up while near humans at fine temporal grains, while pumas slowed down in more developed areas at coarse temporal grains. Finally, pumas experienced a trade-off between energetically efficient movement and avoiding anthropogenic risk. Temporal grain is an important methodological consideration in habitat selection analyses, as drivers of both movement and habitat selection changed across temporal grain. Additionally, grain-dependent patterns can reflect meaningful behavioural processes, including how fitness-relevant goals influence behaviour over different periods of time. In applying multi-scale analysis to fine-resolution data, we showed that two large carnivore species in very different human-dominated landscapes balanced competing energetic and safety demands in largely similar ways. These commonalities suggest general strategies of landscape use across large carnivore species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna C Nisi
- Center for Integrated Spatial Research, Environmental Studies Department, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Justin P Suraci
- Center for Integrated Spatial Research, Environmental Studies Department, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, USA.,Conservation Science Partners, Truckee, CA, USA
| | - Nathan Ranc
- Center for Integrated Spatial Research, Environmental Studies Department, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Laurence G Frank
- Living with Lions, Mpala Research Centre, Nanyuki, Kenya.,Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Alayne Oriol-Cotterill
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Zoology Department, Oxford University, Abingdon, UK.,Lion Landscapes, Teignmouth, UK
| | - Steven Ekwanga
- Living with Lions, Mpala Research Centre, Nanyuki, Kenya
| | - Terrie M Williams
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Christopher C Wilmers
- Center for Integrated Spatial Research, Environmental Studies Department, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
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21
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RILEY SETHPD, SIKICH JEFFA, BENSON JOHNF. Big Cats in the Big City: Spatial Ecology of Mountain Lions in Greater Los Angeles. J Wildl Manage 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.22127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- SETH P. D. RILEY
- Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area National Park Service 401 W. Hillcrest Drive Thousand Oaks CA 91360 USA
| | - JEFF A. SIKICH
- Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area National Park Service 401 W. Hillcrest Drive Thousand Oaks CA 91360 USA
| | - JOHN F. BENSON
- School of Natural Resources University of Nebraska Lincoln, 3310 Holdrege St—Hardin Hall Lincoln NE 68583 USA
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22
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Cepeda–Duque JC, Gómez–Valencia B, Alvarez S, Gutiérrez–Sanabria DR, Lizcano DJ. Daily activity pattern of pumas (Puma concolor) and their potential prey in a tropical cloud forest of Colombia. ANIMAL BIODIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION 2021. [DOI: 10.32800/abc.2021.44.0267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Ecosystems in the northern Andes face unprecedented habitat loss. Pumas are the top predators in the region and exert key ecological functions, such as population control and resource facilitation. However, little is known about the temporal niche of the species or its effects on behaviour of prey in the tropics. We hypothesized that there is a link between the activity patterns of pumas and their prey in a cloud forest of the Central Andes of Colombia. We installed 61 camera traps to estimate the degree of overlap between the daily activity curves of pumas and seven potential prey species, using conditional kernel density functions. Pumas, armadillos, mountain pacas, and white–eared opossums were mainly nocturnal, with little crepuscular activity and high temporal overlap. Central American agouti, mountain coati, little red brocket deer, and Cauca guan displayed a predominantly diurnal activity and temporal partitioning with pumas. As opportunistic predators, pumas were able to maximize foraging efficiency by preying on the crepuscular and nocturnal species. Conservation of this highland predator will largely depend on the suitable management of its native prey.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - B. Gómez–Valencia
- Instituto de Investigaciones Alexander von Humboldt, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - S. Alvarez
- Wildlife Conservation Society, Cali, Colombia
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23
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Snider MH, Athreya VR, Balme GA, Bidner LR, Farhadinia MS, Fattebert J, Gompper ME, Gubbi S, Hunter LTB, Isbell LA, Macdonald DW, Odden M, Owen CR, Slotow R, Spalton JA, Stein AB, Steyn V, Vanak AT, Weise FJ, Wilmers CC, Kays R. Home range variation in leopards living across the human density gradient. J Mammal 2021. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyab068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Home range size is a fundamental measure of animal space use, providing insight into habitat quality, animal density, and social organization. Human impacts increasingly are affecting wildlife, especially among wide-ranging species that encounter anthropogenic disturbance. Leopards (Panthera pardus) provide a useful model for studying this relationship because leopards coexist with people at high and low human densities and are sensitive to human disturbance. To compare leopard home range size across a range of human densities and other environmental conditions, we combined animal tracking data from 74 leopards in multiple studies with new analytical techniques that accommodate different sampling regimes. We predicted that home ranges would be smaller in more productive habitats and areas of higher human population density due to possible linkage with leopard prey subsidies from domestic species. We also predicted that male leopards would have larger home ranges than those of females. Home ranges varied in size from 14.5 km2 in India to 885.6 km2 in Namibia, representing a 60-fold magnitude of variation. Home range stability was evident for 95.2% of nontranslocated individuals and 38.5% of translocated individuals. Leopard home range sizes were negatively correlated with landscape productivity, and males used larger areas than females. Leopards in open habitats had a predicted negative correlation in home range size with human population density, but leopards in closed habitats used larger home ranges in areas with more people.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew H Snider
- Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | | | | | - Laura R Bidner
- School of Human Evolution and Social Change, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
| | - Mohammed S Farhadinia
- Oxford Martin School and Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Future4Leopards Foundation, Tehran, Iran
| | - Julien Fattebert
- Center for Functional Biodiversity, School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
- Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, USA
| | - Matthew E Gompper
- Department of Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Ecology, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM, USA
| | - Sanjay Gubbi
- Nature Conservation Foundation, Mysore, Karnataka, India
- Kuvempu University, Shankarghatta, Karnataka, India
| | - Luke T B Hunter
- Wildlife Conservation Society, 2300 Southern Boulevard, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Lynne A Isbell
- Mpala Research Centre, Nanyuki, Kenya
- Department of Anthropology and Animal Behavior Graduate Group, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - David W Macdonald
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, University of Oxford, Tubney House, Oxfordshire, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Morten Odden
- Applied Ecology, Agricultural Sciences and Biotechnology, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, 2418 Elverum, Norway
| | - Cailey R Owen
- School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
| | - Rob Slotow
- School of Life Sciences, University of Kwazulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg Campus, Scottsville, South Africa
| | | | - Andrew B Stein
- CLAWS Conservancy, 32 Pine Tree Drive, Worcester, MA, USA
- Department of Environmental Conservation, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, USA
- Landmark College, Putney, VT, USA
| | | | - Abi T Vanak
- DBT/Wellcome Trust India Alliance, Hyderabad, Telengana, India
- Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment, Bangalore, Karnataka, India
| | | | - Christopher C Wilmers
- Department of Environmental Studies, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Roland Kays
- Biodiversity Research Lab, North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, Raleigh, NC, USA
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24
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Premier J, Gahbauer M, Leibl F, Heurich M. In situ feeding as a new management tool to conserve orphaned Eurasian lynx (lynx lynx). Ecol Evol 2021; 11:2963-2973. [PMID: 33841758 PMCID: PMC8019029 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7261] [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: 09/11/2020] [Revised: 12/16/2020] [Accepted: 01/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
High human-caused mortality due to wildlife-vehicle-collisions and illegal killing leads to frequent cases of orphaned Eurasian lynx juveniles. Under natural conditions, this would result in starvation of the young. To avoid this, wildlife managers conventionally rear animals in captivity and release them later. However, this measure is an undesirable outcome for species conservation, managers, and animals alike. Increased awareness of Eurasian lynx orphaned by human-caused mortality means managers must often intervene in endangered populations. In this study, we report for the first time a successful case of in situ feeding designed to avoid captivity of two orphaned Eurasian lynx. We exposed 13 roe deer and 7 red deer carcasses in the field to successfully support two orphans to the age of independence and confirm dispersal from the natal range. We present this management approach as a feasible and complimentary tool that can be considered in small or isolated large carnivore populations where every individual counts toward population viability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joe Premier
- Albert Ludwig UniversityFreiburgGermany
- Department of National Park MonitoringBavarian Forest National ParkGrafenauGermany
- Leibniz Institute for Wildlife and Zoo ResearchBerlinGermany
| | - Martin Gahbauer
- Department of National Park MonitoringBavarian Forest National ParkGrafenauGermany
| | - Franz Leibl
- Department of National Park MonitoringBavarian Forest National ParkGrafenauGermany
| | - Marco Heurich
- Albert Ludwig UniversityFreiburgGermany
- Department of National Park MonitoringBavarian Forest National ParkGrafenauGermany
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25
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Nickel BA, Suraci JP, Nisi AC, Wilmers CC. Energetics and fear of humans constrain the spatial ecology of pumas. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:e2004592118. [PMID: 33495339 PMCID: PMC7865164 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2004592118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Energetic demands and fear of predators are considered primary factors shaping animal behavior, and both are likely drivers of movement decisions that ultimately determine the spatial ecology of wildlife. Yet energetic constraints on movement imposed by the physical landscape have only been considered separately from those imposed by risk avoidance, limiting our understanding of how short-term movement decisions scale up to affect long-term space use. Here, we integrate the costs of both physical terrain and predation risk into a common currency, energy, and then quantify their effects on the short-term movement and long-term spatial ecology of a large carnivore living in a human-dominated landscape. Using high-resolution GPS and accelerometer data from collared pumas (Puma concolor), we calculated the short-term (i.e., 5-min) energetic costs of navigating both rugged physical terrain and a landscape of risk from humans (major sources of both mortality and fear for our study population). Both the physical and risk landscapes affected puma short-term movement costs, with risk having a relatively greater impact by inducing high-energy but low-efficiency movement behavior. The cumulative effects of short-term movement costs led to reductions of 29% to 68% in daily travel distances and total home range area. For male pumas, long-term patterns of space use were predominantly driven by the energetic costs of human-induced risk. This work demonstrates that, along with physical terrain, predation risk plays a primary role in shaping an animal's "energy landscape" and suggests that fear of humans may be a major factor affecting wildlife movements worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barry A Nickel
- Center for Integrated Spatial Research, Environmental Studies Department, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA 95064
| | - Justin P Suraci
- Center for Integrated Spatial Research, Environmental Studies Department, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA 95064
| | - Anna C Nisi
- Center for Integrated Spatial Research, Environmental Studies Department, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA 95064
| | - Christopher C Wilmers
- Center for Integrated Spatial Research, Environmental Studies Department, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA 95064
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26
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Lima SL, Gámez S, Arringdale N, Harris NC. Vigilance Response of a Key Prey Species to Anthropogenic and Natural Threats in Detroit. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.570734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Rapid urbanization coupled with increased human activity induces pressures that affect predator-prey relations through a suite of behavioral mechanisms, including alteration of avoidance and coexistence dynamics. Synergisms of natural and anthropogenic threats existing within urban environments exacerbate the necessity for species to differentially modify behavior to each risk. Here, we explore the behavioral response of a key prey species, cottontail rabbits (Sylvilagus floridanus), to pressures from humans, domestic dogs, and a natural predator, coyotes (Canis latrans) in a human-dominated landscape. We conducted the first camera survey in urban parks throughout Detroit, Michigan in 2017–2020 to assess vigilance response corresponding to a heterogeneous landscape created from variation in the occupancy of threats. We predicted a scaled response where cottontail rabbits would be most vigilant in areas with high coyote activity, moderately vigilant in areas with high domestic dog activity, and the least vigilant in areas of high human activity. From 8,165 independent cottontail rabbit detections in Detroit across 11,616 trap nights, one-third were classified as vigilant. We found vigilance behavior increased with coyote occupancy and in locations with significantly high domestic dog activity, but found no significant impact of human occupancy or their spatial hotspots. We also found little spatial overlap between rabbits and threats, suggesting rabbits invest more in spatial avoidance; thus, less effort is required for vigilance. Our results elucidate strategies of a prey species coping with various risks to advance our understanding of the adaptability of wildlife in urban environments. In order to promote coexistence between people and wildlife in urban greenspaces, we must understand and anticipate the ecological implications of human-induced behavioral modifications.
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27
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Host relatedness and landscape connectivity shape pathogen spread in the puma, a large secretive carnivore. Commun Biol 2021; 4:12. [PMID: 33398025 PMCID: PMC7782801 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-020-01548-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2019] [Accepted: 11/25/2020] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Urban expansion can fundamentally alter wildlife movement and gene flow, but how urbanization alters pathogen spread is poorly understood. Here, we combine high resolution host and viral genomic data with landscape variables to examine the context of viral spread in puma (Puma concolor) from two contrasting regions: one bounded by the wildland urban interface (WUI) and one unbounded with minimal anthropogenic development (UB). We found landscape variables and host gene flow explained significant amounts of variation of feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) spread in the WUI, but not in the unbounded region. The most important predictors of viral spread also differed; host spatial proximity, host relatedness, and mountain ranges played a role in FIV spread in the WUI, whereas roads might have facilitated viral spread in the unbounded region. Our research demonstrates how anthropogenic landscapes can alter pathogen spread, providing a more nuanced understanding of host-pathogen relationships to inform disease ecology in free-ranging species.
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28
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White JH, Brown JL, Ormsby ZE. A multiscale assessment of Red-tailed Hawk reproductive success relative to urban density and habitat type. JOURNAL OF URBAN ECOLOGY 2020. [DOI: 10.1093/jue/juaa023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Despite the unique threats to wildlife in urban areas, many raptors have established successfully reproducing urban populations. To identify variations in raptor breeding ecology within an urban area, we compared metrics of Red-tailed Hawk reproductive attempts to landscape characteristics in Reno and Sparks, NV, USA during the 2015 and 2016 breeding seasons. We used the Apparent Nesting Success and logistic exposure methods to measure nesting success of the Red-tailed Hawks. We used generalized linear models to relate nesting success and fledge rate to habitat type, productivity to hatch date (Julian day) and hatch date to urban density. Nesting success was 86% and 83% for the respective years. Nesting success increased in grassland-agricultural and shrub habitats and decreased in riparian habitat within the urban landscape. Productivity was 2.23 and 2.03 per nest for the breeding seasons. Fledge rates were 72% and 77%, respectively, and decreased in riparian areas. Nestlings hatched earlier with increased urban density and earliest in suburban areas, following a negative quadratic curve. Nesting success and productivity for this population were high relative to others in North America. Productivity increased in habitats where ground prey was more accessible. We suggest that suburban areas, if not frequently disturbed, provide sufficient resources to sustain Red-tailed Hawks over extended periods. As urban expansion continues in arid environments globally, we stress that researchers monitor reproductive output across the urban predator guild to elucidate patterns in population dynamics and adaptation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin H White
- Department of Earth Science, Utah Valley University, 800 W. University Parkway, MS 179, Orem, UT 84097, USA
| | - Jessi L Brown
- Department of Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, 1664 N. Virginia St., MS 0314, Reno, NV 89557, USA
| | - Zachary E Ormsby
- Nevada Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, 901 S. Stewart St., Carson City, NV 89701, USA
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Gaynor KM, Cherry MJ, Gilbert SL, Kohl MT, Larson CL, Newsome TM, Prugh LR, Suraci JP, Young JK, Smith JA. An applied ecology of fear framework: linking theory to conservation practice. Anim Conserv 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/acv.12629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kaitlyn M. Gaynor
- National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis University of California, Santa Barbara Santa Barbara CA USA
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management University of California, Berkeley Berkeley CA USA
| | - Michael J. Cherry
- Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute Texas A&M University‐Kingsville Kingsville Texas USA
| | - Sophie L. Gilbert
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Sciences University of Idaho Moscow Idaho USA
| | - Michel T. Kohl
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources University of Georgia Athens Georgia USA
| | | | - Thomas M. Newsome
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences University of Sydney Sydney NSW Australia
| | - Laura R. Prugh
- School of Environmental and Forest Sciences University of Washington Seattle WA USA
| | - Justin P. Suraci
- Center for Integrated Spatial Research Environmental Studies Department University of California Santa Cruz CA USA
| | - Julie K. Young
- Predator Research Facility USDA‐National Wildlife Research Center Millville Utah USA
| | - Justine A. Smith
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management University of California, Berkeley Berkeley CA USA
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation Biology University of California, Davis Davis CA USA
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Farhadinia MS, Michelot T, Johnson PJ, Hunter LTB, Macdonald DW. Understanding decision making in a food-caching predator using hidden Markov models. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2020; 8:9. [PMID: 32071720 PMCID: PMC7011357 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-020-0195-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2019] [Accepted: 01/30/2020] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Tackling behavioural questions often requires identifying points in space and time where animals make decisions and linking these to environmental variables. State-space modeling is useful for analysing movement trajectories, particularly with hidden Markov models (HMM). Yet importantly, the ontogeny of underlying (unobservable) behavioural states revealed by the HMMs has rarely been verified in the field. METHODS Using hidden Markov models of individual movement from animal location, biotelemetry, and environmental data, we explored multistate behaviour and the effect of associated intrinsic and extrinsic drivers across life stages. We also decomposed the activity budgets of different movement states at two general and caching phases. The latter - defined as the period following a kill which likely involves the caching of uneaten prey - was subsequently confirmed by field inspections. We applied this method to GPS relocation data of a caching predator, Persian leopard Panthera pardus saxicolor in northeastern Iran. RESULTS Multistate modeling provided strong evidence for an effect of life stage on the behavioural states and their associated time budget. Although environmental covariates (ambient temperature and diel period) and ecological outcomes (predation) affected behavioural states in non-resident leopards, the response in resident leopards was not clear, except that temporal patterns were consistent with a crepuscular and nocturnal movement pattern. Resident leopards adopt an energetically more costly mobile behaviour for most of their time while non-residents shift their behavioural states from high energetic expenditure states to energetically less costly encamped behaviour for most of their time, which is likely to be a risk avoidance strategy against conspecifics or humans. CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrates that plasticity in predator behaviour depending on life stage may tackle a trade-off between successful predation and avoiding the risks associated with conspecifics, human presence and maintaining home range. Range residency in territorial predators is energetically demanding and can outweigh the predator's response to intrinsic and extrinsic variables such as thermoregulation or foraging needs. Our approach provides an insight into spatial behavior and decision making of leopards, and other large felids in rugged landscapes through the application of the HMMs in movement ecology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad S. Farhadinia
- Oxford Martin School and Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, 34 Broad St, Oxford, OX1 3BD UK
| | - Théo Michelot
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of St Andrews, The Observatory, Buchanan Gardens, St Andrews, KY169LZ UK
| | - Paul J. Johnson
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Tubney House, Oxford, Oxfordshire OX13 5QL UK
| | - Luke T. B. Hunter
- Wildlife Conservation Society, Bronx, NY 10460 USA
- School of Life Sciences, Westville Campus, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - David W. Macdonald
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Tubney House, Oxford, Oxfordshire OX13 5QL UK
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Trumbo DR, Salerno PE, Logan KA, Alldredge MW, Gagne RB, Kozakiewicz CP, Kraberger S, Fountain-Jones NM, Craft ME, Carver S, Ernest HB, Crooks KR, VandeWoude S, Funk WC. Urbanization impacts apex predator gene flow but not genetic diversity across an urban-rural divide. Mol Ecol 2019; 28:4926-4940. [PMID: 31587398 DOI: 10.1111/mec.15261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2018] [Revised: 08/11/2019] [Accepted: 09/20/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Apex predators are important indicators of intact natural ecosystems. They are also sensitive to urbanization because they require broad home ranges and extensive contiguous habitat to support their prey base. Pumas (Puma concolor) can persist near human developed areas, but urbanization may be detrimental to their movement ecology, population structure, and genetic diversity. To investigate potential effects of urbanization in population connectivity of pumas, we performed a landscape genomics study of 130 pumas on the rural Western Slope and more urbanized Front Range of Colorado, USA. Over 12,000 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were genotyped using double-digest, restriction site-associated DNA sequencing (ddRADseq). We investigated patterns of gene flow and genetic diversity, and tested for correlations between key landscape variables and genetic distance to assess the effects of urbanization and other landscape factors on gene flow. Levels of genetic diversity were similar for the Western Slope and Front Range, but effective population sizes were smaller, genetic distances were higher, and there was more admixture in the more urbanized Front Range. Forest cover was strongly positively associated with puma gene flow on the Western Slope, while impervious surfaces restricted gene flow and more open, natural habitats enhanced gene flow on the Front Range. Landscape genomic analyses revealed differences in puma movement and gene flow patterns in rural versus urban settings. Our results highlight the utility of dense, genome-scale markers to document subtle impacts of urbanization on a wide-ranging carnivore living near a large urban center.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daryl R Trumbo
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | | | | | | | - Roderick B Gagne
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | | | - Simona Kraberger
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | | | - Meggan E Craft
- Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, USA
| | - Scott Carver
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS., Australia
| | - Holly B Ernest
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, USA
| | - Kevin R Crooks
- Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Sue VandeWoude
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - W Chris Funk
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA.,Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
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Alldredge MW, Buderman FE, Blecha KA. Human-Cougar interactions in the wildland-urban interface of Colorado's front range. Ecol Evol 2019; 9:10415-10431. [PMID: 31632646 PMCID: PMC6787938 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.5559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2019] [Revised: 07/15/2019] [Accepted: 07/19/2019] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
As human populations continue to expand across the world, the need to understand and manage wildlife populations within the wildland-urban interface is becoming commonplace. This is especially true for large carnivores as these species are not always tolerated by the public and can pose a risk to human safety. Unfortunately, information on wildlife species within the wildland-urban interface is sparse, and knowledge from wildland ecosystems does not always translate well to human-dominated systems. Across western North America, cougars (Puma concolor) are routinely utilizing wildland-urban habitats while human use of these areas for homes and recreation is increasing. From 2007 to 2015, we studied cougar resource selection, human-cougar interaction, and cougar conflict management within the wildland-urban landscape of the northern Front Range in Colorado, USA. Resource selection of cougars within this landscape was typical of cougars in more remote settings but cougar interactions with humans tended to occur in locations cougars typically selected against, especially those in proximity to human structures. Within higher housing density areas, 83% of cougar use occurred at night, suggesting cougars generally avoided human activity by partitioning time. Only 24% of monitored cougars were reported for some type of conflict behavior but 39% of cougars sampled during feeding site investigations of GPS collar data were found to consume domestic prey items. Aversive conditioning was difficult to implement and generally ineffective for altering cougar behaviors but was thought to potentially have long-term benefits of reinforcing fear of humans in cougars within human-dominated areas experiencing little cougar hunting pressure. Cougars are able to exploit wildland-urban landscapes effectively, and conflict is relatively uncommon compared with the proportion of cougar use. Individual characteristics and behaviors of cougars within these areas are highly varied; therefore, conflict management is unique to each situation and should target individual behaviors. The ability of individual cougars to learn to exploit these environments with minimal human-cougar interactions suggests that maintaining older age structures, especially females, and providing a matrix of habitats, including large connected open-space areas, would be beneficial to cougars and effectively reduce the potential for conflict.
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33
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Alldredge MW, Blecha T, Lewis JH. Less invasive monitoring of cougars in Colorado's front range. WILDLIFE SOC B 2019. [DOI: 10.1002/wsb.971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Mat W. Alldredge
- Colorado Parks and Wildlife, 317 W Prospect RoadFort Collins CO 80526 USA
| | - Tasha Blecha
- Colorado Parks and Wildlife, 317 W Prospect RoadFort Collins CO 80526 USA
| | - Jonathan H. Lewis
- Colorado Parks and Wildlife, 317 W Prospect RoadFort Collins CO 80526 USA
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34
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Wang YY, Weiser TG, Forrester JD. Cougar (Puma concolor) Injury in the United States. Wilderness Environ Med 2019; 30:244-250. [PMID: 31248816 DOI: 10.1016/j.wem.2019.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2019] [Revised: 03/28/2019] [Accepted: 04/11/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Human encounters with the cougar (Puma concolor) are rare in the United States but may be fatal. METHODS We performed a retrospective analysis of cougar attacks in the United States. We asked Fish and Wildlife Department officials from the 16 states in which cougars are known to live to identify all verified cougar attacks recorded in state history. Variables describing the human victim, cougar, and conditions surrounding the attack were recorded. The Fisher exact test was used for comparison. RESULTS Ten states reported 74 cougar attacks from 1924 to 2018. Persons less than 18 y of age were heavily represented among victims; 48% were <18 y old, and 35% were less than 10 y old. Attacks were more common in the summer and fall months. Most attacks occurred during daylight hours. The head, neck, and chest were the most common anatomic sites of injury. Sixteen (46%) victims were hospitalized after being attacked, among the 35 victims with these data available. Eleven (15%) attacks were fatal among 71 reports with this information. None of the hospitalized victims died (P=0.02). No victim variables were predictive of death. CONCLUSIONS Cougar attacks are uncommon but can be fatal. Attacks commonly affect children and young adults, although all age groups are at risk of attack and death. Most attacks occur during the daytime in the summer and fall. As development and recreational activities put humans in closer contact with cougars, establishing validated public health messaging is critical to minimize injurious encounters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoyo Y Wang
- Division of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, Stanford University, Stanford, CA
| | - Thomas G Weiser
- Division of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, Stanford University, Stanford, CA
| | - Joseph D Forrester
- Division of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, Stanford University, Stanford, CA.
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Melotto A, Ficetola GF, Manenti R. Safe as a cave? Intraspecific aggressiveness rises in predator-devoid and resource-depleted environments. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-019-2682-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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Gallo T, Fidino M, Lehrer EW, Magle S. Urbanization alters predator‐avoidance behaviours. J Anim Ecol 2019; 88:793-803. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.12967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2018] [Accepted: 12/19/2018] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Travis Gallo
- Department of Conservation and ScienceUrban Wildlife InstituteLincoln Park Zoo Chicago Illinois
| | - Mason Fidino
- Department of Conservation and ScienceUrban Wildlife InstituteLincoln Park Zoo Chicago Illinois
| | - Elizabeth W. Lehrer
- Department of Conservation and ScienceUrban Wildlife InstituteLincoln Park Zoo Chicago Illinois
| | - Seth Magle
- Department of Conservation and ScienceUrban Wildlife InstituteLincoln Park Zoo Chicago Illinois
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Robins CW, Kertson BN, Faulkner JR, Wirsing AJ. Effects of urbanization on cougar foraging ecology along the wildland–urban gradient of western Washington. Ecosphere 2019. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.2605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Clint W. Robins
- School of Environmental and Forest Sciences University of Washington Box 352100 Seattle Washington 98195 USA
| | - Brian N. Kertson
- Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife 1775 12th Avenue NW, Suite 201 Issaquah Washington 98027 USA
| | - James R. Faulkner
- Quantitative Ecology and Resource Management University of Washington Box 357941 Seattle 98195 USA
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Northwest Fisheries Science Center 2725 Montlake Boulevard East Seattle Washington 98112 USA
| | - Aaron J. Wirsing
- School of Environmental and Forest Sciences University of Washington Box 352100 Seattle Washington 98195 USA
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Predator-Prey Interactions in the Anthropocene: Reconciling Multiple Aspects of Novelty. Trends Ecol Evol 2019; 34:616-627. [PMID: 30902358 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2019.02.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2019] [Revised: 02/19/2019] [Accepted: 02/28/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Ecological novelty, when conditions deviate from a historical baseline, is increasingly common as humans modify habitats and communities across the globe. Our ability to anticipate how novelty changes predator-prey interactions will likely hinge upon the explicit evaluation of multiple forms of novelty, rather than a focus on single forms of novelty (e.g., invasive predators or climate change). We provide a framework to assess how multiple forms of novelty can act, alone or in concert, on components shared by all predator-prey interactions (the predation sequence). Considering how novelty acts throughout the predation sequence could improve our understanding of predator-prey interactions in an increasingly novel world, identify important knowledge gaps, and guide conservation decisions in the Anthropocene.
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Fattebert J, Morelle K, Jurkiewicz J, Ukalska J, Borkowski J. Safety first: seasonal and diel habitat selection patterns by red deer in a contrasted landscape. J Zool (1987) 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/jzo.12657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- J. Fattebert
- School of Life Sciences University of KwaZulu‐Natal Durban South Africa
| | - K. Morelle
- Mammal Research Institute Polish Academy of Science Bialowieza Poland
| | - J. Jurkiewicz
- Wildlife Monitoring Project Jolanta Jurkiewicz Mogilany Poland
| | - J. Ukalska
- Department of Econometrics and Statistics Warsaw Agricultural University Warsaw Poland
| | - J. Borkowski
- Department of Forestry and Forest Ecology University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn Olsztyn Poland
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Suraci JP, Frank LG, Oriol‐Cotterill A, Ekwanga S, Williams TM, Wilmers CC. Behavior‐specific habitat selection by African lions may promote their persistence in a human‐dominated landscape. Ecology 2019; 100:e02644. [DOI: 10.1002/ecy.2644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2018] [Revised: 12/12/2018] [Accepted: 01/14/2019] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Justin P. Suraci
- Center for Integrated Spatial Research Environmental Studies Department University of California Santa Cruz California 95064 USA
| | - Laurence G. Frank
- Living with Lions Mpala Research Centre Nanyuki 10400 Kenya
- Museum of Vertebrate Zoology University of California Berkeley California 94720 USA
| | - Alayne Oriol‐Cotterill
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit Zoology Department Oxford University Abingdon OX13 5QL United Kingdom
- Lion Landscapes Highcliffe, New Road Teignmouth TQ14 8UL United Kingdom
| | - Steve Ekwanga
- Living with Lions Mpala Research Centre Nanyuki 10400 Kenya
| | - Terrie M. Williams
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of California Santa Cruz California 95064 USA
| | - Christopher C. Wilmers
- Center for Integrated Spatial Research Environmental Studies Department University of California Santa Cruz California 95064 USA
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Impact of Future Land Use Change on Large Carnivores Connectivity in the Polish Carpathians. LAND 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/land8010008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The Polish Carpathians, like many mountain areas in Europe, are currently facing dynamic land use changes that will shape their future landscapes. As there are many different possible scenarios of potential change, we compared three different land use scenarios up until the year 2060 and assessed their impact on the potential habitat connectivity of two large carnivores—wolf (Canis lupus) and lynx (Lynx lynx). We first analysed the main directions of change within and outside the pan-European wildlife corridor located in the western part of the Polish Carpathians. Then we calculated and compared least-cost paths among randomly selected points for each land use scenario separately. Our results showed that the main direction of change—forest cover increase—may positively influence habitat connectivity for both wolf and lynx. However, due to the future spread of settlements, this positive impact might be locally limited. Therefore, to realise the potential conservation opportunities resulting from on-going land use changes, adequate orientation of spatial planning towards habitat connectivity is crucial.
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42
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Patterns of wild carnivore attacks on humans in urban areas. Sci Rep 2018; 8:17728. [PMID: 30531972 PMCID: PMC6286335 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-36034-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2018] [Accepted: 11/14/2018] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Attacks by wild carnivores on humans represent an increasing problem in urban areas across North America and their frequency is expected to rise following urban expansion towards carnivore habitats. Here, we analyzed records of carnivore attacks on humans in urban areas of the U.S. and Canada between 1980 and 2016 to analyze the general patterns of the attacks, as well as describe the landscape structure and, for those attacks occurring at night, the light conditions at the site of the attacks. We found that several behavioral and landscape-related factors were recurrent elements in the attacks recorded. The species for which the attack locations were available (coyote and black bear) attacked in areas with different conditions of landscape structure and artificial light. Specifically, black bears attacked more frequently in areas with abundant and aggregated vegetation cover and scarce buildings and roads, while coyotes attacked in a broader range of landscape conditions. At night, black bears attacked in generally darker areas than coyotes. By providing a comprehensive perspective of the phenomenon, this study will improve our understanding of how effective strategies aimed at reducing the frequency of risky encounters in urban areas should be developed.
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Buderman FE, Hooten MB, Alldredge MW, Hanks EM, Ivan JS. Time-varying predatory behavior is primary predictor of fine-scale movement of wildland-urban cougars. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2018; 6:22. [PMID: 30410764 PMCID: PMC6214169 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-018-0140-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2018] [Accepted: 09/26/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND While many species have suffered from the detrimental impacts of increasing human population growth, some species, such as cougars (Puma concolor), have been observed using human-modified landscapes. However, human-modified habitat can be a source of both increased risk and increased food availability, particularly for large carnivores. Assessing preferential use of the landscape is important for managing wildlife and can be particularly useful in transitional habitats, such as at the wildland-urban interface. Preferential use is often evaluated using resource selection functions (RSFs), which are focused on quantifying habitat preference using either a temporally static framework or researcher-defined temporal delineations. Many applications of RSFs do not incorporate time-varying landscape availability or temporally-varying behavior, which may mask conflict and avoidance behavior. METHODS Contemporary approaches to incorporate landscape availability into the assessment of habitat selection include spatio-temporal point process models, step selection functions, and continuous-time Markov chain (CTMC) models; in contrast with the other methods, the CTMC model allows for explicit inference on animal movement in continuous-time. We used a hierarchical version of the CTMC framework to model speed and directionality of fine-scale movement by a population of cougars inhabiting the Front Range of Colorado, U.S.A., an area exhibiting rapid population growth and increased recreational use, as a function of individual variation and time-varying responses to landscape covariates. RESULTS We found evidence for individual- and daily temporal-variability in cougar response to landscape characteristics. Distance to nearest kill site emerged as the most important driver of movement at a population-level. We also detected seasonal differences in average response to elevation, heat loading, and distance to roads. Motility was also a function of amount of development, with cougars moving faster in developed areas than in undeveloped areas. CONCLUSIONS The time-varying framework allowed us to detect temporal variability that would be masked in a generalized linear model, and improved the within-sample predictive ability of the model. The high degree of individual variation suggests that, if agencies want to minimize human-wildlife conflict management options should be varied and flexible. However, due to the effect of recursive behavior on cougar movement, likely related to the location and timing of potential kill-sites, kill-site identification tools may be useful for identifying areas of potential conflict.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frances E. Buderman
- Colorado State University, Departments of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, 1484 Campus Delivery, Fort Collins, CO 80523 USA
| | - Mevin B Hooten
- U.S. Geological Survey, Colorado Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Departments of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology and Statistics, Colorado State University, 1484 Campus Delivery, Fort Collins, CO 80523 USA
| | - Mathew W Alldredge
- Colorado Parks and Wildlife, 317 W Prospect Road, Fort Collins, CO 80526 USA
| | - Ephraim M Hanks
- Pennsylvania State University, W-250 Millennium Science Complex, University Park, State College, PA 16802 USA
| | - Jacob S Ivan
- Colorado Parks and Wildlife, 317 W Prospect Road, Fort Collins, CO 80526 USA
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O’Malley C, Elbroch LM, Lendrum PE, Quigley H. Motion-triggered video cameras reveal spatial and temporal patterns of red fox foraging on carrion provided by mountain lions. PeerJ 2018; 6:e5324. [PMID: 30083459 PMCID: PMC6074758 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.5324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2018] [Accepted: 07/05/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Carrion is a rich, ephemeral resource vital to biodiversity and ecosystem health. In temperate ecosystems in which cold temperatures and snowfall influence the accessibility and availability of small prey and seasonal mast crops, carrion may also be a limiting resource for mesocarnivores like red foxes (Vulpes vulpes), which are too small to predate ungulates. Using motion-triggered video cameras and generalized linear mixed models, we studied the spatial and temporal patterns of red fox scavenging at 232 mountain lion kills in the southern Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE) from 2012-2015. We found that red foxes scavenged mountain lion kills across all habitats throughout the year, however, red fox behaviors varied with season. In winter, we documented red foxes at a greater proportion of mountain lion kills (70.3% in winter vs. 48.9% in summer), and in greater numbers (1.83 foxes per kill in winter vs. 1.16 in summer). In winter, red foxes fed longer (= 102.7 ± 138.3 minutes feeding in winter vs. = 39.7 ± 74.0 in summer), and they more often scavenged while the mountain lion was nearby. We speculated that red foxes may have increased risk taking in winter due to hunger driven by resource scarcity. Our research highlighted an important ecological relationship between red foxes and mountain lions in the GYE. Mountain lions tolerate high levels of scavenging, so the frequency and intensity of red fox scavenging at their kills may not impact mountain lions, but instead facilitate the dispersion and benefits of resources created by this apex predator. Large carnivores, and mid-trophic felids like mountain lions in particular, are essential producers of carrion vital to biodiversity and ecosystem health. In turn, scavengers play critical roles in distributing these resources and increasing the heterogeneity of resources that support biodiversity and ecosystem structure, as well as ecological resilience.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Patrick E. Lendrum
- Department of Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
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Hunger makes apex predators do risky things. J Anim Ecol 2018; 87:530-532. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.12815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2018] [Accepted: 02/15/2018] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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