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Morin E, Razafimbelo NT, Yengué JL, Guinard Y, Grandjean F, Bech N. Are human-induced changes good or bad to dynamic landscape connectivity? JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2024; 352:120009. [PMID: 38184871 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.120009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2023] [Revised: 12/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/30/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2024]
Abstract
Land managers must find a compromise between rapidly changing landscapes and biodiversity conservation through ecological networks. Estimating ecological networks is a key approach to enhance or maintain functional connectivity by identifying the nodes and links of a graph, which represent habitats and their corresponding functional corridors, respectively. To understand the current state of biodiversity, it is necessary to consider dynamic landscape connectivity while relying on relevant land cover maps. Although a current land cover map is relatively easy to produce using existing data, this is challenging for past landscapes. Here we investigated the impact of changes in landscape connectivity in an urban landscape at a fine scale on the habitat availability of two bird species: the tree pipit Anthus trivialis and the short-toed treecreeper Certhia brachydactyla. These species, exhibiting different niche ecologies, have shown contrasting population trends at a medium-term scale. The occurrences of C. brachydactyla were better correlated with resistance values that maximise the use of corridors, whereas the occurrences of A. trivialis better fitted with intermediate resistance values. The statistical approach indirectly highlighted relevant information about the ecology the capacity of both species to use urban habitats. Landscape connectivity increased for both species over the 24-year study period and may have implications for local abundances, which could explain, at the national scale, the increase in populations of C. brachydactyla, but not the decrease in populations of A. trivialis. Thus, more attention must be paid on rural habitats and their associated species that are more impacted by human activities, but efforts could also be achieved in urban areas especially for highly corridor-dependent species. Studying dynamic landscape connectivity at a fine scale is essential for estimating past and future land cover changes and their associated impacts on ecological networks, to better reconcile human and biodiversity concerns in land management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elie Morin
- Université de Poitiers, Laboratoire Ecologie et Biologie des Interactions (UMR CNRS 7267), 3 Rue Jacques Fort, 86000, Poitiers, France.
| | - Ny Tolotra Razafimbelo
- Université de Laval, Faculté de Foresterie et Géomatique Département des Sciences Géomatiques, 1055 Avenue Du Séminaire, Québec (Québec), G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Jean-Louis Yengué
- Université de Poitiers, Laboratoire RURALITES, UR13823, MSHS, Bâtiment A5, 5 Rue Théodore Lefèbvre, TSA 21103, 86073, Poitiers, Cedex 9, France
| | - Yvonnick Guinard
- Grand Poitiers Communauté Urbaine, Hôtel Communautaire, 84 Rue des Carmélites, 86000, Poitiers, France
| | - Frédéric Grandjean
- Université de Poitiers, Laboratoire Ecologie et Biologie des Interactions (UMR CNRS 7267), 3 Rue Jacques Fort, 86000, Poitiers, France
| | - Nicolas Bech
- Université de Poitiers, Laboratoire Ecologie et Biologie des Interactions (UMR CNRS 7267), 3 Rue Jacques Fort, 86000, Poitiers, France
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Responses of Urban Bird Assemblages to Land-Sparing and Land-Sharing Development Styles in Two Argentinian Cities. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:ani13050894. [PMID: 36899750 PMCID: PMC10000187 DOI: 10.3390/ani13050894] [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: 12/23/2022] [Revised: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Urbanization negatively affects biodiversity worldwide. Consequently, alternative urban development styles are required for an eco-friendlier urbanization process. Thus, two development styles have been suggested: land-sharing (buildings mixed with dispersed green space) and land-sparing (buildings interspersed with large green patches). We assessed differences in species diversity and composition of bird assemblages between both development styles in two Argentinian cities: Santa Fe and Buenos Aires. We surveyed birds in land-sharing and land-sparing areas during the breeding and non-breeding seasons. As a control, we also surveyed birds in areas dominated by impervious surfaces. At a local scale, we also measured the environmental noise and pedestrian traffic. At a landscape scale, we measured the percent vegetation cover surrounding development styles and their distance to the main river. In Buenos Aires, species richness was higher in land-sparing than in land-sharing. However, the Shannon diversity and Simpson diversity were higher in land-sharing. In Santa Fe, both urban development styles supported similar species richness and diversity. Species composition varied between land-sharing and land-sparing in both cities during the breeding season. The pedestrian traffic was negatively associated with species diversity. Therefore, both development styles and strategies to reduce pedestrian traffic should be taken into account to enhance different components of species diversity and composition within the urban matrix.
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Verble K, Hallerman EM, Alexander KA. Urban landscapes increase dispersal, gene flow, and pathogen transmission potential in banded mongoose ( Mungos mungo) in northern Botswana. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:9227-9240. [PMID: 34306619 PMCID: PMC8293740 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2019] [Revised: 06/01/2020] [Accepted: 06/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Disease transmission can be strongly influenced by the manner in which conspecifics are connected across a landscape and the effects of land use upon these dynamics. In northern Botswana, the territorial and group-living banded mongoose (Mungos mungo) lives across urban and natural landscapes and is infected with a novel Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex pathogen, M. mungi. Using microsatellite markers amplified from DNA derived from banded mongoose fecal and tissue samples (n = 168), we evaluated population genetic structure, individual dispersal, and gene flow for 12 troops. Genetic structure was detectable and moderately strong across groups (F ST = 0.086), with K = 7 being the best-supported number of genetic clusters. Indications of admixture in certain troops suggest formation of new groups through recent fusion events. Differentiation was higher for troops inhabiting natural areas (F ST = 0.102) than for troops in urban landscapes (F ST = 0.081). While this suggests increased levels of gene flow between urban-dwelling troops, the inclusion of a smaller number of study troops from natural land types may have influenced these findings. Of those individuals confirmed infected with M. mungi, the majority (73%, n = 11) were assigned to their natal group which is consistent with previous observations linking lower levels of dispersal with infection. Twenty-one probable dispersing individuals were identified, with all suspected migrants originating from troops within the urban landscape. Findings suggest that urbanized landscapes may increase gene flow and dispersal behavior with a concomitant increase in the risk of pathogen spread. As urban landscapes expand, there is an increasing need to understand how land use and pathogen infection may change wildlife behavior and disease transmission potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelton Verble
- Department of Fish and Wildlife ConservationVirginia TechBlacksburgVAUSA
- Present address:
Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of AlabamaTuscaloosaALUSA
| | - Eric M. Hallerman
- Department of Fish and Wildlife ConservationVirginia TechBlacksburgVAUSA
| | - Kathleen A. Alexander
- Department of Fish and Wildlife ConservationVirginia TechBlacksburgVAUSA
- Chobe Research InstituteCARACALKasaneBotswana
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Eisaguirre JM, Booms TL, Barger CP, Lewis SB, Breed GA. Novel step selection analyses on energy landscapes reveal how linear features alter migrations of soaring birds. J Anim Ecol 2020; 89:2567-2583. [PMID: 32926415 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2020] [Accepted: 08/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Human modification of landscapes includes extensive addition of linear features, such as roads and transmission lines. These can alter animal movement and space use and affect the intensity of interactions among species, including predation and competition. Effects of linear features on animal movement have seen relatively little research in avian systems, despite ample evidence of their effects in mammalian systems and that some types of linear features, including both roads and transmission lines, are substantial sources of mortality. Here, we used satellite telemetry combined with step selection functions designed to explicitly incorporate the energy landscape (el-SSFs) to investigate the effects of linear features and habitat on movements and space use of a large soaring bird, the golden eagle Aquila chrysaetos, during migration. Our sample consisted of 32 adult eagles tracked for 45 spring and 39 fall migrations from 2014 to 2017. Fitted el-SSFs indicated eagles had a strong general preference for south-facing slopes, where thermal uplift develops predictably, and that these areas are likely important aspects of migratory pathways. el-SSFs also provided evidence that roads and railroads affected movement during both spring and fall migrations, but eagles selected areas near roads to a greater degree in spring compared to fall and at higher latitudes compared to lower latitudes. During spring, time spent near linear features often occurred during slower-paced or stopover movements, perhaps in part to access carrion produced by vehicle collisions. Regardless of the behavioural mechanism of selection, use of these features could expose eagles and other soaring species to elevated risk via collision with vehicles and/or transmission lines. Linear features have previously been documented to affect the ecology of terrestrial species (e.g. large mammals) by modifying individuals' movement patterns; our work shows that these effects on movement extend to avian taxa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph M Eisaguirre
- Department of Biology & Wildlife, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, USA.,Department of Mathematics & Statistics, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, USA
| | | | | | | | - Greg A Breed
- Department of Biology & Wildlife, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, USA.,Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, USA
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Cooke SC, Balmford A, Johnston A, Newson SE, Donald PF. Variation in abundances of common bird species associated with roads. J Appl Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.13614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Alison Johnston
- Department of Zoology University of Cambridge Cambridge UK
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology Cornell University Ithaca NY USA
| | | | - Paul F. Donald
- Department of Zoology University of Cambridge Cambridge UK
- BirdLife International Cambridge UK
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6
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Xue X, Lin Y, Zheng Q, Wang K, Zhang J, Deng J, Abubakar GA, Gan M. Mapping the fine-scale spatial pattern of artificial light pollution at night in urban environments from the perspective of bird habitats. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 702:134725. [PMID: 31734607 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.134725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2019] [Revised: 09/26/2019] [Accepted: 09/28/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The increase in artificial light at night (ALAN) is a global concern, while the pattern of ALAN pollution inside urban areas has not yet been fully explored. To fill this gap, we developed a novel method to map fine-scale ALAN pollution patterns in urban bird habitats using high spatial resolution ALAN satellite data. First, an ALAN pollution map was derived from JL1-3B satellite images. Then, the core habitat nodes (CHNs) representing the main habitats for urban birds to inhabit were identified from the land cover map, which was produced using Gaofen2 (GF2) data, and the high probability corridors (HPCs), indicating high connectivity paths, were derived from Circuitscape software. Finally, the ALAN patterns in the CHNs and HPCs were analysed, and the mismatch index was proposed to evaluate the trade-off between human activity ALAN demands and ALAN supply for the protection of urban birds. The results demonstrated that 115 woodland patches covering 4149.0 ha were selected as CHNs, and most of the CHNs were large urban parks or scenic spots located in the urban fringe. The 2923 modelled HPCs occupying 1179.2 ha were small remaining vegetation patches and vegetated corridors along the major transport arteries. The differences in the ALAN pollution patterns between CHNs and HPCs were mainly determined by the characteristics of the green space patches and the light source types. The polluted regions in the CHNs were clustered in a few regions that suffered from concentrated and intensive ALAN, while most of the CHNs remained unaffected. In contrast, the 727 HPCs were mainly polluted by street lighting was scattered and widely distributed, resulting a more varying influence to birds than that in the CHNs. Relating patterns of the ALAN to bird habitats and connectivity provides meaningful information for comprehensive planning to alleviate the disruptive effects of ALAN pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xingyu Xue
- College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, Zhejiang, China.
| | - Yi Lin
- Department of Geography, University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong SAR, China.
| | - Qiming Zheng
- College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, Zhejiang, China.
| | - Ke Wang
- College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, Zhejiang, China.
| | - Jing Zhang
- College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, Zhejiang, China.
| | - Jinsong Deng
- College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, Zhejiang, China.
| | - Ghali Abdullahi Abubakar
- College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, Zhejiang, China.
| | - Muye Gan
- College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, Zhejiang, China.
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7
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Phillips BB, Bullock JM, Osborne JL, Gaston KJ. Ecosystem service provision by road verges. J Appl Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.13556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin B. Phillips
- Environment and Sustainability Institute University of Exeter Penryn Cornwall UK
| | - James M. Bullock
- NERC Centre for Ecology and Hydrology Wallingford Oxfordshire UK
| | - Juliet L. Osborne
- Environment and Sustainability Institute University of Exeter Penryn Cornwall UK
| | - Kevin J. Gaston
- Environment and Sustainability Institute University of Exeter Penryn Cornwall UK
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Kajzer-Bonk J, Skórka P, Bonk M, Lenda M, Rożej-Pabijan E, Wantuch M, Moroń D. The effect of railways on bird diversity in farmland. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2019; 26:31086-31098. [PMID: 31456147 PMCID: PMC6828635 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-019-06245-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2019] [Accepted: 08/16/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
With a length exceeding 210,000 km in Europe, railways are common linear features dissecting landscapes. However, the impact of railway networks on biodiversity is equivocal. In this study, we investigated the effect of railway embankments on bird diversity components in an agricultural landscape in southern Poland. Forty transects including 20 along railways and 20 as controls in open fields were established. Birds were counted twice in 2009, and environmental characteristics were estimated for each transect. Ordination techniques and generalized additive models were used to compare species composition, richness, abundance, conservation status, population trends and phylogenetic and functional diversity indices between railway and field transects. Species richness and phylogenetic diversity but not abundance nor functional diversity were higher along railway transects than along field transects. Diversity indices near railways, mostly species richness and phylogenetic diversity, were positively associated with bush cover, wet meadow cover, wetland cover and the slope of the railway but negatively associated with dry meadow cover and field cover. Our study shows that railway embankments may be beneficial for bird diversity but probably do not alter the functional properties of bird communities as much as open fields. Proper management of these linear habitats may increase their value for birds and contribute to long-term bird community persistence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Kajzer-Bonk
- Department of Entomology, Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research, Faculty of Biology, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 9, 30-387, Kraków, Poland.
| | - Piotr Skórka
- Institute of Nature Conservation, Polish Academy of Sciences, Mickiewicza 33, 31-120, Kraków, Poland
| | - Maciej Bonk
- Institute of Nature Conservation, Polish Academy of Sciences, Mickiewicza 33, 31-120, Kraków, Poland
| | - Magdalena Lenda
- Institute of Nature Conservation, Polish Academy of Sciences, Mickiewicza 33, 31-120, Kraków, Poland
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, QLD, St. Lucia, 4072, Australia
| | - Elżbieta Rożej-Pabijan
- Institute of Biology, Pedagogical University of Cracow, Podchorążych 2, 30-084, Kraków, Poland
| | - Marta Wantuch
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 7, 30, -387, Kraków, Poland
| | - Dawid Moroń
- Institute of Systematics and Evolution of Animals, Polish Academy of Sciences, Sławkowska 17, 31-016, Kraków, Poland
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9
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Pollock SZ, Whittington J, Nielsen SE, Clair CC. Spatiotemporal railway use by grizzly bears in Canada's Rocky Mountains. J Wildl Manage 2019. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.21750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sonya Z. Pollock
- University of Alberta, Department of Biological Sciences Edmonton AB T6G 2E9 Canada
| | | | - Scott E. Nielsen
- University of AlbertaDepartment of Renewable Resources Edmonton AB T6G 2H1 Canada
| | - Colleen C. Clair
- University of AlbertaDepartment of Biological Sciences Edmonton AB T6G 2E9 Canada
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10
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Bailey JM, Reudink MW, Otter KA. Supplemental feeding may reduce responsiveness of Black-capped Chickadees ( Poecile atricapillus) to avian mobbing calls during gap-crossing experiments. CAN J ZOOL 2019. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2018-0161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Deforestation creates gaps in forest habitat, which can limit the movements of many avian species. Increased predation risk associated with crossing open habitats is often considered the primary impediment to crossing gaps. However, other factors such as energetic reserves may also influence these decisions. We conducted playback experiments before and after supplemental feeding of Black-capped Chickadees (Poecile atricapillus (Linnaeus, 1766)) to investigate how energetic reserves influenced gap-crossing decisions. Black-capped Chickadees were less likely to respond to playbacks, whether conducted within forests or across gaps, after supplemental feeding. This suggests that energetic reserves may have less influence on gap-crossing decisions than on the willingness of birds to respond to mobbing calls in general. We recommend that future studies investigating gap-crossing decisions using playbacks account for differences in resource availability among sampling locations, especially when making comparisons across discrete habitats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob M. Bailey
- Natural Resources and Environmental Studies, University of Northern British Columbia, 3333 University Way, Prince George, BC V2N 4Z9, Canada
| | - Matthew W. Reudink
- Department of Biological Sciences, Thompson Rivers University, 805 TRU Way, Kamloops, BC V2C 0C8, Canada
| | - Ken A. Otter
- Natural Resources and Environmental Studies, University of Northern British Columbia, 3333 University Way, Prince George, BC V2N 4Z9, Canada
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11
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12
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Visscher DR, Unger A, Grobbelaar H, DeWitt PD. Bird foraging is influenced by both risk and connectivity in urban parks. JOURNAL OF URBAN ECOLOGY 2018. [DOI: 10.1093/jue/juy020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- D R Visscher
- Department of Biology, The King's University, Edmonton, AB T6B 2H3, Canada
| | - A Unger
- Department of Biology, The King's University, Edmonton, AB T6B 2H3, Canada
| | - H Grobbelaar
- Department of Biology, The King's University, Edmonton, AB T6B 2H3, Canada
| | - P D DeWitt
- Science and Research Branch, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources & Forestry, Peterborough, ON K9J 3C7, Canada
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13
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Griffin E, Desmond M, VanLeeuwen D. Juvenile burrowing owl movement and survival in a human‐altered landscape. WILDLIFE SOC B 2017. [DOI: 10.1002/wsb.838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Eboni Griffin
- Department of Fish, Wildlife and Conservation EcologyNew Mexico State UniversityLas CrucesNM88003USA
| | - Martha Desmond
- Department of Fish, Wildlife and Conservation EcologyNew Mexico State UniversityLas CrucesNM88003USA
| | - Dawn VanLeeuwen
- Department of Economics and International BusinessNew Mexico State UniversityLas CrucesNM88003USA
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14
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Johnson CD, Evans D, Jones D. Birds and Roads: Reduced Transit for Smaller Species over Roads within an Urban Environment. Front Ecol Evol 2017. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2017.00036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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15
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Street trees reduce the negative effects of urbanization on birds. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0174484. [PMID: 28333989 PMCID: PMC5363989 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0174484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2016] [Accepted: 03/09/2017] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
The effects of streets on biodiversity is an important aspect of urban ecology, but it has been neglected worldwide. Several vegetation attributes (e.g. street tree density and diversity) have important effects on biodiversity and ecological processes. In this study, we evaluated the influences of urban vegetation—represented by characteristics of street trees (canopy size, proportion of native tree species and tree species richness)—and characteristics of the landscape (distance to parks and vegetation quantity), and human impacts (human population size and exposure to noise) on taxonomic data and functional diversity indices of the bird community inhabiting streets. The study area was the southern region of Belo Horizonte (Minas Gerais, Brazil), a largely urbanized city in the understudied Neotropical region. Bird data were collected on 60 point count locations distributed across the streets of the landscape. We used a series of competing GLM models (using Akaike's information criterion for small sample sizes) to assess the relative contribution of the different sets of variables to explain the observed patterns. Seventy-three bird species were observed exploiting the streets: native species were the most abundant and frequent throughout this landscape. The bird community's functional richness and Rao's Quadratic Entropy presented values lower than 0.5. Therefore, this landscape was favoring few functional traits. Exposure to noise was the most limiting factor for this bird community. However, the average size of arboreal patches and, especially the characteristics of street trees, were able to reduce the negative effects of noise on the bird community. These results show the importance of adequately planning the urban afforestation process: increasing tree species richness, preserving large trees and planting more native trees species in the streets are management practices that will increase bird species richness, abundance and community functional aspects and consequently improve human wellbeing and quality of life.
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17
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Jones CD, Stodola KW, Coombs J, Ward MP, Cooper RJ. Responses of Bachman's sparrows and prairie warblers to fragmentation. J Wildl Manage 2017. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.21195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Clark D. Jones
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources; University of Georgia; 180 E. Green Street Athens GA 30602 USA
| | - Kirk W. Stodola
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences; University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; 1102 S. Goodwin Avenue Urbana IL 61810 USA
| | - Jason Coombs
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources; University of Georgia; 180 E. Green Street Athens GA 30602 USA
| | - Michael P. Ward
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences; University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; 1102 S. Goodwin Avenue Urbana IL 61810 USA
| | - Robert J. Cooper
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources; University of Georgia; 180 E. Green Street Athens GA 30602 USA
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18
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Grafius DR, Corstanje R, Siriwardena GM, Plummer KE, Harris JA. A bird's eye view: using circuit theory to study urban landscape connectivity for birds. LANDSCAPE ECOLOGY 2017; 32:1771-1787. [PMID: 32025095 PMCID: PMC6979508 DOI: 10.1007/s10980-017-0548-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2016] [Accepted: 06/18/2017] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
CONTEXT Connectivity is fundamental to understanding how landscape form influences ecological function. However, uncertainties persist due to the difficulty and expense of gathering empirical data to drive or to validate connectivity models, especially in urban areas, where relationships are multifaceted and the habitat matrix cannot be considered to be binary. OBJECTIVES This research used circuit theory to model urban bird flows (i.e. 'current'), and compared results to observed abundance. The aims were to explore the ability of this approach to predict wildlife flows and to test relationships between modelled connectivity and variation in abundance. METHODS Circuitscape was used to model functional connectivity in Bedford, Luton/Dunstable, and Milton Keynes, UK, for great tits (Parus major) and blue tits (Cyanistes caeruleus), drawing parameters from published studies of woodland bird flows in urban environments. Model performance was then tested against observed abundance data. RESULTS Modelled current showed a weak yet positive agreement with combined abundance for P. major and C. caeruleus. Weaker correlations were found for other woodland species, suggesting the approach may be expandable if re-parameterised. CONCLUSIONS Trees provide suitable habitat for urban woodland bird species, but their location in large, contiguous patches and corridors along barriers also facilitates connectivity networks throughout the urban matrix. Urban connectivity studies are well-served by the advantages of circuit theory approaches, and benefit from the empirical study of wildlife flows in these landscapes to parameterise this type of modelling more explicitly. Such results can prove informative and beneficial in designing urban green space and new developments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darren R. Grafius
- School of Water, Energy and Environment, Cranfield University, Cranfield, Bedfordshire MK43 0AL UK
| | - Ron Corstanje
- School of Water, Energy and Environment, Cranfield University, Cranfield, Bedfordshire MK43 0AL UK
| | | | - Kate E. Plummer
- British Trust for Ornithology, The Nunnery, Thetford, Norfolk IP24 2PU UK
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Cornwall, TR10 9FE UK
| | - Jim A. Harris
- School of Water, Energy and Environment, Cranfield University, Cranfield, Bedfordshire MK43 0AL UK
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19
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Cox DTC, Inger R, Hancock S, Anderson K, Gaston KJ. Movement of feeder-using songbirds: the influence of urban features. Sci Rep 2016; 6:37669. [PMID: 27876884 PMCID: PMC5120271 DOI: 10.1038/srep37669] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2016] [Accepted: 11/01/2016] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Private gardens provide vital opportunities for people to interact with nature. The most popular form of interaction is through garden bird feeding. Understanding how landscape features and seasons determine patterns of movement of feeder-using songbirds is key to maximising the well-being benefits they provide. To determine these patterns we established three networks of automated data loggers along a gradient of greenspace fragmentation. Over a 12-month period we tracked 452 tagged blue tits Cyantistes caeruleus and great tits Parus major moving between feeder pairs 9,848 times, to address two questions: (i) Do urban features within different forms, and season, influence structural (presence-absence of connections between feeders by birds) and functional (frequency of these connections) connectivity? (ii) Are there general patterns of structural and functional connectivity across forms? Vegetation cover increased connectivity in all three networks, whereas the presence of road gaps negatively affected functional but not structural connectivity. Across networks structural connectivity was lowest in the summer when birds maintain breeding territories, however patterns of functional connectivity appeared to vary with habitat fragmentation. Using empirical data this study shows how key urban features and season influence movement of feeder-using songbirds, and we provide evidence that this is related to greenspace fragmentation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel T C Cox
- Environment &Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter, Penryn, Cornwall TR10 9EZ, U.K
| | - Richard Inger
- Environment &Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter, Penryn, Cornwall TR10 9EZ, U.K
| | - Steven Hancock
- Global Ecology Lab, University of Maryland, Maryland, MD 20742, U.S
| | - Karen Anderson
- Environment &Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter, Penryn, Cornwall TR10 9EZ, U.K
| | - Kevin J Gaston
- Environment &Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter, Penryn, Cornwall TR10 9EZ, U.K
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20
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Siers SR, Reed RN, Savidge JA. To cross or not to cross: modeling wildlife road crossings as a binary response variable with contextual predictors. Ecosphere 2016. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.1292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Shane R. Siers
- Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology Colorado State University Fort Collins Colorado 80523 USA
| | - Robert N. Reed
- U.S. Geological Survey Fort Collins Science Center Fort Collins Colorado 80526 USA
| | - Julie A. Savidge
- Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology Colorado State University Fort Collins Colorado 80523 USA
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21
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Abstract
Air pollution, especially haze pollution, is creating health issues for both humans and other animals. However, remarkably little is known about how animals behaviourally respond to air pollution. We used multiple linear regression to analyse 415 pigeon races in the North China Plain, an area with considerable air pollution, and found that while the proportion of pigeons successfully homed was not influenced by air pollution, pigeons homed faster when the air was especially polluted. Our results may be explained by an enhanced homing motivation and possibly an enriched olfactory environment that facilitates homing. Our study provides a unique example of animals’ response to haze pollution; future studies are needed to identify proposed mechanisms underlying this effect.
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22
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D'Amico M, Périquet S, Román J, Revilla E. Road avoidance responses determine the impact of heterogeneous road networks at a regional scale. J Appl Ecol 2015. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.12572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Marcello D'Amico
- Department of Conservation Biology; Doñana Biological Station (CSIC); C/Américo Vespucio s/n E-41092 Seville Spain
- Department of Biology of Organisms and Systems; University of Oviedo; C/Valentín Andrés Álvarez s/n E-33071 Oviedo Spain
| | - Stéphanie Périquet
- Unité Mixte de Recherche CNRS 5558 - Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive; Université Claude-Bernard Lyon 1; 43 Boulevard du 11 novembre 1918 69622 Villeurbanne Cedex France
- Department of Zoology & Entomology; University of the Free State; Private Bag X13 9866 Phuthaditjhaba South Africa
| | - Jacinto Román
- Department of Conservation Biology; Doñana Biological Station (CSIC); C/Américo Vespucio s/n E-41092 Seville Spain
| | - Eloy Revilla
- Department of Conservation Biology; Doñana Biological Station (CSIC); C/Américo Vespucio s/n E-41092 Seville Spain
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23
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Bueno C, Sousa COM, Freitas SR. Habitat or matrix: which is more relevant to predict road-kill of vertebrates? BRAZ J BIOL 2015; 75:S228-38. [PMID: 26628243 DOI: 10.1590/1519-6984.12614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2014] [Accepted: 09/07/2014] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract We believe that in tropics we need a community approach to evaluate road impacts on wildlife, and thus, suggest mitigation measures for groups of species instead a focal-species approach. Understanding which landscape characteristics indicate road-kill events may also provide models that can be applied in other regions. We intend to evaluate if habitat or matrix is more relevant to predict road-kill events for a group of species. Our hypothesis is: more permeable matrix is the most relevant factor to explain road-kill events. To test this hypothesis, we chose vertebrates as the studied assemblage and a highway crossing in an Atlantic Forest region in southeastern Brazil as the study site. Logistic regression models were designed using presence/absence of road-kill events as dependent variables and landscape characteristics as independent variables, which were selected by Akaike’s Information Criterion. We considered a set of candidate models containing four types of simple regression models: Habitat effect model; Matrix types effect models; Highway effect model; and, Reference models (intercept and buffer distance). Almost three hundred road-kills and 70 species were recorded. River proximity and herbaceous vegetation cover, both matrix effect models, were associated to most road-killed vertebrate groups. Matrix was more relevant than habitat to predict road-kill of vertebrates. The association between river proximity and road-kill indicates that rivers may be a preferential route for most species. We discuss multi-species mitigation measures and implications to movement ecology and conservation strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- C. Bueno
- Universidade Veiga de Almeida, Brazil
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24
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Ahmed SE, Lees AC, Moura NG, Gardner TA, Barlow J, Ferreira J, Ewers RM. Road networks predict human influence on Amazonian bird communities. Proc Biol Sci 2015; 281:rspb.2014.1742. [PMID: 25274363 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2014.1742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Road building can lead to significant deleterious impacts on biodiversity, varying from direct road-kill mortality and direct habitat loss associated with road construction, to more subtle indirect impacts from edge effects and fragmentation. However, little work has been done to evaluate the specific effects of road networks and biodiversity loss beyond the more generalized effects of habitat loss. Here, we compared forest bird species richness and composition in the municipalities of Santarém and Belterra in Pará state, eastern Brazilian Amazon, with a road network metric called 'roadless volume (RV)' at the scale of small hydrological catchments (averaging 3721 ha). We found a significant positive relationship between RV and both forest bird richness and the average number of unique species (species represented by a single record) recorded at each site. Forest bird community composition was also significantly affected by RV. Moreover, there was no significant correlation between RV and forest cover, suggesting that road networks may impact biodiversity independently of changes in forest cover. However, variance partitioning analysis indicated that RV has partially independent and therefore additive effects, suggesting that RV and forest cover are best used in a complementary manner to investigate changes in biodiversity. Road impacts on avian species richness and composition independent of habitat loss may result from road-dependent habitat disturbance and fragmentation effects that are not captured by total percentage habitat cover, such as selective logging, fire, hunting, traffic disturbance, edge effects and road-induced fragmentation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sadia E Ahmed
- Computational Science Laboratory, Microsoft Research, 21 Station Road, Cambridge CB1 2FB, UK Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Silwood Park Campus, Ascot, Berkshire SL5 7PY, UK
| | - Alexander C Lees
- Coordenação de Zoologia Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi, CP 399, Avenida Perimetral, 1901, Terra Firme, Belém, Pará 66077-530, Brazil
| | - Nárgila G Moura
- Curso de Pós-Graduação de Zoologia, Universidade Federal do Pará/Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi, Caixa Postal 399, Belém, Pará 66040-170, Brazil
| | - Toby A Gardner
- Stockholm Environment Institute, 87D Linegatan, Stockholm, Sweden International Institute for Sustainability, Estrada Dona Castorina 124, Rio de Janeiro 22460-320, Brazil
| | - Jos Barlow
- Coordenação de Zoologia Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi, CP 399, Avenida Perimetral, 1901, Terra Firme, Belém, Pará 66077-530, Brazil Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 3HE, UK
| | - Joice Ferreira
- Embrapa Amazônia Oriental, Travessa Dr. Enéas Pinheiro s/n, Caixa Postal 48, Belém, Pará 66095-100, Brazil
| | - Robert M Ewers
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Silwood Park Campus, Ascot, Berkshire SL5 7PY, UK
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25
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LaPoint S, Balkenhol N, Hale J, Sadler J, Ree R. Ecological connectivity research in urban areas. Funct Ecol 2015. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.12489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 129] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Scott LaPoint
- Max Planck Institute for Ornithology Am Obstberg 1 78315 Radolfzell Germany
- Department of Biology University of Konstanz Universitätsstraße 10 78464 Konstanz Germany
| | - Niko Balkenhol
- Department of Wildlife Sciences Georg‐August‐University Göttingen Büsgenweg 3 37077 Göttingen Germany
| | - James Hale
- School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences University of Birmingham Birmingham B15 2TT UK
| | - Jonathan Sadler
- School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences University of Birmingham Birmingham B15 2TT UK
| | - Rodney Ree
- Australian Research Centre for Urban Ecology Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria School of BioSciences The University of Melbourne Parkville Vic. 3010 Australia
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26
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McGregor ME, Wilson SK, Jones DN. Vegetated fauna overpass enhances habitat connectivity for forest dwelling herpetofauna. Glob Ecol Conserv 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2015.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022] Open
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27
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The effects of road and landscape characteristics on the likelihood of a Barred Owl (Strix varia)-vehicle collision. Urban Ecosyst 2015. [DOI: 10.1007/s11252-015-0465-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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28
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Fabritius H, Rönkä K, Ovaskainen O. The dual role of rivers in facilitating or hindering movements of the false heath fritillary butterfly. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2015; 3:4. [PMID: 27408723 PMCID: PMC4940950 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-015-0031-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2014] [Accepted: 01/12/2015] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Species movement responses to landscape structures have been studied using a variety of methods, but movement research is still in need of simple methods that help predicting and comparing movements across structurally different landscapes. We demonstrate how habitat-specific movement models can be used to disentangle causes of differentiated movement patterns in structurally different landscapes and to predict movement patterns in altered and artificial landscapes. In our case study, we studied the role of riparian landscapes to the persistence of the endangered false heath fritillary butterfly (Melitaea diamina) in its newly discovered coastal distribution region in Finland. We compared the movement parameters of the riparian population to two reference populations by using capture-recapture data and habitat-specific diffusion modelling, and analysed the role of the river and riverbank buffer zones in facilitating or hindering false heath fritillary movement with movement simulations. RESULTS The riparian population of the false heath fritillary did not show major differences to reference populations in terms of movement parameters within breeding habitat, high-quality matrix and low-quality matrix. However, movement simulations showed that the habitat-specific movement parameters estimated for the false heath fritillary can lead into markedly different movement patterns in structurally different landscapes. An artificial riparian landscape mimicking those of the coastal distribution resulted into more directional, longitudinal movements both parallel and perpendicular to the river than a more mosaic-like landscape, but the existence of the river in the landscape reduced movements across the river. CONCLUSIONS Our study demonstrates how habitat-specific movement models enable comparisons of movement patterns across structurally different real, altered and artificial landscapes. As such, they can be used to compare movement parameters across populations, to study the effects of management interventions to endangered species and to identify areas that have high sensitivity to individual movement. In our case study, the river is shown to perform a dual role for the movements of the riparian false heath fritillary population. Whereas the river acts as a moderate movement barrier for the false heath fritillary, the longitudinal configuration of riverbank habitats provides a means especially for the male false heath fritillaries to move across the landscape.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henna Fabritius
- />Department of Biosciences, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 65 (Viikinkaari 1), FI-00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Katja Rönkä
- />Department of Biosciences, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 65 (Viikinkaari 1), FI-00014 Helsinki, Finland
- />Current Address: Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyvaskyla, P.O. Box 35 (Survontie 9 C), FI-40014 Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Otso Ovaskainen
- />Department of Biosciences, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 65 (Viikinkaari 1), FI-00014 Helsinki, Finland
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29
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Francis MJ, Spooner PG, Matthews A. The influence of urban encroachment on squirrel gliders (Petaurus norfolcensis): effects of road density, light and noise pollution. WILDLIFE RESEARCH 2015. [DOI: 10.1071/wr14182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Context Loss and degradation of habitat from urban development is a key threat to the squirrel glider (Petaurus norfolcensis), because its distribution coincides where most people live in Australia. Squirrel gliders are known to occur in or around urban fringes where native vegetation is retained; however, little is known about specific anthropogenic factors that may affect their persistence. Aims We investigated the relative influence of biophysical and urban factors on the use of large hollow-bearing Eucalyptus trees, which are a key resource for squirrel gliders. The study was located in a typical urban growth area located in southern New South Wales. Methods A stratified random sampling approach was used to survey squirrel gliders in urban and rural areas. Infrared, motion-sensor cameras were placed in 34 selected trees for 17 nights to record squirrel glider occupancy and activity. Data on urban (e.g. light and noise pollution levels, road and housing density) and biophysical (e.g. tree height, hollow-bearing tree density, vegetation cover) variables were recorded at each survey tree. Data were statistically analysed using general linear modelling approaches. Key results Squirrel gliders were detected more frequently in the rural matrix (23.4% of camera trap-nights) than in urban areas (9.5%). Model results showed that tree height, and the distance to neighbouring trees, had a significant influence on the occurrence and activity of squirrel gliders. Road density and light pollution were included in ‘best’ models to explain glider activity (a negative influence), and noise pollution negatively influenced glider occurrence. Although gliders used large trees in both urban and rural areas, activity generally decreased as levels of urbanisation increased. Conclusions and implications Access to and availability of key resources such as tall, hollow-bearing trees is critical for gliders to persist in urban environments. Squirrel gliders will tolerate human stressors such as roads, noise and light pollution to a certain extent, but impacts on population viability remain largely unknown. Novel solutions need to be developed to lessen the effects of anthropogenic factors (such as light and noise) on patches of native vegetation retained in urban areas for conservation purposes.
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