1
|
Prieto‐Ramírez AM. Effects of landscape structure and patch characteristics on the density of central populations of the eastern green lizard Lacerta viridis. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e10419. [PMID: 37600491 PMCID: PMC10433115 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10419] [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: 04/26/2023] [Revised: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023] Open
Abstract
A better understanding of the impact of habitat loss on population density can be achieved by evaluating effects of both parameters within remnant habitat patches and parameters of the landscape surrounding those patches. The integration of predictors at the patch and landscape level is scarce in animal ecological studies, especially for reptiles. In this study, a patch-landscape approach was applied to evaluate the combined effects of within-patch habitat quality, patch geometry and landscape configuration and composition on the density of remnant populations of the eastern green lizard, Lacerta viridis, in a highly modified landscape in Bulgaria. Landscape composition variables (proportion of different land covers) were measured at different spatial scales surrounding patches. Single-scale models were built to evaluate combined effects of all predictors on density, when including all landscape composition variables at a specific spatial scale. Multi-scale models were applied to analyze combined effects when including landscape composition variables at the scale of their strongest effect (scale of effect, SoE). Results showed that the SoE of proportion of cropland and urban areas was small (50 m), while for proportion of habitat was large (1.5 km). The overall effect of habitat loss was better explained by the multi-scale model. Population density increased with patch area and decreased with patch shape irregularity and with the proportion of three land cover types surrounding patches-cropland, urban areas, and habitat. Combining patch and landscape parameters is important to identify ecological processes that occur simultaneously at different spatial levels and landscape scales, which would imply the application of multi-scale approaches for the protection of wild animal populations. Results are contrasted with what is known about occupancy patterns of the species in the same region and approaches to integrate both occupancy and density, in the field design of animal ecological studies are suggested.
Collapse
|
2
|
Tucker MR, Biffi D, Williams DA. Thermal refugia and persistence of Texas horned lizards ( Phrynosoma cornutum) in small towns. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e10245. [PMID: 37424931 PMCID: PMC10329262 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10245] [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: 11/23/2022] [Revised: 06/06/2023] [Accepted: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Vegetation loss is a primary cause of habitat degradation and results in a decline in reptile species abundance due to loss of refuge from predators and hot temperatures, and foraging opportunities. Texas horned lizards (Phrynosoma cornutum) have disappeared from many areas in Texas, especially from urbanized areas, probably in large part due to loss of suitable habitat. This species still occurs in some small towns in Texas that still contain suitable habitat. Long-term data from Kenedy and Karnes City, Texas indicate that when study sites experienced significant shrub and vegetation removal horned lizards declined by 79%. We hypothesize the decline was due to the degradation of the thermal landscape for these lizards. We determined the preferred temperature range (T set25 - T set75) of lizards at our study sites and took field measurements of body temperature (T b). Temperature loggers were also placed in three microhabitats across our study sites. Shrubs and vegetation provided the highest quality thermal environment, especially for about 5 h midday when temperatures in the open and buried under the surface in the open exceeded the lizards' critical maximum temperature (CTmax) or were above their preferred temperature range. Horned lizard density was positively related to the thermal quality of the habitat across our sites. Texas horned lizards in these towns require a heterogeneous mix of closely spaced microhabitats and especially thermal refugia, such as shrubs and vegetation along fence lines and in open fields. Maintaining thermal refugia is one of the most important and practical conservation actions that can be taken to help small ectotherms persist in modified human landscapes and cope with increasing temperatures due to climate change.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mary R. Tucker
- Department of BiologyTexas Christian UniversityFort WorthTexasUSA
| | - Daniella Biffi
- Andrews Institute of Mathematics & Science EducationTexas Christian UniversityFort WorthTexasUSA
| | - Dean A. Williams
- Department of BiologyTexas Christian UniversityFort WorthTexasUSA
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Syafiq MF, Badli-Sham BH, Grismer LL, Ahmad AB. Uneven species occurrence and richness of lowland snakes (Serpentes, Squamata) in Terengganu, Peninsular Malaysia, with new locality records. Zookeys 2023; 1168:11-39. [PMID: 38328625 PMCID: PMC10848808 DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1168.95833] [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: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 03/11/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2024] Open
Abstract
This study documents information on the composition, diversity, richness, and temporal occurrence of snakes at Sekayu's lowland forest (SLF), Terengganu, Peninsular Malaysia for the first time. The snakes recorded within the SLF were sampled opportunistically from 2013 to 2019, employing the Visual Encounter Survey method (VES) and L-shape pitfall traps with drift fences. Forty-six snake species from 37 genera belonging to the nine families were recorded, of which 11 were new records to Terengganu. Individual-based rarefaction and extrapolation curves were not reaching asymptote, indicating that additional species can be recorded at the study area. Non-parametric species richness estimators estimated and produced a range between 51 and 57 species. ACE was the best estimator based on the quantitative evaluation. All species showed some variations of occurrence patterns across months. Fourteen species were only encountered once across the sampling years, and interestingly 11 of them were only detected during the rainy season (late October to January). In general, the number of species richness, abundance, and rare species were high during this season. Species richness of snakes is high at SLF but sampling effort should be intensified, especially during these rainy months, to obtain a robust estimated snake species richness in SLF. Terengganu harbor considerably high species richness of snakes with a total of 71 species to date (excluding marine snakes), but snake diversity is still underestimated as only a few localities were surveyed in the past years, primarily at the northern part. Future surveys should be commenced at the central and southern parts of Terengganu to complement the current investigation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Muhamad Fatihah Syafiq
- Faculty of Science and Marine Environment, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030, Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia
| | - Baizul Hafsyam Badli-Sham
- Faculty of Science and Marine Environment, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030, Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia
| | - Larry Lee Grismer
- Herpetology Laboratory, Department of Biology, La Sierra University, Riverwalk Parkway, Riverside, California 92505, USA
| | - Amirrudin B. Ahmad
- Faculty of Science and Marine Environment, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030, Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Marsh CD, Hill RA, Nowak MG, Hankinson E, Abdullah A, Gillingham P, Korstjens AH. Measuring and modelling microclimatic air temperature in a historically degraded tropical forest. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOMETEOROLOGY 2022; 66:1283-1295. [PMID: 35357567 PMCID: PMC9132844 DOI: 10.1007/s00484-022-02276-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2021] [Revised: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/17/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Climate change is predicted to cause widespread disruptions to global biodiversity. Most climate models are at the macroscale, operating at a ~ 1 km resolution and predicting future temperatures at 1.5-2 m above ground level, making them unable to predict microclimates at the scale that many organisms experience temperature. We studied the effects of forest structure and vertical position on microclimatic air temperature within forest canopy in a historically degraded tropical forest in Sikundur, Northern Sumatra, Indonesia. We collected temperature measurements in fifteen plots over 20 months, alongside vegetation structure data from the same fifteen 25 × 25 m plots. We also performed airborne surveys using an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to record canopy structure remotely, both over the plot locations and a wider area. We hypothesised that old-growth forest structure would moderate microclimatic air temperature. Our data showed that Sikundur is a thermally dynamic environment, with simultaneously recorded temperatures at different locations within the canopy varying by up to ~ 15 °C. Our models (R2 = 0.90 to 0.95) showed that temperature differences between data loggers at different sites were largely determined by variation in recording height and the amount of solar radiation reaching the topmost part of the canopy, although strong interactions between these abiotic factors and canopy structure shaped microclimate air temperature variation. The impacts of forest degradation have smaller relative influence on models of microclimatic air temperature than abiotic factors, but the loss of canopy density increases temperature. This may render areas of degraded tropical forests unsuitable for some forest-dwelling species with the advent of future climate change.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christopher D Marsh
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Bournemouth University, Poole, UK.
- Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA.
| | - Ross A Hill
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Bournemouth University, Poole, UK
| | - Matthew G Nowak
- The PanEco Foundation - Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Programme, Chileweg 5, Berg Am Irchel, Switzerland
- Department of Anthropology, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL, USA
| | - Emma Hankinson
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Bournemouth University, Poole, UK
| | - Abdullah Abdullah
- Department of Biology, Universitas Syiah Kuala, Banda Aceh, Aceh, Indonesia
| | - Phillipa Gillingham
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Bournemouth University, Poole, UK
| | - Amanda H Korstjens
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Bournemouth University, Poole, UK
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Royal EJ, Greene DU, Miller DA, Willson JD. Influence of landscape and vegetation characteristics on herpetofaunal assemblages in Gulf Coastal Plain pine forests. J Wildl Manage 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.22199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ethan J. Royal
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Arkansas Fayetteville 72701 AR USA
| | - Daniel U. Greene
- Weyerhaeuser Company Environmental Research South Columbus 39701 MS USA
| | - Darren A. Miller
- National Council for Air and Stream Improvement, Inc. Mississippi State 39762 MS USA
| | - John D. Willson
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Arkansas Fayetteville 72701 AR USA
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Infante J, Novoa FJ, Ibarra JT, Melnick DJ, Griffin KL, Bonacic C. Altered fire regimes modify lizard communities in globally endangered Araucaria forests of the southern Andes. Sci Rep 2021; 11:22709. [PMID: 34811437 PMCID: PMC8609011 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-02169-3] [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: 02/15/2021] [Accepted: 11/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Wildfire regimes are being altered in ecosystems worldwide. The density of reptiles responds to fires and changes to habitat structure. Some of the most vulnerable ecosystems to human-increased fire frequency are old-growth Araucaria araucana forests of the southern Andes. We investigated the effects of wildfires on the density and richness of a lizard community in these ecosystems, considering fire frequency and elapsed time since last fire. During the 2018/2019 southern summer season, we conducted 71 distance sampling transects to detect lizards in Araucaria forests of Chile in four fire "treatments": (1) unburned control, (2) long-term recovery, (3) short-term recovery, and (4) burned twice. We detected 713 lizards from 7 species. We found that the density and richness of lizards are impacted by wildfire frequency and time of recovery, mediated by the modification of habitat structure. The lizard community varied from a dominant arboreal species (L. pictus) in unburned and long-recovered stands, to a combination of ground-dwelling species (L. lemniscatus and L. araucaniensis) in areas affected by two fires. Araucaria forests provided key habitat features to forest reptiles after fires, but the persistence of these old-growth forests and associated biodiversity may be threatened given the increase in fire frequency.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- José Infante
- Fauna Australis Wildlife Laboratory, Department of Ecosystems and Environment, School of Agronomy and Forestry, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Avenida Vicuña Mackenna 4860, 7820436, Santiago, Chile. .,Programa de Doctorado en Ecosistemas Forestales y Recursos Naturales & Instituto de Conservación, Biodiversidad y Territorio, Facultad de Ciencias Forestales y Recursos Naturales, Universidad Austral de Chile, Casilla 567, Valdivia, Chile.
| | - Fernando J. Novoa
- grid.7870.80000 0001 2157 0406Fauna Australis Wildlife Laboratory, Department of Ecosystems and Environment, School of Agronomy and Forestry, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Avenida Vicuña Mackenna 4860, 7820436 Santiago, Chile ,grid.7870.80000 0001 2157 0406ECOS (Ecosystem-Complexity-Society) Co-Laboratory, Center for Local Development (CEDEL) & Center for Intercultural and Indigenous Research (CIIR), Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Villarrica Campus, O’Higgins 501, Villarrica, Chile
| | - José Tomás Ibarra
- grid.7870.80000 0001 2157 0406Fauna Australis Wildlife Laboratory, Department of Ecosystems and Environment, School of Agronomy and Forestry, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Avenida Vicuña Mackenna 4860, 7820436 Santiago, Chile ,grid.7870.80000 0001 2157 0406ECOS (Ecosystem-Complexity-Society) Co-Laboratory, Center for Local Development (CEDEL) & Center for Intercultural and Indigenous Research (CIIR), Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Villarrica Campus, O’Higgins 501, Villarrica, Chile ,grid.7870.80000 0001 2157 0406Millennium Nucleus Center for the Socioeconomic Impact of Environmental Policies (CESIEP) & Center of Applied Ecology and Sustainability (CAPES), Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Avenida Vicuña Mackenna 4860, 7820436 Santiago, Chile
| | - Don J. Melnick
- grid.21729.3f0000000419368729Department of Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027 USA
| | - Kevin L. Griffin
- grid.21729.3f0000000419368729Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Columbia University, Palisades, NY 10964 USA
| | - Cristián Bonacic
- grid.7870.80000 0001 2157 0406Fauna Australis Wildlife Laboratory, Department of Ecosystems and Environment, School of Agronomy and Forestry, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Avenida Vicuña Mackenna 4860, 7820436 Santiago, Chile
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Threlfall CG, Law B, Colman N. The effects of harvest frequency on coarse woody debris and its use by fauna. WILDLIFE RESEARCH 2021. [DOI: 10.1071/wr20140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Context Forest harvest practices have the potential to alter habitat available to forest fauna. One aspect of harvesting practice that has received little research attention is the effect of multiple rotations on available habitat, and its use by fauna.
Aims We examined one component of habitat that is critical to many taxa, coarse woody debris (CWD). In forests of north-eastern New South Wales, Australia, we aimed to assess whether harvest (moderate intensity for saw-logs) frequency influences CWD levels, and whether fauna activity on CWD varies with harvest frequency and with CWD attributes.
MethodsUsing habitat surveys and camera trapping, we compared CWD quantity and quality in unharvested sites with those that had been harvested once, twice and three times, and assessed fauna use of CWD.
Key results We found significantly greater volume of non-hollow CWD, and of medium-sized pieces (15–30cm diameter), in sites harvested three times versus unharvested sites. Camera trapping showed that the activity and composition of fauna were similar across these harvest treatments. Our results also found that a broad range of fauna used a variety of logs, including large and small logs in various states of decay.
Conclusions Consistent with other Australian studies, our results suggested that there are no detectable impacts of harvesting on hollow or large CWD. Further studies using radio-tracking or similar methods are needed to more comprehensively assess how CWD is used by fauna.
Implications CWD was used broadly by a range of species and should be targeted for retention under ecologically sustainable forest management practices to ensure that it continues to be present in harvested landscapes. This is particularly important in places where an intensification of practices is being considered.
Collapse
|
8
|
Chergui B, Pleguezuelos JM, Fahd S, Santos X. Modelling functional response of reptiles to fire in two Mediterranean forest types. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 732:139205. [PMID: 32438172 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.139205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2019] [Revised: 05/01/2020] [Accepted: 05/02/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Fire is one of the main disturbances to terrestrial environments, transforming habitat structure and affecting community composition. Coupled with fire, forest type and vegetation structure modulate the taxonomic response to fire by ectotherm organisms such as reptiles. The response of each reptile species to fire is based on their functional attributes, which make some species resilient to fire and others vulnerable to that disturbance and only adapted to long-unburnt landscapes. We studied the functional response of a reptile community at 13 burnt sites within the African rim of the Western Mediterranean, and in two contrasting forest types, i.e. native cork oak forests (five sites) and pine plantations (eight sites). We compiled seven functional traits for the reptile species in the study areas, and quantified reptile functional diversity at each sampled plot. Variation in this index was examined from burnt to nearby unburnt plots, both in cork oak and pine forests, with generalized linear mixed models. Redundancy analysis was used to identify which functional traits were associated with particular plot types. We found 2149 individual reptiles from 15 species. The functional response of reptiles to fire was forest-type dependent: functional richness did not change with fire in cork oak forest plots, but increased with fire in the pine plantation ones. High reptile functional richness in cork oak plots was due to high species richness in this forest type. The functional-redundancy analysis showed that cork oak forest hosts a reptile community functionally composed of small Mediterranean ground- and rock-dwelling lizards. In pine plantation plots, however, saxicolous geckos and phytophagous tortoises indicate the availability of other microhabitat and food resources to be exploited by reptile species with different functional traits.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Brahim Chergui
- Equipe de Recherche Ecologie, Systématique, Conservation de la Biodiversité, Faculté des Sciences de Tétouan, Université Abdelmalek Essaâdi, BP 2121 El M'Hannech, Tétouan, Morocco.
| | - Juan M Pleguezuelos
- Departamento de Zoología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Granada, E-18071 Granada, Spain
| | - Soumia Fahd
- Equipe de Recherche Ecologie, Systématique, Conservation de la Biodiversité, Faculté des Sciences de Tétouan, Université Abdelmalek Essaâdi, BP 2121 El M'Hannech, Tétouan, Morocco
| | - Xavier Santos
- CIBIO/InBIO (Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos da Universidade do Porto), R. Padre Armando Quintas, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
|
10
|
Kellner KF, Renken RB, Millspaugh JJ, Porneluzi PA, Wolf AJ, Fantz DK, Gitzen RA, Faaborg J, Timm SR, Ehlers S, Buchanan ML, Haslerig JM, George AD, Rota CT. Effects of forest management on vertebrates: synthesizing two decades of data from hardwood forests in Missouri, USA. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2019; 29:e01993. [PMID: 31400176 DOI: 10.1002/eap.1993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2019] [Revised: 06/13/2019] [Accepted: 07/17/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Modern forest management seeks to balance multiple social, economic, and ecological goals. Different management approaches create different types of disturbances in a forest ecosystem and thus also differ in their impacts on plants, animals, and insects. Understanding these impacts is important for conservation of forest ecosystem function, but challenging due to the large spatial and temporal scale over which management occurs. Most past research has focused on relatively small areas, short time scales, and/or a small number of species. To address this, we examined the effects of two common silvicultural systems (even and uneven aged) on abundance and richness of three vertebrate taxa (birds, small mammals, and herpetofauna) over a two-decade period in a temperate hardwood forest in Missouri, USA. The two systems removed a similar amount of biomass overall, but differed in the intensity, number, and configuration of harvests applied. We found that vertebrate population responses varied by taxa, occurred at multiple spatial scales, and were concentrated in the period following the first harvest entry. Birds generally had the largest changes in relative abundance, both positive and negative, following management. Small mammals and reptiles had smaller, but generally positive, responses; amphibians were mixed. Bird species tended to respond in the same way to both silvicultural systems, while small mammals and herpetofauna did not respond consistently. Thus, for birds, the total amount of harvest disturbance across the landscape drives population responses, while for others the size and configuration of individual harvests is likely more important. Synthesizing results across the vertebrate community at large spatial and temporal scales allows managers to better understand trade-offs when making decisions that will affect wildlife in contrasting ways.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kenneth F Kellner
- Division of Forestry and Natural Resources, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, 26505, USA
- Camp Fire Program in Wildlife Conservation, State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse, New York, USA
| | | | - Joshua J Millspaugh
- Wildlife Biology Program, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana, 59812, USA
| | - Paul A Porneluzi
- Division of Science and Mathematics, Central Methodist University, Fayette, Missouri, 65248, USA
| | - Alexander J Wolf
- Missouri Department of Conservation, Columbia, Missouri, 65109, USA
| | - Debby K Fantz
- Missouri Department of Conservation, Columbia, Missouri, 65109, USA
| | - Robert A Gitzen
- School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama, 36849, USA
| | - John Faaborg
- College of Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, 65201, USA
| | - Shelby R Timm
- Missouri Department of Conservation, Columbia, Missouri, 65109, USA
| | - Shannon Ehlers
- Missouri Department of Conservation, Columbia, Missouri, 65109, USA
| | - Megan L Buchanan
- Missouri Department of Conservation, Columbia, Missouri, 65109, USA
| | - Janet M Haslerig
- Missouri Department of Conservation, Columbia, Missouri, 65109, USA
| | - Andrew D George
- Department of Biology, Pittsburg State University, Pittsburg, Kansas, 66762, USA
| | - Christopher T Rota
- Division of Forestry and Natural Resources, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, 26505, USA
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Rivera‐Ordonez JM, Justin Nowakowski A, Manansala A, Thompson ME, Todd BD. Thermal niche variation among individuals of the poison frog,
Oophaga pumilio
, in forest and converted habitats. Biotropica 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/btp.12691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - A. Justin Nowakowski
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation Biology University of California, Davis Davis CA USA
| | | | | | - Brian D. Todd
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation Biology University of California, Davis Davis CA USA
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Bernheim M, Shanas U, Bar-Massada A. Soil Type Impacts Macrohabitat Selection and Spatiotemporal Activity Patterns of Testudo graeca in an Eastern Mediterranean Ecosystem. COPEIA 2019. [DOI: 10.1643/ce-18-066r1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Mai Bernheim
- The Department of Evolutionary and Environmental Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel; . Send reprint requests to this address
| | - Uri Shanas
- Department of Biology and Environment, University of Haifa at Oranim, Kiryat Tivon, Israel; (US) ; and (ABM)
| | - Avi Bar-Massada
- Department of Biology and Environment, University of Haifa at Oranim, Kiryat Tivon, Israel; (US) ; and (ABM)
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Craig MD, Smith ME, Stokes VL, Hardy GESTJ, Hobbs RJ. Temporal longevity of unidirectional and dynamic filters to faunal recolonization in post‐mining forest restoration. AUSTRAL ECOL 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/aec.12647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Michael D. Craig
- Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions School of Biological Sciences University of Western Australia Nedlands Western Australia 6907 Australia
- School of Veterinary and Life Sciences Murdoch University Murdoch Western Australia Australia
| | - Megan E. Smith
- School of Veterinary and Life Sciences Murdoch University Murdoch Western Australia Australia
| | | | - Giles E. STJ. Hardy
- School of Veterinary and Life Sciences Murdoch University Murdoch Western Australia Australia
| | - Richard J. Hobbs
- School of Biological Sciences University of Western Australia Nedlands Western Australia Australia
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Taylor Q, Cox CL. Evidence of predation risk increases with body size in a diminutive snake. J Zool (1987) 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/jzo.12627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Q. Taylor
- Department of Biology Georgia Southern University Statesboro GA USA
| | - C. L. Cox
- Department of Biology Georgia Southern University Statesboro GA USA
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Changing Thermal Landscapes: Merging Climate Science and Landscape Ecology through Thermal Biology. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s40823-018-0034-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
|
16
|
Markle CE, Chow-Fraser G, Chow-Fraser P. Long-term habitat changes in a protected area: Implications for herpetofauna habitat management and restoration. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0192134. [PMID: 29444129 PMCID: PMC5812606 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0192134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2017] [Accepted: 01/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Point Pelee National Park, located at the southern-most tip of Canada’s mainland, historically supported a large number of herpetofauna species; however, despite nearly a century of protection, six snake and five amphibian species have disappeared, and remaining species-at-risk populations are thought to be in decline. We hypothesized that long-term changes in availability and distribution of critical habitat types may have contributed to the disappearance of herpetofauna. To track habitat changes we used aerial image data spanning 85 years (1931–2015) and manually digitized and classified image data using a standardized framework. Change-detection analyses were used to evaluate the relative importance of proportionate loss and fragmentation of 17 habitat types. Marsh habitat diversity and aquatic connectivity has declined since 1931. The marsh matrix transitioned from a graminoid and forb shallow marsh interspersed with water to a cattail dominated marsh, altering critical breeding, foraging, and overwintering habitat. Reduced diversity of marsh habitats appears to be linked to the expansion of invasive Phragmites australis, which invaded prior to 2000. Loss of open habitats such as savanna and meadow has reduced availability of high quality thermoregulation habitat for reptiles. Restoration of the northwestern region and tip of Point Pelee National Park to a mixed landscape of shallow wetlands (cattail, graminoid, forb, open water) and eradication of dense Phragmites stands should improve habitat diversity. Our results suggest that long-term landscape changes resulting from habitat succession and invasive species can negatively affect habitat suitability for herpetofauna and protection of land alone does not necessarily equate to protection of sensitive herpetofauna.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chantel E. Markle
- Department of Biology, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- * E-mail:
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
17
|
Nowakowski AJ, Watling JI, Thompson ME, Brusch GA, Catenazzi A, Whitfield SM, Kurz DJ, Suárez-Mayorga Á, Aponte-Gutiérrez A, Donnelly MA, Todd BD. Thermal biology mediates responses of amphibians and reptiles to habitat modification. Ecol Lett 2018; 21:345-355. [PMID: 29314479 DOI: 10.1111/ele.12901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2017] [Revised: 11/07/2017] [Accepted: 11/22/2017] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Human activities often replace native forests with warmer, modified habitats that represent novel thermal environments for biodiversity. Reducing biodiversity loss hinges upon identifying which species are most sensitive to the environmental conditions that result from habitat modification. Drawing on case studies and a meta-analysis, we examined whether observed and modelled thermal traits, including heat tolerances, variation in body temperatures, and evaporative water loss, explained variation in sensitivity of ectotherms to habitat modification. Low heat tolerances of lizards and amphibians and high evaporative water loss of amphibians were associated with increased sensitivity to habitat modification, often explaining more variation than non-thermal traits. Heat tolerances alone explained 24-66% (mean = 38%) of the variation in species responses, and these trends were largely consistent across geographic locations and spatial scales. As habitat modification alters local microclimates, the thermal biology of species will likely play a key role in the reassembly of terrestrial communities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- A Justin Nowakowski
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation Biology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - James I Watling
- Department of Biology, John Carroll University, University Heights, OH, 44118, USA
| | - Michelle E Thompson
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL, 33199, USA
| | - George A Brusch
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85281, USA
| | | | | | - David J Kurz
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
| | - Ángela Suárez-Mayorga
- Genetic Conservation and Biodiversity Group, Institute of Genetics, National University of Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Andrés Aponte-Gutiérrez
- Genetic Conservation and Biodiversity Group, Institute of Genetics, National University of Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Maureen A Donnelly
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL, 33199, USA
| | - Brian D Todd
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation Biology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Eskew EA, Todd BD. Too Cold, Too Wet, Too Bright, or Just Right? Environmental Predictors of Snake Movement and Activity. COPEIA 2017. [DOI: 10.1643/ch-16-513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
|
19
|
Sibeaux A, Michel CL, Bonnet X, Caron S, Fournière K, Gagno S, Ballouard JM. Sex-specific ecophysiological responses to environmental fluctuations of free-ranging Hermann's tortoises: implication for conservation. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2016; 4:cow054. [PMID: 27933166 PMCID: PMC5142051 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/cow054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2016] [Revised: 10/10/2016] [Accepted: 10/17/2016] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Physiological parameters provide indicators to evaluate how organisms respond to conservation actions. For example, individuals translocated during reinforcement programmes may not adapt to their novel host environment and may exhibit elevated chronic levels of stress hormones and/or decreasing body condition. Conversely, successful conservation actions should be associated with a lack of detrimental physiological perturbation. However, physiological references fluctuate over time and are influenced by various factors (e.g. sex, age, reproductive status). It is therefore necessary to determine the range of natural variations of the selected physiological metrics to establish useful baselines. This study focuses on endangered free-ranging Hermann's tortoises (Testudo hermanni hermanni), where conservation actions have been preconized to prevent extinction of French mainland populations. The influence of sex and of environmental factors (site, year and season) on eight physiological parameters (e.g. body condition, corticosterone concentrations) was assessed in 82 individuals from two populations living in different habitats. Daily displacements were monitored by radio-tracking. Most parameters varied between years and seasons and exhibited contrasting sex patterns but with no or limited effect of site. By combining behavioural and physiological traits, this study provides sex-specific seasonal baselines that can be used to monitor the health status of Hermann's tortoises facing environmental threats (e.g. habitat changes) or during conservation actions (e.g. translocation). These results might also assist in selection of the appropriate season for translocation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Adélaïde Sibeaux
- CRCC Centre for Research and Conservation of Chelonians, SOPTOM, Var, 83590 Gonfaron, France
- CIE Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, 3125 Victoria, Australia
| | - Catherine Louise Michel
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, CEBC UMR-7372, CNRS-Université de La Rochelle, 79360 Villiers en bois, France
| | - Xavier Bonnet
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, CEBC UMR-7372, CNRS-Université de La Rochelle, 79360 Villiers en bois, France
| | - Sébastien Caron
- CRCC Centre for Research and Conservation of Chelonians, SOPTOM, Var, 83590 Gonfaron, France
| | - Kévin Fournière
- CRCC Centre for Research and Conservation of Chelonians, SOPTOM, Var, 83590 Gonfaron, France
| | - Stephane Gagno
- CRCC Centre for Research and Conservation of Chelonians, SOPTOM, Var, 83590 Gonfaron, France
| | - Jean-Marie Ballouard
- CRCC Centre for Research and Conservation of Chelonians, SOPTOM, Var, 83590 Gonfaron, France
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Fritts S, Moorman C, Grodsky S, Hazel D, Homyack J, Farrell C, Castleberry S. Do biomass harvesting guidelines influence herpetofauna following harvests of logging residues for renewable energy? ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2016; 26:926-939. [PMID: 27411261 DOI: 10.1890/14-2078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Forests are a major supplier of renewable energy; however, gleaning logging residues for use as woody biomass feedstock could negatively alter habitat for species dependent on downed wood. Biomass Harvesting Guidelines (BHGs) recommend retaining a portion of woody biomass on the forest floor following harvest. Despite BHGs being developed to help ensure ecological sustainability, their contribution to biodiversity has not been evaluated experimentally at operational scales. We compared herpetofauanal evenness, diversity, and richness and abundance of Anaxyrus terrestris and Gastrophryne carolinensis among six treatments that varied in volume and spatial arrangement of woody biomass retained after clearcutting loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) plantations in North Carolina, USA (n = 4), 2011-2014 and Georgia (n = 4), USA 2011-2013. Treatments were: (1) biomass harvest with no BHGs, (2) 15% retention with biomass clustered, (3) 15% retention with biomass dispersed, (4) 30% retention with biomass clustered, (5) 30% retention with biomass dispersed, and (6) no biomass harvest. We captured individuals with drift fence arrays and compared evenness, diversity, and richness metrics among treatments with repeated-measure, linear mixed-effects models. We determined predictors of A. terrestris and G. carolinensis abundances using a priori candidate N-mixture models with woody biomass volume, vegetation structure, and groundcover composition as covariates. We had 206 captures of 25 reptile species and 8710 captures of 17 amphibian species during 53690 trap nights. Herpetofauna diversity, evenness, and richness were similar among treatments. A. terrestris abundance was negatively related to volume of retained woody biomass in treatment units in North Carolina in 2013. G. carolinensis abundance was positively related with volume of retained woody debris in treatment units in Georgia in 2012. Other relationships between A. terrestris and G. carolinensis abundances and habitat metrics were weak or absent. The lack of consistent community or population responses suggests the addition of a woody biomass harvest to a clearcut in pine plantations does not impact herpetofauna use of Coastal Plain loblolly plantations in the southeastern United States. We recommend additional research to examine relationships between woody biomass harvesting and rarer species or amphibians with high desiccation risk, particularly in other regions and harvesting systems.
Collapse
|
21
|
Sasaki K, Lesbarrères D, Watson G, Litzgus J. Mining-caused changes to habitat structure affect amphibian and reptile population ecology more than metal pollution. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2015; 25:2240-2254. [PMID: 26910952 DOI: 10.1890/14-1418.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Emissions from smelting not only contaminate water and soil with metals, but also induce extensive forest dieback and changes in resource availability and microclimate. The relative effects of such co-occurring stressors are often unknown, but this information is imperative in developing targeted restoration strategies. We assessed the role and relative effects of structural alterations of terrestrial habitat and metal pollution caused by century-long smelting operations on amphibian and reptile communities by collecting environmental and time- and area-standardized multivariate abundance data along three spatially replicated impact gradients. Overall, species richness, diversity, and abundance declined progressively with increasing levels of metals (As, Cu, and Ni) and soil temperature (T(s)) and decreasing canopy cover, amount of coarse woody debris (CWD), and relative humidity (RH). The composite habitat variable (which included canopy cover, CWD, T(s), and RH) was more strongly associated with most response metrics than the composite metal variable (As, Cu, and Ni), and canopy cover alone explained 19-74% of the variance. Moreover, species that use terrestrial habitat for specific behaviors (e.g., hibernation, dispersal), especially forest-dependent species, were more severely affected than largely aquatic species. These results suggest that structural alterations of terrestrial habitat and concomitant changes in the resource availability and microclimate have stronger effects than metal pollution per se. Furthermore, much of the variation in response metrics was explained by the joint action of several environmental variables, implying synergistic effects (e.g., exacerbation of metal toxicity by elevated temperatures in sites with reduced canopy cover). We thus argue that the restoration of terrestrial habitat conditions is a key to successful recovery of herpetofauna communities in smelting-altered landscapes.
Collapse
|
22
|
Uribe SV, Estades CF. Reptiles in Monterey pine plantations of the Coastal Range of Central Chile. REVISTA CHILENA DE HISTORIA NATURAL 2014. [DOI: 10.1186/s40693-014-0025-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
|
23
|
Diversity and Distribution of Lizards in Fragmented Atlantic Forest Landscape in Southeastern Brazil. J HERPETOL 2014. [DOI: 10.1670/12-187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
|
24
|
The costs of evaluating species densities and composition of snakes to assess development impacts in amazonia. PLoS One 2014; 9:e105453. [PMID: 25147930 PMCID: PMC4141766 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0105453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2014] [Accepted: 07/24/2014] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Studies leading to decision-making for environmental licensing often fail to provide accurate estimates of diversity. Measures of snake diversity are regularly obtained to assess development impacts in the rainforests of the Amazon Basin, but this taxonomic group may be subject to poor detection probabilities. Recently, the Brazilian government tried to standardize sampling designs by the implementation of a system (RAPELD) to quantify biological diversity using spatially-standardized sampling units. Consistency in sampling design allows the detection probabilities to be compared among taxa, and sampling effort and associated cost to be evaluated. The cost effectiveness of detecting snakes has received no attention in Amazonia. Here we tested the effects of reducing sampling effort on estimates of species densities and assemblage composition. We identified snakes in seven plot systems, each standardised with 14 plots. The 250 m long centre line of each plot followed an altitudinal contour. Surveys were repeated four times in each plot and detection probabilities were estimated for the 41 species encountered. Reducing the number of observations, or the size of the sampling modules, caused significant loss of information on species densities and local patterns of variation in assemblage composition. We estimated the cost to find a snake as $ 120 U.S., but general linear models indicated the possibility of identifying differences in assemblage composition for half the overall survey costs. Decisions to reduce sampling effort depend on the importance of lost information to target-issues, and may not be the preferred option if there is the potential for identifying individual snake species requiring specific conservation actions. However, in most studies of human disturbance on species assemblages, it is likely to be more cost-effective to focus on other groups of organisms with higher detection probabilities.
Collapse
|
25
|
|
26
|
Homyack JA, Aardweg Z, Gorman TA, Chalcraft DR. Initial effects of woody biomass removal and intercropping of switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) on herpetofauna in eastern north Carolina. WILDLIFE SOC B 2013. [DOI: 10.1002/wsb.248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jessica A. Homyack
- Weyerhaeuser Company; Timberlands Technology; 1785 Weyerhaeuser Road; Vanceboro; NC 28586; USA
| | - Zachary Aardweg
- Department of Biology & North Carolina Center for Biodiversity; East Carolina University; Greenville; NC 27858; USA
| | - Thomas A. Gorman
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation; Virginia Tech; Blacksburg; VA 24061; USA
| | - David R. Chalcraft
- Department of Biology & North Carolina Center for Biodiversity; East Carolina University; Greenville; NC 27858; USA
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Steen DA, Smith LL, Conner LM, Litt AR, Provencher L, Hiers JK, Pokswinski S, Guyer C. Reptile assemblage response to restoration of fire-suppressed longleaf pine sandhills. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2013; 23:148-158. [PMID: 23495643 DOI: 10.1890/12-0198.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Measuring the effects of ecological restoration on wildlife assemblages requires study on broad temporal and spatial scales. Longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) forests are imperiled due to fire suppression and subsequent invasion by hardwood trees. We employed a landscape-scale, randomized-block design to identify how reptile assemblages initially responded to restoration treatments including removal of hardwood trees via mechanical methods (felling and girdling), application of herbicides, or prescribed burning alone. Then, we examined reptile assemblages after all sites experienced more than a decade of prescribed burning at two- to thee-year return intervals. Data were collected concurrently at reference sites chosen to represent target conditions for restoration. Reptile assemblages changed most rapidly in response to prescribed burning, but reptile assemblages at all sites, including reference sites, were generally indistinguishable by the end of the study. Thus, we suggest that prescribed burning in longleaf pine forests over long time periods is an effective strategy for restoring reptile assemblages to the reference condition. Application of herbicides or mechanical removal of hardwood trees provided no apparent benefit to reptiles beyond what was achieved by prescribed fire alone.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- David A Steen
- Joseph W. Jones Ecological Research Center, 3988 Jones Center Drive, Newton, Georgia 39870, USA.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
28
|
Currylow AF, Macgowan BJ, Williams RN. Hibernal thermal ecology of eastern box turtles within a managed forest landscape. J Wildl Manage 2012. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
|
29
|
Currylow AF, MacGowan BJ, Williams RN. Short-term forest management effects on a long-lived ectotherm. PLoS One 2012; 7:e40473. [PMID: 22792344 PMCID: PMC3391286 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0040473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2012] [Accepted: 06/07/2012] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Timber harvesting has been shown to have both positive and negative effects on forest dwelling species. We examined the immediate effects of timber harvests (clearcuts and group selection openings) on ectotherm behavior, using the eastern box turtle as a model. We monitored the movement and thermal ecology of 50 adult box turtles using radiotelemetry from May-October for two years prior to, and two years following scheduled timber harvests in the Central Hardwoods Region of the U.S. Annual home ranges (7.45 ha, 100% MCP) did not differ in any year or in response to timber harvests, but were 33% larger than previous estimates (range 0.47-187.67 ha). Distance of daily movements decreased post-harvest (from 22 m±1.2 m to 15 m±0.9 m) whereas thermal optima increased (from 23±1°C to 25±1°C). Microclimatic conditions varied by habitat type, but monthly average temperatures were warmer in harvested areas by as much as 13°C. Animals that used harvest openings were exposed to extreme monthly average temperatures (∼40°C). As a result, the animals made shorter and more frequent movements in and out of the harvest areas while maintaining 9% higher body temperatures. This experimental design coupled with radiotelemetry and behavioral observation of a wild ectotherm population prior to and in response to anthropogenic habitat alteration is the first of its kind. Our results indicate that even in a relatively contiguous forested landscape with small-scale timber harvests, there are local effects on the thermal ecology of ectotherms. Ultimately, the results of this research can benefit the conservation and management of temperature-dependent species by informing effects of timber management across landscapes amid changing climates.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Andrea F Currylow
- Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, United States of America.
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
30
|
Steen DA, McClure CJW, Brock JC, Rudolph DC, Pierce JB, Lee JR, Humphries WJ, Gregory BB, Sutton WB, Smith LL, Baxley DL, Stevenson DJ, Guyer C. Landscape-level influences of terrestrial snake occupancy within the southeastern United States. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2012; 22:1084-1097. [PMID: 22827120 DOI: 10.1890/11-1777.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Habitat loss and degradation are thought to be the primary drivers of species extirpations, but for many species we have little information regarding specific habitats that influence occupancy. Snakes are of conservation concern throughout North America, but effective management and conservation are hindered by a lack of basic natural history information and the small number of large-scale studies designed to assess general population trends. To address this information gap, we compiled detection/nondetection data for 13 large terrestrial species from 449 traps located across the southeastern United States, and we characterized the land cover surrounding each trap at multiple spatial scales (250-, 500-, and 1000-m buffers). We used occupancy modeling, while accounting for heterogeneity in detection probability, to identify habitat variables that were influential in determining the presence of a particular species. We evaluated 12 competing models for each species, representing various hypotheses pertaining to important habitat features for terrestrial snakes. Overall, considerable interspecific variation existed in important habitat variables and relevant spatial scales. For example, kingsnakes (Lampropeltis getula) were negatively associated with evergreen forests, whereas Louisiana pinesnake (Pituophis ruthveni) occupancy increased with increasing coverage of this forest type. Some species were positively associated with grassland and scrub/shrub (e.g., Slowinski's cornsnake, Elaphe slowinskii) whereas others, (e.g., copperhead, Agkistrodon contortrix, and eastern diamond-backed rattlesnake, Crotalus adamanteus) were positively associated with forested habitats. Although the species that we studied may persist in varied landscapes other than those we identified as important, our data were collected in relatively undeveloped areas. Thus, our findings may be relevant when generating conservation plans or restoration goals. Maintaining or restoring landscapes that are most consistent with the ancestral habitat preferences of terrestrial snake assemblages will require a diverse habitat matrix over large spatial scales.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- David A Steen
- Joseph W. Jones Ecological Research Center, 3988 Jones Center Drive, Newton, Georgia 39870, USA.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
31
|
Horák J, Chobot K, Horáková J. Hanging on by the tips of the tarsi: A review of the plight of the critically endangered saproxylic beetle in European forests. J Nat Conserv 2012. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jnc.2011.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
|
32
|
Pike DA, Webb JK, Shine R. Removing forest canopy cover restores a reptile assemblage. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2011; 21:274-280. [PMID: 21516904 DOI: 10.1890/09-2394.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Humans are rapidly altering natural systems, leading to changes in the distribution and abundance of species. However, so many changes are occurring simultaneously (e.g., climate change, habitat fragmentation) that it is difficult to determine the cause of population fluctuations from correlational studies. We used a manipulative field experiment to determine whether forest canopy cover directly influences reptile assemblages on rock outcrops in southeastern Australia. Our experimental design consisted of three types of rock outcrops: (1) shady sites in which overgrown vegetation was manually removed (n = 25); (2) overgrown controls (n = 30); and (3) sun-exposed controls (n = 20). Following canopy removal, we monitored reptile responses over 30 months. Canopy removal increased reptile species richness, the proportion of shelter sites used by reptiles, and relative abundances of five species that prefer sun-exposed habitats. Our manipulation also decreased the abundances of two shade-tolerant species. Canopy cover thus directly influences this reptile assemblage, with the effects of canopy removal being dependent on each species' habitat preferences (i.e., selection or avoidance of sun-exposed habitat). Our study suggests that increases in canopy cover can cause declines of open-habitat specialists, as previously suggested by correlative studies from a wide range of taxa. Given that reptile colonization of manipulated outcrops occurred rapidly, artificially opening the canopy in ecologically informed ways could help to conserve imperiled species with patchy distributions and low vagility that are threatened by vegetation overgrowth. One such species is Australia's most endangered snake, the broadheaded snake (Hoplocephalus bungaroides).
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- David A Pike
- School of Biological Sciences A08, University of Sydney, NSW 2006 Australia.
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
33
|
Perry RW, Rudolph DC, Thill RE. Reptile and Amphibian Responses to Restoration of Fire-Maintained Pine Woodlands. Restor Ecol 2009. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1526-100x.2009.00521.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
|
34
|
Todd BD, Luhring TM, Rothermel BB, Gibbons JW. Effects of forest removal on amphibian migrations: implications for habitat and landscape connectivity. J Appl Ecol 2009. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2664.2009.01645.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
|