1
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Granados A, Sun C, Fisher JT, Ladle A, Dawe K, Beirne C, Boyce MS, Chow E, Heim N, Fennell M, Klees van Bommel J, Naidoo R, Procko M, Stewart FEC, Burton AC. Mammalian predator and prey responses to recreation and land use across multiple scales provide limited support for the human shield hypothesis. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e10464. [PMID: 37720065 PMCID: PMC10500421 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10464] [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: 03/27/2023] [Revised: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 08/15/2023] [Indexed: 09/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Outdoor recreation is widespread, with uncertain effects on wildlife. The human shield hypothesis (HSH) suggests that recreation could have differential effects on predators and prey, with predator avoidance of humans creating a spatial refuge 'shielding' prey from people. The generality of the HSH remains to be tested across larger scales, wherein human shielding may prove generalizable, or diminish with variability in ecological contexts. We combined data from 446 camera traps and 79,279 sampling days across 10 landscapes spanning 15,840 km2 in western Canada. We used hierarchical models to quantify the influence of recreation and landscape disturbance (roads, logging) on ungulate prey (moose, mule deer and elk) and carnivore (wolf, grizzly bear, cougar and black bear) site use. We found limited support for the HSH and strong responses to recreation at local but not larger spatial scales. Only mule deer showed positive but weak landscape-level responses to recreation. Elk were positively associated with local recreation while moose and mule deer responses were negative, contrary to HSH predictions. Mule deer showed a more complex interaction between recreation and land-use disturbance, with more negative responses to recreation at lower road density or higher logged areas. Contrary to HSH predictions, carnivores did not avoid recreation and grizzly bear site use was positively associated. We also tested the effects of roads and logging on temporal activity overlap between mule deer and recreation, expecting deer to minimize interaction with humans by partitioning time in areas subject to more habitat disturbance. However, temporal overlap between people and deer increased with road density. Our findings highlight the complex ecological patterns that emerge at macroecological scales. There is a need for expanded monitoring of human and wildlife use of recreation areas, particularly multi-scale and -species approaches to studying the interacting effects of recreation and land-use change on wildlife.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alys Granados
- Department of Forest Resources ManagementUniversity of British ColumbiaVancouverBritish ColumbiaCanada
| | - Catherine Sun
- Department of Forest Resources ManagementUniversity of British ColumbiaVancouverBritish ColumbiaCanada
| | - Jason T. Fisher
- Institute for Resources, Environment and SustainabilityUniversity of British ColumbiaVancouverBritish ColumbiaCanada
| | - Andrew Ladle
- Institute for Resources, Environment and SustainabilityUniversity of British ColumbiaVancouverBritish ColumbiaCanada
| | - Kimberly Dawe
- School of Environmental StudiesUniversity of VictoriaVictoriaBritish ColumbiaCanada
| | - Christopher Beirne
- Department of Forest Resources ManagementUniversity of British ColumbiaVancouverBritish ColumbiaCanada
| | - Mark S. Boyce
- Quest University CanadaSquamishBritish ColumbiaCanada
| | - Emily Chow
- Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of AlbertaEdmontonAlbertaCanada
| | - Nicole Heim
- British Columbia Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural DevelopmentCranbrookBritish ColumbiaCanada
| | - Mitchell Fennell
- Department of Forest Resources ManagementUniversity of British ColumbiaVancouverBritish ColumbiaCanada
| | - Joanna Klees van Bommel
- Department of Forest Resources ManagementUniversity of British ColumbiaVancouverBritish ColumbiaCanada
- Ktunaxa Nation GovernmentCranbrookBritish ColumbiaCanada
| | - Robin Naidoo
- Institute for Resources, Environment and SustainabilityUniversity of British ColumbiaVancouverBritish ColumbiaCanada
- World Wildlife Fund‐USWashingtonDCUSA
| | - Michael Procko
- Department of Forest Resources ManagementUniversity of British ColumbiaVancouverBritish ColumbiaCanada
| | | | - A. Cole Burton
- Department of Forest Resources Management and Biodiversity Research CentreUniversity of British ColumbiaVancouverBritish ColumbiaCanada
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2
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Mayer P, Grêt-Regamey A, Ciucci P, Salliou N, Stritih A. Mapping human- and bear-centered perspectives on coexistence using a participatory Bayesian framework. J Nat Conserv 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jnc.2023.126387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/29/2023]
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3
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Sorum MS, Cameron MD, Crupi A, Sage GK, Talbot SL, Hilderbrand GV, Joly K. Pronounced brown bear aggregation along anadromous streams in interior Alaska. WILDLIFE BIOLOGY 2023. [DOI: 10.1002/wlb3.01057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/03/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Mathew S. Sorum
- Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve, National Park Service Fairbanks Alaska USA
| | - Matthew D. Cameron
- Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve, National Park Service Fairbanks Alaska USA
| | | | - George K. Sage
- Far Northwestern Inst. of Art and Science, Alaska Office Alaska USA
| | - Sandra L. Talbot
- Far Northwestern Inst. of Art and Science, Alaska Office Alaska USA
| | | | - Kyle Joly
- Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve, National Park Service Fairbanks Alaska USA
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4
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Perry EE, Coleman KJ, Iretskaia TA, Baer JM, Magnus LF, Pettengill PR. Reprint of: COVID-19 messaging in U.S. state parks: Extensions of the outdoor recreation strategies and practices framework unmasked by the pandemic. JOURNAL OF OUTDOOR RECREATION AND TOURISM 2023; 41:100627. [PMID: 37521269 PMCID: PMC10015493 DOI: 10.1016/j.jort.2023.100627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2021] [Revised: 10/01/2021] [Accepted: 10/09/2021] [Indexed: 08/01/2023]
Abstract
U.S. state parks are a considerable part of the nation's recreation landscape. Understanding their management concerns, including impacts from pandemics, is imperative for sustainably achieving park objectives. Our study aimed to 1) examine park managers' responses to a novel stressor (COVID-19); 2) aid managers in communicating these strategies to visitors in their pre-visit phase; and 3) test a park management framework's ability to adapt to this novel stressor in this pre-visit phase. Manning and colleagues' outdoor recreation strategies and practices framework provides parks with up to 24 response options to an issue: four strategies intersecting with six practices. This framework has been limited to common in-park concerns and visitors. We examined how park systems communicate with potential visitors about COVID-19, to advance the framework toward broader concerns and scales. We analyzed the 50 U.S. state park systems' official COVID-19 communications at the traditional start of the peak use season (summer 2020). We qualitatively coded these for reference to the framework's components and mentions of scale. This highlighted that while "limit use" and "reduce impact of use" were the only strategies used, different practices and recognitions of beyond-park and beyond-visit scales were acknowledged (e.g., "please recreate close to home"). We suggest the data reveal a seventh practice in use and for framework inclusion: "influence pre-visit decisions." The pandemic provided an opportunity for parks to communicate their managerial responses with consistency and creativity, as well as an opportunity for researchers and managers to advance the strategies and practices framework. Management implications The temporal issue of COVID-19 as a stressor and the spatial nature of its impact across whole social landscapes implores park managers to pay special attention to the critical time in a potential visitor's visit-cycle: the planning and anticipation stages. It is here that effective messaging about the park's integration of expert authority data, detailed communication about park-level responses, and awareness of beyond-park contexts can help potential visitors decide how to safely recreate. This examination highlights the importance of pre-visit safety messaging and provides specific examples of how the outdoor recreation strategies and practices framework can assist park managers in targeting visitor use management communications and actions. Given this strategies and practices framework's usefulness to park managers and ubiquity across parks, we examine ways to expand it to consider broader and emergent contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth E Perry
- Department of Community Sustainability, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Kimberly J Coleman
- Center for Earth and Environmental Science, SUNY Plattsburgh, Plattsburgh, NY, USA
| | - Tatiana A Iretskaia
- Department of Community Sustainability, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Jordan M Baer
- Center for Earth and Environmental Science, SUNY Plattsburgh, Plattsburgh, NY, USA
| | - Liesl F Magnus
- Environmental Studies Department, St. Lawrence University, Canton, NY, USA
| | - Peter R Pettengill
- Environmental Studies Department, St. Lawrence University, Canton, NY, USA
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5
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Anderson AK, Waller JS, Thornton DH. Partial COVID-19 closure of a national park reveals negative influence of low-impact recreation on wildlife spatiotemporal ecology. Sci Rep 2023; 13:687. [PMID: 36639399 PMCID: PMC9839714 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-27670-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Accepted: 01/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Human presence exerts complex effects on the ecology of species, which has implications for biodiversity persistence in protected areas experiencing increasing human recreation levels. However, the difficulty of separating the effect on species of human presence from other environmental or disturbance gradients remains a challenge. The cessation of human activity that occurred with COVID-19 restrictions provides a 'natural experiment' to better understand the influence of human presence on wildlife. Here, we use a COVID-19 closure within a heavily visited and highly protected national park (Glacier National Park, MT, USA) to examine how 'low-impact' recreational hiking affects the spatiotemporal ecology of a diverse mammal community. Based on data collected from camera traps when the park was closed and then subsequently open to recreation, we found consistent negative responses to human recreation across most of our assemblage of 24 species, with fewer detections, reduced site use, and decreased daytime activity. Our results suggest that the dual mandates of national parks and protected areas to conserve biodiversity and promote recreation have potential to be in conflict, even for presumably innocuous recreational activities. There is an urgent need to understand the fitness consequences of these spatiotemporal changes to inform management decisions in protected areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alissa K. Anderson
- grid.30064.310000 0001 2157 6568School of the Environment, Washington State University, PO Box 642812, Pullman, WA 99164 USA
| | - John S. Waller
- grid.454846.f0000 0001 2331 3972National Park Service, Glacier National Park, PO Box 128, West Glacier, MT 59936 USA
| | - Daniel H. Thornton
- grid.30064.310000 0001 2157 6568School of the Environment, Washington State University, PO Box 642812, Pullman, WA 99164 USA
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6
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Neagu AC, Manolache S, Rozylowicz L. The drums of war are beating louder: Media coverage of brown bears in Romania. NATURE CONSERVATION 2022. [DOI: 10.3897/natureconservation.50.86019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
The increasing demand for resources to meet the needs of our society has transformed the environment and increased the likelihood of human-wildlife interactions. Romania has the highest density of brown bears in Europe, with more than 7000 individuals populating the Carpathian Mountains and neighboring areas. The large brown bear population in Romania inhabits ever-increasing human-dominated landscapes, which frequently results in conflict with humans. The means and frequency by which the media communicates information to the readership influence the public perception of human-wildlife conflicts. This research is intended to contribute to the existing knowledge on human-brown bear coexistence in Romania by (1) exploring how the Romanian media depicts human-brown bear interactions in terms of the main themes discussed, framing of issues (emotions and key messages), and likely impacts on public perception; (2) analyzing the changes in reporting on human brown-bear interactions following the transition of the legal status of the brown bear from game to strictly protected species; and (3) investigating suggested policy and management solutions. The results indicate that news stories related to brown bears became common in Romanian mass media after 2016, when a provisional one-year ban on culling was instated, after which it increased abruptly in 2021, following the whistleblowing of an alleged trophy hunting event. The focus on human-bear interaction and hunting/poaching themes has not changed; however, the position of the media toward brown bears has become increasingly negative, even when presenting news stories covering human-bear interactions that incur no harm. To facilitate human-brown bear coexistence in Romania, scientists and practitioners should communicate with media representatives and provide a supplementary context for news stories. Evidence-informed news can help authorities better understand conflicts and create bottom-up pathways toward an optimistic future for brown bears and Romanian society.
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7
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González‐Bernardo E, Delgado MDM, Matos DGG, Zarzo‐Arias A, Morales‐González A, Ruiz‐Villar H, Skuban M, Maiorano L, Ciucci P, Balbontín J, Penteriani V. The influence of road networks on brown bear spatial distribution and habitat suitability in a human‐modified landscape. J Zool (1987) 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/jzo.13023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- E. González‐Bernardo
- Biodiversity Research Institute (IMIB, Spanish National Research Council CSIC‐ University of Oviedo‐Principality of Asturias) Mieres Spain
| | - M. d. M. Delgado
- Biodiversity Research Institute (IMIB, Spanish National Research Council CSIC‐ University of Oviedo‐Principality of Asturias) Mieres Spain
| | - D. G. G. Matos
- Biodiversity Research Institute (IMIB, Spanish National Research Council CSIC‐ University of Oviedo‐Principality of Asturias) Mieres Spain
| | - A. Zarzo‐Arias
- Department of Applied Geoinformatics and Spatial Planning Faculty of Environmental Sciences Czech University of Life Sciences Prague Suchdol Praha Czech Republic
- Universidad de Oviedo Oviedo Asturias Spain
- Department of Biogeography and Global Change Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (MNCN‐CSIC) 28006 Madrid Spain
| | - A. Morales‐González
- Department of Conservation Biology Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD‐CSIC) Sevilla Spain
| | - H. Ruiz‐Villar
- Biodiversity Research Institute (IMIB, Spanish National Research Council CSIC‐ University of Oviedo‐Principality of Asturias) Mieres Spain
| | - M. Skuban
- Carpathian Wildlife Society Zvolen Slovakia
- Slovak State Nature Conservancy Banská Bystrica Slovakia
| | - L. Maiorano
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies “Charles Darwin” University of Rome “La Sapienza” Rome Italy
| | - P. Ciucci
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies “Charles Darwin” University of Rome “La Sapienza” Rome Italy
| | - J. Balbontín
- Departament of Zoology Faculty of Biology University of Seville Sevilla Spain
| | - V. Penteriani
- Biodiversity Research Institute (IMIB, Spanish National Research Council CSIC‐ University of Oviedo‐Principality of Asturias) Mieres Spain
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8
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Abstract
Abstract
Worldwide, nature-based tourism is becoming more popular and important economically. However, there is still debate regarding its impact on wildlife in protected areas. We conducted a quasi-experimental study to investigate the effects of tourism on the mammal community of Cavernas do Peruaçu National Park, a priority area for conservation in Brazil. We used camera traps to survey tourist and non-tourist trails during 2011–2017, encompassing periods before and after tourism started in the Park. We used four metrics for assessment: species richness, probability of using trails, activity levels and daily activity patterns. After tourism began in the Park there was no significant change in species richness and the probability of using tourist trails either increased or remained stable for five of the six species assessed. The rock cavy Kerodon rupestris was the only species to be displaced from tourist areas and to show reduced overall activity on tourist trails after tourism began. The ocelot Leopardus pardalis showed reduced diurnal activity on tourist trails, an indication of temporal adjustment. Overall, our results show that the initial years of visitation at the Park had limited negative impacts on the target mammal species, supporting the possibility of accommodating tourism activity and effective conservation of wildlife in the region. However, it is essential to continue monitoring in the Park because of the expected growth in tourism and potential time lags in responses of species.
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9
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Patterns of Human–Brown Bear Conflict in the Urban Area of Brașov, Romania. SUSTAINABILITY 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/su14137833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Human–bear conflicts are increasing in number due to deforestation, urban expansion, tourism, and habitat invasion by humans. Our study was conducted in Brașov, a picturesque city in central Romania. Brașov is surrounded by forests and has significant tourist traffic, but also much uncollected garbage and many garbage containers, which attract brown bears. We recorded human–bear conflicts in four districts (Răcădău, the Historic Centre, Noua, and Gară) between 2004 and 2018, finding 55 cases in total, of which in 19 cases involving people, 4 people were killed and 32 were injured. In 36 cases, there were no human victims. We mapped the locations of human–bear conflicts and garbage containers, then analysed their space–time location and human victims in terms of behavioural factors. The altitudes at which brown bears were identified ranged from 580 to 790 m, whereas bears were found in the city at distances of between 100 and 2600 m from the forest. The highest frequency of human–bear conflicts occurred during summer and autumn, and the most common behavioural factor was human outdoor activities. This study provides an important background for understanding human–bear conflicts and will help local authorities develop effective strategies to reduce human–bear conflicts and mitigate risk.
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10
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Chaudhuri S, Bandyopadhyay M, Rajaraman R, Kalyanasundaram S, Sathyakumar S, Krishnamurthy R. Spatio-Temporal Patterns and Source-Dispersion Modeling Towards Sloth Bear–Human Conflict Management in Central India. FRONTIERS IN CONSERVATION SCIENCE 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fcosc.2022.850309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The impact of humans on biodiversity, in the form of the spatially extensive occurrence of humans and subsequent habitat degradation, leads to negative interactions between humans and native wildlife. However, knowledge of the spatial and temporal interface between humans and wildlife is necessary to understand the root cause of such negative interactions, yet considerably understudied in the context of human-dominated landscapes in south and south-eastern Asia. We took this opportunity, gaining insights on seasonal spatial interaction and spatio-temporal overlap between sloth bears (Melursus ursinus) and humans, and subsequently predicted the conflict source sites and dispersion (i.e., hotspots) based on the robust geographic profiling (GP) method in the Sanjay Tiger Reserve (STR), a human-dominated landscape of central India. Detection data of sloth bear and human were obtained from camera trap survey conducted for two years (2017–2018) and records of conflict incidents (2009–2019) were collected from forest department. We found that sloth bears can co-occur with humans independently of seasons, based on occupancy models. However, during summer, higher temporal overlap (Δ4 = 0.46) and lower spatial overlap (0.31) were observed between sloth bears and humans. Contrastingly, lower temporal overlap (Δ4 = 0.29) and higher spatial overlap (0.44) were observed between the same two during winter. The activity patterns of sloth bears and humans differed significantly across seasons and within the same species in different seasons. Our findings indicated that significant changes in human activity, especially during summer, increased the likelihood of sloth bear-human interaction and subsequent conflict incidents. The mapping of conflict source and dispersion (with high accuracy) also predicted a greater probability of conflict during summer, compared to winter, and thus showed the successful application of GP models in this field. Also, camera trap data alone were able to predict the occurrence of hotspots, demonstrating the use of camera trap records in the successful prediction of source-dispersion of conflict. This study would be useful for decision-makers to alleviate sloth bear–human conflict based on insights on seasonal variation of spatio-temporal overlap between the two and direct conservation efforts accordingly.
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11
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Trujillo SM, McKenney EA, Hilderbrand GV, Mangipane LS, Rogers MC, Joly K, Gustine DD, Erlenbach JA, Mangipane BA, Lafferty DJR. Intrinsic and extrinsic factors influence on an omnivore's gut microbiome. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0266698. [PMID: 35395042 PMCID: PMC8993001 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0266698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2021] [Accepted: 03/24/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Gut microbiomes (GMBs), complex communities of microorganisms inhabiting the gastrointestinal tracts of their hosts, perform countless micro-ecosystem services such as facilitating energy uptake and modulating immune responses. While scientists increasingly recognize the role GMBs play in host health, the role of GMBs in wildlife ecology and conservation has yet to be realized fully. Here, we use brown bears (Ursus arctos) as an ecological model to (1) characterize GMB community composition associated with location, season, and reproductive condition of a large omnivore; (2) investigate how both extrinsic and intrinsic factors influence GMB community membership and structure; and (3) quantify differences in GMB communities among different locations, seasons, sex, and reproductive conditions. To achieve these aims, we subsampled brown bear fecal samples collected during United States National Park Service research activities at three National Parks and Preserves (Katmai, Lake Clark, and Gates of the Arctic) and extracted microbial DNA for 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing and microbial taxonomic classification. We analyzed GMB communities using alpha and beta diversity indices, subsequently using linear mixed models to examine relationships between alpha diversity and extrinsic and intrinsic factors. Katmai brown bears hosted the greatest alpha diversity, whereas Gates brown bears hosted the least alpha diversity. Our results indicate that location and diet drive GMB variation, with bears hosting less phylogenetic diversity as park distance inland increases. Monitoring brown bear GMBs could enable managers to quickly detect and assess the impact of environmental perturbations on brown bear health. By integrating macro and micro-ecological perspectives we aim to inform local and landscape-level management decisions to promote long-term brown bear conservation and management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah M. Trujillo
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation Science Lab, Department of Biology, Northern Michigan University, Marquette, Michigan, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Erin A. McKenney
- Department of Applied Ecology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Grant V. Hilderbrand
- Natural Resources Team, National Park Service, Anchorage, Alaska, United States of America
| | - Lindsey S. Mangipane
- Marine Mammals Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Anchorage, Alaska, United States of America
| | - Matthew C. Rogers
- National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Juneau, Alaska, United States of America
| | - Kyle Joly
- Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve, National Park Service, Fairbanks, Alaska, United States of America
| | - David D. Gustine
- Marine Mammals Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Anchorage, Alaska, United States of America
| | - Joy A. Erlenbach
- Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Kodiak, Alaska, United States of America
| | - Buck A. Mangipane
- Lake Clark National Park and Preserve, National Park Service, Anchorage, Alaska, United States of America
| | - Diana J. R. Lafferty
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation Science Lab, Department of Biology, Northern Michigan University, Marquette, Michigan, United States of America
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12
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Perry EE, Coleman KJ, Iretskaia TA, Baer JM, Magnus LF, Pettengill PR. COVID-19 messaging in U.S. state parks: Extensions of the outdoor recreation strategies and practices framework unmasked by the pandemic. JOURNAL OF OUTDOOR RECREATION AND TOURISM 2021; 36:100449. [PMID: 38620957 PMCID: PMC8516657 DOI: 10.1016/j.jort.2021.100449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2021] [Revised: 10/01/2021] [Accepted: 10/09/2021] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
U.S. state parks are a considerable part of the nation's recreation landscape. Understanding their management concerns, including impacts from pandemics, is imperative for sustainably achieving park objectives. Our study aimed to 1) examine park managers' responses to a novel stressor (COVID-19); 2) aid managers in communicating these strategies to visitors in their pre-visit phase; and 3) test a park management framework's ability to adapt to this novel stressor in this pre-visit phase. Manning and colleagues' outdoor recreation strategies and practices framework provides parks with up to 24 response options to an issue: four strategies intersecting with six practices. This framework has been limited to common in-park concerns and visitors. We examined how park systems communicate with potential visitors about COVID-19, to advance the framework toward broader concerns and scales. We analyzed the 50 U.S. state park systems' official COVID-19 communications at the traditional start of the peak use season (summer 2020). We qualitatively coded these for reference to the framework's components and mentions of scale. This highlighted that while "limit use" and "reduce impact of use" were the only strategies used, different practices and recognitions of beyond-park and beyond-visit scales were acknowledged (e.g., "please recreate close to home"). We suggest the data reveal a seventh practice in use and for framework inclusion: "influence pre-visit decisions." The pandemic provided an opportunity for parks to communicate their managerial responses with consistency and creativity, as well as an opportunity for researchers and managers to advance the strategies and practices framework. Management implications The temporal issue of COVID-19 as a stressor and the spatial nature of its impact across whole social landscapes implores park managers to pay special attention to the critical time in a potential visitor's visit-cycle: the planning and anticipation stages. It is here that effective messaging about the park's integration of expert authority data, detailed communication about park-level responses, and awareness of beyond-park contexts can help potential visitors decide how to safely recreate. This examination highlights the importance of pre-visit safety messaging and provides specific examples of how the outdoor recreation strategies and practices framework can assist park managers in targeting visitor use management communications and actions. Given this strategies and practices framework's usefulness to park managers and ubiquity across parks, we examine ways to expand it to consider broader and emergent contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth E Perry
- Department of Community Sustainability, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Kimberly J Coleman
- Center for Earth and Environmental Science, SUNY Plattsburgh, Plattsburgh, NY, USA
| | - Tatiana A Iretskaia
- Department of Community Sustainability, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Jordan M Baer
- Center for Earth and Environmental Science, SUNY Plattsburgh, Plattsburgh, NY, USA
| | - Liesl F Magnus
- Environmental Studies Department, St. Lawrence University, Canton, NY, USA
| | - Peter R Pettengill
- Environmental Studies Department, St. Lawrence University, Canton, NY, USA
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13
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Lewis JS, Spaulding S, Swanson H, Keeley W, Gramza AR, VandeWoude S, Crooks KR. Human activity influences wildlife populations and activity patterns: implications for spatial and temporal refuges. Ecosphere 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Jesse S. Lewis
- College of Integrative Sciences and Arts Arizona State University Mesa Arizona85212USA
| | - Susan Spaulding
- Boulder County Parks and Open Space Longmont Colorado80503USA
| | - Heather Swanson
- City of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks Boulder Colorado80303USA
| | - William Keeley
- City of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks Boulder Colorado80303USA
| | - Ashley R. Gramza
- Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology Colorado State University Fort Collins Colorado80523USA
| | - Sue VandeWoude
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology Colorado State University Fort Collins Colorado80523USA
| | - Kevin R. Crooks
- Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology Colorado State University Fort Collins Colorado80523USA
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14
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Carnahan AM, van Manen FT, Haroldson MA, Stenhouse GB, Robbins CT. Quantifying energetic costs and defining energy landscapes experienced by grizzly bears. J Exp Biol 2021; 224:224/6/jeb241083. [DOI: 10.1242/jeb.241083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2020] [Accepted: 02/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
ABSTRACT
Animal movements are major determinants of energy expenditure and ultimately the cost–benefit of landscape use. Thus, we sought to understand those costs and how grizzly bears (Ursus arctos) move in mountainous landscapes. We trained captive grizzly bears to walk on a horizontal treadmill and up and down 10% and 20% slopes. The cost of moving upslope increased linearly with speed and slope angle, and this was more costly than moving horizontally. The cost of downslope travel at slower speeds was greater than the cost of traveling horizontally but appeared to decrease at higher speeds. The most efficient walking speed that minimized cost per unit distance was 1.19±0.11 m s−1. However, grizzly bears fitted with GPS collars in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem moved at an average velocity of 0.61±0.28 m s−1 and preferred to travel on near-horizontal slopes at twice their occurrence. When traveling uphill or downhill, grizzly bears chose paths across all slopes that were ∼54% less steep and costly than the maximum available slope. The net costs (J kg−1 m−1) of moving horizontally and uphill were the same for grizzly bears, humans and digitigrade carnivores, but those costs were 46% higher than movement costs for ungulates. These movement costs and characteristics of landscape use determined using captive and wild grizzly bears were used to understand the strategies that grizzly bears use for preying on large ungulates and the similarities in travel between people and grizzly bears that might affect the risk of encountering each other on shared landscapes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony M. Carnahan
- School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164-4236, USA
| | - Frank T. van Manen
- US Geological Survey, Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center, Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team, Bozeman, MT 59715, USA
| | - Mark A. Haroldson
- US Geological Survey, Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center, Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team, Bozeman, MT 59715, USA
| | | | - Charles T. Robbins
- School of the Environment and School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164-4236, USA
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Abstract
The effects of human disturbance spread over virtually all ecosystems and ecological communities on Earth. In this review, we focus on the effects of human disturbance on terrestrial apex predators. We summarize their ecological role in nature and how they respond to different sources of human disturbance. Apex predators control their prey and smaller predators numerically and via behavioral changes to avoid predation risk, which in turn can affect lower trophic levels. Crucially, reducing population numbers and triggering behavioral responses are also the effects that human disturbance causes to apex predators, which may in turn influence their ecological role. Some populations continue to be at the brink of extinction, but others are partially recovering former ranges, via natural recolonization and through reintroductions. Carnivore recovery is both good news for conservation and a challenge for management, particularly when recovery occurs in human-dominated landscapes. Therefore, we conclude by discussing several management considerations that, adapted to local contexts, may favor the recovery of apex predator populations and their ecological functions in nature.
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Using Landscape Change Analysis and Stakeholder Perspective to Identify Driving Forces of Human–Wildlife Interactions. LAND 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/land10020146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Human–wildlife interactions (HWI) were frequent in the post-socialist period in the mountain range of Central European countries where forest habitats suffered transitions into built-up areas. Such is the case of the Upper Prahova Valley from Romania. In our study, we hypothesized that the increasing number of HWI after 1990 could be a potential consequence of woodland loss. The goal of our study was to analyse the effects of landscape changes on HWI. The study consists of the next steps: (i) applying 450 questionnaires to local stakeholders (both citizens and tourists) in order to collect data regarding HWI temporal occurrences and potential triggering factors; (ii) investigating the relation between the two variables through the Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA); (iii) modelling the landscape spatial changes between 1990 and 2018 for identifying areas with forest loss; (iv) overlapping the distribution of both the households affected by HWI and areas with loss of forested ecosystems. The local stakeholders indicate that the problematic species are the brown bear (Ursus arctos), the wild boar (Sus scrofa), the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) and the grey wolf (Canis lupus). The number of animal–human interactions recorded an upward trend between 1990 and 2018, and the most significant driving factors were the regulation of hunting practices, the loss of habitats, and artificial feeding. The landscape change analysis reveals that between 1990 and 2018, the forest habitats were replaced by built-up areas primarily on the outskirts of settlements, these areas coinciding with frequent HWI. The results are valid for both forest ecosystems conservation in the region, wildlife management, and human infrastructures durable spatial planning.
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Montgomery RA, Macdonald DW, Hayward MW. The inducible defences of large mammals to human lethality. Funct Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Robert A. Montgomery
- Research on the Ecology of Carnivores and their Prey (RECaP) Laboratory Department of Fisheries and Wildlife Michigan State University East Lansing MI USA
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit Department of Zoology University of OxfordThe Recanati‐Kaplan CentreTubney House Tubney Oxon UK
| | - David W. Macdonald
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit Department of Zoology University of OxfordThe Recanati‐Kaplan CentreTubney House Tubney Oxon UK
| | - Matthew W. Hayward
- School of Environmental and Life Sciences University of Newcastle Callaghan NSW Australia
- Centre for African Conservation Ecology Nelson Mandela University Port Elizabeth South Africa
- Centre for Wildlife Management University of Pretoria Pretoria South Africa
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van der Marel RC, Holroyd PC, Duinker PN. Managing human footprint to achieve large-landscape conservation outcomes: Establishing density limits on motorized route-user networks in Alberta’s Eastern Slopes. Glob Ecol Conserv 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2019.e00901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022] Open
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Abstract
AbstractMammals usually adjust behavioral patterns when exposed to disturbances. Elusiveness and low-risk time selection may reduce their stress in periods of highest risk. In Europe, brown bears (Ursus arctos) coexist with humans in densely populated and modified landscapes and, consequently, are exposed to human-caused disturbances during the daytime hours. Furthermore, intraspecific interactions might also influence their behavioral responses, especially during the mating season. Activity patterns of several large carnivores have been thoroughly studied; however, research is scarce for relocated populations. Here, we report the activity patterns in the reintroduced brown bear population in the Pyrenees. We expected the bears to reduce their activity depending on the type and level of disturbances. We analyzed individual behavior of both sexes (males, solitary females, and females with offspring) and age groups (adults and subadults) using camera-trap surveys under different types of intraspecific and anthropogenic disturbances. In general, bears were more active during the night (2200–0600 h) and avoided peaks of human activity (1000–1800 h). Furthermore, with the increasing nocturnal disturbance of adult males during the mating season, females with offspring and subadults were more active during daylight. This suggests that vulnerable individuals showed high tolerance for human presence. These results contribute to improve our knowledge of how a threatened and relocated bear population behaves in a human-modified landscape of southern Europe. Further research on this population will be crucial to establish optimal management interventions during translocations, and the prevention of human-bear encounters and conflicts.
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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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Ladle A, Avgar T, Wheatley M, Stenhouse GB, Nielsen SE, Boyce MS. Grizzly bear response to spatio‐temporal variability in human recreational activity. J Appl Ecol 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.13277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Ladle
- Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of Alberta Edmonton AB Canada
| | - Tal Avgar
- Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of Alberta Edmonton AB Canada
| | - Matthew Wheatley
- Department of Renewable ResourcesUniversity of Alberta Edmonton AB Canada
| | | | - Scott E. Nielsen
- Department of Renewable ResourcesUniversity of Alberta Edmonton AB Canada
| | - Mark S. Boyce
- Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of Alberta Edmonton AB Canada
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Deacy WW, Erlenbach JA, Leacock WB, Stanford JA, Robbins CT, Armstrong JB. Phenological tracking associated with increased salmon consumption by brown bears. Sci Rep 2018; 8:11008. [PMID: 30030526 PMCID: PMC6054687 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-29425-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2017] [Accepted: 07/05/2018] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
There is growing interest in the ecological significance of phenological diversity, particularly in how spatially variable resource phenologies (i.e. resource waves) prolong foraging opportunities for mobile consumers. While there is accumulating evidence of consumers moving across landscapes to surf resource waves, there is little data quantifying how phenological tracking influences resource consumption due to the challenge of documenting all the components of this ecological phenomenon (i.e., phenological variation, consumer movement, resource consumption, and consumer fitness). We examined the space use of GPS collared female brown bears to quantify the exploitation of a salmon resource wave by individual bears. We then estimated salmon consumption levels in the same individuals using stable isotope and mercury analyses of hair. We found strong positive relationships between time spent on salmon streams and percent salmon in assimilated diets (R2 = 0.70) and salmon mass consumed (R2 = 0.49). Salmon abundance varied 2.5-fold between study years, yet accounting for salmon abundance did not improve salmon consumption models. Resource abundance generally is viewed as the key variable controlling consumption levels and food web dynamics. However, our results suggest that in intact watersheds of coastal Alaska with abundant salmon runs, interannual variation in salmon abundance likely has less effect on salmon consumption than individual variation in bear foraging behavior. The results complement previous work to demonstrate the importance of phenological variation on bear foraging behavior and fitness.
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Affiliation(s)
- William W Deacy
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA. .,Flathead Lake Biological Station, University of Montana, Missoula, MT, USA.
| | - Joy A Erlenbach
- School of the Environment, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA
| | - William B Leacock
- Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge, United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Kodiak, AK, USA
| | - Jack A Stanford
- Flathead Lake Biological Station, University of Montana, Missoula, MT, USA
| | - Charles T Robbins
- School of the Environment, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA.,School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA
| | - Jonathan B Armstrong
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA
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Hilderbrand GV, Gustine DD, Mangipane B, Joly K, Leacock W, Mangipane L, Erlenbach J, Sorum MS, Cameron MD, Belant JL, Cambier T. Plasticity in physiological condition of female brown bears across diverse ecosystems. Polar Biol 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s00300-017-2238-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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Frank SC, Ordiz A, Gosselin J, Hertel A, Kindberg J, Leclerc M, Pelletier F, Steyaert SMJG, Støen OG, Van de Walle J, Zedrosser A, Swenson JE. Indirect effects of bear hunting: a review from Scandinavia. URSUS 2017. [DOI: 10.2192/ursu-d-16-00028.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Shane C. Frank
- Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Department of Environmental and Health Studies, University College of Southeast Norway, NO-3800 Bø i Telemark, Norway
| | - Andrés Ordiz
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, NO-1432 Ås, Norway
| | - Jacinthe Gosselin
- Départment de Biologie, Canada Research Chair in Evolutionary Demography, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC J1K 2R1, Canada
| | - Anne Hertel
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, NO-1432 Ås, Norway
| | - Jonas Kindberg
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, NO-7485 Trondheim, Norway
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SE-90183 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Martin Leclerc
- Départment de Biologie, Canada Research Chair in Evolutionary Demography, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC J1K 2R1, Canada
| | - Fanie Pelletier
- Départment de Biologie, Canada Research Chair in Evolutionary Demography, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC J1K 2R1, Canada
| | - Sam M. J. G. Steyaert
- Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Department of Environmental and Health Studies, University College of Southeast Norway, NO-3800 Bø i Telemark, Norway
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, NO-1432 Ås, Norway
| | - Ole-Gunnar Støen
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, NO-1432 Ås, Norway
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, NO-7485 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Joanie Van de Walle
- Départment de Biologie, Canada Research Chair in Evolutionary Demography, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC J1K 2R1, Canada
| | - Andreas Zedrosser
- Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Department of Environmental and Health Studies, University College of Southeast Norway, NO-3800 Bø i Telemark, Norway
- Institute for Wildlife Biology and Game Management, University for Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Gregor Mendel Str. 33, A-1180 Vienna, Austria
| | - Jon E. Swenson
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, NO-1432 Ås, Norway
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, NO-7485 Trondheim, Norway
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Richardson ML. Daily and Monthly Activity of Brown Bears (Ursus arctos) Near a Proposed Industrial Project in Coastal British Columbia. WEST N AM NATURALIST 2017. [DOI: 10.3398/064.077.0113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Matthew L. Richardson
- Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Center for Conservation and Sustainability, Washington, DC 20560
- Present address: College of Agriculture, Urban Sustainability and Environmental Sciences, University of the District of Columbia, Washington, DC 20008
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