1
|
Delgado‐Martínez CM, Kolb M, Pascual‐Ramírez F, Mendoza E. Differential utilization of surface and arboreal water bodies by birds and mammals in a seasonally dry Neotropical forest in southern Mexico. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e10781. [PMID: 38034340 PMCID: PMC10682877 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10781] [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: 08/26/2023] [Revised: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Water availability significantly influences bird and mammal ecology in terrestrial ecosystems. However, our understanding of the role of water as a limiting resource for birds and mammals remains partial because most of the studies have focused on surface water bodies in desert and semi-desert ecosystems. This study assessed the use of two types of surface water bodies (waterholes and epikarst rock pools) and one arboreal (water-filled tree holes) by birds and mammals in the seasonally dry tropical forests of the Calakmul Biosphere Reserve in southern Mexico. We deployed camera traps in 23 waterholes, 22 rock pools, and 19 water-filled tree holes in this karstic region to record visits by small, medium, and large-bodied birds and mammals during the dry and rainy seasons. These cameras were set up for recording videos documenting when animals were making use of water for drinking, bathing, or both. We compared the species diversity and composition of bird and mammal assemblages using the different types of water bodies by calculating Hill numbers and conducting nonmetric multidimensional scaling (NMDS), indicator species, and contingency table analyses. There was a greater species richness of birds and mammals using surface water bodies than tree holes during both seasons. There were significant differences in species composition among bird assemblages using the different water bodies, but dominant species and diversity remained the same. Terrestrial and larger mammalian species preferentially used surface water bodies, whereas arboreal and scansorial small and medium mammals were more common in arboreal water bodies. These findings suggest that differences in water body characteristics might favor segregation in mammal activity. The different water bodies may act as alternative water sources for birds and complementary sources for mammals, potentially favoring species coexistence and increasing community resilience to environmental variation (e.g., fluctuations in water availability). Understanding how differences in water bodies favor species coexistence and community resilience is of great relevance from a basic ecological perspective but is also crucial for anticipating the effects that the increased demand for water by humans and climate change can have on wildlife viability.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Carlos M. Delgado‐Martínez
- Posgrado en Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de MéxicoUnidad de Posgrado, Edificio D, 1er PisoCiudad de MéxicoCoyoacánMexico
- Instituto de Geografía, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de MéxicoCircuito exterior s/n, Ciudad UniversitariaCiudad de MéxicoCoyoacánMexico
- Instituto de Investigaciones sobre los Recursos NaturalesUniversidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de HidalgoMoreliaMichoacánMexico
| | - Melanie Kolb
- Instituto de Geografía, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de MéxicoCircuito exterior s/n, Ciudad UniversitariaCiudad de MéxicoCoyoacánMexico
| | - Fermín Pascual‐Ramírez
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Ecosistemas y SustentabilidadUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de MéxicoMoreliaMichoacánMexico
| | - Eduardo Mendoza
- Instituto de Investigaciones sobre los Recursos NaturalesUniversidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de HidalgoMoreliaMichoacánMexico
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Ossi F, Focardi S, Tolhurst BA, Picco GP, Murphy AL, Molteni D, Giannini N, Gaillard J, Cagnacci F. Quantifying the errors in animal contacts recorded by proximity loggers. J Wildl Manage 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.22151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Federico Ossi
- Department of Biodiversity and Molecular Ecology Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione Edmund Mach Via E. Mach 1 San Michele all'Adige 38010 Italy
- C3A—Centro Agricoltura, Alimenti Ambiente—University of Trento Via E. Mach 1 San Michele all'Adige 38010 Italy
| | - Stefano Focardi
- Istituto dei Sistemi Complessi, CNR, Via Madonna del Piano 10—50019 Sesto Fiorentino (FI) Italy
| | - Bryony A. Tolhurst
- School of Applied Sciences The University of Brighton Huxley Building, Lewes Road Brighton BN2 4GJ East Sussex United Kingdom
| | - Gian Pietro Picco
- Department of Information Engineering and Computer Science (DISI) University of Trento via Sommarive 9 I‐38123 Povo (TN) Italy
| | - Amy L. Murphy
- Center for Information and Communication Technology Bruno Kessler Foundation via Sommarive 18 I‐38123 Povo (TN) Italy
| | - Davide Molteni
- Department of Information Engineering and Computer Science (DISI) University of Trento via Sommarive 9 I‐38123 Povo (TN) Italy
| | - Noemi Giannini
- Department of Biodiversity and Molecular Ecology Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione Edmund Mach Via E. Mach 1 San Michele all'Adige 38010 Italy
| | - Jean‐Michel Gaillard
- UMR CNRS 5558 “Biometrie et Biologie Evolutive” Université Claude Bernard Lyon1 Bat G. Mendel 43 Bd du 11 Novembre 1918 Villeurbanne 69622 Cedex France
| | - Francesca Cagnacci
- Department of Biodiversity and Molecular Ecology Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione Edmund Mach Via E. Mach 1 San Michele all'Adige 38010 Italy
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Dayaram A, Seeber P, Courtiol A, Soilemetzidou S, Tsangaras K, Franz M, McEwen GK, Azab W, Kaczensky P, Melzheimer J, East ML, Ganbaatar O, Walzer C, Osterrieder N, Greenwood AD. Seasonal host and ecological drivers may promote restricted water as a viral vector. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 773:145446. [PMID: 33588222 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.145446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2020] [Revised: 01/19/2021] [Accepted: 01/23/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
In climates with seasonally limited precipitation, terrestrial animals congregate at high densities at scarce water sources. We hypothesize that viruses can exploit the recurrence of these diverse animal congregations to spread. In this study, we test the central prediction of this hypothesis - that viruses employing this transmission strategy remain stable and infectious in water. Equid herpesviruses (EHVs) were chosen as a model as they have been shown to remain stable and infectious in water for weeks under laboratory conditions. Using fecal data from wild equids from a previous study, we establish that EHVs are shed more frequently by their hosts during the dry season, increasing the probability of water source contamination with EHV. We document the presence of several strains of EHVs present in high genome copy number from the surface water and sediments of waterholes sampled across a variety of mammalian assemblages, locations, temperatures and pH. Phylogenetic analysis reveals that the different EHV strains found exhibit little divergence despite representing ancient lineages. We employed molecular approaches to show that EHVs shed remain stable in waterholes with detection decreasing with increasing temperature in sediments. Infectivity experiments using cell culture reveals that EHVs remain infectious in water derived from waterholes. The results are supportive of water as an abiotic viral vector for EHV.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anisha Dayaram
- Leibniz-Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Alfred-Kowalke-Strasse 17, 10315 Berlin, Germany; Institut für Neurophysiologie, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Peter Seeber
- Leibniz-Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Alfred-Kowalke-Strasse 17, 10315 Berlin, Germany; Limnological Institute, University of Konstanz, Mainaustrasse 252, 78467 Konstanz, Germany
| | - Alexandre Courtiol
- Leibniz-Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Alfred-Kowalke-Strasse 17, 10315 Berlin, Germany
| | - Sanatana Soilemetzidou
- Leibniz-Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Alfred-Kowalke-Strasse 17, 10315 Berlin, Germany
| | - Kyriakos Tsangaras
- Department of Life and Health Sciences, University of Nicosia, 46 Makedonitissas Avenue, CY-2417 Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Mathias Franz
- Leibniz-Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Alfred-Kowalke-Strasse 17, 10315 Berlin, Germany
| | - Gayle K McEwen
- Leibniz-Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Alfred-Kowalke-Strasse 17, 10315 Berlin, Germany
| | - Walid Azab
- Institut für Virologie, Freie Universität Berlin, Robert-von-Ostertag-Str, 7-13, 14163 Berlin, Germany
| | - Petra Kaczensky
- Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Savoyenstrasse 1, A-1160 Vienna, Austria; Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Jörg Melzheimer
- Leibniz-Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Alfred-Kowalke-Strasse 17, 10315 Berlin, Germany
| | - Marion L East
- Leibniz-Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Alfred-Kowalke-Strasse 17, 10315 Berlin, Germany
| | - Oyunsaikhan Ganbaatar
- Department of Biology, School of Arts and Sciences, National University of Mongolia, Mongolia; Great Gobi B Strictly Protected Area, Takhiin Tal, Gobi-Altai Province, Mongolia
| | - Christian Walzer
- Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Savoyenstrasse 1, A-1160 Vienna, Austria; Wildlife Conservation Society, 2300 Southern Blvd, 10460 Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Nikolaus Osterrieder
- Institut für Virologie, Freie Universität Berlin, Robert-von-Ostertag-Str, 7-13, 14163 Berlin, Germany; Department of Infectious Diseases and Public Health, Jockey Club College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong
| | - Alex D Greenwood
- Leibniz-Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Alfred-Kowalke-Strasse 17, 10315 Berlin, Germany; Department of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Oertzenweg 19b, 14163, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Armenteros JA, Caro J, SÁnchez-GarcÍa C, Arroyo B, PÉrez JA, Gaudioso VR, Tizado EJ. Do non-target species visit feeders and water troughs targeting small game? A study from farmland Spain using camera-trapping. Integr Zool 2020; 16:226-239. [PMID: 33150697 DOI: 10.1111/1749-4877.12496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Provision of food and water is a widespread tool implemented around the world for the benefit of game and other wildlife, but factors affecting the use of food and water by non-target species are poorly known. We evaluated visits to feeders and water troughs by non-game species using camera-traps in two separate areas of Spain. Feeders and water troughs were either "protected" (when surrounded by more than 50% of shrubs/forest) or "open" (in the opposite case). A total of 18 948 photos from 5344 camera-trapping days depicted animals, and 75 species were identified. Feeders and water troughs were visited by target species (partridges and lagomorphs, 55.3% of visits) and non-target species (44.7% of visits). Among the latter, corvids were the most common (46.1% of visits), followed by rodents (26.8%), other birds (23.6%, mainly passerines), columbids (1.9%), and other species at minor percentages. The highest proportion of visiting days to feeders and water troughs was from corvids (0.173) followed by other-birds (0.109) and rodents (0.083); the lowest proportion was recorded for columbids (0.016). Use intensity and visit frequency of water troughs tripled that recorded in feeders, and visits to open feeders/troughs were approximately twice those to protected ones. In summary: feeders and water troughs targeting small game species are also used regularly by non-target ones; they should be set close to cover to optimize their use by non-target species that are not competitors of target species (though corvids may visit them); water availability should be prioritized where drought periods are expected.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- José A Armenteros
- Department of Animal Production, Research Group on Game Species Breeding and Management, University of León, León, Spain
| | - Jesús Caro
- Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (IREC, CSIC-UCLM-JCCM), Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Carlos SÁnchez-GarcÍa
- Department of Animal Production, Research Group on Game Species Breeding and Management, University of León, León, Spain.,Fundación Artemisan, Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Beatriz Arroyo
- Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (IREC, CSIC-UCLM-JCCM), Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - José A PÉrez
- Department of Animal Production, Research Group on Game Species Breeding and Management, University of León, León, Spain
| | - Vicente R Gaudioso
- Department of Animal Production, Research Group on Game Species Breeding and Management, University of León, León, Spain
| | - Emilio J Tizado
- Department of Biodiversity and Environmental Management, University of León, Ponferrada, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Mbizah MM, Farine DR, Valeix M, Hunt JE, Macdonald DW, Loveridge AJ. Effect of ecological factors on fine-scale patterns of social structure in African lions. J Anim Ecol 2020; 89:2665-2676. [PMID: 32895921 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2020] [Accepted: 07/07/2020] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Environmental variations can influence the extent to which individuals interact with other individuals by changing the value of grouping. It is well known that many species can form and disband groups, often in response to the distribution and abundance of resources. While previous studies showed that resources influence the broad-scale structure of animal groups, knowledge gaps remain on whether they affect fine-scale patterns of association among individuals within groups. We quantify association patterns in African lions while simultaneously monitoring the abundance and distribution of prey. We test how social and ecological factors, including individual trait (age, sex, reproductive state) similarity and prey availability (prey abundance, dispersion, herd size and body size) affect within-pride social structure in African lions. We found that individual decisions about associates depended on resource availability with individuals associating equally across all members of the pride when prey herds were scarce, aggregated or large bodied, and associating more exclusively (in subgroups of preferred associates) when prey herds were abundant, dispersed or small bodied. Individuals within lion prides seemed to be buffering against changes in prey availability by modulating their strength and density of connections with conspecifics when prides split into subgroups. The strength and density of connections among individuals within subgroups was greater when prey herds were large and lower when prey herds were dispersed or are large bodied. Our findings suggest that individual lions are making social decisions at both the subgroup level and the pride level, with decisions representing putatively fitness-enhancing strategies. Individuals were typically shifting between having few strong connections and having many weaker connections depending on prevailing ecological conditions, with prey abundance, dispersion and body size having the greatest impact on decisions about splitting into subgroups. The maintenance of connections within prides and subgroups in the face of ecological change suggests that the fission-fusion nature of lion prides might be essential for the long-term maintenance of social connections even when short-term conditions do not allow them. More broadly, our study reveals how fission-fusion dynamics and ecological factors can simultaneously have an effect on animals across multiple levels of sociality.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Moreangels M Mbizah
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU), Department of Zoology, Recanati-Kaplan Centre, University of Oxford, Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Damien R Farine
- Department of Collective Behavior, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Konstanz, Germany.,Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany.,Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany.,Edward Grey Institute, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Marion Valeix
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU), Department of Zoology, Recanati-Kaplan Centre, University of Oxford, Oxford, Oxford, UK.,Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive, UMR 5558, CNRS, Université de Lyon, Université Lyon 1, Villeurbanne, France.,LTSER France, Zone Atelier "Hwange", CNRS HERD (Hwange Environmental Research Development) Program, Dete, Zimbabwe
| | - Jane E Hunt
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU), Department of Zoology, Recanati-Kaplan Centre, University of Oxford, Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - David W Macdonald
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU), Department of Zoology, Recanati-Kaplan Centre, University of Oxford, Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Andrew J Loveridge
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU), Department of Zoology, Recanati-Kaplan Centre, University of Oxford, Oxford, Oxford, UK
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Blanco J, Bellón B, Fabricius C, de O Roque F, Pays O, Laurent F, Fritz H, Renaud PC. Interface processes between protected and unprotected areas: A global review and ways forward. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2020; 26:1138-1154. [PMID: 31597213 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.14865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2019] [Accepted: 10/04/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Land-use changes and the expansion of protected areas (PAs) have amplified the interaction between protected and unprotected areas worldwide. In this context, 'interface processes' (human-nature and cross-boundary interactions inside and around PAs) have become central to issues around the conservation of biodiversity and ecosystem services. This scientific literature review aimed to explore current knowledge and research gaps on interface processes regarding terrestrial PAs. At first, 3,515 references related to the topic were extracted through a standardized search on the Web of Science and analyzed with scientometric techniques. Next, a full-text analysis was conducted on a sample of 240 research papers. A keyword analysis revealed a wide diversity of research topics, from 'pure' ecology to sociopolitical research. We found a bias in the geographical distribution of research, with half the papers focusing on eight countries. Additionally, we found that the spatial extent of cross-boundary interactions was rarely assessed, preventing any clear delimitation of PA interactive zones. In the 240 research papers we scanned, we identified 403 processes that were studied. The ecological effects of PAs were well documented and appeared to be positive overall. In contrast, the effects of PAs on local communities were understudied and, according to the literature focusing on these, were very variable according to local contexts. Our findings highlight key research advances on interface processes, especially regarding the ecological outcomes of PAs, the influence of human activities on biodiversity, and PA governance issues. In contrast, main knowledge gaps concern the spatial extent of interactive zones, as well as the interactions between local people and conservation actions and how to promote synergies between them. While the review was limited to terrestrial PAs, its findings allow us to propose research priorities for tackling environmental and socioeconomic challenges in the face of a rapidly changing world.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Julien Blanco
- UMR CNRS 6554 LETG-Angers, UFR Sciences, University of Angers, Angers, France
| | - Beatriz Bellón
- UMR CNRS 6554 LETG-Angers, UFR Sciences, University of Angers, Angers, France
| | - Christo Fabricius
- World Wildlife Fund, Washington, DC, USA
- Sustainability Research Unit, Nelson Mandela University, Port Elizabeth, South Africa
| | - Fabio de O Roque
- Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande, Brazil
- Centre for Tropical Environmental and Sustainability Science (TESS) and College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Cairns, Qld, Australia
| | - Olivier Pays
- UMR CNRS 6554 LETG-Angers, UFR Sciences, University of Angers, Angers, France
- LTSER France, CNRS, Hwange National Park, Dete, Zimbabwe
| | | | - Hervé Fritz
- Sustainability Research Unit, Nelson Mandela University, Port Elizabeth, South Africa
- LTSER France, CNRS, Hwange National Park, Dete, Zimbabwe
- UCBL, UMR CNRS 5558, University of Lyon, Villeurbanne, France
| | - Pierre-Cyril Renaud
- UMR CNRS 6554 LETG-Angers, UFR Sciences, University of Angers, Angers, France
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Mbizah MM, Valeix M, Macdonald DW, Loveridge AJ. Applying the resource dispersion hypothesis to a fission-fusion society: A case study of the African lion ( Panthera leo). Ecol Evol 2019; 9:9111-9119. [PMID: 31463008 PMCID: PMC6706213 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.5456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2018] [Revised: 06/24/2019] [Accepted: 06/27/2019] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The relationship between the spatiotemporal distribution of resources and patterns of sociality is widely discussed. While the resource dispersion hypothesis (RDH) was formulated to explain why animals sometimes live in groups from which they derive no obvious benefits, it has also been successfully applied to species that benefit from group living. Some empirical tests have supported the RDH, but others have not, so conclusions remain equivocal and further research is required to determine the extent to which RDH predictions hold in natural systems. Here, we test four predictions of the RDH in an African lion population in the context of their fission-fusion society. We analyzed data on group composition of GPS-collared lions and patterns of prey availability. Our results supported the first and second predictions of the RDH: Home range size (a) was independent of group size and (b) increased with distance between encounters with prey herds. Nonetheless, the third and fourth RDH predictions were not supported: (c) The measure of resource heterogeneity and (d) resource patch richness measured through prey herd size and body size had no significant effect on lion group size. However, regarding the fourth prediction, we added an adaptation to account for dynamics of fission-fusion society and found that the frequency of pride fission increased as group size increased. Our data set restricted us from going on to explore the effect of fission-fusion dynamics on the relationship between group size and patch richness. However, this should be investigated in future studies as including fission-fusion dynamics provides a more nuanced, realistic appreciation of lion society. Our study emphasizes the importance of understanding the complexity of a species' behavioral ecology within the framework of resource dispersion. Whatever larger theoretical framework may emerge to explain lion society, incorporating fission-fusion dynamics should allow the RDH to be refined and improved.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Moreangels M. Mbizah
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU), Department of Zoology, Recanati‐Kaplan CentreUniversity of OxfordOxfordUK
| | - Marion Valeix
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU), Department of Zoology, Recanati‐Kaplan CentreUniversity of OxfordOxfordUK
- CNRS, Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive, CNRS UMR 5558Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1VilleurbanneFrance
- CNRS HERD (Hwange Environmental Research Development) ProgramLTSER France, Zone Atelier “Hwange”DeteZimbabwe
| | - David W. Macdonald
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU), Department of Zoology, Recanati‐Kaplan CentreUniversity of OxfordOxfordUK
| | - Andrew J. Loveridge
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU), Department of Zoology, Recanati‐Kaplan CentreUniversity of OxfordOxfordUK
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Muposhi VK, Gandiwa E, Chemura A, Bartels P, Makuza SM, Madiri TH. Habitat Heterogeneity Variably Influences Habitat Selection by Wild Herbivores in a Semi-Arid Tropical Savanna Ecosystem. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0163084. [PMID: 27680673 PMCID: PMC5040439 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0163084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2016] [Accepted: 09/04/2016] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
An understanding of the habitat selection patterns by wild herbivores is critical for adaptive management, particularly towards ecosystem management and wildlife conservation in semi arid savanna ecosystems. We tested the following predictions: (i) surface water availability, habitat quality and human presence have a strong influence on the spatial distribution of wild herbivores in the dry season, (ii) habitat suitability for large herbivores would be higher compared to medium-sized herbivores in the dry season, and (iii) spatial extent of suitable habitats for wild herbivores will be different between years, i.e., 2006 and 2010, in Matetsi Safari Area, Zimbabwe. MaxEnt modeling was done to determine the habitat suitability of large herbivores and medium-sized herbivores. MaxEnt modeling of habitat suitability for large herbivores using the environmental variables was successful for the selected species in 2006 and 2010, except for elephant (Loxodonta africana) for the year 2010. Overall, large herbivores probability of occurrence was mostly influenced by distance from rivers. Distance from roads influenced much of the variability in the probability of occurrence of medium-sized herbivores. The overall predicted area for large and medium-sized herbivores was not different. Large herbivores may not necessarily utilize larger habitat patches over medium-sized herbivores due to the habitat homogenizing effect of water provisioning. Effect of surface water availability, proximity to riverine ecosystems and roads on habitat suitability of large and medium-sized herbivores in the dry season was highly variable thus could change from one year to another. We recommend adaptive management initiatives aimed at ensuring dynamic water supply in protected areas through temporal closure and or opening of water points to promote heterogeneity of wildlife habitats.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Victor K. Muposhi
- School of Wildlife, Ecology and Conservation, Chinhoyi University of Technology, Private Bag 7724, Chinhoyi, Zimbabwe
- * E-mail:
| | - Edson Gandiwa
- School of Wildlife, Ecology and Conservation, Chinhoyi University of Technology, Private Bag 7724, Chinhoyi, Zimbabwe
| | - Abel Chemura
- School of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Chinhoyi University of Technology, Private Bag 7724, Chinhoyi, Zimbabwe
| | - Paul Bartels
- Department of Nature Conservation, Tshwane University of Technology, Private Bag X680, Pretoria, 0001, South Africa
| | - Stanley M. Makuza
- School of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Chinhoyi University of Technology, Private Bag 7724, Chinhoyi, Zimbabwe
| | - Tinaapi H. Madiri
- Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority, P.O. Box CY140, Causeway, Harare, Zimbabwe
| |
Collapse
|