1
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Silber KM, Hefley TJ, Castro-Miller HN, Ratajczak Z, Boyle WA. The long shadow of woody encroachment: An integrated approach to modeling grassland songbird habitat. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2024; 34:e2954. [PMID: 38379458 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2023] [Revised: 10/18/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2024]
Abstract
Animals must track resources over relatively fine spatial and temporal scales, particularly in disturbance-mediated systems like grasslands. Grassland birds respond to habitat heterogeneity by dispersing among sites within and between years, yet we know little about how they make post-dispersal settlement decisions. Many methods exist to quantify the resource selection of mobile taxa, but the habitat data used in these models are frequently not collected at the same location or time that individuals were present. This spatiotemporal misalignment may lead to incorrect interpretations and adverse conservation outcomes, particularly in dynamic systems. To investigate the extent to which spatially and temporally dynamic vegetation conditions and topography drive grassland bird settlement decisions, we integrated multiple data sources from our study site to predict slope, vegetation height, and multiple metrics of vegetation cover at any point in space and time within the temporal and spatial scope of our study. We paired these predictions with avian mark-resight data for 8 years at the Konza Prairie Biological Station in NE Kansas to evaluate territory selection for Grasshopper Sparrows (Ammodramus savannarum), Dickcissels (Spiza americana), and Eastern Meadowlarks (Sturnella magna). Each species selected different types and amounts of herbaceous vegetation cover, but all three species preferred relatively flat areas with less than 6% shrub cover and less than 1% tree cover. We evaluated several scenarios of woody vegetation removal and found that, with a targeted approach, the simulated removal of just one isolated tree in the uplands created up to 14 ha of grassland bird habitat. This study supports growing evidence that small amounts of woody encroachment can fragment landscapes, augmenting conservation threats to grassland systems. Conversely, these results demonstrate that drastic increases in bird habitat area could be achieved through relatively efficient management interventions. The results and approaches reported pave the way for more efficient conservation efforts in grasslands and other systems through spatiotemporal alignment of habitat with animal behaviors and simulated impacts of management interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katy M Silber
- Division of Biology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas, USA
| | - Trevor J Hefley
- Department of Statistics, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas, USA
| | | | - Zak Ratajczak
- Division of Biology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas, USA
| | - W Alice Boyle
- Division of Biology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas, USA
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2
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Sheppard A, Hecker L, Edwards M, Nielsen S. Determining the influence of snow and temperature on the movement rates of wood bison (Bison bison athabascae). CAN J ZOOL 2021. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2020-0280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Snow is understood to limit wildlife movements, often being the most important determinant of winter movement for animals in the boreal forest. However, the combined effect of snow and temperature on the movement ecology of animals at high latitudes is less understood. Here, we used GPS-collar data from a small population of wood bison (Bison bison athabascae Rhoads, 1898) in northeastern Alberta, Canada, to develop a series of generalized additive mixed models characterizing the effect of cumulative snow depth, daily change in snow depth, and temperature on movement rates. Our most supported model included cumulative snow depth, temperature, and day of winter. Bison movements decreased in the first 75 days of winter during snow accumulation and dramatically increased in the final 14 days of winter during snow melt. Cumulative snow depth, not daily change in snow depth, reduced wood bison movement rates, and movement rates increased more rapidly in warmer temperatures than in temperatures below −6.4 °C. By quantifying both the direction and the magnitude of snow and temperature’s effects on bison movement, our study fills critical knowledge gaps relating to the winter movement ecology of wood bison and contributes to a growing body of knowledge informing their conservation in the Anthropocene.
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Affiliation(s)
- A.H.C. Sheppard
- Department of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta, 751 General Services Building, Edmonton, AB T6G 2H1, Canada
| | - L.J. Hecker
- Department of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta, 751 General Services Building, Edmonton, AB T6G 2H1, Canada
| | - M.A. Edwards
- Department of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta, 751 General Services Building, Edmonton, AB T6G 2H1, Canada
- Mammalogy, Royal Alberta Museum, 9810 103a Avenue, Edmonton, AB T5J 0G2, Canada
| | - S.E. Nielsen
- Department of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta, 751 General Services Building, Edmonton, AB T6G 2H1, Canada
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3
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Matias G, Rosalino LM, Rosa JL, Monterroso P. Wildcat population density in
NE
Portugal: A regional stronghold for a nationally threatened felid. POPUL ECOL 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/1438-390x.12088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Gonçalo Matias
- cE3c‐Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes, Faculdade de Ciências Universidade de Lisboa Lisbon Portugal
| | - Luís Miguel Rosalino
- cE3c‐Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes, Faculdade de Ciências Universidade de Lisboa Lisbon Portugal
| | - José Luís Rosa
- Instituto da Conservação da Natureza e Florestas Bragança Portugal
| | - Pedro Monterroso
- CIBIO/InBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos Universidade do Porto Vairão Portugal
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4
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DeMars C, Nielsen S, Edwards M. Effects of linear features on resource selection and movement rates of wood bison (Bison bison athabascae). CAN J ZOOL 2020. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2019-0013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Human-mediated disturbances can lead to novel environmental features that can affect native biota beyond simple habitat loss. In boreal forests of western Canada, linear features (LFs; e.g., pipelines, seismic lines, and roads) are known to alter behaviour, movements, and interactions among species. Understanding LF impacts on native species has therefore been a management priority. Here, we investigate how LFs affect the spatial behaviour of wood bison (Bison bison athabascae Rhoads, 1898), which are designated as “threatened” in Canada. Using data collected from the Ronald Lake population in northeastern Alberta, we assessed how LFs influenced habitat selection and movement of bison by testing support among three hypotheses explaining whether LFs (i) increased forage availability, (ii) enhanced movement efficiency, or (iii) increased predation risk. Results supported the movement efficiency hypothesis as bison were generally ambivalent toward LFs, showing weak selection or avoidance depending on land-cover type, but moved slightly faster when on them. These findings contrast with avoidance behaviours reported for sympatric woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou (Gmelin, 1788)), which are also “threatened.” Our results should inform critical habitat decisions for wood bison, but we caution that further research is needed to understand the effects of LFs on bison demography.
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Affiliation(s)
- C.A. DeMars
- Caribou Monitoring Unit, Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute, CW405 Biological Sciences Building, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2E9, Canada
| | - S.E. Nielsen
- Applied Conservation Ecology (ACE) Lab, Department of Renewable Resources, 701 General Services Building, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2H1, Canada
| | - M.A. Edwards
- Department of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta, and Mammalogy Program, Royal Alberta Museum, 12845–102 Ave., Edmonton, AB T5N 0M6, Canada
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5
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Jung TS, Konkolics SM, Kukka PM, Majchrzak YN, Menzies AK, Oakley MP, Peers MJ, Studd EK. Short‐term effect of helicopter‐based capture on movements of a social ungulate. J Wildl Manage 2019. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.21640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Thomas S. Jung
- Department of Environment, Government of Yukon, Whitehorse, Yukon, Y1A 2C6, Canada; Department of Renewable Resources, University of AlbertaEdmontonAlbertaT6G 2H1Canada
| | - Sean M. Konkolics
- Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of Alberta, EdmontonAlbertaT6G 2R3Canada
| | - Piia M. Kukka
- Department of EnvironmentGovernment of Yukon, WhitehorseYukonY1A 2C6Canada
| | - Yasmine N. Majchrzak
- Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of Alberta, EdmontonAlbertaT6G 2R3Canada
| | - Allyson K. Menzies
- Department of Natural Resource SciencesMcGill UniversityMontréalQuébecH9X 3V9Canada
| | | | - Michael J.L. Peers
- Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of Alberta, EdmontonAlbertaT6G 2R3Canada
| | - Emily K. Studd
- Department of Natural Resource SciencesMcGill UniversityMontréalQuébecH9X 3V9Canada
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6
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Bruggeman JE, Swem T, Andersen DE, Kennedy PL, Nigro D. Incorporating productivity as a measure of fitness into models of breeding area quality of Arctic peregrine falcons. WILDLIFE BIOLOGY 2018. [DOI: 10.2981/wlb.00475] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jason E. Bruggeman
- J. E. Bruggeman , Minnesota Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Dept of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Biology, Univ. of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA. Present address: 4157 West 145th Street, Savage, MN 55378,
| | - Ted Swem
- T. Swem, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Fairbanks, AK, USA
| | - David E. Andersen
- D. E. Andersen, US Geological Survey, Minnesota Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, St. Paul, MN, USA
| | - Patricia L. Kennedy
- P. L. Kennedy, Eastern Oregon Agricultural Research Center, Dept of Fisheries and Wildlife, Oregon State Univ., Union, OR, USA
| | - Debora Nigro
- D. Nigro, Bureau of Land Management, Fairbanks, AK, USA
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7
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Potential Bacillus anthracis Risk Zones for Male Plains Bison ( Bison bison bison) in Southwestern Montana, USA. J Wildl Dis 2018; 55:136-141. [PMID: 30016211 DOI: 10.7589/2017-09-234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
A re-emergence of anthrax, a zoonosis caused by the long-lived, spore-forming Bacillus anthracis, occurred with a multispecies outbreak in southwestern Montana, US in 2008. It substantially impacted a managed herd of about 3,500 free-ranging plains bison ( Bison bison bison) on a large, private ranch southwest of Bozeman, with about 8% mortality and a disproportionate 28% mortality of mature males; a similar high rate occurred in male Rocky Mountain elk ( Cervus canadensis nelson). Grazing herbivores are particularly at risk for anthrax from ingesting spore-contaminated soil and grasses in persistent environmental reservoirs. We predicted areas of mature male bison habitat preference on the landscape by using GPS collar data and a resource selection function model using environmental covariates. We overlaid preferred areas with ecologic niche, model-based predictions of B. anthracis environmental reservoirs to identify areas of high anthrax risk. Overlapping areas were distributed across the ranch and were not confined to pastures associated with the previous outbreak, suggesting that ongoing pasture exclusion alone will not prevent future outbreaks. The data suggested vaccination campaigns should continue for bison, and the results can be used to prioritize carcass surveillance in areas of greatest overlap.
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8
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Karelus DL, McCown JW, Scheick BK, van de Kerk M, Bolker BM, Oli MK. Effects of environmental factors and landscape features on movement patterns of Florida black bears. J Mammal 2017. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyx066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
A greater understanding of how environmental factors and anthropogenic landscape features influence animal movements can inform management and potentially aid in mitigating human–wildlife conflicts. We investigated the movement patterns of 16 Florida black bears (Ursus americanus floridanus; 6 females, 10 males) in north-central Florida at multiple temporal scales using GPS data collected from 2011 to 2014. We calculated bi-hourly step-lengths and directional persistence, as well as daily and weekly observed displacements and expected displacements. We used those movement metrics as response variables in linear mixed models and tested for effects of sex, season, and landscape features. We found that step-lengths of males were generally longer than step-lengths of females, and both sexes had the shortest step-lengths during the daytime. Bears moved more slowly (shorter step-lengths) and exhibited less directed movement when near creeks, in forested wetlands, and in marsh habitats, possibly indicating foraging behavior. In urban areas, bears moved more quickly (longer step-lengths) and along more directed paths. The results were similar across all temporal scales. Major roads tended to act as a semipermeable barrier to bear movement. Males crossed major roads more frequently than females but both sexes crossed major roads much less frequently than minor roads. Our findings regarding the influence of landscape and habitat features on movement patterns of Florida black bears could be useful for planning effective wildlife corridors and understanding how future residential or commercial development and road expansions may affect animal movement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dana L Karelus
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, and School of Natural Resources and Environment, Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, University of Florida, 110 Newins-Ziegler Hall, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA (DLK, MK, MKO)
| | - J Walter McCown
- Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, 4005 S. Main St., Gainesville, FL 32601, USA (JWM, BKS)
| | - Brian K Scheick
- Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, 4005 S. Main St., Gainesville, FL 32601, USA (JWM, BKS)
| | - Madelon van de Kerk
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, and School of Natural Resources and Environment, Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, University of Florida, 110 Newins-Ziegler Hall, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA (DLK, MK, MKO)
| | - Benjamin M Bolker
- Departments of Mathematics & Statistics and Biology, McMaster University, 314 Hamilton Hall, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4K1, Canada (BMB)
| | - Madan K Oli
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, and School of Natural Resources and Environment, Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, University of Florida, 110 Newins-Ziegler Hall, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA (DLK, MK, MKO)
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9
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Wołoszyn-Gałęza A, Perzanowski K, Januszczak M, Pagacz S. Habitat Preferences of a European Bison (Bison bonasus) Population in the Carpathian Mountains. ANN ZOOL FENN 2016. [DOI: 10.5735/086.053.0201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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10
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Neumann W, Martinuzzi S, Estes AB, Pidgeon AM, Dettki H, Ericsson G, Radeloff VC. Opportunities for the application of advanced remotely-sensed data in ecological studies of terrestrial animal movement. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2015; 3:8. [PMID: 25941571 PMCID: PMC4418104 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-015-0036-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2014] [Accepted: 03/04/2015] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Animal movement patterns in space and time are a central aspect of animal ecology. Remotely-sensed environmental indices can play a key role in understanding movement patterns by providing contiguous, relatively fine-scale data that link animal movements to their environment. Still, implementation of newly available remotely-sensed data is often delayed in studies of animal movement, calling for a better flow of information to researchers less familiar with remotely-sensed data applications. Here, we reviewed the application of remotely-sensed environmental indices to infer movement patterns of animals in terrestrial systems in studies published between 2002 and 2013. Next, we introduced newly available remotely-sensed products, and discussed their opportunities for animal movement studies. Studies of coarse-scale movement mostly relied on satellite data representing plant phenology or climate and weather. Studies of small-scale movement frequently used land cover data based on Landsat imagery or aerial photographs. Greater documentation of the type and resolution of remotely-sensed products in ecological movement studies would enhance their usefulness. Recent advancements in remote sensing technology improve assessments of temporal dynamics of landscapes and the three-dimensional structures of habitats, enabling near real-time environmental assessment. Online movement databases that now integrate remotely-sensed data facilitate access to remotely-sensed products for movement ecologists. We recommend that animal movement studies incorporate remotely-sensed products that provide time series of environmental response variables. This would facilitate wildlife management and conservation efforts, as well as the predictive ability of movement analyses. Closer collaboration between ecologists and remote sensing experts could considerably alleviate the implementation gap. Ecologists should not expect that indices derived from remotely-sensed data will be directly analogous to field-collected data and need to critically consider which remotely-sensed product is best suited for a given analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wiebke Neumann
- />Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1630 Linden Drive, Madison, WI 53706 USA
- />Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Umeå, SE-90183 Sweden
| | - Sebastian Martinuzzi
- />Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1630 Linden Drive, Madison, WI 53706 USA
| | - Anna B Estes
- />Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1630 Linden Drive, Madison, WI 53706 USA
- />The Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Anna M Pidgeon
- />Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1630 Linden Drive, Madison, WI 53706 USA
| | - Holger Dettki
- />Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Umeå, SE-90183 Sweden
| | - Göran Ericsson
- />Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Umeå, SE-90183 Sweden
| | - Volker C Radeloff
- />Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1630 Linden Drive, Madison, WI 53706 USA
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11
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Bartzke GS, May R, Solberg EJ, Rolandsen CM, Røskaft E. Differential barrier and corridor effects of power lines, roads and rivers on moose (
Alces alces
) movements. Ecosphere 2015. [DOI: 10.1890/es14-00278.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- G. S. Bartzke
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, 7485 Trondheim, Norway
- Institute for Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 7491 Trondheim, Norway
| | - R. May
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, 7485 Trondheim, Norway
| | - E. J. Solberg
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, 7485 Trondheim, Norway
| | - C. M. Rolandsen
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, 7485 Trondheim, Norway
| | - E. Røskaft
- Institute for Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 7491 Trondheim, Norway
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12
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Jung TS, Kuba K. Performance of GPS collars on free-ranging bison (Bison bison) in north-western Canada. WILDLIFE RESEARCH 2015. [DOI: 10.1071/wr15038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Context Global positioning system (GPS) collars are increasingly used to study animal ecology. However, understanding their real-world performance is important so that biases in data collection can be addressed. These biases may be species specific. Few studies have examined the influence of sex or temporal variation on locational fix success rates (FSR), and none has assessed GPS-collar performance on bison (Bison bison). Aims To test for sex- and temporal-based biases on the performance of GPS collars on free-ranging bison. Methods Data from 59 deployments of 37 GPS collars on 27 female and seven male bison was used to test for temporal variation and differences between sexes on collar-deployment success rates and four fix acquisition metrics. Key results Most (72.9%) of the 55 GPS collars retrieved malfunctioned before reaching their expected deployment schedule (2 years). We observed a significant difference in the performance of GPS collars deployed on male and females, with those on females functioning almost three times longer. All four fix metrics differed between sexes, with males having significantly better metrics. For females, nightly fix metrics were better than the daytime ones, whereas for males, there was no difference. We observed a significant difference in fix metrics between seasons for females, but not males. Conclusions Although the data from GPS collars may be useful in understanding animal ecology, understanding associated biases can aid in the design of field studies using, and the interpretation of results stemming from, GPS collars. Temporal variation in our study was apparent for females, but not males, and likely related to differences in habitat use and movements. Overall, sex had a significant influence on the success of GPS-collar deployments on bison, and should be examined for other species as well. Implications Bison damage to the collars was the main reason for collar failures. Researchers should plan for catastrophic failures and malfunctions when deploying GPS collars on bison, particularly adult males. Significant differences observed between daily and seasonal FSR for females were small (≤4.9%), and do not warrant post hoc treatment before analyses.
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13
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Zimmermann B, Nelson L, Wabakken P, Sand H, Liberg O. Behavioral responses of wolves to roads: scale-dependent ambivalence. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2014; 25:1353-1364. [PMID: 25419085 PMCID: PMC4235582 DOI: 10.1093/beheco/aru134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2013] [Revised: 06/30/2014] [Accepted: 07/07/2014] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Abstract
Throughout their recent recovery in several industrialized countries, large carnivores have had to cope with a changed landscape dominated by human infrastructure. Population growth depends on the ability of individuals to adapt to these changes by making use of new habitat features and at the same time to avoid increased risks of mortality associated with human infrastructure. We analyzed the summer movements of 19 GPS-collared resident wolves (Canis lupus L.) from 14 territories in Scandinavia in relation to roads. We used resource and step selection functions, including >12000 field-checked GPS-positions and 315 kill sites. Wolves displayed ambivalent responses to roads depending on the spatial scale, road type, time of day, behavioral state, and reproductive status. At the site scale (approximately 0.1 km2), they selected for roads when traveling, nearly doubling their travel speed. Breeding wolves moved the fastest. At the patch scale (10 km2), house density rather than road density was a significant negative predictor of wolf patch selection. At the home range scale (approximately 1000 km2), breeding wolves increased gravel road use with increasing road availability, although at a lower rate than expected. Wolves have adapted to use roads for ease of travel, but at the same time developed a cryptic behavior to avoid human encounters. This behavioral plasticity may have been important in allowing the successful recovery of wolf populations in industrialized countries. However, we emphasize the role of roads as a potential cause of increased human-caused mortality. We studied how wolves in Scandinavia respond to roads built to ease human travel but degrading habitat quality for many wildlife species. Wolves responded with ambivalence: They both selected and avoided roads, all depending on the spatial and temporal scale and their behavioral status. To understand the multi-scale effects of human infrastructure on animal behavior is important with regard to the recent come-back of many wildlife species to now industrialized countries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Zimmermann
- Faculty of Applied Ecology and Agricultural Sciences, Hedmark University College, Evenstad , N-2480 Koppang , Norway and
| | - Lindsey Nelson
- Faculty of Applied Ecology and Agricultural Sciences, Hedmark University College, Evenstad , N-2480 Koppang , Norway and
| | - Petter Wabakken
- Faculty of Applied Ecology and Agricultural Sciences, Hedmark University College, Evenstad , N-2480 Koppang , Norway and
| | - Håkan Sand
- Department of Ecology, Grimsö Wildlife Research Station, Swedish University of Agricultural Science , SE-73091 Riddarhyttan , Sweden
| | - Olof Liberg
- Department of Ecology, Grimsö Wildlife Research Station, Swedish University of Agricultural Science , SE-73091 Riddarhyttan , Sweden
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14
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Killeen J, Thurfjell H, Ciuti S, Paton D, Musiani M, Boyce MS. Habitat selection during ungulate dispersal and exploratory movement at broad and fine scale with implications for conservation management. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2014; 2:15. [PMID: 27148450 PMCID: PMC4855897 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-014-0015-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2014] [Accepted: 06/12/2014] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Dispersal has a critical influence on demography and gene flow and as such maintaining connectivity between populations is an essential element of modern conservation. Advances in satellite radiotelemetry are providing new opportunities to document dispersal, which previously has been difficult to study. This type of data also can be used as an empirical basis for defining landscapes in terms of resistance surfaces, enabling habitat corridors to be identified. However, despite the scale-dependent nature of habitat selection few studies have investigated selection specifically during dispersal. Here we investigate habitat selection during and around dispersal periods as well as the influence of age and sex on dispersal for a large ungulate. RESULTS Of 158 elk (Cervus elaphus) tracked using GPS radiotelemetry almost all dispersers were males, with individuals dispersing up to 98 km. The dispersal period was distinct, with higher movement rates than before or after dispersal. At fine scale elk avoided the most rugged terrain in all time periods, but to a greater extent during and after dispersal, which we showed using step selection functions. In contrast, habitat selection by resident elk was less affected by ruggedness and more by an attraction to areas of higher forage availability. At the broad scale, however, movement corridors of dispersers were characterized by higher forage availability and slightly lower ruggedness then expected using correlated random walks. CONCLUSIONS In one of the first examples of its kind we document complete long-distance dispersal events by an ungulate in detail. We find dispersal to be distinct in terms of movement rate and also find evidence that habitat selection during dispersal may differ from habitat selection in the home-range, with potential implications for the use of resistance surfaces to define conservation corridors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua Killeen
- />Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2E9 Canada
- />Marine Evolution and Conservation Group, Centre of Evolutionary and Ecological Studies, University of Groningen, PO Box 11103 CC, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Henrik Thurfjell
- />Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2E9 Canada
| | - Simone Ciuti
- />Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2E9 Canada
- />Department of Biometry and Environmental System Analysis, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, 79106 Germany
| | - Dale Paton
- />Faculty of Environmental Design, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1 N4 Canada
| | - Marco Musiani
- />Faculty of Environmental Design, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1 N4 Canada
| | - Mark S Boyce
- />Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2E9 Canada
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15
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Killeen J, Thurfjell H, Ciuti S, Paton D, Musiani M, Boyce MS. Habitat selection during ungulate dispersal and exploratory movement at broad and fine scale with implications for conservation management. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2014; 2:15. [PMID: 27148450 DOI: 10.1186/2051-3933-2-13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2014] [Accepted: 06/12/2014] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Dispersal has a critical influence on demography and gene flow and as such maintaining connectivity between populations is an essential element of modern conservation. Advances in satellite radiotelemetry are providing new opportunities to document dispersal, which previously has been difficult to study. This type of data also can be used as an empirical basis for defining landscapes in terms of resistance surfaces, enabling habitat corridors to be identified. However, despite the scale-dependent nature of habitat selection few studies have investigated selection specifically during dispersal. Here we investigate habitat selection during and around dispersal periods as well as the influence of age and sex on dispersal for a large ungulate. RESULTS Of 158 elk (Cervus elaphus) tracked using GPS radiotelemetry almost all dispersers were males, with individuals dispersing up to 98 km. The dispersal period was distinct, with higher movement rates than before or after dispersal. At fine scale elk avoided the most rugged terrain in all time periods, but to a greater extent during and after dispersal, which we showed using step selection functions. In contrast, habitat selection by resident elk was less affected by ruggedness and more by an attraction to areas of higher forage availability. At the broad scale, however, movement corridors of dispersers were characterized by higher forage availability and slightly lower ruggedness then expected using correlated random walks. CONCLUSIONS In one of the first examples of its kind we document complete long-distance dispersal events by an ungulate in detail. We find dispersal to be distinct in terms of movement rate and also find evidence that habitat selection during dispersal may differ from habitat selection in the home-range, with potential implications for the use of resistance surfaces to define conservation corridors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua Killeen
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2E9 Canada ; Marine Evolution and Conservation Group, Centre of Evolutionary and Ecological Studies, University of Groningen, PO Box 11103 CC, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Henrik Thurfjell
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2E9 Canada
| | - Simone Ciuti
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2E9 Canada ; Department of Biometry and Environmental System Analysis, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, 79106 Germany
| | - Dale Paton
- Faculty of Environmental Design, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1 N4 Canada
| | - Marco Musiani
- Faculty of Environmental Design, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1 N4 Canada
| | - Mark S Boyce
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2E9 Canada
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Nippert JB, Culbertson TSF, Orozco GL, Ocheltree TW, Helliker BR. Identifying the water sources consumed by bison: implications for large mammalian grazers worldwide. Ecosphere 2013. [DOI: 10.1890/es12-00359.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
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Gillies CS, Beyer HL, St Clair CC. Fine-scale movement decisions of tropical forest birds in a fragmented landscape. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2011; 21:944-954. [PMID: 21639057 DOI: 10.1890/09-2090.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
The persistence of forest-dependent species in fragmented landscapes is fundamentally linked to the movement of individuals among subpopulations. The paths taken by dispersing individuals can be considered a series of steps built from individual route choices. Despite the importance of these fine-scale movement decisions, it has proved difficult to collect such data that reveal how forest birds move in novel landscapes. We collected unprecedented route information about the movement of translocated forest birds from two species in the highly fragmented tropical dry forest of Costa Rica. In this pasture-dominated landscape, forest remains in patches or riparian corridors, with lesser amounts of living fencerows and individual trees or "stepping stones." We used step selection functions to quantify how route choice was influenced by these habitat elements. We found that the amount of risk these birds were willing to take by crossing open habitat was context dependent. The forest-specialist Barred Antshrike (Thamnophilus doliatus) exhibited stronger selection for forested routes when moving in novel landscapes distant from its territory relative to locations closer to its territory. It also selected forested routes when its step originated in forest habitat. It preferred steps ending in stepping stones when the available routes had little forest cover, but avoided them when routes had greater forest cover. The forest-generalist Rufous-naped Wren (Campylorhynchus rufinucha) preferred steps that contained more pasture, but only when starting from non-forest habitats. Our results showed that forested corridors (i.e., riparian corridors) best facilitated the movement of a sensitive forest specialist through this fragmented landscape. They also suggested that stepping stones can be important in highly fragmented forests with little remaining forest cover. We expect that naturally dispersing birds and species with greater forest dependence would exhibit even stronger selection for forested routes than did the birds in our experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cameron S Gillies
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E9, Canada.
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Onorato DP, Criffield M, Lotz M, Cunningham M, McBride R, Leone EH, Bass OL, Hellgren EC. Habitat selection by critically endangered Florida panthers across the diel period: implications for land management and conservation. Anim Conserv 2010. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-1795.2010.00415.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Proffitt KM, White PJ, Garrott RA. Spatio-temporal overlap between Yellowstone bison and elk - implications of wolf restoration and other factors for brucellosis transmission risk. J Appl Ecol 2010. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2664.2010.01770.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Fortin D, Fortin ME, Beyer HL, Duchesne T, Courant S, Dancose K. Group-size-mediated habitat selection and group fusion–fission dynamics of bison under predation risk. Ecology 2009; 90:2480-90. [DOI: 10.1890/08-0345.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 174] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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Bar-David S, Bar-David I, Cross PC, Ryan SJ, Knechtel CU, Getz WM. Methods for assessing movement path recursion with application to African buffalo in South Africa. Ecology 2009; 90:2467-79. [PMID: 19769125 PMCID: PMC3025599 DOI: 10.1890/08-1532.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/05/2023]
Abstract
Recent developments of automated methods for monitoring animal movement, e.g., global positioning systems (GPS) technology, yield high-resolution spatiotemporal data. To gain insights into the processes creating movement patterns, we present two new techniques for extracting information from these data on repeated visits to a particular site or patch ("recursions"). Identification of such patches and quantification of recursion pathways, when combined with patch-related ecological data, should contribute to our understanding of the habitat requirements of large herbivores, of factors governing their space-use patterns, and their interactions with the ecosystem. We begin by presenting output from a simple spatial model that simulates movements of large-herbivore groups based on minimal parameters: resource availability and rates of resource recovery after a local depletion. We then present the details of our new techniques of analyses (recursion analysis and circle analysis) and apply them to data generated by our model, as well as two sets of empirical data on movements of African buffalo (Syncerus caffer): the first collected in Klaserie Private Nature Reserve and the second in Kruger National Park, South Africa. Our recursion analyses of model outputs provide us with a basis for inferring aspects of the processes governing the production of buffalo recursion patterns, particularly the potential influence of resource recovery rate. Although the focus of our simulations was a comparison of movement patterns produced by different resource recovery rates, we conclude our paper with a comprehensive discussion of how recursion analyses can be used when appropriate ecological data are available to elucidate various factors influencing movement. Inter alia, these include the various limiting and preferred resources, parasites, and topographical and landscape factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shirli Bar-David
- Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology, Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Sede Boqer Campus, Midreshet Ben-Gurion 84990, Israel.
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Chapter 5 Effects of Wind, Terrain, and Vegetation on Snow Pack. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2008. [DOI: 10.1016/s1936-7961(08)00205-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register]
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Chapter 6 Modeling Spatial Snow Pack Dynamics. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2008. [DOI: 10.1016/s1936-7961(08)00206-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register]
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