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Russo NJ, Davies AB, Blakey RV, Ordway EM, Smith TB. Feedback loops between 3D vegetation structure and ecological functions of animals. Ecol Lett 2023; 26:1597-1613. [PMID: 37419868 DOI: 10.1111/ele.14272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2022] [Revised: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 07/09/2023]
Abstract
Ecosystems function in a series of feedback loops that can change or maintain vegetation structure. Vegetation structure influences the ecological niche space available to animals, shaping many aspects of behaviour and reproduction. In turn, animals perform ecological functions that shape vegetation structure. However, most studies concerning three-dimensional vegetation structure and animal ecology consider only a single direction of this relationship. Here, we review these separate lines of research and integrate them into a unified concept that describes a feedback mechanism. We also show how remote sensing and animal tracking technologies are now available at the global scale to describe feedback loops and their consequences for ecosystem functioning. An improved understanding of how animals interact with vegetation structure in feedback loops is needed to conserve ecosystems that face major disruptions in response to climate and land-use change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas J Russo
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Andrew B Davies
- Department of Organismic & Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Rachel V Blakey
- La Kretz Center for California Conservation Science, Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Biological Sciences Department, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, California, USA
| | - Elsa M Ordway
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
- La Kretz Center for California Conservation Science, Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Thomas B Smith
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
- La Kretz Center for California Conservation Science, Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
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2
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Morant J, Arrondo E, Sánchez‐Zapata JA, Donázar JA, Cortés‐Avizanda A, De La Riva M, Blanco G, Martínez F, Oltra J, Carrete M, Margalida A, Oliva‐Vidal P, Martínez JM, Serrano D, Pérez‐García JM. Large-scale movement patterns in a social vulture are influenced by seasonality, sex, and breeding region. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e9817. [PMID: 36789342 PMCID: PMC9909000 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.9817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2022] [Revised: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Quantifying space use and segregation, as well as the extrinsic and intrinsic factors affecting them, is crucial to increase our knowledge of species-specific movement ecology and to design effective management and conservation measures. This is particularly relevant in the case of species that are highly mobile and dependent on sparse and unpredictable trophic resources, such as vultures. Here, we used the GPS-tagged data of 127 adult Griffon Vultures Gyps fulvus captured at five different breeding regions in Spain to describe the movement patterns (home-range size and fidelity, and monthly cumulative distance). We also examined how individual sex, season, and breeding region determined the cumulative distance traveled and the size and overlap between consecutive monthly home-ranges. Overall, Griffon Vultures exhibited very large annual home-range sizes of 5027 ± 2123 km2, mean monthly cumulative distances of 1776 ± 1497 km, and showed a monthly home-range fidelity of 67.8 ± 25.5%. However, individuals from northern breeding regions showed smaller home-ranges and traveled shorter monthly distances than those from southern ones. In all cases, home-ranges were larger in spring and summer than in winter and autumn, which could be related to difference in flying conditions and food requirements associated with reproduction. Moreover, females showed larger home-ranges and less monthly fidelity than males, indicating that the latter tended to use the similar areas throughout the year. Overall, our results indicate that both extrinsic and intrinsic factors modulate the home-range of the Griffon Vulture and that spatial segregation depends on sex and season at the individual level, without relevant differences between breeding regions in individual site fidelity. These results have important implications for conservation, such as identifying key threat factors necessary to improve management actions and policy decisions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jon Morant
- Department of Applied BiologyMiguel Hernández University of ElcheElcheSpain
- Centro de Investigación e Innovación Agroalimentaria y Agroambiental (CIAGRO‐UMH)Miguel Hernández University of ElcheOrihuelaSpain
| | - Eneko Arrondo
- Department of Applied BiologyMiguel Hernández University of ElcheElcheSpain
- Centro de Investigación e Innovación Agroalimentaria y Agroambiental (CIAGRO‐UMH)Miguel Hernández University of ElcheOrihuelaSpain
| | - José Antonio Sánchez‐Zapata
- Department of Applied BiologyMiguel Hernández University of ElcheElcheSpain
- Centro de Investigación e Innovación Agroalimentaria y Agroambiental (CIAGRO‐UMH)Miguel Hernández University of ElcheOrihuelaSpain
| | - José Antonio Donázar
- Departament of Conservation BiologyEstación Biológica de Doñana (CSIC)SevillaSpain
| | - Ainara Cortés‐Avizanda
- Department of Plant Biology and Ecology, Faculty of BiologyUniversity of SevilleSevilleSpain
| | - Manuel De La Riva
- Departament of Conservation BiologyEstación Biológica de Doñana (CSIC)SevillaSpain
| | - Guillermo Blanco
- Department of Evolutionary EcologyMuseo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC)MadridSpain
| | - Félix Martínez
- Escuela Internacional de DoctoradoUniversidad Rey Juan Carlos (URJC)MadridSpain
| | - Juan Oltra
- Department of Physical, Chemical and Natural SystemsUniversidad Pablo de OlavideSevillaSpain
| | - Martina Carrete
- Department of Physical, Chemical and Natural SystemsUniversidad Pablo de OlavideSevillaSpain
| | - Antoni Margalida
- Pyrenean Institute of Ecology (CSIC)JacaSpain
- Institute for Game and Wildlife ResearchIREC (CSIC‐UCLM)Ciudad RealSpain
| | - Pilar Oliva‐Vidal
- Institute for Game and Wildlife ResearchIREC (CSIC‐UCLM)Ciudad RealSpain
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Life Sciences and EngineeringUniversity of LleidaLleidaSpain
| | - José Maria Martínez
- Departamento Medio Ambiente, Gobierno de AragónSubdirección General de Desarrollo Rural y SostenibilidadHuescaSpain
| | - David Serrano
- Departament of Conservation BiologyEstación Biológica de Doñana (CSIC)SevillaSpain
| | - Juan Manuel Pérez‐García
- Department of Applied BiologyMiguel Hernández University of ElcheElcheSpain
- Centro de Investigación e Innovación Agroalimentaria y Agroambiental (CIAGRO‐UMH)Miguel Hernández University of ElcheOrihuelaSpain
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3
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Burton-Roberts R, Cordes LS, Slotow R, Vanak AT, Thaker M, Govender N, Shannon G. Seasonal range fidelity of a megaherbivore in response to environmental change. Sci Rep 2022; 12:22008. [PMID: 36550171 PMCID: PMC9780231 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-25334-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
For large herbivores living in highly dynamic environments, maintaining range fidelity has the potential to facilitate the exploitation of predictable resources while minimising energy expenditure. We evaluate this expectation by examining how the seasonal range fidelity of African elephants (Loxodonta africana) in the Kruger National Park, South Africa is affected by spatiotemporal variation in environmental conditions (vegetation quality, temperature, rainfall, and fire). Eight-years of GPS collar data were used to analyse the similarity in seasonal utilisation distributions for thirteen family groups. Elephants exhibited remarkable consistency in their seasonal range fidelity across the study with rainfall emerging as a key driver of space-use. Within years, high range fidelity from summer to autumn and from autumn to winter was driven by increased rainfall and the retention of high-quality vegetation. Across years, sequential autumn seasons demonstrated the lowest levels of range fidelity due to inter-annual variability in the wet to dry season transition, resulting in unpredictable resource availability. Understanding seasonal space use is important for determining the effects of future variability in environmental conditions on elephant populations, particularly when it comes to management interventions. Indeed, over the coming decades climate change is predicted to drive greater variability in rainfall and elevated temperatures in African savanna ecosystems. The impacts of climate change also present particular challenges for elephants living in fragmented or human-transformed habitats where the opportunity for seasonal range shifts are greatly constrained.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rhea Burton-Roberts
- grid.7362.00000000118820937School of Natural Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, Gwynedd UK
| | - Line S. Cordes
- grid.7362.00000000118820937School of Ocean Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, Gwynedd UK
| | - Rob Slotow
- grid.16463.360000 0001 0723 4123School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa
| | - Abi Tamim Vanak
- grid.16463.360000 0001 0723 4123School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa ,grid.464760.70000 0000 8547 8046Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation, Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment, Bangalore, India
| | - Maria Thaker
- grid.34980.360000 0001 0482 5067Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India
| | - Navashni Govender
- grid.463628.d0000 0000 9533 5073Conservation Management, Kruger National Park, South African National Parks, Private Bag X402, Skukuza, 1350 South Africa ,grid.412139.c0000 0001 2191 3608School of Natural Resource Management, Nelson Mandela University, Private Bag X6531, George, 6530 South Africa
| | - Graeme Shannon
- grid.7362.00000000118820937School of Natural Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, Gwynedd UK
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4
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Prakash H, Kumar RS, Lahkar B, Sukumar R, Vanak AT, Thaker M. Animal movement ecology in India: insights from 2011-2021 and prospective for the future. PeerJ 2022; 10:e14401. [PMID: 36530402 PMCID: PMC9756863 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.14401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2022] [Accepted: 10/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The field of animal movement ecology has advanced by leaps and bounds in the past few decades with the advent of sophisticated technology, advanced analytical tools, and multiple frameworks and paradigms to address key ecological problems. Unlike the longer history and faster growth of the field in North America, Europe, and Africa, movement ecology in Asia has only recently been gaining momentum. Here, we provide a review of the field from studies based in India over the last 11 years (2011-2021) curated from the database, Scopus, and search engine, Google Scholar. We identify current directions in the research objectives, taxa studied, tracking technology and the biogeographic regions in which animals were tracked, considering the years since the last systematic review of movement ecology research in the country. As an indication of the growing interest in this field, there has been a rapid increase in the number of publications over the last decade. Class Mammalia continues to dominate the taxa tracked, with tiger and leopard being the most common species studied across publications. Invertebrates and other small and medium-sized animals, as well as aquatic animals, in comparison, are understudied and remain among the important target taxa for tracking in future studies. As in the previous three decades, researchers have focussed on characterising home ranges and habitat use of animals. There is, however, a notable shift to examine the movement decision of animals in human-modified landscapes, although efforts to use movement ecology to understand impacts of climate change remain missing. Given the biogeographic and taxonomic diversity of India, and the fact that the interface between anthropogenic activity and wildlife interactions is increasing, we suggest ways in which the field of movement ecology can be expanded to facilitate ecological insights and conservation efforts. With the advancement of affordable technologies and the availability of analytical tools, the potential to expand the field of movement ecology, shift research foci, and gain new insights is now prime.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harish Prakash
- Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
| | - R Suresh Kumar
- Department of Endangered Species Management, Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India
| | | | - Raman Sukumar
- Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
| | - Abi T Vanak
- Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.,School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - Maria Thaker
- Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
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5
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Using camera trap bycatch data to assess habitat use and the influence of human activity on African elephants (Loxodonta africana) in Kasungu National Park, Malawi. Mamm Biol 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s42991-022-00330-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
AbstractAfrican elephants (Loxodonta africana) are increasingly exposed to high levels of human disturbance and are threatened by poaching and human–elephant conflict. As anthropogenic pressures continue to increase, both inside and outside protected areas, understanding elephant behavioural responses to human activity is required for future conservation management. Here, we use bycatch data from camera trap surveys to provide inferences on elephant habitat use and temporal activity in Kasungu National Park (KNP), Malawi. The KNP elephant population has declined by ~ 95% since the late 1970s, primarily because of intensive poaching, and information on elephant ecology and behaviour can assist in the species’ recovery. Using occupancy modelling, we show that proximity to water is the primary driver of elephant habitat use in KNP, with sites closer to water having a positive effect on elephant site use. Our occupancy results suggest that elephants do not avoid sites of higher human activity, while results from temporal activity models show that elephants avoid peak times of human activity and exhibit primarily nocturnal behaviour when using the KNP road network. As key park infrastructure is located near permanent water sources, elephant spatiotemporal behaviour may represent a trade-off between resource utilisation and anthropogenic-risk factors, with temporal partitioning used to reduce encounter rates. Increased law enforcement activity around permanent water sources could help to protect the KNP elephant population during the dry season. Our findings highlight that camera trap bycatch data can be a useful tool for the conservation management of threatened species beyond the initial scope of research.
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6
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Wijers M, Trethowan P, du Preez B, Loveridge AJ, Markham A, Macdonald DW, Montgomery RA. Something in the wind: the influence of wind speed and direction on African lion movement behavior. Behav Ecol 2022. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arac087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Olfaction is a key sense, enabling animals to locate forage, select mates, navigate their environment, and avoid predation. Wind is an important abiotic factor that modulates the strength of olfactory information detected by animals. In theory, when airflow is unidirectional, an animal can increase odor detection probability and maximize the amount of olfactory information gained by moving crosswind. Given energetic costs inherent to activity and locomotion, behavioral search strategies that optimize the benefit-cost ratio should be advantageous. We tested whether African lions (Panthera leo) modify their movement directionality and distance according to wind speed and direction during hours of darkness when they are most active. We tracked 29 lions in southern Zimbabwe using GPS collars and deployed a weather station to collect detailed abiotic data. We found that when wind speeds increased lions were more likely to move crosswind. We also found that female lions, which tend to hunt more often than males, traveled farther when wind speeds were stronger. The results of our analysis suggest that lions adjust their movement behavior according to wind speed and direction. We inferred that this was a behavioral decision to maximize the amount of olfactory information gained per unit of energy spent. Our findings not only offer one of the first detailed insights on large carnivore anemotaxis (movement direction relative to wind) but also make an important contribution towards understanding the influence of wind on predator ecology in general which remains understudied to date.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Wijers
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Recanati-Kaplan Centre , Abingdon Road, Tubney , United Kingdom
| | - Paul Trethowan
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Recanati-Kaplan Centre , Abingdon Road, Tubney , United Kingdom
| | - Byron du Preez
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Recanati-Kaplan Centre , Abingdon Road, Tubney , United Kingdom
| | - Andrew J Loveridge
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Recanati-Kaplan Centre , Abingdon Road, Tubney , United Kingdom
| | - Andrew Markham
- Department of Computer Science, University of Oxford , Parks Road, Oxford , United Kingdom
| | - David W Macdonald
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Recanati-Kaplan Centre , Abingdon Road, Tubney , United Kingdom
| | - Robert A Montgomery
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Recanati-Kaplan Centre , Abingdon Road, Tubney , United Kingdom
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7
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du Plessis K, Ganswindt SB, Bertschinger H, Crossey B, Henley MD, Ramahlo M, Ganswindt A. Social and Seasonal Factors Contribute to Shifts in Male African Elephant ( Loxodonta africana) Foraging and Activity Patterns in Kruger National Park, South Africa. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:ani11113070. [PMID: 34827802 PMCID: PMC8614333 DOI: 10.3390/ani11113070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2021] [Revised: 10/16/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
African savannah elephants (Loxodonta africana) are well-known as ecosystem engineers with the ability to modify vegetation structure. The present study aimed to examine how male elephant foraging behaviour is affected across (a) season (wet versus dry); (b) time of day (before or after noon); (c) presence or absence of other elephants; and (d) reproductive state (musth versus no musth). Six radio-collared adult elephant bulls were observed twice per week from June 2007-June 2008 in Kruger National Park (KNP), South Africa. Using generalized linear mixed effect modeling, results indicate that elephant bulls graze more during the wet season and browse more during the dry season. To potentially offset the costs associated with thermoregulation during the heat of the day, KNP elephants spent more time foraging during the morning, and more time resting during the afternoon. Male elephants also foraged significantly less when they were associated with females compared to when they were alone or with other males. This is likely due to male-female associations formed mainly for reproductive purposes, thus impeding on male foraging behaviours. In contrast, the condition of musth, defined by the presence of related physical signs, had no significant effect on foraging behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kara du Plessis
- Mammal Research Institute, Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X20, Hatfield 0028, South Africa; (S.B.G.); (B.C.); (M.R.); (A.G.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Stefanie Birgit Ganswindt
- Mammal Research Institute, Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X20, Hatfield 0028, South Africa; (S.B.G.); (B.C.); (M.R.); (A.G.)
| | - Henk Bertschinger
- Veterinary Population Management Laboratory, Section of Reproduction, Department of Production Animal Studies, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X04, Onderstepoort 0110, South Africa;
| | - Bruce Crossey
- Mammal Research Institute, Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X20, Hatfield 0028, South Africa; (S.B.G.); (B.C.); (M.R.); (A.G.)
| | - Michelle Deborah Henley
- Applied Behavioural Ecology and Ecosystem Research Unit, School of Environmental Sciences, University of South Africa, Private Bag X5, Florida 1710, South Africa;
- Elephants Alive, P.O. Box 960, Hoedspruit 1380, South Africa
| | - Mmatsawela Ramahlo
- Mammal Research Institute, Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X20, Hatfield 0028, South Africa; (S.B.G.); (B.C.); (M.R.); (A.G.)
| | - André Ganswindt
- Mammal Research Institute, Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X20, Hatfield 0028, South Africa; (S.B.G.); (B.C.); (M.R.); (A.G.)
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8
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Luisa Vissat L, Blackburn JK, Getz WM. A relative‐motion method for parsing spatiotemporal behaviour of dyads using GPS relocation data. Methods Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/2041-210x.13700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Jason K. Blackburn
- Spatial Epidemiology and Ecology Research Laboratory Department of Geography University of Florida Gainesville FL USA
- Emerging Pathogens Institute University of Florida Gainesville FL USA
| | - Wayne M. Getz
- Department of ESPM University of California, Berkeley Berkeley CA USA
- School of Mathematical Sciences University of KwaZulu‐Natal Durban South Africa
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9
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Mlambo L, Shekede MD, Adam E, Odindi J, Murwira A. Home range and space use by African elephants (
Loxodonta africana
) in Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe. Afr J Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/aje.12890] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Liberty Mlambo
- Department of Geography Geospatial Sciences and Earth Observation University of Zimbabwe Harare Zimbabwe
- Department of Geography, Archaeology and Environmental Studies University of the Witwatersrand Johannesburg GautengSouth Africa
- Division of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences School of Biosciences, University of NottinghamSutton Bonington Campus Leicestershire England
| | - Munyaradzi Davis Shekede
- Department of Geography Geospatial Sciences and Earth Observation University of Zimbabwe Harare Zimbabwe
| | - Elhadi Adam
- Department of Geography, Archaeology and Environmental Studies University of the Witwatersrand Johannesburg GautengSouth Africa
| | - John Odindi
- School of Agricultural, Earth and Environmental Sciences University of KwaZulu‐Natal Pietermaritzburg KwaZulu‐NatalSouth Africa
| | - Amon Murwira
- Department of Geography Geospatial Sciences and Earth Observation University of Zimbabwe Harare Zimbabwe
- Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science, Innovation and Technology Development Harare Zimbabwe
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10
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Development and validation of a spatially-explicit agent-based model for space utilization by African savanna elephants (Loxodonta africana) based on determinants of movement. Ecol Modell 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2021.109499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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11
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Kaszta Ż, Cushman SA, Slotow R. Temporal Non-stationarity of Path-Selection Movement Models and Connectivity: An Example of African Elephants in Kruger National Park. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.553263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Effective conservation and land management require robust understanding of how landscape features spatially and temporally affect population distribution, abundance and connectivity. This is especially important for keystone species known to shape ecosystems, such as the African elephant (Loxodonta africana). This work investigates monthly patterns of elephant movement and connectivity in Kruger National Park (KNP; South Africa), and their temporal relationship with landscape features over a 12-month period associated with the occurrence of a severe drought. Based on elephant locations from GPS collars with a short acquisition interval, we explored the monthly patterns of spatial-autocorrelation of elephant movement using Mantel correlograms, and we developed scale-optimized monthly path-selection movement and resistant kernel connectivity models. Our results showed high variability in patterns of autocorrelation in elephant movements across individuals and months, with a preponderance of directional movement, which we believe is related to drought induced range shifts. We also found high non-stationarity of monthly movement and connectivity models; most models exhibited qualitative similarity in the general nature of the predicted ecological relationships, but large quantitative differences in predicted landscape resistance and connectivity across the year. This suggests high variation in space-utilization and temporal shifts of core habitat areas for elephants in KNP. Even during extreme drought, rainfall itself was not a strong driver of elephant movement; elephant movements, instead, were strongly driven by selection for green vegetation and areas near waterholes and small rivers. Our findings highlight a potentially serious problem in using movement models from a particular temporal snapshot to infer general landscape effects on movement. Conservation and management strategies focusing only on certain areas identified by temporarily idiosyncratic models might not be appropriate or efficient as a guide for allocating scarce resources for management or for understanding general ecological relationships.
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12
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Buchholtz EK, Spragg S, Songhurst A, Stronza A, McCulloch G, Fitzgerald LA. Anthropogenic impact on wildlife resource use: Spatial and temporal shifts in elephants’ access to water. Afr J Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/aje.12860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Erin K. Buchholtz
- Ecology & Evolutionary Biology Program Texas A&M University College Station Texas USA
- Applied Biodiversity Science Program Texas A&M University College Station Texas USA
- The Ecoexist Trust Maun Botswana
- Department of Ecology & Conservation Biology Texas A&M University College Station Texas USA
| | - Shannon Spragg
- Department of Biology Boise State University Boise Idaho USA
| | - Anna Songhurst
- Applied Biodiversity Science Program Texas A&M University College Station Texas USA
- The Ecoexist Trust Maun Botswana
- Department of Zoology University of Oxford Oxford UK
| | - Amanda Stronza
- Applied Biodiversity Science Program Texas A&M University College Station Texas USA
- The Ecoexist Trust Maun Botswana
- Department of Ecology & Conservation Biology Texas A&M University College Station Texas USA
- Department of Rangeland Texas A&M University College Station Texas USA
| | - Graham McCulloch
- Applied Biodiversity Science Program Texas A&M University College Station Texas USA
- The Ecoexist Trust Maun Botswana
- Department of Zoology University of Oxford Oxford UK
| | - Lee A. Fitzgerald
- Ecology & Evolutionary Biology Program Texas A&M University College Station Texas USA
- Applied Biodiversity Science Program Texas A&M University College Station Texas USA
- Department of Ecology & Conservation Biology Texas A&M University College Station Texas USA
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13
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Rozen-Rechels D, Valls-Fox H, Mabika CT, Chamaillé-Jammes S. Temperature as a constraint on the timing and duration of African elephant foraging trips. J Mammal 2020. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyaa129] [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
Abstract
In arid and semiarid environments, water is a key resource that is limited in availability. During the dry season, perennial water sources such as water pans often are far apart and shape the daily movement routines of large herbivores. In hot environments, endotherms face a lethal risk of overheating that can be buffered by evaporative cooling. Behavioral adjustments are an alternative way to reduce thermal constraints on the organism. The trade-off between foraging and reaching water pans has been studied widely in arid environments; however, few studies have looked into how ambient temperature shapes individual trips between two visits to water. In this study, we tracked during the dry season the movement of eight GPS-collared African elephants (Loxodonta africana) cows from different herds in Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe. This species, the largest extant terrestrial animal, is particularly sensitive to heat due to its body size and the absence of sweat glands. We show that most foraging trips depart from water at nightfall, lowering the average temperature experienced during walking. This pattern is conserved across isolated elephant populations in African savannas. We also observed that higher temperatures at the beginning of the trip lead to shorter trips. We conclude that elephants adjust the timing of foraging trips to reduce the thermal constraints, arguing that further considerations of the thermal landscape of endotherms are important to understand their ecology.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Rozen-Rechels
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, IRD, INRA, Institut d’écologie et des sciences de l’environnement (IEES), Paris, France
| | - Hugo Valls-Fox
- SELMET, Univ de Montpellier, CIRAD, INRA, Montpellier Sup. Agro, Montpellier, France
| | - Cheryl Tinashe Mabika
- Scientific Services, Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority, Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe
| | - Simon Chamaillé-Jammes
- CEFE, Univ de Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, Unive Paul Valéry Montpellier 3, Montpellier, France
- Mammal Research Institute, Department of Zoology and Entomology, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, University of Pretoria, Hatfield, Pretoria, South Africa
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14
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Kroesen LP, Hik DS, Cherry SG. Patterns of decadal, seasonal and daily visitation to mineral licks, a critical resource hotspot for mountain goats Oreamnos americanus in the Rocky Mountains. WILDLIFE BIOLOGY 2020. [DOI: 10.2981/wlb.00736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Laura P. Kroesen
- L. P. Kroesen (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5524-0664) ✉ and D. S. Hik (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8994-9305), Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser Univ., Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - David S. Hik
- L. P. Kroesen (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5524-0664) ✉ and D. S. Hik (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8994-9305), Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser Univ., Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Seth G. Cherry
- S. G. Cherry (https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4242-3629), Parks Canada Agency, Radium Hot Springs, BC, Canada
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15
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Beirne C, Meier AC, Brumagin G, Jasperse-Sjolander L, Lewis M, Masseloux J, Myers K, Fay M, Okouyi J, White LJT, Poulsen JR. Climatic and Resource Determinants of Forest Elephant Movements. Front Ecol Evol 2020. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2020.00096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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16
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Patin R, Etienne M, Lebarbier E, Chamaillé‐Jammes S, Benhamou S. Identifying stationary phases in multivariate time series for highlighting behavioural modes and home range settlements. J Anim Ecol 2019; 89:44-56. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2018] [Accepted: 08/08/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Rémi Patin
- Centre d'Écologie Fonctionnelle et Évolutive CNRS et Université de Montpellier Montpellier France
| | - Marie‐Pierre Etienne
- Institut de recherche mathématique de RennesUniversité de Rennes, AgroCampusOuest Rennes France
| | - Emilie Lebarbier
- Mathématiques et Informatique Appliquées Agroparistech Paris France
| | - Simon Chamaillé‐Jammes
- Centre d'Écologie Fonctionnelle et Évolutive CNRS et Université de Montpellier Montpellier France
- LTSER France Zone Atelier ‘Hwange’ Hwange National Park Dete Zimbabwe
- Department of Zoology & Entomology Mammal Research Institute University of Pretoria Pretoria South Africa
| | - Simon Benhamou
- Centre d'Écologie Fonctionnelle et Évolutive CNRS et Université de Montpellier Montpellier France
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