Abundance Of Wildlife Species Research Articles

The impact of tourist destinations on wildlife in northern Finland

ABSTRACT Increased tourism impact, recreational activities and structures in natural areas can affect wildlife by increasing urbanization, landscape fragmentation and disturbance. I examined the potential effects of tourist destinations on four forest grouse (Tetraoninae) and five mammalian species in northern Finland. I analyzed density data obtained from wildlife counts carried out by hunters around ten tourist destinations. The densities of mountain hare and mustelid species were negatively correlated with the distance to a tourist destination. The densities of adult grouse, juvenile grouse, mountain hare, and mustelids were positively correlated with the area of mixed forests surrounding the destinations. The densities of adult and juvenile grouse were positively correlated, while the densities of pine marten and mustelids were negatively correlated with the area of agricultural land surrounding the destinations. The densities of the studied wildlife species varied among destinations and years. It seems that current recreational activities have not caused significant changes in the occurrence and abundance of wildlife species in the surroundings of the tourist destinations studied. Location of a destination, predator densities, and landscape structure around the destination had the most impact on the density of wildlife species.

Among-Species Differences in Seasonal Timing and Weather Correlates of Autumn Raptor Migration at Khao Dinsor, Thailand, 2015–2016

ABSTRACT Identifying the drivers of shifts in the abundance of wildlife species has been a central focus of conservation ecology recently. With growing concern about the impacts of global environmental change on biodiversity patterns, ecologists are challenged to better understand the relationships between species' abundance and various environmental factors. Using raptor count data collected following a standardized protocol at Khao Dinsor, southern Thailand, in 2015 and 2016, we characterized the seasonal timing and identified weather associations of the visible migration of representative species, namely the Black Baza (Aviceda leuphotes), Chinese Sparrowhawk (Accipiter soloensis), and Oriental Honey-Buzzard (Pernis ptilorhynchus). We explored the associations of their daily total counts with local weather variables. We found that the magnitude of their migration within the season was linked with the prevailing meteorological conditions. In general, daily counts of all three species were positively associated with predominant wind patterns. Air temperature was positively associated with the daily counts of species that migrated early in the season (Chinese Sparrowhawk and Oriental Honey-Buzzard). Barometric pressure was negatively associated with the daily counts of species whose migration window coincides with the shift in monsoon season (Black Baza and Oriental Honey-Buzzard). These results provide us with a better understanding of the drivers of migration patterns at a representative monitoring site on a globally important and heavily used flyway. They may be useful for making better inferences and predictions on the population trajectories of migrating raptors in future environmental change scenarios.

ENETWILD training: second online course on the use of camera trapping for monitoring wildlife and density estimation

The main objective of ENETWILD is to collect data on wildlife density, hunting and occurrence and to model geographical distribution and abundance of wildlife species throughout Europe. This subject is of particular concern in the case of wild boar due to the continued advance of African swine fever (ASF). Training, generation of harmonized wildlife abundance data following defined standards and enhancing the network of wildlife professionals in Europe is a key activity of the project that, especially in previously identified gap areas (eastern Europe). In this context, the ENETWILD consortium previously organised an online training course on camera trapping in September 2020. An outcome of this previous course was the need to organizing specific and more intensive training focused exclusively on camera trap data analysis. Therefore, the objectives of a second online course carried out in April 2021 were: (i) to be able to prepare a datasheet (using their own data or those provided by ENETWILD), and (ii) to analyse the data to estimate the density and error intervals. This course was attended by 53 game biologists, animal health professional and wildlife experts from national hunting and forest authorities. Detailed explanations, protocols and examples to implement such analyses were provided. This course on the use of camera trapping for monitoring wildlife and density was useful to complete training of a network of collaborators which are estimating wild boar densities over gap regions of Europe and are funded and supported by ENETWILD. They are now self-sufficient to apply field protocols and to analyse data. In addition, several participants manifested their interest to join this initiative by using their own means, contributing to this pioneer network of harmonized wildlife monitoring over Europe.

Impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on human-nature interactions: Pathways, evidence and implications.

The coronavirus (COVID‐19) pandemic and the global response have dramatically changed people's lifestyles in much of the world. These major changes, as well as the associated changes in impacts on the environment, can alter the dynamics of the direct interactions between humans and nature (hereafter human–nature interactions) far beyond those concerned with animals as sources of novel human coronavirus infections. There may be a variety of consequences for both people and nature.Here, we suggest a conceptual framework for understanding how the COVID‐19 pandemic might affect the dynamics of human–nature interactions. This highlights three different, but not mutually exclusive, pathways: changes in (a) opportunity, (b) capability and (c) motivation.Through this framework, we also suggest that there are several feedback loops by which changes in human–nature interactions induced by the COVID‐19 pandemic can lead to further changes in these interactions such that the impacts of the pandemic could persist over the long term, including after it has ended.The COVID‐19 pandemic, which has had the most tragic consequences, can also be viewed as a ‘global natural experiment’ in human–nature interactions that can provide unprecedented mechanistic insights into the complex processes and dynamics of these interactions and into possible strategies to manage them to best effect. A free Plain Language Summary can be found within the Supporting Information of this article.

Drivers of change in the relative abundance of dugongs in New Caledonia

Context Sound understanding of temporal changes in the abundance of wildlife species is required for assessing their status and for effective conservation and management. In New Caledonia, a single baseline aerial survey of dugongs in 2003 estimated a population of 2026 (± 553 s.e.) individuals. A second, similar survey in 2008 produced a lower estimate of 606 (± 200 s.e.) individuals, leading to concerns that the dugong population was experiencing a decline. Aims This study used data collected from additional aerial surveys with the aim of updating information on the current size of the dugong population in New Caledonia and investigating the drivers of change in the estimates. Methods Four additional surveys were conducted: one in each of the cool (June) and warm (November) seasons of 2011 and 2012 around the main Island of New Caledonia. Dugong relative abundance and density were calculated and compared among survey years and survey regions. Drivers of change in the dugong population size were then investigated. Key results The abundance estimates obtained from our four surveys ranged from 649 (± 195 s.e.) to 1227 (± 296 s.e.) dugongs. These new results were not significantly different to the 2008 estimate but were significantly lower than the 2003 estimate. There was no significant variation in the proportion of calves throughout the entire time series of surveys. Conclusions The dugong population of New Caledonia was relatively stable between 2008 and 2012. We could not find sufficient evidence to show whether the discrepancy between 2003 and the remainder of the time series is due to a real decline in the population or the result of the confounding effects of variation in environmental conditions, animal behaviour and sampling biases. Implications The stability of the dugong population between 2008 and 2012 is a positive outcome for local conservation and management of dugongs. This study also highlights the advisability of replicating baseline surveys to enable robust interpretation of temporal variation in population size estimates, and in turn, to improve the management of wildlife species.

Diet composition and selection of the bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) in Sierra El Mechudo, Baja California Sur, Mexico

Water, food and nutrition are three of the main factors that regulate the distribution and abundance of wildlife species in a given area. In Baja California Sur, Mexico, the bighorn sheep is one of the most appreciated species for its ecological and economic value within the peninsular desert ecosystem; however, many aspects of its biology, ecology and population status remain unknown. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the diet composition of the bighorn sheep, analyzing the seasonal use and availability patterns of the plant species consumed. Using two food selection indices, we tested the hypothesis that the bighorn sheep opportunistically selects plant species from its habitat in the southern zone of Sierra El Mechudo, Baja California Sur, Mexico. The vegetation was characterized by means of 50 linear transects measuring 100 m x 5 m (500 m 2 ). The diet of the bighorn sheep was evaluated through the microhistological analysis of feces. We calculated the percentage of in-vitro dry-matter digestibility and the digestible energy of forage consumed by sheep. The similarity of seasonal vs. annual diet was determined through a cluster analysis. From two food selection indices (Ivlev’s electivity, Bonferroni), we estimated the proportion of use of plant species consumed by sheep to determine food preferences. In the habitat, we identified 21 families with 63 species in 2010 and 22 families with 50 species in 2011. Shrubs were the dominant forms. The analyses of faeces identified 47 species, consisting of 27 shrubs (62.1 %), 12 forbs (26.9 %), six trees (10.6 %), one succulent (0.2 %) and one unidentified species (0.1 %). The cluster analysis showed seven similar groups. Ivlev’s and Bonferroni indices showed the selection of Bourrieria sonorae , Melochia tomentosa and Caesalpinia placida by bighorn sheep in 2010; in 2011, it selected Bursera epinnata , Caesalpinia placida and Larrea tridentata . Non-significant differences between seasons were observed regarding the composition of plant species in the diet. Shrubs were the dominant life forms, followed by trees and succulents. Shrubs were the preferred food foraged by sheep, accounting for 62.1 % of the diet; this finding is consistent with values reported for Arizona and California. Non-significant differences were observed in the percent in-vitro dry matter digestibility and digestible energy of the plant species foraged by sheep. However, we found that sheep grazed preferentially on four plant species, three shrubs and one tree, of high food quality. In this study, the bighorn sheep behaved like a specialist; therefore, we rejected the hypothesis that this species forages opportunistically on plant species. Studies on the diet of the bighorn sheep are valuable to develop management plans for the species and its habitat, since these provide information to better understand the extent of vegetation use and whether distribution sites are suitable and meet with the requirements for the conservation of the species and its populations.

Spatiotemporal variation in range‐wide Golden‐cheeked Warbler breeding habitat

Habitat availability ultimately limits the distribution and abundance of wildlife species. Consequently, it is paramount to identify where wildlife habitat is and understand how it changes over time in order to implement large‐scale wildlife conservation plans. Yet, no work has quantified the degree of change in range‐wide breeding habitat for the Golden‐cheeked Warbler (Setophaga chrysoparia), despite the species being listed as endangered by the U.S. Federal Government. Thus, using available GIS data and Landsat imagery we quantified range‐wide warbler breeding habitat change from 1999–2001 to 2010–2011. We detected a 29% reduction in total warbler breeding habitat and found that warbler breeding habitat was removed and became more fragmented at uneven rates across the warbler's breeding range during this time period. This information will assist researchers and managers in prioritizing breeding habitat conservation efforts for the species and provides a foundation for more realistic carrying capacity scenarios when modeling Golden‐cheeked Warbler populations over time. Additionally, this study highlights the need for future work centered on quantifying Golden‐cheeked Warbler movement rates and distances in order to assess the degree of connectivity between increasingly fragmented habitat patches.

Evaluating Wildlife Response to Coastal Dune Habitat Restoration in San Francisco, California

The vast dune system that once dominated the entire western half of the San Francisco peninsula in California has been reduced to a few fragments that conserve locally threatened plant and animal species. We measured the effects of ongoing restoration efforts on wildlife abundance and diversity on one of the largest of these fragments, Fort Funston in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Efforts included removal of non-native species, active restoration of native dune vegetation, and restricted visitor use. We collected data regarding the composition and abundance of vegetation, birds, and ground-dwelling vertebrates on four treatments including an actively restored area with restricted visitor use, an unrestored area where visitor use had been restricted for ten years, an unrestored area where visitor use had been restricted for two years, and an unrestored area with unrestricted visitor use. Results indicated that the diversity and abundance of wildlife species, as well as the richness and cover of native plant species, were greater in the restored area than in all other sampled areas. Restricted visitor use alone had only modest positive effects on the abundance and diversity of wildlife and the richness and cover of native plant species.

The Effect of Habitat Fragmentation and Species Diversity Loss on Hantavirus Prevalence in Panama

Habitat fragmentation and diversity loss due to increased conversion of natural habitats to agricultural uses influence the distribution and abundance of wildlife species and thus may change the ecology of pathogen transmission. We used hantaviruses in Panama as a research model to determine whether anthropogenic environmental change is associated with changes in the dynamics of viral transmission. Specifically, we wanted to determine whether hantavirus infection was correlated with spatial attributes of the landscape at both large and small scales or whether these changes are mediated by changes in community composition. When analyzed at coarse spatial scales, hantavirus reservoirs were more commonly found in disturbed habitats and edge habitats than in forested areas. At local scales, reservoir species dominance was significantly correlated with the slope of the terrain. To evaluate the effect of small-mammal diversity loss on infection dynamics, we implemented an experiment with selective species removal at experimental sites. Seroprevalence of hantavirus was higher in the community of small mammals and increased through time in the experimental sites. The higher seroprevalence in experimental plots suggests that greater diversity likely reduces encounter rates between infected and susceptible hosts. Our studies suggest that habitat loss and fragmentation and species diversity loss are altering hantavirus infection dynamics in Panama. Our work represents a multidisciplinary approach toward disease research that includes biodiversity concerns such as environmental change and degradation, human settlement patterns, and the ecology of host and nonhost species, work that may be especially important in tropical countries.

Ecological correlates of the distribution of territorial Svalbard rock ptarmigan (Lagopus muta hyperborea)

Predictive habitat models have become important research and management tools for monitoring the spatial distribution and abundance of wildlife species. In this paper we develop and evaluate statistical habitat models for presence of territorial Svalbard rock ptarmigan ( Lagopus muta hyperborea Sundevall, 1845) cocks in spring and apply the best model to assess ptarmigan habitat selection in a larger extrapolated region. Terrain variables were extracted at detailed (10 m digital elevation model (DEM)) and coarse (50 m DEM) scales to compare model performance. Sets of candidate environmental variables related to terrain and vegetation cover were developed and explanatory variables were calculated at increasing distances from the count site to well above the typical size of ptarmigan territory. We used ecological niche factor analysis to describe the difference between used and available sites. Survey sites used by cocks were characterized by a restricted range of altitude, a high degree of terrain heterogeneity, and dense vegetation cover compared with overall site availability in the survey region. We then used model selection criteria (AICc) to find the most parsimonious logistic regression models estimating habitat resource selection functions for cocks. Detailed terrain variables were better predictors than coarse terrain variables. The normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) was a good predictor of presence of territorial cocks, but not as good as the most preferred habitat type. Owing to limited availability of high-quality vegetation maps, the best model containing NDVI and 10 m DEM variables was used for extrapolation of male ptarmigan habitat. Our results show that it is possible to obtain a model with a high ability to rank habitats using a low number of map-derived variables. Such rankings can then be used to improve field sampling designs and are therefore a useful tool for management and conservation of ptarmigan and wildlife in Arctic and alpine areas.

Climate change impact on distribution and abundance of wildlife species: an analytical approach using GIS.

An analytical approach to modelling the likely impact of climate change on the distribution and abundance of wildlife species is described using examples from Scotland. Data for present day distribution of wildlife and habitat are analysed using map data describing geographic variation in climatic factors. Climate data for the present day and under specified scenarios of change are themselves modelled within a GIS; climate modelling uses meteorological station data, climate change scenarios developed from GCMs and a variety of spatial interpolation techniques. The analytical procedure generates hypotheses defining ecological relationships between species distribution and climatic factors (monthly, seasonal and annual data). These relationships are then used to model the distribution of the species directly from climate and predict impacts of climate change. The analysis takes account of both direct impacts of climate on wildlife and indirect effects manifested through habitat response to climate change. The analytical procedure is implemented as a generic tool for inductive spatial analysis in GIS.