Determine Habitat Use Research Articles

Anuran occupancy varies with stream characteristics and flow across Arizona wilderness areas

Abstract Riparian ecosystems comprise less than 2% of the landscape in the arid western United States, yet they provide habitat and resources to over half of arid‐land wildlife species, including a broad diversity of anurans (frogs and toads). Despite this, relatively few studies describe riparian herpetofaunal communities in the Southwest, and remote wilderness areas are particularly undersurveyed. We employed passive acoustic monitoring to capture anuran advertisement calls in wilderness area tributaries of the Verde River, Arizona, USA. In the spring and summer of 2021 and 2022, 13–29 autonomous recording units (ARUs) were deployed along perennial, intermittent and ephemeral tributary stream reaches. We characterized sites based on the per cent of pool, riffle, run and side channel habitat within 100 m of each ARU and quantified substrate, wetted channel width and canopy cover. To relate anuran occupancy to environmental and hydrological variables, we evaluated acoustic detection data using single‐species, single‐season occupancy models. Four species were detected in this study: canyon treefrog (Hyla arenicolor), red‐spotted toad (Anaxyrus punctatus), Woodhouse's toad (Anaxyrus woodhousii) and non‐native American bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus), with canyon treefrog being the most ubiquitous species observed. Vocal activity of canyon treefrog was higher at perennial and intermittent sites compared to ephemeral sites, and the presence of pools was most strongly associated with canyon treefrog occupancy. Persistent, slow‐moving water best predicted the presence of breeding canyon treefrogs. Notably, this study did not detect several species with historical records in the middle Verde River catchment, including Arizona toad (Anaxyrus microscaphus) and northern leopard frog (Lithobates pipiens). Given climate change‐related flow declines and intensifying demands for water in arid lands globally, maintaining stream flows that provide consistent and suitable hydroregimes for anuran breeding and larval development is of increasing importance. Determining habitat use and flow regimes necessary to support anuran populations can aid in prioritization of conservation actions related to water management and predict how changes in water availability may impact stream‐breeding anurans.

Identifying the hotspot area of Indo-Pacific humpback (Sousa chinensis) and Irrawaddy (Orcaella brevirostris) dolphins in Matang waters, Perak, Malaysia

Abstract. Sobri MF, Jaaman SA, Mohamed Z, Muda AM, Rashid MASA, Zhang X. 2022. Identifying the hotspot area of Indo Pacific humpback (Sousa chinensis) and Irrawaddy (Orcaella brevirostris) dolphins in Matang waters, Perak, Malaysia. Biodiversitas 23: 6106-6113. The Indo-Pacific humpback (Sousa chinensis) and Irrawaddy (Orcaella brevirostris) dolphins are commonly found in Matang waters, Perak, Malaysia. The area, filled with healthy mangrove forest cover and many estuaries, is not only frequented by the dolphins for its daily activities but also extensively used by locals for artisanal fishing, charcoal production and organizing ecotourism activities. There could be a high risk of human-dolphin interactions, hence determining habitat use and identifying critical habitats or "hot spots" for the dolphins in the area is important. In this study, a series of dedicated boat sighting surveys were conducted from March 2019 to January 2021 between Kuala Gula and Kuala Jarum Mas. The total survey effort was 3325.76 km, 44 days and 239.38 hours. A total of 69 dolphin sightings were made, consisting of 40 Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins and 29 Irrawaddy dolphin observations, respectively. During each sighting, every dolphin's behaviors were categorized as: foraging, socializing, evasive, and travelling, and the survey area was classified into four blocks. The results indicated that different dolphin species have different hotspot areas. For Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins, the hotspot area was Kuala Sangga, while the Irrawaddy dolphin's hotspot area was outside Kuala Larut, and there was a small overlap between the two dolphins' hotspots. Among the recorded behaviors (n: 281) for both dolphins, the most dominant was foraging (72.24%), followed by socializing (17%), evasive (7%), and travelling (4%). The sighted foraging behavior for both dolphin populations was dominant, indicating the hot spots were major foraging grounds for the two dolphin populations. This study shows the importance of Matang waters as a conservation area for the species and warrants further studies of dolphin population ecology to be conducted.

Habitat use of the white-headed langurs in limestone forest of Southwest Guangxi, China: Seasonality and group size effects.

Understanding how animals cope with habitat‐specific environmental factors can assist in species conservation management. We studied the habitat use of four groups (two large and two small groups) of white‐headed langurs (Trachypithecus leucocephalus) living in the forest of southwest Guangxi, China between September 2016 and February 2017 via instantaneous scan sampling. Our results showed that the langurs primarily used hillsides (55.91% ± 6.47%), followed by cliffs (29.70% ± 5.48%), hilltops (7.26% ± 3.55%), flat zones (6.99% ± 6.58%), and farmlands (0.14% ± 0.28%). The langurs moved most frequently on hillsides (49.35% ± 6.97%) and cliffs (35.60% ± 9.17%). The hillsides were more frequently used (66.94% ± 7.86%) during feeding, and the langurs increased the use of hilltops during the rainy season, and the use of cliffs in the dry season. The langurs frequently rested on hillsides (49.75% ± 8.16%) and cliffs (38.93% ± 8.02%). The larger langur group used cliffs more frequently when moving and resting, whereas the small langur group used hillsides more frequently while resting. Langurs in all groups avoided the flat zones for feeding. Their use of habitat reflected the balancing of foraging needs, thermoregulation, and predator avoidance. We conclude that the ecological factors are determinants of habitat use for white‐headed langurs. Our findings suggest that conservation efforts should focus on protecting the vegetation on the hillsides and restoring the vegetation on the flat zones.

Distribution and habitat use of the endemic Yungas Guan Penelope bridgesi in the Southern Yungas of Argentina

Summary Identifying the factors that determine the spatial distribution and habitat use of species of conservation importance is essential to developing effective conservation and management strategies. As seed dispersers, guans play a key role in the regeneration of forests in South America and are threatened mainly by habitat loss and hunting pressure. The Yungas Guan Penelope bridgesi, an endemic species restricted to the Southern Yungas of Argentina and Bolivia, has been recently recognized as a separate species. To determine the conservation status of Yungas Guan, information on its distribution and habitat use is urgently needed. The objectives of our work were to 1) determine the potential distribution of the Yungas Guan in the Southern Yungas of Argentina and 2) assess the influence of environmental and anthropogenic covariables on habitat use of the species. We used records of Yungas Guan to model the potential distribution of the species with MaxEnt software and developed occupancy models to determine habitat use and influential elements of the landscape (puestos, urban areas, roads, rivers, and elevation). We obtained data on the presence of Yungas Guan with camera traps, with an effort of 6,990 camera trap-days. The total potential distribution of the species was 21,256 km2. We found that the habitat use by Yungas Guan increased with proximity to rivers and streams. The probability of habitat use was 0.27, with a range of 0.02–0.42. Of the total potential distribution area, 15,781 km2 (81%) had a probability of habitat use greater than 0.2. This study is the first in determining the potential distribution of Yungas Guan in the Southern Yungas of Salta and Jujuy provinces in Argentina and highlights the importance of conducting analyses with occupancy models to assess the influence of environmental and anthropogenic variables and threats to cracid species.

Habitat characteristics around dens in female brown bears with cubs are density dependent

The mechanisms determining habitat use in animal populations have important implications for population dynamics, conservation, and management. Here, we investigated how an increase in annual numbers of brown bear females with cubs of the year (FCOY) in a growing, yet threatened population, could explain differences in the habitat characteristics around reproductive dens. Habitat characteristics around FCOY dens were compared between a low bear density period (1995–2005) and a period when the population was increasing (2006–2016). We also compared the distance to the nearest breeding area and to all other breeding areas observed during the same year. The results suggested that during the second period, breeding areas were closer to rivers, fruit trees, and anthropogenic sources of disturbance (trails, highways) than in 1995–2005. There were also shorter distances to the closest neighboring breeding area, while the mean distance among FCOY breeding areas increased as the population grew and expanded at the landscape level. These changes may reflect that the best den locations were increasingly occupied (i.e., ideal-despotic distribution), and may be further explained by the avoidance of conspecifics by FCOY in a critical time of the year, when newborn cubs are most vulnerable. We suggest that both density-dependent factors and human-related features of the landscape are crucial to understanding long-term dynamics in the habitat use of a threatened species.

Contrasting habitat use and conservation status of Chinese-wintering and other Eurasian Greater White-fronted Goose (Anser albifrons) populations

BackgroundGPS/GSM tracking data were used to contrast use of (i) habitats and (ii) protected areas between three Arctic-nesting Greater White-fronted Geese (Anser albifrons, GWFG) populations throughout the annual cycle. We wished to demonstrate that the East Asian Continental Population (which winters on natural wetlands in the Chinese Yangtze River floodplain and is currently declining) avoids using farmland at multiple wintering sites. We also gathered tracking evidence to support general observations from two increasing population of GWFG, the North Sea-Baltic (which winters in Europe) and the West Pacific (which winter in Korea and Japan) winter mostly within farmland landscapes, using wetlands only for safe night roosts.MethodsWe tracked 156 GWFG throughout their annual cycle using GPS/GSM transmitters from these three populations to determine migration routes and stopover staging patterns. We used Brownian Bridge Movement Models to generate summer, winter and migration stopover home ranges which we then overlaid in GIS with land cover and protected area boundary at national level to determine habitat use and degree of protection from nature conservation designated areas.ResultsData confirmed that 73% of European wintering GWFG homes ranges were from within farmland, compared to 59% in Japan and Korea, but just 5% in China, confirming the heavy winter use of agricultural landscapes by GWFG away from China, and avoidance of farmland at multiple sites within the Yangtze River floodplain. The same GWFG used farmland in northeast China in spring and autumn, confirming their experience of exploiting such habitats at other stages of their annual cycle. Chinese wintering birds showed the greatest overlap with protected areas of all three populations, showing current levels of site safeguard are failing to protect this population.ConclusionsResults confirm the need for strategic planning to protect the East Asian Continental GWFG population. While the site protection network in place to protect the species seems adequate, it has failed to stop the declines. Buffalo grazing could serve as one simple strategy to improve the condition of feeding habitats at Dongting Lake and Poyang Lake in the Yangtze, where vast Carex meadows exist. In addition, while we warn against pushing GWFG to winter farmland feeding in China because of the long-term potential to conflict with agricultural interests, we recommend experimental sacrificial, disturbance-free farmland within designated refuge areas adjacent to the Yangtze River floodplain wetland reserves as a manipulative experiment to improve the conservation status of this population in years when natural food sources are limited.

Spatial distribution of sea turtles on South Atlantic subtropical reefs

Environmental conditions have a strong influence on sea turtle population dynamics. Sea turtles spend most of their lives in foraging areas; however, there is a lack of information on how oceanographic and biological parameters determine habitat use and density. Here, we estimated density of green turtles Chelonia mydas and hawksbill turtles Eretmochelys imbricata in a South Atlantic foraging area (Arraial do Cabo, Brazil). We also investigated the influence of environmental variables (wind fetch, temperature, depth, and visibility) and benthic composition on the distribution of turtles. Surveyed sites were split between a colder, more wave-exposed location (western), and a warmer, more sheltered location (eastern). To ensure that these mobile and sparsely distributed species were adequately surveyed, underwater visual censuses (timed transects) were conducted. Sea turtle densities were significantly different between warm/sheltered and cold/wave-exposed locations. C. mydas were almost 10 times more frequently sighted than E. imbricata. The local distribution of E. imbricata mirrored large-scale latitudinal patterns, where this tropical species is dominant on warmer reefs (similar to habitat conditions found at the eastern location). It was not possible to assess the environmental influence on E. imbricata sightings due to their low density. C. mydas were frequently sighted in the cold/exposed sites and negatively correlated with depth. Overall, the density of E. imbricata and C. mydas suggests that Arraial do Cabo is an important feeding ground in the western Atlantic Ocean. This study highlights that visual census can produce reliable density estimates of sea turtles in foraging areas.

Interaction between dietary and habitat niche breadth influences cetacean vulnerability to environmental disturbance

AbstractEcosystems are experiencing elevated levels of disturbance, and species with narrower niches are often more vulnerable to disturbances. Niche breadth is often measured in terms of either diet or habitat use but diet and spatial use are infrequently considered in tandem. These different aspects of niche breadth potentially expose species to different types of disturbances; species with narrow dietary niches may be more affected by disturbances that alter trophic relationships, while species with narrow habitat niches may be more vulnerable to habitat loss and point‐source pollutants. We examined dietary and habitat niche breadth of common bottlenose dolphins, Tursiops truncatus truncatus, from three different nearshore sites in the Gulf of Mexico (GoM). Using stable isotopes, we determined proportional contributions of different prey groups to dolphin diets at each site and through time at one site. We used satellite‐linked telemetry at two sites to determine habitat use and site fidelity. Additionally, we examined the literature on cetacean diet, habitat use, movement, and IUCN status to determine relationships between niche breadth and population status for different species. Dolphin diets varied among sites as available prey varied, but Perciformes fish were the most frequently consumed prey. At the site for which we had temporal data, dolphins consumed more cephalopods in 2015 and 2018 but otherwise consumed primarily Perciformes fish. Dolphins had small utilization distributions and exhibited high site fidelity. Data from 31 cetacean species revealed that most species with vulnerable, threatened, or endangered IUCN statuses not only have specialized diets but also exhibit high site fidelity. Dolphins had diet characteristic of flexible generalists but were habitat specialists with high site fidelity. Dolphin populations in the GoM may have altered their diets in response to environmental changes that have altered community composition and trophic dynamics. On the other hand, their high site fidelity has exposed them to point‐source pollutants, such as oil spills, persistent organic pollutants, and freshwater. Our broader analysis of cetaceans confirmed that species with specialized diets and high site fidelity were the most vulnerable to disturbances, providing a framework to predict which nearshore dolphin populations, and cetaceans in general, are most vulnerable to environmental changes.

Using local knowledge and camera traps to investigate occurrence and habitat preference of an Endangered primate: the endemic dryas monkey in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

AbstractThe Endangered dryas monkey Cercopithecus dryas, endemic to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, is one of Africa's most enigmatic primates. The discovery of a dryas monkey killed by a hunter in the buffer zone of Lomami National Park in 2014 prompted field research on the species’ distribution, habitat use and stratum preference. We used local knowledge to determine the distribution of this species and to select sites for camera-trap surveys in Lomami National Park and its buffer zone. We employed a multi-strata (0–29 m) camera-trap placement technique to determine habitat use at Camp Bartho in Lomami National Park and Bafundo Forest in the Park's buffer zone. We confirmed the occurrence of the dryas monkey at seven locations over a total area of 3,453 km2, in both the Park and its buffer zone. Dryas monkeys were detected most frequently (2.22 events/100 trap-days) in disturbed areas of Bafundo Forest and less in mature forest in Camp Bartho (0.82 events/100 trap-days). Dryas monkeys appear to prefer structurally complex understories and forest edges. We found that camera traps at 2–10 m above ground over at least 365 trap-days are required to determine if the species is present. We recommend utilizing local knowledge and using this species-specific camera-trap method in other areas of the central Congo basin to determine the wider distribution of the dryas monkey.

Aspects of the ecology and behaviour of a potential urban exploiter, the southern tree agama, Acanthocercus atricollis

Urbanisation has caused significant alterations to ecosystems, generally resulting in decreased biodiversity. However, certain animal species persist and thrive in urban environments by making use of available opportunities, anthropogenic resources, infrastructure and increased ambient and surface temperatures. These species are known as urban exploiters. We investigated the southern tree agama, Acanthocercus atricollis population trends, habitat use and basking and shading behaviour in a high-density urban human-populated housing metropolitan area in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. We marked individual southern tree agamas to determine habitat use and territories (n = 37). The southern tree agama population density was high, and they had established set territories here. We conducted monthly observations (February 2017–July 2017 and March 2018–February 2019) to determine the degree of basking and shading behaviour with season and time of day and location. Southern tree agamas invested more than half of their time (57%) in basking behaviour during the overall observational study period. Basking and shading patterns changed with season and time of day. The number of basking southern tree agamas decreased during winter and basking commenced later. We found that increased anthropogenic infrastructure and supplementary food availability, decreased predators, and basking opportunities could have had an influence on their population increase and that the southern tree agama is a potential urban exploiter.

Presence and movement of humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) mother-calf pairs in the Gold Coast, Australia

ABSTRACT The Gold Coast bay in eastern Australia has been hypothesised to be an important habitat, primarily for humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) mother-calf pairs. Here we investigated relative distribution, and temporal patterns from 2,305 humpback whales between 2011 to 2017. The data were collected from whale-watching vessels using citizen science. We analysed seasonal presence of mother-calf pairs, dive times, direction of movement and location to determine habitat use of the bay as aresting area. In average aquarter of all sighted whales were mother-calf pairs with peaks of sightings each October. The recorded average dive time of 3.20 minutes was short compared to that in migratory corridors. Mother-calf pairs were sighted more often closer to shore relative to other pods. We compared our results to recognised breeding and resting grounds and found similar results, indicating that the Gold Coast bay may serve as an important stop-over for humpback whale mother-calf pairs.

Habitat choices of African buffalo (Syncerus caffer) and plains zebra (Equus quagga) in a heterogeneous protected area

Abstract ContextAn understanding of large herbivore habitat choices in heterogeneous African protected areas is important for the better management of these key ecosystems. AimsTo determine habitat use of African buffalo (Syncerus caffer) and plains zebra (Equus quagga) in a heterogeneous protected area. MethodsZambezi National Park (ZNP), Zimbabwe, was divided into five vegetation types using an unsupervised classification on a Landsat satellite image that was classified into five land cover classes, using the K-means classification algorithm. African buffalo and plains zebra densities were then determined in each vegetation type using road transect surveys monthly between January 2013 and December 2015. Normalised difference vegetation index (NDVI), grass biomass, grass height and grass quality (nitrogen, calcium, phosphorus and acid detergent fibre content) were determined in each vegetation type during the wet (November to April) and dry (August to October) seasons to establish their quality as habitats for African buffalo and plains zebra. Key resultsBoth African buffalo and plains zebra mostly foraged in mixed and grassland areas, and avoided Zambezi teak vegetation type. Zambezi teak vegetation type had high NDVI due to the dense tree cover. Both African buffalo and plains zebra preferred vegetation types with intermediate grass biomass (approximately 300gm−2) and grass height (approximately 16cm). Grass nutritive value (in terms of nitrogen, phosphorus and acid detergent fibre) declined from wet to dry season in all vegetation types. ConclusionsAfrican buffalo and plains zebra in the ZNP confined their habitat use mostly to two vegetation types (mixed and grassland), which together covered 25% of the protected area. ImplicationsTeak (Baikiaea plurijuga) vegetation, which accounted for about 60% of the ZNP, was avoided by both African buffalo and plains zebra, suggesting that a significant part of the protected area was not used by the two herbivores.

Fine‐scale habitat partitioning of Chilean and Peale's dolphins and their overlap with aquaculture

Abstract Predictive species distribution models (SDMs) have become powerful tools to determine habitat use patterns of mobile marine predators and their spatial overlap with potentially impacting anthropogenic activities. This study used SDMs to investigate fine‐scale habitat use patterns of two poorly known and broadly sympatric coastal delphinids, Chilean dolphins (Cephalorhynchus eutropia) and Peale's dolphins (Lagenorhynchus australis), and their spatial interactions with intense aquaculture farming activities in the Chiloé archipelago, southern Chile. A long‐term dataset (2002–2012) of boat‐based dolphin sightings and concurrently in situ collected environmental and anthropogenic variables was analysed using binomial Generalized Additive Models to investigate ecological drivers of each species' fine‐scale distribution and to predict dolphin occurrence spatially. Chilean dolphins preferred shallow (<30 m deep), turbid waters, close to shore (<500 m) and river mouths which often placed them in sheltered bays and channels used intensively by shellfish farms. Peale's dolphins were also found in shallow waters but occurred over a wider range of conditions along more open or exposed coastlines. Both species had to navigate extensive salmon and shellfish farming sites to transit between areas of important habitat. Sightings and predicted occurrence maps showed a clear pattern of spatial habitat partitioning between species, which remained stable across the 11 year study period. The identification of important habitat for Chilean dolphins warrants the consideration of spatially explicit conservation measures to limit the potential effects of overlapping salmon and shellfish farming. The observed differences in ecological plasticity of the two sympatric species should be considered when evaluating and mitigating the effects of environmental change and ongoing anthropogenic pressures on their nearshore habitat. The estimated species–environment relationships could also be used to predict where dolphin habitat and anthropogenic activities are most likely to overlap in other parts of the species' ranges.

Role of the Sea Urchin Stomopneustes variolaris (Lamarck, 1816) Pits as a Habitat for Epilithic Macroinvertebrates on a Tropical Intertidal Rocky Shore.

Many sea urchin species excavate pits in sedimentary rock, transforming primary rocky substrates into sea urchins' pits. These pits are not only used as their home but seem to harbor a distinct assemblage of organisms. We investigated small-scale spatial variation in community of macroinvertebrates by comparing community composition of epilithic macroinvertebrates between those found on unmodified rocky substrate, inside pits occupied by rock-boring sea urchin Stomopneustes variolaris (Lamarck, 1816), and unoccupied pits, on an intertidal rocky shore in southern Thailand. Size structures of macroinvertebrates were compared between pits and analyses were performed to investigate whether the use of habitat depends on availability of space, or biological interactions between sea urchins and other macroinvertebrates. Size structure of the most abundant mobile fauna, top shells Trochus radiatus Gmelin, 1791, were also analyzed to assess whether they exhibit ontogenetic changes in habitat use. Although a few species were found in all habitat types, community compositions were different. Chitons and limpets were found exclusively on unmodified substrate; whereas relatively large-sized gastropods inhabited unoccupied pits, and occupied pits harbored small-sized crustacean and gastropod species. Generally, in occupied pits, small-sized faunas were more abundant than larger faunas, suggesting that sea urchin's body may function as a biogenic structure providing refugia for small-sized individuals. In unoccupied pits volume of all macroinvertebrates increased as available space increased. This was not observed in occupied pits, where disturbances due to sea urchin's activities may be more important in determining habitat use.

Habitat selection and spatiotemporal interactions of a reintroduced mesocarnivore

ABSTRACTHabitat quality and quantity are key factors in evaluating the potential for success of a wildlife translocation. However, because of the difficulty or cost of evaluating these factors, habitat assessments may not include valuable information on important habitat attributes including the abundance and distribution of prey, predators, and competitors. Fishers (Pekania pennanti) are one of the most commonly reintroduced carnivores in North America, and they are a species of conservation concern in their western range. We examined the relative importance of landscape features and species interactions in determining habitat use of a reintroduced population of fishers in the southern Cascade Mountains, Washington, USA. We used detections of prey and predators at 134 remote camera stations, remotely sensed forest structure data, and telemetry locations of fishers in a resource selection function to assess the relative importance of prey, predators, and forest structure in fisher habitat selection. Fishers selected habitats based on forest conditions and activity levels of snowshoe hares (Lepus americanus), whereas bobcat (Lynx rufus) and coyote (Canis latrans) activity levels did not directly affect habitat selection. The probability of fisher use increased in older stands, close to recently disturbed stands, and in areas with intermediate levels of hare activity. Bobcat and hare activity levels were positively correlated, and fishers avoided areas with the greatest hare activity, suggesting that fishers may experience a food‐safety tradeoff in the study area. Temporal activity patterns in photo detections indicate that fishers may mediate this danger by avoiding bobcats temporally. Our findings suggest that fishers in Washington prefer habitat mosaics of old and recently disturbed stands where they have greater access to resting structures and hares. Management that maintains mosaics of young and old forest across large landscapes is likely to support fisher recovery. Future reintroduction efforts would benefit from an assessment of prey and predator abundance in proposed reintroduction areas before project initiation. © 2019 The Wildlife Society.

广西弄岗黑叶猴栖息地选择与利用

PDF HTML阅读 XML下载 导出引用 引用提醒 广西弄岗黑叶猴栖息地选择与利用 DOI: 10.5846/stxb201807011444 作者: 作者单位: 广西珍稀濒危动物生态学重点实验室,广西珍稀濒危动物生态学重点实验室,广西珍稀濒危动物生态学重点实验室,广西珍稀濒危动物生态学重点实验室,广西珍稀濒危动物生态学重点实验室 作者简介: 通讯作者: 中图分类号: 基金项目: 国家自然科学基金项目（31660616，31672285）；广西自然科学基金项目（2017GXNSFAA198046；2018GXNSFAA281029）；广西研究生教育创新计划项目（XYCSZ2019078） Habitat selection and patterns of habitat use in a group of François' langurs (Trachypithecus francoisi) in Nonggang, Guangxi, China Author: Affiliation: Guangxi Key Laboratory of Rare and Endangered Animal Ecology,Guangxi Key Laboratory of Rare and Endangered Animal Ecology,,, Fund Project: 摘要 | 图/表 | 访问统计 | 参考文献 | 相似文献 | 引证文献 | 资源附件 | 文章评论 摘要:2005年9月至2006年8月对广西弄岗国家自然保护区内一群黑叶猴进行行为观察，采用瞬时扫描法观察并收集猴群的栖息地利用数据，分析黑叶猴对喀斯特石山栖息地的选择与利用规律。结果表明，黑叶猴对不同山体部位的利用有显著性差异（χ2=43.063，df=4，P < 0.001）。黑叶猴对崖壁的利用频率最高（占总记录的36.67%±9.44%），其次是山坡（32.30%±9.57%），对山脚（14.15%±5.01%）、山顶（11.24%±8.42%）和平地（5.63%±2.92%）的利用较少。分析发现，黑叶猴对山体部位的利用没有显著的季节性差异（山顶：Z=-0.160，P=0.837；崖壁：Z=-0.320，P=0.749；山坡：Z=-0.480，P=0.631；山脚：Z=-1.601，P=0.109；平地：Z=0，P=1）。黑叶猴将崖壁作为主要的休息场所，山坡和山脚为主要的移动和觅食场所。黑叶猴对栖息地的利用受食物可获得性的影响。当食物中花的可获得性降低时，猴群增加对山脚的利用；当嫩叶可获得性降低时，猴群增加在崖壁移动的频率；当果实的可获得性升高时，猴群增加在平地觅食的频率。食物组成与黑叶猴栖息地利用也有关系。总体来看，黑叶猴对山顶的利用频率与花的觅食比例呈显著正相关；对山脚的利用频率与果实+种子的觅食比例呈显著正相关。猴群在山顶休息的频率随花和成熟叶的觅食比例的上升而上升；在山脚休息的频率随果实+种子的觅食比例的上升而上升。猴群在山坡觅食的频率随果实+种子的觅食比例的下降而上升；在山脚觅食的频率随嫩叶的觅食比例的下降而上升。另外，平均最低温度与猴群在平地觅食的频率呈负相关关系。分析表明食物的分布和数量对黑叶猴栖息地利用有重要影响，黑叶猴对栖息地的选择是在觅食利益与风险之间进行权衡的结果。 Abstract:A group of François' langurs (Trachypithecus francoisi) was studied in the Nonggang National Nature Reserve, southwest Guangxi, China, from September 2005 to August 2006. An instantaneous scan sampling method was used to collect data on patterns of habitat utilization. The aim of this study was to explore habitat selection by langurs living in a limestone forest. The results indicated that the langurs did not exploit their habitat uniformly and preferentially used particular microhabitats (χ2=43.063, df=4, P < 0.001). For example, the langurs were observed most frequently on cliffs (36.67% ±9.44% of the total record), followed by hill slopes (32.30% ±9.57%), hill bottoms (14.15% ±5.01%), flat zones (11.24% ±8.42%), and hill-tops (5.63% ±2.92%). We found no evidence of seasonal variation in patterns of habitat use (Hill-top:Z=-0.160, P=0.837; Cliff:Z=-0.320, P=0.749; Hill slope:Z=-0.480, P=0.631; Hill bottom:Z=-1.601, P=0.109; Flat zone:Z=0, P=1). However, individual microhabitats were used by the monkeys for different activities. The cliffs were frequently used as resting sites, and the hill slopes and the hill bottoms were used as both moving and feeding sites. Langur habitat use also was influenced by food availability, dietary composition, and climate. When the availability of flowers decreased, the langurs increased the time spent exploring the hill bottom. As flower consumption and mature leaf consumption increased, there was a correlated increase in the use of hilltops. In contrast, when exploiting fruits and seeds, langurs increased the time spent on hill bottoms and hill slopes. Similarly, the frequency of moving on cliffs increased in response to a decrease in the availability of young leaves. The frequency of feeding in the flat zone increased with the availability of fruits. In addition, there was a negative relationship between the average low temperature recorded during the day and the frequency that langurs fed in the flat zone. Our results indicate that the pattern of distribution and quantity of food resources acts as an important determinant of habitat use in François' langurs inhabiting limestone forests in southwest Guangxi. Patterns of habitat use in this primate species may reflect a trade-off between foraging benefits and predation risks. 参考文献 相似文献 引证文献

Correction: Determining carnivore habitat use in a rubber/forest landscape in Brazil using multispecies occupancy models.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0195311.].

Wintering space use and site fidelity in a nomadic species, the snowy owl

Migratory species can exploit many habitats over vast geographic areas and adopt various patterns of space and habitat use throughout their annual cycle. In nomadic species, determinants of habitat use during the non‐breeding season are poorly known due to the unpredictability of their movement patterns. Here, we analysed variability in wintering space and habitat use by a highly nomadic species, the snowy owl, in eastern North America. Using 21 females tracked by satellite telemetry between 2007 and 2016, we 1) assessed how space use patterns in winter varied according to the type of environment (marine vs terrestrial), latitudinal zone (Arctic vs temperate), local snow conditions and lemming densities and 2) investigated winter habitat and site fidelity. Our results confirmed a high inter‐individual variation in patterns of habitat use by wintering snowy owls. Highly‐used areas were concentrated in the Arctic and in the marine and coastal environments. Owls wintering in the marine environment travelled over longer distances during the winter, had larger home ranges and these were divided in more smaller zones than individuals in terrestrial environments. Wintering home range sizes decreased with high winter lemming densities, use of the marine environment increased following high summer lemming densities, and a thick snow cover in autumn led to later settlement on the wintering ground. Contrary to expectations, snowy owls tended to make greater use of the marine environment when snow cover was thin. Snowy owls were highly consistent in their use of a given wintering environment and a specific latitudinal zone between years, but demonstrated flexibility in their space use and a modest site fidelity. The snowy owls’ consistency in wintering habitat use may provide them with advantages in terms of experience but their mobility and flexibility may help them to cope with changing environmental conditions at fine spatial scale.

Trace element and strontium isotopic analysis of Gulf Sturgeon fin rays to assess habitat use

Trace element and 87Sr/86Sr isotope analyses of fish pectoral fin rays offer non-destructive methods for determining habitat use. In this study, water and fin ray samples were analyzed for Gulf Sturgeon Acipenser oxyrinchus desotoi from the Choctawhatchee River Basin (FL and AL, USA) and compared with reference samples from Atlantic Sturgeon A. o. oxyrinchus held at controlled salinities (0, 10, 33 ppt). Samples were analyzed using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, with a multi-collector for 87Sr/86Sr. In water, Sr, Ba, Mn and Zn differed between freshwater and saline habitats, with increases in Sr and decreases in Ba, Mn and Zn. 87Sr/86Sr decreased upstream to downstream with lowest values in saline habitats. In the reference study, water trace element concentrations and 87Sr/86Sr corresponded to those in pectoral fin rays. 87Sr/86Sr was higher in pectoral fin ray than water, due to influence of diet, which differed with salinity. In wild fish, trace elements in pectoral fin rays indicated freshwater emigration to saline habitats primarily occurred in the second to third growth zone with some heterogeneity in the population (4% <0.3 years, 39% 0.5–1.3 years, 39% 1.5–2.3 years, 17% 2.5–3.3 years). Analyses of 87Sr/86Sr indicated initial locations of Gulf Sturgeon were in the middle river, with few fish in the upper or lower river. Most (74%) juvenile Gulf Sturgeon utilized more than one river region prior to freshwater emigration and 48% moved upstream temporarily based on increased 87Sr/86Sr. After initial freshwater emigration, fish utilized lower-river to saline habitats. Collectively, these studies demonstrate the usefulness of trace element and 87Sr/86Sr analyses in sturgeon pectoral fin rays.

Snowshoe hare multi‐level habitat use in a fire‐adapted ecosystem

ABSTRACTPrescribed burning has the potential to improve habitat for species that depend on pyric ecosystems or other early successional vegetation types. For species that occupy diverse plant communities over the extent of their range, response to disturbances such as fire might vary based on post‐disturbance vegetation dynamics among plant communities. Although responses of snowshoe hares (Lepus americanus) to fire have been studied in conifer‐dominated forests in northern parts of the species’ range, there is a lack of information on snowshoe hare habitat use in fire‐dependent communities in southern parts of their range. We used global positioning system (GPS) and very high frequency (VHF) radio‐collars to monitor the habitat use of 32 snowshoe hares in a scrub‐oak (Quercus ilicifolia)‐pitch pine (Pinus rigida) barrens complex in northeastern Pennsylvania where prescribed fire has been used for habitat restoration. The area contained stands that underwent prescribed burning 1–6 years prior to our study. Also, we investigated fine‐scale determinants of habitat use within stands. We found that regardless of season, hares did not select for areas that had been burned within 6 years prior. Hares primarily used stands of older scrub oak, conifer, or hardwoods, which contained dense understory vegetation and canopy cover. Hare habitat use also was positively associated with stand edges. Our results suggest that hares do not respond to prescribed burning of scrub oak in the short‐term. In addition, by focusing on structural determinants of habitat use, rather than broad‐scale characteristics such as stand type, management strategies for snowshoe hares can be adapted over the extent of their range despite the multitude of different land cover types across which the species occurs. © 2017 The Wildlife Society.