Occupancy Models Research Articles

Conserving large mammals on small islands: A case study on one of the world’s most understudied pigs, the Togean islands babirusa

Conserving large mammals on small islands poses a great challenge, given their high resource demand within the limited space available. The endangered Togean Islands babirusa (Babyrousa togeanensis) is one of these species, with a distribution range limited to four small islands in the Togean Archipelago, Indonesia. Despite being listed as endangered, very little information is available on the distribution and ecology of this species. To address this critical knowledge gap, we here report the first field-based ecological study of the Togean Islands babirusa across its entire distribution range. Following a stratified random sampling procedure, we distributed camera traps at 103 stations across four islands to collect data on the species distribution from July-October 2022. We performed an occupancy modeling analysis to assess the species’ habitat use, with various habitat features estimated through remote sensing and field measurements as covariates. We found that forest and mangrove availability over a large area positively influenced babirusa habitat selection. Babirusas only made use of agricultural areas when large forest areas were available nearby. Our results highlight the benefits of redesigning the national park area to accommodate babirusa habitat requirements, specifically by reassigning the non-forested park areas (about 30% of the park area) to non-protected forests currently outside the park boundary (about 50% of total forested area). Our case study exemplifies key challenges associated with conserving large mammals on small islands and highlights the importance of following an adaptive management approach, which in this case implies shifting 30% of the current protected area.

Imperfect detection and misidentification affect inferences from data informing water operation decisions

AbstractObjectiveManagers can modify river flow regimes using fish monitoring data to minimize impacts from water management infrastructure. For example, operation of the gate‐controlled Delta Cross Channel (DCC) in California can negatively affect the endangered Sacramento River winter‐run Chinook Salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha. Although guidelines have been developed for DCC operations by using real‐time juvenile fish sampling count data, there is uncertainty about how environmental conditions influence fish occupancy and the extent to which those relationships are affected by sampling and identification error.MethodsWe evaluated the effect of environmental conditions, imperfect detection, and misidentification error on salmon occupancy by analyzing data using hierarchical multistate occupancy models. A total of 14,147 trawl tows and beach seine hauls were conducted on 1058 sampling days between October and December from 1996 to 2019. During these surveys, 2803 juvenile winter‐run Chinook Salmon were identified, and approximately 29% of the sampling days had at least one winter‐run juvenile detected.ResultThe probability of misidentifying an individual juvenile winter‐run Chinook Salmon in the field was estimated to be 0.056 based on fish identification examinations and genetic sampling. Occupancy varied considerably and was related to flow characteristics, water clarity, weather, time of year, and whether occupancy was detected during the previous sampling day. However, these relationships and their significance changed considerably when accounting for imperfect detection and the probability of misidentifying individual juvenile salmon. Detection was <0.3 under average sampling conditions during a single sample and was influenced by flow, water clarity, site, and volume sampled.ConclusionOur modeling results indicate that DCC gate closure decisions could occur on fewer days when imperfect detection and misidentification error are not accounted for. These findings demonstrate the need to account for identification and detection error while using monitoring data to assess factors influencing fish occupancy and inform future management decisions.

Identifying medium- and large-sized mammal species sensitive to anthropogenic impacts for monitoring in subtropical montane forests

SummaryMedium- and large-sized mammals play important roles in maintaining forest ecosystem functions, and these functions often diminish when mammal species are depleted by human activities. Understanding the sensitivity or tolerance of mammal species to human pressure and detecting species changes through monitoring programmes can inform appropriate management decisions. The objective of our study was to identify medium- and large-sized mammal species that can be included in a monitoring programme in the Southern Yungas of Argentina. We used occupancy modelling to estimate the probability of habitat use (ψ) of 13 of 25 mammal species detected by 165 camera traps placed in forests across a range of human footprint index (HFI) values. As defined by the HFI, 54% of the study area is wilderness. The probabilities of habitat use of two mammal species were significantly associated with the HFI: the lowland tapir (Tapirus terrestris; ψ = 0.33, range = 0.22–0.50) was inversely associated with HFI values, whereas the grey brocket deer (Mazama gouazoubira; ψ = 0.79, range = 0.67–0.87) was positively associated with the HFI. Monitoring the probability of habitat use of the sensitive species (lowland tapir) could help us to detect changes in areas experiencing anthropogenic impacts before they cause extirpation, whereas the high probability of the habitat use values of the tolerant species (grey brocket deer) might indicate that anthropogenic impacts are strongly influencing habitat, signalling that mitigation strategies might be warranted. The Southern Yungas retains an intact mammal fauna, and we showed that the HFI is useful for monitoring anthropogenic impacts on these mammals. There are still opportunities to develop conservation strategies to minimize threats to mammal species in the region by implementing a monitoring programme with the proposed species.

Specialist or refugee: Microhabitat use and competition between two sympatric woodland salamanders

AbstractCo‐occurrence between species may be mediated by ecological differences or competitive interactions, but the nature of these interactions can vary across spatial scales. At coarse scales, species may appear to broadly co‐occur, but at fine scales, particularly for species with small home ranges, species may utilize different aspects of the microhabitat such that co‐occurrence is limited and competitive interactions are reduced or eliminated. We investigated the microhabitat use of two morphologically and ecologically similar woodland salamanders (the Red‐backed Salamander, Plethodon cinereus, and the Northern Ravine Salamander, P. electromorphus) that are distributed throughout the Alleghany Plateau in eastern North America to determine whether they partition habitat at finer scales. We also tested if P. electromorphus is a specialist on habitat types that allow it to exclude P. cinereus, or if P. electromorphus uses lower quality habitat as a refuge to avoid P. cinereus. At a site of microsympatry, we repeatedly sampled plots during two seasons, each within a different area of the landscape, and used occupancy and abundance modeling to assess the extent of co‐occurrence and test whether the species use different microhabitat conditions. Plethodon cinereus greatly outnumbered P. electromorphus and occupied a greater proportion of plots, most plots where we detected P. electromorphus we also detected P. cinereus. In contrast to patterns documented in some montane species pairs, in which a high‐elevation habitat specialist excludes a low‐elevation generalist, we found that P. electromorphus primarily used microhabitat conditions favorable for both species, such as north‐facing slopes, yet did not have a negative effect on the abundances of P. cinereus. In the presence of an abundant competitor, microhabitat use of the less abundant species may narrow toward optimal conditions with sufficient resources to facilitate co‐occurrence.

A within-lake occupancy model for starry stonewort, Nitellopsis obtusa, to support early detection and monitoring

To efficiently detect aquatic invasive species early in an invasion when control may still be possible, predictions about which locations are likeliest to be occupied are needed at fine scales but are rarely available. Occupancy modeling could provide such predictions given data of sufficient quality and quantity. We assembled a data set for the macroalga starry stonewort (Nitellopsis obtusa) across Minnesota and Wisconsin, USA, where it is a new and high-priority invader. We used these data to construct a multi-season, single-species spatial occupancy model that included biotic, abiotic, and movement-related predictors. Distance to the nearest access was an important occurrence predictor, highlighting the likely role boats play in spreading starry stonewort. Fetch and water depth also predicted occupancy. We estimated an average detection probability of 63% at sites with mean non-N. obtusa plant cover, declining to ~ 38% at sites with abundant plant cover, especially that of other Characeae. We recommend that surveyors preferentially search for starry stonewort in areas of shallow depth and high fetch close to boat accesses. We also recommend searching during late summer/early fall when detection is likelier. This study illustrates the utility of fine-scale occupancy modeling for predicting the locations of nascent populations of difficult-to-detect species.

American marten occupancy and activity patterns at the southern extent of their range in the eastern United States.

The relatively recent rediscovery of an American marten (Martes americana) population that was reintroduced over 30 years ago in southern Vermont provides an opportunity to investigate the relative importance of other mesocarnivores, and forest stand (e.g., DBH, downed logs, vertical structure) and habitat variables to their presence on the Green Mountain National Forest. Marten are state-listed as an endangered species in Vermont and occur there at the southern extent of their range in the eastern United States. We collected detection data from camera surveys in 5 km2 units between 2019 and 2021 (December-April; n = 40 units, 238 cameras). We examined activity patterns and applied an occupancy modeling framework to the detection data to assess the relative importance of covariates at unit and camera levels and assess interactions of marten with other mesocarnivores. We did not find any unit-level occupancy models with significant covariates that were better supported than the base model in the single-season unit-level analysis. Distance to the nearest release site was the covariate most supported for detectability at both spatial scales, and marten occupancy at the camera level was positively influenced by the amount of canopy cover. Two species interaction models did not indicate any positive or negative association beyond random with other mesocarnivores and activity patterns among mesocarnivores had substantial overlap. Marten recovery since the time of the reintroduction appears slow, and even 30 years later, the marten distribution is limited and suggests that dispersal is restricted at some level. We recommend a further investigation of the possible impact of other mesocarnivores to juvenile survival or other vital demographic rate (e.g., recruitment) in marten that were not explicitly measured in this study.

Unravelling the dynamics: Large mammal occupancy modelling in a West African tropical forest

AbstractThis study investigates the response of large mammal populations to human‐induced modifications in the Omo‐Shasha‐Oluwa Forest Reserves landscape. The impact of habitat alterations on species diversity and distribution remains poorly understood in this region. Over four seasons from May 2017 to April 2019, 52 sites were surveyed, revealing the presence of 12 large mammal species across six families. Maxwell's duiker exhibited the highest overall occupancy (0.897 ± 0.062), while the Forest elephant had the lowest (0.115 ± 0.043). Forest buffalo experienced the greatest increase in site occupancy (0.290 ± 0.076 to 0.358 ± 0.098), whereas the Mona monkey saw the most significant decrease (0.713 to 0.651). The study employed single‐species, multi‐season occupancy modelling, predicting colonisation and extinction events solely for the civet (ϒ = 0.347 ± 0.154; ε = 0.041 ± 0.031) and Red river hog (ϒ = 0.158 ± 0.098; ε = 0.098 ± 0.059). The likelihood of Civet cat and Red river hog colonisation increased with distance from the nearest settlement. These findings enhance our understanding of habitat characteristics influencing large mammal distribution, offering valuable insights for the conservation of these species in forest landscapes.

Rising minimum temperatures contribute to 50 years of occupancy decline among cold-adapted Arctic and boreal butterflies in North America.

Global climate change has been identified as a potential driver of observed insect declines, yet in many regions, there are critical data gaps that make it difficult to assess how communities are responding to climate change. Poleward regions are of particular interest because warming is most rapid while biodiversity data are most sparse. Building on recent advances in occupancy modeling of presence-only data, we reconstructed 50 years (1970-2019) of butterfly occupancy trends in response to rising minimum temperatures in one of the most under-sampled regions of North America. Among 90 modeled species, we found that cold-adapted species are far more often in decline compared with their warm-adapted, more southernly distributed counterparts. Furthermore, in a post hoc analysis using species' traits, we find that species' range-wide average annual temperature is the only consistent predictor of occupancy changes. Species with warmer ranges were most likely to be increasing in occupancy. This trend results in the majority of butterflies increasing in occupancy probability over the last 50 years. Our results provide the first look at macroscale butterfly biodiversity shifts in high-latitude North America. These results highlight the potential of leveraging the wealth of presence-only data, the most abundant source of biodiversity data, for inferring changes in species distributions.

Occupancy trends of overwintering coastal waterbird communities reveal guild-specific patterns of redistribution and shifting reliance on existing protected areas.

Climate change and anthropogenic stressors are redistributing species and altering community composition globally. Protected areas (PAs) may not sufficiently protect populations of species undergoing distributional shifts, necessitating that we evaluate existing PAs and identify areas for future protection to conserve biodiversity across regional and temporal scales. Coastal waterbirds are important indicators of marine ecosystem health, representing mobile, long-lived, higher trophic-level consumers. Using a 20-year citizen science dataset (1999-2019) with a before-after control-intervention sampling framework for habitat protection, we applied dynamic occupancy models to assess winter occupancy trends along the Pacific coast of Canada. Specifically, we sought to understand potential drivers of regional declines, spatial commonalities among guilds, and changes in habitat use before and after PA designation, as well as between PAs and non-PAs. Occupancy trends varied regionally, with greater declines in the south compared to the north. Regional differences underlined potential range shifts, particularly for species with traits linked to temperature tolerance, movement, and high productivity foraging, as cold-tolerant, migratory benthivores and piscivores wintered farther north relative to 20 years ago or retreated to cold-water fjords. While 21 of 57 (36.8%) species responded positively to PA designation (before-after), greater occupancy declines tended to occur in PAs established pre-1999 relative to non-PAs (control-intervention). Since PAs are currently concentrated in the south, negative associations were most apparent for species retreating northward, but existing PAs may have a stabilizing or transitory effect on southern wintering species shifting into the region from farther south. We emphasize that conservation strategies must balance persistence of current communities with preserving the climate-adapted biodiversity of tomorrow by accounting for community-level effects of species moving into and out of existing PAs. Incorporating range shifts into PA planning by predicting distributional changes will allow conservation practitioners to identify priority habitats, such as cold-water refugia, for persistent wildlife communities.

Limited spatiotemporal niche partitioning among mesocarnivores in Gorongosa National Park, Mozambique.

Competition drives community composition and structure in many ecosystems. Spatial and temporal niche partitioning, in which competing species divide the environment in space or time, are mechanisms that may allow for coexistence among ecologically similar species. Such division of resources may be especially important for carnivores in African savannas, which support diverse carnivore assemblages. We used camera traps to explore patterns of spatial and temporal niche partitioning among four mesocarnivore species in Mozambique's Gorongosa National Park: large-spotted genet (Genetta maculata), African civet (Civettictis civetta), honey badger (Mellivora capensis) and marsh mongoose (Atilax paludinosus). We applied a multispecies occupancy model to evaluate spatial partitioning among mesocarnivores and to quantify the environmental factors that affect species-specific habitat use, including relative lion (Panthera leo) activity. We also analyzed the temporal activity overlap of the four focal species. We identified species-specific habitat covariates that influenced detection probabilities but found no evidence of spatial or temporal partitioning among mesocarnivores in the study system. Indeed, we found some evidence for spatial co-occurrence between two of our focal species: African civet and marsh mongoose. There may be limited competition among mesocarnivores in this system, perhaps due to niche and diet differentiation among these species and an abundance of resources. While we found limited evidence that lion activity impacts mesocarnivores, ongoing monitoring of intraguild interactions is vital as apex predator populations recover in the system. This study adds to a growing understanding of African mesocarnivore ecology and highlights the importance of understanding these dynamics for effective multispecies conservation and restoration.

Occupancy, relative abundance and activity patterns of three sympatric deer in ponds of Calakmul Biosphere Reserve, Campeche

Calakmul Biosphere Reserve is one of the largest tropical forests in the Americas, home to three species of deer, the white-tailed deer, Odocoileus virginianus, the Yucatan brown brocket deer, Odocoileus pandora, and the Central American red brocket deer, Mazama temama. Important ecological aspects on the conservation of these species have been poorly studied. The aim of this study was to determine the occupancy, relative abundance and activity patterns of these species through 9 years of camera-trapping in ponds of a Neotropical Forest in southern Mexico, contributing to the understanding of the ecological patterns and conservation of Neotropical deer. To determine abundance, occupancy and activity patterns, 18 ponds were monitored from 2014 to 2022. The general relative abundance index was used to calculate abundance and the temporal kernel density was used to evaluate the overlap in daily activity of the species. The dynamic occupancy model was used to obtain the occupancy, colonization, extinction and detection of deer, while species co-occurrence occupancy models were used to assess the interaction of water and species. White-tailed deer were the most abundant (Table 1) during the nine years of the study, with low pond occupancy, but with a high probability of colonization. The brown brocket deer was the one with the highest probability of occupancy, showing a low abundance (Table 1), followed by the red brocket deer, with a very low occupancy and abundance (Table 1). Interaction with water was positive in two of the three analyzed species and activity was diurnal for Odocoileus species and cathemeral for Mazama (Fig. 3). The use of ponds by deer is varied in quantity and activity, but they are important places for their development. The protection of the ponds should be fundamental for the conservation of the species in the area, being one of the few semi-perennial water sources and places of food and shelter for wildlife.

Determining abundance predictors of the European Hare (Lepus europaeus), a global invader in southeastern Brazil

Abstract European Hare (Lepus europaeus), like many invasive species, have declined in much of their native range but flourished in non-native regions (e.g. South America). Previous studies suggested that loss of farmland heterogeneity due to agricultural intensification is the main driver of the species decline in its native range in Europe. Yet, little is known about the role of spatial and temporal heterogeneity and land cover types as predictors of European Hare local abundance in Neotropical agricultural landscapes. We hypothesized that spatial and temporal heterogeneity, rather than land cover types, would be the most influential predictors of hare local abundance in intensively managed Neotropical agricultural landscapes. We sampled 55 sites embedded within agricultural-dominated landscapes from southeastern Brazil with camera traps and transect surveys. Sites were selected along an uncorrelated gradient of native vegetation cover and compositional heterogeneity. We estimated the relative abundance of European hares using an occupancy model that accounts for imperfect detection of species induced primarily by variation in local abundance. We found that land cover diversity, sugarcane, and savanna cover were the best predictors of European Hare relative abundance. Hare relative abundance estimates were low and did not vary dramatically among sites, suggesting that this invader has not yet attained high local density in our study region. European Hare attained the highest relative abundance in agricultural landscapes that locally combine higher compositional heterogeneity, including sugarcane crops, and little to no native savanna. Areas with these combined features may represent the most important nascent foci, fostering ongoing northward spread of this invasive species in the Neotropics.

Insights into surveying pangolins using ground and arboreal camera traps

Abstract Arboreal camera traps are becoming more commonly used for monitoring wildlife. Pangolins (Order: Pholidota) are a threatened group of mammals that are challenging to monitor across their range. In this study, we assessed the use of arboreal and ground camera traps for monitoring the three pangolin species native to West Africa in the Ziama Man and Biosphere Reserve, Guinea. We fit occupancy models to our data to examine the effect of factors related to camera height and tree height on detection probability. In addition, we evaluated the utility of deploying multiple cameras within the same tree. Our study showed that arboreal camera traps can successfully detect both arboreal pangolin species, with the highest detection in mid-canopy for white-bellied pangolin and mid-to high-canopy for black-bellied pangolins. In addition, our results suggest at least 4–6 cameras deployed on each tree to maximize the opportunity of detecting these species. We did not detect giant pangolins. Further studies are needed to continue improving detection of all three pangolins for monitoring and adaptive management of these heavily harvested and traded species.

Hired crop worker injury risks on farms in the United States during three different periods between 2002 and 2015.

Hired crop workers have high incidence of work-related injuries, but little has been documented about potential risks at the national level. Data were obtained from a national probability sample of hired crop workers in the United States(U.S.) during 2002-2004 (period I), 2008-2010 (period II), and 2014-2015 (period III). Multivariable logistic regression models of work-related injury were constructed using an occupational exposure adjustment for weeks worked in the previous year. Hired crop workers reporting that their employer did not provide clean drinking water and disposable cups every day were estimated to be at greater odds of injury during all three periods. Having at least some English-speaking ability was associated with increased odds of injury in two periods, while owning a dwelling in the U.S.showed greater injury risk during period II but was associated with lower risk during period III. Other items significantly associated with injury during at least one of the study periods in the final multivariable logistic models included being a direct-hire, a migrant worker, U.S.-born, receiving public aid, and having a health condition. Hired crop workers are an extremely marginalized population of workers in the U.S.Innovative intervention methods must extend beyond traditional occupational models to focus on the overall health of hired crop workers, including increasing healthcare access, ending agricultural exceptionalism to provide equal regulatory protections afforded to workers in other industries, and adequate enforcement of existing regulations. These findings contribute to the understanding of correlates related to increased work-related injury among hired crop workers, and have implications in fields of prevention, intervention, and policy.

Beta‐diversity buffers fragmented landscapes against local species losses

Agricultural expansion has markedly reduced forests and reconfigured landscapes. These changes incur a well‐known detrimental impact on the biodiversity of local forest patches, but the effects on species persistence in entire landscapes comprised of multiple patches are debated. Using data from ants collected in the Amazonian deforestation arc in Brazil, we investigated how regional diversity is affected by habitat loss, fragmentation, and cattle grazing, and how species respond to deforestation both locally and regionally. We also investigated how the heterogeneity in species distribution (beta‐diversity) buffers landscapes against local diversity losses. We used hierarchical multi‐species occupancy models to estimate these effects while controlling for errors in species detection. The vast majority of the 251 ant species found in our study were negatively affected by both habitat loss and cattle at local forest patches, drastically reducing diversity at these patches compared to continuous forests. Despite local declines in diversity, however, heavily fragmented landscapes could still retain most species due to the high heterogeneity in species distribution. We found that beta‐diversity is the main component of regional diversity. Results from several studies suggest that this component is maximized when remnant primary habitats in a landscape are spread across vast areas. Although preserving local diversity may be important for the adequate functioning of the ecosystem locally, our results indicate that the maintenance of many small forest patches in a landscape can buffer regional biodiversity against local species losses. Our results suggest that even small forest remnants in otherwise deforested landscapes can collectively prevent most regional‐scale species extirpations, and therefore also merit conservation efforts.

Unravelling unique responses of mammal abundance to road proximity in agricultural landscapes

AbstractRoads can impact population abundance due to mortality from collisions with vehicles, habitat degradation and loss of connectivity. Some species, however, can be unaffected or even positively affected by roads and roadside environments. Despite this, there is scarce information on population‐level responses to roads. To fill this knowledge gap, we sampled medium and large mammals with camera traps near two paved roads with low and high traffic volumes in agricultural landscapes in the Brazilian Cerrado. We used Royle‐Nichols' occupancy models to investigate the effects of road proximity on the local abundance of 12 mammal species with varying susceptibility to roadkill. We found that road proximity affected only three species, all of which had high roadkill rates. While two of these species exhibited lower abundance near roads, the third showed the opposite response. For most species, irrespective of their roadkill rates, variations in local abundance were strongly correlated with habitat quality and connectivity. Species' life‐history traits, individual behaviour and the impact of roads and traffic on populations over time may explain these idiosyncratic responses.

Occupational therapy with patients in forensic solitary confinement: A qualitative study.

Occupational therapists work with forensic mental health patients in solitary confinement to counter impacts of mental illness and occupational deprivation, to promote well-being and support transition to less restricted environments. There is little literature describing occupational therapy in this context. This study aimed to explore and describe the work, context and professional reasoning of occupational therapists working in solitary confinement settings within a large forensic mental health service in Victoria, Australia. A qualitative design used semi-structured interviews with 11 occupational therapists and reflexive thematic analysis. Three central organising themes, it's all about risk, the work we do and why we do what we do, provided rich description of the context and work of occupational therapists in solitary confinement settings, including approaches used to engage patients in occupation and how the Model of Human Occupation and recovery principles informed their professional reasoning. Despite the setting restrictions, participants engaged in core elements of the occupational therapy practice process and described creative work that offered patients choice and meaningful occupation. They described occupational enrichment to address occupational deprivation and create opportunities for change within the highly restrictive and risk-focussed environment of solitary confinement. Assessment was mainly unstructured, and the need for better evaluation of therapy outcomes acknowledged. Goal setting often focussed on immediate needs. Working in a risk-focussed environment influenced participants' professional reasoning and work with patients, and while they advocated for occupational opportunities for patients, frustration was experienced in response to limits to occupational therapy involvement in risk assessment. The findings address a gap in the literature about the work of occupational therapists in forensic solitary confinement. Though participants' reasoning was informed by occupational and recovery principles, and they described working in occupation-based ways, they did not always articulate explicit connections between theory and practice.

Evaluating Spatial Coverage of the Greater Sage-Grouse Umbrella to Conserve Sagebrush-Dependent Species Biodiversity within the Wyoming Basins

Biodiversity is threatened due to land-use change, overexploitation, pollution, and anthropogenic climate change, altering ecosystem functioning around the globe. Protecting areas rich in biodiversity is often difficult without fully understanding and mapping species’ ecological niche requirements. As a result, the umbrella species concept is often applied, whereby conservation of a surrogate species is used to indirectly protect species that occupy similar ecological communities. One such species is the greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus), which has been used as an umbrella to conserve other species within the sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) ecosystem. Sagebrush-steppe ecosystems within the United States have experienced drastic loss, fragmentation, and degradation of remaining habitat, threatening sagebrush-dependent fauna, resulting in west-wide conservation efforts to protect sage-grouse habitats, and presumably other sagebrush wildlife. We evaluated the effectiveness of the greater sage-grouse umbrella to conserve biodiversity using data-driven spatial occupancy and abundance models for seven sagebrush-dependent (obligate or associated) species across the greater Wyoming Basins Ecoregional Assessment (WBEA) area (345,300 km2) and assessed overlap with predicted sage-grouse occurrence. Predicted sage-grouse habitat from empirical models only partially (39–58%) captured habitats identified by predicted occurrence models for three sagebrush-obligate songbirds and 60% of biodiversity hotspots (richness of 4–6 species). Sage-grouse priority areas for conservation only captured 59% of model-predicted sage-grouse habitat, and only slightly fewer (56%) biodiversity hotspots. We suggest that the greater sage-grouse habitats may be partially effective as an umbrella for the conservation of sagebrush-dependent species within the sagebrush biome, and management actions aiming to conserve biodiversity should directly consider the explicit mapping of resource requirements for other taxonomic groups.

Exploring return to work barriers through the lens of model of human occupation. The NOW WHAT project

Background The challenges of returning to work after sickness absence demands a wide conceptual understanding of what hinders the employee’s work participation. Thus, there is a need to know more about self-perceived barriers for Return to Work (RTW). Aim This study aimed to investigate RTW barriers experienced by employees on long-term sick leave, through the lens of the Model of Human Occupation (MOHO). Material and methods The study was a large-scale qualitative interview study (n = 85) using semi-structured telephone interviews. Eligible participants had received sick leave benefits for between 6 months and 1.5 years. The data were analysed with quantitative and qualitative content analysis. A deductive approach using the MOHO concepts guided the analysis process. Results The study generated 941 coded meaning units describing barriers for RTW, of which we were able to code 895 within the framework of MOHO. In the person-specific concepts, performance capacity barriers were most often described (n = 303), followed by volitional barriers (n = 165) and barriers related to habituation (n = 66). Barriers related to the environmental components amounted to 361. Barriers in the occupational environment was dominant (n = 214). Conclusion Experienced barriers related to both environmental components and person-specific concepts. Significance The habituational and volitional perspective on barriers can contribute to the identification and communication of performance capacity-related barriers not previously identified.

OccupancyTuts: Occupancy modelling tutorials with RPresence

Abstract The occupancy modelling framework offers tremendous flexibility in estimating species abundance and distribution patterns while accounting for imperfect detection, and has seen rapid growth and adoption since its introduction at the beginning of the century. At the same time, in an era of big data, there are increasing demands on developing quantitative skills and proficiency in young ecologists, many of whom lack the quantitative training needed to conduct research professionally. We introduce occupancyTuts, an R package that features 28 learnr tutorials that teach the statistical underpinnings of several occupancy models. The tutorials include written content, instructional videos, R exercises, and quiz elements, covering a range of topics including statistical underpinnings, single‐ and dynamic‐occupancy models, study design and several of the ‘spin‐off’ models that extend the basic framework. We plan for development of new tutorials that use RPresence as the analysis engine, and welcome new tutorial contributions that use other R packages as the analysis engine as well.