Spatial Use Patterns Research Articles

Area‐wide impact of macrocyclic lactone parasiticides in cattle dung

Following the treatment of cattle with veterinary parasiticides and insecticides, residues are excreted into the dung in concentrations that may be toxic to functionally important dung-colonizing insects. In the dung, these residues cause a range of well-studied lethal and sub-lethal effects, the magnitudes of which vary with the compound used, mode of administration and concentration, and the insect species in question. Particular concern has been associated with the use of macrocyclic lactones in this context. Loss of insect colonizers may delay pat decomposition, but field studies report contrasting results that reflect confounding factors such as weather conditions, pat moisture content, pat location, time of year and dung insect species phenologies. The question of fundamental concern is whether the impacts seen in experimental or laboratory studies are likely to have a functional impact on insect populations, community interactions and the economically important process of dung decomposition. Recent studies which have attempted to address these wider, landscape-level impacts in temperate ecosystems are reviewed here. These show that the extent to which chemical residues may have any sustained ecological impact will depend on both a range of farm management factors, such as the temporal and spatial patterns of chemical use, the number of animals treated and the choice of active ingredient, and a range of insect-related factors, such as abundance, population dynamics and dispersal rates. However, they also demonstrate that considerable uncertainty remains about the likely extent of such effects and that current data are insufficient to support firm conclusions regarding sustained pasture-level effects. More large-scale, longterm field experiments are required, particularly in relation to insect dispersal and functional interactions within the dung insect community.

Linking physical, economic and institutional constraints of land use change and forest conservation in the hills of Nepal

This paper analyses the changes in spatial patterns of agricultural land use during the period 1976–2000 along the altitudinal gradients in a watershed in Nepal. Land change patterns during this period were examined using information on land use derived from satellite images from 1976, 1990 and 2000. During the 24-year period from 1976 to 2000 agricultural land use increased by 35% at a cost of loss of forestland. Agricultural expansion was most conspicuous at higher elevations (1150–2000-m). About 36%, 18% and 6% of forestland was converted into agricultural activities from higher, middle and lower elevations respectively in the period from 1990 to 2000. Spatial distribution of living standard parameters, including farm family income and, food availability obtained from family surveys, shows a decreasing trend as the elevation increases whereas percentage of food bought shows an increasing trend. In this way it was found that, lost forest areas were smaller when located around high-income areas with good quality agricultural land and near an administrative centre as compared to areas located around low-income areas with low quality agricultural land and far from an administrative centre. Additionally, a regression model is constructed, to link the socioeconomic variables with the conversion of forestland into agricultural activities, breaking the study area into smaller zones. The spatial trajectories of these zones are then contrasted, paying particular attention to the socioeconomic conditions and institutional arrangements governing access to land resources. The study finds that while overall land change patterns in the region are largely explained by elevation and the socioeconomic conditions of people living adjacent to the forestland, more specifically, in sub-regional areas, trajectories reflect the signatures of institutions governing access to land. As sustainability of the watershed is dependent on forests, continued depletion of forest resources will result in poor economic returns from agriculture for local people together with loss of ecosystem services.

Spatio-temporal patterns of agricultural expansion and its effect on watershed degradation: a case from the mountains of Nepal

Expansion of agricultural at the cost of forested land is a common cause of watershed degradation in the mountain zones of developing countries. Many studies have been conducted to demonstrate land use changes in such regions. However, current knowledge regarding the changes, driving forces and implications of such change within the context of watershed development is limited. This study analyses changes in spatial patterns of agricultural land use and their consequences for watershed degradation during the 1976–2000 period along an altitude gradient in a watershed in Nepal, by means of remote sensing, GIS and the universal soil loss equation. Estimated soil loss ranged from 589 to 620 t ha−1 y−1, while areas of extreme hazard severity (>100 t ha−1) increased from 9 to 14.5% from 1990 to 2000. Spatial distribution of soil loss in 2000 was characterized by 88% of total soil losses being from upland agricultural areas. The study determined that without considering other forms of land degradation, only water erosion was responsible for erosion of a substantial area in a short timeframe. Areas under upland cultivation are in an extremely vulnerable state, with these areas potentially no longer cultivable within a period of 6 years. As sustainability of the watershed is dependent on forests, continued depletion of forest resources will result in poor economic returns from agriculture for local people, together with loss of ecosystem services. Thus, in order to achieve the goal of watershed development, remaining forest lands must be kept under strict protection.

Experimental Validation of Sex Differences in Spatial Behavior Patterns of Free-Ranging Snakes: Implications for Social Interactions

Social interactions often play a significant role in determining patterns of spatial use. Although snakes are generally thought of as asocial, recent spatial dispersion studies suggest that the spatial ecology of snakes may be more strongly influenced by social interactions than previously thought. We investigated the spatial behavior patterns of a western cottonmouth (Agkistrodon piscivorus) population in east Texas by uniquely combining radio-telemetry studies on free-ranging snakes with experimental arena trials with captive individuals from the same population. Observations from the radio-telemetry study on free-ranging A. piscivorus indicated that females were more gregarious than males. In the follow-up study, spatial dispersion data from captive snakes maintained in experimental field arenas yielded similar results to spatial behavior patterns of free-ranging individuals. When compared to random experimental controls, these data suggest that observed spatial behavior patterns are related to mechanisms associated with both active avoidance among males and conspecific attraction among females. In addition to uniquely combining both free-ranging and captive observations, this is the first snake study to demonstrate sex differences with both of these divergent (attraction and avoidance) spatial patterns within a single population. Thus, similar to other vertebrate groups, a growing body of literature suggests that social interactions in snakes should be strongly considered in interpretations of spatial ecology and behavior.

Spatial and temporal patterns in Serranus cabrilla habitat use in the NW Mediterranean revealed by acoustic telemetry

We used acoustic telemetry to describe the spatial and temporal patterns of habitat use of one of the species most targeted by recreational anglers in the NW Mediterranean, Serranus cabrilla (Linnaeus, 1758). Temporal patterns and fish position were determined using a fixed-receiver array located in a marine protected area (MPA) in Palma Bay (Balearic Islands). Fish position as cen- tre of activity (COA, the centre of the area the fish uses during a specific time) and space utilisation preferences could be described due to a receiver array design with a high range detection overlap (more densely distributed near the COA). There were significantly more detections per time unit dur- ing the day, which was interpreted as increased activity possibly related to feeding habits and social behaviour. S. cabrilla spent 95% of its time in an average area of 0.77 ± 0.17 km 2 , with a core area (50% of the time) of 0.10 ± 0.29 km 2 . The home range size was not related to fish size or diel pattern (i.e. the size of the daytime home range was not significantly different from the night range). The lin- earity index and the index of reuse (proxies of site fidelity) also demonstrated that this species has high site fidelity, which suggests that it is sedentary with a limited adult dispersal capacity. Two main habitats were observed in the study area, and S. cabrilla spent on average much less time in seagrass meadows (Posidonia oceanica beds) compared to soft, gravel and detritus bottoms. A relatively small MPA would be a useful management tool for establishing sustainable exploitation levels of this species.

Assessment of human health risk for lyme disease in a peri-urban park in southern Québec


 
 
 Introduction: climate change has contributed to the spread of the hard tick Ixodes scapularis into increasingly northern latitudes, and subsequently has caused the spread of the lyme dis-ease causing bacterium, Borrelia burdorferi, into these northern areas. The spread of these ticks into the region of southern Québec is highly likely within the near future. As a result, new human populations are being exposed to these ticks and are at risk for contracting lyme disease. intent: This exploratory study examines the spatial and behavioral factors associated with human activity in longueuil regional park in relation to risk for lyme disease. Methods: we conducted exit surveys of park-goers to determine spatial and behavioral patterns of park use, as well as lyme disease awareness. results and conclusion: we found higher awareness of ticks in female park-goers, park-goers over 50, and high-frequency park-goers. our results, importantly, imply a discrepancy between peoples' awareness of tick bite precautions, and their perception of tick bite risk. we hope that these findings may help future research on the spread of lyme disease into Canada, as well as in the formulation of public health policy.
 
 

Ecology of fishes in a high-latitude, turbid river with implications for the impacts of hydrokinetic devices

Hydrokinetic devices generate electricity by capturing kinetic energy from flowing water as it moves across or through a rotor, without impounding or diverting the water source. The Tanana River in Alaska, a turbid glacial system, has been selected as a pilot location to evaluate the effects of such a device on fish communities that are highly valued by subsistence, sport, and commercial users. The basic ecology and habitat use of fishes in turbid glacial systems are poorly understood; therefore it is necessary to study the species composition of the fish community and the spatial and temporal patterns of mainstem river use by these fishes to evaluate impacts of a hydrokinetic device. In this document, we provide an overview of existing knowledge of fish ecology in the Tanana River and impacts of hydrokinetic devices on fishes in other river systems. Seventeen fish species are known to inhabit the Tanana River and several may utilize the deepest and fastest section of the channel, the probable deployment location for the hydrokinetic device, as a seasonal migration corridor. Previous studies in clearwater river systems indicate that mortality and injury rates from turbine passage are low. However, the results from these studies may not apply to the Tanana River because of its distinctive physical properties. To rectify this shortcoming, a conceptual framework for a comprehensive fish ecology study is recommended to determine the impacts of hydrokinetic devices on fishes in turbid, glacial rivers.

Assessing the spatio-temporal pattern of winter sports activities to minimize disturbance in capercaillie habitats

Outdoor activities may have serious consequences for wildlife species that are sensitive to human disturbance. The pressure of outdoor activities on natural landscapes has increased dramatically in recent decades. However, we generally lack information on the spatial and temporal patterns of outdoor activities – a fact that makes it difficult to quantify the impact on wildlife and thus to implement and justify measures to constrain outdoor activities. In the winter seasons 2008 / 2009 and 2009 / 2010, we equipped 303 recreationists in the Val Müstair Biosphere Reserve, eastern Swiss Alps, with GPS loggers to record their spatial and temporal pattern of landscape use. We then analysed how the resulting pattern of spatial use overlapped with the habitat of capercaillie Tetrao urogallus, an endangered woodland grouse species that is highly sensitive to disturbance. For our study we used the official capercaillie core winter habitats observed by the game wardens of the Canton Grisons. The recorded 319 trips of 188 backcountry skiers and snowboarders and 231 trips of 115 snowshoers combined show an inhomogeneous use of subareas in the region. With one exception, the trips are located in the main valley and the adjoining southern and northern slopes and peaks. The trips of snowshoers result in a dispersed use pattern across the main valley, while the trips of the backcountry skiers and snowboarders are concentrated more on official and popular routes. Rarely did recreationists trespass official wildlife sanctuaries or cross capercaillie habitat patches. However, one official, very popular backcountry skiing route crosses one of the largest capercaillie habitats. Here the recorded trips show wide-ranging spatial use with many connectors to the main route. As a consequence, this capercaillie habitat patch is dissected into smaller undisturbed patches. GPS logging in combination with camera trap data provides detailed information on the spatio-temporal land-use pattern of outdoor activities. Based on these data, we identified a conflict of interest in the Val Müstair Biosphere Reserve that has to be resolved by management in a joint participatory process with the main stakeholders. Our methods and results could be transferred to other Alpine regions and be used for any land cover types. In this way we hope to contribute to mitigating conflicts between human outdoor activities and wildlife populations.

Dynamics of Land Surface Temperature in Response to Land-Use/Cover Change

In this study, we employed Geographical Information Systems and remote sensing techniques to investigate the impact of land-use/cover change on land surface temperature (LST) in a rapidly urbanisation city, Kunming in south-west China. Spatial patterns of LST and land use for 1992 and 2006 were derived from Landsat images to examine how LST responded to urban growth. Remote sensing indices were used to quantify land-use types and employed as explanatory variables in LST modelling. The geographically weighted regression (GWR), a location dependent model, was performed to explore the influences of the spatially varied land-use conditions on the LST patterns. Results revealed that rapid urbanisation in Kunming altered the local thermal environment, particularly in increasing the LST in the zone surrounding the urban core. Remote sensing indices demonstrated that water and vegetation played an important role in mitigating the urban heat island effect, while built-up and barren land accounted for the increase in LST. The GWR improved the goodness-of-fit for LST modelling and provided insights into the spatially varied relationship between LST and land-use conditions.

Exploring the impacts of field interactions on an integrated assessment of terraced crop systems in the Peruvian Andes

This study explores a modelling approach to investigate the interactions between terracing, water availability, and land use decisions and farmers' incomes in a study area in the Peruvian Andes. We tested the hypothesis that these interactions affect the simulated spatial distribution of impacts because of technology changes as well as aggregate impacts. To do this a model simulating water redistribution at the catchment scale is linked to a site-specific model of land use and management, using the trade-off analysis modelling system. The results indicate that the interactions do not affect the aggregate impacts but they do result in different spatial patterns of land use and farm income in the study area. The simulated effects of terraces on productivity are affected by the spatial patterns of terracing. These findings suggest that, although field-level interactions may average out in aggregate analysis, the effects they have on the spatial pattern of land use allocation and income may be relevant for analysis of environmental impact and equity studies in which the spatial distribution of effects is important.

Spatial and temporal patterns of habitat use by Eurasian oystercatchers (Haematopus ostralegus) in the eastern Wadden Sea revealed using GPS data loggers

Detailed knowledge on species–habitat relationships is of crucial importance for the understanding of processes in marine ecosystems. Being top-predators, birds are important bio-indicators for marine systems. The aim of this study was to elucidate precise information on foraging habitat use and foraging times of oystercatchers (Haematopus ostralegus) on wide tidal flats using global positioning system (GPS) data loggers. The study was conducted to collect hints for the negative population trends in oystercatchers in the Wadden Sea. It is the first time that GPS technique has been used in a shorebird species. Although oystercatchers are known to exhibit foraging site fidelity, a number of individuals visited multiple sites. Foraging trips at night were longer, and the targeted sites were further away than those used during the day. These patterns were likely to be caused by higher risks of clutch predation by avian predators during the day that led adults to reduce their absence to defend their clutches. Our methodological approach enabled the subtle spatio-temporal patterns of habitat use to be determined on a very fine spatio-temporal scale. We suggest further potential studies using GPS data loggers that may help to reveal the reasons for the current declines in oystercatcher populations in the German Wadden Sea.

The spatial scaling of habitat selection by African elephants

1. Understanding and accurately predicting the spatial patterns of habitat use by organisms is important for ecological research, biodiversity conservation and ecosystem management. However, this understanding is complicated by the effects of spatial scale, because the scale of analysis affects the quantification of species-environment relationships. 2. We therefore assessed the influence of environmental context (i.e. the characteristics of the landscape surrounding a site), varied over a large range of scales (i.e. ambit radii around focal sites), on the analysis and prediction of habitat selection by African elephants in Kruger National Park, South Africa. 3. We focused on the spatial scaling of the elephants' response to their main resources, forage and water, and found that the quantification of habitat selection strongly depended on the scales at which environmental context was considered. Moreover, the inclusion of environmental context at characteristic scales (i.e. those at which habitat selectivity was maximized) increased the predictive capacity of habitat suitability models. 4. The elephants responded to their environment in a scale-dependent and perhaps hierarchical manner, with forage characteristics driving habitat selection at coarse spatial scales, and surface water at fine spatial scales. 5. Furthermore, the elephants exhibited sexual habitat segregation, mainly in relation to vegetation characteristics. Male elephants preferred areas with high tree cover and low herbaceous biomass, whereas this pattern was reversed for female elephants. 6. We show that the spatial distribution of elephants can be better understood and predicted when scale-dependent species-environment relationships are explicitly considered. This demonstrates the importance of considering the influence of spatial scale on the analysis of spatial patterning in ecological phenomena.

GPS Technology and Human Psychological Research: A Methodological Proposal

Animal behaviorists have made extensive use of GPS technology since 1991. In contrast, psychological research has made little use of the technology, even though the technology is relatively inexpensive, familiar, and widespread. Hence, its potential for pure and applied psychological research remains untapped. We describe three methods psychologists could apply to individual differences research, clinical research, or spatial use research. In the context of individual differences research, GPS technology permits us to test hypotheses predicting specific relations among patterns of spatial use and individual differences variables. In a clinical context, GPS technology provides outcome measures that may relate to the outcome of interventions designed to treat psychological disorders that, for example, may leave a person homebound (e.g. Agoraphobia, PTSD, TBI). Finally, GPS technology provides natural measures of spatial use. We, for example, used GPS technology to quantify traffic flow and exhibit use at the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum. Interested parties could easily extend this methodology some aspects of urban planning or business usage. DOI:10.2458/azu_jmmss_v1i1_wolf

GPS Technology and Human Psychological Research: A Methodological Proposal

Animal behaviorists have made extensive use of GPS technology since 1991. In contrast, psychological research has made little use of the technology, even though the technology is relatively inexpensive, familiar, and widespread. Hence, its potential for pure and applied psychological research remains untapped. We describe three methods psychologists could apply to individual differences research, clinical research, or spatial use research. In the context of individual differences research, GPS technology permits us to test hypotheses predicting specific relations among patterns of spatial use and individual differences variables. In a clinical context, GPS technology provides outcome measures that may relate to the outcome of interventions designed to treat psychological disorders that, for example, may leave a person homebound (e.g. Agoraphobia, PTSD, TBI). Finally, GPS technology provides natural measures of spatial use. We, for example, used GPS technology to quantify traffic flow and exhibit use at the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum. Interested parties could easily extend this methodology some aspects of urban planning or business usage. DOI:10.2458/azu_jmmss_v1i1_wolf

GPS Technology and Human Psychological Research: A Methodological Proposal

Animal behaviorists have made extensive use of GPS technology since 1991. In contrast, psychological research has made little use of the technology, even though the technology is relatively inexpensive, familiar, and widespread. Hence, its potential for pure and applied psychological research remains untapped. We describe three methods psychologists could apply to individual differences research, clinical research, or spatial use research. In the context of individual differences research, GPS technology permits us to test hypotheses predicting specific relations among patterns of spatial use and individual differences variables. In a clinical context, GPS technology provides outcome measures that may relate to the outcome of interventions designed to treat psychological disorders that, for example, may leave a person homebound (e.g. Agoraphobia, PTSD, TBI). Finally, GPS technology provides natural measures of spatial use. We, for example, used GPS technology to quantify traffic flow and exhibit use at the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum. Interested parties could easily extend this methodology some aspects of urban planning or business usage. DOI:10.2458/azu_jmmss_v1i1_wolf

GPS Technology and Human Psychological Research: A Methodological Proposal

Animal behaviorists have made extensive use of GPS technology since 1991. In contrast, psychological research has made little use of the technology, even though the technology is relatively inexpensive, familiar, and widespread. Hence, its potential for pure and applied psychological research remains untapped. We describe three methods psychologists could apply to individual differences research, clinical research, or spatial use research. In the context of individual differences research, GPS technology permits us to test hypotheses predicting specific relations among patterns of spatial use and individual differences variables. In a clinical context, GPS technology provides outcome measures that may relate to the outcome of interventions designed to treat psychological disorders that, for example, may leave a person homebound (e.g. Agoraphobia, PTSD, TBI). Finally, GPS technology provides natural measures of spatial use. We, for example, used GPS technology to quantify traffic flow and exhibit use at the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum. Interested parties could easily extend this methodology some aspects of urban planning or business usage. DOI:10.2458/azu_jmmss_v1i1_wolf

GPS Technology and Human Psychological Research: A Methodological Proposal

Animal behaviorists have made extensive use of GPS technology since 1991. In contrast, psychological research has made little use of the technology, even though the technology is relatively inexpensive, familiar, and widespread. Hence, its potential for pure and applied psychological research remains untapped. We describe three methods psychologists could apply to individual differences research, clinical research, or spatial use research. In the context of individual differences research, GPS technology permits us to test hypotheses predicting specific relations among patterns of spatial use and individual differences variables. In a clinical context, GPS technology provides outcome measures that may relate to the outcome of interventions designed to treat psychological disorders that, for example, may leave a person homebound (e.g. Agoraphobia, PTSD, TBI). Finally, GPS technology provides natural measures of spatial use. We, for example, used GPS technology to quantify traffic flow and exhibit use at the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum. Interested parties could easily extend this methodology some aspects of urban planning or business usage.

Regional transport modelling for nitrate trend assessment and forecasting in a chalk aquifer

Regional degradation of groundwater resources by nitrate has become one of the main challenges for water managers worldwide. Regulations have been defined to reverse observed nitrate trends in groundwater bodies, such as the Water Framework Directive and the Groundwater Daughter Directive in the European Union. In such a context, one of the main challenges remains to develop efficient approaches for groundwater quality assessment at regional scale, including quantitative numerical modelling, as a decision support for groundwater management. A new approach combining the use of environmental tracers and the innovative ‘Hybrid Finite Element Mixing Cell’ (HFEMC) modelling technique is developed to study and forecast the groundwater quality at the regional scale, with an application to a regional chalk aquifer in the Geer basin in Belgium. Tritium data and nitrate time series are used to produce a conceptual model for regional groundwater flow and contaminant transport in the combined unsaturated and saturated zones of the chalk aquifer. This shows that the spatial distribution of the contamination in the Geer basin is essentially linked to the hydrodynamic conditions prevailing in the basin, more precisely to groundwater age and mixing and not to the spatial patterns of land use or local hydrodispersive processes. A three-dimensional regional scale groundwater flow and solute transport model is developed. It is able to reproduce the spatial patterns of tritium and nitrate and the observed nitrate trends in the chalk aquifer and it is used to predict the evolution of nitrate concentrations in the basin. The modelling application shows that the global inertia of groundwater quality is strong in the basin and trend reversal is not expected to occur before the 2015 deadline fixed by the European Water Framework Directive. The expected time required for trend reversal ranges between 5 and more than 50 years, depending on the location in the basin and the expected reduction in nitrate application. To reach a good chemical status, nitrate concentrations in the infiltrating water should be reduced as soon as possible below 50 mg/l; however, even in that case, more than 50 years is needed to fully reverse upward trends.

Den use and selection by northern flying squirrels in fragmented landscapes

We studied den use and den-habitat selection by the Prince of Wales Island flying squirrel (Glaucomys sabrinus griseifrons) at multiple spatial scales in fragmented temperate rain-forest habitats because of the role dens play in the distribution, reproduction, and population density of this endemic subspecies. We observed differences in spatial patterns associated with den use between juveniles and adults: juvenile core denning areas were almost an order of magnitude larger than those of adults, and juveniles used about one-half the number of dens per month as adults. Female juveniles exhibited both the largest mean and maximum movements between consecutive dens among all age and sex classes. At the microhabitat scale of den selection snags were not selected over live trees, but flying squirrels primarily used cavities in snags and live trees. Flying squirrels also selected dens in the largest diameter live trees and snags, in snags with intermediate levels of decay, in live trees with more conks and visible bole entries, and in western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla). At the broader scale of den selection flying squirrels chose den locations in neighborhoods with higher-volume forests and lower levels of fragmentation, although not lower absolute amounts of edge, than was available across the landscape. Our results suggest that extensive modification of landscapes from clear-cut logging and the creation of an early-seral matrix appeared to influence spatial patterns of den use in flying squirrels and den selection at the broader scale. When compared to patterns in a more-intact landscape, den selection at the microhabitat scale did not relate to differences in landscape context, suggesting additional factors might play an important role in den use across the region.

Land use dynamics in select village ecosystems of southern India: drivers and implications

Knowledge of recent changes in land use, driving forces and implications of changes in the context of sustainable development is limited. This study analyses the changes in spatial patterns of land use including crop diversity, the drivers and implications of changes in 11 village ecosystems of southern India. Data obtained from existing maps, land survey, participatory survey and field measurements were integrated to quantify changes. Land-use dynamics at the village ecosystems level are highly interlinked to the livelihoods and anthropogenic forces as well as natural causes leading to major changes. Among the trends observed, urban influence was a major driver causing large area changes, natural causes being less significant. Other drivers included rainfall deficit, human population increase and management decisions. The impacts of changes were both short- and long-term. Implications and trade-offs were linked to the extent of land, type of change and dependence of the communities for livelihood and provisional services.