scholarly journals Importance of isolated forest fragments and low intensity agriculture for the long-term conservation of the green peafowl Pavo muticus

Oryx ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Nay Myo Shwe ◽  
Niti Sukumal ◽  
Khin Maung Oo ◽  
Simon Dowell ◽  
Stephen Browne ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Use ◽  
Agricultural Landscape ◽  
Buffer Zone ◽  
Forest Fragments ◽  
Forest Fragment ◽  
Forest Patch ◽  
Low Intensity ◽  
Pavo Muticus ◽  
Green Peafowl

Abstract Low intensity subsistence agriculture is generally believed to be less damaging to wildlife than intensive farming. As Myanmar is undergoing rapid modernization, subsistence farming may shift to intensive agriculture, resulting in increased threats to species of conservation concern such as the green peafowl Pavo muticus. Here we investigate habitat use of the green peafowl in a low intensity agricultural landscape surrounding a small forest fragment in southern Shan State, Myanmar. The forest belongs to Nan Kone Buddha Monastery and the green peafowl is protected from hunting in the area on the basis of religious beliefs. We established three survey transects with a total length of 3,414 m. During February 2016–January 2017 we conducted surveys twice daily for 4 consecutive days every month, walking all transects in both directions in the mornings and afternoons and recording visual and auditory peafowl encounters. We estimated peafowl density to be 2.63 animals/km2 in the less disturbed western part of the study area and 1.13 animals/km2 in the eastern part, which had higher levels of human disturbance. The peafowl's habitat use was significantly non-random, with forest patches being the most utilized habitat, followed by croplands. Within a 300 m buffer zone around the forest patch, the order of habitat preference was crop > scrub > fallow, with crop significantly preferred over the other two habitats. We conclude that preserved isolated forest blocks adjacent to community-managed agricultural areas are important for green peafowl conservation, and discuss the implications for long-term conservation management of the species.

scholarly journals Modelling occurrence probability of the Endangered green peafowl Pavo muticus in mainland South-east Asia: applications for landscape conservation and management

Oryx ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 54 (1) ◽  
pp. 30-39 ◽  
Author(s):  
Niti Sukumal ◽  
Simon D. Dowell ◽  
Tommaso Savini
Keyword(s):  
East Asia ◽  
Geographical Information ◽  
Viet Nam ◽  
South East Asia ◽  
Term Survival ◽  
Protection Level ◽  
Long Term Survival ◽  
Pavo Muticus ◽  
Green Peafowl

AbstractThe green peafowl Pavo muticus is a highly threatened galliform species that was historically distributed widely across South-east Asia. Evidence shows a recent population decline and range contraction for this species, linked with habitat degradation and over-exploitation. This study aimed to determine the current known distribution across mainland South-east Asia and investigate potential habitat that could host remaining viable populations and contribute to the long-term survival of the species. We used locations from historical and recent records and habitat variables from a geographical information system database to model the probability of occurrence and classify key localities according to their relative importance for the species. Our results showed that the green peafowl probably occurs in less than 16% of its historical range across mainland South-east Asia and that remaining locations are fragmented. Four confirmed and two potential stronghold populations were identified for the species, based on the localities with high capacity to contribute to its long-term survival in large contiguous patches. These were in central Myanmar, western and northern Thailand, eastern Cambodia/south-central Viet Nam and northern Cambodia/southern Lao. Threats vary amongst countries, with continued habitat loss and degradation in many areas and hunting particularly acute in Viet Nam, Cambodia and Lao. Most of the remaining populations are in protected areas but the protection level varies widely. We propose conservation actions for each stronghold population, in accordance with the nature of the threats and protection level in each area, to prevent the local extinction of this species.

scholarly journals Lower levels of human disturbance correspond with longer-term persistence of Endangered Green Peafowl Pavo muticus populations

2019 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 210-219
Author(s):  
NITI SUKUMAL ◽  
MATTHEW J. GRAINGER ◽  
TOMMASO SAVINI
Keyword(s):  
Life History ◽  
High Probability ◽  
Extinction Risk ◽  
Population Viability Analysis ◽  
Population Data ◽  
Population Viability ◽  
South Central ◽  
Pavo Muticus ◽  
Green Peafowl

SummaryGalliformes are one of the most threatened groups of birds in South-East Asia, with 27% of the species threatened with extinction. Long term population viability and extinction probability studies, at different levels of threat and management, are lacking due to weak life history data. This study aimed to define the long-term viability and extinction risk of two populations of the endangered Green Peafowl Pavo muticus, facing different threat and protection levels, using Bayesian Population Viability Analysis (BPVA), which requires less data than traditional methods. The results showed an increasing trend in the Green Peafowl population in HuaiKhaKhaeng Wildlife Sanctuary (western Thailand), with a high protection level and low disturbance and high probability of assuring persistence for the next 100 years. By contrast, the population in YokDon National Park (south-central Vietnam), with a high habitat disturbance level and significant hunting pressure, is predicted to decline and has a high probability (99%) of extinction by 2097. Also, the BPVA showed minimum viable population (MVP) estimates of 250 and 450 calling males for the HuaiKhaKhaeng and YokDon populations respectively, assuring high probabilities of long-term persistence if the minimum numbers of males are available. The population size of 219 calling males at YokDon during the 2013 survey is lower than the MVP threshold of 450 calling males, which suggests the species has a low probability of long-term persistence in the area. Despite limited life history and population data, BPVA predicted the future of this population under site-specific conditions, and the results could be used to promote better management and population restoration.

Assessing the habitat use, suitability and activity pattern of the rusty-spotted cat Prionailurus rubiginosus in Kanha Tiger Reserve, India

Mammalia ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 84 (5) ◽  
pp. 459-468
Author(s):  
Jayanta Kumar Bora ◽  
Neha Awasthi ◽  
Ujjwal Kumar ◽  
Shravana Goswami ◽  
Anup Pradhan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Use ◽  
Activity Pattern ◽  
Buffer Zone ◽  
Sympatric Species ◽  
Multiple Use ◽  
Lack Of Information ◽  
Tiger Reserve ◽  
Close Proximity ◽  
Intensively Managed

AbstractThe rusty-spotted cat Prionailurus rubiginosus is the smallest wildcat in the world, endemic to India, Nepal and Sri Lanka. Although new occurrence records have recently been reported from different geographic localities in India and Nepal, there is still a lack of information on its biology and habitat use that are required for its conservation planning. Herein, we report results from systematic, long-term (2014–2018) camera trapping in Kanha Tiger Reserve, India, to evaluate the habitat use, suitability and activity pattern of the rusty-spotted cat and model its local distribution with habitat and anthropogenic covariates. Thick canopied forest and rugged terrain were found to be extensively used and preferred by the rusty-spotted cat. It was also recorded in the multiple-use buffer zone forests in close proximity to agriculture. The species is nocturnal and its activity seems to coincide with its major prey. The guiding philosophy of tiger reserves in India is to use the tiger as an umbrella species for biodiversity conservation, and often these reserves are intensively managed to enhance tiger and prey populations. This approach, however, may not cater to the requirements of other less charismatic sympatric species, and those of the rusty-spotted cat also need to be considered for its continued survival.

scholarly journals Annual Variation in Habitat Use by White-footed Mice, Peromyscus leucopus: The Effects of Forest Patch Size, Edge and Surrounding Vegetation Type

2006 ◽  
Vol 120 (2) ◽  
pp. 192 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christine S. Anderson ◽  
Douglas B. Meikle ◽  
Alan B. Cady ◽  
Robert L. Schaefer
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Use ◽  
Patch Size ◽  
Annual Variation ◽  
Agricultural Landscape ◽  
Vegetation Type ◽  
Peromyscus Leucopus ◽  
Habitat Preferences ◽  
Habitat Type ◽  
Forest Habitat ◽  
Forest Patch

White-footed Mice (Peromyscus leucopus) were trapped for two years in the exterior matrix, edge, and interior forest habitat sections of six forests patches in a fragmented agricultural landscape. We used data on the capture locations of P. leucopus individuals from the two years, which differed in rainfall (i.e., summer of 2000 with 50% more rain than summer of 1999), to assess how patch size, edge habitat, and surrounding habitat type influence habitat use and movements in populations of this forest habitat generalist. We found that the proportion of individuals subsequently captured in the forest edge from the exterior was 16 times greater in the wet year than in the dry year and approximately twice as many P. leucopus were not subsequently recaptured from the exterior matrix in the dry year compared to the wet year. For each year, captures between habitats did not differ in relation to patch size, edge forest habitat, or exterior matrix type. These results illustrate the generalist habitat preferences of P. leucopus, but emphasize annual variation in their behavior and distribution.

Edge effects on epiphytic lichens in managed black spruce forests of eastern North America

2003 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 23-32 ◽  
Author(s):  
Héloïse Rheault ◽  
Pierre Drapeau ◽  
Yves Bergeron ◽  
Per-Anders Esseen
Keyword(s):  
Edge Effects ◽  
Black Spruce ◽  
Fragment Size ◽  
Forest Fragments ◽  
Epiphytic Lichens ◽  
Forest Fragment ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Edge Conditions ◽  
Interior Forest

We studied the spatial and temporal response of three epiphytic lichens (Bryoria spp., Evernia mesomorpha Nyl., and Usnea spp.) to edge effects in conifer forests of northwestern Quebec. Lichen abundance and substrate variables were sampled at four distances (5, 25, 50, and 100 m) from the edge in 15 edge–interior transects in managed black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill.) BSP) forests. Responses to edge effects were assessed for short-term (1–3 years) and long-term (8 and 16–23 years) periods. We also assessed the effect of forest fragment size on lichen abundance in 27 forest fragments ranging in size from 0.03 ha to >4 ha. We found a significant effect of distance to edge on mass of E. mesomorpha and Usnea spp. Lichen mass was lower in the first 50 m of edge compared with the forest interior (100 m). Size of forest fragments had no significant effect in any of the three lichens. However, mass of Usnea spp. was low in the seven smallest (<0.5 ha) fragments. Our results suggest that the response of epiphytic lichens to edge conditions could be used by forest managers as an indicator in determining the size of remnant stands that should be left to increase the proportion of interior forest habitat in harvested forest landscapes.

Modeling cetacean habitat use in an urban coastal area in southeastern Brazil

2020 ◽  
Vol 642 ◽  
pp. 227-240
Author(s):  
L Lodi ◽  
R Tardin ◽  
G Maricato
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Use ◽  
Protected Areas ◽  
Linear Models ◽  
Anthropogenic Activities ◽  
Buffer Zone ◽  
Humpback Whales ◽  
Southeastern Brazil ◽  
Major Influence ◽  
Cetacean Species ◽  
Few Data

Most studies of cetacean habitat use do not consider the influence of anthropogenic activities. We investigated the influence of environmental and anthropogenic variables on habitat use by humpback Megaptera novaeangliae and Bryde’s whales Balaenoptera brydei off the coast of the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro. Although there are 2 marine protected areas (MPAs) in this area, few data are available on cetacean habitat use or on the overlap of different cetacean species within these MPAs. Our aim was to evaluate the effectiveness of the MPAs and propose a buffer zone to better protect the biodiversity of the study area. We conducted systematic surveys and developed spatial eigenvector generalized linear models to characterize habitat use by the species in the study area. Habitat use by humpback whales was influenced only by depth, whereas for Bryde’s whales there was the additional influence of anthropogenic variables. For Bryde’s whales, which use the area for feeding, sea surface temperature and the distance to anchorages had a major influence on habitat use. We also showed that neither of the MPAs in the study area adequately protects the hotspots of either whale species. Most of the humpback whale grid cells with high sighting predictions were located within 2 km of the MPAs, while areas of high sighting prediction of Bryde’s whales were located up to 5 km from the MPAs, closer to beaches. Our findings provide important insights for the delimitation of protected areas and zoning of the MPAs.

Long-term monitoring provides insight into estuarine top predator (Carcharhinus leucas) resilience following an extreme weather event

2020 ◽  
Vol 639 ◽  
pp. 169-183
Author(s):  
P Matich ◽  
BA Strickland ◽  
MR Heithaus
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Use ◽  
Acoustic Telemetry ◽  
South Florida ◽  
Behavioral Variability ◽  
Catch Per Unit Effort ◽  
Ontogenetic Shifts ◽  
Carcharhinus Leucas ◽  
Acute Disturbance ◽  
Cold Snap

Chronic environmental change threatens biodiversity, but acute disturbance events present more rapid and immediate threats. In 2010, a cold snap across south Florida had wide-ranging impacts, including negative effects on recreational fisheries, agriculture, and ecological communities. Here, we use acoustic telemetry and historical longline monitoring to assess the long-term implications of this event on juvenile bull sharks Carcharhinus leucas in the Florida Everglades. Despite the loss of virtually all individuals (ca. 90%) within the Shark River Estuary during the cold snap, the catch per unit effort (CPUE) of age 0 sharks on longlines recovered through recruitment within 6-8 mo of the event. Acoustic telemetry revealed that habitat use patterns of age 0-2 sharks reached an equilibrium in 4-6 yr. In contrast, the CPUE and habitat use of age 3 sharks required 5-7 yr to resemble pre-cold snap patterns. Environmental conditions and predation risk returned to previous levels within 1 yr of the cold snap, but abundances of some prey species remained depressed for several years. Reduced prey availability may have altered the profitability of some microhabitats after the cold snap, leading to more rapid ontogenetic shifts to marine waters among sharks for several years. Accelerated ontogenetic shifts coupled with inter-individual behavioral variability of bull sharks likely led to a slower recovery rate than predicted based on overall shark CPUE. While intrinsic variation driven by stochasticity in dynamic ecosystems may increase the resistance of species to chronic and acute disturbance, it may also increase recovery time in filling the diversity of niches occupied prior to disturbance if resistive capacity is exceeded.

scholarly journals Small mammal glucocorticoid concentrations vary with forest fragment size, trap type, and mammal taxa in the Interior Atlantic Forest

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah A. Boyle ◽  
Noé U. de la Sancha ◽  
Pastor Pérez ◽  
David Kabelik
Keyword(s):  
Atlantic Forest ◽  
Small Mammals ◽  
Acute Stress ◽  
Physiological Stress ◽  
Fragment Size ◽  
Hair Shaft ◽  
Forest Fragments ◽  
Forest Fragment ◽  
Trapping Methods ◽  
Free Ranging

AbstractSpecies that live in degraded habitats often show signs of physiological stress. Glucocorticoid hormones (e.g., corticosterone and cortisol) are often assessed as a proxy of the extent of physiological stress an animal has experienced. Our goal was to quantify glucocorticoids in free-ranging small mammals in fragments of Interior Atlantic Forest. We extracted glucocorticoids from fur samples of 106 small mammals (rodent genera Akodon and Oligoryzomys, and marsupial genera Gracilinanus and Marmosa) from six forest fragments (2–1200 ha) in the Reserva Natural Tapytá, Caazapá Department, Paraguay. To our knowledge, this is the first publication of corticosterone and cortisol levels for three of the four sampled genera (Akodon, Oligoryzomys, and Marmosa) in this forest system. We discovered three notable results. First, as predicted, glucocorticoid levels were higher in individuals living withing small forest fragments. Second, animals captured live using restraint trapping methods (Sherman traps) had higher glucocorticoid levels than those animals captured using kill traps (Victor traps), suggesting that hair glucocorticoid measures can reflect acute stress levels in addition to long-term glucocorticoid incorporation. These acute levels are likely due to urinary steroids diffusing into the hair shaft. This finding raises a concern about the use of certain trapping techniques in association with fur hormone analysis. Finally, as expected, we also detected genus-specific differences in glucocorticoid levels, as well as cortisol/corticosterone ratios.

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