Influence of land development on home range use dynamics of female elk

2011 ◽  
Vol 38 (2) ◽  
pp. 163 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. L. Webb ◽  
M. R. Dzialak ◽  
S. M. Harju ◽  
L. D. Hayden-Wing ◽  
J. B. Winstead
Keyword(s):  
Cervus Elaphus ◽  
Site Fidelity ◽  
Forest Cover ◽  
Land Development ◽  
Home Ranges ◽  
Gps Collars ◽  
Range Use ◽  
Adaptive Kernel ◽  
Core Areas ◽  
One Year

Context Many ungulate species exhibit strong site fidelity to previously established areas, particularly females. However, development of the landscape may cause animals to shift their distribution to more secure areas. Aims To determine range use dynamics (i.e. size and overlap of core areas and home ranges) of female elk (Cervus elaphus) relative to land development features (e.g. roads, well pads, buildings, developments, towns, etc.) after controlling for environmental features (i.e. forest cover). Methods During the four-year study, we fitted elk (n = 165) with GPS collars annually and programmed collars to attempt one location fix every 3 h (eight locations per day) for one year. Females (n = 18) were subsequently recaptured and refitted with GPS collars to provide range use dynamics of individual elk over two to three years. We calculated sizes of core areas and home ranges using adaptive kernel estimators, overlap between annual ranges, and establishment of ranges relative to land development. Key results Overlap of annual core areas (48.6%) and home ranges (67.9%) was high despite annual increases in land development. Sizes of core areas and home ranges and annual overlap (i.e. site fidelity) were negatively influenced by land development after controlling for forest cover. Conclusions These data reveal that female elk show high levels of site fidelity even in the presence of increasing annual land development. Females did not appear to abandon previously established areas, but used ranges in a manner that minimised interaction with development within these areas based on reductions in range use size and fidelity as land development increased. Implications To help mitigate impacts on elk, land development should be minimised and large areas of forest protected so elk can avoid areas associated with human activity.

Comparative range use by three Atlantic Forest understorey bird species in relation to forest fragmentation

2008 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 291-299 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miriam M. Hansbauer ◽  
Ilse Storch ◽  
Rafael G. Pimentel ◽  
Jean Paul Metzger
Keyword(s):  
Forest Fragmentation ◽  
Site Fidelity ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Home Ranges ◽  
Sensitive Species ◽  
Forest Patches ◽  
Range Use ◽  
Use Patterns ◽  
Eastern Brazil ◽  
Pyriglena Leucoptera

Abstract:In this paper, we report on range use patterns of birds in relation to tropical forest fragmentation. Between 2003 and 2005, three understorey passerine species were radio-tracked in five locations of a fragmented and in two locations of a contiguous forest landscape on the Atlantic Plateau of São Paulo in south-eastern Brazil. Standardized ten-day home ranges of 55 individuals were used to determine influences of landscape pattern, season, species, sex and age. In addition, total observed home ranges of 76 individuals were reported as minimum measures of spatial requirements of the species. Further, seasonal home ranges of recaptured individuals were compared to examine site fidelity.Chiroxiphia caudata, but notPyriglena leucopteraorSclerurus scansor, used home ranges more than twice as large in the fragmented versus contiguous forest. Home range sizes ofC. caudatadiffered in relation to sex, age, breeding status and season. Seasonal home ranges greatly overlapped in bothC. caudataand inS. scansor. Our results suggest that one response by some forest bird species to habitat fragmentation entails enlarging their home ranges to include several habitat fragments, whereas more habitat-sensitive species remain restricted to larger forest patches.

scholarly journals Post-fire movements of Pacific marten (Martes caurina) depend on the severity of landscape change

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Logan A. Volkmann ◽  
Karen E. Hodges
Keyword(s):  
Landscape Change ◽  
Forest Cover ◽  
Burn Severity ◽  
Home Ranges ◽  
Directed Movement ◽  
Salvage Logging ◽  
Gps Collars ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Massive Scale ◽  
Forested Landscapes

Abstract Background Wildfires and forestry activities such as post-fire salvage logging are altering North American forests on a massive scale. Habitat change and fragmentation on forested landscapes may threaten forest specialists, such as Pacific marten (Martes caurina), that require closed, connected, and highly structured habitats. Although marten use burned landscapes, it is unclear how these animals respond to differing burn severities, or how well they tolerate additional landscape change from salvage logging. Methods We used snow tracking and GPS collars to examine marten movements in three large burns in north-central Washington, USA (burned in 2006) and central British Columbia, Canada (burned in 2010 and 2017). We also assessed marten habitat use in relation to areas salvage-logged in the 2010 burn. We evaluated marten path characteristics in relation to post-fire habitat quality, including shifts in behaviour when crossing severely-disturbed habitats. Using GPS locations, we investigated marten home range characteristics and habitat selection in relation to forest cover, burn severity, and salvage logging. Results Marten in the 2006 burn shifted from random to directed movement in areas burned at high severity; in BC, they chose highly straight paths when crossing salvage-blocks and meadows. Collared marten structured their home ranges around forest cover and burn severity, avoiding sparsely-covered habitats and selecting areas burned at low severity. Marten selected areas farther from roads in both Washington and BC, selected areas closer to water in the 2006 burn, and strongly avoided salvage-logged areas of the 2010 burn. Marten home ranges overlapped extensively, including two males tracked concurrently in the 2010 burn. Conclusions Areas burned at low severity provide critical habitat for marten post-fire. Encouragingly, our results indicate that both male and female marten can maintain home ranges in large burns and use a wide range of post-fire conditions. However, salvage-logged areas are not suitable for marten and may represent significant barriers to foraging and dispersal.

The fine structure of home ranges of male Chelydra serpentina: are snapping turtles territorial?

1987 ◽  
Vol 65 (11) ◽  
pp. 2623-2629 ◽  
Author(s):  
David A. Galbraith ◽  
Mark W. Chandler ◽  
Ronald J. Brooks
Keyword(s):  
Home Ranges ◽  
Chelydra Serpentina ◽  
Intraspecific Aggression ◽  
Aggressive Interactions ◽  
Lake Algonquin ◽  
Snapping Turtles ◽  
Intensive Use ◽  
Core Areas ◽  
One Year ◽  
Average Size

Four male snapping turtles (Chelydra serpentina) were located by radiotelemetry during the summers of 1985 and 1986 in 5.5-ha Broadwing Lake, Algonquin Park, Ontario. We measured sizes and overlaps of home ranges and core areas. Average size of home range did not differ greatly between years, and location of individual home ranges remained stable from one year to the next in two of three turtles studied both years. Within individual home ranges, the distribution of locations of most turtles was aggregated, but was not significantly different from Poisson distributions. Home ranges overlapped, but the proportion of areas used intensively by individuals was not different in overlapping and nonoverlapping areas, indicating that the areas of intensive use were not exclusive. However, the turtles spaced themselves farther apart than expected from the geometry of the home ranges, possibly the result of intraspecific aggression. If territory is defined as a fixed, exclusive, defended area, then male snapping turtles are not territorial during the summer, but occupy relatively stable home ranges which overlap, and whose spacing may in part be determined by aggressive interactions.

Koalas continue to occupy their previous home-ranges after selective logging in Callitris - Eucalyptus forest

2007 ◽  
Vol 34 (2) ◽  
pp. 94 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rodney P. Kavanagh ◽  
Matthew A. Stanton ◽  
Traecey E. Brassil
Keyword(s):  
Home Range ◽  
Basal Area ◽  
Selective Logging ◽  
Home Ranges ◽  
Phascolarctos Cinereus ◽  
Eucalyptus Forest ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Callitris Glaucophylla ◽  
One Year ◽  
Cypress Pine

The koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) is a charismatic, high-profile species whose conservation needs are commonly perceived to be incompatible with logging. However, koala biology and the results of chronosequence studies elsewhere suggest that this species may tolerate a degree of habitat alteration caused by logging. In this study, 30 koalas, five in each of six areas available for logging within a mixed white cypress pine (Callitris glaucophylla)–Eucalyptus forest in north-western New South Wales, were radio-tracked for one year during 1997–1998 to determine their movements, home-range sizes and tree preferences. Five months after the study began, three of these areas were logged selectively for sawlogs and thinnings of the white cypress pine, a tree that is important to koalas for daytime shelter. This removed about one-quarter of the stand basal area, but the eucalypt component was unaffected. The remaining three areas were left undisturbed as controls. Radio-tracking continued in all six areas for another seven months. Koalas continued to occupy all or part of their previous home-ranges after selective logging, and home-range sizes remained similar between logged and unlogged areas. Home-ranges for both sexes overlapped and were ~12 ha for males and 9 ha for females. Koala survival and the proportions of breeding females were similar in logged and unlogged areas. The principal food trees of the koala were red gums, mainly Eucalyptus blakelyi and E. chloroclada, and the pilliga box (E. pilligaensis), none of which were logged in this study. These results suggest that selective logging for white cypress pine does not appear to adversely affect koala populations and that koalas may not be as sensitive to logging as previously thought. Further work is required to determine thresholds in the level of retention of koala food trees in logging operations.

The ecology of an Australian reptile icon: how do blue-tongued lizards (Tiliqua scincoides) survive in suburbia?

2001 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 214 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer Koenig ◽  
Richard Shine ◽  
Glenn Shea
Keyword(s):  
Ecological Factors ◽  
Home Ranges ◽  
Minimal Risk ◽  
Body Temperatures ◽  
Avoided Crossing ◽  
In Captivity ◽  
Radio Transmitters ◽  
Core Areas ◽  
Study Sites ◽  
Gravid Females

Although most species of large reptiles in the Sydney region are now restricted to remnant bushland, the blue-tongued lizard (Tiliqua scincoides) remains abundant. How has this large, slow-moving reptile managed to persist in the suburbs? We implanted radio-transmitters into 17 adult blue-tongued lizards and tracked them for six months (October 1998 to March 1999). Radio-tracked animals utilised 5–17 suburban backyards, but each lizard spent most of its time in a few ‘core’ areas near 2–7 shelter sites. Males had larger home ranges than females (mean of 12700 v. 5100 m 2 ) and moved further between shelter sites. Gravid females (mean home range 1000 m 2 ) were more sedentary. Lizards used corridors of dense vegetation to move between retreat sites, and actively avoided crossing roads. In sunny weather, lizards typically basked close to their overnight shelter for 1–4 h each morning until they obtained body temperatures of approximately 32°C. They maintained high body temperatures while moving about in the afternoon. In combination, the following ecological factors may facilitate persistence of blue-tongued lizards at our suburban study sites. (i) The most important subgroup of the population in terms of conservation are gravid females, which are highly sedentary and, thus, less likely to encounter the dangers of suburbia. (ii) The more ‘expendable’ males move about much more, but mostly in times and places that involve minimal risk from humans and their domestic pets. (iii) Lizards show strong site fidelity, spending up to 70% of their time in ‘safe’ locations; importantly, they avoid roads. (iv) Blue-tongued lizards readily utilise ‘artificial’ shelter sites and the commensal prey species (e.g. snails) found in most gardens. (v) These lizards can grow rapidly, mature early, and produce large litters. Because blue-tongued lizards have a long life span (over 30 years in captivity), populations of adults may persist for many years in the absence of recruitment.

Vigilance and foraging patterns of American elk during the rut in habitats with and without predators

2003 ◽  
Vol 81 (2) ◽  
pp. 266-271 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jerry O Wolff ◽  
Toni Van Horn
Keyword(s):  
Cervus Elaphus ◽  
National Park ◽  
Forest Cover ◽  
Hot Springs ◽  
Rocky Mountain ◽  
Predation Pressure ◽  
Risk Avoidance ◽  
Foraging Patterns ◽  
Survival And Reproduction ◽  
Free Environment

Animal behavior is often optimized as a trade-off between survival and reproduction. During the breeding season, mammals tend to maximize their reproductive effort within the constraints of predation pressure. When predation pressure is reduced, greater effort can be allocated to reproductive behavior and less to vigilance and predator avoidance. The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that elk, Cervus elaphus, in Yellowstone National Park (YNP), with predators, would spend more time in vigilance and risk-avoidance behavior than would elk in Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP), a predator-free environment. We further predicted that elk at Mammoth Hot Springs (MAM) in YNP would behave similarly to those at RMNP because predators were absent in that area of the park. Cow elk in YNP spent more time in vigilance and less in foraging during activity periods than did cows in RMNP or MAM. Also, elk in YNP retreated to forest cover during the midday inactive period, whereas elk in RMNP and MAM remained in open habitat. Vigilance was not correlated with group size at either site. Cows with calves spent more time in vigilance and less in foraging than did cows without calves in RMNP and YNP. Bull elk spent most of their time in courtship at all sites, but foraged more at RMNP than in YNP or MAM. Mean harem sizes were similar among the three sites: 17.0 in RMNP, 15.7 in YNP, and 19.0 in MAM. The proportion of cows with calves was significantly lower in the area with predators, YNP (0.10), than in the predator-free areas (0.24 in RMNP and 0.37 in MAM), probably because of greater calf mortality in YNP. Elk in YNP behaved in accordance with a predation risk, whereas those in RMNP and MAM showed less vigilance behavior.

scholarly journals Site fidelity and localised homing behaviour in three-spined sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus)

Behaviour ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 150 (14) ◽  
pp. 1689-1708 ◽  
Author(s):  
A.J.W. Ward ◽  
R. James ◽  
A.D.M. Wilson ◽  
M.M. Webster
Keyword(s):  
Social Facilitation ◽  
Site Fidelity ◽  
Gasterosteus Aculeatus ◽  
Home Ranges ◽  
Small Fish ◽  
Behavioural Ecology ◽  
Model Species ◽  
Homing Behaviour ◽  
Capture Site

The ability of animals to disperse towards their original home range following displacement has been demonstrated in a number of species. However, little is known about the homing ability of three-spine sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus), an important model species in behavioural ecology. In addition, few studies have examined the role of social facilitation in relation to homing behaviour in fishes. We examined homing behaviour of sticklebacks displaced over distances of between 80 m and 160 m in land-drains with directional water flow. Fish were translocated from their original capture site, tagged and then released either in groups or solitarily. We performed recapture transects either one or two days later. Data provided by recaptured sticklebacks show that the fish dispersed in the direction of their original capture site. Although fish translocated downstream typically moved further than those translocated upstream, both dispersed towards their original capture site. There was no difference between fish released solitarily or in groups in their homing ability and indeed there was little evidence that fish translocated in groups remained together following their release. The homing ability of the fish was demonstrated by the finding that up to 80% of fish returned to their home ranges within two days of release over a distance equivalent to approximately 5000 body lengths of these small fish.

scholarly journals Deer movement and resource selection during Hurricane Irma: implications for extreme climatic events and wildlife

2019 ◽  
Vol 286 (1916) ◽  
pp. 20192230 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. N. Abernathy ◽  
D. A. Crawford ◽  
E. P. Garrison ◽  
R. B. Chandler ◽  
M. L. Conner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Resource Selection ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Field Studies ◽  
Mitigation Strategies ◽  
Home Ranges ◽  
Gps Collars ◽  
Behavioural Responses ◽  
Extreme Climatic Events ◽  
Demographic Effect ◽  
Hurricane Irma

Extreme climatic events (ECEs) are increasing in frequency and intensity and this necessitates understanding their influence on organisms. Animal behaviour may mitigate the effects of ECEs, but field studies are rare because ECEs are infrequent and unpredictable. Hurricane Irma made landfall in southwestern Florida where we were monitoring white-tailed deer ( Odocoileus virginianus seminolus ) with GPS collars. We report on an opportunistic case study of behavioural responses exhibited by a large mammal during an ECE, mitigation strategies for reducing the severity of the ECE effects, and the demographic effect of the ECE based on known-fate of individual animals. Deer altered resource selection by selecting higher elevation pine and hardwood forests and avoiding marshes. Most deer left their home ranges during Hurricane Irma, and the probability of leaving was inversely related to home range area. Movement rates increased the day of the storm, and no mortality was attributed to Hurricane Irma. We suggest deer mobility and refuge habitat allowed deer to behaviourally mitigate the negative effects of the storm, and ultimately, aid in survival. Our work contributes to the small but growing body of literature linking behavioural responses exhibited during ECEs to survival, which cumulatively will provide insight for predictions of a species resilience to ECEs and improve our understanding of how behavioural traits offset the negative impacts of global climate change.

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