scholarly journals Thinking outside the park: recommendations for camera trapping mammal communities in the urban matrix

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel J Herrera ◽  
Sophie M Moore ◽  
D T Tyler Flockhart ◽  
William J McShea ◽  
Michael V Cove
Keyword(s):  
Native Species ◽  
Sampling Methods ◽  
Strong Association ◽  
Urban Wildlife ◽  
Camera Trapping ◽  
Green Spaces ◽  
Urban Habitat ◽  
Occupancy Models ◽  
Mammal Species ◽  
Urban Matrix

Abstract Urbanization is increasing globally, fragmenting habitats and prompting human–wildlife conflict. Urban wildlife research is concurrently expanding, but sampling methods are often biased towards large and intact habitats in public green spaces, neglecting the far more abundant, but degraded, habitats in the urban matrix. Here, we introduce the Five P’s of Urban Ecology—Partnerships, Planning, Placements, Public participation and Processing—as a path to overcoming the logistical barriers often associated with camera-trapping in the urban matrix. Though the Five P’s can be applied to a variety of urban sampling methods, we showcase the camera-trapping efforts of the DC Cat Count project in Washington, DC, as a case study. We compared occupancy models for eight urban mammal species using broad categorizations of land cover and local land use to determine drivers of mammal occurrence within the urban matrix as compared with urban habitat patches. Many native species maintained a strong association with large, semi-natural green spaces, but occupancy was not limited to these locations, and in some cases, the use of private yards and the built environment were not notably different. Furthermore, some species exhibited higher occupancy probabilities in developed areas over green spaces. Though seemingly intuitive, we offer advice on how to greatly reduce habitat-biased sampling methods in urban wildlife research and illustrate the importance of doing so to ensure accurate results that support the formation of effective urban planning and policy.

scholarly journals Biodiversity conservation in cities: Defining habitat analogs for plant species of conservation interest

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
M Itani ◽  
M. Al Zein ◽  
N. Nasralla ◽  
S. N. Talhouk
Keyword(s):  
Plant Species ◽  
Species Interactions ◽  
Native Species ◽  
Life Form ◽  
Landscape Management ◽  
Life Forms ◽  
Habitat Diversity ◽  
Green Spaces ◽  
Urban Habitat ◽  
Stepwise Method

AbstractUrban plant habitats have become primary drivers of species interactions. They consist of managed vegetation and spontaneous assemblages of native, naturalized, ornamental garden escapes, and invasive species. Our objective was to define urban habitat analogs for a plant species of conservation interest, Matthiola crassifolia, which has persisted in varying abundance in the Mediterranean city of Beirut.We adopted a stepwise method that integrates two vegetation assessments, floristics, and physiognomy. We placed seventy-eight quadrats (1m x 1m) in 12 study sites following a deliberate biased method to capture habitat diversity. In every quadrat, we performed taxonomic identification and recorded life form of each species. We pooled species that shared the same life form into categories and estimated area cover for each of these life forms. We performed TWINSPAN analysis on floristic data to identify species positively associated with M. crassifolia, and on life forms, to determine plant assemblages that promote optimal M. crassifolia representation. We then combined findings from both analyses to generate a description of urban habitat analogs suitable for M. crassifolia.The results revealed that urban habitat analogs favorable to M. crassifolia include green spaces dominated by palms, low-lying succulents, or by shrubs with scale-like leaves. On the other hand, spaces dominated by turf grass, canopy trees, or vegetation that produces significant litter were not favorable to M. crassifolia’s persistence. Based on these findings, we generated a plant palette of native and non-native species to design urban habitat analogs favorable to the persistence of M. crassifolia.Synthesis and applicationsThe application of this method can inform planting designs that yield suitable habitats for plants of conservation interest. It can also guide landscape management plans that seek to create or modify green spaces to optimize growing conditions for species of conservation interest. Depending on sites, and based on the information generated by the stepwise method, designers and managers may decide to exclude life forms of native or non-native species that do not support the growth of a species of conservation interest, or they may create an artificial habitat that is conducive to its persistence.

Diversity of organisms

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philip James
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Native Species ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Urban Environments ◽  
Green Spaces ◽  
The Common ◽  
Living Organisms ◽  
Micro Organisms ◽  
Diversity Of Life

The focus of this chapter is an examination of the diversity of living organisms found within urban environments, both inside and outside buildings. The discussion commences with prions and viruses before moving on to consider micro-organisms, plants, and animals. Prions and viruses cause disease in plants and animals, including humans. Micro-organisms are ubiquitous and are found in great numbers throughout urban environments. New technologies are providing new insights into their diversity. Plants may be found inside buildings as well as in gardens and other green spaces. The final sections of the chapter offer a discussion of the diversity of animals that live in urban areas for part or all of their life cycle. Examples of the diversity of life in urban environments are presented throughout, including native and non-native species, those that are benign and deadly, and the common and the rare.

Powerline Easements: Do They Promote Edge Effects in Eucalypt Forest for Small Mammals?

1997 ◽  
Vol 24 (6) ◽  
pp. 737 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ross L. Goldingay ◽  
Robert J. Whelan
Keyword(s):  
Small Mammals ◽  
Edge Effects ◽  
Native Species ◽  
Vegetative Cover ◽  
Mammal Species ◽  
Terrestrial Mammals ◽  
Eucalypt Forest ◽  
Hair Sampling ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Antechinus Stuartii

The distribution and abundance of small terrestrial mammals were assessed in forest adjacent to powerline easements at three different sites in New South Wales. At each site, four transects of 300 m length extended into the forest from the edge of the easement. The abundances of two native species (Antechinus stuartii, Rattus fuscipes) did not differ significantly with distance from the easement but abundances differed markedly among sites. Mammals were captured in only one easement where dense vegetation was present. Feral carnivores, which may mediate edge effects on small mammals, were surveyed by using hair-sampling tubes. Cats and dogs were detected only 50–200 m inside the forest. Foxes were not detected by hair-tubes but were observed on two easements. These results suggest that powerline easements may not create edge effects in eucalypt forest for some native mammal species, although further studies are needed to determine the generality of this conclusion. We recommend that easement management should be more benign to native mammals, given the ubiquity of this form of habitat fragmentation. Promotion of dense vegetative cover and habitat linkages within easements could achieve this.

scholarly journals As paisagens coexistenciais interespecíficas, ou sobre humanos e não-humanos compartilhando espaços domésticos numa cidade amazônica

ILUMINURAS ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 17 (42) ◽  
Author(s):  
Flávio Leonel Abreu da Silveira
Keyword(s):  
Interspecific Interactions ◽  
Urban Wildlife ◽  
Green Spaces ◽  
Theoretical Discussion ◽  
Domestic Cats ◽  
Living Space ◽  
Green Area ◽  
Green Areas ◽  
The City

O artigo propõe uma discussão teórica acerca das paisagens coexistenciais interespecíficas na urbe, voltando-se especialmente à morada humana. Esta é percebida como o lugar da convivência entre humanos e não-humanos – também se considera o seu entorno, onde aparecem os quintais/pomares e os espaços verdes habitados pela fauna silvestre urbana. A coexistência interespecífica contribui para a diversidade na conformação das paisagens citadinas, sendo que as ambiências domésticas – a localidade do espaço habitado/lócus da experiência íntima – permitem a humanos e não-humanos o compartilhamento de uma vida juntos a partir de diferentes formas de interações simbólico-práticas. As áreas verdes revelam-se lugares de interações interespecíficas diversas na urbe, figurando enquanto espaços de contato. Para as reflexões que proponho realizar, parto de minha experiência de coabitação com gatos domésticos e de meu ofício de etnógrafo que pesquisa as relações entre humanos e não-humanos em uma área verde na cidade de Belém (PA) na Amazônia.Palavras-chave: Paisagens. Cidade. Habitat. Animais. Áreas verdes. Interespécies.The Coexistent and Interspecific Landscapes or About Humans and Nonhumans Sharing Domestics Places in an Amazonian City  AbstractThe paper proposes a theoretical discussion about the coexistent and interspecific landscapes at the urbis, regarding, specially, the human shelter. This is perceived as a place of coexistence between humans and nonhumans – its surroundings where there are yards/orchards and green spaces inhabited by urban wildlife is also considered. The interspecific coexistence contributes to the diversity in shaping cityscapes and the domestic ambiences - the location of the living space/locus of intimate experience - allow human and nonhuman sharing a life together, founded on different forms of symbolic and practical interactions. The green areas turn up in places of diverse and interspecific interactions at the urbis, constituting spaces of contact. Aiming at these reflections, I consider my own coexistence experience with domestic cats and my work as an ethnographer who studies the relationships between human and nonhumans in a green area in the city of Belém (PA) in Amazon.Key words: Landscapes. City. Habitat. Animals. Green areas. Interspecies.

The loss of native terrestrial small mammals in large urban reserves in the Australian Capital Territory

2010 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 36 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. J. Buckmaster ◽  
W. S. Osborne ◽  
N. Webb
Keyword(s):  
Species Composition ◽  
Exotic Species ◽  
Native Species ◽  
Indirect Detection ◽  
Urban Landscapes ◽  
Australian Capital Territory ◽  
Mammal Species ◽  
Detection Techniques ◽  
Australian Capital ◽  
Terrestrial Mammals

Urban development can alter species composition and diversity within an area through biotic homogenization, the introduction of exotic species, and localized extinctions of native species. In this study we examined the composition and diversity of small terrestrial mammals within nature reserves surrounded by urban landscapes and compared this with previous surveys of these reserves and nearby non-urban reserves with similar vegetative and geomorphological characteristics. A combination of live trapping and indirect detection techniques was employed in eight reserves in the Australian Capital Territory and surrounding New South Wales to determine current species composition. Compared with previous studies and the non-urban reserves, the urban reserves appear to have lost two-thirds of their native terrestrial small mammal species in the past 26 years. Exotic species were present in all urban reserves, but were only associated with areas characterized by human-induced disturbance in non-urban reserves. Possible causes of this disparity in native species diversity between urban and non-urban reserves are discussed.

Carnivore persistence in fragmented habitats in urban southern California

2003 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 144 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lourraine A. Tigas ◽  
Dirk H. Van Vuren ◽  
Raymond M. Sauvajot
Keyword(s):  
Native Species ◽  
Southern California ◽  
Didelphis Virginiana ◽  
Lynx Rufus ◽  
Urban Habitat ◽  
Secondary Importance ◽  
Carnivore Species ◽  
Close Proximity ◽  
Remote Camera ◽  
Total Species

We investigated the responses of carnivores to habitat fragmentation in urban southern California. We used scat, track, and remote camera surveys to determine presence and residence of carnivores on habitat fragments of various sizes (4.4-561.0 ha) and degrees of isolation (10-750 m). Fragment area explained a significant portion of the variation in all four measures of species richness (total species present, native species present, total species resident, and native species resident). Isolation was of secondary importance and was significant only for species presence. We suggest that fewer carnivore species at smaller or more isolated fragments resulted from foraging decisions based on lower food reward in smaller fragments and greater movement costs for more distant fragments. Carnivore species responded differentially to fragmentation. Bobcats Lynx rufus were fragmentation-sensitive and apparently required large fragments, thus they may be useful as focal species for conservation planning. In contrast, Coyotes Canis latrans were more fragmentation-tolerant and, along with smaller species such as Northern Raccoons Procyon lotor, Striped Skunks Mephitis mephitis, and Virginia Opossums Didelphis virginiana, can persist in smaller fragments. Our results suggest that most of the common carnivores can persist in fragmented urban habitat, provided that fragments are sufficiently large and in close proximity.

Evaluation of risks for two native mammal species from feral cat baiting in monsoonal tropical northern Australia

2018 ◽  
Vol 45 (6) ◽  
pp. 518 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jaime Heiniger ◽  
Skye F. Cameron ◽  
Graeme Gillespie
Keyword(s):  
Rhodamine B ◽  
Native Species ◽  
Field Trials ◽  
Camera Traps ◽  
Northern Australia ◽  
Target Species ◽  
Mammal Species ◽  
Feral Cat ◽  
Feral Cats ◽  
Dry Tropics

Context Feral cats are a significant threat to native wildlife and broad-scale control is required to reduce their impacts. Two toxic baits developed for feral cats, Curiosity® and Hisstory®, have been designed to reduce the risk of baiting to certain non-target species. These baits involve encapsulating the toxin within a hard-shelled delivery vehicle (HSDV) and placing it within a meat attractant. Native animals that chew their food more thoroughly are predicted to avoid poisoning by eating around the HSDV. This prediction has not been tested on wild native mammals in the monsoonal wet–dry tropics of the Northern Territory. Aim The aim of this research was to determine whether northern quolls (Dasyurus hallucatus) and northern brown bandicoots (Isoodon macrourus) would take feral cat baits and ingest the HSDV under natural conditions on Groote Eylandt. Methods We hand-deployed 120 non-toxic baits with a HSDV that contained a biomarker, Rhodamine B, which stains animal whiskers when ingested. The species responsible for bait removal was determined with camera traps, and HSDV ingestion was measured by evaluating Rhodamine B in whiskers removed from animals trapped after baiting. Key results During field trials, 95% of baits were removed within 5 days. Using camera-trap images, we identified the species responsible for taking baits on 65 occasions. All 65 confirmed takes were by native species, with northern quolls taking 42 baits and northern brown bandicoots taking 17. No quolls and only one bandicoot ingested the HSDV. Conclusion The use of the HSDV reduces the potential for quolls and bandicoots to ingest a toxin when they consume feral cat baits. However, high bait uptake by non-target species may reduce the efficacy of cat baiting in some areas. Implications The present study highlighted that in the monsoonal wet–dry tropics, encapsulated baits are likely to minimise poisoning risk to certain native species that would otherwise eat meat baits. However, further research may be required to evaluate risks to other non-target species. Given the threat to biodiversity from feral cats, we see it as critical to continue testing Hisstory® and Curiosity® in live-baiting trials in northern Australia.

Wildlife road-kills on three major roads in north-eastern New South Wales

2004 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 83 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brendan D. Taylor ◽  
Ross L. Goldingay
Keyword(s):  
Native Species ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Local Population ◽  
Brushtail Possum ◽  
Road Mortality ◽  
Mammal Species ◽  
Road Kill ◽  
South Wales ◽  
North Eastern ◽  
Survey Technique

Although vehicle-induced mortality of wildlife is well known on roads throughout Australia, few empirical studies describe the extent of this mortality or assess the potential effects on wildlife populations. We recorded 529 roadkills of 53 vertebrate species along a 100-km circuit of three major roads during 20 weekly surveys across winter, spring and summer. This equates to 0.3 road-kills km–1 week–1 or one road-kill every 3.8 km week–1. The most frequently killed native species were the northern brown bandicoot (4 per week), the mountain brushtail possum (2 per week) and the Australian magpie (2 per week). These values are underestimates because our survey technique could not detect all road-kills and ~40% of those left on the roadside disappeared within 7�days. Detailed study of the local population of the brown bandicoot is needed to determine whether such a level of road mortality is sustainable.A logistic regression analysis was used to determine whether any of 10 road and landscape attributes were closely associated with the presence of specific groups of road-kills. Bandicoots were not associated with any measured attributes. Possums were more likely to occur along roads on mid-slopes and ridge-tops. Magpies were associated with roads on ridge-tops. Canopy-dwelling birds were more likely to be killed on 3-lane roads surrounded by dense vegetation.Road-kill surveys such as this are needed to identify species for which road mortality is unsustainable, to determine the influence on threatened species, and to identify important crossing points where road-kills are high. The frequency of road-kill of many ground-dwelling or arboreal mammal species in this study highlights the importance of impact mitigation by road authorities.

Mammal diversity and metacommunity dynamics in urban green spaces: implications for urban wildlife conservation

2017 ◽  
Vol 27 (8) ◽  
pp. 2330-2341 ◽  
Author(s):  
Travis Gallo ◽  
Mason Fidino ◽  
Elizabeth W. Lehrer ◽  
Seth B. Magle
Keyword(s):  
Wildlife Conservation ◽  
Urban Wildlife ◽  
Green Spaces ◽  
Urban Green ◽  
Urban Green Spaces ◽  
Metacommunity Dynamics ◽  
Mammal Diversity

The effectiveness and cost of camera traps for surveying small reptiles and critical weight range mammals: a comparison with labour-intensive complementary methods

2015 ◽  
Vol 42 (5) ◽  
pp. 414 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dustin J. Welbourne ◽  
Christopher MacGregor ◽  
David Paull ◽  
David B. Lindenmayer
Keyword(s):  
Monitoring Program ◽  
Camera Traps ◽  
Camera Trapping ◽  
Mammal Species ◽  
Critical Weight ◽  
Complementary Methods ◽  
Incidence Data ◽  
Trapping Method ◽  
The Difference

Context Biodiversity studies often require wildlife researchers to survey multiple species across taxonomic classes. To detect terrestrial squamate and mammal species, often multiple labour-intensive survey techniques are required. Camera traps appear to be more effective and cost-efficient than labour-intensive methods for detecting some mammal species. Recent developments have seen camera traps used for detecting terrestrial squamates. However, the performance of camera traps to survey terrestrial squamate and mammal species simultaneously has not been evaluated. Aim We compared the effectiveness and financial cost of a camera trapping method capable of detecting small squamates and mammals with a set of labour-intensive complementary methods, which have been used in a long-term monitoring program. Methods We compared two survey protocols: one employed labour-intensive complementary methods consisting of cage traps, Elliott traps and artificial refuges; the second utilised camera traps. Comparisons were made of the total number of species detected, species detectability, and cost of executing each type of survey. Key results Camera traps detected significantly more target species per transect than the complementary methods used. Although camera traps detected more species of reptile per transect, the difference was not significant. For the initial survey, camera traps were more expensive than the complementary methods employed, but for realistic cost scenarios camera traps were less expensive in the long term. Conclusions Camera traps are more effective and less expensive than the complementary methods used for acquiring incidence data on terrestrial squamate and mammal species. Implications The camera trapping method presented does not require customised equipment; thus, wildlife managers can use existing camera trapping equipment to detect cryptic mammal and squamate species simultaneously.

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