scholarly journals Scale and Landscape Features Matter for Understanding Waterbird Habitat Selection

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (21) ◽  
pp. 4397
Author(s):  
Jinya Li ◽  
Yang Zhang ◽  
Lina Zhao ◽  
Wanquan Deng ◽  
Fawen Qian ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Selection ◽  
Landscape Composition ◽  
Selection Model ◽  
Landscape Configuration ◽  
Tracking Data ◽  
Search Range ◽  
Landscape Features ◽  
Daily Movement ◽  
Habitat Features ◽  
The Impact

Clarifying species-environment relationships is crucial for the development of efficient conservation and restoration strategies. However, this work is often complicated by a lack of detailed information on species distribution and habitat features and tends to ignore the impact of scale and landscape features. Here, we tracked 11 Oriental White Storks (Ciconia boyciana) with GPS loggers during their wintering period at Poyang Lake and divided the tracking data into two parts (foraging and roosting states) according to the distribution of activity over the course of a day. Then, a three-step multiscale and multistate approach was employed to model habitat selection characteristics: (1) first, we minimized the search range of the scale for these two states based on daily movement characteristics; (2) second, we identified the optimized scale of each candidate variable; and (3) third, we fit a multiscale, multivariable habitat selection model in relation to natural features, human disturbance and especially landscape composition and configuration. Our findings reveal that habitat selection of the storks varied with spatial scale and that these scaling relationships were not consistent across different habitat requirements (foraging or roosting) and environmental features. Landscape configuration was a more powerful predictor for storks’ foraging habitat selection, while roosting was more sensitive to landscape composition. Incorporating high-precision spatiotemporal satellite tracking data and landscape features derived from satellite images from the same periods into a multiscale habitat selection model can greatly improve the understanding of species-environmental relationships and guide efficient recovery planning and legislation.

scholarly journals Analysis of local habitat selection and large-scale attraction/avoidance based on animal tracking data: is there a single best method?

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Moritz Mercker ◽  
Philipp Schwemmer ◽  
Verena Peschko ◽  
Leonie Enners ◽  
Stefan Garthe
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Selection ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Error Rates ◽  
Process Models ◽  
Statistical Hypothesis ◽  
Type I ◽  
Tracking Data ◽  
Selection Models ◽  
Animal Tracking ◽  
Step Selection

Abstract Background New wildlife telemetry and tracking technologies have become available in the last decade, leading to a large increase in the volume and resolution of animal tracking data. These technical developments have been accompanied by various statistical tools aimed at analysing the data obtained by these methods. Methods We used simulated habitat and tracking data to compare some of the different statistical methods frequently used to infer local resource selection and large-scale attraction/avoidance from tracking data. Notably, we compared spatial logistic regression models (SLRMs), spatio-temporal point process models (ST-PPMs), step selection models (SSMs), and integrated step selection models (iSSMs) and their interplay with habitat and animal movement properties in terms of statistical hypothesis testing. Results We demonstrated that only iSSMs and ST-PPMs showed nominal type I error rates in all studied cases, whereas SSMs may slightly and SLRMs may frequently and strongly exceed these levels. iSSMs appeared to have on average a more robust and higher statistical power than ST-PPMs. Conclusions Based on our results, we recommend the use of iSSMs to infer habitat selection or large-scale attraction/avoidance from animal tracking data. Further advantages over other approaches include short computation times, predictive capacity, and the possibility of deriving mechanistic movement models.

scholarly journals Changes in Landscape Structure in the Municipalities of the Nitra District (Slovak Republic) Due to Expanding Suburbanization

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 1205
Author(s):  
Zuzana Pucherová ◽  
Regina Mišovičová ◽  
Gabriel Bugár ◽  
Henrich Grežo
Keyword(s):  
Landscape Structure ◽  
Slovak Republic ◽  
Satellite Image ◽  
Analytical Data ◽  
European Space Agency ◽  
Rural Landscape ◽  
Landscape Features ◽  
Main Research ◽  
Spatial Changes ◽  
The Impact

Suburbanization, as a set of several factors, influences and changes the landscape structure of smaller municipalities in the hinterland of larger cities. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the built-up areas related to suburbanization within three time horizons—in 2002, 2005, and 2020—in 62 municipalities of the district (including two cities, Nitra and Vráble). This study examines the process of spatial changes in landscape features (residential, industrial, agricultural, transport) related to suburbanization between 2002 and 2005 and between 2002 and 2020. The input analytical data were digital orthophotomaps from 2002 and 2005 and the current orthophotomosaics of the Slovak Republic from 2017 (GKÚ, Bratislava), updated for the year 2020 using Sentinel 2 satellite image data (European Space Agency). The impact of suburbanization processes between 2002 and 2005 did not reach the dimensions of the changes that occurred due to suburbanization processes between 2002 and 2020 or 2005 and 2020. The main research objective of the article is the identification and assessment of these changes. We determined which landscape features related to suburbanization affected spatial changes in municipalities of the district Nitra. The total area affected by one of the suburbanization processes monitored by us reached 92.52 ha in the period between 2002 and 2005. Between the years 2002 and 2020, the area reached a total of 2272.82 ha, which is an increase of 2180.30 ha in 2020 compared to 2002. This included mainly the expansion of settlements or housing (60.15%), industrial areas (29.31%), transport facilities (4.35%), agricultural areas (0.73%), and other areas (5.46%). These results show expanding suburbanization for the period from 2002 to 2020 and that this process has been gaining momentum in the municipalities of the Nitra district, especially in recent years, which changes the look of rural municipalities and the character of a typical rural landscape.

scholarly journals Is the impact of eutrophication on phytoplankton diversity dependent on lake volume/ecosystem size?

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Didier L. Baho ◽  
Stina Drakare ◽  
Richard K. Johnson ◽  
Craig R. Allen ◽  
David G. Angeler
Keyword(s):  
Species Diversity ◽  
Growing Season ◽  
Phytoplankton Diversity ◽  
Habitat Features ◽  
Anthropogenic Stressors ◽  
Lake Volume ◽  
Ecosystem Size ◽  
Phytoplankton Communities ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Local Habitat

<p>Research focusing on biodiversity responses to the interactions of ecosystem size and anthropogenic stressors are based mainly on correlative gradient studies, and may therefore confound size-stress relationships due to spatial context and differences in local habitat features across ecosystems. We investigated how local factors related to anthropogenic stressors (<em>e.g.,</em> eutrophication) interact with ecosystem size to influence species diversity. In this study, constructed lake mesocosms (with two contrasting volumes: 1020 (shallow mesocosms) and 2150 (deep mesocosms) litres) were used to simulate ecosystems of different size and manipulated nutrient levels to simulate mesotrophic and hypertrophic conditions. Using a factorial design, we assessed how the interaction between ecosystem size and nutrients influences phytoplankton diversity. We assessed community metrics (richness, diversity, evenness and total biovolumes) and multivariate community structure over a growing season (May to early November 2011). Different community structures were found between deep and shallow mescosoms with nutrient enrichment: Cyanobacteria dominated in the deep and Charophyta in the shallow mesocosms. In contrast, phytoplankton communities were more similar to each other in the low nutrient treatments; only Chlorophyta had generally a higher biovolume in the shallow compared to the deep mesocosms. These results suggest that ecosystem size is not only a determinant of species diversity, but that it can mediate the influence of anthropogenic effects on biodiversity. Such interactions increase the uncertainty of global change outcomes, and should therefore not be ignored in risk/impact assessment and management.</p>

Landscape composition is more important than landscape configuration for phyllostomid bat assemblages in a fragmented biodiversity hotspot

2016 ◽  
Vol 198 ◽  
pp. 84-92 ◽  
Author(s):  
Víctor Arroyo-Rodríguez ◽  
Carolina Rojas ◽  
Romeo A. Saldaña-Vázquez ◽  
Kathryn E. Stoner
Keyword(s):  
Landscape Composition ◽  
Biodiversity Hotspot ◽  
Landscape Configuration

scholarly journals Morphological features of Hylotelephium triphillum (Haw.) Holub (Crassulaceae DC.) under different light conditions when introduced into the steppe zone

2016 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 47-51
Author(s):  
Lidiya Vasilyevna Privalko
Keyword(s):  
Fruit Set ◽  
Steppe Zone ◽  
Botanical Garden ◽  
Light Conditions ◽  
Biometric Data ◽  
Habitat Features ◽  
Lighting Conditions ◽  
Air Temperatures ◽  
Natural Flora ◽  
The Impact

In recent decades floral devices in a natural style has been becoming more common in gardening. In this connection there was a need for the introduction and study of the natural flora of plants in order to attract them to simulate the decorative and resistant plants. The article presents the results of studies of the effect of different light conditions on the habitat features and decorative biomorphological Hylotelephium triphyllum (Haw.) Holub (Crassulaceae DC.) when introduced in SE Donetsk Botanical Garden. This species is found naturally in the flora of Donbass, a decorative, but, according to the results of our analysis, is rarely used in green construction. Bioecological certification of this type has been done. It has been determined that the impact of site lighting conditions on the growth and development of H. triphyllum expressed in significantly smaller numbers of vegetative and generative shoots in the shaded areas. However, since the diameter of the plants does not change, more thickened planting in these areas is not recommended. The author found the dependence of the variation of the biometric data on the lighting conditions. In the study of seasonal dynamics of H. triphyllum the author revealed that the development of above-ground organs of his passes with a positive amount of average daily air temperatures. The growing season lasts an average of 225 days. Start of spring regrowth is observed in the second half of March - early April, flowering - in August - September, fruits - in September - October. Vegetation stops when temperature goes below zero. Illumination of this type of habitat affect the time of vegetation beginning, budding, flowering, fruit set and fruit-bearing. On the shaded areas due to the later start of budding and flowering the most decorative period of H. triphyllum is shorter by an average of 10 days. This type is recommended for creation of group planting, stony hills, dry streams, rock gardens, rockeries, mixborders, curbs, ornamental compositions in the coastal zone of ornamental ponds and fountains in the steppe zone in areas with different light conditions, taking into account the above factors.

scholarly journals Habitat selection when killing primary versus alternative prey species supports prey specialization in an apex predator

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
B Cristescu ◽  
S Bose ◽  
LM Elbroch ◽  
ML Allen ◽  
Heiko Wittmer
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Selection ◽  
Prey Species ◽  
Puma Concolor ◽  
Apparent Competition ◽  
Selection Function ◽  
Alternative Prey ◽  
Odocoileus Hemionus Columbianus ◽  
Ecological Processes ◽  
Habitat Features ◽  
Selection Of

© 2019 The Zoological Society of London Many predators specialize on one or several prey species that they select from the range of potential prey. Predator specialization on primary versus alternative prey is driven in part by encounter rates with prey and a predator’s habitat selection. Although habitat selection changes with behavioural state, this has not been well-recognized in the resource selection function (RSF) literature to date, often because auxiliary data on the predator’s behavioural states (e.g. hunting) are absent. We monitored habitat selection of pumas Puma concolor in a multi-prey system in northern California, where pumas specialized on black-tailed deer Odocoileus hemionus columbianus. We employed multiple RSF analyses on different datasets to test the following three hypotheses: (1) Pumas utilize habitats in proportion to their availability; (2) Pumas select specific habitat features when killing black-tailed deer, their primary prey; (3) Pumas do not select distinct habitats from those identified under hypothesis 1 when killing alternative prey. We found that pumas in our study selected for specific habitats and habitat features in general, but that their selection was more pronounced when killing black-tailed deer. In summer, kill sites of deer were associated with rugged terrain, but gentle slopes and northerly aspects. In winter, pumas killed deer at low elevations, on gentle slopes and on northerly and westerly aspects. Overall, evidence suggested that pumas tracked their primary prey across seasonal migrations, which were short in distance but resulted in pronounced changes in elevation. When killing alternative prey, pumas showed little evidence of habitat selection, suggesting they may kill alternative prey opportunistically. Our results hold implications for how data should be partitioned when modelling baseline habitat selection of predators, hunting habitat selection and predation risk for prey species, as well as for how we model ecological processes such as apparent competition.

scholarly journals Are Photographs Worth More Than a Thousand Words? Examining the Effects of Photographic–Textual and Textual-Only Frames on Public Attitude Toward Nuclear Energy and Nanotechnology

2018 ◽  
Vol 95 (4) ◽  
pp. 948-970 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edmund W. J. Lee ◽  
Shirley S. Ho
Keyword(s):  
Risk Perception ◽  
Visual Attention ◽  
Eye Tracking ◽  
Nuclear Energy ◽  
Public Support ◽  
Public Attitude ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Tracking Data ◽  
Subject Design ◽  
The Impact

This study examines the impact of photographic–textual and risk–benefit frames on the level of visual attention, risk perception, and public support for nuclear energy and nanotechnology in Singapore. Using a 2 (photographic–textual vs. textual-only frames) × 2 (risk vs. benefit frames) × 2 (nuclear energy vs. nanotechnology) between-subject design with eye-tracking data, the results showed that photographic–textual frames elicited more attention and did have partial amplification effect. However, this was observable only in the context of nuclear energy, where public support was lowest when participants were exposed to risk frames accompanied by photographs. Implications for theory and practice were discussed.

scholarly journals Storyways: Visualising Saintly Impact in a North Atlantic Maritime Landscape

2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 235-262 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Jane Gibbon ◽  
James Moore
Keyword(s):  
North Atlantic ◽  
Methodological Approach ◽  
Landscape Features ◽  
International Recognition ◽  
Source Study ◽  
The Impact ◽  
First Time

AbstractThis paper presents a new methodological approach and theorising framework which visualises intangible landscapes. The Cult of Saint Magnus of Orkney (martyred c.AD1117 and canonised c.1135) is presented as a case study to demonstrate how spatial and temporal veneration can be explored in the landscape. The transferability of this methodology extends to any multi-source study where memories link to landscape features (past or present). St Magnus dedications, altars and church furnishings in Scandinavia and Britain demonstrate his international recognition, but aside from three Magnus dedicated churches, little is known of his veneration within Orkney. By using GIS to map archaeological, onomastic, folkloric, historic and hagiographic evidence of veneration we have visualised the impact of the Cult of Magnus since martyrdom to recent times for the first time. Furthermore, by visually differentiating between sources, we’ve distinguished the variability and variety of evidence, thus identifying concentrated pockets of veneration through time. Additionally, by linking evidence locations, we have identified ‘remembered’ routeways – storyways. In doing so, we have mapped the impact of Magnus as a saint, his value to particular communities and his continuing influence.

scholarly journals Hot routes in urban forests: The impact of multiple landscape features on recreational use intensity

2020 ◽  
Vol 203 ◽  
pp. 103888
Author(s):  
Tina Gerstenberg ◽  
Christoph F. Baumeister ◽  
Ulrich Schraml ◽  
Tobias Plieninger
Keyword(s):  
Urban Forests ◽  
Landscape Features ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Recreational Use
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