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Simo FT, Difouo GF, Kekeunou S, Ichu IG, Olson D, Deere NJ, Ingram DJ. Adapting camera-trap placement based on animal behavior for rapid detection: A focus on the Endangered, white-bellied pangolin ( Phataginus tricuspis). Ecol Evol 2023; 13:ECE310064. [PMID: 37181204 PMCID: PMC10172612 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2022] [Revised: 04/15/2023] [Accepted: 04/20/2023] [Indexed: 05/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Pangolin species are notoriously difficult to detect and monitor in the wild and, as a result, commonly used survey techniques fall short in gathering sufficient data to draw confident conclusions on pangolin populations, conservation status, and natural history. The white-bellied pangolin is a semiarboreal species that may be poorly detected in general mammal surveys even with modern techniques such as camera-trapping. As a result, population status information is often derived from hunting, market, and trafficking data. There is therefore a crucial need to improve camera-trap survey methods to reliably detect this species in its natural environment. Here, we test the influence of camera-trap placement strategy on the detectability of the white-bellied pangolin by comparing estimates from targeted ground-viewing camera-trapping and a novel log-viewing placement strategy adapted from local hunters' knowledge. Our results suggest that (1) deploying camera-traps to detect animals walking along logs is an effective strategy for recording several forest species, including the white-bellied pangolin, and (2) that camera-traps targeting logs are more efficient at detecting white-bellied pangolins than camera-traps viewing the ground (>100% increase in detection probability). We also found moderate evidence that there is a relationship between the white-bellied pangolin occurrence at our locality and elevation and weak evidence of an association with distance to the nearest river. Our results suggest an effective new monitoring approach allowing consistent detection of the white-bellied pangolin with moderate survey effort. This highlights the importance of harnessing local knowledge to guide the design of monitoring protocols for cryptic species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franklin T. Simo
- Laboratory of Zoology, Department of Biology and Animal PhysiologyUniversity of Yaoundé IYaoundéCameroon
- Cameroon Wildlife Conservation Initiative (CWCI)YaoundéCameroon
- IUCN SSC Pangolin Specialist Group, ℅ Zoological Society of LondonLondonUK
| | - Ghislain F. Difouo
- Laboratory of Zoology, Department of Biology and Animal PhysiologyUniversity of Yaoundé IYaoundéCameroon
- Cameroon Wildlife Conservation Initiative (CWCI)YaoundéCameroon
| | - Sévilor Kekeunou
- Laboratory of Zoology, Department of Biology and Animal PhysiologyUniversity of Yaoundé IYaoundéCameroon
| | - Ichu G. Ichu
- IUCN SSC Pangolin Specialist Group, ℅ Zoological Society of LondonLondonUK
- Carnivore and Population Ecology Laboratory, Department of Wildlife Fisheries and AquacultureMississippi State UniversityMississippi StateMississippiUSA
| | - David Olson
- NEOM Nature ReserveGayalKingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Nicolas J. Deere
- Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology, School of Anthropology and ConservationUniversity of KentCanterburyUK
| | - Daniel J. Ingram
- IUCN SSC Pangolin Specialist Group, ℅ Zoological Society of LondonLondonUK
- Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology, School of Anthropology and ConservationUniversity of KentCanterburyUK
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Hendry A, Amir Z, Decoeur H, Mendes CP, Moore JH, Sovie A, Luskin MS. Marbled cats in Southeast Asia: Are diurnal and semi‐arboreal felids at greater risk from human disturbances? Ecosphere 2023. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.4338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Hendry
- School of Biological Sciences University of Queensland Brisbane Queensland Australia
| | - Zachary Amir
- School of Biological Sciences University of Queensland Brisbane Queensland Australia
| | - Henri Decoeur
- School of Biological Sciences University of Queensland Brisbane Queensland Australia
| | - Calebe Pereira Mendes
- School of Biological Sciences University of Queensland Brisbane Queensland Australia
| | - Jonathan H. Moore
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering Southern University of Science and Technology Shenzhen China
- School of Environmental Sciences University of East Anglia Norwich UK
| | - Adia Sovie
- School of Biological Sciences University of Queensland Brisbane Queensland Australia
| | - Matthew Scott Luskin
- School of Biological Sciences University of Queensland Brisbane Queensland Australia
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science University of Queensland Brisbane Queensland Australia
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3
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Norman DL, Bischoff PH, Wearn OR, Ewers RM, Rowcliffe JM, Evans B, Sethi S, Chapman PM, Freeman R. Can CNN‐based species classification generalise across variation in habitat within a camera trap survey? Methods Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/2041-210x.14031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Danielle L. Norman
- Department of Life Sciences Imperial College London Ascot UK
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London London UK
| | | | - Oliver R. Wearn
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London London UK
- Fauna & Flora International – Vietnam Programme Hanoi Vietnam
| | - Robert M. Ewers
- Department of Life Sciences Imperial College London Ascot UK
| | | | - Benjamin Evans
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London London UK
- Brunel University London, Kingston Lane Uxbridge UK
| | - Sarab Sethi
- Department of Plant Sciences University of Cambridge Cambridge UK
- Centre for Biodiversity and Environment Research University College London London UK
| | | | - Robin Freeman
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London London UK
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Twining JP, McFarlane C, O'Meara D, O'Reilly C, Reyne M, Montgomery WI, Helyar S, Tosh DG, Augustine BC. A comparison of density estimation methods for monitoring marked and unmarked animal populations. Ecosphere 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.4165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Joshua P. Twining
- Department of Natural Resources Cornell University Ithaca New York USA
| | - Claire McFarlane
- School of Biological Sciences Queen's University of Belfast Belfast UK
| | - Denise O'Meara
- Molecular Ecology Research Group, Eco‐innovation Research Centre School of Science and Computing, South East Technological University Waterford UK
| | - Catherine O'Reilly
- Molecular Ecology Research Group, Eco‐innovation Research Centre School of Science and Computing, South East Technological University Waterford UK
| | - Marina Reyne
- School of Biological Sciences Queen's University of Belfast Belfast UK
| | - W. Ian Montgomery
- School of Biological Sciences Queen's University of Belfast Belfast UK
| | - Sarah Helyar
- School of Biological Sciences Queen's University of Belfast Belfast UK
| | - David G. Tosh
- Raithlin LIFE Project The Royal Society for Protection of Birds, Belvoir Park Forest Belfast UK
| | - Ben C. Augustine
- Department of Natural Resources Cornell University Ithaca New York USA
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5
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Ecology, occurrence and distribution of wild felids in Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo. ORYX 2022. [DOI: 10.1017/s0030605321001484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Sarawak is the largest state in the megadiverse country of Malaysia. Its rich biodiversity is threatened by land-use change and hunting, with mammalian carnivores particularly affected. Data on the ecology, occurrence and distribution of small carnivores are crucial to inform their effective conservation, but no large-scale assessments have previously been conducted in Sarawak. Here we examine the status of the five species of felids in Sarawak based on data from camera-trap studies over 17 years (May 2003–February 2021) across 31 study areas, including protected areas of various sizes, production forests and forest matrix within oil palm plantations. Felids were detected at 39% of 845 camera stations. The marbled cat Pardofelis marmorata and Sunda clouded leopard Neofelis diardi had higher probabilities of occurrence in protected than unprotected areas, and vice versa for the leopard cat Prionailurus bengalensis and bay cat Catopuma badia. The marbled and bay cats were mostly diurnal, and the leopard cat was predominantly nocturnal; activity patterns did not substantively differ between protected and unprotected sites. The probabilities of occurrence of marbled and bay cats increased with greater distance from roads. The leopard cat and flat-headed cat Prionailurus planiceps were more likely, and the clouded leopard less likely, to occur near rivers. Flat-headed cats preferred peat swamp forest, bay cats lowland forest, and marbled cats and clouded leopards occurred in both lowland and montane forest. Felids may tolerate higher elevations to avoid anthropogenic disturbance; therefore, it is critical to preserve lowland and mid-elevation habitats that provide refugia from climate change and the destruction of lowland habitat.
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Chaudhuri S, Bandyopadhyay M, Rajaraman R, Kalyanasundaram S, Sathyakumar S, Krishnamurthy R. Spatio-Temporal Patterns and Source-Dispersion Modeling Towards Sloth Bear–Human Conflict Management in Central India. FRONTIERS IN CONSERVATION SCIENCE 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fcosc.2022.850309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The impact of humans on biodiversity, in the form of the spatially extensive occurrence of humans and subsequent habitat degradation, leads to negative interactions between humans and native wildlife. However, knowledge of the spatial and temporal interface between humans and wildlife is necessary to understand the root cause of such negative interactions, yet considerably understudied in the context of human-dominated landscapes in south and south-eastern Asia. We took this opportunity, gaining insights on seasonal spatial interaction and spatio-temporal overlap between sloth bears (Melursus ursinus) and humans, and subsequently predicted the conflict source sites and dispersion (i.e., hotspots) based on the robust geographic profiling (GP) method in the Sanjay Tiger Reserve (STR), a human-dominated landscape of central India. Detection data of sloth bear and human were obtained from camera trap survey conducted for two years (2017–2018) and records of conflict incidents (2009–2019) were collected from forest department. We found that sloth bears can co-occur with humans independently of seasons, based on occupancy models. However, during summer, higher temporal overlap (Δ4 = 0.46) and lower spatial overlap (0.31) were observed between sloth bears and humans. Contrastingly, lower temporal overlap (Δ4 = 0.29) and higher spatial overlap (0.44) were observed between the same two during winter. The activity patterns of sloth bears and humans differed significantly across seasons and within the same species in different seasons. Our findings indicated that significant changes in human activity, especially during summer, increased the likelihood of sloth bear-human interaction and subsequent conflict incidents. The mapping of conflict source and dispersion (with high accuracy) also predicted a greater probability of conflict during summer, compared to winter, and thus showed the successful application of GP models in this field. Also, camera trap data alone were able to predict the occurrence of hotspots, demonstrating the use of camera trap records in the successful prediction of source-dispersion of conflict. This study would be useful for decision-makers to alleviate sloth bear–human conflict based on insights on seasonal variation of spatio-temporal overlap between the two and direct conservation efforts accordingly.
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Jambari A, Nakabayashi M, Numata S, Hosaka T. Spatio‐temporal patterns in the abundance of active terrestrial leeches in a Malaysian rainforest. Biotropica 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/btp.13120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Asrulsani Jambari
- Graduate School for International Development and Cooperation Hiroshima University Hiroshima Japan
| | - Miyabi Nakabayashi
- Graduate School for International Development and Cooperation Hiroshima University Hiroshima Japan
- Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering Hiroshima University Hiroshima Japan
| | - Shinya Numata
- Department of Tourism Science, Graduate School of Urban Environmental Sciences Tokyo Metropolitan University Tokyo Japan
| | - Tetsuro Hosaka
- Graduate School for International Development and Cooperation Hiroshima University Hiroshima Japan
- Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering Hiroshima University Hiroshima Japan
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Abstract
Abstract
The leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis) is the most common wild felid in Southeast Asia, yet little is known about the factors that affect their population density and occupancy in natural habitats. Although leopard cats are highly adaptable and reportedly can attain high densities in human-modified habitats, it is not clear which natural habitat is optimal for the species. Also, this felid has been preyed upon by large carnivores in Southeast Asia, yet the intra-guild effects of large carnivore presence on leopard cats are almost unknown. To shed light on these fundamental questions, we used data from camera trap surveys for felids to determine the leopard cat densities in three different forest types within Cambodia: continuous evergreen, mosaic dominated by evergreen (hereafter evergreen mosaic), and mosaic dominated by open dry deciduous forests (hereafter DDF mosaic). We also conducted occupancy analyses to evaluate the interactions of the leopard cats with three large carnivores: leopards (Panthera pardus), dholes (Cuon alpinus), and domestic dogs (Canis familiaris). The estimated density (individuals/100 km2 ± SE) was highest in the continuous evergreen (27.83 ± 7.68), followed by evergreen mosaic (22.06 ± 5.35) and DDF mosaic (13.53 ± 3.23). Densities in all three forest types were relatively high compared to previous studies. Domestic dogs were detected on all 3 sites, and leopards and dholes had sufficient records on only one site each. The occupancy probability of leopard cats was not affected by the presence or absence of any large carnivore, indicating that large carnivores and leopard cats occurred independently of each other. Our findings support the claim that leopard cats are habitat generalists, but we show that evergreen forest is the optimum natural habitat for this species in the region. The DDF mosaic appears to sustain lower densities of leopard cats, probably due to the harsh dry season and wildfires that led to reduced prey base, although this generalist felid was still able to occupy DDF in relatively moderate numbers. Overall, the adaptability of leopard cats to various forest types, and lack of negative interaction with large carnivores, helps to explain why this species is the most common and widespread felid in Southeast Asia.
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Tanwar KS, Sadhu A, Jhala YV. Camera trap placement for evaluating species richness, abundance, and activity. Sci Rep 2021; 11:23050. [PMID: 34845287 PMCID: PMC8630032 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-02459-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2021] [Accepted: 11/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Information from camera traps is used for inferences on species presence, richness, abundance, demography, and activity. Camera trap placement design is likely to influence these parameter estimates. Herein we simultaneously generate and compare estimates obtained from camera traps (a) placed to optimize large carnivore captures and (b) random placement, to infer accuracy and biases for parameter estimates. Both setups recorded 25 species when same number of trail and random cameras (n = 31) were compared. However, species accumulation rate was faster with trail cameras. Relative abundance indices (RAI) from random cameras surrogated abundance estimated from capture-mark-recapture and distance sampling, while RAI were biased higher for carnivores from trail cameras. Group size of wild-ungulates obtained from both camera setups were comparable. Random cameras detected nocturnal activities of wild ungulates in contrast to mostly diurnal activities observed from trail cameras. Our results show that trail and random camera setup give similar estimates of species richness and group size, but differ for estimates of relative abundance and activity patterns. Therefore, inferences made from each of these camera trap designs on the above parameters need to be viewed within this context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kamakshi S. Tanwar
- grid.452923.b0000 0004 1767 4167Wildlife Institute of India, Chandrabani, Dehradun, 248001 India
| | - Ayan Sadhu
- grid.452923.b0000 0004 1767 4167Wildlife Institute of India, Chandrabani, Dehradun, 248001 India
| | - Yadvendradev V. Jhala
- grid.452923.b0000 0004 1767 4167Wildlife Institute of India, Chandrabani, Dehradun, 248001 India
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10
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Hwang M, Ditmer MA, Teo S, Wong ST, Garshelis DL. Sun bears use 14‐year‐old previously logged forest more than primary forest in Sabah, Malaysia. Ecosphere 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Mei‐Hsiu Hwang
- Institute of Wildlife Conservation College of Veterinary Medicine National Pingtung University of Science and Technology 1, Shuehfu Rd., Neipu Pingtung 912 Taiwan
| | - Mark A. Ditmer
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology University of Minnesota Saint Paul Minnesota 55108 USA
- U.S.D.A. Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station, 324, 25th Street Ogden Utah 84401 USA
| | - Shu‐De Teo
- Institute of Wildlife Conservation College of Veterinary Medicine National Pingtung University of Science and Technology 1, Shuehfu Rd., Neipu Pingtung 912 Taiwan
| | - Siew Te Wong
- Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre Jalan Sepilok, Mile 14 Sandakan, Sabah 90000 Malaysia
| | - David L. Garshelis
- IUCN SSC Bear Specialist Group 35132 Hanna Road Cohasset Minnesota 55721 USA
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11
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Palei HS, Pradhan T, Sahu HK, Nayak AK. Diet and activity pattern of leopard in relation to prey in tropical forest ecosystem. MAMMALIA 2021. [DOI: 10.1515/mammalia-2021-0003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Understanding the predator–prey relationship is essential for implementing effective conservation management practices on threatened species. Leopard is a threatened apex mammalian predator that plays a crucial role in ecosystem functions in India’s tropical forest. We assessed the diet and activity pattern of leopards in relation to their prey using diet analysis and camera trapping data from Similipal Tiger Reserve, eastern India. Our results indicated that leopard prefers medium-sized prey such as wild pig, common langur and barking deer represented 60% of the total biomass consumed collectively. Results of 6413 camera trap night in 187 locations revealed that leopards showed cathemeral activity pattern and exhibited positive co-occurrence pattern and significant spatial and temporal overlap with their main prey, the wild pig. However, leopards showed very low spatial and temporal overlap with the second main prey, the common langur. Leopards avoided humans and showed low spatial and temporal overlap with humans. Our findings reveal that a trade-off might drive leopard activity between consuming prey and avoiding anthropogenic disturbances like human activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Himanshu Shekhar Palei
- Department of Zoology , North Orissa University , Baripada , Mayurbhanj , Odisha 757003 , India
| | - Tilak Pradhan
- Assam Wildlife Rescue and Research Organization , Harmoti , Lakhimpur , Assam , India
| | - Hemanta Kumar Sahu
- Department of Zoology , North Orissa University , Baripada , Mayurbhanj , Odisha 757003 , India
| | - Anup Kumar Nayak
- Office of the RCCF cum Field Director, Similipal Tiger Reserve , Bhanjapur , Odisha 757003 , India
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Ahmad A, Gary D, . R, . S, . S, Putra W, Sagita N, Adirahmanta SN, Miller AE. Leveraging local knowledge to estimate wildlife densities in bornean tropical rainforests. WILDLIFE BIOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.2981/wlb.00771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Abrar Ahmad
- A. Ahmad (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2568-7641) ✉ , Rodiansyah, Sinta, Srifitria, W. Putra, N. Sagita and A. E. Miller, Yayasan Planet Indonesia, Pontianak, West Kalimantan, Indonesia. Sinta also at: Jalan Perdamaian Kompl
| | - Demi Gary
- AA, AEM and D. Gary, Planet Indonesia – 241 Selma, St. Louis, MO, USA. DG also at: 279 G Street SW, Washington DC, USA
| | - Rodiansyah .
- A. Ahmad (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2568-7641) ✉ , Rodiansyah, Sinta, Srifitria, W. Putra, N. Sagita and A. E. Miller, Yayasan Planet Indonesia, Pontianak, West Kalimantan, Indonesia. Sinta also at: Jalan Perdamaian Kompl
| | - Sinta .
- A. Ahmad (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2568-7641) ✉ , Rodiansyah, Sinta, Srifitria, W. Putra, N. Sagita and A. E. Miller, Yayasan Planet Indonesia, Pontianak, West Kalimantan, Indonesia. Sinta also at: Jalan Perdamaian Kompl
| | - Srifitria .
- A. Ahmad (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2568-7641) ✉ , Rodiansyah, Sinta, Srifitria, W. Putra, N. Sagita and A. E. Miller, Yayasan Planet Indonesia, Pontianak, West Kalimantan, Indonesia. Sinta also at: Jalan Perdamaian Kompl
| | - Wahyu Putra
- A. Ahmad (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2568-7641) ✉ , Rodiansyah, Sinta, Srifitria, W. Putra, N. Sagita and A. E. Miller, Yayasan Planet Indonesia, Pontianak, West Kalimantan, Indonesia. Sinta also at: Jalan Perdamaian Kompl
| | - Novia Sagita
- A. Ahmad (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2568-7641) ✉ , Rodiansyah, Sinta, Srifitria, W. Putra, N. Sagita and A. E. Miller, Yayasan Planet Indonesia, Pontianak, West Kalimantan, Indonesia. Sinta also at: Jalan Perdamaian Kompl
| | | | - Adam E. Miller
- A. Ahmad (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2568-7641) ✉ , Rodiansyah, Sinta, Srifitria, W. Putra, N. Sagita and A. E. Miller, Yayasan Planet Indonesia, Pontianak, West Kalimantan, Indonesia. Sinta also at: Jalan Perdamaian Kompl
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Harmsen BJ, Saville N, Foster RJ. Long-term monitoring of margays (Leopardus wiedii): Implications for understanding low detection rates. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0247536. [PMID: 33647057 PMCID: PMC7920358 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0247536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2020] [Accepted: 02/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Population assessments of wide-ranging, cryptic, terrestrial mammals rely on camera trap surveys. While camera trapping is a powerful method of detecting presence, it is difficult distinguishing rarity from low detection rate. The margay (Leopardus wiedii) is an example of a species considered rare based on its low detection rates across its range. Although margays have a wide distribution, detection rates with camera traps are universally low; consequently, the species is listed as Near Threatened. Our 12-year camera trap study of margays in protected broadleaf forest in Belize suggests that while margays have low detection rate, they do not seem to be rare, rather that they are difficult to detect with camera traps. We detected a maximum of 187 individuals, all with few or no recaptures over the years (mean = 2.0 captures/individual ± SD 2.1), with two-thirds of individuals detected only once. The few individuals that were recaptured across years exhibited long tenures up to 9 years and were at least 10 years old at their final detection. We detected multiple individuals of both sexes at the same locations during the same survey, suggesting overlapping ranges with non-exclusive territories, providing further evidence of a high-density population. By studying the sparse annual datasets across multiple years, we found evidence of an abundant margay population in the forest of the Cockscomb Basin, which might have been deemed low density and rare, if studied in the short term. We encourage more long-term camera trap studies to assess population status of semi-arboreal carnivore species that have hitherto been considered rare based on low detection rates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bart J. Harmsen
- Panthera, New York, New York, United States of America
- Environmental Research Institute, University of Belize, Belmopan, Belize
- * E-mail:
| | - Nicola Saville
- Panthera, New York, New York, United States of America
- Environmental Research Institute, University of Belize, Belmopan, Belize
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14
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Iannarilli F, Erb J, Arnold TW, Fieberg JR. Evaluating species-specific responses to camera-trap survey designs. WILDLIFE BIOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.2981/wlb.00726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Fabiola Iannarilli
- F. Iannarilli (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7018-3557) ✉ , T. W. Arnold (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7920-772X) and J. R. Fieberg (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3180-7021), Dept of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Biology, Univ. of
| | - John Erb
- J. Erb, Minnesota Dept of Natural Resources, Grand Rapids, MN, USA
| | - Todd W. Arnold
- F. Iannarilli (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7018-3557) ✉ , T. W. Arnold (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7920-772X) and J. R. Fieberg (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3180-7021), Dept of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Biology, Univ. of
| | - John R. Fieberg
- F. Iannarilli (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7018-3557) ✉ , T. W. Arnold (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7920-772X) and J. R. Fieberg (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3180-7021), Dept of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Biology, Univ. of
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15
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Bastille-Rousseau G, Schlichting PE, Keiter DA, Smith JB, Kilgo JC, Wittemyer G, Vercauteren KC, Beasley JC, Pepin KM. Multi-level movement response of invasive wild pigs (Sus scrofa) to removal. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2021; 77:85-95. [PMID: 32738020 DOI: 10.1002/ps.6029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2020] [Revised: 07/15/2020] [Accepted: 08/01/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Lethal removal of invasive species, such as wild pigs (Sus scrofa), is often the most efficient approach for reducing their negative impacts. Wild pigs are one of the most widespread and destructive invasive mammals in the USA. Lethal management techniques are a key approach for wild pigs and can alter wild pig spatial behavior, but it is unclear how wild pigs respond to the most common removal technique, trapping. We investigated the spatial behavior of wild pigs following intensive removal of conspecifics via trapping at three sites within the Savannah River Site, SC, USA. We evaluated changes in wild pig densities, estimated temporal shifts in home-range properties, and evaluated fine-scale movement responses of wild pigs to removal. RESULTS We observed a significant reduction in the density of wild pigs in one site following removal via trapping while a qualitative reduction was observed in another site. We found little evidence of shifts in pig home-ranging behavior following removal. However, we did observe a nuanced response in movement behavior of wild pigs to the removal at the scale of the GPS locations (4 h), including increased movement speed and reduced selection for vegetation rich areas. CONCLUSION Our work provides a better understanding of the impact of removal via trapping on wild pig movement and its implications for management. The lack of shift in home-range characteristics observed illustrates how targeted trapping could be used to provide temporary relief for species sensitive to wild pig consumption such as ground nesting birds or agricultural crops.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guillaume Bastille-Rousseau
- United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Research Center, Fort Collins, CO, USA
- Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Peter E Schlichting
- Savannah River Ecology Lab, Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Aiken, SC, USA
| | - David A Keiter
- Savannah River Ecology Lab, Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Aiken, SC, USA
| | - Joshua B Smith
- Savannah River Ecology Lab, Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Aiken, SC, USA
| | - John C Kilgo
- United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southern Research Station, New Ellenton, SC, USA
| | - George Wittemyer
- Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Kurt C Vercauteren
- United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Research Center, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - James C Beasley
- Savannah River Ecology Lab, Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Aiken, SC, USA
| | - Kim M Pepin
- United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Research Center, Fort Collins, CO, USA
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16
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Cristescu B, Teichman KJ, Puls S, Jansen C, O'Riain MJ. Spatial Distribution of Leopards on Farmland and Namaqua National Park, South Africa. AFRICAN JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE RESEARCH 2020. [DOI: 10.3957/056.050.0190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Bogdan Cristescu
- Institute for Communities and Wildlife in Africa (iCWild), Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa
| | | | - Sam Puls
- The Cape Leopard Trust, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa
| | - Corlé Jansen
- The Cape Leopard Trust, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa
| | - M. Justin O'Riain
- Institute for Communities and Wildlife in Africa (iCWild), Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa
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17
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Longden EG, Elwen SH, McGovern B, James BS, Embling CB, Gridley T. Mark–recapture of individually distinctive calls—a case study with signature whistles of bottlenose dolphins ( Tursiops truncatus). J Mammal 2020. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyaa081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Robust abundance estimates of wild animal populations are needed to inform management policies and are often obtained through mark–recapture (MR) studies. Visual methods are commonly used, which limits data collection to daylight hours and good weather conditions. Passive acoustic monitoring offers an alternative, particularly if acoustic cues are naturally produced and individually distinctive. Here we investigate the potential of using individually distinctive signature whistles in a MR framework and evaluate different components of study design. We analyzed signature whistles of common bottlenose dolphins, Tursiops truncatus, using data collected from static acoustic monitoring devices deployed in Walvis Bay, Namibia. Signature whistle types (SWTs) were identified using a bout analysis approach (SIGnature IDentification [SIGID]—Janik et al. 2013). We investigated spatial variation in capture by comparing 21 synchronized recording days across four sites, and temporal variation from 125 recording days at one high-use site (Aphrodite Beach). Despite dolphin vocalizations (i.e., echolocation clicks) being detected at each site, SWTs were not detected at all sites and there was high variability in capture rates among sites where SWTs were detected (range 0–21 SWTs detected). At Aphrodite Beach, 53 SWTs were captured over 6 months and discovery curves showed an initial increase in newly detected SWTs, approaching asymptote during the fourth month. A Huggins closed capture model constructed from SWT capture histories at Aphrodite Beach estimated a population of 54–68 individuals from acoustic detection, which overlaps with the known population size (54–76 individuals—Elwen et al. 2019). This study demonstrates the potential power of using signature whistles as proxies for individual occurrence and in MR abundance estimation, but also highlights challenges in using this approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma G Longden
- Sea Search Research and Conservation - Namibian Dolphin Project, Muizenberg, Cape Town, South Africa
- Marine Vertebrate Research Group, School of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, United Kingdom
| | - Simon H Elwen
- Sea Search Research and Conservation - Namibian Dolphin Project, Muizenberg, Cape Town, South Africa
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
| | - Barry McGovern
- Sea Search Research and Conservation - Namibian Dolphin Project, Muizenberg, Cape Town, South Africa
- Cetacean Ecology and Acoustics Laboratory, University of Queensland, Dunwich, QLD, Australia
| | - Bridget S James
- Sea Search Research and Conservation - Namibian Dolphin Project, Muizenberg, Cape Town, South Africa
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
| | - Clare B Embling
- Marine Vertebrate Research Group, School of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, United Kingdom
| | - Tess Gridley
- Sea Search Research and Conservation - Namibian Dolphin Project, Muizenberg, Cape Town, South Africa
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
- Statistics in Ecology, Environment and Conservation (SEEC), Department of Statistical Sciences, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, Cape Town, South Africa
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18
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Tortato FR, Devlin AL, Boulhosa RLP, Hoogesteijn R. Relative rarity of small wild cats in the Brazilian Pantanal. MAMMALIA 2020. [DOI: 10.1515/mammalia-2019-0151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Small wild cats (SWC) are naturally cryptic species. The current study presents occurrence information and capture-rates on four SWC species found in the Brazilian Pantanal. The most commonly recorded SWC by camera trap was Leopardus pardalis. Leopardus colocolo and Puma yagouaroundi were relatively rare, while Leopardus guttulus was not recorded in any survey year. We interpret our findings based on the potential competitive influences of L. pardalis and practical implications of camera trap survey design. We recommend that future studies should design camera trap grids with spacing appropriate for SWC to more directly address questions on local population status and interspecific interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Allison L. Devlin
- Panthera , 8 West 40th St. 18th Floor , New York , NY 10018, USA
- Wildlife Biology Program, W.A. Franke College of Forestry and Conservation, University of Montana , 32 Campus Drive , Missoula , MT 59812, USA
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19
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Sunda clouded leopard Neofelis diardi densities and human activities in the humid evergreen rainforests of Sumatra. ORYX 2020. [DOI: 10.1017/s0030605319001005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
AbstractMost species of wild felids are threatened, but for many little is known about their status in the wild. For the cryptic and elusive Vulnerable Sunda clouded leopard Neofelis diardi, key metrics such as abundance and occupancy have been challenging to obtain. We conducted an intensive survey for this species on the Indonesian island of Sumatra. We deployed camera traps across four study areas that varied in elevation and threats, for a total of 28,404 trap nights, resulting in 114 independent clouded leopard photographs, in which we identified 18 individuals. Using a Bayesian spatially explicit capture–recapture analysis, we estimated clouded leopard density to be 0.8–2.4 individuals/100 km2. The highest predicted occurrence of people was at lower altitudes and closer to the forest edge, where we categorized more than two-thirds of people recorded by camera traps as bird poachers, 12.5% each as ungulate/tiger poachers and non-timber collectors, and < 2% as fishers. Our findings provide important insights into the status of this little known species in Sumatra. We recommend that the large volume of camera-trap data from other Sumatran landscapes be used for an island-wide assessment of the clouded leopard population, to provide up-to-date and reliable information for guiding future conservation planning.
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20
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Holinda D, Burgar JM, Burton AC. Effects of scent lure on camera trap detections vary across mammalian predator and prey species. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0229055. [PMID: 32396558 PMCID: PMC7217433 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0229055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2020] [Accepted: 04/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Camera traps are a unique survey tool used to monitor a wide variety of mammal species. Camera trap (CT) data can be used to estimate animal distribution, density, and behaviour. Attractants, such as scent lures, are often used in an effort to increase CT detections; however, the degree which the effects of attractants vary across species is not well understood. We investigated the effects of scent lure on mammal detections by comparing detection rates between 404 lured and 440 unlured CT stations sampled in Alberta, Canada over 120 day survey periods between February and August in 2015 and 2016. We used zero-inflated negative binomial generalized linear mixed models to test the effect of lure on detection rates for a) all mammals, b) six functional groups (all predator species, all prey, large carnivores, small carnivores, small mammals, ungulates), and c) four varied species of management interest (fisher, Pekania pennanti; gray wolf, Canis lupus; moose, Alces alces; and Richardson’s ground squirrel; Urocitellus richardsonii). Mammals were detected at 800 of the 844 CTs, with nearly equal numbers of total detections at CTs with (7110) and without (7530) lure, and variable effects of lure on groups and individual species. Scent lure significantly increased detections of predators as a group, including large and small carnivore sub-groups and fisher specifically, but not of gray wolf. There was no effect of scent lure on detections of prey species, including the small mammal and ungulate sub-groups and moose and Richardson’s ground squirrel specifically. We recommend that researchers explicitly consider the variable effects of scent lure on CT detections across species when designing, interpreting, or comparing multi-species surveys. Additional research is needed to further quantify variation in species responses to scent lures and other attractants, and to elucidate the effect of attractants on community-level inferences from camera trap surveys.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dacyn Holinda
- Department of Forest Resources Management, Wildlife Coexistence Lab, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Joanna M. Burgar
- Department of Forest Resources Management, Wildlife Coexistence Lab, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - A. Cole Burton
- Department of Forest Resources Management, Wildlife Coexistence Lab, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Biodiversity Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- * E-mail:
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21
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Improving the random encounter model method to estimate carnivore densities using data generated by conventional camera-trap design. ORYX 2019. [DOI: 10.1017/s0030605318001618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
AbstractThe random encounter model, a method for estimating animal density using camera traps without the need for individual recognition, has been developed over the past decade. A key assumption of this model is that cameras are placed randomly in relation to animal movements, requiring that cameras are not set only at sites thought to have high animal traffic. The aim of this study was to define a correction factor that allows the random encounter model to be applied in photo-trapping surveys in which cameras are placed along tracks to maximize capture probability. Our hypothesis was that applying such a correction factor would compensate for the different rates at which lynxes use tracks and the surrounding area, and should thus improve the estimates obtained with the random encounter model. We tested this using data from a well-known Iberian lynx Lynx pardinus population. Firstly, we estimated Iberian lynx densities using a traditional camera-trapping design followed by spatially explicit capture–recapture analyses. We estimated the differential use rate for tracks vs the surrounding area using data from a lynx equipped with a GPS collar, and subsequently calculated the correction factor. As expected, the random encounter model overestimated densities by 378%. However, the application of the correction factor improved the estimate and reduced the error to 16%. Although there are limitations to the application of the correction factor, the corrected random encounter model shows potential for density estimation of species for which individual identification is not possible.
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22
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A paradox of local abundance amidst regional rarity: the value of montane refugia for Persian leopard conservation. Sci Rep 2019; 9:14622. [PMID: 31604967 PMCID: PMC6788991 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-50605-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2018] [Accepted: 09/17/2019] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The population densities of leopards vary widely across their global range, influenced by prey availability, intraguild competition and human persecution. In Asia, particularly the Middle East and the Caucasus, they generally occur at the lower extreme of densities recorded for the species. Reliable estimates of population density are important for understanding their ecology and planning their conservation. We used a photographic spatial capture-recapture (SCR) methodology incorporating animal movement to estimate density for the endangered Persian leopard Panthera pardus saxicolor in three montane national parks, northeastern Iran. We combined encounter history data arising from images of bilaterally asymmetrical left- and right-sided pelage patterns using a Bayesian spatial partial identity model accommodating multiple “non-invasive” marks. We also investigated the effect of camera trap placement on detection probability. Surprisingly, considering the subspecies’ reported low abundance and density based on previous studies, we found relatively high population densities in the three national parks, varying between 3.10 ± SD 1.84 and 8.86 ± SD 3.60 individuals/100 km2. The number of leopards detected in Tandoureh National Park (30 individuals) was larger than estimated during comparable surveys at any other site in Iran, or indeed globally. Capture and recapture probabilities were higher for camera traps placed near water resources compared with those placed on trails. Our results show the benefits of protecting even relatively small mountainous areas, which accommodated a high density of leopards and provided refugia in a landscape with substantial human activity.
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23
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Counting Sunda clouded leopards with confidence: incorporating individual heterogeneity in density estimates. ORYX 2019. [DOI: 10.1017/s0030605318001503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
AbstractEven with intensive sampling effort, data often remain sparse when estimating population density of elusive species such as the Sunda clouded leopard Neofelis diardi. An inadequate number of recaptures can make it difficult to account for heterogeneity in detection parameters. We used data from large-scale camera-trapping surveys in three forest reserves in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo, to (1) examine whether a high-density camera-trap network increases the number of recaptures for females, which tend to be more difficult to detect, thus improving the accuracy of density estimates; (2) compare density estimates from models incorporating individual heterogeneity in detection parameters with estimates from the null model to evaluate its potential bias; and (3) investigate how the size of the camera-trap grid affects density and movement estimates. We found that individual heterogeneity could not be incorporated in the single-site data analysis and only conservative null model estimates could be generated. However, aggregating data across study sites enabled us to account for individual heterogeneity and we estimated densities of 1.27–2.82 individuals/100 km2, 2–3 times higher than estimates from null models. In light of these findings, it is possible that earlier studies underestimated population density. Similar densities found in well-managed forest and recently selectively logged forest suggest that Sunda clouded leopards are relatively resilient to forest disturbances. Our analysis also revealed that camera-trapping grids for Sunda clouded leopard density estimations should cover large areas (c. 250 km2), although smaller grids could be appropriate if density or detectability are higher.
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24
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Rogan MS, Balme GA, Distiller G, Pitman RT, Broadfield J, Mann GKH, Whittington‐Jones GM, Thomas LH, O'Riain MJ. The influence of movement on the occupancy–density relationship at small spatial scales. Ecosphere 2019. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.2807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Matthew S. Rogan
- The Institute for Communities and Wildlife in Africa University of Cape Town Private Bag X3, Rondebosch Cape Town 7701 South Africa
- Panthera 8 West 40th Street New York New York 10018 USA
- Centre for Statistics in Ecology, the Environment and Conservation University of Cape Town Rondebosch Cape Town 7701 South Africa
| | - Guy A. Balme
- The Institute for Communities and Wildlife in Africa University of Cape Town Private Bag X3, Rondebosch Cape Town 7701 South Africa
- Panthera 8 West 40th Street New York New York 10018 USA
| | - Greg Distiller
- The Institute for Communities and Wildlife in Africa University of Cape Town Private Bag X3, Rondebosch Cape Town 7701 South Africa
- Centre for Statistics in Ecology, the Environment and Conservation University of Cape Town Rondebosch Cape Town 7701 South Africa
- Department of Statistical Sciences University of Cape Town Rondebosch Cape Town 7701 South Africa
| | - Ross T. Pitman
- The Institute for Communities and Wildlife in Africa University of Cape Town Private Bag X3, Rondebosch Cape Town 7701 South Africa
- Panthera 8 West 40th Street New York New York 10018 USA
| | - Joleen Broadfield
- The Institute for Communities and Wildlife in Africa University of Cape Town Private Bag X3, Rondebosch Cape Town 7701 South Africa
- Panthera 8 West 40th Street New York New York 10018 USA
| | - Gareth K. H. Mann
- The Institute for Communities and Wildlife in Africa University of Cape Town Private Bag X3, Rondebosch Cape Town 7701 South Africa
- Panthera 8 West 40th Street New York New York 10018 USA
| | | | | | - M. Justin O'Riain
- The Institute for Communities and Wildlife in Africa University of Cape Town Private Bag X3, Rondebosch Cape Town 7701 South Africa
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25
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Abrams JF, Hörig LA, Brozovic R, Axtner J, Crampton‐Platt A, Mohamed A, Wong ST, Sollmann R, Yu DW, Wilting A. Shifting up a gear with
iDNA
: From mammal detection events to standardised surveys. J Appl Ecol 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.13411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jesse F. Abrams
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research Berlin Germany
| | - Lisa A. Hörig
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research Berlin Germany
| | - Robert Brozovic
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research Berlin Germany
| | - Jan Axtner
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research Berlin Germany
| | | | - Azlan Mohamed
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research Berlin Germany
| | - Seth T. Wong
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research Berlin Germany
| | - Rahel Sollmann
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation Biology University of California Davis Davis California
| | - Douglas W. Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution Kunming Institute of Zoology Chinese Academy of Sciences Kunming Yunnan China
- School of Biological Sciences University of East AngliaNorwich Research Park Norwich Norfolk UK
- Center for Excellence in Animal Evolution and Genetics Chinese Academy of Sciences Kunming China
| | - Andreas Wilting
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research Berlin Germany
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26
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Drinkwater R, Schnell IB, Bohmann K, Bernard H, Veron G, Clare E, Gilbert MTP, Rossiter SJ. Using metabarcoding to compare the suitability of two blood-feeding leech species for sampling mammalian diversity in North Borneo. Mol Ecol Resour 2019; 19:105-117. [PMID: 30225935 PMCID: PMC7379310 DOI: 10.1111/1755-0998.12943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2018] [Revised: 09/04/2018] [Accepted: 09/07/2018] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
The application of high-throughput sequencing (HTS) for metabarcoding of mixed samples offers new opportunities in conservation biology. Recently, the successful detection of prey DNA from the guts of leeches has raised the possibility that these, and other blood-feeding invertebrates, might serve as useful samplers of mammals. Yet little is known about whether sympatric leech species differ in their feeding preferences, and whether this has a bearing on their relative suitability for monitoring local mammalian diversity. To address these questions, we collected spatially matched samples of two congeneric leech species Haemadipsa picta and Haemadipsa sumatrana from lowland rainforest in Borneo. For each species, we pooled ~500 leeches into batches of 10 individuals, performed PCR to target a section of the mammalian 16S rRNA locus and undertook sequencing of amplicon libraries using an Illumina MiSeq. In total, we identified sequences from 14 mammalian genera, spanning nine families and five orders. We found greater numbers of detections, and higher diversity of OTUs, in H. picta compared with H. sumatrana, with rodents only present in the former leech species. However, comparison of samples from across the landscape revealed no significant difference in mammal community composition between the leech species. We therefore suggest that H. picta is the more suitable iDNA sampler in this degraded Bornean forest. We conclude that the choice of invertebrate sampler can influence the detectability of different mammal groups and that this should be accounted for when designing iDNA studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosie Drinkwater
- School of Biological and Chemical SciencesQueen Mary University of LondonLondonUK
| | | | - Kristine Bohmann
- Natural History Museum of DenmarkUniversity of CopenhagenCopenhagenDenmark
- School of Biological SciencesUniversity of East Anglia, Norwich Research ParkNorwich, NorfolkUK
| | - Henry Bernard
- Institute for Tropical Biology and ConservationUniversiti Malaysia Sabah, Jalan UMSKota KinabaluSabahMalaysia
| | - Géraldine Veron
- Institut Systématique Evolution Biodiversité (ISYEB)Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, EPHEParis CedexFrance
| | - Elizabeth Clare
- School of Biological and Chemical SciencesQueen Mary University of LondonLondonUK
| | - M. Thomas P. Gilbert
- Natural History Museum of DenmarkUniversity of CopenhagenCopenhagenDenmark
- NTNU University Museum, Norwegian University of Science and TechnologyTrondheimNorway
| | - Stephen J. Rossiter
- School of Biological and Chemical SciencesQueen Mary University of LondonLondonUK
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27
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Abade L, Cusack J, Moll RJ, Strampelli P, Dickman AJ, Macdonald DW, Montgomery RA. Spatial variation in leopard (Panthera pardus) site use across a gradient of anthropogenic pressure in Tanzania's Ruaha landscape. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0204370. [PMID: 30304040 PMCID: PMC6179245 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0204370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2018] [Accepted: 09/05/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding large carnivore occurrence patterns in anthropogenic landscapes adjacent to protected areas is central to developing actions for species conservation in an increasingly human-dominated world. Among large carnivores, leopards (Panthera pardus) are the most widely distributed felid. Leopards occupying anthropogenic landscapes frequently come into conflict with humans, which often results in leopard mortality. Leopards' use of anthropogenic landscapes, and their frequent involvement with conflict, make them an insightful species for understanding the determinants of carnivore occurrence across human-dominated habitats. We evaluated the spatial variation in leopard site use across a multiple-use landscape in Tanzania's Ruaha landscape. Our study region encompassed i) Ruaha National Park, where human activities were restricted and sport hunting was prohibited; ii) the Pawaga-Idodi Wildlife Management Area, where wildlife sport hunting, wildlife poaching, and illegal pastoralism all occurred at relatively low levels; and iii) surrounding village lands where carnivores and other wildlife were frequently exposed to human-carnivore conflict related-killings and agricultural habitat conversion and development. We investigated leopard occurrence across the study region via an extensive camera trapping network. We estimated site use as a function of environmental (i.e. habitat and anthropogenic) variables using occupancy models within a Bayesian framework. We observed a steady decline in leopard site use with downgrading protected area status from the national park to the Wildlife Management Area and village lands. Our findings suggest that human-related activities such as increased livestock presence and proximity to human households exerted stronger influence than prey availability on leopard site use, and were the major limiting factors of leopard distribution across the gradient of human pressure, especially in the village lands outside Ruaha National Park. Overall, our study provides valuable information about the determinants of spatial distribution of leopards in human-dominated landscapes that can help inform conservation strategies in the borderlands adjacent to protected areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leandro Abade
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Zoology, The Recanati-Kaplan Centre, Tubney, Abingdon, United Kingdom
- Research on the Ecology of Carnivores and Their Prey Laboratory, Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | | | - Remington J. Moll
- Research on the Ecology of Carnivores and Their Prey Laboratory, Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Paolo Strampelli
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Zoology, The Recanati-Kaplan Centre, Tubney, Abingdon, United Kingdom
| | - Amy J. Dickman
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Zoology, The Recanati-Kaplan Centre, Tubney, Abingdon, United Kingdom
| | - David W. Macdonald
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Zoology, The Recanati-Kaplan Centre, Tubney, Abingdon, United Kingdom
| | - Robert A. Montgomery
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Zoology, The Recanati-Kaplan Centre, Tubney, Abingdon, United Kingdom
- Research on the Ecology of Carnivores and Their Prey Laboratory, Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, United States of America
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28
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Wearn OR, Carbone C, Rowcliffe JM, Pfeifer M, Bernard H, Ewers RM. Land-use change alters the mechanisms assembling rainforest mammal communities in Borneo. J Anim Ecol 2018; 88:125-137. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.12903] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2018] [Accepted: 08/21/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Oliver R. Wearn
- Institute of Zoology; Zoological Society of London; London UK
- Department of Life Sciences; Imperial College London; Ascot UK
| | - Chris Carbone
- Institute of Zoology; Zoological Society of London; London UK
| | | | - Marion Pfeifer
- Department of Life Sciences; Imperial College London; Ascot UK
- School of Natural and Environmental Sciences; Newcastle University; Newcastle UK
| | - Henry Bernard
- Institute for Tropical Biology and Conservation; Universiti Malaysia Sabah; Kota Kinabalu Sabah Malaysia
| | - Robert M. Ewers
- Department of Life Sciences; Imperial College London; Ascot UK
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29
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Pillay R, Hua F, Loiselle BA, Bernard H, Fletcher RJ. Multiple stages of tree seedling recruitment are altered in tropical forests degraded by selective logging. Ecol Evol 2018; 8:8231-8242. [PMID: 30250698 PMCID: PMC6145000 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.4352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2018] [Revised: 03/12/2018] [Accepted: 05/14/2018] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Tropical forest degradation is a global environmental issue. In degraded forests, seedling recruitment of canopy trees is vital for forest regeneration and recovery. We investigated how selective logging, a pervasive driver of tropical forest degradation, impacts canopy tree seedling recruitment, focusing on an endemic dipterocarp Dryobalanops lanceolata in Sabah, Borneo. During a mast-fruiting event in intensively logged and nearby unlogged forest, we examined four stages of the seedling recruitment process: seed production, seed predation, and negative density-dependent germination and seedling survival. Our results suggest that each stage of the seedling recruitment process is altered in logged forest. The seed crop of D. lanceolata trees in logged forest was one-third smaller than that produced by trees in unlogged forest. The functional role of vertebrates in seed predation increased in logged forest while that of non-vertebrates declined. Seeds in logged forest were less likely to germinate than those in unlogged forest. Germination increased with local-scale conspecific seed density in unlogged forest, but seedling survival tended to decline. However, both germination and seedling survival increased with local-scale conspecific seed density in logged forest. Notably, seed crop size, germination, and seedling survival tended to increase for larger trees in both unlogged and logged forests, suggesting that sustainable timber extraction and silvicultural practices designed to minimize damage to the residual stand are important to prevent seedling recruitment failure. Overall, these impacts sustained by several aspects of seedling recruitment in a mast-fruiting year suggest that intensive selective logging may affect long-term population dynamics of D. lanceolata. It is necessary to establish if other dipterocarp species, many of which are threatened by the timber trade, are similarly affected in tropical forests degraded by intensive selective logging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajeev Pillay
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and ConservationUniversity of FloridaGainesvilleFloridaUSA
| | - Fangyuan Hua
- Department of ZoologyUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
| | - Bette A. Loiselle
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and ConservationUniversity of FloridaGainesvilleFloridaUSA
- Center for Latin American StudiesUniversity of FloridaGainesvilleFloridaUSA
| | - Henry Bernard
- Institute for Tropical Biology and ConservationUniversiti Malaysia SabahKota KinabaluSabahMalaysia
| | - Robert J. Fletcher
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and ConservationUniversity of FloridaGainesvilleFloridaUSA
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Hearn AJ, Cushman SA, Ross J, Goossens B, Hunter LTB, Macdonald DW. Spatio-temporal ecology of sympatric felids on Borneo. Evidence for resource partitioning? PLoS One 2018; 13:e0200828. [PMID: 30028844 PMCID: PMC6054408 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0200828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2017] [Accepted: 05/17/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Niche differentiation, the partitioning of resources along one or more axes of a species' niche hyper-volume, is widely recognised as an important mechanism for sympatric species to reduce interspecific competition and predation risk, and thus facilitate co-existence. Resource partitioning may be facilitated by behavioural differentiation along three main niche dimensions: habitat, food and time. In this study, we investigate the extent to which these mechanisms can explain the coexistence of an assemblage of five sympatric felids in Borneo. Using multi-scale logistic regression, we show that Bornean felids exhibit differences in both their broad and fine-scale habitat use. We calculate temporal activity patterns and overlap between these species, and present evidence for temporal separation within this felid guild. Lastly, we conducted an all-subsets logistic regression to predict the occurrence of each felid species as a function of the co-occurrence of a large number of other species and showed that Bornean felids co-occurred with a range of other species, some of which could be candidate prey. Our study reveals apparent resource partitioning within the Bornean felid assemblage, operating along all three niche dimension axes. These results provide new insights into the ecology of these species and the broader community in which they live and also provide important information for conservation planning for this guild of predators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew J. Hearn
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU), Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
| | - Samuel A. Cushman
- US Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Flagstaff, Arizona, United States of America
| | - Joanna Ross
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU), Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Benoit Goossens
- Danau Girang Field Centre, c/o Sabah Wildlife Department, Wisma Muis, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
- Sabah Wildlife Department, Wisma Muis, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
- Organisms and Environment Division, Cardiff School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Sir Martin Evans Building, Museum Avenue, Cardiff, United Kingdom
- Sustainable Places Research Institute, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | | | - David W. Macdonald
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU), Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
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Spatial and temporal behavioural responses of wild cattle to tropical forest degradation. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0195444. [PMID: 29649279 PMCID: PMC5896964 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0195444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2017] [Accepted: 03/22/2018] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Identifying the consequences of tropical forest degradation is essential to mitigate its effects upon forest fauna. Large forest-dwelling mammals are often highly sensitive to environmental perturbation through processes such as fragmentation, simplification of habitat structure, and abiotic changes including increased temperatures where the canopy is cleared. Whilst previous work has focused upon species richness and rarity in logged forest, few look at spatial and temporal behavioural responses to forest degradation. Using camera traps, we explored the relationships between diel activity, behavioural expression, habitat use and ambient temperature to understand how the wild free-ranging Bornean banteng (Bos javanicus lowi) respond to logging and regeneration. Three secondary forests in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo were studied, varying in the time since last logging (6–23 years). A combination of generalised linear mixed models and generalised linear models were constructed using >36,000 trap-nights. Temperature had no significant effect on activity, however it varied markedly between forests, with the period of intense heat shortening as forest regeneration increased over the years. Bantengs regulated activity, with a reduction during the wet season in the most degraded forest (z = -2.6, Std. Error = 0.13, p = 0.01), and reductions during midday hours in forest with limited regeneration, however after >20 years of regrowth, activity was more consistent throughout the day. Foraging and use of open canopy areas dominated the activity budget when regeneration was limited. As regeneration advanced, this was replaced by greater investment in travelling and using a closed canopy. Forest degradation modifies the ambient temperature, and positively influences flooding and habitat availability during the wet season. Retention of a mosaic of mature forest patches within commercial forests could minimise these effects and also provide refuge, which is key to heat dissipation and the prevention of thermal stress, whilst retention of degraded forest could provide forage.
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de Araujo Lira AF, Damasceno EM, Silva-Filho AAC, Albuquerque CMRD. Linking scorpion (Arachnida: Scorpiones) assemblage with fragment restoration in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. STUDIES ON NEOTROPICAL FAUNA AND ENVIRONMENT 2017. [DOI: 10.1080/01650521.2017.1413823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- André Felipe de Araujo Lira
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Biologia Animal, Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil
| | | | - Arthur Alvaro Costa Silva-Filho
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Biologia Animal, Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil
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Kolowski JM, Forrester TD. Camera trap placement and the potential for bias due to trails and other features. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0186679. [PMID: 29045478 PMCID: PMC5646845 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0186679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2017] [Accepted: 10/05/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Camera trapping has become an increasingly widespread tool for wildlife ecologists, with large numbers of studies relying on photo capture rates or presence/absence information. It is increasingly clear that camera placement can directly impact this kind of data, yet these biases are poorly understood. We used a paired camera design to investigate the effect of small-scale habitat features on species richness estimates, and capture rate and detection probability of several mammal species in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, USA. Cameras were deployed at either log features or on game trails with a paired camera at a nearby random location. Overall capture rates were significantly higher at trail and log cameras compared to their paired random cameras, and some species showed capture rates as much as 9.7 times greater at feature-based cameras. We recorded more species at both log (17) and trail features (15) than at their paired control cameras (13 and 12 species, respectively), yet richness estimates were indistinguishable after 659 and 385 camera nights of survey effort, respectively. We detected significant increases (ranging from 11-33%) in detection probability for five species resulting from the presence of game trails. For six species detection probability was also influenced by the presence of a log feature. This bias was most pronounced for the three rodents investigated, where in all cases detection probability was substantially higher (24.9-38.2%) at log cameras. Our results indicate that small-scale factors, including the presence of game trails and other features, can have significant impacts on species detection when camera traps are employed. Significant biases may result if the presence and quality of these features are not documented and either incorporated into analytical procedures, or controlled for in study design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph M. Kolowski
- Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, Front Royal, Virginia, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Tavis D. Forrester
- Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, Front Royal, Virginia, United States of America
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Clink DJ, Bernard H, Crofoot MC, Marshall AJ. Investigating Individual Vocal Signatures and Small-Scale Patterns of Geographic Variation in Female Bornean Gibbon (Hylobates muelleri) Great Calls. INT J PRIMATOL 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s10764-017-9972-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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Ferreira GB, Ahumada JA, Oliveira MJR, de Pinho FF, Barata IM, Carbone C, Collen B. Assessing the conservation value of secondary savanna for large mammals in the Brazilian Cerrado. Biotropica 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/btp.12450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Guilherme B. Ferreira
- Instituto Biotrópicos; Praça JK, 25, Diamantina Minas Gerais Brazil
- Centre for Biodiversity and Environment Research; University College London; Gower Street London UK
- Institute of Zoology; Zoological Society of London; Regent‘s Park London UK
| | - Jorge A. Ahumada
- Tropical Ecology Assessment and Monitoring Network; The Betty and Gordon Moore Center for Science, Conservation International; 2011 Crystal Drive, Suite 500 Arlington VA USA
| | - Marcelo J. R. Oliveira
- Instituto Biotrópicos; Praça JK, 25, Diamantina Minas Gerais Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia, Conservação e Manejo da Vida Silvestre; Departamento de Biologia Geral; Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais; Avenida Antonio Carlos, 6627 Belo Horizonte Minas Gerais Brazil
| | - Fernando F. de Pinho
- Instituto Biotrópicos; Praça JK, 25, Diamantina Minas Gerais Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia de Biomas Tropicais; Departamento de Biodiversidade, Evolução e Meio Ambiente; Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto; Campus Universitário, Morro do Cruzeiro Ouro Preto Minas Gerais Brazil
| | - Izabela M. Barata
- Instituto Biotrópicos; Praça JK, 25, Diamantina Minas Gerais Brazil
- Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology; School of Anthropology and Conservation; University of Kent; Marlowe Building Canterbury Kent UK
| | - Chris Carbone
- Institute of Zoology; Zoological Society of London; Regent‘s Park London UK
| | - Ben Collen
- Centre for Biodiversity and Environment Research; University College London; Gower Street London UK
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Howe EJ, Buckland ST, Després‐Einspenner M, Kühl HS. Distance sampling with camera traps. Methods Ecol Evol 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/2041-210x.12790] [Citation(s) in RCA: 116] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Eric J. Howe
- Centre for Research into Ecological and Environmental Modelling University of St Andrews The Observatory, Buchanan Gardens St Andrews Fife KY16 9LZ UK
| | - Stephen T. Buckland
- Centre for Research into Ecological and Environmental Modelling University of St Andrews The Observatory, Buchanan Gardens St Andrews Fife KY16 9LZ UK
| | | | - Hjalmar S. Kühl
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology Deutscher Platz 6 04103 Leipzig Germany
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle‐Jena‐Leipzig Deutscher Platz 5e 04103 Leipzig Germany
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O’Connor KM, Nathan LR, Liberati MR, Tingley MW, Vokoun JC, Rittenhouse TAG. Camera trap arrays improve detection probability of wildlife: Investigating study design considerations using an empirical dataset. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0175684. [PMID: 28422973 PMCID: PMC5396891 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0175684] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2016] [Accepted: 03/29/2017] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Camera trapping is a standard tool in ecological research and wildlife conservation. Study designs, particularly for small-bodied or cryptic wildlife species often attempt to boost low detection probabilities by using non-random camera placement or baited cameras, which may bias data, or incorrectly estimate detection and occupancy. We investigated the ability of non-baited, multi-camera arrays to increase detection probabilities of wildlife. Study design components were evaluated for their influence on wildlife detectability by iteratively parsing an empirical dataset (1) by different sizes of camera arrays deployed (1–10 cameras), and (2) by total season length (1–365 days). Four species from our dataset that represented a range of body sizes and differing degrees of presumed detectability based on life history traits were investigated: white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), bobcat (Lynx rufus), raccoon (Procyon lotor), and Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana). For all species, increasing from a single camera to a multi-camera array significantly improved detection probability across the range of season lengths and number of study sites evaluated. The use of a two camera array increased survey detection an average of 80% (range 40–128%) from the detection probability of a single camera across the four species. Species that were detected infrequently benefited most from a multiple-camera array, where the addition of up to eight cameras produced significant increases in detectability. However, for species detected at high frequencies, single cameras produced a season-long (i.e, the length of time over which cameras are deployed and actively monitored) detectability greater than 0.75. These results highlight the need for researchers to be critical about camera trap study designs based on their intended target species, as detectability for each focal species responded differently to array size and season length. We suggest that researchers a priori identify target species for which inference will be made, and then design camera trapping studies around the most difficult to detect of those species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly M. O’Connor
- Wildlife and Fisheries Conservation Center, Department of Natural Resources and the Environment, University of Connecticut, Connecticut, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Lucas R. Nathan
- Wildlife and Fisheries Conservation Center, Department of Natural Resources and the Environment, University of Connecticut, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Marjorie R. Liberati
- Wildlife and Fisheries Conservation Center, Department of Natural Resources and the Environment, University of Connecticut, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Morgan W. Tingley
- Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Jason C. Vokoun
- Wildlife and Fisheries Conservation Center, Department of Natural Resources and the Environment, University of Connecticut, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Tracy A. G. Rittenhouse
- Wildlife and Fisheries Conservation Center, Department of Natural Resources and the Environment, University of Connecticut, Connecticut, United States of America
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Pease BS, Nielsen CK, Holzmueller EJ. Single-Camera Trap Survey Designs Miss Detections: Impacts on Estimates of Occupancy and Community Metrics. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0166689. [PMID: 27902733 PMCID: PMC5130212 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0166689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2016] [Accepted: 11/02/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The use of camera traps as a tool for studying wildlife populations is commonplace. However, few have considered how the number of detections of wildlife differ depending upon the number of camera traps placed at cameras-sites, and how this impacts estimates of occupancy and community composition. During December 2015-February 2016, we deployed four camera traps per camera-site, separated into treatment groups of one, two, and four camera traps, in southern Illinois to compare whether estimates of wildlife community metrics and occupancy probabilities differed among survey methods. The overall number of species detected per camera-site was greatest with the four-camera survey method (P<0.0184). The four-camera survey method detected 1.25 additional species per camera-site than the one-camera survey method, and was the only survey method to completely detect the ground-dwelling silvicolous community. The four-camera survey method recorded individual species at 3.57 additional camera-sites (P = 0.003) and nearly doubled the number of camera-sites where white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) were detected compared to one- and two-camera survey methods. We also compared occupancy rates estimated by survey methods; as the number of cameras deployed per camera-site increased, occupancy estimates were closer to naïve estimates, detection probabilities increased, and standard errors of detection probabilities decreased. Additionally, each survey method resulted in differing top-ranked, species-specific occupancy models when habitat covariates were included. Underestimates of occurrence and misrepresented community metrics can have significant impacts on species of conservation concern, particularly in areas where habitat manipulation is likely. Having multiple camera traps per site revealed significant shortcomings with the common one-camera trap survey method. While we realize survey design is often constrained logistically, we suggest increasing effort to at least two camera traps facing opposite directions per camera-site in habitat association studies, and to utilize camera-trap arrays when restricted by equipment availability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brent S. Pease
- Department of Forestry, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Clayton K. Nielsen
- Department of Forestry, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL, United States of America
- Cooperative Wildlife Research Laboratory, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL, United States of America
| | - Eric J. Holzmueller
- Department of Forestry, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL, United States of America
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Wearn OR, Carbone C, Rowcliffe JM, Bernard H, Ewers RM. Grain-dependent responses of mammalian diversity to land use and the implications for conservation set-aside. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2016; 26:1409-1420. [PMID: 27755763 DOI: 10.1890/15-1363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2015] [Revised: 12/29/2015] [Accepted: 01/06/2015] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Diversity responses to land-use change are poorly understood at local scales, hindering our ability to make forecasts and management recommendations at scales which are of practical relevance. A key barrier in this has been the underappreciation of grain-dependent diversity responses and the role that β-diversity (variation in community composition across space) plays in this. Decisions about the most effective spatial arrangement of conservation set-aside, for example high conservation value areas, have also neglected β-diversity, despite its role in determining the complementarity of sites. We examined local-scale mammalian species richness and β-diversity across old-growth forest, logged forest, and oil palm plantations in Borneo, using intensive camera- and live-trapping. For the first time, we were able to investigate diversity responses, as well as β-diversity, at multiple spatial grains, and across the whole terrestrial mammal community (large and small mammals); β-diversity was quantified by comparing observed β-diversity with that obtained under a null model, in order to control for sampling effects, and we refer to this as the β-diversity signal. Community responses to land use were grain dependent, with large mammals showing reduced richness in logged forest compared to old-growth forest at the grain of individual sampling points, but no change at the overall land-use level. Responses varied with species group, however, with small mammals increasing in richness at all grains in logged forest compared to old-growth forest. Both species groups were significantly depauperate in oil palm. Large mammal communities in old-growth forest became more heterogeneous at coarser spatial grains and small mammal communities became more homogeneous, while this pattern was reversed in logged forest. Both groups, however, showed a significant β-diversity signal at the finest grain in logged forest, likely due to logging-induced environmental heterogeneity. The β-diversity signal in oil palm was weak, but heterogeneity at the coarsest spatial grain was still evident, likely due to variation in landscape forest cover. Our findings suggest that the most effective spatial arrangement of set-aside will involve trade-offs between conserving large and small mammals. Greater consideration in the conservation and management of tropical landscapes needs to be given to β-diversity at a range of spatial grains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oliver R Wearn
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Silwood Park, Ascot, SL5 7PY, United Kingdom
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regent's Park, London, NW1 4RY, United Kingdom
| | - Chris Carbone
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regent's Park, London, NW1 4RY, United Kingdom
| | - J Marcus Rowcliffe
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regent's Park, London, NW1 4RY, United Kingdom
| | - Henry Bernard
- Institute for Tropical Biology and Conservation, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Jalan UMS, 88400, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
| | - Robert M Ewers
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Silwood Park, Ascot, SL5 7PY, United Kingdom
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A mix of community-based conservation and protected forests is needed for the survival of the Endangered pygmy hippopotamus Choeropsis liberiensis. ORYX 2016. [DOI: 10.1017/s003060531600020x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
AbstractThe contribution of protected areas to biodiversity conservation is well attested but many taxa in many regions remain dependent on the unprotected wider landscape. To develop conservation plans for large mammals such as the Endangered pygmy hippopotamus Choeropsis liberiensis of West Africa's Upper Guinea Forests it is critical to understand the importance of unprotected land. Despite being a conservation priority, little is known about the habitat associations of this species, or its distribution across its range. Through a combination of field surveys, species distribution models and community questionnaires we investigated the use of unprotected areas by the pygmy hippopotamus in the Sierra Leone–Liberia border region. We found signs of the species in 128 of 525 1-km2 cells surveyed. Our analysis suggested that the species is reasonably widespread in this region and is associated with major rivers. It occurred close to, but rarely within, large areas of intact forest, and 80.4% of pygmy hippopotamus signs were recorded outside protected areas. The expansion of the protected area network in this area is unrealistic in Sierra Leone and to some extent in Liberia, mainly because of anthropogenic pressure and the overlap of proposed protected areas with mining and logging concessions. Thus pygmy hippopotamus conservation activities in the region need to include programmes on community lands while maintaining a robust network of protected forests. Community-based conservation of the pygmy hippopotamus may prove valuable for other threatened and endemic species that are not confined to protected areas in this region.
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Hearn AJ, Ross J, Bernard H, Bakar SA, Hunter LTB, Macdonald DW. The First Estimates of Marbled Cat Pardofelis marmorata Population Density from Bornean Primary and Selectively Logged Forest. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0151046. [PMID: 27007219 PMCID: PMC4805203 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0151046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2015] [Accepted: 02/23/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The marbled cat Pardofelis marmorata is a poorly known wild cat that has a broad distribution across much of the Indomalayan ecorealm. This felid is thought to exist at low population densities throughout its range, yet no estimates of its abundance exist, hampering assessment of its conservation status. To investigate the distribution and abundance of marbled cats we conducted intensive, felid-focused camera trap surveys of eight forest areas and two oil palm plantations in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo. Study sites were broadly representative of the range of habitat types and the gradient of anthropogenic disturbance and fragmentation present in contemporary Sabah. We recorded marbled cats from all forest study areas apart from a small, relatively isolated forest patch, although photographic detection frequency varied greatly between areas. No marbled cats were recorded within the plantations, but a single individual was recorded walking along the forest/plantation boundary. We collected sufficient numbers of marbled cat photographic captures at three study areas to permit density estimation based on spatially explicit capture-recapture analyses. Estimates of population density from the primary, lowland Danum Valley Conservation Area and primary upland, Tawau Hills Park, were 19.57 (SD: 8.36) and 7.10 (SD: 1.90) individuals per 100 km2, respectively, and the selectively logged, lowland Tabin Wildlife Reserve yielded an estimated density of 10.45 (SD: 3.38) individuals per 100 km2. The low detection frequencies recorded in our other survey sites and from published studies elsewhere in its range, and the absence of previous density estimates for this felid suggest that our density estimates may be from the higher end of their abundance spectrum. We provide recommendations for future marbled cat survey approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew J. Hearn
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU), Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
| | - Joanna Ross
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU), Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Henry Bernard
- Institute for Tropical Biology and Conservation, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
| | | | | | - David W. Macdonald
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU), Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
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Srivathsa A, Parameshwaran R, Sharma S, Karanth KU. Estimating population sizes of leopard cats in the Western Ghats using camera surveys. J Mammal 2015. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyv079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
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Anile S, Devillard S. Study design and body mass influence RAIs from camera trap studies: evidence from the Felidae. Anim Conserv 2015. [DOI: 10.1111/acv.12214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- S. Anile
- Dipartimento di Biologia Animale; Università di Catania; Catania Italy
| | - S. Devillard
- Université de Lyon; F-69000 Lyon France
- Université Lyon 1; F-69622 Villeurbanne France
- CNRS, UMR5558; Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive; F-69622 Villeurbanne France
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Random versus Game Trail-Based Camera Trap Placement Strategy for Monitoring Terrestrial Mammal Communities. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0126373. [PMID: 25950183 PMCID: PMC4423779 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0126373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 104] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2014] [Accepted: 04/01/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Camera trap surveys exclusively targeting features of the landscape that increase the probability of photographing one or several focal species are commonly used to draw inferences on the richness, composition and structure of entire mammal communities. However, these studies ignore expected biases in species detection arising from sampling only a limited set of potential habitat features. In this study, we test the influence of camera trap placement strategy on community-level inferences by carrying out two spatially and temporally concurrent surveys of medium to large terrestrial mammal species within Tanzania’s Ruaha National Park, employing either strictly game trail-based or strictly random camera placements. We compared the richness, composition and structure of the two observed communities, and evaluated what makes a species significantly more likely to be caught at trail placements. Observed communities differed marginally in their richness and composition, although differences were more noticeable during the wet season and for low levels of sampling effort. Lognormal models provided the best fit to rank abundance distributions describing the structure of all observed communities, regardless of survey type or season. Despite this, carnivore species were more likely to be detected at trail placements relative to random ones during the dry season, as were larger bodied species during the wet season. Our findings suggest that, given adequate sampling effort (> 1400 camera trap nights), placement strategy is unlikely to affect inferences made at the community level. However, surveys should consider more carefully their choice of placement strategy when targeting specific taxonomic or trophic groups.
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Ewers RM, Boyle MJW, Gleave RA, Plowman NS, Benedick S, Bernard H, Bishop TR, Bakhtiar EY, Chey VK, Chung AYC, Davies RG, Edwards DP, Eggleton P, Fayle TM, Hardwick SR, Homathevi R, Kitching RL, Khoo MS, Luke SH, March JJ, Nilus R, Pfeifer M, Rao SV, Sharp AC, Snaddon JL, Stork NE, Struebig MJ, Wearn OR, Yusah KM, Turner EC. Logging cuts the functional importance of invertebrates in tropical rainforest. Nat Commun 2015; 6:6836. [PMID: 25865801 PMCID: PMC4403313 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms7836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 106] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2014] [Accepted: 03/04/2015] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Invertebrates are dominant species in primary tropical rainforests, where their abundance and diversity contributes to the functioning and resilience of these globally important ecosystems. However, more than one-third of tropical forests have been logged, with dramatic impacts on rainforest biodiversity that may disrupt key ecosystem processes. We find that the contribution of invertebrates to three ecosystem processes operating at three trophic levels (litter decomposition, seed predation and removal, and invertebrate predation) is reduced by up to one-half following logging. These changes are associated with decreased abundance of key functional groups of termites, ants, beetles and earthworms, and an increase in the abundance of small mammals, amphibians and insectivorous birds in logged relative to primary forest. Our results suggest that ecosystem processes themselves have considerable resilience to logging, but the consistent decline of invertebrate functional importance is indicative of a human-induced shift in how these ecological processes operate in tropical rainforests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert M Ewers
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Silwood Park Campus, Buckhurst Road, Ascot SL5 7PY, UK
| | - Michael J W Boyle
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Silwood Park Campus, Buckhurst Road, Ascot SL5 7PY, UK
| | - Rosalind A Gleave
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Silwood Park Campus, Buckhurst Road, Ascot SL5 7PY, UK
| | - Nichola S Plowman
- 1] Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Silwood Park Campus, Buckhurst Road, Ascot SL5 7PY, UK [2] Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branisovska 31, Ceske Budejovice CZ-370 05, Czech Republic [3] Institute of Entomology, Biology Centre of Czech Academy of Sciences, Branisovska 31, Ceske Budejovice CZ-370 05, Czech Republic
| | - Suzan Benedick
- Faculty of Sustainable Agriculture, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Locked Bag No. 3, Sandakan, Sabah 90509, Malaysia
| | - Henry Bernard
- Institute for Tropical Biology and Conservation, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Jln UMS, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah 88400, Malaysia
| | - Tom R Bishop
- 1] Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Silwood Park Campus, Buckhurst Road, Ascot SL5 7PY, UK [2] School of Environmental Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3GP, UK [3] Centre for Invasion Biology, Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0002, South Africa
| | - Effendi Y Bakhtiar
- Institute for Tropical Biology and Conservation, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Jln UMS, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah 88400, Malaysia
| | - Vun Khen Chey
- Forest Research Centre (Sepilok), Sabah Forestry Department, PO Box 1407, Sandakan, Sabah 90715, Malaysia
| | - Arthur Y C Chung
- Forest Research Centre (Sepilok), Sabah Forestry Department, PO Box 1407, Sandakan, Sabah 90715, Malaysia
| | - Richard G Davies
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK
| | - David P Edwards
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK
| | - Paul Eggleton
- Entomology Department, Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, UK
| | - Tom M Fayle
- 1] Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Silwood Park Campus, Buckhurst Road, Ascot SL5 7PY, UK [2] Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branisovska 31, Ceske Budejovice CZ-370 05, Czech Republic [3] Institute of Entomology, Biology Centre of Czech Academy of Sciences, Branisovska 31, Ceske Budejovice CZ-370 05, Czech Republic [4] Institute for Tropical Biology and Conservation, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Jln UMS, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah 88400, Malaysia
| | - Stephen R Hardwick
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Silwood Park Campus, Buckhurst Road, Ascot SL5 7PY, UK
| | - Rahman Homathevi
- Institute for Tropical Biology and Conservation, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Jln UMS, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah 88400, Malaysia
| | - Roger L Kitching
- Environmental Futures Research Institute and Griffith School of the Environment, Griffith University, Nathan, Queensland 4111, Australia
| | - Min Sheng Khoo
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Silwood Park Campus, Buckhurst Road, Ascot SL5 7PY, UK
| | - Sarah H Luke
- 1] School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK [2] Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK
| | - Joshua J March
- Entomology Department, Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, UK
| | - Reuben Nilus
- Forest Research Centre (Sepilok), Sabah Forestry Department, PO Box 1407, Sandakan, Sabah 90715, Malaysia
| | - Marion Pfeifer
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Silwood Park Campus, Buckhurst Road, Ascot SL5 7PY, UK
| | - Sri V Rao
- School of Rural, Animal and Environmental Sciences, Nottingham Trent University, Brackenhurst Campus, Southwell, Nottinghamshire NG25 0QF, UK
| | - Adam C Sharp
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Silwood Park Campus, Buckhurst Road, Ascot SL5 7PY, UK
| | - Jake L Snaddon
- Centre for Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, UK
| | - Nigel E Stork
- Environmental Futures Research Institute and Griffith School of the Environment, Griffith University, Nathan, Queensland 4111, Australia
| | - Matthew J Struebig
- Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology, School of Anthropology and Conservation, University of Kent, Canterbury CT2 7NR, UK
| | - Oliver R Wearn
- 1] Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Silwood Park Campus, Buckhurst Road, Ascot SL5 7PY, UK [2] Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regent's Park, London NW1 4RY, UK
| | - Kalsum M Yusah
- Institute for Tropical Biology and Conservation, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Jln UMS, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah 88400, Malaysia
| | - Edgar C Turner
- 1] Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Silwood Park Campus, Buckhurst Road, Ascot SL5 7PY, UK [2] Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK
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Burton AC, Neilson E, Moreira D, Ladle A, Steenweg R, Fisher JT, Bayne E, Boutin S. REVIEW: Wildlife camera trapping: a review and recommendations for linking surveys to ecological processes. J Appl Ecol 2015. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.12432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 604] [Impact Index Per Article: 67.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- A. Cole Burton
- Alberta Innovates - Technology Futures; 3-4476 Markham Street Victoria BC V8Z 7X8 Canada
- Department of Biology; University of Victoria; P.O. Box 1700 Station CSC Victoria BC V8W 2Y2 Canada
| | - Eric Neilson
- Department of Biological Sciences; CW 405 Biological Sciences Bldg.; University of Alberta; Edmonton AB T6G 2E9 Canada
| | - Dario Moreira
- Department of Biological Sciences; CW 405 Biological Sciences Bldg.; University of Alberta; Edmonton AB T6G 2E9 Canada
| | - Andrew Ladle
- Department of Biological Sciences; CW 405 Biological Sciences Bldg.; University of Alberta; Edmonton AB T6G 2E9 Canada
| | - Robin Steenweg
- Wildlife Biology Program; College of Forestry and Conservation; University of Montana; Forestry 312 32 Campus Drive Missoula MT 59812 USA
| | - Jason T. Fisher
- Alberta Innovates - Technology Futures; 3-4476 Markham Street Victoria BC V8Z 7X8 Canada
- School of Environmental Studies; University of Victoria; David Turpin Building B243 PO Box 1700 STN CSC Victoria BC V8W 2Y2 Canada
| | - Erin Bayne
- Department of Biological Sciences; CW 405 Biological Sciences Bldg.; University of Alberta; Edmonton AB T6G 2E9 Canada
| | - Stan Boutin
- Department of Biological Sciences; CW 405 Biological Sciences Bldg.; University of Alberta; Edmonton AB T6G 2E9 Canada
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Gray CL, Lewis OT, Chung AYC, Fayle TM. Riparian reserves within oil palm plantations conserve logged forest leaf litter ant communities and maintain associated scavenging rates. J Appl Ecol 2014; 52:31-40. [PMID: 25678717 PMCID: PMC4312969 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.12371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2014] [Accepted: 10/30/2014] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
The expansion of oil palm plantations at the expense of tropical forests is causing declines in many species and altering ecosystem functions. Maintaining forest-dependent species and processes in these landscapes may therefore limit the negative impacts of this economically important industry. Protecting riparian vegetation may be one such opportunity; forest buffer strips are commonly protected for hydrological reasons, but can also conserve functionally important taxa and the processes they support.We surveyed leaf litter ant communities within oil palm-dominated landscapes in Sabah, Malaysia, using protein baits. As the scavenging activity of ants influences important ecological characteristics such as nutrient cycling and soil structure, we quantified species-specific rates of bait removal to examine how this process may change across land uses and establish which changes in community structure underlie observed shifts in activity.Riparian reserves had similar ant species richness, community composition and scavenging rates to nearby continuous logged forest. Reserve width and vegetation structure did not affect ant species richness significantly. However, the number of foraging individuals decreased with increasing reserve width, and scavenging rate increased with vegetation complexity.Oil palm ant communities were characterized by significantly lower species richness than logged forest and riparian reserves and also by altered community composition and reduced scavenging rates.Reduced scavenging activity in oil palm was not explained by a reduction in ant species richness, nor by replacement of forest ant species by those with lower per species scavenging rates. There was also no significant effect of land use on the scavenging activity of the forest species that persisted in oil palm. Rather, changes in scavenging activity were best explained by a reduction in the mean rate of bait removal per individual ant across all species in the community.Synthesis and applications. Our results suggest that riparian reserves are comparable to areas of logged forest in terms of ant community composition and ant-mediated scavenging. Hence, in addition to protecting large continuous areas of primary and logged forest, maintaining riparian reserves is a successful strategy for conserving leaf litter ants and their scavenging activities in tropical agricultural landscapes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia L Gray
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3PS, UK ; School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex Falmer, Brighton, BN1 9QG, UK
| | - Owen T Lewis
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3PS, UK
| | - Arthur Y C Chung
- Forestry Department, Forest Research Centre P.O. Box 1407, 90715, Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia
| | - Tom M Fayle
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia and Institute of Entomology, Biology Centre of Academy of Sciences, Czech Republic Branišovská 31, 370 05, České Budějovice, Czech Republic ; Forest Ecology and Conservation Group, Imperial College London Silwood Park Campus, Buckhurst Road, Ascot, Berkshire, SL5 7PY, UK
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49
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Influence of microhabitat structure and disturbance on detection of native and non-native murids in logged and unlogged forests of northern Borneo. JOURNAL OF TROPICAL ECOLOGY 2014. [DOI: 10.1017/s0266467414000558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Abstract:Understanding the habitat preferences of native and non-native species may offer valuable insights into the mechanisms favouring invasion of disturbed habitats. This study investigated the determinants of trap-site detection probability of three native (Maxomys surifer, Maxomys whiteheadi and Leopoldamys sabanus) and one invasive (Rattus rattus) species of terrestrial murid (Muridae) in logged and unlogged forests of northern Borneo. We established four and two trapping grids in repeatedly logged and unlogged forest, respectively, for a total of 500 sampled trap sites. From these, we obtained 504 detections of the four species over 3420 trap nights. For each species, probability of detection was modelled as a function of both the structural components and disturbance level of the forest patch measured around each trap site. Each of the four species showed contrasting microhabitat preferences: M. surifer favoured increased canopy closure and intermediate ground and understorey vegetation cover; M. whiteheadi preferred increased ground vegetation cover and canopy height; L. sabanus favoured sites with larger amounts of coarse woody debris and less leaf litter; and R. rattus was associated with increased ground vegetation cover. Within logged forest, detection probabilities of the three native species did not vary significantly with level of patch disturbance, whereas that of the invasive R. rattus increased markedly in more degraded sites. This latter finding will have increasingly important implications when considering the rapid degradation of forests in the region, and the resulting expansion of suitable habitat for this competitive species.
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50
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Keeping D, Pelletier R. Animal density and track counts: understanding the nature of observations based on animal movements. PLoS One 2014; 9:e96598. [PMID: 24871490 PMCID: PMC4037204 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0096598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2013] [Accepted: 04/09/2014] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Counting animals to estimate their population sizes is often essential for their management and conservation. Since practitioners frequently rely on indirect observations of animals, it is important to better understand the relationship between such indirect indices and animal abundance. The Formozov-Malyshev-Pereleshin (FMP) formula provides a theoretical foundation for understanding the relationship between animal track counts and the true density of species. Although this analytical method potentially has universal applicability wherever animals are readily detectable by their tracks, it has long been unique to Russia and remains widely underappreciated. In this paper, we provide a test of the FMP formula by isolating the influence of animal travel path tortuosity (i.e., convolutedness) on track counts. We employed simulations using virtual and empirical data, in addition to a field test comparing FMP estimates with independent estimates from line transect distance sampling. We verify that track counts (total intersections between animals and transects) are determined entirely by density and daily movement distances. Hence, the FMP estimator is theoretically robust against potential biases from specific shapes or patterns of animal movement paths if transects are randomly situated with respect to those movements (i.e., the transects do not influence animals' movements). However, detectability (the detection probability of individual animals) is not determined simply by daily travel distance but also by tortuosity, so ensuring that all intersections with transects are counted regardless of the number of individual animals that made them becomes critical for an accurate density estimate. Additionally, although tortuosity has no bearing on mean track encounter rates, it does affect encounter rate variance and therefore estimate precision. We discuss how these fundamental principles made explicit by the FMP formula have widespread implications for methods of assessing animal abundance that rely on indirect observations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Derek Keeping
- Department of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Rick Pelletier
- Department of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
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