Roads constrain movement across behavioural processes in a partially migratory ungulate

Movement Ecology

Nathan Ranc¹  Atle Mysterud²  Francesca Cagnacci³  Andrea Corradini⁴  Benedikt Gehr⁵  Robin Sandfort⁶  Marco Heurich⁷  Tim Coulson⁸  Gioele Passoni⁹  A. J. Mark Hewison^1,10  Simone Ciuti^1,11  Falko Brieger^1,12  Niko Balkenhol^1,13 

[1]Center for Integrated Spatial Research, Environmental Studies Department, University of California, 95064, Santa Cruz, USA

[2]Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis (CEES), Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1066, Blindern, 0316, Oslo, Norway

[3]Department of Biodiversity and Molecular Ecology, Research and Innovation Centre (CRI), Fondazione Edmund Mach, Via Edmund Mach 1, 38010, San Michele all’Adige, TN, Italy

[4]Department of Biodiversity and Molecular Ecology, Research and Innovation Centre (CRI), Fondazione Edmund Mach, Via Edmund Mach 1, 38010, San Michele all’Adige, TN, Italy

[5]Department of Civil, Environmental and Mechanical Engineering (DICAM), University of Trento, via Mesiano 77, 38123, Trento, TN, Italy

[6]Stelvio National Park, Via De Simoni 42, 23032, Bormio, SO, Italy

[7]Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057, Zurich, Switzerland

[8]Department of Integrative Biology and Biodiversity Research, Institute of Wildlife Biology and Game Management, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Gregor‐Mendel Straße 33, 1180, Vienna, Austria

[9]Department of Visitor Management and National Park Monitoring, Bavarian Forest National Park, Freyunger Straße 2, 94481, Grafenau, Germany

[10]Faculty of Environment and Natural Resources, Chair of Wildlife Ecology and Management, University of Freiburg, Tennenbacher Straße 4, 79106, Freiburg, Germany

[11]Institute for Forest and Wildlife Management, Inland Norway University of Applied Science, 2480, Koppang, Norway

[12]Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Zoology Research and Administration Building, 11a Mansfield Rd, OX1 3SZ, Oxford, UK

[13]Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Zoology Research and Administration Building, 11a Mansfield Rd, OX1 3SZ, Oxford, UK

[14]Department of Biodiversity and Molecular Ecology, Research and Innovation Centre (CRI), Fondazione Edmund Mach, Via Edmund Mach 1, 38010, San Michele all’Adige, TN, Italy

[15]INRAE, CEFS, Université de Toulouse, 31326, Castanet-Tolosan, France

[16]LTSER ZA Pyrénées Garonne, 31320, Auzeville Tolosane, France

[17]Laboratory of Wildlife Ecology and Behaviour, University College Dublin, D4, Belfield, Ireland

[18]Wildlife Institute, Forest Research Institute Baden-Wuerttemberg, Wonnhaldestraße 4, 79100, Freiburg, Germany

[19]Wildlife Sciences, Faculty of Forest Sciences and Forest Ecology, University of Goettingen, Buesgenweg 3, 37077, Goettingen, Germany

关键词: Ungulates;    Roe deer;    Capreolus capreolus;    Migration;    Dispersal;    Roads;    Habitat selection;    Step selection analysis;    Connectivity;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s40462-021-00292-4

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundHuman disturbance alters animal movement globally and infrastructure, such as roads, can act as physical barriers that impact behaviour across multiple spatial scales. In ungulates, roads can particularly hamper key ecological processes such as dispersal and migration, which ensure functional connectivity among populations, and may be particularly important for population performance in highly human-dominated landscapes. The impact of roads on some aspects of ungulate behaviour has already been studied. However, potential differences in response to roads during migration, dispersal and home range movements have never been evaluated. Addressing these issues is particularly important to assess the resistance of European landscapes to the range of wildlife movement processes, and to evaluate how animals adjust to anthropogenic constraints.MethodsWe analysed 95 GPS trajectories from 6 populations of European roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) across the Alps and central Europe. We investigated how roe deer movements were affected by landscape characteristics, including roads, and we evaluated potential differences in road avoidance among resident, migratory and dispersing animals (hereafter, movement modes). First, using Net Squared Displacement and a spatio-temporal clustering algorithm, we classified individuals as residents, migrants or dispersers. We then identified the start and end dates of the migration and dispersal trajectories, and retained only the GPS locations that fell between those dates (i.e., during transience). Finally, we used the resulting trajectories to perform an integrated step selection analysis.ResultsWe found that roe deer moved through more forested areas during the day and visited less forested areas at night. They also minimised elevation gains and losses along their movement trajectories. Road crossings were strongly avoided at all times of day, but when they occurred, they were more likely to occur during longer steps and in more forested areas. Road avoidance did not vary among movement modes and, during dispersal and migration, it remained high and consistent with that expressed during home range movements.ConclusionsRoads can represent a major constraint to movement across modes and populations, potentially limiting functional connectivity at multiple ecological scales. In particular, they can affect migrating individuals that track seasonal resources, and dispersing animals searching for novel ranges.

【 授权许可】

CC BY