Designing the landscape of coexistence: Integrating risk avoidance, habitat selection and functional connectivity to inform large carnivore conservation

Rio-Maior, Helena; Nakamura, Mónia; Álvares, Francisco; Beja, Pedro

doi:10.1016/j.biocon.2019.04.021

Cited by 52 publications

(49 citation statements)

References 48 publications

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“…Management options could include "temporal zoning" [116], an approach analogous to spatial zoning, to limit human activities during times of the day and/or seasons when interactions are most disturbing. Designing landscapes of coexistence should aim at facilitating both the spatial and temporal segregation of human structures and activities and large carnivores, preventing new sources of disturbance in their most important habitats and phenological periods, e.g., at breeding sites [180]. (4).…”

Section: Management Considerationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of Human Disturbance on Terrestrial Apex Predators

et al. 2021

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The effects of human disturbance spread over virtually all ecosystems and ecological communities on Earth. In this review, we focus on the effects of human disturbance on terrestrial apex predators. We summarize their ecological role in nature and how they respond to different sources of human disturbance. Apex predators control their prey and smaller predators numerically and via behavioral changes to avoid predation risk, which in turn can affect lower trophic levels. Crucially, reducing population numbers and triggering behavioral responses are also the effects that human disturbance causes to apex predators, which may in turn influence their ecological role. Some populations continue to be at the brink of extinction, but others are partially recovering former ranges, via natural recolonization and through reintroductions. Carnivore recovery is both good news for conservation and a challenge for management, particularly when recovery occurs in human-dominated landscapes. Therefore, we conclude by discussing several management considerations that, adapted to local contexts, may favor the recovery of apex predator populations and their ecological functions in nature.

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Section: Management Considerationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of Human Disturbance on Terrestrial Apex Predators

et al. 2021

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“…Utilisation of covered areas may also be tied to threat avoidance, as threats are known to influence animal movement [105,106]. In our study area, roads pose a major threat to many animals [107], and King Cobras routinely exit the protected area.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

No room to roam: King Cobras reduce movement in agriculture

et al. 2020

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Background: Studying animal movement provides insights into how animals react to land-use changes. As agriculture expands, we can use animal movement to examine how animals change their behaviour in response. Recent reviews show a tendency for mammalian species to reduce movements in response to increased human landscape modification, but reptile movements have not been as extensively studied. Methods: We examined movements of a large reptilian predator, the King Cobra (Ophiophagus hannah), in Northeast Thailand. We used a consistent regime of radio telemetry tracking to document movements across protected forest and adjacent agricultural areas. Using dynamic Brownian Bridge Movement Model derived motion variance, Integrated Step-Selection Functions, and metrics of site reuse, we examined how King Cobra movements changed in agricultural areas. Results: Motion variance values indicated that King Cobra movements increased in forested areas and tended to decrease in agricultural areas. Our Integrated Step-Selection Functions revealed that when moving in agricultural areas King Cobras restricted their movements to remain within vegetated semi-natural areas, often located along the banks of irrigation canals. Site reuse metrics of residency time and number of revisits appeared unaffected by distance to landscape features (forests, semi-natural areas, settlements, water bodies, and roads). Neither motion variance nor reuse metrics were consistently affected by the presence of threatening landscape features (e.g. roads, human settlements), suggesting that King Cobras will remain in close proximity to threats, provided habitat patches are available. Conclusions: Although King Cobras displayed individual heterogeneity in their response to agricultural landscapes, the overall trend suggested reduced movements when faced with fragmented habitat patches embedded in an otherwise inhospitable land-use matrix. Movement reductions are consistent with findings for mammals and forest specialist species.

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“…Large carnivore populations increasingly face threats from habitat loss, fragmentation and isolation worldwide 1 – 5 . Additionally, large carnivores often reside in and disperse across landscapes characterized by heterogeneous patterns of habitat suitability and mortality risk 6 – 10 . Existing protected areas often fail to support viable populations of large carnivores in many parts of the world as a result of their large area requirements, low densities and high dispersal abilities 6 – 11 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…One of the approaches to ensure regional large carnivore long-term viability is based on establishing and protecting large core habitat patches, and a network of connectivity linkages, and low-risk areas among them 15 , 17 , 18 . Thus, spatially connected networks of core habitat patches often emerges as a priority to reach landscapes of coexistence between humans and large carnivores 8 , 10 , 19 – 22 on national and even international population level approach 23 , 24 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Identifying priority core habitats and corridors for effective conservation of brown bears in Iran

Mohammadi

Almasieh²,

Nayeri

et al. 2021

Sci Rep

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Iran lies at the southernmost range limit of brown bears globally. Therefore, understanding the habitat associations and patterns of population connectivity for brown bears in Iran is relevant for the species’ conservation. We applied species distribution modeling to predict habitat suitability and connectivity modeling to identify population core areas and corridors. Our results showed that forest density, topographical roughness, NDVI and human footprint were the most influential variables in predicting brown bear distribution. The most crucial core areas and corridor networks for brown bear are concentrated in the Alborz and Zagros Mountains. These two core areas were predicted to be fragmented into a total of fifteen isolated patches if dispersal of brown bear across the landscape is limited to 50,000 cost units, and aggregates into two isolated habitat patches if the species is capable of dispersing 400,000 cost units. We found low overlap between corridors, and core habitats with protected areas, suggesting that the existing protected area network may not be adequate for the conservation of brown bear in Iran. Our results suggest that effective conservation of brown bears in Iran requires protection of both core habitats and the corridors between them, especially outside Iran’s network of protected areas.

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Designing the landscape of coexistence: Integrating risk avoidance, habitat selection and functional connectivity to inform large carnivore conservation

Cited by 52 publications

References 48 publications

Effects of Human Disturbance on Terrestrial Apex Predators

Effects of Human Disturbance on Terrestrial Apex Predators

No room to roam: King Cobras reduce movement in agriculture

Identifying priority core habitats and corridors for effective conservation of brown bears in Iran

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