Forest-edge utilization by carnivores in relation to local and landscape habitat characteristics in central European farmland

Šálek, Martin; Červinka, Jaroslav; Pavluvčík, Petr; Poláková, Simona; Tkadlec, Emil

doi:10.1016/j.mambio.2013.08.009

Cited by 18 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 51 publications

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“…Patches and the surrounding matrix are not homogenous (Brearley et variables at a landscape scale (Donovan et al 1997;Šálek et al 2014) are needed when predicting animal responses across habitat edges and landscapes ( Figure 6B).…”

Section: Updating Conceptual Models For Edge Effectsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Strong influence of local habitat structure on mammals reveals mismatch with edge effects models

et al. 2014

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Context: What determines mammal occurrence across wildland-urban edges? A better understanding of the variables involved will help update edge effects theory and improve our ability to conserve biota in urbanizing landscapes. Objectives: For the first time, we tested whether the occurrence of mammals across urban-forest edges and forest interiors was best predicted by: (1) edge variables (i.e. edge type and distance to an urban boundary), (2) local habitat structure (e.g. proportion of understory cover), or (3) edge variables after accounting for local habitat structure. Methods: Using 77 camera stations in southeastern Australia, we quantified the factors influencing the occurrence of five native mammals (brown antechinus, bush rat, common brushtail possum, black wallaby and long-nosed bandicoot) and three non-native mammals (red fox, cat, and dog). Results: The occurrence of most native and non-native mammals was best predicted by local habitat structure rather than by edge variables. Although edge variables had effects on most species occurrences, local habitat structure outweighed the impacts of edge effects. Conclusions: Our findings are important for management and urban planning as they suggest that local-scale management of habitat and habitat retention at urban edges will mitigate urban impacts on fauna. Our work reveals a critical mismatch in the spatial scale of predictive variables commonly used in edge effects models (edge types and distance to a boundary) compared with the smaller scale of local habitat variables, which underlie most species occurrence. We emphasize the need to consider heterogeneity within patches in predictive frameworks of edge 40 effects.

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Section: Updating Conceptual Models For Edge Effectsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Strong influence of local habitat structure on mammals reveals mismatch with edge effects models

et al. 2014

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“…Animals such as ungulates, birds and small mammals are amongst the most relevant tick-hosts [ 10 ]. Landscape composition and configuration [ 22 – 24 ] as well as biotic interactions [ 25 , 26 ] are important determinants of tick-host communities at regional and local scales [ 27 ], albeit exact effects on tick abundance remain unclear (Fig. 1 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Environmental drivers of Ixodes ricinus abundance in forest fragments of rural European landscapes

et al. 2017

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BackgroundThe castor bean tick (Ixodes ricinus) transmits infectious diseases such as Lyme borreliosis, which constitutes an important ecosystem disservice. Despite many local studies, a comprehensive understanding of the key drivers of tick abundance at the continental scale is still lacking. We analyze a large set of environmental factors as potential drivers of I. ricinus abundance. Our multi-scale study was carried out in deciduous forest fragments dispersed within two contrasting rural landscapes of eight regions, along a macroclimatic gradient stretching from southern France to central Sweden and Estonia. We surveyed the abundance of I. ricinus, plant community composition, forest structure and soil properties and compiled data on landscape structure, macroclimate and habitat properties. We used linear mixed models to analyze patterns and derived the relative importance of the significant drivers.ResultsMany drivers had, on their own, either a moderate or small explanatory value for the abundance of I. ricinus, but combined they explained a substantial part of variation. This emphasizes the complex ecology of I. ricinus and the relevance of environmental factors for tick abundance. Macroclimate only explained a small fraction of variation, while properties of macro- and microhabitat, which buffer macroclimate, had a considerable impact on tick abundance. The amount of forest and the composition of the surrounding rural landscape were additionally important drivers of tick abundance. Functional (dispersules) and structural (density of tree and shrub layers) properties of the habitat patch played an important role. Various diversity metrics had only a small relative importance. Ontogenetic tick stages showed pronounced differences in their response. The abundance of nymphs and adults is explained by the preceding stage with a positive relationship, indicating a cumulative effect of drivers.ConclusionsOur findings suggest that the ecosystem disservices of tick-borne diseases, via the abundance of ticks, strongly depends on habitat properties and thus on how humans manage ecosystems from the scale of the microhabitat to the landscape. This study stresses the need to further evaluate the interaction between climate change and ecosystem management on I. ricinus abundance.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12898-017-0141-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

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“…Indeed, our results were in close agreement with the expected vertebrate diversity patterns along the gradients of habitat heterogeneity/complexity under anthropogenic influence [46] (see [13] for opposite patterns in other vertebrates). The more intense response to forest than to scrubland gradients probably resulted from the dependence of mesocarnivores on hollows in old trees for resting in the case of tree-dwelling species, which decreases predation risk or thermoregulatory costs [48]. Furthermore, the steep responses to forest gradients of some species (i.e., genets and stone martens) made them potential indicators in establishing landscape conservation strategies under the human-induced habitat fragmentation framework, one of the most important causes of biodiversity loss [10].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mesocarnivore Distribution along Gradients of Anthropogenic Disturbance in Mediterranean Landscapes

et al. 2022

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Wildfires are important sources of landscape change in Mediterranean environments, creating large patches of low-growth natural habitats (i.e., scrublands) inside protected areas, whereas woodland patches remain mostly near well protected human settlements. Landscape patterns resulting from these gradients influence habitat suitability for mesocarnivores regarding food and shelter. In winter and summer 2019, we sampled 16 independent line-transects with four camera traps each (64 cameras overall), covering the main habitats of the study area (woodlands, scrublands, and crops). Cameras were baited to compensate for the low detectability of target species, and mesocarnivore contacts were analysed by means of GLMMs and occupancy models. Our results showed a positive and stronger association of wild species with woodland habitats, despite the low proportion of habitat available, higher presence of competitors (other mesocarnivores), and potential predators (human pets, i.e., dogs), and low natural prey availability than in scrubland (i.e., small mammals). However, mesocarnivores will find protection against predators and resting sites in forests as well as other food opportunities in crops and urban areas, despite the possible interference with humans and their pets. Potential cascading effects linked to ecological roles of Mediterranean mesocarnivores on the succession of Mediterranean landscapes would imply longer-term effects of human disturbance on landscape trends.

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Forest-edge utilization by carnivores in relation to local and landscape habitat characteristics in central European farmland

Cited by 18 publications

References 51 publications

Strong influence of local habitat structure on mammals reveals mismatch with edge effects models

Strong influence of local habitat structure on mammals reveals mismatch with edge effects models

Environmental drivers of Ixodes ricinus abundance in forest fragments of rural European landscapes

Mesocarnivore Distribution along Gradients of Anthropogenic Disturbance in Mediterranean Landscapes

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