Vertebrate road mortality estimates: Effects of sampling methods and carcass removal

Teixeira, Fernanda Zimmermann; Coelho, Artur Vicente Pfeifer; Esperandio, Isadora Beraldi; Kindel, Andreas

doi:10.1016/j.biocon.2012.09.006

Cited by 151 publications

(129 citation statements)

References 23 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

109

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…The advantage of the data collecting work in collaboration to Concer was the monitoring for 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We expect this high monitoring rate could minimize the effect of carcass removal rates by vultures on road-kill records (Teixeira et al, 2013). In addition to monitoring by Concer employees, Cecilia Bueno has monitored the highway monthly up to August 2007 and each two weeks after that.…”

Section: Data Collectionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Even forest species of owls can move through matrix, particularly in conditions that promote hunting behavior (Gomes et al, 2009). Despite the low number of road-kill events of reptiles, probably because they are easily detectable with a monitoring on foot (Teixeira et al, 2013), herbaceous vegetation also was positively related to their road-kill. The great distance between the best model and the reference model (M0, intercept) showed by evidence for reptiles, indicates a reliable model to explain reptiles' road-kill.…”

Section: Dependent Variablesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Most of them showed a small amount of road-kill events and, consequently, a low road-kill rate; yet this quantity may represent a relevant impact for these species. This small abundance of road-kill for most species may indicates: 1) the abundance distribution pattern: many rare species and a few common species, showing a hollow curve or hyperbolic shape on a histogram (McGill et al, 2007); 2) species rarely killed by vehicles avoid roads (Jaeger et al, 2005;McGregor et al, 2008;Rosa and Bager, 2013); or, 3) sampling bias for small vertebrates, that is, small vertebrates are less detectable and thus, underestimated in road-kill sample (Teixeira et al, 2013). Neither hypothesis was intended to be tested in this study, but we encourage other researchers to create field experiments to test these hypotheses in tropical ecosystems.…”

Section: Dependent Variablesmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Habitat or matrix: which is more relevant to predict road-kill of vertebrates?

2015

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

We believe that in tropics we need a community approach to evaluate road impacts on wildlife, and thus, suggest mitigation measures for groups of species instead a focal-species approach. Understanding which landscape characteristics indicate road-kill events may also provide models that can be applied in other regions. We intend to evaluate if habitat or matrix is more relevant to predict road-kill events for a group of species. Our hypothesis is: more permeable matrix is the most relevant factor to explain road-kill events. To test this hypothesis, we chose vertebrates as the studied assemblage and a highway crossing in an Atlantic Forest region in southeastern Brazil as the study site. Logistic regression models were designed using presence/absence of road-kill events as dependent variables and landscape characteristics as independent variables, which were selected by Akaike's Information Criterion. We considered a set of candidate models containing four types of simple regression models: Habitat effect model; Matrix types effect models; Highway effect model; and, Reference models (intercept and buffer distance). Almost three hundred road-kills and 70 species were recorded. River proximity and herbaceous vegetation cover, both matrix effect models, were associated to most road-killed vertebrate groups. Matrix was more relevant than habitat to predict road-kill of vertebrates. The association between river proximity and road-kill indicates that rivers may be a preferential route for most species. We discuss multi-species mitigation measures and implications to movement ecology and conservation strategies.Keywords: connectivity, conservation, landscape ecology, rivers, road ecology.Habitat ou matriz: qual é mais relevante para prever atropelamentos de vertebrados? ResumoNós acreditamos que nos trópicos, precisamos de uma abordagem de comunidade para avaliar os impactos das estradas sobre a vida silvestre, e então, sugerir medidas de mitigação para grupos de espécies ao invés da abordagem de espécie-foco. Compreender quais características da paisagem indicam eventos de atropelamento podem também fornecer modelos que podem ser aplicados em outras regiões. Nós pretendemos avaliar se habitat ou matriz é mais relevante para prever eventos de atropelamento para grupos de espécies. Nossa hipótese é: matriz mais permeável é o fator mais relevante para explicar os eventos de atropelamentos. Para testar essa hipótese, escolhemos vertebrados como a assembléia estudada e uma rodovia cruzando uma região de Mata Atlântica no sudeste do Brasil como área de estudo. Modelos de regressão logística foram criados usando presença/ausência de eventos de atropelamentos como variáveis dependentes e características da paisagem como variáveis independentes, os quais foram selecionados pelo Critério de Informação de Akaike. Nós consideramos um conjunto de modelos candidatos contendo quatro tipos de modelos de regressão simples: modelo de efeito de habitat; modelos de efeito de tipos de matriz; modelo de efeito da rodovia; e, mode...

show abstract

Section: Data Collectionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Dependent Variablesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Dependent Variablesmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Habitat or matrix: which is more relevant to predict road-kill of vertebrates?

2015

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Nevertheless, impacts of highways on some groups of vertebrates, such as amphibians, may still be underestimated. This is mainly due to their small size and to difficulties in sighting such small specimens (Teixeira, Coelho, Esperandio, & Kindel, 2013).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

<b>Vertebrate road kill survey on a highway in southern Brazil

Corrêa

Silva

Oliveira

et al. 2017

Acta Sci. Biol. Sci.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

ABSTRACT. Highways are a major factor acting in the decline of several wildlife populations. Impact occurs due to the continuous flow of motor vehicles over tracks and collision with animals using the same area. This study aimed to list road killed wild vertebrates found in highways in the Pampa Biome, state of Rio Grande do Sul, over an entire year. The taxa found (amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals) were identified to species level and their frequency of occurrence was seasonally registered. Along 2,160 km, we found 318 road killed individuals, totaling 65 species. This number represents an average of 0.147 road killed specimens by kilometer (that is, 1 individual each 7 km). Of these, seven species are under threat of extinction in the state of Rio Grande do Sul. We also found a seasonal pattern among road kills, in which the highest number of road killed animals was registered in the summer and spring months. These results contribute to increase knowledge about which species are most impacted by road kill on highways of the Pampa Biome. Such data can be used as an indicator for the implementation of measures by competent bodies to mitigate impacts of highways in the state of Rio Grande do Sul.Keywords: mortality, wildlife, Rio Grande do Sul.Levantamento de vertebrados atropelados em rodovias do sul do Brasil RESUMO. As rodovias são um fator provocador de declínio populacional de diversas espécies da fauna silvestre. O impacto ocorre devido ao contínuo fluxo de veículos automotores sobre as pistas e a colisão dos mesmos com animais que também utilizam essa área. O presente estudo teve por finalidade listar os vertebrados silvestres encontrados atropelados em rodovias no bioma Pampa, no Estado do Rio Grande do Sul, ao longo de um ano. Os táxons encontrados (anfíbios, répteis, aves e mamíferos) foram identificados em nível específico e a sua frequência de ocorrência foi registrada de forma sazonal. Em 2.160 km de estrada percorridos, foram encontrados 318 indivíduos atropelados, totalizando 65 espécies. Essa quantia representa uma média de 0,147 espécimes atropelados por quilômetro (ou seja, 01 indivíduo atropelado a cada 07 Km). Destas, sete espécies estão sob ameaça de extinção no Estado do Rio Grande do Sul. Foram observados padrões sazonais nos atropelamentos, sendo que os meses de verão e da primavera apresentaram o maior número de animais atropelados. Os resultados do estudo contribuem para o conhecimento de quais espécies da fauna silvestre são mais impactadas por atropelamentos no bioma Pampa. Estes dados poderão ser utilizados como orientação na implantação de medidas por órgãos competentes, afim de mitigar o impacto de rodovias no Estado do Rio Grande do Sul.Palavras-chave: mortandade, fauna silvestre, Rio Grande do Sul.

show abstract

“…The authors suggested that the apparent underrepresentation of amphibians might be due to their (typically) small size and the associated rapid carcass removal by scavengers. Small body size animals are less likely to be detected during roadkill surveys and disappear from roads faster that large body size species (Slater, 2002;Ford & Fahrig, 2007;Barthelmess & Brooks, 2010;Guinard, Julliard, & Barbraud, 2012;Teixeira, Coelho, Esperandio, & Kindel, 2013). In addition, surveys conducted by cars are more likely to miss small animals than those conducted by foot or bicycles, particularly along verges (Langen et al, 2007;Guinard et al, 2012).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Spatio-temporal variation of roadkills show mass mortality events for amphibians in a highly trafficked road adjacent to a national park, Costa Rica

Arévalo

Honda

Arce-Arias³

et al. 2017

RBT

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Abstract:Roads have detrimental impacts on wildlife populations around the world. Specifically, roads pose direct and indirect threats to wildlife by limiting dispersal movements or through vehicle-related mortality. The rate of wildlife mortality varies both in time and space depending on the landscape composition and the type and use of road infrastructure. The objective of this study was to investigate spatiotemporal variation of vertebrate mortality in a 4 km segment of the 34 national road, adjacent to Carara National Park, Costa Rica. We conducted 81 roadkill surveys by car and bicycle from June 2010 to May 2011, georeferenced the locations of the kills and identified them to the lowest possible taxonomic level. We recorded a total of 4 709 road-killed animals of at least 58 species of vertebrates during the whole study. Amphibians accounted for 93.5 % of all the vertebrate losses and showed strong spatiotemporal variation of mass mortality events. Reptiles, especially snakes, were the second most affected taxon followed by mammals and birds. Relative mortality per day in the 4 km segment was 125.4 amphibians, 4.6 reptiles, 2.7 mammals, 1 bird and 0.46 undetermined. Road proximity to the border of the park, traffic volumes and lack of enforcement of speed limits may influence the high rate of roadkills found. We suggest the reinforcement of speed limits, wildlife crossing signage and the retrofitting of the existing culverts as under passes for animals to minimize vertebrate mortality at the road adjacent to Carara National Park. Rev. Biol. Trop. 65 (4): 1261-1276. Epub 2017 December 01.Key words: amphibian mass-kill, animal-vehicle collisions, conservation areas, extinction threat, tropical forest.Road networks are human extensions that facilitate transportation and economic development. However, the construction and the use of roads generate a broad range of negative effects, including habitat loss, fragmentation, the emissions of chemicals and noise pollution (reviews in Forman et al., 2003;Coffin, 2007;Van der Ree, Smith, & Grilo, 2015). Furthermore, roads may limit or preclude animal dispersal (e.g. Mader, Schell, & Kornacker, 1990;Clarke, White, & Harris, 1998;Develey & Stouffer 2001;Colchero et al., 2010;Long, Diefenbach, Wallingford, & Rosenberry, 2010) and induce mortality through vehicle-animal collisions (reviews in Forman & Alexander, 1998;Forman et al., 2003;Coffin, 2007;Van der Ree et al., 2015).Although the road-automobile system is a relatively recent source of wildlife mortality, it accounts for millions of roadkills every year in different latitudes, and may well exceed natural mortality rates in certain populations (Forman & Alexander, 1998 (Bissonette, 2002) and 80 million birds (Erickson, Johnson, & Young Jr., 2005) in the United States. These numbers illustrate the magnitude of this human induced phenomenon.The frequency at which animals of different taxonomic groups are reported to be killed on roads varies greatly. After reviewing several early roadkill studies conducted during the ...

show abstract

Vertebrate road mortality estimates: Effects of sampling methods and carcass removal

Cited by 151 publications

References 23 publications

Habitat or matrix: which is more relevant to predict road-kill of vertebrates?

Habitat or matrix: which is more relevant to predict road-kill of vertebrates?

<b>Vertebrate road kill survey on a highway in southern Brazil

Spatio-temporal variation of roadkills show mass mortality events for amphibians in a highly trafficked road adjacent to a national park, Costa Rica

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About