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- Assessing climate change threats to biodiversity and protected areas of
Iran-
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Abstract: Abstract Our research endeavors to evaluate the precise ramifications of climate change on Iran’s protected regions, utilizing species distribution modeling to anticipate the effects of climate change on 394 bird species, 157 plant species, 72 reptiles, and 20 mammals across two climate change scenarios: SSP245 and SSP585 in 2070. Subsequently, we employed binary species distribution maps to determine the extent of overlap between 125 protected areas, 27 wildlife refuges, and 15 national parks and species distribution, quantifying the proportion of these areas encompassed by their distribution. We found that under the SSP585 scenario, 174 bird species could experience a 319% expansion in suitable habitats, while 220 species could decline by 57.1%. Among plants, 16 species are projected to grow by 40.3%, whereas 141 species may decrease by 68.8%. Reptiles could experience an increase of 279.1% in 24 species, with a 66.6% decrease in 48 species, while mammals may witness a significant increase of 147.3% in 5 species, but a 71.8% decrease in 15 species. Also, under the SSP585 scenario, in national parks, bird coverage declines from 32.2% (current) to 19.9%, plants from 24.2 to 13.2%, reptiles from 18.4 to 6.8%, and mammals from 17.7 to 10%. In wildlife refuges, birds decrease from 9.7 to 5.7%, plants from 10.9 to 4.6%, reptiles from 12.9 to 2.5%, and mammals from 7.4 to 4.3%. In protected areas, birds drop from 29.3 to 20.4%, plants from 27.7 to 12.5%, reptiles from 18.7 to 9.7%, and mammals from 24 to 12.1%. The low overlap of species with national parks, wildlife refuges, and protected areas underscores the importance of re-evaluating and potentially expanding protected areas to ensure they encompass a broader range of habitats, particularly those that are underrepresented, to enhance the conservation of Iran’s biodiversity amidst the challenges posed by climate change.
PubDate: 2024-08-27
- Satellite-derived measures of habitat structure perform as well as locally
recorded measures in predicting predation on artificial nests in central
European agricultural landscapes-
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Abstract: Abstract Ground nesting birds have declined throughout Europe, with the reduction of habitat structure in agricultural areas being a key contributing factor. Habitat structure is vital not only for providing food and suitable microclimates for these species but also limits nest predation. Field assessments of habitat structure have, historically, been the most common way of identifying areas of low nest predation. However, they are limited in their applicability over wide areas due to time, money, and logistics. Remotely sensed measures (e.g., recorded by a satellite) can address these issues. Normalised difference vegetation index (NDVI) is a measure of the ‘greenness’ of an area and correlates with habitat structure. We conducted an artificial nest experiment over three years (2019, 2020, 2023) in Baden, Austria to test the relationship of NDVI to nest predation in an agricultural landscape. Critically, we compared whether NDVI could predict nest predation as well as locally recorded variables (ground cover, vegetation height, etc, ). We report that NDVI performs equally well at predicting nest predation, with predation decreasing with higher values of NDVI, signifying greater habitat structure. This was supported by our finding that predation probability decreased with greater ground cover (a locally recorded variable). Additionally, we found that areas with greater partridge numbers had higher predation and circumstantial evidence that birds are the primary predator in our study area. Overall, our study shows that satellite-derived measures of habitat structure have untapped potential in identifying areas of high nest predation for European ground nesting birds in agricultural landscapes.
PubDate: 2024-08-22
- Disentangling ground-nest predation rates through an artificial nests
experiment in an area with western capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus)
presence: martens are the key-
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Abstract: Abstract The western capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus) is a species of conservation concern that has been experiencing a severe decline in many regions of Europe. The poor breeding success rather than mortality of full-grown birds has been suggested to be responsible for its decline, been the nest loss a potential driver of the low productivity (number of chicks per female and year) of capercaillie. Working in a capercaillie population in the Pyrenees, we aimed to provide further insights into nest predation by monitoring 82 artificial nests (58 of them with camera traps), and estimating the population density of predators using camera traps and applying random encounter model and camera trap distance sampling. Pine/stone martens -Martes foina, Martes martes- were the species with higher nest predation rates (23%) despite being the less abundant (0.49 ind/km2), followed by foxes -Vulpes vulpes- (11%) and a population density of 3.37 ind/km2, and wild boar -Sus scrofa- (4%) and 6.95 ind·km− 2; predators could not be identified at 27% of the events. After fitting statistical models on the nest predation data, we observed that the martens’ encounter rate (i.e. number of martens detected per camera and day) and the altitude had a positive significant effect on the artificial nest predation probability. While caution is recommended in artificial nest experiments, our results are valuable highlighting the importance of martens and red foxes when addressing nest predation to promote the breeding success and population recovery of western capercaillie populations.
PubDate: 2024-08-19
- Flexibility in positional behavior is associated with ecological
seasonality in Assamese macaques inhabiting limestone forests-
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Abstract: Abstract Information on the positional behaviors of primates is essential for understanding the mechanisms of environmental adaptation. From October 2021 to September 2022, we collected data on positional behaviors of Assamese macaques (Macaca assamensis) at Guangxi Nonggang National Nature Reserve, China, using instantaneous scan sampling method. Our results showed that quadrupedal walking (34.99% ± 6.05%) was adopted as their most frequent locomotor mode, followed by leaping (31.54% ± 10.50%), climbing (25.55% ± 11.33%), quadrupedal running (6.55% ± 2.65%) and bridging (1.37% ± 1.19%). The ground (36.83% ± 21.18%) was the most frequently used stratum during moving. Most arboreal locomotion occurred on small (44.06% ± 11.36%) and medium (34.90% ± 11.09%) sized substrates. Sitting (81.19% ± 10.47%) was used as their most common postures, followed by holding (6.38% ± 9.97%), quadrupedal standing (3.70% ± 3.03%), bipedal standing (3.54% ± 1.84%), sprawling (3.17% ± 6.45%), suspending (1.88% ± 1.19%) and lying (0.14% ± 0.21%). Positional behaviors seasonally vary with habitat structure, and distribution of food resources. The macaques used climbing more frequently in the fruit-lean season (dry season) than in the fruit-rich season (rainy season), which could be related to reducing energy expenditure in the dry season. In addition, they adopted holding and lying together to conserve energy and stabilize intergroup relationships. In conclusion, Assamese macaques adapt to limestone forests with positional behavior flexibility in response to seasonality. Our findings highlight the necessity to understand the effects of ecological factors on the behavioral ecology and adaptations of Assamese macaques in their unique limestone forest habitats.
PubDate: 2024-08-16
- Assessing functional connectivity and anthropogenic impacts on Ambystoma
altamirani populations in Bosque De Agua, Central Mexico-
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Abstract: Abstract Ambystoma altamirani is a microendemic amphibian limited to central Mexico, specifically the Bosque de Agua region in the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt, renowned for its endemic amphibian species. Anthropogenic activities such as land use change, water pollution, and the introduction of exotic species such as rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) have substantially transformed its habitat, creating barriers that fragment it and impeding the mobility of the species and connectivity with other populations. This fragmentation poses challenges, including emerging diseases, inbreeding, limited gene flow, and a loss of genetic diversity, placing Ambystoma altamirani in national and international risk categories. The present study utilized the ENMeval and biomod2 models for environmental niche modeling (ENM) to assess the potential distribution of Ambystoma altamirani in the Bosque de Agua region. The key supporting variables include rivers, lakes, altitude, and a combination of Abies and Pinus forests, while the detrimental factors include urbanization and agriculture. Employing circuit theory (CT) and least-cost path (LCP) methodologies, this research explored functional connectivity, identifying core areas in the central region of Bosque de Agua. As migration distance decreases, the number of corridors facilitating population flow decreases. In the concluding phase, an analysis assessed the coincidence of state and federal Mexican Natural Protected Areas with core areas, revealing a lack of protection. The results of this study could lead to improved knowledge about Ambystoma altamirani, providing valuable tools for helping stakeholders formulate comprehensive strategies for species conservation.
PubDate: 2024-08-12
- A site of bat conservation concern: Madzharovo, Eastern Rhodopes, Bulgaria
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Abstract: Abstract While Bulgaria has a rich bat fauna, with large colonies found in caves, mines and other underground roosts, only a small proportion of bat nursery colony roosts have been documented in buildings. During recent field research in the Madzharovo region, however, we discovered the world’s largest nursery colony of lesser horseshoe bats (Rhinolophus hipposideros) and Geoffroy’s bats (Myotis emarginatus). About 15 000 to 18 500 individuals of eight species use the complex of anthropogenic structures (an abandoned water reservoir and two buildings) as a summer roost, representing around half of all the bat species registered in the region. We strongly suggest that regular monitoring programmes and Species Action Plans are established in Bulgaria, which will ensure the conservation of nursery colonies, not only in Madzharovo, but also in the entire Eastern Rhodope mountains and help prevent future bat population declines.
PubDate: 2024-08-05
- Competition between sympatric hare species in the Alps is boostered by
climate change and hybridisation-
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Abstract: Abstract Climatic variation along the elevation gradient promotes the natural parapatric occurrence of the European hare (Lepus europaeus) and Alpine mountain hare (Lepus timidus varronis) in the Alps. Recent data indicate a displacement of mountain hares caused by competition with the European hare. Competitive exclusion might take place at a fine spatial scale and hybrids may sharpen competition. Genetic non-invasive sampling (gNIS) demonstrates to be effective to retrieve information from wild animals. However, based on the accuracy of the differing genetic analysis methods, the selection of the method might decisively influence results. To examine habitat preferences of Alpine mountain hares, European hares and their hybrids with particular interest in the influence of the accuracy of the genetic analysis method on the results, we performed gNIS in Grisons (Switzerland) for four years and compared habitat associations of the genotyped samples. We recorded 137 individuals (i.e., 35 hybrids, 49 European hares, 53 Alpine mountain hares). Combined nuclear and mitochondrial DNA analysis including individual identification revealed to be the most accurate indirect method for the study of habitat preferences of hares. Alpine mountain hares had a narrow habitat breadth and used little habitat diversity. Hybrids showed great similarities in their habitat preferences to European hares. Hybrids might increase the competition in favour of European hares and the displacement of Alpine mountain hares, since they show similar patterns of habitat use to European hares. Ongoing climate change potentiate the niche overlap between species, increasing the risk of Alpine hare decline due to hybridisation and displacement.
PubDate: 2024-07-25
- Geospatial based AHP analysis for habitat suitability of elephants and the
effects of human elephant conflict in a tropical forest of Western Ghats
in India-
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Abstract: Abstract In Kerala, human-elephant conflicts (HEC) are reported in almost all parts of the Western Ghats region, exceptionally high in Wayanad. In recent years, there has been a notable surge in HEC occurrences throughout the state, leading to the loss of property, animals, and life. The dependency of humans on enclosures, the transformation of natural areas into plantations, and the fragmentation of natural ecosystems are the main reasons for the escalating conflict between people and elephants. As a result, it is necessary to study the suitability of habitat for elephants and ensure their conservation. The study aims to identify suitable elephant habitats in the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary using geospatial data based on their known association with environmental variables. This study employs the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), an approach to determining the weightings of individual parameters in assessing habitat suitability. The analysis findings indicated that the central portion of the study area within the Sultan Bathery (43.63 sq. km), range represents the most suitable area for elephant habitat followed by Kurichat (33.59 sq. km) and Tholpetti (19.45 sq. km). The final output of the study, the Habitat Suitability Map was validated by adding the human-elephant conflict locational data, which illustrates that the Kurichiat range recorded the highest HEC conflict (50%), followed by Muthanga (29%), Sulthan Bathery (12%), and Tholpetti (9%). The map could assist in managing, conserving, and protecting forest resources and aid in decision-making activities.
PubDate: 2024-07-23
- Farm management practices and host species richness associated with higher
likelihood of tuberculosis positive farms in Western Spain-
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Abstract: Abstract Despite enormous efforts, complete animal tuberculosis (TB) eradication has only been achieved in few regions. Epidemiological analyses are key to identify TB risk factors and set up targeted biosecurity measures. Here, we conducted an in-depth characterization of 84 extensive beef cattle farms from a high TB prevalence region in Western Spain, and assessed how farm management and wildlife presence on farms contribute to cattle TB risk. Twenty-six out of 84 variables were associated with cattle farm TB positivity. Farm management variables associated with TB positivity included older cattle, larger herd size, highly fragmented farm structure and greater connectivity between farms. TB-positive farms provided supplemental feed over a higher number of months, used calf feeders, and had higher number of waterholes. Detecting Eurasian wild boar (Sus scrofa), red fox (Vulpes vulpes), European badger (Meles meles), roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), or Egyptian mongoose (Herpestes ichneumon) on cattle farms was also associated with farm TB positivity. The best ordinal regression model indicated that in farms with a large herd size (> 167 animals) the odds of being positive or recurrently positive (versus negative) was 7.34 (95% CI = 2.43–23.51) times higher that of farms with small herd size. Further, for every additional host species detected in the farm premises, the odds of being TB-positive increased 56%. We conclude that both cattle management and wildlife need to be targeted for successful TB control in grazing-based farming systems.
PubDate: 2024-07-19
- Spatiotemporal distribution and density of a falconid at an airport offer
insights into management plans-
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Abstract: Abstract Airports can be attractive places for fauna to find food resources, especially for large birds, which can cause severe collisions with aircraft. At many Brazilian airports, the Crested Caracara (Caracara plancus) is considered a problem due to the high rates of collisions and sightings in risk areas. Therefore, strategies to manage the species at airports are needed. We use an airport located in Central Brazil as a model system to evaluate the density and space-time distribution of Crested Caracara at the airport and in nearby regions. We studied the fortnightly temporal distribution and density of Crested Caracara in five different areas throughout one year, including the airport. Using circular statistics, we found that the spatiotemporal distribution was uneven throughout the year in all observed areas, with sightings peaking at different times. The airport’s distribution differed from three out of four other areas. The density was higher in the region farthest from the city center. In the airport, the density was one of the lowest. The difference between density and temporal distribution patterns can be explained by the species’ foraging dynamics, which shift according to the availability and abundance of resources, which vary randomly over time in the urban landscape. Our research is the first to evaluate the temporal distribution of problematic bird species in airports and their surroundings. The results can contribute to management plans to mitigate the risk imposed by fauna.
PubDate: 2024-07-15
- Combining habitat suitability with simulated movements for the predictive
modelling of beaver distribution in Flanders-
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Abstract: Abstract In Flanders, beavers have reappeared since 2000 and their numbers have expanded rapidly over the last decade, challenging impact management. To help identify areas with increased vulnerability to beaver damage we developed a species distribution model (SDM). In this model, we combined a MaxEnt-based approach to estimate habitat suitability and potential future spread with simulated dispersal using the SiMRiv R-package. We constructed our model in 2020 based on 2019 distribution data of beavers in Flanders and used it to predict population distribution probability up to 2022. To validate the combined model output, we compared the results for each 1 km² grid cell to the observed distribution of beavers in Flanders in 2020–2022. Our model predicted possible beaver occupancy in 4,361 out of 14,343 1 km² grid cells in Flanders. In 51.4% of these grid cells predicted probability of occupancy was accidental, in 29.3% it was low, in 13.0% medium and in 6.4% high. In 2020–2022 beavers were observed in 908 1 km² grid cells in Flanders. Comparison with the model output showed that the model performed well overall (AUC 0.825), although the negative predictive power was much higher than the positive predictive power since the model tends to overestimate actual occupancy over this three-year period. However, the accuracy rises with the projected level of occupancy probability. Although the overestimation fits the intended risk management purposes of the model, expanding it beyond the borders of Flanders and strengthening the backbone of the model with a more detailed population model could further improve the output and help improve the positive predictive power.
PubDate: 2024-07-15
- Home range overlaps of the brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula):
implications for disease transmission-
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Abstract: Abstract Understanding how bovine tuberculosis (TB) is maintained in wildlife reservoirs is critical for the management of this disease impacting cattle in many countries. For the primary wildlife reservoir of the disease in New Zealand, the brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula), transmission of this contagious bacterial disease among possums is often assumed to be linked to home range overlap. Identifying drivers of possum home range, and home range overlap between individuals, is thus important for informing wildlife reservoir TB management in New Zealand. We monitored four sub-populations of free-living possums in New Zealand native forests during 10 consecutive months using live trapping, to give the first direct insight into how the frequency and area of overlaps alters with density, sex and age. A total of 832 individuals were captured (average 9.3, range from 1 to 40 captures per animal with a median value of 7) and 35,820 home range overlaps were recorded. Both the number and area of overlaps were significantly associated with age class, with 66.6% of overlaps occurring between adults, 30% between adults and juveniles, and only 3.4% between juveniles. Overall, adult males showed significantly higher numbers of overlaps than expected, while adult and juvenile females showed significantly lower numbers of overlaps than expected and no differences were observed in juvenile males. In addition, males exhibited more and larger overlaps than females. The number and size of overlaps per individual decreased with increasing local population density. Understanding shared areas of activity among individuals can provide insights into the interactions occurring and potential pathways for diseases transmitted by contact such as TB. These results can inform to develop effective strategies for the control of diseases carried and dispersed by possums.
PubDate: 2024-07-13
- Welfare assessment of European brown hares (Lepus europaeus) reared in
captivity for their subsequent release-
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Abstract: Abstract For Serbian hunting grounds, the European brown hare (Lepus europaeus) is the most interesting type of small hunting game animal. However, the number of hares has decreased in recent decades, so hunters and authorities rear hares in captivity systems for their subsequent release. In order to investigate the welfare of cage-reared hares in Serbia, two captivity systems were analyzed. For welfare assessment, animal-based indicators were from the welfare quality assessment protocol for rabbits. The main welfare issues identified were locomotor stereotype behaviors (observed in 33.08%, 43/130 of caged hares), hairless areas on the animal (28.46%, 37/130), wounds on the body (18.46%, 24/130), wounds on the ears (16.92%, 22/130), and thin body condition score (BCS) (10.77%, 14/130). Significant correlations (p < 0.001) were found between some welfare indicators: thin BCS and wounds on the body; thin BCS and nasal discharge; wounds on the body and hairless areas, and; locomotor stereotype behaviors and hairless areas. The results of this study provide valuable insight into the impact of the captive rearing system on the welfare of European brown hares in Serbia.
PubDate: 2024-07-11
- Numbers, densities and distribution of mallards released for shooting in
the UK over the last 20 years-
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Abstract: Abstract Quantifying numbers of birds released for shooting is an important step towards understanding the ecological consequences of releasing. For Mallard, this has become urgent with the recent rise of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI). By adapting a previous approach to generating UK-level estimates of numbers of huntable birds shot using the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust’s National Gamebag Census (Aebischer NJ (2019) Fifty-year trends in UK hunting bags of birds and mammals, and calibrated estimation of national bag size, using GWCT’s National Gamebag Census. Eur J Wildl Res 65:64. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10344-019-1299-x), the number of Mallards released annually in the UK rose from 870,000 in 2004 to 1.3 million in 2022. Mallards were shot at just over half of NGC sites; of those a fifth released Mallards for shooting, accounting for 87% of the total Mallard bag in 2022. In that year, mean release size was 792 (median 300) and mean release density was 1.39 birds/ha (median 0.52). One fifth of release sites released over 1000 birds each, mostly in southern England and Scotland, corresponding to just 2% of UK shoots. The low percentage combined with low dispersal of released Mallards suggests that scope for them to spread disease is limited, and that any spread is more likely to occur by infection from and transmission to wild birds on passage than from dispersed released ducks.
PubDate: 2024-07-09
- Dying for décor: quantifying the online, ornamental trade in a
distinctive bat species, Kerivoula picta-
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Abstract: Abstract Many wild-animal species are harvested and sold as ornaments—a lucrative trade that contributes to the global extinction crisis and increasingly happens online. Unfortunately, research and policies addressing this threat mainly focus on charismatic and easily identified taxa, leaving the online trade in bats under-researched and bats poorly protected. In this first, comprehensive study of this trade, we focused on Kerivoula picta, a Near-Threatened species known for its striking looks. Using semi-automated data mining and manual data collection, we quantified the extent, dynamics and economic value of the trade on Amazon, eBay and Etsy. Of the 856 unique bat listings retrieved, 86% were on Etsy, 25% were for K. picta, and numbers of listings underestimated the number of individuals being traded. Most listings were for entire-body bats displayed in frames, and price (mainly driven by the manner of display) peaked in mid-December. The United States was the dominant destination and vendor country. Seller tactics to attract buyers included false claims of sustainable sourcing and mentions of goth culture and holiday shopping. Overall, our study paints a troubling picture of a trade whose ecological impacts remain unknown (in the absence of population data) but that is likely illegal, unethical and unsustainable and may pose a biosecurity risk. We recommend formal legal protection for K. picta (by inclusion in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species), field studies to understand population trends and the supply chain and social pressure to curb demand, including grassroots action and research to understand its effectiveness.
PubDate: 2024-07-09
- Invasion in cold: weather effects on winter activity of an alien
mesopredator at its northern range-
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Abstract: Abstract Whether an invasive species thrives in cold ecosystems depends on its response to winter weather. A potential threat to these ecosystems in Europe is the invasive raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides). The survival of this mesopredator is supported in cold weather, because it can periodically use winter sleep, but its winter activity levels compared to native mesopredators remain unclear. We investigated the winter behaviour of raccoon dogs in Finland, near the edge of their invasion front, and compared their activity to native red foxes and badgers. Using wildlife cameras, we found that raccoon dogs do reduce activity during the coldest months, but camera observations did not strongly correlate with temperature perhaps due to feeding at camera sites. That is, artificial food sources may have increased raccoon dogs’ winter activity. Nevertheless, they responded more clearly to temperature drops than red foxes, but were more active than badgers that were mostly dormant and thus absent from our data. GPS-tracked raccoon dogs remained at some level active through winter, even near subarctic regions, but the cold and snowy weather clearly decreased activity and individuals stayed close to their nests during the coldest periods. Overall, these findings suggest that raccoon dogs can maintain some winter activity even in extremely cold environments, and they readily exploit human-provided resources. This potential ability to thrive in cold regions highlights the invasive potential of raccoon dogs. As winters become milder due to climate change, their numbers could increase significantly within cold-adapted ecosystems, impacting native species and posing conservation challenges.
PubDate: 2024-07-08
- Updating Swedish hunting harvest estimates of open season game based on
new methods and documented data-
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Abstract: Abstract Reliable hunting bag statistics are central for informed wildlife management. In the absence of complete reporting, hunting harvest must be estimated based on partial data, which requires reliable data and appropriate statistical methods. In the Swedish system, hunting teams, whose positions are known to the level of Hunting Management Precincts (HMPs), report their harvest of open season game and the size of the land on which they hunt, and the harvest on the non-reported area is estimated based on the reports. In this study, we improved data quality by solving several identified issues in the spatial data and provided temporally consistent estimates of huntable land (EHL) based on documented assumptions. We applied a recently developed method, the Bayesian Hierarchical and Autoregressive Estimation of Hunting Harvest (BaHAREHH), to harvest reports of 34 species from 2003–2021, using both previous and updated EHL, and compared harvest estimates to previously available estimates using naïve linear extrapolation (LE), which has been used as Sweden’s official harvest statistics. We found that updating EHL had a minor effect on harvest estimates at the national level but sometimes had a large impact at the level of individual HMPs. At the national level, previous LE estimates were similar to updated BaHAREHH estimates for species harvested at large numbers, but discrepancies were observed for species harvested at low rates. Time series of harvest estimated with LE had exaggerated temporal trends, higher coefficient of variation, and lower autcorrelation. At the level of counties and HMPs, there were substantial differences for all species, with some harvest estimates differing by several orders of magnitude. We conclude that the previously available LE estimates are sensitive to individual reports that add variability to the estimates and are, for some species, unreliable, especially at the level of county and HMP.
PubDate: 2024-07-05
- The distribution of mountain hares and the possible effects of woodland
expansion using the Cairngorm National Park as a case study-
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Abstract: Abstract Woodland expansion is widely promoted to address the effects of climate change and biodiversity loss. Woodland expansion undoubtedly delivers biodiversity and other ecosystem service benefits, but there is debate about where to place extensive new woodland in multi-use landscapes without negatively affecting existing biodiversity, and there is a need to better understand the biodiversity trade-offs associated with woodland expansion. Using the Cairngorm National Park (CNP) in northeast Scotland as a case study, we assessed how proposed woodland expansion targets might affect the distribution of mountain hares, an open moorland species strongly associated with moorland management. Using mountain hare survey, bioclimatic and land use data, we built a Species Distribution Model of mountain hares within the CNP and used this to predict their occurrence under current and proposed woodland expansion scenarios. Simulating the effects of an additional 70 and 350 km2 of new woodland cover showed that combined, these targets would see hares lost from 246 1-km squares, a 7% reduction in their occurrence compared to their 2006/2007 distribution. Changes in hare occurrence were driven by changes in management associated with landcover change more than by landcover change itself. Our results show that afforestation can negatively affect species occurrence directly through changes in landcover, and indirectly through changes in management associated with land landcover change.
PubDate: 2024-07-05
- Rapid expansion of Eurasian beavers in Hungary: thirty-year history of the
species’ return-
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Abstract: Abstract The Eurasian beaver is an ecosystem engineer species capable of altering the riparian vegetation and the hydrology of freshwater habitats. The study of its distribution process is therefore important for both nature conservation and conflict management. Thanks to protection efforts and natural expansion, the beaver has already inhabited most of its former range, starting from the brink of extinction. The changes in the Eurasian distribution and population size have been continuously documented in the scientific literature. In these studies, however, Hungary, as a country with an important position along the beavers’ colonisation routes provided by the Danube drainage basin, has hitherto been underrepresented due to a severe lack of data. In this paper, we summarise all the available information about the thirty-year history, colonisation process, current distribution, as well as the management of the Hungarian population. Based on the newest available data, the beaver is present along all of the large rivers and along most permanent watercourses in the country. Despite the continuing growth trend of the population, a beaver management strategy has not yet been developed. Its establishment could be significantly supported by further monitoring surveys and scientific studies focusing on the region- and site-specific ecological effects of the species.
PubDate: 2024-07-02
- Artificial tunnels of hydroelectric power plants as valuable habitat for
European bats-
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Abstract: Abstract Natural caves play a crucial role in providing habitat for numerous bat species in temperate regions. While the potential of man-made structures to support biodiversity gains attention, there is a lack of information regarding the suitability of artificial tunnels as viable alternatives to natural ones. In this study, we assessed the use of artificial tunnels of hydroelectric power plants by bats in the NE Iberian Peninsula (Spain) during the breeding season for most species. Between 2013 and 2014, we monitored bat activity in 37 individualized tunnel entrances using harp traps and mist nets. To understand factors influencing their habitat use, we built competitive models to assess the effect of surrounding landscape, environment and tunnel factors on the richness and abundance of both cave-dwelling and generalist species, as well as on its suitability as breeding habitat for bats. We captured and identified a total of 738 bats representing 60% of species occurring in the South-West countries of Europe, including three regionally and two globally threatened species. Of the total, 67% of surveyed tunnels were used by bats. Our findings highlight that tunnel characteristics such as tunnel height, absence of grilles, and cover of surface runoff influenced all bat groups. Relative humidity primarily favours richness and abundance of females with pups. When properly designed and managed, man-made tunnels of hydroelectric power plants can play an important role in bat conservation by offering essential roosts and breeding sites; however, other potential ecological impacts of these infrastructures on local ecosystems must be considered.
PubDate: 2024-07-01
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