Disparate patterns of taxonomic and functional predator diversity under different forest management regimes

Functional diversity of snakes is explained by the landscape composition at multiple areas of influence

“…In contrast with previous reports of lower functional richness and divergence (FRic and FDiv, respectively) in disturbed sites (Adams et al, 2022 ; Berriozabal‐Islas et al, 2017 ), we did not find statistical differences between roadkill and adjacent vegetation snake assemblages. However, the amount of functional space occupied by roadkill snakes was slightly small compared with the snake assemblages inhabiting adjacent vegetation, even though the roadkill species number was the highest.…”

“…This is a functional space that increases vulnerability to being run over. Roadkill species showed a narrow range (or an aggregated pattern) of size values in the functional space, a pattern like that observed with snake assemblages on burned sites and with thinning operations (Adams et al, 2022).…”

“…Anthropogenic changes in land use impose environmental filters on reptile assemblages (Todd et al, 2017 ), and evidence suggests an increase in functional redundancy and functionally homogenizing (Adams et al, 2022 ). In this study, we found that the effect of landscape composition on functional diversity was higher than roadkill effects for snake assemblages along 13 landscapes on the road located in the Orinoco region of Colombia.…”

“…Our specific goals were to: (1) describe the variation in five functional traits (three fixed traits: foraging strategy, temporal dynamic foraging, and habitat preferences; and two traits measured in the field: body and tail length) and the functional richness index per species (FRic_sp) of roadkill snakes and those found alive in the adjacent vegetation; (2) evaluate changes in the functional diversity indexes measured at the assemblage level between roadkill snakes and those inhabiting adjacent vegetation; (3) spatially represent changes on functional diversity indexes of snakes from the road and the adjacent vegetation cover for the 13 landscapes surveyed; and (4) determine the effect of landscape composition on changes in the functional diversity of roadkill snakes assemblages and those found alive inhabiting adjacent vegetation, at four buffer areas of influence (scale of effect; Jackson & Fahrig, 2015 ). We expected higher values of functional diversity for snakes inhabiting the adjacent vegetation than for roadkill snakes, suggesting that roads may filter a small portion of the regional pool of snake species that would be functionally similar (i.e., have high functional redundancy sensu Adams et al, 2022 ). This diversity of roadkill snakes would be explained by metrics related to the extent and connectivity of native forests, mainly within 250 and 500 m of the sampled site.…”

“…We expected higher values of functional diversity for snakes inhabiting the adjacent vegetation than for roadkill snakes, suggesting that roads may filter a small portion of the regional pool of snake species that would be functionally similar (i.e., have high functional redundancy sensu Adams et al, 2022). This diversity of roadkill snakes would be explained by metrics related to the extent and connectivity of native forests, mainly within 250 and 500 m of the sampled site.…”