Habitat Use of Sympatric Rattlesnake Species Within the Gulf Coastal Plain

Steen, David A.; Smith, Lora L.; Conner, L. Mike; Brock, Jean C.; Hoss, Shannon K.

doi:10.2193/2005-754

Cited by 25 publications

(18 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…Some of this variation is most likely explained by differences among species in their behavioral responses to roads and traffic (Jaeger et al 2005, Fahrig andRytwinski 2009). Some turtles use roads and roadsides as nesting sites (Haxton 2000, Aresco 2005, Steen et al 2007) and some snakes have been reported to come to the road surface to bask during the day or to thermoregulate at night (Sullivan 1981, Rosen andLowe 1994). This combination of factors is most likely responsible for the frequent negative effects of roads and traffic on abundances of amphibians and reptiles (Fahrig and Rytwinski 2009).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reproductive rate and body size predict road impacts on mammal abundance

Rytwinski

Fahrig

2011

Ecological Applications

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It has been hypothesized that mobile species should be more negatively affected by road mortality than less-mobile species because they interact with roads more often, and that species with lower reproductive rates and longer generation times should be more susceptible to road effects because they will be less able to rebound quickly from population declines. Taken together, these hypotheses suggest that, in general, larger species should be more affected by road networks than smaller species because larger species generally have lower reproductive rates and longer generation times and are more mobile than smaller species. We tested these hypotheses by estimating relative abundances of 17 mammal species across landscapes ranging in road density within eastern Ontario, Canada. For each of the 13 species for which detectability was not related to road density, we quantified the relationship between road density and relative abundance. We then tested three cross-species predictions: that the slope of the relationship between road density and abundance should become increasingly negative with (1) decreasing annual reproductive rate; (2) increasing home range area (an indicator of movement range); and (3) increasing body size. All three predictions were supported in univariate models, with R2 values of 0.68, 0.50, and 0.52 respectively. The best overall model based on AICc contained both reproductive rate (P = 0.008) and body size (P = 0.072) and explained 77% of the variation in the slope of the relationship between road density and abundance. Our results suggest that priority should be placed on mitigating road effects on large mammals with low reproductive rates.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reproductive rate and body size predict road impacts on mammal abundance

Rytwinski

Fahrig

2011

Ecological Applications

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“…positive Steen et al (2007) timber rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus) negative Steen et al (2007) black ratsnake (Elaphe obsoleta) negative Row et al (2007) Galápagos lava lizard (Microlophus albemarlensis) (2005) Skylark (Alauda arvensis) negative Reijnen et al (1996) Meadow Pipit (Anthus pratensis) negative Reijnen et al (1996) Florida Scrub Jay (Aphelocoma coerulescens) Reijnen et al (1996) Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) neutral/negative Reijnen et al (1996) Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula) neutral/negative Reijnen et al (1996) Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) positive Coleman and Fraser (1989) Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus) positive Coleman and Fraser (1989) Mute Swan (Cygnus olor) neutral/negative Reijnen et al (1996) Coot (Fulica atra) negative Reijnen et al (1996) Sandhill Crane (Grus canadensis) attributes interact with the animal's behavioral responses to roads to affect animal abundances. If animals with very large movement ranges do not avoid roads, their high frequency of road crossing leads to a high overall probability of being killed at some point.…”

Section: Reasons For Negative Road Effectsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of Roads on Animal Abundance: an Empirical Review and Synthesis

Fahrig¹,

Rytwinski²

2009

E&S

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769

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ABSTRACT. We attempted a complete review of the empirical literature on effects of roads and traffic on animal abundance and distribution. We found 79 studies, with results for 131 species and 30 species groups. Overall, the number of documented negative effects of roads on animal abundance outnumbered the number of positive effects by a factor of 5; 114 responses were negative, 22 were positive, and 56 showed no effect. Amphibians and reptiles tended to show negative effects. Birds showed mainly negative or no effects, with a few positive effects for some small birds and for vultures. Small mammals generally showed either positive effects or no effect, mid-sized mammals showed either negative effects or no effect, and large mammals showed predominantly negative effects. We synthesized this information, along with information on species attributes, to develop a set of predictions of the conditions that lead to negative or positive effects or no effect of roads on animal abundance. Four species types are predicted to respond negatively to roads: (i) species that are attracted to roads and are unable to avoid individual cars; (ii) species with large movement ranges, low reproductive rates, and low natural densities; and (iii and iv) small animals whose populations are not limited by road-affected predators and either (a) avoid habitat near roads due to traffic disturbance or (b) show no avoidance of roads or traffic disturbance and are unable to avoid oncoming cars. Two species types are predicted to respond positively to roads: (i) species that are attracted to roads for an important resource (e.g., food) and are able to avoid oncoming cars, and (ii) species that do not avoid traffic disturbance but do avoid roads, and whose main predators show negative population-level responses to roads. Other conditions lead to weak or non-existent effects of roads and traffic on animal abundance. We identify areas where further research is needed, but we also argue that the evidence for populationlevel effects of roads and traffic is already strong enough to merit routine consideration of mitigation of these effects in all road construction and maintenance projects.

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“…We used a combination of expert opinion (see below) and literature review to estimate home-range size and maximum dispersal distances. Though these two specialists are patchily distributed across similar habitats, they may tolerate different levels of fragmentation and roads (Steen et al, 2007;Hoss et al, 2010) while exhibiting a nearly twofold difference in maximum dispersal distance. Although these species have generalized habitat requirements, the black bear and timber rattlesnake are often highly associated with deciduous and bottomland hardwood forests (Larkin et al, 2004;Hoss et al, 2010), while the red wolf and eastern cougar are highly associated with agricultural pasture and forest edge habitats (Dellinger et al, 2013;Frakes et al, 2015).…”

Section: Target Speciesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Landscape connectivity losses due to sea level rise and land use change

et al. 2016

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A fundamental problem in landscape ecology is understanding the isolating effects of different patterns of habitat loss and fragmentation on species and ecosystems. In the 21st century, urban development and sea level rise (SLR) are predicted to affect large areas of the United States, further exacerbating already fragmented and densely populated landscapes. Increasing or restoring habitat connectivity may ameliorate these effects, but the broad-reaching efforts required to assess current and future changes to connectivity, especially in low-lying areas vulnerable to SLR, are still under development. To address these issues, we strategically identified a small group of regionally significant species that represent a range of characteristics and ecological requirements useful for examining landscape connectivity. We used expert opinion to parameterize divergent species responses (i.e. resistance) to landscape features and to assess permeability of the landscape. From this, we estimated contemporary and future low-resistance habitat cores in the year 2100. We modeled six species for habitat connectivity using a multiscaled circuit theory-based approach and analysed them collectively to indicate landscape connectivity across the Southeastern United States. Using this approach, we were able to forecast changing connectivity patterns based on predicted urbanization and SLR. Our results suggest that there will be a 41% reduction in the number of low-resistance cores and a 35% decrease in mean area of remaining cores. In addition, current areas of high landscape connectivity will become more fragmented as future connectivity values indicate a more homogenized landscape structure. In the future landscape, pathways for connectivity are likely to move inland and northward as sea level and urbanization pressures increase. Our results may inform more comprehensive planning initiatives regionally or nationally, while simultaneously providing a multiscaled context for localized planning efforts.

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Habitat Use of Sympatric Rattlesnake Species Within the Gulf Coastal Plain

Cited by 25 publications

References 19 publications

Reproductive rate and body size predict road impacts on mammal abundance

Reproductive rate and body size predict road impacts on mammal abundance

Effects of Roads on Animal Abundance: an Empirical Review and Synthesis

Landscape connectivity losses due to sea level rise and land use change

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