When road‐kill hotspots do not indicate the best sites for road‐kill mitigation

Teixeira, Fernanda Zimmermann; Kindel, Andreas; Hartz, Sandra Maria; Mitchell, Scott; Fahrig, Lenore

doi:10.1111/1365-2664.12870

Cited by 98 publications

(48 citation statements)

References 29 publications

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“…They include, but are not limited to, understanding of wildlife movements and behaviours, localisation of wildlife corridors [38,[47][48][49], knowledge of population density [50], population dynamics and habitat properties. In line with other authors [15,51,52] we also con rm that placing of mitigation measures is challenging, due to the lack of knowledge on the local spatial-temporal patterns of wildlife dynamics, including population, behaviour, pathways and habitat suitability [13].…”

Section: Evaluation Of Wildlife Fencessupporting

confidence: 90%

Impact of Road Fencing on Ungulate-Vehicle Collisions and Hotspot Patterns

Kučas

Balčiauskas

2020

Preprint

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Background:The number of road traffic accidents was decreasing in Lithuania in 2002–2017, while ungulate-vehicle collision (UVC) number was increasing and accounted for about 69% of all wildlife-vehicle collisions (WVC) in the country. Identification of impact of locomotor wildlife behavior and locations where accidents occurs most frequently is important for the effective application of mitigation measures.Methods:We assessed the effect of annual average daily traffic (AADT) and wildlife fencing on UVC using regression analysis of changes in annual UVC and UVC hotspots (KDE+ method based clusters) for different categories of roads.Results:At the greatest rates annual UVC numbers and UVC hotspots increased on lower category (national and regional) roads forming denser network. Lower rates of UVC increase occurred on higher category (main) roads, forming sparser road network and characterised by highest AADT. Before 2011, both UVC occurrence and fenced road sections were most common on higher category roads. However, as of 2011, the majority of UVC occurred on lower category roads where AADT and fencing had no impact on UVC.Conclusions:We conclude that wildlife fencing on roads characterised by higher speed and traffic intensity may decrease UVC numbers, in the same time shifting UVC occurrence towards roads characterised by lower speed and traffic intensity. Wildlife fencing re-allocates wildlife movement pathways towards roads with insufficient or no mitigation measures.

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Section: Evaluation Of Wildlife Fencessupporting

confidence: 90%

Impact of Road Fencing on Ungulate-Vehicle Collisions and Hotspot Patterns

Kučas

Balčiauskas

2020

Preprint

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“…However, we stress that results concerning roadkill hotspots have to be carefully interpreted. Teixeira et al (2017) showed that hotspot locations may shift in place with time. Therefore, continued monitoring may be required, even if road sections with a hotspot in road mortality have been mitigated.…”

Section: Roadkill Hotspotsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Short and Narrow Roads Cause Substantial Impacts on Wildlife

et al. 2019

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Short and narrow roads are generally overlooked when assessing road impacts on biodiversity. However, these roads bisect natural environments and may cause significant impacts on wildlife in local scale. Thus, we monitored roadkills along a short two-lane road (CPM road) in Southeastern Brazil and propose mitigation strategies to reduce wildlife mortality. We monitored roadkilled vertebrates along 5 km of CPM road from 2010 to 2016 and we also compiled data from previous studies along the same road. We conducted a hotspot analysis to identify CPM road areas with significant roadkill aggregation. We recorded 77 roadkilled vertebrates from 14 taxonomic groups along the CPM road. Mammals were the most frequently recorded group (91% of roadkills), which represented 56% of all medium-and large-sized mammal species known to occur in the study area. We identified three roadkill hotspots along the CPM road. Two of them were located at two stream crossings, where the road cut across the associated riparian forests, and the other was at a road section with water drainage from a pond, also connected to a riparian forest. These riparian forests are part of the remaining natural habitat that provides connectivity between the forest remnants in the landscape, and therefore, for wildlife. Our results showed that even short and narrow roads can have considerable roadkill, which may have severe effects for wildlife on a local scale. The results stress the need to carefully look at these types of roads and propose measures to reduce impacts. We propose the creation of safe crossing opportunities in the hotspot zones combined with wildlife fencing to keep the animals off the road and guide them towards the safe crossing opportunities.

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“…Because it is currently unrealistic and cost prohibitive to mitigate all roadways for all species, it is vital to identify species most susceptible to road-related impacts. Within species ranges, risks to populations and need for mitigation can then be evaluated based upon local road densities and matrix, road-types, traffic, and road locations in relation to species habitat and movement corridors (e.g., Jaeger 2000; Litvaitis and Tash 2008;Langen et al 2015b;Zimmermann Teixeira et al 2017).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

An objective road risk assessment method for multiple species: ranking 166 reptiles and amphibians in California

2018

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Context Transportation and wildlife agencies may consider the need for barrier structures and safe wildlife road-crossings to maintain the long-term viability of wildlife populations. In order to prioritize these efforts, it is important to identify species that are most at risk of extirpation from road-related impacts. Purpose Our goal was to identify reptiles and amphibians in California most susceptible to road mortality and fragmentation. With over 160 species and a lack of species-specific research data, we developed an objective risk assessment method based upon road ecology science. Methods Risk scoring was based upon a suite of life history and space-use characteristics associated with negative road effects applied in a hierarchical manner from individuals to species. We evaluated risk to both aquatic and terrestrial connectivity and calculated buffer distances to encompass 95% of populationlevel movements. We ranked species into five relative categories of road-related risk (very-high to very-low) based upon 20% increments of all species scores.Results All chelonids, 72% of snakes, 50% of anurans, 18% of lizards and 17% of salamander species in California were ranked at high or very-high risk from negative road impacts. Results were largely consistent with local and global scientific literature in identifying high risk species and groups. Conclusions This comparative risk assessment method provides a science-based framework to identify species most susceptible to negative road impacts. The results can inform regional-scale road mitigation planning and prioritization efforts and threat assessments for special-status species. We believe this approach is applicable to numerous landscapes and taxonomic groups. Landscape Ecol (2018) 33:911-935 915

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When road‐kill hotspots do not indicate the best sites for road‐kill mitigation

Cited by 98 publications

References 29 publications

Impact of Road Fencing on Ungulate-Vehicle Collisions and Hotspot Patterns

Impact of Road Fencing on Ungulate-Vehicle Collisions and Hotspot Patterns

Short and Narrow Roads Cause Substantial Impacts on Wildlife

An objective road risk assessment method for multiple species: ranking 166 reptiles and amphibians in California

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