Wild Ungulate Decision-Making and the Role of Tiny Refuges in Human-Dominated Landscapes

Krishna, Yedhu; Kumar, Ajith; Isvaran, Kavita

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0151748

Cited by 21 publications

(28 citation statements)

References 29 publications

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“…In the last decades, wildlife refuges have increasingly been designated, with the primary aim to reduce disturbance of deer by recreationists, land use management and hunters [ 25 , 56 , 57 ]. However, it has also been suggested that well-placed refuges may help reduce human-wildlife conflicts [ 58 ] and contribute to decreasing damage to forestry by reducing the browsing pressure on the surrounding forest stands [ 25 ]. To serve this purpose, refuge systems have been extended to spatial zonation schemes that regulate recreational activities but also hunting and forest management [ 27 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Human recreation affects spatio-temporal habitat use patterns in red deer (Cervus elaphus)

Coppes¹,

Burghardt

Hagen³

et al. 2017

PLoS ONE

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The rapid spread and diversification of outdoor recreation can impact on wildlife in various ways, often leading to the avoidance of disturbed habitats. To mitigate human-wildlife conflicts, spatial zonation schemes can be implemented to separate human activities from key wildlife habitats, e.g., by designating undisturbed wildlife refuges or areas with some level of restriction to human recreation and land use. However, mitigation practice rarely considers temporal differences in human-wildlife interactions. We used GPS telemetry data from 15 red deer to study the seasonal (winter vs. summer) and diurnal (day vs. night) variation in recreation effects on habitat use in a study region in south-western Germany where a spatial zonation scheme has been established. Our study aimed to determine if recreation infrastructure and spatial zonation affected red deer habitat use and whether these effects varied daily or seasonally. Recreation infrastructure did not affect home range selection in the study area, but strongly determined habitat use within the home range. The spatial zonation scheme was reflected in both of these two levels of habitat selection, with refuges and core areas being more frequently used than the border zones. Habitat use differed significantly between day and night in both seasons. Both summer and winter recreation trails, and nearby foraging habitats, were avoided during day, whereas a positive association was found during night. We conclude that human recreation has an effect on red deer habitat use, and when designing mitigation measures daily and seasonal variation in human-wildlife interactions should be taken into account. We advocate using spatial zonation in conjunction with temporal restrictions (i.e., banning nocturnal recreation activities) and the creation of suitable foraging habitats away from recreation trails.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Human recreation affects spatio-temporal habitat use patterns in red deer (Cervus elaphus)

Coppes¹,

Burghardt

Hagen³

et al. 2017

PLoS ONE

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“…The effect may have been due to the overall low predation risk within the landscape conditions we simulated. In situations where the differences in predation risk between patches is large, such as when some patches are refuges from predation [ 92 , 93 ], the willingness to move to a safe patch may extend connectivity over a wide range of inter-patch distances. For example, one hypothesis for migratory behaviour in ruminants has been predator avoidance [ 94 , 95 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Functional connectivity in ruminants: A generalized state-dependent modelling approach

Visscher

Merrill

2018

PLoS ONE

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Animal behaviour is increasingly seen as an important component in maintaining functional connectivity between patches in fragmented landscapes. However, models that explicitly incorporate behavioural trade-offs are rarely applied to landscape planning problems like connectivity. The aim of this study was to explore how state-dependent behaviour influenced functional connectivity between patches from a theoretical perspective. We investigated how inter-patch distances influenced functional connectivity using a dynamic state variable model framework. The decision making process of an individual ruminant facing fitness trade-offs in staying in its patch of origin or moving to another patch at various distances were explicitly modelled. We incorporated energetic costs and predation costs of feeding, ruminating, and resting while in the patch and for transit between patches based on inter-patch distance. Functional connectivity was maintained with isolated patches when they offered high intake and the inactivity of rumination associated with rapid gut fill resulted in reduced predation risk. Nevertheless, individuals in high energetic state often would forgo moving to another patch, whereas individuals in poor energetic states were forced to accept the cost of movement to best meet their requirements in the distant patch. The inclusion of state-dependent behavioural models provides important insights into functional connectivity in fragmented landscapes and helps integrate animal behaviour into landscape planning. We discuss the consequences of our findings for landscape planning to show how the approach provides a heuristic tool to assess alternative scenarios for restoring landscape functional connectivity.

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“…Despite being a tiny proportion, this population in BAMKCR, is ecologically very important (Krishna et al 2016) because Blackbucks are prey for wolves, jackals and other scavengers. Ungulates also play a major role in the ecosystem through indirect interactions by influencing nutrient cycling (N) with their feces and urine, net primary production and disturbance regimes -especially fires in grasslands (Hobbs 1996).…”

Section: Threats and Conservation Implicationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

<b>Measuring Indian Blackbuck <I>Antilope cervicapra</I> (Mammalia: Cetartiodactyla: Bovidae) abundance at Basur Amruth Mahal Kaval Conservation Reserve, Chikkamagaluru, southern India</b>

Sagar

Antoney

2017

J. Threat. Taxa

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Wild Ungulate Decision-Making and the Role of Tiny Refuges in Human-Dominated Landscapes

Cited by 21 publications

References 29 publications

Human recreation affects spatio-temporal habitat use patterns in red deer (Cervus elaphus)

Human recreation affects spatio-temporal habitat use patterns in red deer (Cervus elaphus)

Functional connectivity in ruminants: A generalized state-dependent modelling approach

<b>Measuring Indian Blackbuck <I>Antilope cervicapra</I> (Mammalia: Cetartiodactyla: Bovidae) abundance at Basur Amruth Mahal Kaval Conservation Reserve, Chikkamagaluru, southern India</b>

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