Seasonal habitat-use patterns of large mammals in a human-dominated landscape

Large mammals in temperate climates typically display seasonal patterns of habitat use. However, these patterns are often overlooked because large mammals are usually surveyed at annual intervals. In addition, most studies focus on a single species and ignore other species with which the focal species could interact. Knowing seasonal patterns of habitat use in multiple species and understanding factors that cause these patterns can provide further detail on population dynamics and guide effective conservation planning. Here, using dynamic occupancy modeling, we analyze 11 years of camera-trap data collected in northwestern Anatolia, Turkey, to investigate seasonal habitat use of 8 large-mammal species: Brown Bear (Ursus arctos), Eurasian Lynx (Lynx lynx), Gray Wolf (Canis lupus), Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes), Wild Boar (Sus scrofa), Roe Deer (Capreolus capreolus), European Hare (Lepus europaeus), and Red Deer (Cervus elaphus). For each species, we study the strength of seasonality in habitat use and its dependence on human population density and elevation, which have been shown to affect distributions of species in the region. Although all species exhibited seasonality in habitat use, the strength of this seasonality varied among species; it was strongest in Wild Boar, Roe Deer, and Brown Bear. Moreover, except for Brown Bear, all species tended to avoid sites close to humans. The species responded differently to changing elevation; increasing elevation had both positive and negative effects on species-specific colonization and desertion probabilities, and these effects were likely related to either feeding habits or tendency to avoid humans. These results indicate that seasonality should be taken into consideration in population studies. However, because species differ, seasonality patterns should be identified separately for each species of interest, as differences in these patterns can explain the underlying dynamics of habitat-use patterns more accurately

Past, present and future distributions of Oriental beech (Fagus orientalis) under climate change projections

Species distribution models can help predicting range shifts under climate change. The aimof this study is to investigate the late Quaternary distribution of Oriental beech (Fagus orientalis)and to project future distribution ranges under different climate change scenarios usinga combined palaeobotanical, phylogeographic, and modelling approach. Five species distributionmodelling algorithms under the R-package ‘biomod2‘were applied to occurrence dataof Fagus orientalis to predict distributions under present, past (Last Glacial Maximum, 21ka, Mid-Holocene, 6 ka), and future climatic conditions with different scenarios obtainedfrom MIROC-ESM and CCSM4 global climate models. Distribution models were comparedto palaeobotanical and phylogeographic evidence. Pollen data indicate northern Turkey andthe western Caucasus as refugia for Oriental beech during the Last Glacial Maximum.Although pollen records are missing, molecular data point to Last Glacial Maximum refugiain northern Iran. For the mid-Holocene, pollen data support the presence of beech in thestudy region. Species distribution models predicted present and Last Glacial Maximum distributionof Fagus orientalis moderately well yet underestimated mid-Holocene ranges.Future projections under various climate scenarios indicate northern Iran and the Caucasusregion as major refugia for Oriental beech. Combining palaeobotanical, phylogeographicand modelling approaches is useful when making projections about distributions of plants.Palaeobotanical and molecular evidence reject some of the model projections. Nevertheless,the projected range reduction in the Caucasus region and northern Iran highlights theirimportance as long-term refugia, possibly related to higher humidity, stronger environmentaland climatic heterogeneity and strong vertical zonation of the forest vegetation

Past, present and future distributions of Oriental beech (Fagus orientalis) under climate change projections.

Species distribution models can help predicting range shifts under climate change. The aim of this study is to investigate the late Quaternary distribution of Oriental beech (Fagus orientalis) and to project future distribution ranges under different climate change scenarios using a combined palaeobotanical, phylogeographic, and modelling approach. Five species distribution modelling algorithms under the R-package `biomod2`were applied to occurrence data of Fagus orientalis to predict distributions under present, past (Last Glacial Maximum, 21 ka, Mid-Holocene, 6 ka), and future climatic conditions with different scenarios obtained from MIROC-ESM and CCSM4 global climate models. Distribution models were compared to palaeobotanical and phylogeographic evidence. Pollen data indicate northern Turkey and the western Caucasus as refugia for Oriental beech during the Last Glacial Maximum. Although pollen records are missing, molecular data point to Last Glacial Maximum refugia in northern Iran. For the mid-Holocene, pollen data support the presence of beech in the study region. Species distribution models predicted present and Last Glacial Maximum distribution of Fagus orientalis moderately well yet underestimated mid-Holocene ranges. Future projections under various climate scenarios indicate northern Iran and the Caucasus region as major refugia for Oriental beech. Combining palaeobotanical, phylogeographic and modelling approaches is useful when making projections about distributions of plants. Palaeobotanical and molecular evidence reject some of the model projections. Nevertheless, the projected range reduction in the Caucasus region and northern Iran highlights their importance as long-term refugia, possibly related to higher humidity, stronger environmental and climatic heterogeneity and strong vertical zonation of the forest vegetation