Seventy-two models of large mammal connectivity across Panama: insights into a critical biogeographic linkage zone

AimThe goal of this study was to evaluate consistency among multiple connectivity models for jaguar and puma across Panama to evaluate the plausible current patterns of habitat connectivity for these and potentially other species in this critical biogeographic linkage zone.ApproachWe compared 72 different models of landscape connectivity for both large felids using both empirically based and expert opinion derived resistance layers. We conducted resistant kernel modeling with different dispersal abilities to reflect uncertainty in the movement potential of the two species. We applied three transformations to the resulting connectivity surfaces to account for uncertainty about the shape of the dispersal kernel function. We then evaluated the similarities and differences among these connectivity models, identifying several factors that drive their differences. We quantified the factors that drive differences in connectivity predictions using surface correlation, Mantel testing, and agglomerative hierarchical clustering.ResultsWe found that the main differences among predicted connectivity surfaces were related to species and resistance modeling approach, with relatively little consistent difference related to dispersal ability and nonlinear kernel transformation. Based on the ensemble connectivity prediction across the 72 models, we identified two major core areas, corresponding to the eastern and western portions of the central mountain range, significant attenuation of connectivity in lowland and developed areas of Panama, a major breakage in connectivity in the Canal Zone spanning the width of the country, and weak but potentially critical movement routes connecting the two core areas across the Canal Zone.ImplicationsThis paper contributes to both a theoretical and practical understanding of the functional connectivity of large felids, confirming the strong effect of differences in source points and resistance surfaces on connectivity predictions and identifying and mapping key core areas, barriers, and potential corridors for carnivore movement across the critical Pan-American linkage of the Isthmus of Panama

Integrating Sunda clouded leopard (Neofelis diardi) conservation into development and restoration planning in Sabah (Borneo)

Changes in land use/cover are the main drivers of global biodiversity loss, and thus tools to evaluate effects of landscape change on biodiversity are crucial. In this study we integrated several methods from landscape ecology and landscape genetics into a GIS-based analytical framework, and evaluated the impacts of development and forest restoration scenarios on landscape connectivity, population dynamics and genetic diversity of Sunda clouded leopard in the Malaysian state of Sabah. We also investigated the separate and interactive effects of changing mortality risk and connectivity. Our study suggested that the current clouded leopard population size is larger (+26%) than the current carrying capacity of the landscape due to time lag effects and extinction debt. Additionally, we predicted that proposed developments in Sabah may decrease landscape connectivity by 23% and, when including the increased mortality risk associated with these developments, result in a 40–63% decrease in population size and substantial reduction in genetic diversity. These negative impacts could be mitigated only to a very limited degree through extensive and targeted forest restoration. Our results suggest that realignment of roads and railways based on resistance to movement, without including mortality risk, might be misleading and may in some cases lead to decrease in population size. We therefore recommend that efforts to optimally plan road and railway locations base the optimization on effects of development on population size, density and distribution rather than solely on population connectivity

Multi-scale habitat modelling identifies spatial conservation priorities for mainland clouded leopards (Neofelis nebulosa)

Aim Deforestation is rapidly altering Southeast Asian landscapes, resulting in some of the highest rates of habitat loss worldwide. Among the many species facing declines in this region, clouded leopards rank notably for their ambassadorial potential and capacity to act as powerful levers for broader forest conservation programmes. Thus, identifying core habitat and conservation opportunities are critical for curbing further Neofelis declines and extending umbrella protection for diverse forest biota similarly threatened by widespread habitat loss. Furthermore, a recent comprehensive habitat assessment of Sunda clouded leopards (N. diardi) highlights the lack of such information for the mainland species (N. nebulosa) and facilitates a comparative assessment. Location Southeast Asia. Methods Species–habitat relationships are scale‐dependent, yet <5% of all recent habitat modelling papers apply robust approaches to optimize multivariate scale relationships. Using one of the largest camera trap datasets ever collected, we developed scale‐optimized species distribution models for two con‐generic carnivores, and quantitatively compared their habitat niches. Results We identified core habitat, connectivity corridors, and ranked remaining habitat patches for conservation prioritization. Closed‐canopy forest was the strongest predictor, with ~25% lower Neofelis detections when forest cover declined from 100 to 65%. A strong, positive association with increasing precipitation suggests ongoing climate change as a growing threat along drier edges of the species’ range. While deforestation and land use conversion were deleterious for both species, N. nebulosa was uniquely associated with shrublands and grasslands. We identified 800 km2 as a minimum patch size for supporting clouded leopard conservation. Main conclusions We illustrate the utility of multi‐scale modelling for identifying key habitat requirements, optimal scales of use and critical targets for guiding conservation prioritization. Curbing deforestation and development within remaining core habitat and dispersal corridors, particularly in Myanmar, Laos and Malaysia, is critical for supporting evolutionary potential of clouded leopards and conservation of associated forest biodiversity.Dr. Holly Reed Conservation Fund; Langtang National Park; World Animal Protection; Robertson Foundation; Point Defiance Zoo & Aquariu

Landscape-scale benefits of protected areas for tropical biodiversity

We are indebted to numerous local communities, PA and government agency staff, research assistants, and other partners for supporting the field data collection. Research permissions were granted by appropriate forestry and conservation government departments in each country. Special thanks is given to the Sarawak State Government, Sarawak Forestry Corporation, Forest Department Sarawak, Sabah Biodiversity Centre, the Danum Valley Management Committee, the Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM), the Smithsonian Institute and the Tropical Ecology Assessment and Monitoring (TEAM) network, Sarayudh Bunyavejchewin, and Ronglarp Sukmasuang. Support was provided by the United Nations Development Programme, NASA grants NNL15AA03C and 80NSSC21K0189, National Geographic Society’s Committee for the Research and Exploration award #9384–13, the Australian Research Council Discovery Early Career Researcher Award DECRA #DE210101440, the Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, the Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia, Nanyang Technological University Singapore, the Darwin Initiative, Liebniz-IZW, and the Universities of Aberdeen, British Columbia, Montana, and Queensland.Peer reviewedPostprin

Using remotely-sensed habitat data to model space use and disease transmission risk between wild and domestic herbivores in the African savanna

The interface between protected and communal lands presents certain challenges for wildlife conservation and the sustainability of local livelihoods. This is a particular case in South Africa, where foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), mainly carried by African buffalo (Syncerus caffer) is transmitted to cattle despite a fence surrounding the protected areas.The ultimate objective of this thesis was to improve knowledge of FMD transmission risk by analyzing behavioral patterns of African buffalo and cattle near the Kruger National Park, and by modelling at fine spatial scale the seasonal risk of contact between them. Since vegetation is considered as a primary bottom-up regulator of grazers distribution, I developed fine-scale seasonal mapping of vegetation. With that purpose, I explored the utility of WorldView-2 (WV-2) sensor, comparing object- (OBIA) and pixel-based image classification methods, and various traditional and advanced classification algorithms. All tested methods produced relatively high accuracy results (>77%), however OBIA with random forest and support vector machines performed significantly better, particularly for wet season imagery (93%).In order to investigate the buffalo and cattle seasonal home ranges and resource utilization distributions I combined the telemetry data with fine-scale maps on forage (vegetation components, and forage quality and quantity). I found that buffalo behaved more like bulk feeders at the scale of home ranges but were more selective within their home range, preferring quality forage over quantity. In contrast, cattle selected forage with higher quantity and quality during the dry season but behaved like bulk grazers in the wet season.Based on the resource utilization models, I generated seasonal cost (resistance) surfaces of buffalo and cattle movement through the landscape considering various scenarios. These surfaces were used to predict buffalo and cattle dispersal routes by applying a cumulative resistant kernels method. The final seasonal contact risks maps were developed by intersecting the cumulative resistant kernels layers of both species and by averaging all scenarios. The maps revealed important seasonal differences in the contact risk, with higher risk in the dry season and hotspots along a main river and the weakest parts of the fence. Results of this study can guide local decision makers in the allocation of resources for FMD mitigation efforts and provide guidelines to minimize overgrazing.Doctorat en Sciencesinfo:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublishe

Fine-scale spatial and seasonal rangeland use by cattle in a foot-and-mouth disease control zones

Overgrazing of ranglands and foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) are persistent problems in the communal lands bordering the Kruger National Park (KNP) and the adjacent private game reserves in South Africa. Improved livestock management is needed to address these problems, and detailed understanding of cattle ranging behaviour in the FMD control zones is central to improving livestock management. We used environmental data on seasonal variation in forage quality (nitrogen content) and quantity (biomass) derived from high resolution satellite imagery, coupled with cattle GPS locations, to develop a resource utilization function of cattle space use patterns and predicted spatial patterns of their probability of occurrence in the wet and dry seasons. We calculated cattle resource utilization distributions and delineated home ranges of cattle from six villages by applying utilization kernels using the plug-in method as a bandwidth estimator. The overlap between seasonal home ranges was 61% and between core areas 49%, indicating seasonal selectivity mainly within the home ranges. Cattle selected forage with higher quantity and quality during the dry season but behaved like bulk grazers in the wet season. Furthermore, we found that herds in the dry season usually have smaller home ranges and stay closer to water sources and villages than in the wet season. Our prediction maps highlight seasonal differences in probability of cattle occurrence, with implications for rangelands management strategies to minimalize overgrazing and FMD transmission.SCOPUS: ar.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

% Closed Forest 16km-radius Window

Using Hansen et al.’s (2013) original percent forest cover layer (http://earthenginepartners.appspot.com/science-2013-global-forest/download_v1.2.html), we reclassified >40% forest cover as ‘closed forest’. We then used FRAGSTATS (McGarigal, Cushman, Neel, & Ene, 2012) to calculate the percentage of the landscape occupied by closed forest habitat within a 16km-radius moving window. The data is in raster .tif format for use in GIS. We resampled the source data from its native 30m resolution to 250m resolution. Coordinate system: Asia South Albers Equal Area Conic

Shrubland/Grassland Correlation Length 16km-radius Window

Original data for this GIS raster layer was obtained from the ESA CCI Land Cover Layer 300m 2015 (www.esa-landcover-cci.org). We first reclassified the original data layer, denoting shrubland/grassland as present (1) or absent (0). We then used FRAGSTATS (McGarigal, Cushman, Neel, & Ene, 2012) to calculate the correlation length or area-weighted mean of gyration within a 16km-radius moving window. Correlation length measures the average distance an individual can travel within a habitat patch, or in this case the average extensiveness of shrubland/grassland habitat within a 16km-radius window. We re-sampled the source data from its native 300m resolution to 250m. Units are in meters. Coordinate system: Asia South Albers Equal Area Conic

Bulk feeder or selective grazer: African buffalo space use patterns based on fine-scale remotely sensed data on forage quality and quantity

The distribution and behaviour of African large grazers are regulated primarily from the bottom up, with some species showing clear preferences for certain vegetation types. While the African buffalo (Syncerus caffer) is sometimes considered a bulk grazer, other studies indicate that they can be selective and show seasonal variations in their home ranges. We used very high resolution satellite imagery to evaluate how the quality and quantity of the vegetation influence space use by buffalo herds in Kruger National Park, testing the bulk-selective hypotheses. Using telemetry data from six buffalo, we analyzed seasonal differences in home ranges and core areas. We investigated resource selection and preference at various spatial scales for a subset of three buffalo, comparing habitat use against vegetation biomass and nitrogen content, derived from a high resolution RapidEye image of the wet season. Overall buffalo preferred open vegetation types, with sparse trees and fertile soils, and had home ranges that partially overlapped between dry and wet seasons (average overlap 50%). Buffalo formed home ranges non-randomly within the study area, choosing vegetation of higher quality and quantity. Within home ranges, however, they selected for higher quality forage, and not for higher quantity. Our results showed that the dichotomy between unselective bulk grazers or selective feeders can be scale dependent, as buffalo behaved more like bulk feeders at the scale of home ranges but were more selective within their home range, preferring quality over quantity.SCOPUS: ar.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Protected Area Correlation Length 8km-radius Window

Data for this GIS raster layer was obtained from the IUCN & UNEP-WCMC 2017 World Database on Protected Areas (http://www.protectedplanet.net/). We first reclassified the original data layer, denoting protected status as present (1) or absent (0). We then used FRAGSTATS (McGarigal, Cushman, Neel, & Ene, 2012) to calculate the correlation length or area-weighted mean of gyration within an 8km-radius moving window. Here correlation length measures the average distance an animal could travel within protected areas within an 8km-radius window. Data are at 250m resolution; units are in meters. Coordinate system: Asia South Albers Equal Area Conic