IDENTIFYING ATTRIBUTES ASSOCIATED WITH BROWN BEAR (URSUS ARCTOS) ROAD-CROSSING AND ROAD-KILL SITES

Habitat fragmentation caused by transportation infrastructure is an issue of growing concern worldwide. In this article, we show, how secondary roads may affect landscape permeability for brown bears (Ursus arctos L., 1758). We focused on identifying environmental variables that govern the selection of road crossing zones by bears (crossing model). We also investigated whether variables that characterize road–crossing zones differ from those that are typical for bear–vehicle collision sites (collision model). The study area was located in north–central Slovakia. To identify road–crossing sites, we used the GPS fixes of 27 bears and identified 35 bear–vehicle collision sites from a different dataset. We used mixed effects logistic regression to model resource selection at road–crossing sites and to compare bear–crossing sites with bear kill–sites. The crossing model showed that the traffic volume with distance to forest and grassland were the most influential factors in bear selection of road–crossing sites. Results of the collision model indicated that successful road crossings by bears were located at different road sections from vehicle collisions, which differed by a traffic volume of 4000 cars/24 hrs. The outcomes of this study can facilitate improved mitigation measures on secondary roads.The accepted manuscript in pdf format is listed with the files at the bottom of this page. The presentation of the authors' names and (or) special characters in the title of the manuscript may differ slightly between what is listed on this page and what is listed in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript; that in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript is what was submitted by the author

landscape_fragmentation

Outputs of landscape fragmentation analysis using method "effective mesh size" (Moser et al. 2007), including data on fragmentation geometry

Data from: Wolves at the crossroad: fission-fusion range biogeography in the Western Carpathians and Central Europe

Aim: Population fragmentation represents a leitmotif of conservation biology, but the impact of population reconnection is less well studied. The recent recolonization of large carnivores in Europe is a good model for studying this phenomenon. We aim to show novel data regarding distribution and population genetic structure of the grey wolf in Central Europe, a region considered a frequent crossroad and contact zone of different phylogeographic lineages, in a biogeographic context. Location: Western Carpathians, Central Europe. Methods: In concordance with the presumption of a highly mobile mammal, individual-based Bayesian clustering and a posteriori definition of populations were used. Integrating the frameworks of landscape genetics and biogeography enabled the identification of transitions in population architecture. These patterns could be ascribed to isolating factors based on historical knowledge about species demography. Results: Genetic differentiation mirrors population isolation and recognized environmental clusters, suggesting ecotypic variation. The east–west split in the Western Carpathians likely represents the signature of range fragmentation during bottlenecks in the 20th century. Mitochondrial variability is more depleted than nuclear variability, indicating founder-flush demography. Microsatellites show finer-scale differentiation in the Carpathians compared to the European plain, corresponding to topographic heterogeneity. Long-range dispersal of a Carpathian wolf (ca. 300 km), the establishment of enclaves originated from the lowland population and admixture with mountain wolves were ascertained, indicating a population fraction producing large-scale gene flow. Main conclusion: Carpathian wolves are characterized by periods of population and range decline due to eradication, facilitating refugial role of alpine habitats and peripatric effects, followed by expansions and fusions probably caused by forest transition, population adaptation and efforts in conservation management. New occurrence and hybridization events predict further contacts between formerly isolated populations, with potential opposing effects of heterosis and outbreeding depression. Population recovery might be hindered due to isolation by environment and anthropogenic impacts

land_cover_types_slovakia

Land cover types of the Western Carpathians (Slovakia)

microsatellite_allele_scores

Microsatellite allele scores (18 loci) for Canis lupus from Central Europe and Canis lupus familiaris

environmental_clusters_central_europe

Environmental clusters of Central Europe based on synthesis of climatic & topographical variables

wolf_distribution

Data on current wolf ditribution in Central Europe (updated from Chapron et al. 2014)