How does habitat impact small mammal abundance and diversity?5 answersHabitat plays a crucial role in influencing small mammal abundance and diversity. Research across tropical savannas and prairies indicates that habitat management practices such as controlled burning can lead to diverse and abundant communities of grassland rodent species. Vegetative cover, including tall grass and shrubs, acts as refugia for small mammals, enhancing their abundance and richness amidst a "landscape of fear". In agricultural landscapes, old commercial orchards with low agricultural intensity contribute to maintaining diversity and abundance of small mammals. The Cerrado biome showcases strong habitat selectivity among small mammals, with distinct assemblages characterized by habitat preferences, contributing to high species turnover across sites and habitats. Ultimately, habitat heterogeneity and geographic location are key factors shaping small mammal diversity in various ecosystems.
How does the level of human activity in an urban environment affect the behavioral patterns of wildlife species?5 answersThe level of human activity in an urban environment can affect the behavioral patterns of wildlife species. Urban environments, with their modified anthropogenic spaces and increased interactions between humans and wildlife, can influence how wildlife exploits these spaces and interacts with human populations. Some species, like foxes, may adapt their activity patterns to avoid human disturbance, while others, like badgers, may be negatively affected by human activity. Time of day and land cover type also play a role in influencing wildlife behavior in urban environments. Additionally, the presence of domestic and feral cats in urban areas can have nonconsumptive fear/stress impacts on urban wildlife, influencing their activity and health. Understanding these impacts is crucial for managing and conserving wildlife in urban habitats.
How does human disturbance affect species richness?4 answersHuman disturbance has a significant impact on species richness. Changes in the relative species abundance distribution, total density of individuals, and spatial aggregation of individuals all contribute to changes in species richness. Urbanization, agriculture, and other forms of human pressure can lead to a decline in individual density, changes in the species abundance distribution, and a decrease in habitat diversity, resulting in a reduction in species richness. The effects of human disturbance on species richness are scale-dependent and vary based on species traits, such as dispersal capacity. Low-dispersive species are particularly vulnerable to local extinction processes, while more dispersive species may be lost from the regional species pool due to decreased habitat diversity. Human disturbance can also lead to the dominance of a few highly dispersive species, resulting in decreased evenness. Overall, incorporating information about dispersal capacity improves our understanding of how human disturbance affects species richness patterns at different spatial scales.
Do human impact activity patterns of mammals ?5 answersHuman activities have been shown to impact the activity patterns of mammals. These impacts can include changes in spatiotemporal overlap between predator and prey species, avoidance strategies to reduce risk, and alterations in species richness and occurrences. For example, studies have found that human presence can lead to avoidance behavior in mesopredators such as raccoons, cats, and opossums. Additionally, human settlements and free-roaming dogs have been found to negatively impact native mammal communities in protected areas, with dogs being a major anthropogenic threat to wildlife. Furthermore, human activities, such as hunting and habitat alteration, can affect the sustainability of mammal populations, with some species showing a positive correlation between hunting pressure and distance from human settlements. Overall, these findings highlight the need for continued monitoring and research to understand and mitigate the impacts of human activity on mammal species.
How do forest landscape patterns affect the distribution and abundance of mammals?5 answersForest landscape patterns have a significant impact on the distribution and abundance of mammals. Habitat amount and patch aggregation are important factors that influence the abundance of forest passerines in the south-western Palaearctic. Fragmentation and connectivity of the surrounding landscapes also play a role in shaping the abundance and diversity of small mammals in forested sites. Landscape changes, such as exploratory human activities and habitat fragmentation, can lead to simplified composition and community structure of small mammals in small forest fragments. Additionally, the extent of permanent crops and the presence of undecomposed litter in the wood understory affect the abundance of small mammals in agricultural landscapes. Overall, these findings highlight the importance of considering forest landscape patterns in conservation and management strategies to support the distribution and abundance of mammals.
What are the most recent papers on mammal landscape connectivity?4 answersLandscape connectivity in mammal conservation has been the focus of recent research. Studies have explored the quantification of dispersal in landscapes and the analysis of ecological connectivity and landscape planning. Additionally, the application of multi-dimensional biochemical fractionation and machine learning has allowed for the identification of molecular networks in the mammalian brain, providing insights into neurological disorders and disease variants. The trade-offs between single-species and multispecies corridor approaches for maintaining connectivity in fragmented landscapes have also been investigated, with suggestions to tailor multispecies habitat connectivity plans to maximize effectiveness. Furthermore, the impact of climate change on species distribution ranges and the importance of landscape connectivity for range expansion have been examined, emphasizing the need for conservation and restoration measures. Overall, these recent papers contribute to our understanding of mammal landscape connectivity and its implications for biodiversity conservation.