scholarly journals Developing a correction factor to apply to animal–vehicle collision data for improved road mitigation measures

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tracy S. Lee ◽  
Kimberly Rondeau ◽  
Rob Schaufele ◽  
Anthony P. Clevenger ◽  
Danah Duke
Keyword(s):  
Correction Factor ◽  
Mitigation Measures ◽  
Vehicle Collision ◽  
Road Mitigation

Experimental study designs to improve the evaluation of road mitigation measures for wildlife

2015 ◽  
Vol 154 ◽  
pp. 48-64 ◽  
Author(s):  
Trina Rytwinski ◽  
Rodney van der Ree ◽  
Glenn M. Cunnington ◽  
Lenore Fahrig ◽  
C. Scott Findlay ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Study ◽  
Mitigation Measures ◽  
Road Mitigation ◽  
Study Designs

Identifying attributes associated with brown bear (Ursus arctos) road-crossing and roadkill sites

2019 ◽  
Vol 97 (2) ◽  
pp. 156-164 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Find’o ◽  
M. Skuban ◽  
M. Kajba ◽  
J. Chalmers ◽  
M. Kalaš
Keyword(s):  
Ursus Arctos ◽  
Traffic Volume ◽  
Influential Factors ◽  
Mitigation Measures ◽  
Landscape Permeability ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Collision Model ◽  
Vehicle Collision ◽  
Road Crossing ◽  
Selection Of

Habitat fragmentation caused by transportation infrastructure is an issue of growing concern worldwide. We show how secondary roads may affect landscape permeability for brown bears (Ursus arctos Linnaeus, 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 data set. 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 5000 vehicles/24 h. The outcomes of this study can facilitate improved mitigation measures on secondary roads.

scholarly journals Evaluating the effectiveness of road mitigation measures

2012 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 425-448 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edgar A. van der Grift ◽  
Rodney van der Ree ◽  
Lenore Fahrig ◽  
Scott Findlay ◽  
Jeff Houlahan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mitigation Measures ◽  
Road Mitigation

Spatial analysis of amphibian road mortality levels in northern Portugal country roads

2012 ◽  
Vol 33 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 469-483 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cátia Matos ◽  
Neftalí Sillero ◽  
Elena Argaña
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Preferences ◽  
Bufo Bufo ◽  
Ecological Impacts ◽  
Mitigation Measures ◽  
Road Mortality ◽  
Related Factors ◽  
Logistic Regression Models ◽  
Northern Portugal ◽  
Vehicle Collision ◽  
The Face

Animal mortality caused by vehicle collisions is one of the main ecological impacts of roads. Amphibians are the most affected group and road fatalities have a significant impact on population dynamics and viability. Several studies on Iberian amphibians have shown the importance of country roads on amphibian road mortality, but still, little is known about the situation in northern Portugal. By being more permeable to amphibian passage, country roads represent a greater source of mortality than highways, which act as barriers. Thus, mitigation measures should be applied, but due to the extensive road network, the identification of precise locations (hotspots) and variables related to animal-vehicle collision is needed to plan these measures successfully. The aim of the study was to analyse the spatial occurrence and related factors linked to amphibian mortality on a number of country roads in northern Portugal, using spatial statistics implemented in GIS and applying a binary logistical regression. We surveyed 631 km of road corresponding to seven transects, and observed 404 individual amphibians: 74 (18.3%) alive and 330 (81.7%) road-killed. Bufo bufo represented 80% of the mortality records. Three transects showed clustered distribution of road-kills, and broadleaved forests and road ditches were the most important factors associated with hotspots of road-kill. Logistic regression models showed that habitat quality, Bufo bufo’s habitat preferences, and road ditches are positively associated with amphibians’ road mortality in northern Portugal, whereas average altitude and length of walls were negatively associated. This study is a useful tool to understand spatial occurrence of amphibian road-kills in the face of applying mitigation measures on country roads from northern Portugal. This study also considers the necessity of assessing the condition of amphibian local populations to understand their road-kills spatial patterns and the urgency to apply mitigation measures on country roads.

scholarly journals Habitat Suitability Based Models for Ungulate Roadkill Prognosis

Animals ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (8) ◽  
pp. 1345
Author(s):  
Linas Balčiauskas ◽  
Jack Wierzchowski ◽  
Andrius Kučas ◽  
Laima Balčiauskienė
Keyword(s):  
Wild Boar ◽  
Habitat Suitability ◽  
Detrimental Effect ◽  
Roe Deer ◽  
Mitigation Measures ◽  
Vehicle Collisions ◽  
Additional Tool ◽  
Vehicle Collision ◽  
Collision Mitigation ◽  
Linkage Models

Roads do not only have a detrimental effect on nature (fragmenting habitats, isolating populations and threatening biodiversity), but the increasing numbers of wildlife-vehicle collisions are also a direct threat to humans and property. Therefore, mitigation measures should be placed with respect to animal distribution and movements across the roads. We simulated red deer, roe deer and wild boar movements in Lithuania, focusing on the two main highways A1 and A2. Using regional habitat suitability and linkage models, we calculated movement pathways and the most probable crossing zones in 2009. The prognostic value of these models was tested by comparing the pathway predictions to the real roadkill and roadkill cluster locations in 2002–2009 and 2010–2017. Across both periods and on both highways, the roe deer roadkill locations were significantly closer to the model-predicted pathways than to randomly selected points. The prediction of roadkill locations was also good for wild boar. The roe deer roadkill clusters and multi-species clusters were significantly better represented by the model than by random distribution. On both highways, the biggest differences in distance from the predicted locations were near big cities. We recommended wildlife movement models as an additional tool for planning wildlife-vehicle collision mitigation measures and we advise measures for increasing their predicting power.

scholarly journals Short‐term movements and behaviour govern the use of road mitigation measures by a protected amphibian

2018 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 285-296 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Matos ◽  
S. O. Petrovan ◽  
P. M. Wheeler ◽  
A. I. Ward
Keyword(s):  
Mitigation Measures ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Road Mitigation

scholarly journals Roadkill-Data-Based Identification and Ranking of Mammal Habitats

Land ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 477
Author(s):  
Andrius Kučas ◽  
Linas Balčiauskas
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Land Cover ◽  
Decision Support Techniques ◽  
Mitigation Measures ◽  
Spatial Decision Support ◽  
Vehicle Collisions ◽  
Vehicle Collision ◽  
Ecological Corridor ◽  
As Species ◽  
The Relationship

Wildlife–vehicle collisions, as well as environmental factors that affect collisions and mitigation measures, are usually modelled and analysed in the vicinity of or within roads, while habitat attractiveness to wildlife along with risk to drivers remain mostly underestimated. The main goal of this study was the identification, characterisation, and ranking of mammalian habitats in Lithuania in relation to 2002–2017 roadkill data. We identified habitat patches as areas (varying from 1 to 1488 square kilometres) isolated by neighbouring roads characterised by at least one wildlife–vehicle collision hotspot. We ranked all identified habitats on the basis of land cover, the presence of an ecological corridor, a mammalian pathway, and roadkill hotspot data. A ranking scenario describing both habitat attractiveness to wildlife and the risk to drivers was defined and applied. Ranks for each habitat were calculated using multiple criteria spatial decision support techniques. Multiple regression analyses were used to identify the relationship between habitat ranks, species richness, and land cover classes. Strong relationships were identified and are discussed between the habitat patch ranks in five (out of 28) land cover classes and in eight (out of 28) species (97% of all mammal road kills). We conclude that, along with conventional roadkill hotspot identification, roadkill-based habitat identification and characterisation as well as species richness analysis should be used in road safety infrastructure planning.

scholarly journals Towards an evidence-based approach for road mitigation schemes for amphibians and reptiles in the U.K. – a review

2018 ◽  
Vol 27 (Supplement) ◽  
pp. 9-12
Author(s):  
S.O. Petrovan
Keyword(s):  
Road Networks ◽  
Mitigation Measures ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Significant Progress ◽  
Road Mitigation ◽  
Conservation Actions ◽  
Monitoring Effort

Road networks have substantial and diverse impacts on wildlife, including amphibians and reptiles. However, despite significant progress, ecological mitigation measures designed to reduce such impacts are often insufficiently tested and described in terms of their efficiency for a range of species. Incorporating a solid evidence-based approach could greatly benefit the sector as a whole, but would require increased and adequate monitoring effort of implemented mitigation schemes, as well as a requirement to make the results available, to ensure practitioners use and regulators validate the evidence. To this goal The Conservation Evidence project (www.conservationevidence.com) brings together and evaluates conservation actions to make them freely accessible and directly comparable for practitioners.

Guidelines for Evaluating the Effectiveness of Road Mitigation Measures

2015 ◽  
pp. 129-137
Author(s):  
Edgar A. van der Grift ◽  
Rodney van der Ree ◽  
Jochen A. G. Jaeger
Keyword(s):  
Mitigation Measures ◽  
Road Mitigation

Factors affecting the permeability of road mitigation measures to the movement of small mammals

2019 ◽  
Vol 97 (4) ◽  
pp. 379-384
Author(s):  
Adam T. Ford ◽  
Anthony P. Clevenger
Keyword(s):  
Small Mammals ◽  
Mesh Size ◽  
Mitigation Measures ◽  
Highway Maintenance ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Banff National Park ◽  
Crossing Structures ◽  
Road Mitigation ◽  
Large Animals

Mitigation measures, such as wildlife-exclusion fencing and crossing structures (overpasses, underpasses, culverts), have been widely demonstrated to reduce the negative effects of roads on medium-sized and large animals. It is unclear how these mitigation measures influence the movement of small mammals (<5 kg). Our study has three objectives: (1) to test whether culverts improve highway permeability; (2) to determine factors associated with culvert use, such as culvert obstruction by snow; (3) to evaluate factors contributing towards fence permeability, such as the presence of a culvert, snow depth, and fence mesh size. We used snow tracking to assess the movement for four small-mammal taxa along the Trans-Canada Highway corridor in Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada. We found that the presence of a culvert within 100 m of transects significantly improved fence and highway permeability. Obstruction of the culvert entrance by snow was negatively correlated with the probability of use, and therefore, of highway permeability. Furthermore, the mesh size of the fencing did not affect fence or highway permeability. We recommend that culvert entrances be located on the outside of fenced right-of-ways to reduce obstruction by highway maintenance activities such as snowplowing.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document