scholarly journals Using remote camera traps to assess mammal and bird assemblages across a complex environmental landscape

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carl S. Cloyed ◽  
Laura R. Cappelli ◽  
David A. Tilson ◽  
John A. Crawford ◽  
Anthony I. Dell
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Preferences ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Camera Traps ◽  
Agricultural Field ◽  
Local Conservation ◽  
Upland Forest ◽  
Forested Areas ◽  
Total Community ◽  
Remote Camera ◽  
Spatio Temporal

AbstractAnimals must navigate a complex mosaic of habitat types, both natural and artificial. As artificial habitats (e.g., agricultural fields) become increasingly abundant in many landscapes, species will be affected differently, depending on their habitat preferences. We investigated the diversity, richness, abundance, and biomass of mammals and birds with remote camera traps that optimized the capture of both large and small animals. Camera traps allowed us to capture natural rates of mammals and birds, which is difficult to obtain using human observers who can affect the behavior of animals and are limited in their spatio-temporal scope and ability to assess nocturnal communities. Our camera trap arrays were established along two transects in a local conservation reserve; one transect ran from an agricultural field to an upland forest and another from a wetland to an upland forest. Over the 6-week study our cameras recorded 2,245 images, within which we observed 483 individuals comprising 16 species of mammals and birds. Our data showed that species composition and abundances were only marginally different between the two transects, with species common to both transects not exhibiting any statistical difference in abundances. Coyotes and armadillos were unique to the riparian transect, and many more bird species were present along the riparian transect than the agricultural transect. Diversity, richness, and total community biomass did not differ significantly between the two transects nor along each transect but there were non-significant trends in predicted directions. Our results revealed that fewer species use the forest immediately adjacent to the agricultural field, but more species use the wetland and the forest immediately adjacent to the wetland. Our results corroborate other studies revealing that certain species are more common in forested areas but also that some species thought to prefer forested areas may actually be more habitat generalists than previously thought.

scholarly journals Using Camera Traps to Assess Mammal and Bird Assemblages in a Midwestern Forest

2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 496-506
Author(s):  
Carl S. Cloyed ◽  
Laura R. Cappelli ◽  
David A. Tilson ◽  
John A. Crawford ◽  
Anthony I. Dell
Keyword(s):  
Community Composition ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Camera Trap ◽  
Camera Traps ◽  
Phenotypic Traits ◽  
Agricultural Field ◽  
Dasypus Novemcinctus ◽  
Trap Design ◽  
Human Errors ◽  
Upland Forest

Abstract Ecologists are increasing the use of remote technologies in their research, as these methods are less labor intensive than traditional methods and oftentimes minimize the number of human errors. Camera traps can be used to remotely measure abundance and community composition and offer the potential to measure some phenotypic traits, such as body size. We designed a camera-trap setup that enabled us to capture images of both large and small animals and used our camera-trap design to investigate the community composition of mammals and birds and to estimate the biomass of mammals along two transects in a conservation reserve in Missouri. One transect ran from the edge of an agricultural field to an upland forest, and the other transect ran from the edge of a wetland to an upland forest. Over the 4.5-wk study, our cameras recorded 2,245 images that comprised 483 individuals of 16 species of mammals and birds. Coyotes Canis latrans and nine-banded armadillos Dasypus novemcinctus were unique to the riparian transect, as were several bird species. Fewer species used the forest immediately adjacent to the agricultural field, but more species used the forest immediately adjacent to the wetland. Biomass estimates from our camera-trap images were similar to those of published accounts. This is the first study to use camera traps to successfully estimate biomass. We showed that the value and utility of camera traps in wildlife studies and monitoring can be expanded by 1) using multiple cameras at different heights from the ground so as to capture different-sized animals and 2) obtaining phenotypic information of the captured animals.

scholarly journals Habitat dan Interaksi Spatio-Temporal Merak Hijau dengan Sapi dan Herbivora Besar di Taman Nasional Baluran

2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 28
Author(s):  
Satyawan Pudyatmoko
Keyword(s):  
National Park ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Camera Traps ◽  
Wild Mammal ◽  
Hunting Pressure ◽  
Spatio Temporal ◽  
Pavo Muticus ◽  
Green Peafowl ◽  
Habitat Variables

Merak hijau (Pavo muticus muticus) adalah species yang terancam punah dengan populasi yang terus menurun. Burung ini adalah jenis yang dilindungi di Indonesia, dan hidup di beberapa sisa-sisa habitat yang kebanyakan sempit dan dengan tingkat perburuan tinggi. Hal ini menyebabkan risiko kepunahan yang tinggi. Penelitian ini dilakukan di Taman Nasional Baluran untuk menyelidiki pengaruh variabel habitat terhadap kemungkinan okupansi merak hijau serta interaksi spasial dan temporal antara merak hijau dengan sapi dan herbivora besar. Kehadiran merak hijau direkam dengan kamera trap dan variabel-variabel habitat diukur di tempat kamera trap dipasang. Penelitian ini menemukan bahwa kemungkinan okupansi merak hijau paling baik dijelaskan oleh model yang tidak melibatkan peran variabel habitat. Selain itu, ditemukan pula bahwa pola interaksi merak hijau dengan sapi mirip dengan pola interaksi merak hijau dengan sebagian besar herbivora besar. Tidak ada dampak negatif sapi terhadap kehadiran dan aktivitas harian merak hijau. Burung ini memiliki daya adaptasi yang cukup tinggi terhadap kondisi lingkungan yang berbeda. Penurunan populasi di Jawa mungkin lebih disebabkan karena tekanan perburuan yang tinggi daripada perubahan habitat. Habitat and Spatio-Temporal Interaction Between Green Peafowl with Cattle and Megaherbivores in Baluran National Park  Abstract Green peafowl (Pavo muticus muticus) is an endangered species, whose population is continuously declining. It is protected animal in Indonesia that occurs in remnant, and sometime small habitat with high hunting pressure, that made the animal prone to extinction. This study was conducted to investigate the influence of habitat on the occupancy probability of green fowl as well as the interaction between green peafowl and free-range cattle and wild mammal in Baluran National Park. The presence of animals in the study was recorded by camera traps, and the habitat variables were measured in the locations, where the camera traps were installed. The research found that the occupancy of green peafowl best explained by the model that not include any habitat variables. The pattern of interaction between green peafowl and domesticated cattle was similar to those of between green peafowl and the majority of wild mammal. There was no evidence of negative impact of domesticated cattle on the spatial occurrence as well as temporal activity of green peafowl. Green peafowl is a bird species with high adaptability to various environmental conditions. The population decrease of this animal in Java might be mainly due to high hunting pressure than habitat change.

scholarly journals Fire and Mechanical Forest Management Treatments Support Different Portions of the Bird Community in Fire-Suppressed Forests

Forests ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 150
Author(s):  
Lance Jay Roberts ◽  
Ryan Burnett ◽  
Alissa Fogg
Keyword(s):  
Sierra Nevada ◽  
Fire Severity ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Bird Community ◽  
Fire Disturbance ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
High Severity ◽  
Commercial Thinning ◽  
Silvicultural Management ◽  
Total Community

Silvicultural treatments, fire, and insect outbreaks are the primary disturbance events currently affecting forests in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California, a region where plants and wildlife are highly adapted to a frequent-fire disturbance regime that has been suppressed for decades. Although the effects of both fire and silviculture on wildlife have been studied by many, there are few studies that directly compare their long-term effects on wildlife communities. We conducted avian point counts from 2010 to 2019 at 1987 in situ field survey locations across eight national forests and collected fire and silvicultural treatment data from 1987 to 2016, resulting in a 20-year post-disturbance chronosequence. We evaluated two categories of fire severity in comparison to silvicultural management (largely pre-commercial and commercial thinning treatments) as well as undisturbed locations to model their influences on abundances of 71 breeding bird species. More species (48% of the community) reached peak abundance at moderate-high-severity-fire locations than at low-severity fire (8%), silvicultural management (16%), or undisturbed (13%) locations. Total community abundance was highest in undisturbed dense forests as well as in the first few years after silvicultural management and lowest in the first few years after moderate-high-severity fire, then abundance in all types of disturbed habitats was similar by 10 years after disturbance. Even though the total community abundance was relatively low in moderate-high-severity-fire habitats, species diversity was the highest. Moderate-high-severity fire supported a unique portion of the avian community, while low-severity fire and silvicultural management were relatively similar. We conclude that a significant portion of the bird community in the Sierra Nevada region is dependent on moderate-high-severity fire and thus recommend that a prescribed and managed wildfire program that incorporates a variety of fire effects will best maintain biodiversity in this region.

scholarly journals Endemic Cyprus Scops Owl Otus cyprius Readily Breeds in Artificial Nest Boxes

Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 1775
Author(s):  
Savvas Iezekiel ◽  
Reuven Yosef ◽  
Constantinos Themistokleus ◽  
Dimitrios E. Bakaloudis ◽  
Christos G. Vlachos ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rural Areas ◽  
Habitat Preferences ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Laying Date ◽  
Artificial Nests ◽  
Breeding Parameters ◽  
Island Endemic ◽  
Nest Boxes ◽  
Ecological Requirements ◽  
Old Trees

As is well-known, endemic island bird species are especially vulnerable to extinction from anthropogenic environmental change and reduced fitness compared with mainland taxa. The Cyprus Scops Owl, Otus cyprius, is a recently recognized island endemic species whose ecology and breeding biology have not been studied. It nests mainly in holes in trees and buildings, so the felling of old trees, modern architectural practices, and the renovation of old houses in villages may reduce nest site availability. Its population trend is also unknown. Therefore, to better determine its ecological requirements and habitat preferences we placed nest boxes in rural areas adjacent to the forest, in the forest, and in the ecotone between them, and used breeding success as our indicator of habitat suitability. We found that breeding parameters like laying date, clutch size, length of the incubation period, hatching day, hatching success, and number of nestlings did not differ between the three habitats. Despite the low level of nest box occupancy rate (5–11%) the endemic Cyprus Scops Owl readily breeds in artificial nests. Therefore, although we are unaware of any current threats to the Cyprus Scops Owl, we recommend that its conservation be prioritized, including studies, monitoring, habitat conservation, and the provision of nest boxes.

scholarly journals Native generalist consumers interact strongly with seeds of the invasive wild cucumber (Echinocystis lobata)

NeoBiota ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 53 ◽  
pp. 25-39
Author(s):  
Łukasz Dylewski ◽  
Łukasz Myczko ◽  
Dean E. Pearson
Keyword(s):  
Intraspecific Competition ◽  
Native Plants ◽  
Seedling Survival ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Camera Traps ◽  
Invasion Success ◽  
Alien Plant ◽  
Garrulus Glandarius ◽  
Echinocystis Lobata ◽  
Survival Of Seedlings

When alien plant species arrive in a new environment, they develop novel interactions with native biota that can range from negative to positive. Determining the nature and strength of these interactions is integral to understanding why some aliens are suppressed and others become highly invasive pests. For introduced terrestrial plants, seed and seedling interactions with native biota are crucial, because most nascent populations start from seed. Herein, we explored interactions between native generalist rodent and bird consumers and seeds of the invasive wild cucumber Echinocystis lobata by conducting seed-offering experiments in Poland. We also evaluated how interspecific competition from native plants and intraspecific competition from clustering of E. lobata seed (clustering resembling consumer seed caching) affected survival of seedlings and young plants. Native consumers interacted strongly with E. lobata seeds, with rodents removing 98% of seeds from ground locations and birds removing 24% of elevated seeds. Camera and live traps indicated that striped field mice Apodemus agrarius were the predominant rodent removing seeds. Camera traps and visual observations indicated that great tits Parus major and European jays Garrulus glandarius were the primary bird species removing elevated seeds. While some level of seed removal was likely attributable to seed predation, as indicated by seed coat remains, we also observed evidence that rodents may cache E. lobata seeds and Garrulus glandarius are known to cache and disperse seeds. Monitoring of seedlings indicated that increasing cover of native plants and clustering of E. lobata seedlings both reduced survival of seedlings and young plants due to inter- and intraspecific competition, respectively. Hence, caching by generalist consumers may disperse E. lobata seeds, which are heavy and lack dispersal adaptations, but such caching may also reduce individual seedling survival rates. Fully understanding invasion success of the E. lobata will require evaluating the net effects of generalist consumers on its recruitment and dispersal.

Effectiveness of the Felixer grooming trap for the control of feral cats: a field trial in arid South Australia

2020 ◽  
Vol 47 (8) ◽  
pp. 599
Author(s):  
K. E. Moseby ◽  
H. McGregor ◽  
J. L. Read
Keyword(s):  
Field Trial ◽  
South Australia ◽  
Camera Traps ◽  
Specific Method ◽  
Density Estimates ◽  
Live Prey ◽  
Feral Cats ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Remote Camera ◽  
Track Counts

Abstract ContextFeral cats pose a significant threat to wildlife in Australia and internationally. Controlling feral cats can be problematic because of their tendency to hunt live prey rather than be attracted to food-based lures. The Felixer grooming trap was developed as a targeted and automated poisoning device that sprays poison onto the fur of a passing cat, relying on compulsive grooming for ingestion. AimsWe conducted a field trial to test the effectiveness of Felixers in the control of feral cats in northern South Australia where feral cats were present within a 2600-ha predator-proof fenced paddock. MethodsTwenty Felixers were set to fire across vehicle tracks and dune crossings for 6 weeks. Cat activity was recorded using track counts and grids of remote camera traps set within the Felixer Paddock and an adjacent 3700-ha Control Paddock where feral cats were not controlled. Radio-collars were placed on six cats and spatial mark–resight models were used to estimate population density before and after Felixer deployment. Key resultsNone of the 1024 non-target objects (bettongs, bilbies, birds, lizards, humans, vehicles) that passed a Felixer during the trial was fired on, confirming high target specificity. Thirty-three Felixer firings were recorded over the 6-week trial, all being triggered by feral cats. The only two radio-collared cats that triggered Felixers during the trial, died. Two other radio-collared cats appeared to avoid Felixer traps possibly as a reaction to previous catching and handling rendering them neophobic. None of the 22 individually distinguishable cats targeted by Felixers was subsequently observed on cameras, suggesting death after firing. Felixer data, activity and density estimates consistently indicated that nearly two-thirds of the cat population was killed by the Felixers during the 6-week trial. ConclusionsResults suggest that Felixers are an effective, target-specific method of controlling feral cats, at least in areas in which immigration is prevented. The firing rate of Felixers did not decline significantly over time, suggesting that a longer trial would have resulted in a higher number of kills. ImplicationsFuture studies should aim to determine the trade-off between Felixer density and the efficacy relative to reinvasion.

scholarly journals Distribution and habitat preferences of the stag beetle Lucanus cervus (L.) in forested areas of Poland

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert Kuźmiński ◽  
Artur Chrzanowski ◽  
Andrzej Mazur ◽  
Paweł Rutkowski ◽  
Dariusz J. Gwiazdowicz
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Preferences ◽  
Forested Areas

scholarly journals An annotated check list of the birds of Qwaqwa National Park

Koedoe ◽  
1996 ◽  
Vol 39 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
D.H. De Swardt ◽  
D.J. Van Niekerk
Keyword(s):  
National Park ◽  
Habitat Preferences ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Golden Gate ◽  
Check List

This paper presents a check list of 179 bird species occuring in the Qwaqwa National Park which borders the eastern part of Golden Gate Highlands National Park. Data on the distribution, status, habitat preferences and breeding were obtained during several visits between December 1992 and March 1995. The following habitats were preferred: grassland, montane grassland, woodland, rocky hillsides, mountain slopes and riverine areas with Phragmites reedbeds. The conservation of waterbirds, raptors and other localised species such as Orangebreasted Rockjumper, Palecrowned Cisticola, Mountain Pipit and Gurney's Sugarbird is important as these species occur in specialised habitats.

scholarly journals The importance of riparian forest for the maintenance of bird species richness in an Atlantic Forest remnant, southern Brazil

2007 ◽  
Vol 24 (4) ◽  
pp. 1078-1086 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luiz dos Anjos ◽  
Graziele H. Volpato ◽  
Edson V. Lopes ◽  
Patrícia P. Serafini ◽  
Fabíola Poletto ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Atlantic Forest ◽  
Riparian Forest ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Southern Brazil ◽  
Forest Types ◽  
Forest Reserve ◽  
Bird Species Richness ◽  
Upland Forest ◽  
Point Counts ◽  
Forest Remnant

We compared the composition and guild structure of bird communities of riparian and upland forest in an Atlantic forest reserve, the Godoy State Park (GP), in northern Paraná State, southern Brazil. Unlimited distance point counts were sampled monthly from September-December 2001, along four trails. Two trails in upland forest (TA and TB) were parallel to each other and about 300 m apart. Two trails in riparian forest (TC and TD) were along the Apertados River, about 100 m away from the river. A total of 145 species were recorded: 81 species were recorded in both upland and riparian forests, 19 species were recorded only in upland forest and 45 species were recorded exclusively in riparian forest. Among the 81 species occurring in both forest types, 18 species had significantly higher numbers of contacts in the riparian forest while only 8 species had significantly higher numbers of contacts in the upland forest. Taking into account the contacts numbers of the species the large frugivores guild was closely associated to the upland forest, while bamboo and vine-tangles insectivore, canopy insectivores, edge omnivores, ground omnivore and midstory insectivores were those more closely related to the riparian forest.

Spatial and temporal variation in morphology in Australian whistlers and shrike-thrushes: is climate change causing larger appendages?

2020 ◽  
Vol 130 (1) ◽  
pp. 101-113
Author(s):  
Isabelle R Onley ◽  
Janet L Gardner ◽  
Matthew R E Symonds
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Body Size ◽  
Temporal Variation ◽  
Relative Size ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Spatial And Temporal Variation ◽  
Climatic Warming ◽  
Morphological Response ◽  
Allen’S Rule ◽  
Spatio Temporal

Abstract Allen’s rule is an ecogeographical pattern whereby the size of appendages of animals increases relative to body size in warmer climates in order to facilitate heat exchange and thermoregulation. Allen’s rule predicts that one consequence of a warming climate would be an increase in the relative size of appendages, and evidence from other bird species suggests that this might be occurring. Using measurements from museum specimens, we determined whether spatio-temporal variation in bills and legs of Australian Pachycephalidae species exhibits within-species trends consistent with Allen’s rule and increases in temperature attributable to climatic warming. We conducted regression model analyses relating appendage size to spatio-temporal variables, while controlling for body size. The relative bill size in four of the eight species was negatively associated with latitude. Tarsus length showed no significant trends consistent with Allen’s rule. No significant increases in appendage size were found over time. Although bill size in some species was positively correlated with warmer temperatures, the evidence was not substantial enough to suggest a morphological response to climatic warming. This study suggests that climate change is not currently driving adaptive change towards larger appendages in these species. We suggest that other adaptive mechanisms might be taking place.

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