Article
Ecology
Dustin H. Ranglack, Kelly M. Proffitt, Jodie E. Canfield, Justin A. Gude, Jay Rotella, Robert A. Garrott
Summary: Understanding factors influencing elk summer resource selection, such as nutritional resources and access routes, is crucial for effective habitat management. Regional models performed better than population-specific models for predicting resource selection across populations.
Article
Geography, Physical
Jassin Petersen, Juergen Titschack, Jeroen Groeneveld, Achim Wehrmann, Dierk Hebbeln, Andre Freiwald
Summary: High-resolution proxy records are crucial for evaluating climate models, with this study using Pacific oyster shells for geochemical proxy calibration. Mg/Ca and Sr/Ca ratios are investigated as SST proxies, but ontogenetic effects and inter-specimen variability pose challenges. Mn/Ca ratios are explored as proxies for Mn cycling in tidal basins, showing potential for differentiation between intertidal and subtidal habitats.
PALAEOGEOGRAPHY PALAEOCLIMATOLOGY PALAEOECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Erkan Azizoglu, Ridvan Kara, Emrah Celik
Summary: Wetlands are important habitats for both migrant and resident bird communities. The distribution and habitat preferences of birds in aquatic ecosystems are influenced by environmental and ecological factors. This study examined the effects of year, season, habitat, and species variables on the distribution and population dynamics of waterfowl and shorebirds in a wetland. The findings suggest that seasonal factors play a significant role in habitat composition.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Jodi E. Berg, Jody Reimer, Peter Smolko, Holger Bohm, Mark Hebblewhite, Evelyn H. Merrill
Summary: Loss of migratory behavior or shifts in migratory ranges are concerning to wildlife managers due to their impact on wildlife populations. The study on elk population showed that regardless of migratory tactics and time periods, elk prioritize safety from predators over high-quality foraging opportunities during calving, which can affect their long-term reproductive success. Elk consistently selected calving areas with abundant forage resources, with different risk exposures to bear and wolf predation based on their migratory tactics. Patterns in exposure to predation risks during calving were consistent with changes in elk populations following different migration tactics.
JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Dan Fu, Ping Chang, Christina M. Patricola, R. Saravanan, Xue Liu, Hylke E. Beck
Summary: The Central American mountains play a role in reducing tropical cyclone activity in the eastern North Pacific by interrupting moisture transport from the Caribbean Sea on a seasonal timescale, reducing TC activity by up to 35%.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Bram van Moorter, Navinder J. Singh, Christer M. Rolandsen, Erling J. Solberg, Holger Dettki, Jyrki Pusenius, Johan Mansson, Hakan Sand, Jos M. Milner, Ole Roer, Aimee Tallian, Wiebke Neumann, Goran Ericsson, Atle Mysterud
Summary: Partial migration is common in the animal kingdom, with the competitive release hypothesis predicting that the proportion of migrants increases with the relative quality and size of seasonal ranges but decreases with migration cost and population density. A study using GPS-marked moose demonstrated that habitat availability in seasonal ranges influences the proportion of migrants, providing insight into the underlying mechanisms of migration at the population level.
Article
Environmental Studies
Mark J. Petersen, Val J. Anderson, Robert L. Johnson, Dennis L. Eggett
Summary: Two species of Psilochalcis wasps were sampled from three locations in central Utah over a two-year period, and their seasonal abundance was determined. Psilochalcis minuta showed a significant association with pinyon/juniper habitat, while Psilochalcis quadratis showed a significant association with cheatgrass habitat at the same location.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Brianne E. Brussee, Peter S. Coates, Shawn T. O'Neil, Michael L. Casazza, Shawn P. Espinosa, John D. Boone, Elisabeth M. Ammon, Scott C. Gardner, David J. Delehanty
Summary: Numerous wildlife species in semi-arid shrubland ecosystems in western North America are suffering from habitat loss and fragmentation. Greater sage-grouse, considered an indicator of ecosystem health, have experienced population decline due to habitat degradation.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
(2022)
Article
Zoology
Qiao-Yun Wang, Kai-Dan Zheng, Xue-Song Han, Fang He, Xiang Zhao, Peng-Fei Fan, Lu Zhang
Summary: The study found that Eurasian otters exhibit flexible habitat use strategies at different sites, highlighting the necessity for more site-specific studies to promote otter conservation in China.
ZOOLOGICAL RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Orjan Johansson, Charudutt Mishra, Guillaume Chapron, Gustaf Samelius, Purevjav Lkhagvajav, Tom McCarthy, Matthew Low
Summary: This study found that snow leopards are facultatively nocturnal and have seasonal shifts in activity patterns, while their prey have consistent diurnal activity. The reasons for these patterns include concealing in darkness, predatory ambush preference for low-intermediate light, and seasonal adjustments for thermoregulation in extreme environments.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Lacey F. Hughey, Kevin T. Shoemaker, Kelley M. Stewart, Douglas J. McCauley, J. Hall Cushman
Summary: This study in a national park in northern California found that reintroduced tule elk and domestic cattle overlap spatially, with cattle being the primary driver of habitat selection at the home-range level. Tule elk preferred grasslands on high elevation south-facing slopes near ponds, with NDVI being a seasonally important predictor. The elk population showed no avoidance of cattle within pasture areas commonly used by elk, indicating spatial partitioning of resources to reduce grazing conflicts.
BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Megan C. Milligan, Aaron N. Johnston, Jeffrey L. Beck, Kurt T. Smith, Kaitlyn L. Taylor, Embere Hall, Lee Knox, Teal Cufaude, Cody Wallace, Geneva Chong, Matthew J. Kauffman
Summary: Research suggests that wind energy development has some impact on pronghorn space use and habitat selection, with individuals in close proximity more likely to avoid wind turbines. However, the high variability in pronghorn's fine-scale habitat selection makes the effects of wind energy development harder to detect.
Article
Ecology
Davi Jamelli, Enrico Bernard, Felipe P. L. Melo
Summary: Traditional pastoralism based on free-ranging goats plays a crucial role in the rural economy of millions of people in the Brazilian Caatinga drylands, with little impact on vegetation. Research shows that goats preferentially forage in open areas near human settlements, mainly feeding on plants widely available in modified environments. The study suggests that domestic goats can be considered occupants of human-modified landscapes, foraging close to villages in open areas where abundant plant species thrive.
JOURNAL OF ARID ENVIRONMENTS
(2021)
Article
Biology
Tyler J. Grant, Kelsey E. Fisher, Niranjana Krishnan, Alexander N. Mullins, Richard L. Hellmich, Thomas W. Sappington, James S. Adelman, Joel R. Coats, Robert G. Hartzler, John M. Pleasants, Steven P. Bradbury
Summary: This study integrated spatially explicit modeling, empirical movement ecology, and pesticide toxicology studies to simulate population outcomes for different habitat establishment scenarios of the North American monarch butterfly. The research suggests that breeding monarchs in the North Central states are resilient to pesticide use and habitat fragmentation, and establishing new habitat can enhance adult monarch recruitment.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Richard T. Kraus, H. Andrew Cook, Matthew D. Faust, Joseph D. Schmitt, Mark D. Rowe, Christopher S. Vandergoot
Summary: This study combined acoustic telemetry of fish with water quality modeling to understand the impacts of water quality management on fishery management. The results showed that lake whitefish preferred cooler and more oxygenated habitats in the hypolimnion, and exhibited a strong affinity for the southern shore in eastern Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York. Expanding lake whitefish habitat and distribution through nutrient reduction could have significant implications for spatial regulation of fishing effort in Lake Erie.
JOURNAL OF GREAT LAKES RESEARCH
(2023)