Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Ying Chen, Nianfan Ding, Yakuan Sun, Chiwei Xiao, Kun Shi, David Dudgeon
Summary: In southwestern Yunnan Province, China, the habitat suitability for wild Asian elephants is strongly influenced by forest fragmentation and percentage cover, while human activities and infrastructure have a relatively minor effect. Approximately 17,430 km2 of highly suitable habitat for elephants were predicted in Yunnan, with 90% of it being outside currently protected areas.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Milena Fiuza Diniz, Marco Tulio Pacheco Coelho, Ana Maria Sanchez-Cuervo, Rafael Loyola
Summary: Land-use changes have had a severe impact on habitat suitability and connectivity in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest, posing a challenge to the long-term persistence of threatened species. The study highlights the need to expand and improve the protected area network and emphasizes the critical role of land-use planning in biodiversity conservation.
BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Mrinmay Mandal, Nilanjana Das Chatterjee
Summary: By considering land use factors and geographical spatial elements, this study used GIS technology to determine suitable elephant habitat areas in the Mayurjharna Elephant Reserve. Areas with high-density forests and large forest core areas are found to be more suitable for elephants, while areas lacking basic habitat requirements are deemed unsuitable.
ENVIRONMENT DEVELOPMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY
(2021)
Article
Forestry
Jean-Francois Desgagn, Robert Schneider, Martin-Hugues St -Laurent
Summary: The increasing moose population density in North America has put pressure on vegetation but also boosted the sports hunting industry. Research shows that different silvicultural treatments do not affect moose habitat use and damage, indicating the importance of considering local variations in providing quality habitat.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Article
Forestry
Xiaoyu Chen, Xiaorong Wang, Dongwei Kang, Junqing Li
Summary: Habitat fragmentation poses a threat to the survival of giant pandas. This study investigates the relationship between different functional habitats by examining resting and path sites. The results show that suitable resting and path habitats are fragmented due to road presence. Restoration of unsuitable habitats in roadside areas and connecting fragmented patches is necessary.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Zhengtao Zhu, Wenxin Huai, Zhonghua Yang, Da Li, Yisen Wang
Summary: In this study, a habitat suitability index (HSI) model based on multiscale habitat features was developed to assess the distribution and fragmentation degree of the suitable habitat for Siberian cranes in Poyang Lake. Results indicated that the HSI model could effectively recognize the potentially suitable habitats and the impact of a proposed hydraulic project on suitable habitat. The study provided a quantitative method to evaluate suitable habitats for Siberian cranes and could serve as a reference for water level management of the proposed project.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Tabitha C. Y. Hui, Eleanor M. Slade, Ju Lian Chong
Summary: As Malaysia's economy grows, the construction of a larger road network has resulted in various environmental problems, with roadkills being a significant issue. A study conducted in Terengganu and Pahang found that roadkills were most common near vegetation cover and water bodies, suggesting that modifying roadside vegetation and landscape features could reduce the number of roadkills significantly.
FRONTIERS IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Laura Finnegan, Mark Hebblewhite, Karine E. Pigeon
Summary: Linear features are widespread in the boreal forest of Canada and have negative impacts on various wildlife species. Understanding how different characteristics of linear features affect wildlife is crucial for effective landscape restoration. Current restoration efforts focus on recovering the woodland caribou, but this may inadvertently affect other boreal species like moose. Evaluating moose response to different linear features can help guide targeted restoration efforts.
Article
Forestry
Stephanie Landry, Marc-Andre Villard, Gaetan Pelletier, Martin-Hugues St-Laurent
Summary: In many regions of the world, excessive browsing by ungulates has reached unsustainable levels, threatening biodiversity and forest regeneration. Moose, as ecological engineers, have severe impacts on forest structure and composition through overbrowsing. The distribution of forage and cover patches affects moose browsing pressure, and this relationship has been explored in conifer-dominated stands but not in hardwood-dominated landscapes.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2024)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Anna Elizabeth de Oliveira-Silva, Augusto Joao Piratelli, Damaris Zurell, Fernando Rodrigues da Silva
Summary: Ecological niche models (ENMs) can estimate species range distribution based on climatic variables, but the inclusion of non-climatic predictors like vegetation cover can provide more realistic scenarios. This study found that adding vegetation data can restrict the distribution ranges of forest-dependent bird species, particularly in regions with limited native vegetation habitats. Additionally, highly forest-dependent bird species are more affected by habitat restrictions in the climate-vegetation models.
PERSPECTIVES IN ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
(2022)
Review
Ecology
Cristina Banks-Leite, Matthew G. Betts, Robert M. Ewers, C. David L. Orme, Alex L. Pigot
Summary: The main goal of landscape ecology is to understand the impact of habitat transformation on biodiversity. However, the discipline faces challenges due to the context dependency of observed spatial and temporal trends. This study discusses recent evidence suggesting that factors and processes at macroecological scales, such as historical disturbance rates, distance to geographic range edges, and climatic suitability, modulate populations' and species' responses to habitat change at the landscape scale.
TRENDS IN ECOLOGY & EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
William M. Jubb, Richard A. A. Noble, Jamie R. Dodd, Andrew D. Nunn, Paul Schirrmacher, Angus J. Lothian, Atticus J. Albright, Damian H. Bubb, Martyn C. Lucas, Jonathan D. Bolland
Summary: Worldwide, human-made structures fragment rivers, leading to declines in fish populations. This study investigated the effects of annual differences in hydrology on the upstream migration of river lamprey in England. The wet year had more lamprey reaching spawning habitat and penetrating further upstream compared to the dry year. Hydrology and barrier distribution significantly influenced fish migration, supporting the need for catchment-scale restoration efforts.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Bogdan Olariu, Marina Virghileanu, Bogdan-Andrei Mihai, Ionut Savulescu, Liviu Toma, Maria-Gianina Savulescu
Summary: Forest habitat fragmentation is a global environmental issue that requires continuous evaluation for sustainable management. This study evaluates the evolution of forest habitat in Romania's Bucegi Natural Park using historical and present-day data. The results show overall growth in forest area but increasing fragmentation in tourism development areas.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Luara Tourinho, Jayme A. Prevedello, Bruno M. Carvalho, Diogo S. B. Rocha, Mariana M. Vale
Summary: This study evaluated the potential effects of climate change on landscape-scale for endemic bird species in the Atlantic Forest. The results showed that climate change has minor effects on landscape-level for these bird species, but potential impacts at the regional scale cannot be excluded. This study supports the perception that land-use change poses an urgent threat to biodiversity in tropical regions.
PERSPECTIVES IN ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
(2022)
Article
Forestry
Julia Perez Cabral, Deborah Faria, Jose Carlos Morante-Filho
Summary: Biodiversity-friendly agricultural systems, such as cocoa agroforestry, play a crucial role in maintaining native species and providing habitats for various bird groups. The study found that landscapes with more forest cover and fewer cattle pastures support higher richness and abundance of frugivorous birds in cocoa agroforests, while an increase in cattle pasture negatively impacts all bird groups evaluated. Local vegetation structure, such as canopy closure and number of cocoa trees, also influences the abundance of insectivorous and non-forest bird species in cocoa agroforestry systems.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Geography
Carolina Perpina Castillo, Sjoerdje van Heerden, Ricardo Barranco, Chris Jacobs-Crisioni, Mert Kompil, Andrius Kucas, Jean Philippe Aurambout, Filipe Batista e Silva, Carlo Lavalle
Summary: This study presents a quantitative analysis of the interactions and territorial disparities between urban and rural areas in the EU. It examines various societal factors using indicators computed with the latest and highest spatial resolution data. The study shows that rural and remote areas generally have fewer territorial assets compared to more urbanized areas, with significant regional variations. It provides statistical and spatial assessments to assist decision-making processes, and concludes with policy recommendations based on important outcomes.
REGIONAL SCIENCE POLICY AND PRACTICE
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Linas Balciauskas, Andrius Garbaras, Vitalijus Stirke, Raminta Skipityte, Laima Balciauskiene
Summary: In this study, the dietary preferences of the house mouse (Mus musculus) were assessed using isotopic compositions of animal hair samples. The results showed that the season and source of available food were the main factors determining the diet differences of the mice. The habitat had a weak influence on the differences, while gender, age, body mass, and body condition had no effect. Compared to the bank vole (Clethrionomys glareolus), the house mouse had a wider dietary niche and consumed more foods of animal origin.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Marius Jasiulionis, Linas Balciauskas, Laima Balciauskiene
Summary: Cormorant colonies have a significant impact on both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, which is viewed negatively by fishermen and foresters. The study found that the effect of cormorants on small mammals depends on the size of the colony. The largest colony had negative effects on species richness, diversity, relative abundance, and body conditions of the most abundant species in the nesting zone, but these parameters recovered once the cormorants left. On the other hand, two small colonies had a positive impact, with higher species richness, diversity, and relative abundance compared to the control habitat.
Article
Biology
Linas Balciauskas, Vitalijus Stirke, Laima Balciauskiene
Summary: Based on trapping data from 2018-2022, this study analyzed changes in abundance and population structure of dominant rodent species in fruit farms, and found that their abundance and proportion varied according to year, season, and habitat. The abundance of striped field mouse showed a downward trend independently of habitat, while the abundance and proportions of other species were habitat-dependent. There was no consistent pattern between litter size and relative abundance. These findings contribute to understanding rodent populations in fruit farms and their implications for biodiversity conservation and sustainable farming.
Article
Forestry
Linas Balciauskas, Andrius Kucas, Laima Balciauskiene
Summary: The impact of cervid roadkill on population abundance was assessed in this study by evaluating the proportion of unreported ungulate-vehicle collisions, the number of roadkill in relation to hunted animals, and the proportion of roadkill in forest habitat. The results showed that a significant number of roadkill, especially moose, were unreported during the 20-year observation period. The proportion of unreported roadkill may be most important for roe deer.
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Linas Balciauskas, Vitalijus Stirke, Andrius Garbaras, Laima Balciauskiene
Summary: Between 2018 and 2022, a study was conducted in Lithuania to assess the proportion of shrews in different habitats and their diet using stable isotope analysis. The study found that common and pygmy shrews were under-represented in natural, agricultural, and commensal habitats. The low abundance of shrews in agricultural habitats may be due to contamination by plant protection products and a lack of invertebrates, which are their main source of food.
Article
Environmental Studies
Andrius Kucas, Linas Balciauskas, Carlo Lavalle
Summary: Roadkill and other impacts of roads on wildlife necessitate the implementation of mitigation measures. Identifying intersections between urban and wildlife corridors can help locate collision hotspots. A study in Lithuania found a strong correlation between the number of urban-wildlife corridor intersections and wildlife-vehicle collisions.
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Linas Balciauskas, Jos Stratford, Andrius Kucas, Laima Balciauskiene
Summary: The impact of COVID-19 restrictions on roadkills of wild mammals, particularly roe deer, was assessed in Lithuania. The study found that roadkill incidents significantly decreased on main roads during the lockdown periods but increased in urban areas. However, after the restrictions were eased, the number of collisions with wildlife increased again.
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Linas Balciauskas, Andrius Kucas, Laima Balciauskiene
Summary: This study investigated traffic accidents involving wildlife and domestic animals in Lithuanian urban areas from 2007 to 2022. The study found that the number of roadkills increased exponentially, with domestic animals having a higher proportion in urban areas compared to other roads. During the COVID-19 restrictions, there was a significant increase in animal-related accidents in cities, but this increase was temporary.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Linas Balciauskas, Laima Balciauskiene
Summary: The Eurasian harvest mouse population in Lithuania was analyzed based on trapping data and owl pellet data. The results showed that the proportion of this species in the small mammal community remained stable, and the relative abundance was also stable over the long term. Irregular fluctuations in abundance were observed, with the highest abundance recorded in open sedge habitats, meadows, and marshes. The study suggests that special conservation measures are not necessary for the Eurasian harvest mouse in Lithuania.
Editorial Material
Biodiversity Conservation
Linas Balciauskas, Ana Maria Benedek