Category: Human-wildlife interactions

Human-wildlife interactions, Research summaries

Indigenous brigades change the spatial patterns of wildfires, and the influence of climate on fire regimes

In their new study, Oliveira et al. express the importance and value of Indigenous knowledge and Indigenous brigades for the management of increasingly occurring wildfires. Fire has been present in different biomes for millions of years and is a factor that can shape vegetation distribution patterns. However, lately there has been observed a higher frequency of growing wildfires that can cause great impacts on society … Continue reading Indigenous brigades change the spatial patterns of wildfires, and the influence of climate on fire regimes

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Forests, Human-wildlife interactions, Research summaries

Riparian reserves protect butterfly communities in selectively logged tropical forest

In their new study, Gabriela Montejo-Kovacevich and colleagues consider whether riparian zones provide biodiversity conservation benefits for Butterflies. Selectively logged tropical forest is now more widespread than old-growth primary forest, except in the Amazon and Papua New Guinea. Logging forests for timber is less devastating for biodiversity than other types of land-use change that are ravaging through tropical regions, such as conversion to agriculture or … Continue reading Riparian reserves protect butterfly communities in selectively logged tropical forest

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Human-wildlife interactions, Monitoring and methods, Research summaries

Impacting habitat connectivity of the endangered Florida panther for the transition to utility‐scale solar energy

In a new study, Leskova and colleagues examined the impacts of utility-scale solar energy (USSE) facility installations on habitat connectivity for Florida Panther within Peninsular Florida. Faced with the challenge of meeting increasing global energy demands and pressure to shift from conventional fossil fuels to renewable energy sources to mitigate climate change, the environmental trade-offs associated with renewable energy’s implementation are becoming increasingly apparent. Unfortunately, … Continue reading Impacting habitat connectivity of the endangered Florida panther for the transition to utility‐scale solar energy

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(A) Hodgson’s frogmouth, (B) Gould’s shortwing, (C) Fire-tailed myzornis (Phub Dorji)
Agriculture, Human-wildlife interactions, Research summaries

The fragile Himalayas and the balancing act!

Ugyen Penjor discusses their latest research, conducted with colleagues Sherub Sherub and Rinzin Jamtsho, which explores the effects of land-use change on the functional and phylogenetic diversity of Eastern Himalayan bird communities. Envision the Himalayas – snow-clad mountains, jagged peaks, ruddy-cheeked people, and of course the ‘Abominable Snowman’ or The Yeti. But what is more exciting about the Himalayas is the biodiversity. The Himalayas can … Continue reading The fragile Himalayas and the balancing act!

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Editor's Choice, Human-wildlife interactions, Pathogens and disease, Research summaries

Editor’s Choice 59:1: Taking the road less fragmented slows disease spread

Associate Editors, Bret D Elderd and Anibal Pauchard, introduce this month’s Editor’s Choice article by Prist et al., which demonstrates that the building of roads that crisscross pristine habitat can lead to an increase in vector dispersal and Yellow Fever Virus (YFV) cases. The relationship between human and animal disease and environmental integrity has been highlighted by the recent COVID19 pandemic. However, quantitative studies on … Continue reading Editor’s Choice 59:1: Taking the road less fragmented slows disease spread

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Grasslands, Human-wildlife interactions, Monitoring and methods, Research summaries

Community-level responses of African carnivores to prescribed burning

Fires are common in many ecosystems world-wide, and are frequently used as a management tool. Using South African carnivores as their focal community, Laura C. Gigliotti and colleagues explore the relative changes in carnivore intensity of use in post-fire landscapes associated with hypothesized changes in prey availability and top-down suppression. Prescribed burning is a common form of habitat management and assessing wildlife responses to burning is … Continue reading Community-level responses of African carnivores to prescribed burning

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Human-wildlife interactions, Monitoring and methods, Research summaries

Integrating snake distribution, abundance and expert-derived behavioural traits to predict snakebite risk

In their latest research, Martin et al. estimate the spatial patterns of seven snake species from Sri Lanka and combine these estimations with indices of species’ relative abundance, aggressiveness and envenoming severity to test whether these traits explain spatial patterns of snakebite risk. Whenever we go out for a walk to the bush, for holidays to an exotic, desolate and beautiful place, the idea of … Continue reading Integrating snake distribution, abundance and expert-derived behavioural traits to predict snakebite risk

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Human-wildlife interactions, Research summaries, Urban ecosystems

Mountain lions in LA moved more efficiently during the COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent shutdowns in many regions around the world offered a new “human-less” environment for urban wildlife in 2020. In their latest research, Benson et al. share their findings from tracking mountain lion movements in greater Los Angeles, USA during spring 2020. Early on during the global pandemic, ecologists quickly realised that changes in human behaviour and activity brought on by … Continue reading Mountain lions in LA moved more efficiently during the COVID-19 pandemic

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Coastal and marine, Human-wildlife interactions, Monitoring and methods, Research summaries

Where will the whales be? Ecological forecast models present new tools for conservation

Dynamic forecast models predict environmental conditions and blue whale distribution up to three weeks into the future, with applications for spatial management. Founded on a robust understanding of ecological links and lags, a new study by Barlow & Torres presents new tools for proactive conservation. The ocean is dynamic. Resources are patchy, and animals move in response to the shifting and fluid marine environment. Therefore, … Continue reading Where will the whales be? Ecological forecast models present new tools for conservation

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Human-wildlife interactions, Pathogens and disease, Research summaries

Cross-species transmission: what is the role of wildlife in sustaining rabies spread?

Understanding the role of different species in the transmission of multi-host pathogens is vital for effective control strategies. In their latest research, Lushasi and colleagues present data from a previously unstudied area of south-east Tanzania following the introduction of large-scale dog vaccination.  Rabies is one of the world’s most feared diseases due to its high case fatality rate. Despite the existence of safe and effective … Continue reading Cross-species transmission: what is the role of wildlife in sustaining rabies spread?

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