Species traits as predictors of road-avoidance responses in African ungulates
Margarita Mulero-Pázmány1, Daniela Duffett2, Marcello D’Amico3, Manuela González-Suárez2
1 Liverpool John Moores University, UK
2 University of Reading, UK
3 CIBIO-InBIO, Portugal. Road-networks have negative effects in ecosystems, even in protected areas
Road-kills Avoidance road-effect zones
Barrier effects
Population fragmentation, genetic isolation and local extinction Fragmentation-road and traffic
Road Surface avoidance (pavement) avoidance Habitat interruption avoidance
Emissions Light, sound, chemical pollution avoidance
Vehicle Avoidance only when vehicles pass avoidance Could trait models help explaining Road Ecology?
Traits: Rytwinski y Fahrig (2012) Do species life history traits morphology explain population responses to roads? A meta-analysis. sociality Biological Conservation. foraging reproduction lifespan
D’Amico et al. (2012) Vertebrate road-kill patterns in Mediterranean habitats: who, when and where. Biological Conservation.
Mulero-Pázmány et al. 2015. Impalas on the road: assessing ungulate behavioral responses to the heterogeneous road-network of Kruger National Park. J Zool. González-Suárez, et al. 2017. J Zool. Data: Ungulates in roads of South African PAs
Pilanesberg, Hluhluwe Imfolozi, uMkhuze. 66 transects * 2. 722 km. 2016 Paved/unpaved, variable traffic Data Collection and Analysis
Response variables: Flight response Distances to road Explanatory variables: Traits: lifespan, morphology, foraging, sociality, reproduction *Control: road type, park, habitat, traffic, taxonomic.
Generalized linear mixed effects models Results Species (18) HiP uMkhu Pilan Total Impala 74 16 54 144
White Rhino 55 0 10 65
PAVED UNPAVED Blue Wildebeest 9 1 47 57
Zebra 26 0 30 56 Sightings/10km 6.35 7.53 Warthog 37 0 10 47
Traffic/min 0.26 0.08 Giraffe 17 2 16 35
Nyala 24 11 0 35 TRAFFIC/min African Buffalo 14 0 0 14 African Elephant 5 0 7 12 Pilanesberg HiP uMkhuze Greater Kudu 4 1 7 12
0.19 0.12 0.03 Springbok 0 0 7 7
Steenbok 0 0 6 6
Waterbuck 1 0 5 6
Common Hippo 0 0 5 5
Grey Duiker 3 2 0 5
Common Tsessebe 0 0 3 3
African Black Rhino 1 0 1 2
Hartebeest 0 0 2 2
Total 270 34 211 513 Results and Discussion
Species traits: - Body size - Diet - Sociality - Brain size - Longevity - Reproduction
Small species, browsers and solitary are more sensible to roads and traffic.
Future steps
Other species and habitats-COLLABORATION?
Thanks to: -HiP, Pilanesberg, uMkhuze authorities -Wendy Collinson
Invitation to publish