Publicação

Direct and indirect effects of linear infrastructure on leopards (Panthera Pardus) spatial use

Ver documento

Detalhes bibliográficos
Resumo:Transport infrastructures, particularly roads, are expanding globally, with potential impacts on wildlife, especially on felids that seem to be particularly affected by their negative effects. However, the effects of roads on their spatial behaviour have never been extensively evaluated, which limits our understanding on how roads affect their populations and which measures should be applied across their distribution range. We analysed whether the spatial use of leopard Panthera pardus was affected directly by the presence of paved and unpaved roads and associated traffic disturbance or indirectly by the land uses that might be changed or associated to roads and whether they vary according to sex and period of the day. We compiled GPS locations from 36 leopards in seven regions of Africa and Asia and applied structural equation modelling to test all possible combinations of road types, period of the day and sex. The findings revealed that paved and unpaved roads have both direct and indirect negative effects on leopards but varied by type of road, period of the day and sex. Interestingly, males seemed to be positively associated with unpaved roads at night. Our results suggest that paved roads might be a barrier to leopard movement across its range, which can be worsened by the absence of suitable habitat in its vicinity. These negative effects appear to be stronger on females which can lead to genetic isolation and, therefore, reduce genetic diversity in small populations. This study provides an important step towards a more complete understanding of the effects of roads on leopards and how their magnitude varies by sex and time of the day. Measures to prevent or compensate habitat degradation when building or upgrading transport infrastructures should be mandatory. Reduction of traffic disturbance and underpasses should be implemented in areas with small populations of leopards.
Autores principais:Silva, Cláudia Patrícia Máximo da
Assunto:SEM estradas pavimentadas e não pavimentadas, usos do solo diferenças intersexuais ecologia das estradas Teses de mestrado - 2023
Ano:2023
País:Portugal
Tipo de documento:dissertação de mestrado
Tipo de acesso:acesso aberto
Instituição associada:Universidade de Lisboa
Idioma:inglês
Origem:Repositório da Universidade de Lisboa

Registos relacionados

Registos relacionados