Photo credit: M. Bachman
PREDATOR-PREY COMMUNITY ECOLOGY IN THE URBAN WILD
As human populations continue to expand across the globe, people are colonizing urban city centers with increasing frequency. As a result, most of the interaction that people have with wildlife and wild places occurs within these urban settings. Thereby, the green spaces scattered among these cities provide both crucial habitat for urban wildlife and a context for city-dwellers to experience and enjoy wild places. The rapidly progressing field of urban ecology studies these human-wild place and human-wildlife dynamics. Despite the growth in this field there remain substantial knowledge gaps concerning the ecological characteristics of urban wildlife, especially urban carnivores and their prey.
Along with project partners in the Cleveland Metroparks (CMP) we have launched a large-scale, multidisciplinary, long-term urban ecology project in Cleveland, Ohio known as FOCUS ON WILDLIFE. Collaboratively, we seek to understand the mechanisms shaping the distribution and abundance of wildlife throughout the park system. We also aim to evaluate how general ecological theories of community ecology and predator-prey interactions developed in wild settings translate to urban environments. Via this work we hope to learn how human activity influences the biotic interactions of urban carnivores and their prey.
As human populations continue to expand across the globe, people are colonizing urban city centers with increasing frequency. As a result, most of the interaction that people have with wildlife and wild places occurs within these urban settings. Thereby, the green spaces scattered among these cities provide both crucial habitat for urban wildlife and a context for city-dwellers to experience and enjoy wild places. The rapidly progressing field of urban ecology studies these human-wild place and human-wildlife dynamics. Despite the growth in this field there remain substantial knowledge gaps concerning the ecological characteristics of urban wildlife, especially urban carnivores and their prey.
Along with project partners in the Cleveland Metroparks (CMP) we have launched a large-scale, multidisciplinary, long-term urban ecology project in Cleveland, Ohio known as FOCUS ON WILDLIFE. Collaboratively, we seek to understand the mechanisms shaping the distribution and abundance of wildlife throughout the park system. We also aim to evaluate how general ecological theories of community ecology and predator-prey interactions developed in wild settings translate to urban environments. Via this work we hope to learn how human activity influences the biotic interactions of urban carnivores and their prey.
QUANTIFYING RATES OF SNARING DAMAGE AMONG AFRICAN LIONS
The African lion is an iconic species that is in peril. Lions now exist in less than 10% of their former range with swift and dramatic population declines experienced over the last 25 years across East Africa. The country of Uganda, for example, which is a very wildlife-rich region now has fewer than 500 individual lions in the whole country. Though the threats to lion are many, one issue that is particularly problematic is wire snaring. Set principally to catch medium-sized wild ungulates (kob, hartebeest, bushbuck, etc...) for meat, wire snares are indiscriminate and just as capable of capturing lions as their intended targets.
Murchison Falls National Park is the largest national park in Uganda. There we are studying the population dynamics of lions in an effort to quantify the effects of snaring on lions. We are quantifying the proportion of the population that has snaring injuries (as seen in the above photo) and working to estimate the effects of snaring on population persistence in this park. Additionally, we are working with the communities surrounding Murchison Falls to identify the root source of snaring. If we want to save lions, we can only succeed through community conservation efforts that address the root cause of snaring. Please see our SNARES TO WARES INITIATIVE for more information on our efforts to engage with communities so as to improve human well-being and aid lion conservation.
The African lion is an iconic species that is in peril. Lions now exist in less than 10% of their former range with swift and dramatic population declines experienced over the last 25 years across East Africa. The country of Uganda, for example, which is a very wildlife-rich region now has fewer than 500 individual lions in the whole country. Though the threats to lion are many, one issue that is particularly problematic is wire snaring. Set principally to catch medium-sized wild ungulates (kob, hartebeest, bushbuck, etc...) for meat, wire snares are indiscriminate and just as capable of capturing lions as their intended targets.
Murchison Falls National Park is the largest national park in Uganda. There we are studying the population dynamics of lions in an effort to quantify the effects of snaring on lions. We are quantifying the proportion of the population that has snaring injuries (as seen in the above photo) and working to estimate the effects of snaring on population persistence in this park. Additionally, we are working with the communities surrounding Murchison Falls to identify the root source of snaring. If we want to save lions, we can only succeed through community conservation efforts that address the root cause of snaring. Please see our SNARES TO WARES INITIATIVE for more information on our efforts to engage with communities so as to improve human well-being and aid lion conservation.
SOCIAL AND ECOLOGICAL MECHANISMS CONTRIBUTING TO HUMAN-CARNIVORE CONFLICT IN NORTHERN TANZANIA
Conflict with humans is considered to be one of the driving forces behind global declines in large carnivore populations. In rural Tanzania, rates of conflict are particularly high and pose a substantial threat to both human livelihoods and carnivore conservation. For these reasons, developing strategies to mitigate human-carnivore conflict is one of the most important challenges facing conservation and pastoral livelihoods in the 21st century.
Given the gravity of human-carnivore conflict in this region, our goal is to develop a broader understanding of the social and ecological mechanisms influencing patterns of conflict. The LIVEstock Initiative is a multi-faceted research program designed to explore aspects of livestock vigilance, carnivore ecology, prey behavior, and the human perceptions of conflict with carnivores in Northern Tanzania. Our aim is to inform conflict mitigation efforts through our research findings and diverse collaborations with conservation organizations and local communities.
Conflict with humans is considered to be one of the driving forces behind global declines in large carnivore populations. In rural Tanzania, rates of conflict are particularly high and pose a substantial threat to both human livelihoods and carnivore conservation. For these reasons, developing strategies to mitigate human-carnivore conflict is one of the most important challenges facing conservation and pastoral livelihoods in the 21st century.
Given the gravity of human-carnivore conflict in this region, our goal is to develop a broader understanding of the social and ecological mechanisms influencing patterns of conflict. The LIVEstock Initiative is a multi-faceted research program designed to explore aspects of livestock vigilance, carnivore ecology, prey behavior, and the human perceptions of conflict with carnivores in Northern Tanzania. Our aim is to inform conflict mitigation efforts through our research findings and diverse collaborations with conservation organizations and local communities.
CHARACTERIZING INDIVIDUAL VARIATION IN RESOURCE SELECTION OF ELK IN MISSOURI
Resource selection functions (RSF) are widely applied by ecologists in quantifying space use from animal telemetry data. Inference is typically desired at the population-level. A common approach is to pool data from all telemetered animals and fit a model where coefficients at the individual level are considered random effects drawn from a population-level distribution. This technique has been shown to be valuable for understanding broad scale selection, but when the focal population is comprised of various intrinsic categories (e.g. age class) or are spatially clustered (e.g. two sub-populations occupying different areas of the landscape), valuable information may be lost by pooling data. We are investigating individual variation in resource selection among a population of elk (Cervus elaphus) introduced into the Missouri Ozarks and monitored thereafter. We are modeling elk location data collected from Global Positioning System (GPS) collars using Bayesian discrete choice RSFs fit at the level of each individual animal, and exploring the results in two ways: 1) interpretation of variability among individual RSF coefficients, and 2) examination of model selection approaches, comparing the importance of variables in predicting selection across these individuals.
Resource selection functions (RSF) are widely applied by ecologists in quantifying space use from animal telemetry data. Inference is typically desired at the population-level. A common approach is to pool data from all telemetered animals and fit a model where coefficients at the individual level are considered random effects drawn from a population-level distribution. This technique has been shown to be valuable for understanding broad scale selection, but when the focal population is comprised of various intrinsic categories (e.g. age class) or are spatially clustered (e.g. two sub-populations occupying different areas of the landscape), valuable information may be lost by pooling data. We are investigating individual variation in resource selection among a population of elk (Cervus elaphus) introduced into the Missouri Ozarks and monitored thereafter. We are modeling elk location data collected from Global Positioning System (GPS) collars using Bayesian discrete choice RSFs fit at the level of each individual animal, and exploring the results in two ways: 1) interpretation of variability among individual RSF coefficients, and 2) examination of model selection approaches, comparing the importance of variables in predicting selection across these individuals.
GIRAFFE SKIN DISEASE
The general trend of giraffe populations across Africa is decreasing, with a > 40% reduction rate of giraffe populations over the past 20 years. Despite this documented decline in giraffe abundance, little research has been conducted on giraffes, and this lack of knowledge is hindering the assessment of the exact conservation status of this species. Giraffe populations are not only at risk due to anthropogenic sources, but also are vulnerable to carnivore predation throughout their range. Various skin diseases have recently begun to affect giraffe populations and pose an important threat to giraffe conservation.
Broadly, the skin diseases affecting several populations of giraffe have been collectively referred to as Giraffe
Skin Disease (GSD). Such skin diseases have been observed in Murchison Falls National Park in Uganda, Serengeti, Tarangire and Manyara National Parks in northern Tanzania, and Ruaha National Park in south-central Tanzania. Some have suggested that severe GSD can lead to lower leg lameness making adult giraffes particularly vulnerable to lion predation. We are documenting the spatial configuration of GSD in Ruaha, developing an abundance estimate for giraffe in Ruaha, and documenting the proportion of the population suffering from mild, moderate, and severe GSD.
The general trend of giraffe populations across Africa is decreasing, with a > 40% reduction rate of giraffe populations over the past 20 years. Despite this documented decline in giraffe abundance, little research has been conducted on giraffes, and this lack of knowledge is hindering the assessment of the exact conservation status of this species. Giraffe populations are not only at risk due to anthropogenic sources, but also are vulnerable to carnivore predation throughout their range. Various skin diseases have recently begun to affect giraffe populations and pose an important threat to giraffe conservation.
Broadly, the skin diseases affecting several populations of giraffe have been collectively referred to as Giraffe
Skin Disease (GSD). Such skin diseases have been observed in Murchison Falls National Park in Uganda, Serengeti, Tarangire and Manyara National Parks in northern Tanzania, and Ruaha National Park in south-central Tanzania. Some have suggested that severe GSD can lead to lower leg lameness making adult giraffes particularly vulnerable to lion predation. We are documenting the spatial configuration of GSD in Ruaha, developing an abundance estimate for giraffe in Ruaha, and documenting the proportion of the population suffering from mild, moderate, and severe GSD.
MOOSE AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Warming temperatures associated with global climate change have been causally linked to changes in the behavior, reproduction, distribution, and abundance of a variety of species. Moose are temperate-zone obligates and become stressed when ambient temperatures rise above certain seasonal thresholds. Climate change can decrease moose survivability and is suggested to be a factor limiting the southern geographic range of the species. Despite the obvious risk that warming temperatures associated with climate change present to the continued survival of moose, the exact influence of warming temperatures on moose movement and population viability remains poorly understood.
We are investigating whether the connection between ambient temperature and activity/movement can be readily explored in wild moose systems to quantitatively isolate the conditions at which moose become heat stressed. Once the threshold of heat stress is appropriately established, then the influence of warming ambient temperatures on moose population viability can be evaluated.
Warming temperatures associated with global climate change have been causally linked to changes in the behavior, reproduction, distribution, and abundance of a variety of species. Moose are temperate-zone obligates and become stressed when ambient temperatures rise above certain seasonal thresholds. Climate change can decrease moose survivability and is suggested to be a factor limiting the southern geographic range of the species. Despite the obvious risk that warming temperatures associated with climate change present to the continued survival of moose, the exact influence of warming temperatures on moose movement and population viability remains poorly understood.
We are investigating whether the connection between ambient temperature and activity/movement can be readily explored in wild moose systems to quantitatively isolate the conditions at which moose become heat stressed. Once the threshold of heat stress is appropriately established, then the influence of warming ambient temperatures on moose population viability can be evaluated.
MESOCARNIVORE RELEASE THEORY
Protected areas such as national parks and reserves act as vital refugia for carnivore populations throughout their range, but are increasingly isolated, forming islands of relative wilderness within a sea of human-dominated lands. Many threatened carnivores, especially large canids and felids, rely heavily upon human-dominated habitat adjacent to protected areas. Smaller carnivores also commonly occur on human-dominated land, where they might undergo some form of mesopredator release if larger carnivores are not present. Despite the importance of human-dominated land for carnivore conservation the majority of ecological research to date has been focused within protected areas.
We are investigating patterns of multi-carnivore occurrence and spatial variation in human-carnivore conflict in the Greater Ruaha Ecoystem (GRE) in Tanzania. We are deploying a large-scale camera trapping initiative across the gradient from protected to human-dominated habitat in the GRE.
Protected areas such as national parks and reserves act as vital refugia for carnivore populations throughout their range, but are increasingly isolated, forming islands of relative wilderness within a sea of human-dominated lands. Many threatened carnivores, especially large canids and felids, rely heavily upon human-dominated habitat adjacent to protected areas. Smaller carnivores also commonly occur on human-dominated land, where they might undergo some form of mesopredator release if larger carnivores are not present. Despite the importance of human-dominated land for carnivore conservation the majority of ecological research to date has been focused within protected areas.
We are investigating patterns of multi-carnivore occurrence and spatial variation in human-carnivore conflict in the Greater Ruaha Ecoystem (GRE) in Tanzania. We are deploying a large-scale camera trapping initiative across the gradient from protected to human-dominated habitat in the GRE.
