Multiscale effects of habitat loss and degradation on occurrence and landscape connectivity of a threatened subspecies

Abstract Land use change can result in complex environments of varying habitat quality and permeability that directly and indirectly influence the effectiveness of natural areas for wildlife conservation. To assess how isolation and degradation of protected natural areas may affect long‐term conserv...

Descripción completa

Guardado en:

Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores principales:	Kira L. Hefty, John L. Koprowski
Formato:	article
Lenguaje:	EN
Publicado:	Wiley 2021
Materias:	fox squirrel hotspot analysis occupancy modeling public land species distribution Ecology QH540-549.5 General. Including nature conservation, geographical distribution QH1-199.5
Acceso en línea:	https://doaj.org/article/6d40bec5ba4842568af2d3c808960a14
Etiquetas:	Agregar Etiqueta Sin Etiquetas, Sea el primero en etiquetar este registro!

id	oai:doaj.org-article:6d40bec5ba4842568af2d3c808960a14
record_format	dspace
spelling	oai:doaj.org-article:6d40bec5ba4842568af2d3c808960a142021-12-01T10:20:57ZMultiscale effects of habitat loss and degradation on occurrence and landscape connectivity of a threatened subspecies2578-485410.1111/csp2.547https://doaj.org/article/6d40bec5ba4842568af2d3c808960a142021-12-01T00:00:00Zhttps://doi.org/10.1111/csp2.547https://doaj.org/toc/2578-4854Abstract Land use change can result in complex environments of varying habitat quality and permeability that directly and indirectly influence the effectiveness of natural areas for wildlife conservation. To assess how isolation and degradation of protected natural areas may affect long‐term conservation efforts across the range of a sensitive subspecies, we used multiscale occupancy analysis, species distribution modeling, and circuit theory to identify hotspot areas of occurrence and potential landscape connectivity among areas of high quality habitat within and between protected natural areas. Big Cypress fox squirrels (Sciurus niger avicennia: BCFS) are state‐threatened subspecies of fox squirrel endemic to forested wetlands in southwest Florida, which have been highly altered by human activities. Probability of occupancy of BCFS among conservation areas varied widely due to differences in environmental features (Hedge's g = 1.4705, 95% CI: 1.074–1.763). Fine‐scale features indicative of habitat degradation, such as increasing midstory vegetation cover and decreasing bromeliad cover, negatively influenced BCFS occurrence. Home‐range‐level tree canopy cover differentially affected probability of occupancy dependent on proximity to urban areas. Additionally, home‐range‐level high summer temperature differentially affected probability of occupancy dependent on proximity to cypress domes. Habitat was distributed patchily both within and among conservation areas, separated by large areas of unsuitable vegetation communities and urbanized features that were barriers to movement. Considering the threat of increasing isolation of conservation areas due to continued development as well as current and impending degradation caused by land use and climate change within conservation area boundaries, we suggest a strong need for interagency coordination to improve, maintain, and acquire rights for protection of additional remaining habitat.Kira L. HeftyJohn L. KoprowskiWileyarticlefox squirrelhotspot analysisoccupancy modelingpublic landspecies distributionEcologyQH540-549.5General. Including nature conservation, geographical distributionQH1-199.5ENConservation Science and Practice, Vol 3, Iss 12, Pp n/a-n/a (2021)
institution	DOAJ
collection	DOAJ
language	EN
topic	fox squirrel hotspot analysis occupancy modeling public land species distribution Ecology QH540-549.5 General. Including nature conservation, geographical distribution QH1-199.5
spellingShingle	fox squirrel hotspot analysis occupancy modeling public land species distribution Ecology QH540-549.5 General. Including nature conservation, geographical distribution QH1-199.5 Kira L. Hefty John L. Koprowski Multiscale effects of habitat loss and degradation on occurrence and landscape connectivity of a threatened subspecies
description	Abstract Land use change can result in complex environments of varying habitat quality and permeability that directly and indirectly influence the effectiveness of natural areas for wildlife conservation. To assess how isolation and degradation of protected natural areas may affect long‐term conservation efforts across the range of a sensitive subspecies, we used multiscale occupancy analysis, species distribution modeling, and circuit theory to identify hotspot areas of occurrence and potential landscape connectivity among areas of high quality habitat within and between protected natural areas. Big Cypress fox squirrels (Sciurus niger avicennia: BCFS) are state‐threatened subspecies of fox squirrel endemic to forested wetlands in southwest Florida, which have been highly altered by human activities. Probability of occupancy of BCFS among conservation areas varied widely due to differences in environmental features (Hedge's g = 1.4705, 95% CI: 1.074–1.763). Fine‐scale features indicative of habitat degradation, such as increasing midstory vegetation cover and decreasing bromeliad cover, negatively influenced BCFS occurrence. Home‐range‐level tree canopy cover differentially affected probability of occupancy dependent on proximity to urban areas. Additionally, home‐range‐level high summer temperature differentially affected probability of occupancy dependent on proximity to cypress domes. Habitat was distributed patchily both within and among conservation areas, separated by large areas of unsuitable vegetation communities and urbanized features that were barriers to movement. Considering the threat of increasing isolation of conservation areas due to continued development as well as current and impending degradation caused by land use and climate change within conservation area boundaries, we suggest a strong need for interagency coordination to improve, maintain, and acquire rights for protection of additional remaining habitat.
format	article
author	Kira L. Hefty John L. Koprowski
author_facet	Kira L. Hefty John L. Koprowski
author_sort	Kira L. Hefty
title	Multiscale effects of habitat loss and degradation on occurrence and landscape connectivity of a threatened subspecies
title_short	Multiscale effects of habitat loss and degradation on occurrence and landscape connectivity of a threatened subspecies
title_full	Multiscale effects of habitat loss and degradation on occurrence and landscape connectivity of a threatened subspecies
title_fullStr	Multiscale effects of habitat loss and degradation on occurrence and landscape connectivity of a threatened subspecies
title_full_unstemmed	Multiscale effects of habitat loss and degradation on occurrence and landscape connectivity of a threatened subspecies
title_sort	multiscale effects of habitat loss and degradation on occurrence and landscape connectivity of a threatened subspecies
publisher	Wiley
publishDate	2021
url	https://doaj.org/article/6d40bec5ba4842568af2d3c808960a14
work_keys_str_mv	AT kiralhefty multiscaleeffectsofhabitatlossanddegradationonoccurrenceandlandscapeconnectivityofathreatenedsubspecies AT johnlkoprowski multiscaleeffectsofhabitatlossanddegradationonoccurrenceandlandscapeconnectivityofathreatenedsubspecies
_version_	1718405300286914560

Multiscale effects of habitat loss and degradation on occurrence and landscape connectivity of a threatened subspecies

Ejemplares similares