ORCID Profile
0000-0002-0775-0926
Current Organisation
University of Toronto - Mississauga
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Population Ecology | Wildlife and Habitat Management | Environmental Science and Management | Conservation and Biodiversity |
Remnant Vegetation and Protected Conservation Areas in Forest and Woodlands Environments | Natural Hazards in Forest and Woodlands Environments | Forest and Woodlands Flora, Fauna and Biodiversity
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 04-2020
Publisher: Asociacion Mexicana de Mastozoologia
Date: 30-01-2020
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 02-2021
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 08-2022
DOI: 10.1007/S10980-022-01469-X
Abstract: Connectivity between habitat patches is a recognized conservation action to conserve bio ersity in a rapidly changing world. Resistance surfaces, a spatial representation of cost of movement across the landscape, are often the foundation for connectivity analyses but working with them can be daunting due to the ersity and complexity of software tools. We present an overview of the steps involved when working with resistance surfaces, identify tools that perform specific tasks, evaluate user experience with the tools, identify needs of the user community, and present some recommendations for users and developers. We identified tools applicable at each of the three steps (i) preparing data, (ii) constructing and optimizing surfaces, and (iii) using resistance surfaces. We conducted an online survey of the connectivity user community to assess the popularity and experience with tools on five criteria and identified characteristics important in the selection of connectivity tools. We reviewed a total of 43 tools, of which 10 are useful for data preparation, 27 allow construction, and 30 tools that use resistance surfaces. A total of 148 survey participants working in 40 countries were familiar with 37 tools. Tools are ranked heterogeneously for the five criteria. Crucial avenues for future development of connectivity tools identified by respondents are incorporation of uncertainties, dynamic connectivity modelling, and automated parameter optimization. Since resistance surfaces are used for a variety of applications, it is important that users are aware about the appropriate tools. We anticipate that future tools for connectivity research will incorporate more complex and biologically more realistic analytical approaches.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2020
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 12-06-2019
DOI: 10.1017/S0376892919000055
Abstract: Species distribution models (SDMs) are statistical tools used to develop continuous predictions of species occurrence. ‘Integrated SDMs’ (ISDMs) are an elaboration of this approach with potential advantages that allow for the dual use of opportunistically collected presence-only data and site-occupancy data from planned surveys. These models also account for survey bias and imperfect detection through the use of a hierarchical modelling framework that separately estimates the species–environment response and detection process. This is particularly helpful for conservation applications and predictions for rare species, where data are often limited and prediction errors may have significant management consequences. Despite this potential importance, ISDMs remain largely untested under a variety of scenarios. We performed an exploration of key modelling decisions and assumptions on an ISDM using the endangered Baird’s tapir ( Tapirus bairdii ) as a test species. We found that site area had the strongest effect on the magnitude of population estimates and underlying intensity surface and was driven by estimates of model intercepts. Selecting a site area that accounted for the in idual movements of the species within an average home range led to population estimates that coincided with expert estimates. ISDMs that do not account for the in idual movements of species will likely lead to less accurate estimates of species intensity (number of in iduals per unit area) and thus overall population estimates. This bias could be severe and highly detrimental to conservation actions if uninformed ISDMs are used to estimate global populations of threatened and data-deficient species, particularly those that lack natural history and movement information. However, the ISDM was consistently the most accurate model compared to other approaches, which demonstrates the importance of this new modelling framework and the ability to combine opportunistic data with systematic survey data. Thus, we recommend researchers use ISDMs with conservative movement information when estimating population sizes of rare and data-deficient species. ISDMs could be improved by using a similar parameterization to spatial capture–recapture models that explicitly incorporate animal movement as a model parameter, which would further remove the need for spatial subs ling prior to implementation.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 18-09-2017
DOI: 10.1111/DDI.12631
Publisher: Springer International Publishing
Date: 2019
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 09-01-2020
DOI: 10.1186/S40462-019-0186-0
Abstract: Habitat fragmentation is a primary driver of wildlife loss, and the establishment of biological corridors is a conservation strategy to mitigate this problem. Identifying areas with high potential functional connectivity typically relies on the assessment of landscape resistance to movement. Many modeling approaches exist to estimate resistance surfaces but to date only a handful of studies compared the outputs resulting from different methods. Moreover, as many species are threatened by fragmentation, effective bio ersity conservation requires that corridors simultaneously meet the needs of multiple species. While many corridor planning initiatives focus on single species, we here used a combination of data types and analytical approaches to identify and compare corridors for several large mammal species within the Panama portion of the Mesoamerican Biological Corridor. We ided a large mammal assemblage into two groups depending on the species sensitivity to habitat disturbance. We subsequently used cost-distance methods to produce multi-species corridors which were modeled on the basis of (i) occupancy of nine species derived from camera trapping data collected across Panama, and (ii) step selection functions based on GPS telemetry data from white-lipped peccary Tayassu pecari , puma Puma concolor , and ocelot Leopardus pardalis . In addition to different data sources and species groups, we also used different transformation curves to convert occupancy and step-selection results into landscape resistance values. Corridors modeled differed between sensitive and tolerant species, between the data sets, and between the transformation curves. There were more corridors identified for tolerant species than for sensitive species. For tolerant species, several corridors developed with occupancy data overlapped with corridors produced with step selection functions, but this was not the case for sensitive species. Our study represents the first comparison of multispecies corridors parametrized with step selection functions versus occupancy models. Given the wide variability in output corridors, our findings underscore the need to consider the ecological requirements of several species. Our results also suggest that occupancy models can be used for estimating connectivity of generalist species. Finally, this effort allowed to identify important corridors within the MBC (i) at a country scale and (ii) for several species simultaneously to accurately inform the local authorities in conservation planning. The approach we present is reproducible in other sites and/or for other species.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 29-04-2020
DOI: 10.1002/CNCR.32910
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 05-2020
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 17-10-2018
DOI: 10.1017/S0030605317001016
Abstract: Throughout its range in Latin America the jaguar Panthera onca is threatened by habitat loss and fragmentation, and conflict with humans. Protected areas in Panama harbour some of the last remaining suitable habitat for jaguars and are vital to conservation. However, no previous studies had assessed which factors in particular affect the tolerance of rural Panamanians towards jaguars and National Park conservation, which is important to jaguar persistence. Whether these factors are consistent with previous research on human–carnivore coexistence is unclear. To address this we estimated the number of instances of depredation of cattle by jaguars, and assessed attitudes and perceptions of rural Panamanians. We conducted semi-structured interviews in two disparate study areas: Cerro Hoya National Park and Darién National Park. Depredation events were more frequent in the latter, but only residents of the former reported conflict between people and coyotes Canis latrans . Positive perceptions of jaguars and National Parks, and criticism of park management, increased with level of education and land ownership. Men were more open to receiving help on their farms to mitigate impacts of jaguars, and more tolerant of the presence of jaguars, than women. Residents from both study areas indicated high appreciation for their respective National Parks. We provide recommendations to improve community outreach and education initiatives, and suggest priority areas for future mitigation efforts concerning human–jaguar interactions in Panama.
Publisher: Asociacion Mexicana de Mastozoologia
Date: 30-09-2019
Publisher: Elsevier
Date: 2021
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 2022
DOI: 10.1177/19400829221138009
Abstract: Wildlife research in Panamá has focused primarily on protected areas along the Central Cordillera, where much of the remaining mature rainforest habitat is located. Information on large felid and prey habitat use in isolated habitats in Panamá is therefore limited. Here, we estimated occupancy and detection probabilities, as affected by habitat and anthropogenic influences, for 2 felid species (jaguars [ Panthera onca] and pumas [ Puma concolor]), and 2 prey species (white-lipped peccaries [ Tayassu pecari] and collared peccaries [ Pecari tajacu]). Camera trap surveys were conducted during 2014–2015 at Cerro Hoya National Park (CHNP), an isolated remnant of tropical rainforest habitat, and Darién National Park (DNP), a large tract of continuous rainforest habitat. We used single-season, single-species occupancy modeling to estimate probabilities of detection and habitat use of our focal species. Three of the 4 focal species were detected at both sites, excluding white-lipped peccary at CHNP. Detection of jaguars and white-lipped peccaries at DNP was highest in February, while detection of collared peccaries at DNP and pumas at CHNP was highest in May and April, respectively. Peccary habitat use was uniform across sites and unaffected by habitat covariates. Both felids preferred habitat further away from anthropogenic disturbance, and jaguars preferred habitat at higher elevations than pumas. We further confirm the presence of jaguars and likely local extirpation of white-lipped peccaries in CHNP. Temporal variations influenced detections of focal species. Habitat use of felids was negatively affected by anthropogenic disturbance and elevation. Implications for Conservation Habitat fragmentation and human activities negatively influenced habitat use of felids at both study areas. Given that CHNP serves as one of the last remnants of forest habitat outside the Central Cordillera, we recommend that CHNP be considered a top priority area for wildlife conservation in Panamá.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 26-03-2022
DOI: 10.1007/S10592-022-01435-9
Abstract: Australian arboreal mammals are experiencing significant population declines, particularly due to land clearing and resulting habitat fragmentation. The squirrel glider, Petaurus norfolcensis , is a threatened species in New South Wales, with a stronghold population in the Lake Macquarie Local Government Area (LGA) where fragmentation due to urbanization is an ongoing problem for the species conservation. Here we report on the use of squirrel glider mitochondrial (385 bp cytochrome b gene, 70 in iduals) and nuclear DNA (6,834 SNPs, 87 in iduals) markers to assess their population genetic structure and connectivity across 14 locations s led in the Lake Macquarie LGA. The mitochondrial DNA sequences detected evidence of a historical genetic bottleneck, while the genome-wide SNPs detected significant population structure in the Lake Macquarie squirrel glider populations at scales as fine as one kilometer. There was no evidence of inbreeding within patches, however there were clear effects of habitat fragmentation and biogeographical barriers on gene flow. A least cost path analysis identified thin linear corridors that have high priority for conservation. These areas should be protected to avoid further isolation of squirrel glider populations and the loss of genetic ersity through genetic drift.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 08-07-2019
DOI: 10.1111/COBI.13366
Abstract: Compassionate conservation focuses on 4 tenets: first, do no harm in iduals matter inclusivity of in idual animals and peaceful coexistence between humans and animals. Recently, compassionate conservation has been promoted as an alternative to conventional conservation philosophy. We believe ex les presented by compassionate conservationists are deliberately or arbitrarily chosen to focus on mammals inherently not compassionate and offer ineffective conservation solutions. Compassionate conservation arbitrarily focuses on charismatic species, notably large predators and megaherbivores. The philosophy is not compassionate when it leaves invasive predators in the environment to cause harm to vastly more in iduals of native species or uses the fear of harm by apex predators to terrorize mesopredators. Hindering the control of exotic species (megafauna, predators) in situ will not improve the conservation condition of the majority of bio ersity. The positions taken by so-called compassionate conservationists on particular species and on conservation actions could be extended to hinder other forms of conservation, including translocations, conservation fencing, and fertility control. Animal welfare is incredibly important to conservation, but ironically compassionate conservation does not offer the best welfare outcomes to animals and is often ineffective in achieving conservation goals. Consequently, compassionate conservation may threaten public and governmental support for conservation because of the limited understanding of conservation problems by the general public.
Publisher: Elsevier
Date: 2022
Publisher: Asociacion Mexicana de Mastozoologia
Date: 30-01-2016
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 06-08-2019
DOI: 10.1111/COBI.13384
Abstract: Habitat fragmentation is a primary driver of wildlife loss, and establishment of biological corridors is a common strategy to mitigate this problem. A flagship ex le is the Mesoamerican Biological Corridor (MBC), which aims to connect protected forest areas between Mexico and Panama to allow dispersal and gene flow of forest organisms. Because forests across Central America have continued to degrade, the functioning of the MBC has been questioned, but reliable estimates of species occurrence were unavailable. Large mammals are suitable indicators of forest functioning, so we assessed their conservation status across the Isthmus of Panama, the narrowest section of the MBC. We used large-scale camera-trap surveys and hierarchical multispecies occupancy models in a Bayesian framework to estimate the occupancy of 9 medium to large mammals and developed an occupancy-weighted connectivity metric to evaluate species-specific functional connectivity. White-lipped peccary (Tayassu pecari), jaguar (Panthera onca), giant anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla), white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), and tapir (Tapirus bairdii) had low expected occupancy along the MBC in Panama. Puma (Puma concolor), red brocket deer (Mazama temama), ocelot (Leopardus pardalis), and collared peccary (Pecari tajacu), which are more adaptable, had higher occupancy, even in areas with low forest cover near infrastructure. However, the majority of species were subject to ≥1 gap that was larger than their known dispersal distances, suggesting poor connectivity along the MBC in Panama. Based on our results, forests in Darien, Donoso-Santa Fe, and La Amistad International Park are critical for survival of large terrestrial mammals in Panama and 2 areas need restoration.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 22-12-2020
DOI: 10.1111/COBI.13665
Publisher: No publisher found
Date: 2014
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 07-2015
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 16-03-2022
DOI: 10.1111/ACV.12772
Abstract: Understanding species‐environment relationships at large spatial scales is required for the prioritization of conservation areas and the preservation of landscape connectivity for large carnivores. This endeavour is challenging for jaguars ( Panthera onca) , given their elusiveness, and the local nature of most jaguar studies, precluding extrapolation to larger areas. We developed an occupancy model using occurrence data of jaguars across five countries of Central America, collected from camera‐trap studies of 2–12 months' duration, deployed over an area of 14 112 km 2 from 2005 to 2018. Our occupancy model showed that habitat use of jaguars increased with primary net productivity and distance to human settlements, and distance to rivers. Detection of the species was related to survey effort and research team identity. Within the jaguar extent of occurrence, 73% was deemed suitable for the species, with 47% of it lying within Jaguar Conservation Units (JCU) and 59% of JCU land being legally protected. Suitable areas were ided into four distinct clusters of continuous habitat shared across country borders. However, large areas of predicted low habitat suitability may constrict connectivity in the region. The reliability of these spatial predictions is indicated by the model validation using an independent dataset (AUC = 0.82 sensitivity = 0.766, specificity = 0.761), and concordance of our results with other studies conducted in the region. Across Central America, we found that human influence has the strongest impact on jaguar habitat use and JCUs are the main reservoirs of habitat. Therefore, conservation actions must focus on preventing habitat loss and mitigating human pressure, particularly within the clusters of continuous areas of high suitability, and on restoring habitat to foster connectivity. The long‐term persistence of jaguars in the region will depend on strong international cooperation that secures jaguar populations and their habitat across Central American borders.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 02-2020
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 19-05-2021
DOI: 10.1002/ECE3.7644
Abstract: The squirrel glider ( Petaurus norfolcensis ) is a threatened, gliding marsupial that persists in fragmented landscapes despite its restricted capacity to cross large gaps. As measures to maintain and/or restore suitable habitat depend on knowledge about the species' ecological requirements, we investigated the area used by squirrel gliders in an urban area near Newcastle, Australia. Using GPS telemetry data and the autocorrelated kernel density estimator, we estimated area used to average 10.8 ha and varied from 4.6 to 15 ha, which is equal to or greater than found in previous studies that spanned longer time periods. This has implications when identifying the minimum patch size necessary for ensuring the long‐term conservation of a squirrel glider population.
Publisher: Elsevier
Date: 2021
Publisher: Frontiers Media SA
Date: 08-02-2022
Location: No location found
Start Date: 06-2021
End Date: 06-2024
Amount: $234,427.00
Funder: Australian Research Council
View Funded Activity