Alligators in the big city: spatial ecology of American alligators (Alligator mississippiensis) at multiple scales across an urban landscape.

Tytuł:: Alligators in the big city: spatial ecology of American alligators (Alligator mississippiensis) at multiple scales across an urban landscape.
Autorzy:: Beal ER; University of North Florida, 1 UNF Dr, Jacksonville, FL, 32224, USA.
Rosenblatt AE; University of North Florida, 1 UNF Dr, Jacksonville, FL, 32224, USA. .
Źródło:: Scientific reports [Sci Rep] 2020 Oct 06; Vol. 10 (1), pp. 16575. Date of Electronic Publication: 2020 Oct 06.
Typ publikacji:: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Język:: English
Imprint Name(s):: Original Publication: London : Nature Publishing Group, copyright 2011-
MeSH Terms:: Ecosystem*
Population Dynamics*
Urban Renewal*
Alligators and Crocodiles/*physiology
Behavior, Animal/*physiology
Animals ; Female ; Florida ; Male ; Salinity
References:: McKinney, M. Urbanization as a major cause of biotic homogenization. Biol. Conserv. 127, 247–260 (2006). (PMID: 10.1016/j.biocon.2005.09.005)
Terando, A. et al. The Southern Megalopolis: Using the past to predict the future of urban sprawl in the Southeast US. PLoS One 9, 102261 (2014). (PMID: 10.1371/journal.pone.0102261)
Dickman, A., Macdonald, E. & Macdonald, D. A review of financial instruments to pay for predator conservation and encourage human-carnivore coexistence. PNAS 108, 13937–13944 (2011). (PMID: 10.1073/pnas.1012972108)
Grinder, M. & Krausman, P. Home range, habitat use, and nocturnal activity of coyotes in an urban environment. J. Wildl. Manag. 65, 887–898 (2001). (PMID: 10.2307/3803038)
Bateman, P. & Fleming, P. Big city life: Carnivores in urban environments. J. Zool. 287, 1–23 (2012). (PMID: 10.1111/j.1469-7998.2011.00887.x)
Abay, G., Bauer, H., Gebrihiwot, K. & Deckers, J. Peri-urban spotted hyena (Crocutacrocuta) in northern Ethiopia: Diet, economic impact, and abundance. Eur. J. Wildl. Res. 57, 759–765 (2011). (PMID: 10.1007/s10344-010-0484-8)
Athreya, V., Odden, M., Linnell, J., Krishnaswamy, J. & Karanth, K. A cat among the dogs: Leopard Pantherapardus diet in a human-dominated landscape in western Maharashtra, India. Oryx 50, 156–162 (2016). (PMID: 10.1017/S0030605314000106)
Evans, M., Hawley, J., Rego, P. & Rittenhouse, T. Exurban land use facilitates human-black bear conflicts. J. Wildl. Manag. 78, 1477–1485 (2014). (PMID: 10.1002/jwmg.796)
Turak, E., Bush, A., Dela-Cruz, J. & Powell, M. Freshwater reptile persistence and conservation in cities: Insights from species occurrence records. Water 12, 651 (2020). (PMID: 10.3390/w12030651)
Mazzotti, F. et al. Alligators and crocodiles as indicators for restoration of Everglades ecosystems. Ecol. Indic. 9, S137–S149 (2009). (PMID: 10.1016/j.ecolind.2008.06.008)
Woodward, A., Leone, E., Dutton, H., Waller, J. & Hord, L. Characteristics of American alligator bites on people in Florida. J. Wildl. Manag. 83, 1437–1453 (2019). (PMID: 10.1002/jwmg.21719)
Eversole, C. et al. Spatial ecology and habitat utilization of American alligators in an urban-influenced ecosystem. J. Urban Ecol. 4, 1–9 (2018).
Lewis, J., Cain, J. & Denkhaus, R. Home range and habitat selection of an inland alligator (Alligatormississippiensis) population at the northwestern edge of the distribution range. Southeast. Nat. 13, 261–279 (2014). (PMID: 10.1656/058.013.0208)
Chadwick, M. et al. Urbanization affects stream ecosystem function by altering hydrology, chemistry, and biotic richness. Ecol. Appl. 16, 1796–1807 (2006). (PMID: 10.1890/1051-0761(2006)016[1796:UASEFB]2.0.CO;2)
Pinto, G. et al. River Report: State of the Lower St Johns River Basin (University of North Florida, North Florida, 2017).
Rosenblatt, A. & Heithaus, M. Does variation in movement tactics and trophic interactions among American alligators create habitat linkages?. J. Anim. Ecol. 80, 786–798 (2011). (PMID: 10.1111/j.1365-2656.2011.01830.x)
Rosenblatt, A., Heithaus, M., Mazzotti, F., Cherkiss, M. & Jeffery, B. Intra-population variation in activity ranges, diel patterns, movement rates, and habitat use of American alligators in a subtropical estuary. Estuar. Coast. Shelf Sci. 135, 182–190 (2013). (PMID: 10.1016/j.ecss.2013.10.008)
Fujisaki, I. et al. Home range and movements of American alligators (Alligatormississippiensis) in an estuary habitat. Anim. Biotelem. 2, 8 (2014). (PMID: 10.1186/2050-3385-2-8)
Fujisaki, I. et al. Spatial and temporal variability in estuary habitat use by American alligators. Estuar. Coast. 39, 1561–1569 (2016). (PMID: 10.1007/s12237-016-0084-2)
Gardner, B., Garner, L., Cobb, D. & Moorman, C. Factors affecting occupancy and abundance of American alligators at the northern extent of their range. J. Herpetol. 50, 541–547 (2016). (PMID: 10.1670/15-147)
Skupien, G. & Andrews, K. Factors influencing the abundance of American alligators (Alligatormississippiensis) on Jekyll Island, Georgia, USA. J. Herpetol. 51, 89–94 (2017). (PMID: 10.1670/15-163)
Mazzotti, F. et al. Influence of salinity on relative density of American crocodiles (Crocodylusacutus) in Everglades National Park: Implications for restoration of Everglades ecosystems. Ecol. Indic. 102, 608–616 (2019). (PMID: 10.1016/j.ecolind.2019.03.002)
Lutterschmidt, W. & Wasko, D. Seasonal activity, relative abundance, and size-class structure of the American alligator (Alligatormississippiensis) in a highly disturbed inland lake. Southwest. Nat. 51, 346–351 (2006). (PMID: 10.1894/0038-4909(2006)51[346:SARAAS]2.0.CO;2)
Strickland, B., Vilella, F. & Flyni, R. Long-term spotlight surveys of American alligators in Mississippi, USA. Herpetol. Conserv. Biol. 13, 331–340 (2018).
Goodwin, T. & Marion, W. Seasonal activity ranges and habitat preferences of adult alligators in a north-central Florida lake. J. Herpetol. 13, 157–164 (1979). (PMID: 10.2307/1563922)
Webb, K., Conway, W., Calkins, G. & Duguay, J. Habitat use of American alligators in East Texas. J. Wildl. Manag. 73, 566–572 (2009). (PMID: 10.2193/2006-294)
Cartagena-Otálvaro, V., Páez, V., Alzate-Estrada, D. & Bock, B. Demography and habitat use of Caimancrocodilus in two contrasting channels in the Middle Magdalena River drainage, Colombia. Herpetol. Conserv. Biol. 15, 49–60 (2020).
Cherkiss, M., Mazzotti, F. & Rice, K. Effects of shoreline vegetation on visibility of American crocodiles (Crocodylusacutus) during spotlight surveys. Herpetol. Rev. 37, 37–40 (2006).
Fujisaki, I. et al. Estimating trends in alligator populations from nightlight survey data. Wetlands 31, 147–155 (2011). (PMID: 10.1007/s13157-010-0120-0)
Grant, P. & Lewis, T. High speed boat traffic: A risk to crocodilian populations. Herpetol. Conserv. Biol. 5, 456–460 (2010).
Eversole, C., Henke, S., Wester, D., Ballard, B. & Powell, R. Response of American alligators (Alligatormississippiensis) to environmental conditions: Implications for population and ecosystem monitoring. Herpetologica 71, 37–45 (2015). (PMID: 10.1655/HERPETOLOGICA-D-14-00035)
Overton, W. Estimating the numbers of animals in wildlife populations. In Wildlife Management Techniques (ed. Giles, R.) 403–455 (The Wildlife Society, Bethesda, 1971).
Wood, J., Woodward, A., Humphrey, S. & Hines, T. Night counts as an index of American alligator population trends. Wildl. Soc. Bull. 13, 262–273 (1985).
Anderson, D. The need to get the basics right in wildlife field studies. Wildl. Soc. Bull. 29, 1294–1297 (2001).
Woodward, A. & Marion, W. An evaluation of factors affecting night-light counts of alligators. Proc. Ann. Conf. Southeastern Assoc. Fish Wildl. Agencies. 32, 291–302 (1978).
Messel, H., Vorlicek, G., Wells, A. & Green, W. Surveys of Tidal River Systems in the Northern Territory of Australia and Their Crocodile Populations. Monograph: Volume 1. The Blyth-Cadell Rivers System Study and the Status of Crocodylusporosus in Tidal Waterways of Northern Australia. Methods for Analysis, and Dynamics of a Population of C. porosus (Pergamon Press, Oxford, 1981).
Chabreck, R. Methods of determining the size and composition of Alligator populations in Louisiana. Proc. Ann. Conf. Southeastern Assoc. Game Fish Commiss. 20, 105–112 (1966).
Magnusson, W. Size estimates of crocodilians. J. Herpetol. 17, 86–88 (1983). (PMID: 10.2307/1563790)
Balaguera-Reina, S., Venegas-Anaya, M., Rivera-Rivera, B., Morales Ramírez, D. & Densmore, L. How to estimate population size in crocodylians? Population ecology of American crocodiles in Coiba Island as study case. Ecosphere 9, 02474 (2018).
Entry Date(s):: Date Created: 20201007 Date Completed: 20210308 Latest Revision: 20211006
Update Code:: 20240105
PubMed Central ID:: PMC7538432
DOI:: 10.1038/s41598-020-73685-x
PMID:: 33024238
: Czasopismo naukowe

Pełny tekst

Urbanization impacts wildlife, yet research has been limited to few taxa. American alligators (Alligator mississippiensis) are apex predators that have received minimal attention within urban areas. We investigated potential effects of urban land use on alligators through surveys of relative alligator abundance in nine tributaries of the lower St. Johns River within Jacksonville, FL. We then explored the potential effects of urban development on alligator spatial distribution and habitat selection at coarse and fine scales. At the coarse scale, we found no correlation between percent developed land and alligator abundance across tributaries; instead, salinity was the primary driver. However, at the fine scale alligators preferred habitats with more open water and vegetated shorelines and avoided anthropogenic structure. Surprisingly, only one of 93 sighted individuals was an adult. Hunting and nuisance alligator data suggests that adults are relatively rare in Jacksonville because they have been targeted for removal. Thus, smaller alligators still occupy urban habitats because they are not targeted and face no competition from adults. Increasing urbanization and human activity may further degrade alligator habitats and limit the distribution of breeding adults, potentially leading to local population declines.

Zaloguj się, aby uzyskać dostęp do pełnego tekstu.

Informacja