Hot off the press: body size, road width, and road surface influence the barrier effect of roads in mammals

Exciting new research by KCRL alum Dr. Hsiang Ling Chen in the Department of Forestry at the National Chung Hsing University of Taiwan shows that all roads can impede the movements of some species , regardless of road type.  Across 45 mammal species and 36 unique studies, the magnitude of a barrier effect, or proportion of individuals not crossing the road, decreased with body size and increased with road width and paved surfaces. Further, movement studies that involve radio tracking are better at detecting barrier effects compared to capture-recapture methods.

Read more:

Chen, H. L. and J. L. Koprowski. 2019. Can we use body size and road characteristics to anticipate barrier effects of roads in mammals? A meta-analyisis. Hystrix doi:10.4404/hystrix–00185-2018. 

Better than dining alone, Andean bears scavenge together

Andean bears (Tremarctos ornatus) are primarily herbivores that feed on bromeliads and palms.  However, Andean bears are also known to opportunistically consume meat either by predation or scavenging. A new paper by researchers in Colombia, including KCRL’s Mauricio Vela-Vargas, provides some of the first observations of Andean bears scavenging opportunistically on domestic animal carcasses around the boundary of Chingaza National Natural Park., and also documents more than one adult bear feeding on the same carcass on four separate occasions without antagonistic or aggressive behaviors.

Read more here:

Parra-Romero, A., R. Galindo-Tarazona, J. F. González-Maya, and I. M. Vela-Vargas. 2019. Therya 10: DOI: 10.12933/therya-19-625 ISSN 2007-3364.

View an interview about Andean bear mortality and conservation with Mauricio Vela-Vargas in Mongabay.

Congrats to KCRL’s Brian Blais, Carson Scholar!

Congratulations to KCRL PhD student Brian Blais on being selected to receive a 2019 University of Arizona Carson Scholars Fellowship.  The Carson Scholars Fellowship provides training for the next generation of environmental researchers in the art of public communication.

Well deserved, Brian and we look forward to hearing more from him on his journey as a science communicator!

Hot off the press: Mammals of Korea!

KCRL is pleased to announce the release of a long-awaited collaboration with Drs. Yeong-Seok Jo, John T. Baccus, and John Koprowski – a new monograph on the mammals of Korea.  Check back soon for news about the forthcoming book!

Jo, Y-S, JT Baccus, JL Koprowski. 2018. Mammals of Korea: a review of their taxonomy, distribution and conservation status. Zootaxa 4522(1):001-216. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4522.1.1

KCRL’s Mauricio Vela-Vargas weighs in on the ecological impacts of Andean bear mortality

KCRL Ph.D. student Mauricio Vela-Vargas was interviewed by Mongabay about his work on Andean bear conservation in Colombia, where he is working to understand how to reduce human-wildlife conflict and prevent bear mortality by farmers and ranchers.

https://es.mongabay.com/2018/09/colombia-oso-andino-asesinatos-conservacion/

Congrats to KCRL’s Amanda Veals and Sam Abercrombie, MSc.!

A big congrats to KCRL’s Amanda Veals and Sam Abercrombie on the successful defense of their Master’s theses.

Amanda’s research focused on the spatial ecology of gray foxes (Urocyon cinereoargenteus) in southeastern Arizona and documented home range size and habitat affiliation of foxes in two mountain ranges.  Her data will inform species management plans and models of disease transmission, particularly rabies.

Sam’s research focused on the role of native herbivory on shrub encroachment and suppression of grass regeneration in southern Arizona grasslands.  Sam’s research is the first to document the role that abundant desert cottontail (Sylvilagus audubonii) and low predation pressure may play in suppressing grass regeneration and promoting shrub dominance.  

Well done!

High-resolution spatial data reveal foraging strategies in golden-mantled ground squirrels

New research from KCRL PhD student Kira Hefty documents a novel method for obtaining high-resolution space use data in a small mammal.  For her Master’s research, Kira investigated foraging and space use behaviors of golden-mantled ground squirrels (Callospermophilus lateralis) in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Using mini-GPS technology, Kira documented fine-scale spatio-temporal space use behavior to determine foraging strategies and and how individuals perceived risk as a function of cover type and distance from refuge and burrows.  Individuals exhibited foraging and movement strategies that maximized energy intake and minimized predation risk.

Read more here:

Hefty, K. L. and K. M. Stewart. 2018. Novel location data reveal spatiotemporal strategies used by a central-place forager. Journal of Mammalogy DOI:10.1093/jmammal/gyy019.

Low survival, high predation pressure are conservation challenges for endangered Mt. Graham red squirrels

New research published this week by KCRL’s Melissa Merrick, John Koprowski, and alum Emily Goldstein  estimates survival and mortality in known-fate, radio-collared Mt. Graham red squirrels as well as examines the relative hazard of death from avian and mammalian predators, as well as unknown causes.  Annual survival in Mt. Graham red squirrels is low (37%) and annual mortality estimates (68% adults, 74% juveniles) are among the highest reported in North America. Birds or prey were responsible for the majority of deaths, and juveniles were even more likely to succumb to avian predation (75%) compared to adults (65%).  The Pinaleño mountains in southeastern Arizona are part of the unique sky island archipelago known for high biodiversity and endemism.  Many species of avian predators also call the Pinaleños home and two species, Mexican spotted owls (Strix occidentalis lucida) and Northern Goshawks (Accipiter gentilis) are themselves threatened or of conservation concern.  The presence of an ecologically similar, but non-native tree squirrel, the Abert’s squirrel (Sciurus aberti), may subsidize the hungry raptors and support higher predator densities than would occur with red squirrels alone. Increased control of Abert’s squirrels along with habitat augmentation to increase food, nest sites, and structural complexity are recommended conservation actions along with long term forest restoration efforts.

Read more here:

Goldstein, E. A., M. J. Merrick, and J. L. Koprowski. 2018. Low survival, high predation pressure present conservation challenges for an endangered endemic forest mammal. Biological Conservation 221:67-77.

Mt. Graham red squirrel

Long eared owl

New publication reveals how little we know about the effect of keystone species reintroductions on ecosystems

Keystone species play disproportionately large roles in their ecosystems, and their removal often results in cascading negative effects on the ecosystem.  Anthropogenic factors such as overexploitation, land development, and human-wildlife conflict have resulted in a decline of keystone species, so keystone reintroductions are often proposed as a restoration tool for degraded ecosystems.  KCRL Alum, Sarah Hale, conducted a literature review to examine if and to what extent ecosystem-level effects of keystone species reintroductions had been investigated in peer-reviewed literature.  Her review returned little information on how reintroductions of keystone species affect the ecosystem, which highlights a need for more studies into the efficacy of such reintroductions as a conservation and ecosystem restoration tool.  This publication seeks to bring attention to this knowledge gap and highlights the need for more studies that add to the body of knowledge on the occurrence and extent of ecosystem restoration driven by keystone species.

Read more here:

Hale, S. L., and J. L. Koprowski. 2018. Ecosystem-level effects of keystone species reintroduction: a literature review. Restoration Ecology doi: 10.1111/rec.12684.

New book on Andean bears in Colombia

KCRL PhD student I. Mauricio Vela-Vargas in collaboration with Corporación Autónoma Regional del Guavio – CORPOGUAVIO, Parques Nacionales Naturales de Colombia (Parque nacional Natural Chingaza, Dirección Territorial Orinoquía) & Projecto de Conservación de Aguas y tierras – ProCAT Colombia have published a new book about the ecology of the Andean bear (Tremarctos ornatus) in the Chingaza Massif of Colombia.  Dr. K wrote the foreword, and Mauricio is lead author for Chapter 3, Generalidades del Oso Andino.

Vela-Vargas, I. Mauricio, J. Sebastián Jiménez-Alvarado, Diego A. Zárrate-Charry, C. Moreno-Diaz, A. Parra-Romero, and J. F. González-Maya. 2017. Capítulo 3: Generalidades del Oso Andino (Tremarctos ornatus: Ursidae). In El Oso Andino en el Macizo de Chingaza. J. F. González-Maya, R. Galindo-Tarazona, M. M. Urquijo Collazos, M. Zárate Vanegas, and A. Parra-Romero Eds. Bogotá: Empresa de Acueducto, Alcantarillado y Aseo de Bogotá D. C.. EAB-ESP, Corporación Autónoma Regional del Guavio – CORPOGUAVIO, Parques Nacionales Naturales de Coombia (Parque nacional Natural Chingaza, Dirección Territorial Orinoquía) & Projecto de Conservación de Aguas y tierras – ProCAT Colombia. Pp. 58-120.

Read the entire volume here: González-Maya et al. 2017 Libro Oso Chingaza

Andean bear (Tremarctos ornatus)