The Experts below are selected from a list of 303 Experts worldwide ranked by ideXlab platform
Richard Shine - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
-
Cane Toads on cowpats: commercial livestock production facilitates Toad invasion in tropical australia.
PloS one, 2012Co-Authors: Edna González-bernal, Gregory P Brown, Matthew J. Greenlees, Richard ShineAbstract:Habitat disturbance and the spread of invasive organisms are major threats to biodiversity, but the interactions between these two factors remain poorly understood in many systems. Grazing activities may facilitate the spread of invasive cane Toads (Rhinella marina) through tropical Australia by providing year-round access to otherwise-seasonal resources. We quantified the cane Toad’s use of cowpats (feces piles) in the field, and conducted experimental trials to assess the potential role of cowpats as sources of prey, water, and warmth for Toads. Our field surveys show that cane Toads are found on or near cowpats more often than expected by chance. Field-enclosure experiments show that cowpats facilitate Toad feeding by providing access to dung beetles. Cowpats also offer moist surfaces that can reduce dehydration rates of Toads and are warmer than other nearby substrates. Livestock grazing is the primary form of land use over vast areas of Australia, and pastoral activities may have contributed substantially to the cane Toad’s successful invasion of that continent.
-
A Toad More Traveled: The Heterogeneous Invasion Dynamics of Cane Toads in Australia
The American naturalist, 2008Co-Authors: Mark C. Urban, Ben L. Phillips, David K. Skelly, Richard ShineAbstract:Abstract: To predict the spread of invasive species, we need to understand the mechanisms that underlie their range expansion. Assuming random diffusion through homogeneous environments, invasions are expected to progress at a constant rate. However, environmental heterogeneity is expected to alter diffusion rates, especially by slowing invasions as populations encounter suboptimal environmental conditions. Here, we examine how environmental and landscape factors affect the local invasion speeds of cane Toads (Chaunus [Bufo] marinus) in Australia. Using high‐resolution cane Toad data, we demonstrate heterogeneous regional invasion dynamics that include both decelerating and accelerating range expansions. Toad invasion speed increased in regions characterized by high temperatures, heterogeneous topography, low elevations, dense road networks, and high patch connectivity. Regional increases in the Toad invasion rate might be caused by environmental conditions that facilitate Toad reproduction and movement, ...
-
Toad on the road: use of roads as dispersal corridors by cane Toads (Bufo marinus) at an invasion front in tropical Australia.
Biological Conservation, 2006Co-Authors: Gregory P Brown, Jonathan K Webb, Benjamin L. Phillips, Richard ShineAbstract:Determining the factors that influence the rate of spread of invasive species is an important goal for conservation biology. If invasive species utilize specific landscape features as dispersal corridors, control programs can target such corridors. Radio-telemetry was used to determine landscape level factors that influence dispersal of an introduced anuran species (the cane Toad) at an invasion front in tropical Australia. Most radio-tracked Toads moved along roads and cleared fencelines, avoiding heavily vegetated habitat; they typically sheltered overnight close to these open corridors, returning to the road each evening to recommence dispersal. Surveys of the compass orientation of dispersing Toads on roads showed that most animals were oriented along the main axis of the road (and thus, travelling along the road) rather than moving across it. To test the hypothesis that use of roads enables Toads to disperse more rapidly than would be possible across more thickly vegetated sites, locomotor performance of Toads was quantified under field conditions. As predicted, Toads rapidly slowed down in dense roadside vegetation but continued to move rapidly through open areas. These results suggest that simple habitat manipulations of roadside verges might help to reduce the rate of dispersal of cane Toads across tropical Australia.
Johann G. Zaller - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
-
Amphibian and reptile road-kills on tertiary roads in relation to landscape structure: using a citizen science approach with open-access land cover data
BMC ecology, 2017Co-Authors: Florian Heigl, Kathrin Horvath, Gregor Laaha, Johann G. ZallerAbstract:Amphibians and reptiles are among the most endangered vertebrate species worldwide. However, little is known how they are affected by road-kills on tertiary roads and whether the surrounding landscape structure can explain road-kill patterns. The aim of our study was to examine the applicability of open-access remote sensing data for a large-scale citizen science approach to describe spatial patterns of road-killed amphibians and reptiles on tertiary roads. Using a citizen science app we monitored road-kills of amphibians and reptiles along 97.5 km of tertiary roads covering agricultural, municipal and interurban roads as well as cycling paths in eastern Austria over two seasons. Surrounding landscape was assessed using open access land cover classes for the region (Coordination of Information on the Environment, CORINE). Hotspot analysis was performed using kernel density estimation (KDE+). Relations between land cover classes and amphibian and reptile road-kills were analysed with conditional probabilities and general linear models (GLM). We also estimated the potential cost-efficiency of a large scale citizen science monitoring project. We recorded 180 amphibian and 72 reptile road-kills comprising eight species mainly occurring on agricultural roads. KDE+ analyses revealed a significant clustering of road-killed amphibians and reptiles, which is an important information for authorities aiming to mitigate road-kills. Overall, hotspots of amphibian and reptile road-kills were next to the land cover classes arable land, suburban areas and vineyards. Conditional probabilities and GLMs identified road-kills especially next to preferred habitats of green Toad, common Toad and grass snake, the most often found road-killed species. A citizen science approach appeared to be more cost-efficient than monitoring by professional researchers only when more than 400 km of road are monitored. Our findings showed that freely available remote sensing data in combination with a citizen science approach would be a cost-efficient method aiming to identify and monitor road-kill hotspots of amphibians and reptiles on a larger scale.
-
Amphibian and reptile road-kills on tertiary roads in relation to landscape structure: using a citizen science approach with open-access land cover data
BMC, 2017Co-Authors: Florian Heigl, Kathrin Horvath, Gregor Laaha, Johann G. ZallerAbstract:Abstract Background Amphibians and reptiles are among the most endangered vertebrate species worldwide. However, little is known how they are affected by road-kills on tertiary roads and whether the surrounding landscape structure can explain road-kill patterns. The aim of our study was to examine the applicability of open-access remote sensing data for a large-scale citizen science approach to describe spatial patterns of road-killed amphibians and reptiles on tertiary roads. Using a citizen science app we monitored road-kills of amphibians and reptiles along 97.5 km of tertiary roads covering agricultural, municipal and interurban roads as well as cycling paths in eastern Austria over two seasons. Surrounding landscape was assessed using open access land cover classes for the region (Coordination of Information on the Environment, CORINE). Hotspot analysis was performed using kernel density estimation (KDE+). Relations between land cover classes and amphibian and reptile road-kills were analysed with conditional probabilities and general linear models (GLM). We also estimated the potential cost-efficiency of a large scale citizen science monitoring project. Results We recorded 180 amphibian and 72 reptile road-kills comprising eight species mainly occurring on agricultural roads. KDE+ analyses revealed a significant clustering of road-killed amphibians and reptiles, which is an important information for authorities aiming to mitigate road-kills. Overall, hotspots of amphibian and reptile road-kills were next to the land cover classes arable land, suburban areas and vineyards. Conditional probabilities and GLMs identified road-kills especially next to preferred habitats of green Toad, common Toad and grass snake, the most often found road-killed species. A citizen science approach appeared to be more cost-efficient than monitoring by professional researchers only when more than 400 km of road are monitored. Conclusions Our findings showed that freely available remote sensing data in combination with a citizen science approach would be a cost-efficient method aiming to identify and monitor road-kill hotspots of amphibians and reptiles on a larger scale
Florian Heigl - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
-
Amphibian and reptile road-kills on tertiary roads in relation to landscape structure: using a citizen science approach with open-access land cover data
BMC ecology, 2017Co-Authors: Florian Heigl, Kathrin Horvath, Gregor Laaha, Johann G. ZallerAbstract:Amphibians and reptiles are among the most endangered vertebrate species worldwide. However, little is known how they are affected by road-kills on tertiary roads and whether the surrounding landscape structure can explain road-kill patterns. The aim of our study was to examine the applicability of open-access remote sensing data for a large-scale citizen science approach to describe spatial patterns of road-killed amphibians and reptiles on tertiary roads. Using a citizen science app we monitored road-kills of amphibians and reptiles along 97.5 km of tertiary roads covering agricultural, municipal and interurban roads as well as cycling paths in eastern Austria over two seasons. Surrounding landscape was assessed using open access land cover classes for the region (Coordination of Information on the Environment, CORINE). Hotspot analysis was performed using kernel density estimation (KDE+). Relations between land cover classes and amphibian and reptile road-kills were analysed with conditional probabilities and general linear models (GLM). We also estimated the potential cost-efficiency of a large scale citizen science monitoring project. We recorded 180 amphibian and 72 reptile road-kills comprising eight species mainly occurring on agricultural roads. KDE+ analyses revealed a significant clustering of road-killed amphibians and reptiles, which is an important information for authorities aiming to mitigate road-kills. Overall, hotspots of amphibian and reptile road-kills were next to the land cover classes arable land, suburban areas and vineyards. Conditional probabilities and GLMs identified road-kills especially next to preferred habitats of green Toad, common Toad and grass snake, the most often found road-killed species. A citizen science approach appeared to be more cost-efficient than monitoring by professional researchers only when more than 400 km of road are monitored. Our findings showed that freely available remote sensing data in combination with a citizen science approach would be a cost-efficient method aiming to identify and monitor road-kill hotspots of amphibians and reptiles on a larger scale.
-
Amphibian and reptile road-kills on tertiary roads in relation to landscape structure: using a citizen science approach with open-access land cover data
BMC, 2017Co-Authors: Florian Heigl, Kathrin Horvath, Gregor Laaha, Johann G. ZallerAbstract:Abstract Background Amphibians and reptiles are among the most endangered vertebrate species worldwide. However, little is known how they are affected by road-kills on tertiary roads and whether the surrounding landscape structure can explain road-kill patterns. The aim of our study was to examine the applicability of open-access remote sensing data for a large-scale citizen science approach to describe spatial patterns of road-killed amphibians and reptiles on tertiary roads. Using a citizen science app we monitored road-kills of amphibians and reptiles along 97.5 km of tertiary roads covering agricultural, municipal and interurban roads as well as cycling paths in eastern Austria over two seasons. Surrounding landscape was assessed using open access land cover classes for the region (Coordination of Information on the Environment, CORINE). Hotspot analysis was performed using kernel density estimation (KDE+). Relations between land cover classes and amphibian and reptile road-kills were analysed with conditional probabilities and general linear models (GLM). We also estimated the potential cost-efficiency of a large scale citizen science monitoring project. Results We recorded 180 amphibian and 72 reptile road-kills comprising eight species mainly occurring on agricultural roads. KDE+ analyses revealed a significant clustering of road-killed amphibians and reptiles, which is an important information for authorities aiming to mitigate road-kills. Overall, hotspots of amphibian and reptile road-kills were next to the land cover classes arable land, suburban areas and vineyards. Conditional probabilities and GLMs identified road-kills especially next to preferred habitats of green Toad, common Toad and grass snake, the most often found road-killed species. A citizen science approach appeared to be more cost-efficient than monitoring by professional researchers only when more than 400 km of road are monitored. Conclusions Our findings showed that freely available remote sensing data in combination with a citizen science approach would be a cost-efficient method aiming to identify and monitor road-kill hotspots of amphibians and reptiles on a larger scale
Gregory P Brown - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
-
Cane Toads on cowpats: commercial livestock production facilitates Toad invasion in tropical australia.
PloS one, 2012Co-Authors: Edna González-bernal, Gregory P Brown, Matthew J. Greenlees, Richard ShineAbstract:Habitat disturbance and the spread of invasive organisms are major threats to biodiversity, but the interactions between these two factors remain poorly understood in many systems. Grazing activities may facilitate the spread of invasive cane Toads (Rhinella marina) through tropical Australia by providing year-round access to otherwise-seasonal resources. We quantified the cane Toad’s use of cowpats (feces piles) in the field, and conducted experimental trials to assess the potential role of cowpats as sources of prey, water, and warmth for Toads. Our field surveys show that cane Toads are found on or near cowpats more often than expected by chance. Field-enclosure experiments show that cowpats facilitate Toad feeding by providing access to dung beetles. Cowpats also offer moist surfaces that can reduce dehydration rates of Toads and are warmer than other nearby substrates. Livestock grazing is the primary form of land use over vast areas of Australia, and pastoral activities may have contributed substantially to the cane Toad’s successful invasion of that continent.
-
Toad on the road: use of roads as dispersal corridors by cane Toads (Bufo marinus) at an invasion front in tropical Australia.
Biological Conservation, 2006Co-Authors: Gregory P Brown, Jonathan K Webb, Benjamin L. Phillips, Richard ShineAbstract:Determining the factors that influence the rate of spread of invasive species is an important goal for conservation biology. If invasive species utilize specific landscape features as dispersal corridors, control programs can target such corridors. Radio-telemetry was used to determine landscape level factors that influence dispersal of an introduced anuran species (the cane Toad) at an invasion front in tropical Australia. Most radio-tracked Toads moved along roads and cleared fencelines, avoiding heavily vegetated habitat; they typically sheltered overnight close to these open corridors, returning to the road each evening to recommence dispersal. Surveys of the compass orientation of dispersing Toads on roads showed that most animals were oriented along the main axis of the road (and thus, travelling along the road) rather than moving across it. To test the hypothesis that use of roads enables Toads to disperse more rapidly than would be possible across more thickly vegetated sites, locomotor performance of Toads was quantified under field conditions. As predicted, Toads rapidly slowed down in dense roadside vegetation but continued to move rapidly through open areas. These results suggest that simple habitat manipulations of roadside verges might help to reduce the rate of dispersal of cane Toads across tropical Australia.
Gregor Laaha - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
-
Amphibian and reptile road-kills on tertiary roads in relation to landscape structure: using a citizen science approach with open-access land cover data
BMC ecology, 2017Co-Authors: Florian Heigl, Kathrin Horvath, Gregor Laaha, Johann G. ZallerAbstract:Amphibians and reptiles are among the most endangered vertebrate species worldwide. However, little is known how they are affected by road-kills on tertiary roads and whether the surrounding landscape structure can explain road-kill patterns. The aim of our study was to examine the applicability of open-access remote sensing data for a large-scale citizen science approach to describe spatial patterns of road-killed amphibians and reptiles on tertiary roads. Using a citizen science app we monitored road-kills of amphibians and reptiles along 97.5 km of tertiary roads covering agricultural, municipal and interurban roads as well as cycling paths in eastern Austria over two seasons. Surrounding landscape was assessed using open access land cover classes for the region (Coordination of Information on the Environment, CORINE). Hotspot analysis was performed using kernel density estimation (KDE+). Relations between land cover classes and amphibian and reptile road-kills were analysed with conditional probabilities and general linear models (GLM). We also estimated the potential cost-efficiency of a large scale citizen science monitoring project. We recorded 180 amphibian and 72 reptile road-kills comprising eight species mainly occurring on agricultural roads. KDE+ analyses revealed a significant clustering of road-killed amphibians and reptiles, which is an important information for authorities aiming to mitigate road-kills. Overall, hotspots of amphibian and reptile road-kills were next to the land cover classes arable land, suburban areas and vineyards. Conditional probabilities and GLMs identified road-kills especially next to preferred habitats of green Toad, common Toad and grass snake, the most often found road-killed species. A citizen science approach appeared to be more cost-efficient than monitoring by professional researchers only when more than 400 km of road are monitored. Our findings showed that freely available remote sensing data in combination with a citizen science approach would be a cost-efficient method aiming to identify and monitor road-kill hotspots of amphibians and reptiles on a larger scale.
-
Amphibian and reptile road-kills on tertiary roads in relation to landscape structure: using a citizen science approach with open-access land cover data
BMC, 2017Co-Authors: Florian Heigl, Kathrin Horvath, Gregor Laaha, Johann G. ZallerAbstract:Abstract Background Amphibians and reptiles are among the most endangered vertebrate species worldwide. However, little is known how they are affected by road-kills on tertiary roads and whether the surrounding landscape structure can explain road-kill patterns. The aim of our study was to examine the applicability of open-access remote sensing data for a large-scale citizen science approach to describe spatial patterns of road-killed amphibians and reptiles on tertiary roads. Using a citizen science app we monitored road-kills of amphibians and reptiles along 97.5 km of tertiary roads covering agricultural, municipal and interurban roads as well as cycling paths in eastern Austria over two seasons. Surrounding landscape was assessed using open access land cover classes for the region (Coordination of Information on the Environment, CORINE). Hotspot analysis was performed using kernel density estimation (KDE+). Relations between land cover classes and amphibian and reptile road-kills were analysed with conditional probabilities and general linear models (GLM). We also estimated the potential cost-efficiency of a large scale citizen science monitoring project. Results We recorded 180 amphibian and 72 reptile road-kills comprising eight species mainly occurring on agricultural roads. KDE+ analyses revealed a significant clustering of road-killed amphibians and reptiles, which is an important information for authorities aiming to mitigate road-kills. Overall, hotspots of amphibian and reptile road-kills were next to the land cover classes arable land, suburban areas and vineyards. Conditional probabilities and GLMs identified road-kills especially next to preferred habitats of green Toad, common Toad and grass snake, the most often found road-killed species. A citizen science approach appeared to be more cost-efficient than monitoring by professional researchers only when more than 400 km of road are monitored. Conclusions Our findings showed that freely available remote sensing data in combination with a citizen science approach would be a cost-efficient method aiming to identify and monitor road-kill hotspots of amphibians and reptiles on a larger scale
