Accounting for Connectivity Uncertainties in Predicting Roadkills: a Comparative Approach between Path Selection Functions and Habitat Suitability Models

Environmental Management
Francesco ValerioSara M Santos

Abstract

Functional connectivity modeling is increasingly used to predict the best spatial location for over- or underpasses, to mitigate road barrier effects and wildlife roadkills. This tool requires estimation of resistance surfaces, ideally modeled with movement data, which are costly to obtain. An alternative is to use occurrence data within species distribution models to infer movement resistance, although this remains a controversial issue. This study aimed both to compare the performance of resistance surfaces derived from path versus occurrence data in identifying road-crossing locations of a forest carnivore and assess the influence of movement type (daily vs. dispersal) on this performance. Resistance surfaces were built for genet (Genetta genetta) in southern Portugal using path selection functions with telemetry data, and species distribution models with occurrence data. An independent roadkill dataset was used to evaluate the performance of each connectivity model in predicting roadkill locations. The results show that resistance surfaces derived from occurrence data are as suitable in predicting roadkills as path data for daily movements. When dispersal was simulated, the performance of both resistance surfaces was equall...Continue Reading

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Citations

Feb 10, 2021·Journal of Environmental Management·Pedro A SalgueiroSara M Santos
Apr 4, 2021·Animals : an Open Access Journal From MDPI·Ayrton Gino Humberto Emilio Oddone Aquino, S'phumelele Lucky Nkomo

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