Spatiotemporal Patterns and Road Mortality Hotspots of Herpetofauna on a Mediterranean Island
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Study Area
2.2. Identification of Road Network Characteristics and Mapping
2.3. Road Mortality Survey
2.4. Hotspot Analysis of the Roadkilled Herpetofauna
2.5. Statistical Analysis
3. Results
3.1. Herpetofauna Road Mortality
3.2. Temporal and Seasonal Patterns of Roadkills
3.3. Predicting the Occurrence of Reptile and Amphibian Roadkills
3.4. Spatial Distribution and Hotspot Areas for Roadkilled Reptiles and Amphibians
4. Discussion
5. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
Appendix A
References
- Laurance, W.F.; Clements, G.R.; Sloan, S.; O′Connell, C.S.; Mueller, N.D.; Goosem, M.; Venter, O.; Edwards, D.P.; Phalan, B.; Balmford, A.; et al. A global strategy for road building. Nature 2014, 513, 229–232. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Coffin, A.W. From roadkill to road ecology: A review of the ecological effects of roads. J. Transp. Geogr. 2007, 15, 396–406. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Fallah Shorshani, M.; André, M.; Bonhomme, C.; Seigneur, C. Modelling chain for the effect of road traffic on air and water quality: Techniques, current status and future prospects. Environ. Model. Softw. 2015, 64, 102–123. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Sosa-Pérez, G.; MacDonald, L.H. Reductions in road sediment production and road-stream connectivity from two decommissioning treatments. For. Ecol. Manag. 2017, 398, 116–129. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Müller, A.; Österlund, H.; Marsalek, J.; Viklander, M. The pollution conveyed by urban runoff: A review of sources. Sci. Total Environ. 2020, 709, 136125. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Khan, J.; Ketzel, M.; Kakosimos, K.; Sørensen, M.; Jensen, S.S. Road traffic air and noise pollution exposure assessment—A review of tools and techniques. Sci. Total Environ. 2018, 634, 661–676. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Harrison, R.M.; Allan, J.; Carruthers, D.; Heal, M.R.; Lewis, A.C.; Marner, B.; Murrells, T.; Williams, A. Non-exhaust vehicle emissions of particulate matter and VOC from road traffic: A review. Atmos. Environ. 2021, 262, 118592. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Santos, S.M.; Lourenço, R.; Mira, A.; Beja, P. Relative Effects of Road Risk, Habitat Suitability, and Connectivity on Wildlife Roadkills: The Case of Tawny Owls (Strix aluco). PLoS ONE 2013, 8, e79967. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [Green Version]
- Ibisch, P.L.; Hoffmann, M.T.; Kreft, S.; Pe′Er, G.; Kati, V.; Biber-Freudenberger, L.; DellaSala, D.A.; Vale, M.M.; Hobson, P.R.; Selva, N. A global map of roadless areas and their conservation status. Science 2016, 354, 1423–1427. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- da Rosa, C.A.; Bager, A. Review of the factors underlying the mechanisms and effects of roads on vertebrates. Oecologia Aust. 2013, 17, 6–19. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Hell, P.; Plavý, R.; Slamečka, J.; Gašparík, J. Losses of mammals (Mammalia) and birds (Aves) on roads in the Slovak part of the Danube Basin. Eur. J. Wildl. Res. 2005, 51, 35–40. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Trakimas, G.; Sidaravičius, J. Road mortality threatens small northern populations of the European pond turtle, Emys orbicularis. Acta Herpetol. 2008, 3, 161–166. [Google Scholar]
- Braz, V.D.S.; França, F.G.R. Impacto do atropelamento de vertebrados do parque nacional da chapada dos veadeiros no brasil central. Biota Neotrop. 2016, 16, 1–11. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Morelli, F.; Benedetti, Y.; Delgado, J.D. A forecasting map of avian roadkill-risk in Europe: A tool to identify potential hotspots. Biol. Conserv. 2020, 249, 108729. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Kent, E.; Schwartz, A.L.W.; Perkins, S.E. Life in the fast lane: Roadkill risk along an urban-rural gradient. J. Urban Ecol. 2021, 7, 1–11. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Medrano-Vizcaíno, P.; Grilo, C.; Silva Pinto, F.A.; Carvalho, W.D.; Melinski, R.D.; Schultz, E.D.; González-Suárez, M. Roadkill patterns in Latin American birds and mammals. Glob. Ecol. Biogeogr. 2022, 31, 1756–1783. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Gryz, J.; Krauze, D. Mortality of vertebrates on a road crossing the Biebrza Valley (NE Poland). Eur. J. Wildl. Res. 2008, 54, 709–714. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Carvalho-Roel, C.F.; Alves, G.B.; Jácomo, A.T.D.A.; Moreira, R.A.; Tôrres, N.M.; Silveira, L. Wildlife roadkill in the surroundings of Emas national park, Cerrado biome, Brazil. Oecologia Aust. 2021, 25, 795–806. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Dhiab, O.; Selmi, S. Patterns of vertebrate road-kills in a pre-Saharan Tunisian area. J. Arid Environ. 2021, 193, 104595. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Sur, S.; Saikia, P.K.; Saikia, M.K. Speed thrills but kills: A case study on seasonal variation in roadkill mortality on National highway 715 (new) in Kaziranga-Karbi Anglong Landscape, Assam, India. Nat. Conserv. 2022, 47, 87–104. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Soluk, D.A.; Zercher, D.S.; Worthington, A.M. Influence of roadways on patterns of mortality and flight behavior of adult dragonflies near wetland areas. Biol. Conserv. 2011, 144, 1638–1643. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Muñoz, P.T.; Torres, F.P.; Megías, A.G. Effects of roads on insects: A review. Biodivers. Conserv. 2015, 24, 659–682. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Piao, Z.J.; Wang, Y.; Wang, C.; Wang, Z.C.; Luo, Y.M.; Jin, Y.H.; Sui, Y.C. Preliminary report of bird road kills in the Changbai Mountain Nature Reserve in China. North. West. J. Zool. 2016, 12, 178–183. [Google Scholar]
- Ramalho, D.F.; Aguiar, L.M.S. Bats on the Road—A Review of the Impacts of Roads and Highways on Bats. Acta Chiropterologica 2021, 22, 417–433. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Huang, J.C.C.; Chen, W.J.; Lin, T.E. Landscape and species traits co-drive roadkills of bats in a subtropical island. Diversity 2021, 13, 117. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Schwartz, A.L.W.; Williams, H.F.; Chadwick, E.; Thomas, R.J.; Perkins, S.E. Roadkill scavenging behaviour in an urban environment. J. Urban Ecol. 2018, 4, juy006. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Kreling, S.E.S.; Gaynor, K.M.; Coon, C.A.C. Roadkill distribution at the wildland-urban interface. J. Wildl. Manag. 2019, 83, 1427–1436. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Drews, C. Road kills of animals by public traffic in Mikumi National Park, Tanzania, with notes on baboon mortality. Afr. J. Ecol. 1995, 33, 89–100. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Gerow, K.; Kline, N.; Swann, D.; Pokorny, M. Estimating annual vertebrate mortality on roads at Saguaro National Park, Arizona. Hum.-Wildl. Interact. 2010, 4, 283–292. [Google Scholar]
- Garriga, N.; Santos, X.; Montori, A.; Richter-Boix, A.; Franch, M.; Llorente, G.A. Are protected areas truly protected? The impact of road traffic on vertebrate fauna. Biodivers. Conserv. 2012, 21, 2761–2774. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Covaciu-Marcov, S.D.; Puskás, A.; Pop, A.N.; Ţârţ, M.; Ferenţi, S. Road-killed amphibians and reptiles on a local road in a protected area in Western Romania. Acta Zool. Bulg. 2017, 69, 115–120. [Google Scholar]
- Lyamuya, R.D.; Hariohay, K.M.; Masenga, E.H.; Bukombe, J.K.; Mwakalebe, G.G.; Mdaki, M.L.; Nkwabi, A.K.; Fyumagwa, R.D.; Røskaft, E. Magnitude, Patterns and Composition of Wildlife Roadkill in the Serengeti Ecosystem, Northern Tanzania. Afr. Zool. 2021, 56, 173–180. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Main, M.B.; Allen, G.M.; Gates, C.A.; Allen, M.J.; Berish, J.E.D.; Stillwaugh, D.M.; Shattler, S.R.; Martin, D.F. Landscape and Seasonal Influences on Roadkill of Wildlife. Fla. Nongame Wildl. Progr. Tech. Rep. 2002, 65, 149–158. [Google Scholar]
- da Rosa, C.A.; Bager, A. Seasonality and habitat types affect roadkill of neotropical birds. J. Environ. Manag. 2012, 97, 1–5. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Santos, E.; Cordova, M.; Rosa, C.; Rodrigues, D. Hotspots and Season Related to Wildlife Roadkill in the Amazonia–Cerrado Transition. Diversity 2022, 14, 657. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Carvalho, C.F.; Custódio, A.E.I.; Júnior, O.M. Influence of climate variables on roadkill rates of wild vertebrates in the cerrado biome, Brazil. Biosci. J. 2017, 33, 1632–1641. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [Green Version]
- Kummoo, W.; Teampanpong, J.; Utsa, P.; Paansri, P.; Suksavate, W.; Duengkae, P.; Prompat, S. Impact of highway on vertebrate roadkill in Nam Nao National Park, Thailand. Biodiversitas 2020, 21, 5540–5549. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Medinas, D.; Marques, J.T.; Mira, A. Assessing road effects on bats: The role of landscape, road features, and bat activity on road-kills. Ecol. Res. 2013, 28, 227–237. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [Green Version]
- Farmer, R.G.; Brooks, R.J. Integrated risk factors for vertebrate roadkill in southern Ontario. J. Wildl. Manag. 2012, 76, 1215–1224. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Møller, A.P.; Erritzøe, H.; Erritzøe, J. A behavioral ecology approach to traffic accidents: Interspecific variation in causes of traffic casualties among birds. Dongwuxue Yanjiu 2011, 32, 115–127. (In Chinese) [Google Scholar]
- Mazerolle, M.J.; Huot, M.; Gravel, M. Behavior of amphibians on the road in response to car traffic. Herpetologica 2005, 61, 380–388. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [Green Version]
- Kantola, T.; Tracy, J.L.; Baum, K.A.; Quinn, M.A.; Coulson, R.N. Spatial risk assessment of eastern monarch butterfly road mortality during autumn migration within the southern corridor. Biol. Conserv. 2019, 231, 150–160. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- van Langevelde, F.; van Dooremalen, C.; Jaarsma, C.F. Traffic mortality and the role of minor roads. J. Environ. Manag. 2009, 90, 660–667. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Aguilar, J.M.; Nieto, A.; Espinoza, N.; Loja, G.; Tinoco, B.A. Assessing patterns of bird roadkills in a high Andean Ecuadorian national park. Stud. Neotrop. Fauna Environ. 2019, 54, 149–156. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Ayob, N.; Ahmad Mustapha, M.; Senawi, J.; Ahmad, N. Herpetofauna Roadkills on Langkawi Island, Peninsular Malaysia: The Influence of Landscape and Season on Mortality Distribution. Sains Malays. 2020, 49, 2373–2382. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Freitas, S.R.; Sousa, C.O.M.; Bueno, C. Effects of landscape characteristics on roadkill of mammals, birds and reptiles in a highway crossing the Atlantic forest in southeastern Brazil. In Proceedings of the 2013 International Conference on Ecology and Transportation, Scottsdale, AZ, USA, 23–27 June 2013. [Google Scholar]
- Orłowski, G.; Ciesiołkiewicz, J.; Kaczor, M.; Radwańska, J.; Żywicka, A. Species composition and habitat correlates of amphibian roadkills in different landscapes of south-western Poland. Pol. J. Ecol. 2008, 56, 659–671. [Google Scholar]
- Coombs, G. High incidence of Cape grass lizard (Chamaesaura anguina anguina) mortality due to roadkill following fynbos fire. Herpetol. Notes 2015, 8, 603–607. [Google Scholar]
- Secco, H.; Ratton, P.; Castro, E.; da Silva Lucas, P.; Bager, A. Intentional snake road-kill: A case study using fake snakes on a Brazilian road. Trop. Conserv. Sci. 2014, 7, 561–571. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [Green Version]
- Crawford, B.A.; Andrews, K.M. Drivers’ attitudes toward wildlife-vehicle collisions with reptiles and other taxa. Anim. Conserv. 2016, 19, 444–450. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Eigenbrod, F.; Hecnar, S.J.; Fahrig, L. Quantifying the road-effect zone: Threshold effects of a motorway on anuran populations in Ontario, Canada. Ecol. Soc. 2009, 14, 24. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [Green Version]
- Ascensão, F.; Kindel, A.; Teixeira, F.Z.; Barrientos, R.; D′Amico, M.; Borda-de-Água, L.; Pereira, H.M. Beware that the lack of wildlife mortality records can mask a serious impact of linear infrastructures. Glob. Ecol. Conserv. 2019, 19, e00661. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Rytwinski, T.; Fahrig, L. Do species life history traits explain population responses to roads? A meta-analysis. Biol. Conserv. 2012, 147, 87–98. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Koç-Gür, H.; Bülbül, U.; Öztürk, İ.; Kutrup, B. High Mortality of Amphibians and Reptiles on Pazar-Hemşin Highway in Black Sea Region of Turkey. Benzer, S., Topuz, B., Eds.; Contemporary Studies in Natural Sciences; Akademisyen Publishing House Inc.: Ankara, Turkey, 2020. [Google Scholar]
- D′Amico, M.; Román, J.; de los Reyes, L.; Revilla, E. Vertebrate road-kill patterns in Mediterranean habitats: Who, when and where. Biol. Conserv. 2015, 191, 234–242. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Martínez-Freiría, F.; Brito, J.C. Quantification of road mortality for amphibians and reptiles in Hoces del Alto Ebro y Rudrón Natural Park in 2005. Basic Appl. Herpetol. 2012, 26, 33–42. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [Green Version]
- Mccardle, L.D.; Fontenot, C.L. The influence of thermal biology on road mortality risk in snakes. J. Therm. Biol. 2016, 56, 39–49. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Cordier, J.M.; Aguilar, R.; Lescano, J.N.; Leynaud, G.C.; Bonino, A.; Miloch, D.; Loyola, R.; Nori, J. A global assessment of amphibian and reptile responses to land-use changes. Biol. Conserv. 2021, 253, 108863. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Gibbs, J.P.; Shriver, W.G. Estimating the effects of road mortality on turtle populations. Conserv. Biol. 2002, 16, 1647–1652. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Anđelković, M.; Bogdanović, N. Amphibian and Reptile Road Mortality in Special Nature Reserve Obedska Bara, Serbia. Animals 2022, 12, 561. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Gunson, K.E.; Mountrakis, G.; Quackenbush, L.J. Spatial wildlife-vehicle collision models: A review of current work and its application to transportation mitigation projects. J. Environ. Manag. 2011, 92, 1074–1082. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Lester, D. Effective Wildlife Roadkill Mitigation. J. Traffic Transp. Eng. 2015, 3, 42–51. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [Green Version]
- Gonçalves, L.O.; Alvares, D.J.; Teixeira, F.Z.; Schuck, G.; Coelho, I.P.; Esperandio, I.B.; Anza, J.; Beduschi, J.; Bastazini, V.A.G.; Kindel, A. Reptile road-kills in Southern Brazil: Composition, hot moments and hotspots. Sci. Total Environ. 2018, 615, 1438–1445. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Pinowski, J. Roadkills of vertebrates in Venezuela. Rev. Bras. Zool. 2005, 22, 191–196. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Coelho, I.P.; Kindel, A.; Coelho, A.V.P. Roadkills of vertebrate species on two highways through the Atlantic Forest Biosphere Reserve, southern Brazil. Eur. J. Wildl. Res. 2008, 54, 689–699. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Chittaragi, J.B.; Hosetti, B.B. Road kill mortality of snakes (Squamata: Serpentes) in different land cover areas of Semi-Malnad region, Mid Western Ghats, Shimoga, India. Curr. Biot. 2014, 8, 57–65. [Google Scholar]
- Lala, F.; Chiyo, P.I.; Kanga, E.; Omondi, P.; Ngene, S.; Severud, W.J.; Morris, A.W.; Bump, J. Wildlife roadkill in the Tsavo Ecosystem, Kenya: Identifying hotspots, potential drivers, and affected species. Heliyon 2021, 7, e06364. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Wang, Y.; Yang, Y.; Han, Y.; Shi, G.; Zhang, L.; Wang, Z.; Cao, G.; Zhou, H.; Kong, Y.; Piao, Z.; et al. Temporal patterns and factors influencing vertebrate roadkill in China. Transp. Res. Interdiscip. Perspect. 2022, 15, 100662. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Tejera, G.; Rodríguez, B.; Armas, C.; Rodríguez, A. Wildlife-vehicle collisions in Lanzarote Biosphere Reserve, Canary Islands. PLoS ONE 2018, 13, e0192731. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [Green Version]
- García-Carrasco, J.M.; Tapia, W.; Muñoz, A.R. Roadkill of birds in galapagos islands: A growing need for solutions. Avian Conserv. Ecol. 2020, 15, 19. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Chen, T.-C.; Kuo, S.-C.; Lee, J.-D. Patterns in motorcycle-related roadkill on a resort island. Ocean Coast. Manag. 2021, 201, 105489. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Troumbis, A.Y.; Dimitrakopoulos, P.G. Geographic coincidence of diversity threatspots for three taxa and conservation planning in Greece. Biol. Conserv. 1998, 84, 1–6. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Myers, N.; Mittermeler, R.A.; Mittermeler, C.G.; Da Fonseca, G.A.B.; Kent, J. Biodiversity hotspots for conservation priorities. Nature 2000, 403, 853–858. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Kati, V.; Selva, N.; Sjögren-Gulve, P. Greek roadless policy: A model for Europe. Science 2022, 375, 984. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Lymberakis, P.; Pafilis, P.; Poulakakis, N.; Sotiropoulos, K.; Valakos, E.D. The amphibians and reptiles of the Aegean sea. In Biogeography and Biodiversity of the Aegean; Sfenthourakis, S., Pafilis, P., Parmakelis, A., Poulakakis, N., Triantis, K.A., Eds.; Broken Hill Publishers Ltd.: Nicosia, Cyprus, 2018; pp. 169–189. [Google Scholar]
- Temple, H.J.; Cox, N.A. European Red List of Amphibians; Office for Official Publications of the European Communities: Luxembourg, 2009; ISBN 978-92-79-11356-7. [Google Scholar]
- Psaralexi, M.; Lazarina, M.; Mertzanis, Y.; Michaelidou, D.E.; Sgardelis, S. Exploring 15 years of brown bear (Ursus arctos)-vehicle collisions in northwestern Greece. Nat. Conserv. 2022, 47, 105–119. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Dimitrakopoulos, P.G.; Koukoulas, S.; Michelaki, C.; Galanidis, A. Anthropogenic and environmental determinants of alien plant species spatial distribution on an island scale. Sci. Total Environ. 2022, 805, 150314. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Zevgolis, Y.G.; Kamatsos, E.; Akriotis, T.; Dimitrakopoulos, P.G.; Troumbis, A.Y. Estimating Productivity, Detecting Biotic Disturbances, and Assessing the Health State of Traditional Olive Groves, Using Nondestructive Phenotypic Techniques. Sustainability 2021, 14, 391. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Zevgolis, Y.G.; Sazeides, C.I.; Zannetos, S.P.; Grammenou, V.; Fyllas, N.M.; Akriotis, T.; Dimitrakopoulos, P.G.; Troumbis, A.Y. Investigating the effect of resin collection and detecting fungal infection in resin-tapped and non-tapped pine trees, using minimally invasive and non-invasive diagnostics. For. Ecol. Manag. 2022, 524, 120498. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Valakos, E.; Pafilis, P.; Lymberakis, P.; Maragou, P.; Sotiropoulos, K.; Foufopoulos, J. The Amphibians and Reptiles of Greece; Edition Chimaira: Frankfurt am Main, Germany, 2008; ISBN 9783899734614. [Google Scholar]
- Pafilis, P.; Maragou, P. Atlas of Amphibian and Reptiles of Greece; Broken Hill Publishers Ltd.: North Nicosia, Cyprus, 2020; ISBN 978-9925-588-03-9. [Google Scholar]
- Christopoulos, A.; Zevgolis, Y.G. A New Invasion of the Common Slider on a Mediterranean Island (Lesvos, Greece): A Potential Threat to Native Terrapin Populations? Diversity 2022, 14, 1018. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- HNMS. Climatic Data for Selected Stations in Greece, Hellenic National Meteorological Service Climatic Data for Selected Stations in Greece. Available online: http://www.emy.gr/emy/en/climatology/climatology_month (accessed on 31 October 2022).
- Kosmas, C.; Danalatos, N.G.; Gerontidis, S. The effect of land parameters on vegetation performance and degree of erosion under Mediterranean conditions. Catena 2000, 40, 3–17. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Shine, R.; Lemaster, M.; Wall, M.; Langkilde, T.; Mason, R. Why did the snake cross the road? Effects of roads on movement and location of mates by garter snakes (Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis). Ecol. Soc. 2004, 9, 9. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Gastineau, A.; Robert, A.; Sarrazin, F.; Mihoub, J.B.; Quenette, P.Y. Spatiotemporal depredation hotspots of brown bears, Ursus arctos, on livestock in the Pyrenees, France. Biol. Conserv. 2019, 238, 108210. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Shilling, F.M.; Waetjen, D.P. Wildlife-vehicle collision hotspots at US highway extents: Scale and data source effects. Nat. Conserv. 2015, 11, 41–60. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [Green Version]
- Eslinger, R.; Morgan, J.D. Spatial Cluster Analysis of High-Density Vehicle–Bear Collisions and Bridge Locations. Pap. Appl. Geogr. 2017, 3, 171–181. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Mesquitela, J.; Elvas, L.B.; Ferreira, J.C.; Nunes, L. Data Analytics Process over Road Accidents Data—A Case Study of Lisbon City. ISPRS Int. J. Geo-Inf. 2022, 11, 143. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Hu, Y.; Wang, F.; Guin, C.; Zhu, H. A spatio-temporal kernel density estimation framework for predictive crime hotspot mapping and evaluation. Appl. Geogr. 2018, 99, 89–97. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Getis, A.; Ord, J.K. The Analysis of Spatial Association by Use of Distance Statistics. Geogr. Anal. 1992, 24, 189–206. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Meza-Joya, F.L.; Ramos, E.; Cardona, D. Spatio-temporal patterns of mammal road mortality in middle magdalena valley, Colombia. Oecologia Aust. 2019, 23, 575–588. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Doherty, T.S.; Dickman, C.R.; Nimmo, D.G.; Ritchie, E.G. Multiple threats, or multiplying the threats? Interactions between invasive predators and other ecological disturbances. Biol. Conserv. 2015, 190, 60–68. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Doherty, T.S.; Glen, A.S.; Nimmo, D.G.; Ritchie, E.G.; Dickman, C.R. Invasive predators and global biodiversity loss. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 2016, 113, 11261–11265. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [Green Version]
- Zevgolis, Y.G.; Christopoulos, A.; Kalargalis, I.I.; Zannetos, S.P.; Botetzagias, I.; Dimitrakopoulos, P.G. An (Un)Expected Threat for a Regionally Near-Threatened Species: A Predation Case of a Persian Squirrel on an Insular Ecosystem. Animals 2023, 13, 24. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Towns, D.R.; Daugherty, C.H. Patterns of range contractions and extinctions in the New Zealand herpetofauna following human colonisation. N. Zeal. J. Zool. 1994, 21, 325–339. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [Green Version]
- Frankham, R. Do island populations have less genetic variation than mainland populations? Heredity 1997, 78, 311–327. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [Green Version]
- Hurston, H.; Voith, L.; Bonanno, J.; Foufopoulos, J.; Pafilis, P.; Valakos, E.; Anthony, N. Effects of fragmentation on genetic diversity in island populations of the Aegean wall lizard Podarcis erhardii (Lacertidae, Reptilia). Mol. Phylogenet. Evol. 2009, 52, 395–405. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Delgado García, J.D.; Arévalo, J.R.; Fernández-Palacios, J.M. Road edge effect on the abundance of the lizard Gallotia galloti (Sauria: Lacertidae) in two Canary Islands forests. Biodivers. Conserv. 2007, 16, 2949–2963. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Pafilis, P.; Foufopoulos, J.; Sagonas, K.; Runemark, A.; Svensson, E.; Valakos, E.D. Reproductive biology of insular reptiles: Marine subsidies modulate expression of the Island syndrome. Copeia 2011, 2011, 545–552. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Novosolov, M.; Raia, P.; Meiri, S. The island syndrome in lizards. Glob. Ecol. Biogeogr. 2013, 22, 184–191. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Whittaker, R.J.; Fernández-Palacios, J.M.; Matthews, T.J.; Borregaard, M.K.; Triantis, K.A. Island biogeography: Taking the long view of natures labor atories. Science 2017, 357, eaam8326. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed] [Green Version]
- Siliceo, I.; Díaz, J.A. A comparative study of clutch size, range size, and the conservation status of island vs. mainland lacertid lizards. Biol. Conserv. 2010, 143, 2601–2608. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Kier, G.; Kreft, H.; Tien, M.L.; Jetz, W.; Ibisch, P.L.; Nowicki, C.; Mutke, J.; Barthlott, W. A global assessment of endemism and species richness across island and mainland regions. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 2009, 106, 9322–9327. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [Green Version]
- Zannetos, S.P.; Zevgolis, Y.G.; Christopoulos, A.; Akriotis, T. Preliminary results of the Lesvos Wildlife Roadkill Monitoring Scheme: Implications for mammal conservation. In Proceedings of the 14th International Congress on the Zoogeography and Ecology of Greece and Adjacent Regions (ICZEGAR), Thessaloniki, Greece, 27–30 June 2019; p. 178. [Google Scholar]
- Kouris, A.; Zevgolis, Y.G.; Zannetos, S.P.; Akriotis, T. Analysis of terrestrial vertebrate roadkill mortality on main roads on the island of Lesvos. In Proceedings of the 10th Panhellenic Conference on Ecology: Ecology and the Conservation of Nature: Advances and Retreats in an Age of Crisis, Ioannina, Greece, 14–17 October 2021; p. 183. [Google Scholar]
- Christopoulos, A.; Kouris, A.; Zevgolis, Y.G. Investigation of reptiles and amphibians road mortality on the island of Lesvos. In Proceedings of the 10th Panhellenic Conference on Ecology: Ecology and the Conservation of Nature: Advances and Retreats in an Age of Crisis, Ioannina, Greece, 14–17 October 2021; p. 247. [Google Scholar]
- Teixeira, F.Z.; Coelho, A.V.P.; Esperandio, I.B.; Kindel, A. Vertebrate road mortality estimates: Effects of sampling methods and carcass removal. Biol. Conserv. 2013, 157, 317–323. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Santos, S.M.; Marques, J.T.; Lourenço, A.; Medinas, D.; Barbosa, A.M.; Beja, P.; Mira, A. Sampling effects on the identification of roadkill hotspots: Implications for survey design. J. Environ. Manag. 2015, 162, 87–95. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [Green Version]
- Puky, M. Amphibian road kills: A global perspective. In Proceedings of the 2005 International Conference on Ecology and Transportation, Raleigh, North Carolina, 29 August–2 September 2005; Irwin, C.L., Garrett, P., McDermott, K.P., Eds.; Center of Transportation and the Environment: Atlanta, NC, USA; pp. 325–328. [Google Scholar]
- Fahrig, L.; Rytwinski, T. Effects of roads on animal abundance: An empirical review and synthesis. Ecol. Soc. 2009, 14, 21. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [Green Version]
- Garriga, N.; Franch, M.; Santos, X.; Montori, A.; Llorente, G.A. Seasonal variation in vertebrate traffic casualties and its implications for mitigation measures. Landsc. Urban Plan. 2017, 157, 36–44. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Tove, H.; Eric, B. The effects of road kills on amphibian populations. Biol. Conserv. 2001, 99, 331–340. [Google Scholar]
- Bulbul, U.; Koc-Gur, H. Road Kills of Bufotes viridis (Laurenti, 1768): A Case Study from Konya Province of Turkey. J. Zool. Res. 2022, 4, 21. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Andrews, K.M.; Gibbons, J.W. How do highways influence snake movement? Behavioral responses to roads and vehicles. Copeia 2005, 2005, 772–782. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [Green Version]
- Quintero-Ángel, A.; Osorio-Dominguez, D.; Vargas-Salinas, F.; Saavedra-Rodríguez, C.A. Roadkill rate of snakes in a disturbed landscape of Central Andes of Colombia. Herpetol. Notes 2012, 5, 99–105. [Google Scholar]
- Meek, R. Crossings and Mortalities in a Fragmented Landscape in Western. Herpetol. J. 2015, 25, 15–19. [Google Scholar]
- Shepard, D.B.; Kuhns, A.R.; Dreslik, M.J.; Phillips, C.A. Roads as barriers to animal movement in fragmented landscapes. Anim. Conserv. 2008, 11, 288–296. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Carvalho, F.; Mira, A. Comparing annual vertebrate road kills over two time periods, 9 years apart: A case study in Mediterranean farmland. Eur. J. Wildl. Res. 2011, 57, 157–174. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Gunderson, A.R.; Leal, M. A conceptual framework for understanding thermal constraints on ectotherm activity with implications for predicting responses to global change. Ecol. Lett. 2016, 19, 111–120. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Adolph, S.C.; Porter, W.P. Temperature, Activity, and Lizard Life Histories. Am. Nat. 1993, 142, 273–295. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed] [Green Version]
- Hamer, A.J.; Langton, T.E.S.; Lesbarrères, D. Making a Safe Leap Forward: Mitigating Road Impacts on Amphibians. In Handbook of Road Ecology; van der Ree, R., Smith, D.J., Grilo, C., Eds.; John Wiley & Sons: Chichester, UK, 2015; pp. 261–270. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Filius, J.; van der Hoek, Y.; Jarrín-V, P.; van Hooft, P. Wildlife roadkill patterns in a fragmented landscape of the Western Amazon. Ecol. Evol. 2020, 10, 6623–6635. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Hamdar, S.H.; Qin, L.; Talebpour, A. Weather and road geometry impact on longitudinal driving behavior: Exploratory analysis using an empirically supported acceleration modeling framework. Transp. Res. Part C Emerg. Technol. 2016, 67, 193–213. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [Green Version]
- Jamson, S.L.; Benetou, D.; Tate, F. The impact of arc visibility on curve negotiation Samantha. Adv. Transp. Stud. 2015, 37, 79–92. [Google Scholar]
- Snow, N.P.; Andelt, W.F.; Gould, N.P. Characteristics of road-kill locations of San Clemente Island foxes. Wildl. Soc. Bull. 2011, 35, 32–39. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [Green Version]
- Aquino, A.G.H.E.O.; Nkomo, S.L. Spatio-temporal patterns and consequences of road kills: A review. Animals 2021, 11, 799. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Chen, Y.-C. A tutorial on kernel density estimation and recent advances. Biostat. Epidemiol. 2017, 1, 161–187. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Medinas, D.; Marques, J.T.; Costa, P.; Santos, S.; Rebelo, H.; Barbosa, A.M.; Mira, A. Spatiotemporal persistence of bat roadkill hotspots in response to dynamics of habitat suitability and activity patterns. J. Environ. Manag. 2021, 277, 111412. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Sussman, A.L.; Gardner, B.; Adams, E.M.; Salas, L.; Kenow, K.P.; Luukkonen, D.R.; Monfils, M.J.; Mueller, W.P.; Williams, K.A.; Leduc-Lapierre, M.; et al. A comparative analysis of common methods to identify waterbird hotspots. Methods Ecol. Evol. 2019, 10, 1454–1468. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Langen, T.A.; Ogden, K.M.; Schwarting, L.L. Predicting Hot Spots of Herpetofauna Road Mortality Along Highway Networks. J. Wildl. Manag. 2009, 73, 104–114. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Telenchev, I.; Mladenov, V.; Georgieva, R.; Redl, E. Data of herpetofauna-vehicle collisions in the region of Burgas city, SE Bulgaria. In 55-th Scientific Conference of Ruse University, Reports Awarded with “Best Paper” Crystal Prise; 2017; pp. 128–132, unpublished work. [Google Scholar]
- Hobday, A.J.; Minstrell, M.L. Distribution and abundance of roadkill on Tasmanian highways: Human management options. Wildl. Res. 2008, 35, 712–726. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Bueno, C.; Sousa, C.O.M.; Freitas, S.R. Habitat or matrix: Which is more relevant to predict road-kill of vertebrates? Braz. J. Biol. 2015, 75, 228–238. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [Green Version]
- McRae, B.H.; Hall, S.A.; Beier, P.; Theobald, D.M. Where to Restore Ecological Connectivity? Detecting Barriers and Quantifying Restoration Benefits. PLoS ONE 2012, 7, e52604. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Bíl, M.; Heigl, F.; Janoška, Z.; Vercayie, D.; Perkins, S.E. Benefits and challenges of collaborating with volunteers: Examples from National Wildlife Roadkill Reporting Systems in Europe. J. Nat. Conserv. 2020, 54, 125798. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Rytwinski, T.; Soanes, K.; Jaeger, J.A.; Fahrig, L.; Findlay, C.S.; Houlahan, J.; van der Ree, R.; van der Grift, E.A. How effective is road mitigation at reducing road-kill? A meta-analysis. PLoS ONE 2016, 11, e0166941. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed] [Green Version]
Species | Common Name | Roadkills (n) | RMI | 92/43/EEC | IUCN |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
AMPHIBIA | 130 | ||||
Anura | |||||
Bufonidae | |||||
Bufotes viridis | Green Toad | 115 | 0.348 | IV | LC |
Hylidae | |||||
Hyla orientalis | Eastern tree frog | 2 | 0.006 | ||
Ranidae | |||||
Pelophylax bedriagae | Levant water frog | 10 | 0.030 | V | LC |
Pelobatidae | |||||
Pelobates syriacus | Eastern spadefoot | 3 | 0.009 | IV | LC |
REPTILIA | 200 | ||||
Testudines | |||||
Emydidae | |||||
Emys obricularis | European pond terrapin | 1 | 0.003 | II, IV | NT |
Geoemydidae | |||||
Mauremys rivulata | Western Caspian terrapin | 4 | 0.012 | II, IV | LC |
Testudinidae | |||||
Testudo graeca | Greek tortoise | 2 | 0.006 | ΙI, IV | VU |
Squamata | |||||
Agamidae | |||||
Laudakia stellio | Roughtail rock agama | 3 | 0.009 | IV | LC |
Gekkonidae | |||||
Hemidactylus turcicus | Mediterranean house gecko | 2 | 0.006 | LC | |
Lacertidae | |||||
Lacerta diplochondrodes | Rhodos green lizard | 40 | 0.121 | IV | LC |
Ophisops elegans | Snake-eyed lizard | 31 | 0.093 | IV | LC |
Anguidae | |||||
Pseudopus apodus | European glass lizard | 54 | 0.163 | IV | LC |
Colubridae | |||||
Dolichophis caspius | Caspian whipsnake | 27 | 0.081 | IV | LC |
Telescopus fallax | European cat snake | 3 | 0.009 | IV | LC |
Platyceps najadum | Dahl’s whipsnake | 2 | 0.006 | IV | LC |
Eirenis modestus | Ringheaded dwarf snake | 2 | 0.006 | IV | LC |
Zamenis situla | European ratsnake | 1 | 0.003 | II, IV | LC |
Natrix natrix | Grass snake | 15 | 0.045 | LC | |
Psammophiidae | |||||
Malpolon insignitus | Eastern Montpellier snake | 8 | 0.024 | LC | |
Viperidae | |||||
Montivipera xanthina | Ottoman viper | 5 | 0.015 | IV | LC |
Total road mortalities | 330 |
Predictor | Model Log Likelihood | Change in −2 Log Likelihood | df | p-Value |
---|---|---|---|---|
Month | −215.29 | 179.66 | 11 | 0.001 |
Roadside habitats | −134.71 | 18.49 | 5 | 0.002 |
Vehicular density | −136.10 | 21.27 | 2 | 0.001 |
Vehicle speed | −129.79 | 8.663 | 3 | 0.034 |
Road width | −131.18 | 11.44 | 1 | 0.001 |
Disclaimer/Publisher’s Note: The statements, opinions and data contained in all publications are solely those of the individual author(s) and contributor(s) and not of MDPI and/or the editor(s). MDPI and/or the editor(s) disclaim responsibility for any injury to people or property resulting from any ideas, methods, instructions or products referred to in the content. |
© 2023 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Share and Cite
Zevgolis, Y.G.; Kouris, A.; Christopoulos, A. Spatiotemporal Patterns and Road Mortality Hotspots of Herpetofauna on a Mediterranean Island. Diversity 2023, 15, 478. https://doi.org/10.3390/d15040478
Zevgolis YG, Kouris A, Christopoulos A. Spatiotemporal Patterns and Road Mortality Hotspots of Herpetofauna on a Mediterranean Island. Diversity. 2023; 15(4):478. https://doi.org/10.3390/d15040478
Chicago/Turabian StyleZevgolis, Yiannis G., Alexandros Kouris, and Apostolos Christopoulos. 2023. "Spatiotemporal Patterns and Road Mortality Hotspots of Herpetofauna on a Mediterranean Island" Diversity 15, no. 4: 478. https://doi.org/10.3390/d15040478