Submit to Special Issue Submit Abstract to Special Issue Review for Diversity Edit a Special Issue

Journal Menu

Journal Browser

Special Issue "Wildlife Population Ecology and Spatial Ecology under Global Change"

Print Special Issue Flyer
Special Issue Editors
Special Issue Information
Keywords
Published Papers

A special issue of Diversity (ISSN 1424-2818). This special issue belongs to the section "Biodiversity Loss & Dynamics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 April 2023 | Viewed by 10323

Share This Special Issue

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Guiming Wang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Aquaculture, Mississippi State University, Mississippi, MS 39762, USA
Interests: avian migration; machine learning; spatiotemporal dynamics in ecology; wildlife population ecology

Dr. Fred L. Cunningham

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

National Wildlife Research Center, Mississippi Field Station, Mississippi State University, Mississippi, MS 39762, USA
Interests: avian predation; catfish, natural fisheries; wildlife diseases; disease transmission; avian migration; feral swine impacts; feral swine disease

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Global changes in climate and land use and land cover due to anthropogenic disturbances have imposed profound impacts on the spatial distribution and population dynamics of wildlife. Understanding wildlife population ecology and spatial ecology across spatial scales can provide insights into the science-based management and conservation of wildlife under the influence of global changes. This Special Issue aims to document both empirical and theoretical studies on the effects of global warming, habit losses, and zoonotic disease epidemiology on the demography, habitat use, geographic range, migration, dispersal, and population dynamics of birds, mammals, amphibians, and reptiles at various spatial scales, from home ranges to geographic ranges. We are inviting papers approaching these issues from both traditional (e.g., experimental or monitoring studies) and inter-disciplinary perspectives (e.g., integrative studies of demography, population genetics, space use, movement, and behavior).

Prof. Dr. Guiming Wang
Dr. Fred L. Cunningham
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Diversity is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2000 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

demography
geographic range
habitat selection
movement
population dynamics
wildlife disease
epidemiology
aquaculture
avian predation
wildlife disease transmission
feral swine impacts
feral swine zoonotic diseases

Published Papers (10 papers)

Download All Papers

Research

Jump to: Review

Open AccessArticle

Navigating Storms: Examining Vultures’ Behavior in Response to Extreme Weather Events

Adrián Naveda-Rodríguez

and

Scott A. Rush

Diversity 2023, 15(3), 441; https://doi.org/10.3390/d15030441 - 16 Mar 2023

Viewed by 467

Abstract

Extreme weather events such as hurricanes and tornadoes have been found to change the spatial and temporal abundance of raptors by decreasing survival and forcing the emigration of individuals, or by increasing habitat heterogeneity and facilitating recolonization of disturbed areas. Nonetheless, little is known about how extreme weather events could affect raptors’ movements and their space use in areas disturbed by large-scale weather events. We studied how extreme weather affected the movements of black and turkey vultures (Coragyps atratus and Cathartes aura, respectively) in Mississippi, USA, facing Hurricane Zeta in November 2020, winter storm Viola in February 2021, and tornados MS-43 and MS-44 in May 2021. We GPS-tracked 28 vultures in the paths of these events. We compared movement rates, net-squared displacements, and use of forest cover, before, during, and after the events. Since storm avoidance behavior has been observed in other birds, we expected that vultures would shift their movements out of the path of these events before storms hit. Further, we forecasted that vultures would make greater use of forested areas as protection against harsh conditions such as strong winds and heavy rain. Vultures responded differently to each weather event; they shifted their movements out of the predicted path of the hurricane and tornadoes but not the snowstorm. These findings reveal that both species use avoidance behavior and adjust their navigation and hazard detection accordingly. Avoidance behavior was more pronounced in turkey vultures than in black vultures. In general, vultures did not make greater use of forest areas as we expected, but turkey vultures did select forest areas during the snowstorm. We propose that olfaction and audition may be key in vultures’ response to extreme weather events. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wildlife Population Ecology and Spatial Ecology under Global Change)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

Open AccessArticle

Migratory Movements and Home Ranges of Geographically Distinct Wintering Populations of a Soaring Bird

Bronson K. Strickland

Marsha A. Sovada

Guiming Wang

and

Fred L. Cunningham

Diversity 2022, 14(12), 1109; https://doi.org/10.3390/d14121109 - 13 Dec 2022

Viewed by 545

Abstract

Migratory soaring birds exhibit spatiotemporal variation in their circannual movements. Nevertheless, it remains uncertain how different winter environments affect the circannual movement patterns of migratory soaring birds. Here, we investigated annual movement strategies of American white pelicans Pelecanus erythrorhynchos (hereafter, pelican) from two geographically distinct wintering grounds in the Southern and Northern Gulf of Mexico (GOM). We hypothesized that hourly movement distance and home range size of a soaring bird would differ between different geographic regions because of different thermals and wind conditions and resource availability. We calculated average and maximum hourly movement distances and seasonal home ranges of GPS-tracking pelicans. We then evaluated the effects of hour of the day, seasons, two wintering regions in the Southern and Northern GOM, human footprint index, and relative pelican abundance from Christmas Bird Count data on pelican hourly movement distances and seasonal home ranges using linear mixed models and generalized linear mixed models. American white pelicans moved at greatest hourly distance near 1200 h at breeding grounds and during spring and autumn migrations. Both wintering populations in the Northern and Southern GOM exhibited similar hourly movement distances and seasonal home ranges at the shared breeding grounds and during spring and autumn migrations. However, pelicans wintering in the Southern GOM showed shorter hourly movement distances and smaller seasonal home ranges than those in the Northern GOM. Hourly movement distances and home ranges of pelicans increased with increasing human footprint index. Winter hourly movements and home ranges of pelicans differed between the Northern and Southern GOM; however, the winter difference in pelican movements did not carry over to the shared breeding grounds during summers. Therefore, exogenous factors may be the primary drivers to shape the flying patterns of migratory soaring birds. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wildlife Population Ecology and Spatial Ecology under Global Change)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

Open AccessArticle

Dispersal and Space Use of Captive-Reared and Wild-Rehabilitated Harpy Eagles Released in Central American Landscapes: Implications for Reintroduction and Reinforcement Management

Adrián Naveda-Rodríguez

Edwin Campbell-Thompson

Richard T. Watson

Jennifer McCabe

and

Félix Hernán Vargas

Diversity 2022, 14(10), 886; https://doi.org/10.3390/d14100886 - 20 Oct 2022

Viewed by 1099

Abstract

Understanding the spatial context of animal movements is fundamental for the establishment and management of protected areas. We tracked, by telemetry devices, 31 captive-reared and 5 wild-rehabilitated Harpia harpyja and estimated the dispersal and space use after release in Mesoamerica. We evaluated the effectiveness of protected areas in the protection of home ranges and examined how individual traits, release methods and landscape features influenced the dispersal and home range using mixed-effects models. The mean post-release dispersal was 29.4 km (95% CI: 22.5–38.5), and the annual home ranges averaged 1039.5 km² (95% CI: 627–1941). The home ranges were influenced by the release method, patch richness, patch and edge density and contagion. The currently protected areas in Mesoamerica may not be effective conservation units for this species. The Harpy Eagle average home range greatly exceeded the average size of 1115 terrestrial protected areas (52.7 ± 6.1 km²) in Mesoamerica. Due to their wide use of space, including transboundary space, Harpy Eagle conservation efforts may fail if they are not carefully coordinated between the countries involved. Future restoration efforts of umbrella forest-dwelling raptors should select release sites with highly aggregated and poorly interspersed forests. The release sites should have a buffer of approximately 30 km and should be located completely within protected areas. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wildlife Population Ecology and Spatial Ecology under Global Change)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

Open AccessArticle

Seasonal Habitat Selection by American White Pelicans

Frederick L. Cunningham

Guiming Wang

and

D. Tommy King

Diversity 2022, 14(10), 821; https://doi.org/10.3390/d14100821 - 30 Sep 2022

Viewed by 677

Abstract

Resource utilization strategies of avian migrants are a major concern for conservation and management. Understanding seasonal habitat selection by migratory birds helps us explain the ongoing continental declines of migratory bird populations. Our objective was to compare the second-order and third-order habitat selection by the American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos; hereafter pelican) between the breeding and non-breeding grounds. We tested the Lack hypothesis that habitat selection by migratory birds is stronger on the breeding grounds than on the non-breeding grounds. We used random-effect Dirichlet-multinomial models to estimate the second-order habitat selection between the seasons with the GPS locations of 32 tracked pelicans. We used Gaussian Markov random field models to estimate the third-order habitat selection by pelicans at the breeding and non-breeding grounds, accounting for spatial autocorrelation. Pelicans strongly selected waterbodies and wetlands at both non-breeding and breeding grounds, tracking their foraging habitats between the seasons at the home range level. However, pelicans exhibited seasonal differences in the strength of the third-order selection of wetlands and waterbodies with foraging habitat selection being stronger at the breeding grounds than at the non-breeding grounds, supporting the Lack hypothesis. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wildlife Population Ecology and Spatial Ecology under Global Change)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

Open AccessArticle

Genetic Diversity and Relatedness of Group-Living Small Mammals on the Mongolian Plateau

and

Diversity 2022, 14(9), 732; https://doi.org/10.3390/d14090732 - 06 Sep 2022

Viewed by 732

Abstract

Genetic diversity plays an important role in the evolution and adaptation of organisms. Losses of genetic diversity make organisms more vulnerable to climate changes and diseases, reducing the viability of small populations. In addition to natural selection, genetic drift, dispersal, inbreeding, and population bottleneck, the social systems of animals may also affect the genetic diversity of populations. We aimed to test the hypothesis that the delayed dispersal of group-living small mammals would reduce genetic diversity through attenuated gene flow but enhance genetic relatedness. We used microsatellite analysis to estimate genetic diversity and the Queller and Goodnight relatedness coefficients of Daurian pikas (Ochotona dauurica) and Mongolian gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus), two socially monogamous small mammals living in social groups in Inner Mongolia, China. The average genetic relatedness of social groups was inversely related to the average genetic diversity of social groups in Daurian pikas but not in Mongolian gerbils, partially supporting our hypothesis. Dispersal following frequent local extinctions resulted in the recolonization of burrow systems by individuals with different genetic makeups, increasing genetic diversity and reducing the genetic relatedness of the social groups of Daurian pikas. On the other hand, delayed short-distance dispersal was sufficient to maintain the high genetic diversity and high genetic relatedness of gerbil social groups independently. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wildlife Population Ecology and Spatial Ecology under Global Change)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

Open AccessArticle

Population Dynamics of Wild Mongolian Gerbils: Quadratic Temperature Effects on Survival and Density-Dependent Effects on Recruitment

Wei Liu

and

Ke Deng

Diversity 2022, 14(8), 586; https://doi.org/10.3390/d14080586 - 22 Jul 2022

Viewed by 671

Abstract

It has been hypothesized that animal populations respond nonlinearly to the environment, and such responses are important to understand the effects of climate change population dynamics of small mammals in arid environments at northern latitudes. The aim of this study was to test the following hypotheses: (1) that small rodent populations increase as their semiarid habitat conditions improve from low to intermediate levels of temperature or precipitation, and decline beyond the optimum climate because of decreased survival, and (2) that increased population density would result in stronger negative effects on recruitment than on survival. A wild population of Mongolian gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus), a granivorous rodent distributed in Inner Mongolia, China, was live-trapped half-monthly between April and October from 2014 to 2017 and the effects of climate and density on their apparent survival probabilities and recruitment rates were estimated using mark-recapture methods. Increased temperatures initially had a positive effect on population growth rates, and then had negative effects on population growth rates primarily, which was mediated by quadratic effects on survival probabilities, further supporting the optimum habitat hypothesis. Moreover, the increases in temperature had a positive effect on the recruitment of gerbils, whereas population density had a more markedly negative effect on recruitment than on survival. The results of this study suggested that the density-dependent feedback to recruitment may be a primary regulatory mechanism of small mammal populations, and the complex responses of populations to temperature, which is a limiting ecological factor, may raise concerns for the fate of populations of small mammals at northern latitudes, in view of the predicted global climate change scenarios. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wildlife Population Ecology and Spatial Ecology under Global Change)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

Open AccessArticle

Large- and Small-Scale Climate Influences Spring Migration Departure Probability of American White Pelicans

D. Tommy King

Guiming Wang

and

Frederick L. Cunningham

Diversity 2022, 14(6), 500; https://doi.org/10.3390/d14060500 - 20 Jun 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 952

Abstract

Endogenous (e.g., age and sex) and exogenous (e.g., climate and resource availability) factors influence avian migration phenology. However, little is known regarding the migration ecology of birds at the non-breeding grounds, including the American white pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos). We used Global Positioning System transmitters to track the movements and migration of 51 pelicans from 2002 to 2012. We used the Kaplan–Meier model to estimate pelican spring migration probabilities to quantify partial migration with 94 spring migration events and used the Cox proportional hazards model to evaluate the effects of the North Atlantic Oscillation index (NAOI), Southern Oscillation Index (SOI), and spring daily precipitation on the propensity of pelican spring migration departures. Increases in the NAOI and SOI enhanced the propensity of pelican spring departure. The propensity of spring departure was also positively related to daily precipitation. Male pelicans have greater spring migration probabilities than female pelicans. Spring migration departure probabilities of adult pelicans are greater than those of immature pelicans. Therefore, both large-scale and local climatic conditions affect pelican spring departure probabilities. Advanced migratory phenology of pelicans caused by climate changes with warming temperature and increased precipitation may result in the mismatch of pelican spring arrival with food resource availability of breeding grounds and subsequent pelican population declines. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wildlife Population Ecology and Spatial Ecology under Global Change)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

Open AccessCommunication

Interannual Winter Site Fidelity for Yellow and Black Rails

Christopher J. Butler

and

Diversity 2022, 14(5), 357; https://doi.org/10.3390/d14050357 - 01 May 2022

Viewed by 1244

Abstract

Yellow Rail (Coturnicops noveboracensis) is a species of conservation concern, while the Eastern Black Rail (Laterallus jamaicensis jamaicensis) has recently been listed as Threatened. Both species winter primarily in coastal areas from Texas through North Carolina. Between-year winter site fidelities of these species have not previously been reported, so we analyzed the recapture histories of Yellow Rails banded in southeastern Oklahoma (from 2008 to 2018) and coastal Texas (from 2006 to 2018), as well as Black Rails banded in Texas from 2006 to 2018. We banded 111 Yellow Rails in Oklahoma and 421 Yellow Rails in Texas during this time, as well as 94 Black Rails in Texas. Although Yellow Rails were routinely recaptured within season, only five individuals were recaptured between years. All recaptured birds were in Texas. Black Rails likewise exhibited low interannual site fidelity, with no interannual recaptures. The apparent low interannual site fidelity of Yellow Rails (1.1% in Texas, 0% in Oklahoma) and Black Rails (0%) is similar to that reported for other grassland species wintering in grasslands in this area (e.g., LeConte’s Sparrow (Ammodramus leconteii), Henslow’s Sparrow (A. henslowii), and Sedge Wren (Cistothorus stellaris)), and we speculate that low site fidelity could potentially be advantageous for species that use early successional habitats. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wildlife Population Ecology and Spatial Ecology under Global Change)

Open AccessArticle

The Destiny of Living Animals Imported into Chinese Zoos

and

Diversity 2022, 14(5), 335; https://doi.org/10.3390/d14050335 - 25 Apr 2022

Viewed by 1435

Abstract

Ex situ conservation is one of the major ways to strengthen biodiversity conservation. In China, ex situ conservation institutions mainly include zoos, aquariums, and breeding centers. In 1996, China began to import living animals duty-free for conservation purposes. Here, we built a dataset of nearly 300 vertebrate species (mammals, birds, fish and reptiles) imported into China over this past 20 years by interviewing all 123 institutions importing animals duty-free during 1996–2015. We then analyzed the annual variation of the species composition and individual numbers of these imported species, and quantified the relative population growth rate of each imported species for the first time. We found that the number of living animals imported into China decreased significantly year by year. The number of imported bird species and reptile individuals decreased the most, but the population growth rate was increasing for about half of the imported threatened species. We recommend that conservation institutions should enhance communication and promote cooperative breeding among them. Scientific research and sustainability assessments of threatened species should also be enhanced, which will allocate trade licenses and quotas more effectively. We hope that the data presented in this paper will contribute to the development of conservation policies, leading to stronger management of these imported species in China. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wildlife Population Ecology and Spatial Ecology under Global Change)

► Show Figures

Graphical abstract

Review

Jump to: Research

Open AccessReview

Bird Communities in a Changing World: The Role of Interspecific Competition

Alban Guillaumet

and

Ivory Jordan Russell

Diversity 2022, 14(10), 857; https://doi.org/10.3390/d14100857 - 11 Oct 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1447

Abstract

Significant changes in the environment have the potential to affect bird species abundance and distribution, both directly, through a modification of the landscape, habitats, and climate, and indirectly, through a modification of biotic interactions such as competitive interactions. Predicting and mitigating the consequences of global change thus requires not only a sound understanding of the role played by biotic interactions in current ecosystems, but also the recognition and study of the complex and intricate effects that result from the perturbation of these ecosystems. In this review, we emphasize the role of interspecific competition in bird communities by focusing on three main predictions derived from theoretical and empirical considerations. We provide numerous examples of population decline and displacement that appeared to be, at least in part, driven by competition, and were amplified by environmental changes associated with human activities. Beyond a shift in relative species abundance, we show that interspecific competition may have a negative impact on species richness, ecosystem services, and endangered species. Despite these findings, we argue that, in general, the role played by interspecific competition in current communities remains poorly understood due to methodological issues and the complexity of natural communities. Predicting the consequences of global change in these communities is further complicated by uncertainty regarding future environmental conditions and the speed and efficacy of plastic and evolutionary responses to fast-changing environments. Possible directions of future research are highlighted. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wildlife Population Ecology and Spatial Ecology under Global Change)

► Show Figures