Spatial and Temporal Dynamics of Wildlife Use of a Human-Dominated Landscape

摘要: Author(s): Hojnowski, Cheryl Ellen | Advisor(s): Brashares, Justin S Abstract: In many of the world’s natural areas, humans now play, work, or live alongside large-bodied species wildlife including ungulates, meso-carnivores, and even apex predators. The behavioral adjustments these to human activities have implications for individual fitness, population persistence, community structure, as well safety. Theory suggests that in human-dominated landscapes should modify their habitat use avoid interactions with people, but such avoidance may occur only response fine-scale spatial temporal variation activity. Yet studies impacts disturbance on rarely quantify dynamics use. this dissertation, I seek link behavior more directly type, timing, intensity, distribution activity, thereby informing efforts preserve relatively undisturbed spaces large mammals ecosystems regularly used by people. first consider spatiotemporal landscape grizzly bears (Ursos arctos) areas high recreation Kananaskis Country, Alberta, Canada. For each day active bear season, quantified numbers people vehicles using all trails, roads, facilities located within home ranges GPS-collared bears. estimated at GPS positions a function both distance human-use features average daily those features. Analyses revealed when were habitats adjacent infrastructure, they modified daily, weekly, seasonal fluctuations avoiding times places highest recreation. Bears responded patterns spatially temporally consistent, highlighting need predictable study area. This research demonstrates value quantifying activity focusing overlap between elucidate wild animals landscapes. Further, evaluate effect incorporating estimates intensity predictive accuracy resource selection models developed Models included static proxies compared against recreationists ranges. When close proximity facilities, top rigorously use, indicating was significantly influenced My results suggest is high, representations be less effective describing behavior.Last, expand my focus multiple species. Spatiotemporal occurrence mammals, recreationists, domestic dogs assessed camera traps deployed critical bordering town Canmore, Alberta. Recreation categorized type user, over twenty-month period. Coyotes (Canis latrans) demonstrated clearest shifts hikers off-leash displaced several Results also suggested most past rather than current levels findings underscore importance scale impact indicate can measurable effects diel mammals. presented dissertation adds growing body literature responses general outdoor particular. Human increasing ecosystems, work timely new approaches measuring its where presence widespread.