Path Tortuosity and the Permeability of Roads and Trails to Wolf Movement

摘要: Few studies have examined the effects of human development on fine-scale movement behavior, yet understanding animal through increasingly human-dominated landscapes is essential for persistence many wild populations, especially wary species. In mountainous areas, roads and trails may be particularly deserving study because they are concentrated in valley bottoms where can impede both across between valleys. this study, we tracked wolf (Canis lupus) snow two winters Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada to examine how wolves navigate or around human-use features. We quantified topography tortuosity paths then tested permeability roads, trails, a railway line by comparing frequency with which actual null model random crossed these Wolf path increased near high-use within areas high-trail road density, predation sites, rugged terrain. Wolves all 9.7% less often than expected, but avoided crossing more low-use trails. Surprisingly, affected behavior equally, if not more, roads. These results suggest that although were absolute barriers movement, altered movements their territories.