Hierarchical multi-species modeling of carnivore responses to hunting, habitat and prey in a West African protected area.

摘要: Protected areas (PAs) are a cornerstone of global efforts to shield wildlife from anthropogenic impacts, yet their effectiveness at protecting wide-ranging species prone human conflict – notably mammalian carnivores is increasingly in question. An understanding carnivore responses human-induced and natural changes around PAs critical not only the conservation threatened populations, but also effective protection ecosystems which they play key functional roles. However, an important challenge assessing communities often infrequent imperfect nature survey detections. We applied novel hierarchical multi-species occupancy model that accounted for detectability spatial autocorrelation data 224 camera trap stations (sampled between October 2006 January 2009) order test hypotheses about extrinsic influences on community dynamics West African protected area (Mole National Park, Ghana). developed spatially explicit indices illegal hunting activity, law enforcement patrol effort, prey biomass, habitat productivity across park, used Bayesian selection framework identify predictors site occurrence individual entire community. Contrary our expectation, pressure edge proximity did have consistent, negative effects nine detected. Occurrence patterns most were positively associated with small several had either positive or associations riverine forest (but other descriptors). Influences sampling design identified addressed within modeling (e.g., road observer effects), approach facilitated inference even rarest park. Our study provides insight these regionally significant broadly applicable robust assessment rare elusive subject environmental change.