Characterizing wildlife behavioural responses to roads using integrated step selection analysis

摘要: Summary Roads are a prevalent, ever-increasing form of human disturbance on the landscape. In many places in western North America, energy development has brought and road into seasonal winter range areas for migratory elk. We sought to evaluate predictions from risk-disturbance hypothesis when studying elk response roads during winter. Road proximity crossing were used these behaviours, which offered rare comparison between two common measures roads. We integrated step selection analysis (iSSA) four alternative hypotheses regarding influence space-use behaviour across 175 elk-years telemetry data, we quantified both population-level individual-level variations responses. We demonstrated, first time, how iSSA can be combine movement refined approach habitat selection. Elk responded as they would natural predation risk. selected farther at all times day with avoidance being greatest twilight. addition, cover moved more vicinity crossings generally avoided, but this was weakest daytime moving closer roads. Synthesis applications. Energy is transforming landscapes America proliferation roads, show having substantial multifaceted negative effects behaviour. These adverse mitigated by minimizing new construction restricting traffic well providing protection tree ranges.