Suitability of containerized toxicant to control Solenopsis invicta threatening cave species in Bexar County, Texas
Several protected troglobitic invertebrate species are known to occur in caves on Joint Base San Antonio Camp Bullis, Bexar County, Texas, United States The United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) identified red-imported fire ant Solenopsis invicta (hereafter RIFA) as the primary threat to cave species’ nutrient sources, cave crickets, Ceuthophilus secretus Per the service’s recommendations, Joint Base San Antonio Camp Bullis currently implements boiling water mound injections with digging for RIFA control However, treatment effectiveness is highly variable and largely dependent on the time of day, weather, and personnel diligence
Toxicants have been used for RIFA treatment throughout the world, but concerns exist that traditional applications of toxicant bait around caves might be accessible and inadvertently affect nontarget arthropods, including cricket populations To mitigate this accessibility, physically limiting access to the toxicant from crickets may be an option Our objectives were to (i) compare and evaluate the effectiveness of Amdro (Hydramethylnon) and Advion (Indoxacarb) granular baits housed in Ants-No-More Bait Stations and (ii) evaluate the distance of effectiveness of each bait within a bait station
Ultimately, we observed a 98% reduction in RIFA mound abundance from both baits. Additionally, RIFA mounds within 10 m of the containerized toxicant were reduced by 70%. Our pilot study suggested that Ants-No-More Bait Stations are an effective way to reduce RIFA mounds by 70% if placed 10 m from each other. In practice, this could include bait stations completely covering a particular distance to a cave entrance or fewer bait stations in a ring barrier at a single radial distance to a cave entrance.
Containerized toxicants may be a costeffective and safe RIFA control option around protected cave environments, but further studies are needed to determine potential effects on nontarget arthropods, optimal bait station configuration, and potential effects of biomagnification.
Authors
Cite
Kramm, MM, JR Lampman, D Jackson, AE Montalvo, and RR Lopez 2024 Suitability of containerized toxicant to control Solenopsis invicta (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) threatening cave species in Bexar County, Texas Environmental Entomology, 1-5
Mathew Kramm
Jacob Lampman
Daniel Jackson
Andrea Montalvo Roel Lopez
Machine learning methods and visual observations to categorize behavior of grazing cattle using accelerometer signals
Accelerometers worn by animals produce distinct behavioral signatures, which can be classified accurately using machine learning methods such as random forest decision trees The objective of this study was to identify accelerometer signal separation among parsimonious behaviors We achieved this objective by (1) describing functional differences in accelerometer signals among discrete behaviors, (2) identifying the optimal window size for signal pre-processing, and (3) demonstrating the number of observations required to achieve the desired level of model accuracy
Crossbred steers (Bos taurus indicus; n = 10) were fitted with GPS collars containing a video camera and tri-axial accelerometers (read-rate = 40 Hz) Distinct behaviors from accelerometer signals, particularly for grazing, were apparent because of the headdown posture Increasing the smoothing window size to 10 s improved classification accuracy (p < 005), but reducing the number of observations below 50% resulted in a decrease in accuracy for all behaviors (p < 005) In-pasture observation increased accuracy and precision (005 and 008 percent, respectively) compared with animalborne collar video observations Parsons, I.L., B.B. Karisch, A.E. Stone, S.L. Webb, D.A. Norman, and G.M. Street. 2024. Machine learning methods and visual observations to categorize behavior of grazing cattle using accelerometer signals Sensors 24:3171
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Ira Parsons Brandi Karisch Amanda Stone Authors
Cite
Stephen Webb
Durham Norman Garrett Street
Brahman steer (Bos taurus indicus)
Assessing hurricane impact on vegetation and endangered deer habitat using airborne lidar and multispectral images
In the lower Florida Keys, the endangered Florida Key deer and numerous other wildlife species inhabit a vulnerable island environment susceptible to storm surges and rising seawater due to low elevation and flat terrain. Timely and reliable assessment of vegetation damage from natural disasters, such as Hurricane Irma, is crucial for effective habitat management. The study’s overall objective is to examine Hurricane Irma’s impact on vegetation on No Name Key, Florida, using remote sensing
The study relates the area change in vegetation obtained from remote sensing analysis to Florida Key deer population changes following the storm The methodology involved performing a thematic change detection analysis using the following data sources: (1) aerial multispectral images (for pre- and postHurricane), (2) airborne lidar data (for pre- and post-Hurricane), (3) an existing vegetation map, and (4) soil data A Support Vector Machine (SVM) image classification algorithm was applied to pre- and post-storm input image stacks to create pre- and post-Hurricane Irma vegetation maps. We were then able to obtain the area change information (for various vegetation categories) by performing the change detection analysis of the 2 SVMclassified images. The differences in areas following the storm were calculated for 7 affected vegetation types Using the area change information following Hurricane Irma, we estimated the number of deer supported by the storm-affected vegetation
These estimated deer numbers, based on the area differences in post-Hurricane Irma vegetation types, were compared to observed deer numbers collected during the postHurricane Irma Texas A&M Natural Resources Institute (NRI) deer field survey
The results showed the following: mangroves had the largest negative area changes (area loss), followed by pinelands, hardwoods/hammocks, developed areas, and buttonwoods. Freshwater marshes had the largest positive area changes (area gain). The deer's preferred vegetation areas had decreased post-Hurricane Irma, resulting in a reduced deer population compared to pre-storm numbers The predicted number of the Key deer post-Hurricane Irma fell within a 95% confidence interval of the observed deer population from the post-storm field survey
The study findings and techniques could be applied to study climate change impact, especially sea level rise This methodology can be valuable in assessing the impact of storms on other wildlife species in similar environments The applications and methodology are especially relevant considering the increasing frequency and intensity of storm surges and the accelerating rate of sea level rise
Cite
Kim, J., S.C. Popescu, R.R. Lopez, X.B. Wu, and N.J. Silvy. 2024. Assessing hurricane impact on vegetation and endangered deer habitat using airborne lidar and multispectral images Global Ecology and Conservation 53:e03007
Jiyeon Kim Sorin Popescu Roel Lopez
Authors
X. Ben Wu Nova Silvy
Genome-wide data reinforces the evolutionary relationships of previously problematic earless lizards
In the face of anthropogenic change and the potential loss of species, documenting biodiversity – including accurately delimiting species complexes – is of tantamount importance Genome-wide data are powerful for investigating lineage divergence, though deciding if this divergence represents species-level differentiation remains challenging. Here, we use genome-wide data to investigate species limits in four currently recognized species of Earless Lizards (Phrynosomatidae: Holbrookia), with a focus on H. lacerata and H. subcaudalis, the latter having potentially imperiled populations. This group’s taxonomy has been repeatedly revised; most recently, H. lacerata and H. subcaudalis were elevated to species status using conserved morphological data and a few molecular markers.
In this study, we used double-digest restriction-site associated DNA sequencing to delineate species limits for our focal taxa. We recovered five populations that corresponded to five well-supported lineages with very little gene flow among them. Our results support the recognition of H. lacerata and H. subcaudalis as two separate species, based on strong phylogenetic support for these lineages and genetic divergence measures that exceed those of currently recognized species within Holbrookia. Genomic methods for species delimitation offer a promising approach to assess biodiversity in taxonomically confounded taxa or organisms of conservation priority.
Authors
Thomas Firneno Jr.
Corey Roelke
Adam Leaché
Nathan Rains
Toby Hibbitts
Cite
Wade Ryberg
Travis Laduc
Sonal Singhal
Matthew Fujita
Firneno, T.J., C.E. Roelke, A.D. Leaché, N.D. Rains, T.J. Hibbitts, W.A. Ryberg, T.J. Laduc, S. Singhal, and M.K. Fujita. 2024. Genome-wide Data Reinforces the Evolutionary Relationships of Previously Problematic Earless Lizards (Phyrnosomatidae: Holbrookia) Bulletin of the Society of Systematic Biologists 3(2):https://doiorg/1018061/bssbv3i29459
Plateau earless lizard (Holbrookia lacerata) Photo by Toby Hibbitts
Morphology and vocalization comparison of the Houston Toad and the Dwarf American Toad: Implications for their
historic range
Documenting changes in the distribution and abundance of a given taxon requires historical data In the absence of long-term monitoring data collected throughout the range of a taxon, conservation biologists often rely on preserved museum specimens to determine the past or present, putative geographic distribution. Distributional data for the Houston Toad (Anaxyrus houstonensis) has consistently been confounded by similarities with a sympatric congener, the Dwarf American Toad (A. americanus charlesmithi), both in monitoring data derived from chorusing surveys, and in historical data via museum specimens. In this case, misidentification can have unintended impacts on conservation efforts, where the Houston Toad is federally endangered, and the Dwarf American Toad is of least concern
Previously published reports have compared these two taxon on the basis of their male advertisement call and morphological appearance, often with the goal of using these characters to substantiate their taxonomic status prior to the advent of DNA sequencing technology However, numerous studies report findings that contradict one another, and no consensus on the true differences or similarities can be drawn.
Here, we use contemporary recordings of wild populations of each taxon to test for quantifiable differences in male advertisement call. Additionally, we quantitatively examine a subset of vouchered museum specimens representing each taxon to test previously reported differentiating morphometric characters used to distinguish among other Bufonids of East-Central Texas, USA Finally, we assemble and qualitatively evaluate a database of photographs representing catalogued museum vouchers for each taxon to determine if their previously documented historic ranges may be larger than are currently accepted
Our findings reveal quantifiable differences between two allopatric congeners with respect to their male advertisement call, whereas we found similarities among their detailed morphology Additionally, we report on the existence of additional, historically overlooked, museum records for the Houston Toad in the context of its putative historic range, and discuss errors associated with the curation of these specimens whose identity and nomenclature have not been consistent through time. These results bookend decades of disagreement regarding the morphology, voice, and historic distribution of these taxa, and alert practitioners of conservation efforts for the Houston Toad to previously unreported locations of occurrence
Authors
Andrew MacLaren
Toby Hibbitts
Michael Forstner
Shawn McCracken
Cite
MacLaren, A.R., T.J. Hibbitts, M.R.J. Forstner, and S.F. McCracken. 2024. Morphology and vocalization comparison of the Houston Toad and the Dwarf American Toad: implications for their historic range PeerJ 12:e17635
Growth and longevity of two imperilled mussel species from the Edwards Plateau of Central Texas and its implications for freshwater mussel conservation and management
Life history information such as growth and longevity have been useful for understanding evolutionary relationships and predicting species responses to management and habitat alteration for aquatic species. For unionid mussels, which are globally imperilled, life history information remains unknown for a majority of unionid mussels and because of this has not been broadly used to guide mussel conservation efforts. To address this knowledge gap, growth and longevity were estimated for Cyclonaias petrina, Texas pimpleback, and Lampsilis bracteata, Texas fatmucket, using thinsectioning and validated using cross-dating. Both species are proposed for listing under the US Endangered Species Act.
Growth and longevity estimates differed between C. petrina (K = 0.065, 0.086, 0.101; L∞ = 55.03, 76.44, 94.43) and L. bracteata (K = 0.187, 0.208; L∞ = 61.40, 61.52), and growth for L. bracteata correlated to annual flow indices. Cross-dating revealed high interseries correlations (R = 0.400–0.573), indicating estimates can be viewed with some certainty. Growth and longevity estimates indicate C. petrina is positioned near the K endpoint and L. bracteata near the r endpoint along the r/K life history continuum. This suggests C. petrina should be favoured in stable habitats where disturbance is minimal, whereas L. bracteata is expected to tolerate habitats with frequent and likely stochastic patterns of disturbance.
Knowledge of growth and longevity along with life history position provides a qualitative basis to help scientists and practitioners
better anticipate how species will respond to environmental change and management actions Given the conservation status of C petrina and L bracteata the life history findings from this study are timely and should be useful in their conservation
Authors
Michael de Moulpied
Clinton Robertson
Ryan Smith
Matthew Johnson
Cite
Adrienne Wootten
Elinor Martin
Roel Lopez
Charles Randklev
de Moulpied, M, CR Robertson, R Smith, M Johnson, AM Wootten, E Martin, R Lopez, and CR Randklev 2024 Growth and longevity of two imperilled mussel species from the Edwards Plateau of Central Texas and its implications for freshwater mussel conservation and management Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems 34:e4224
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Texas fatmucket mussel (Lampsilis bracteata)
Photo by Inks Dam National Fish Hatchery
Climate, food and humans predict communities of mammals in the United States
Aim: The assembly of species into communities and ecoregions is the result of interacting factors that affect plant and animal distribution and abundance at biogeographic scales. Here, we empirically derive ecoregions for mammals to test whether human disturbance has become more important than climate and habitat resources in structuring communities.
Location: Conterminous United States.
Time Period: 2010–2021.
Major Taxa Studied: Twenty-five species of mammals.
Methods: We analysed data from 25 mammal species recorded by camera traps at 6645 locations across the conterminous United States in a joint modelling framework to estimate relative abundance of each species. We then used a clustering analysis to describe 8 broad and 16 narrow mammal communities.
Results: Climate was the most important predictor of mammal abundance overall, while human population density and agriculture were less important, with mixed effects across species. Seed production by forests also predicted mammal abundance, especially hard-mast tree species. The mammal community maps are similar to those of plants, with an east–west split driven by different dominant species of deer and squirrels. Communities vary along gradients of temperature in the east and precipitation in the west. Most fine-scale mammal
community boundaries aligned with established plant ecoregions and were distinguished by the presence of regional specialists or shifts in relative abundance of widespread species Maps of potential ecosystem services provided by these communities suggest high herbivory in the Rocky Mountains and eastern forests, high invertebrate predation in the subtropical south and greater predation pressure on large vertebrates in the west
Main Conclusions: Our results highlight the importance of climate to modern mammals and suggest that climate change will have strong impacts on these communities. Our new empirical approach to recognizing ecoregions has potential to be applied to expanded communities of mammals or other taxa
Authors
Roland Kays et
al
Stephen Webb (NRI)
Cite
Kays, R., et al. 2024. Climate, food and humans predict communities of mammals in the United States. Diversity and Distributions 30:e13900
SNAPSHOT USA 2021: A third coordinated national camera trap survey of the United States
SNAPSHOT USA is a multicontributor, longterm camera trap survey designed to survey mammals across the United States. Participants are recruited through community networks and directly through a website application (https://www.snapshotusa.org/). The growing Snapshot dataset is useful, for example, for tracking wildlife population responses to land use, land cover, and climate changes across spatial and temporal scales. Here we present the SNAPSHOT USA 2021 dataset, the third national camera trap survey across the US. Data were collected across 109 camera trap arrays and included 1711 camera sites. The total effort equaled 71,519 camera trap nights and resulted in 172,507 sequences of animal observations. Sampling effort varied among camera trap arrays, with a minimum of 126 camera trap nights, a maximum of 3355 nights, a median 546 nights, and a mean 656 ± 431 nights. This third dataset comprises 51 camera trap arrays that were surveyed during 2019, 2020, and 2021, along with 71 camera trap arrays that were surveyed in 2020 and 2021.
All raw data and accompanying metadata are stored on Wildlife Insights (https://www.wildlifeinsights.org/), and are publicly available upon acceptance of the data papers. SNAPSHOT USA aims to sample multiple ecoregions in the United States with adequate representation of each ecoregion according to its relative size. Currently, the relative density of camera trap arrays varies by an order of magnitude for the various ecoregions (0.22-5.9 arrays per 100,000 km2),
There are no copyright restrictions on these data We request that authors cite this paper when using these data, or a subset of these data, for publication Any use of trade, firm, or product names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the US Government
Authors emphasizing the need to increase sampling effort by further recruiting and retaining contributors
Shamon, H., et al. 2024. SNAPSHOT USA 2021: A third coordinated national camera trap survey of the United States. Ecology 104:e4318 Cite
Hila Shamon et al. Stephen Webb (NRI)
White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) buck captured by a camera trap. Photo courtesy of Stephen Webb
Mammal responses to global changes in human activity vary by trophic group and landscape
Wildlife must adapt to human presence to survive in the Anthropocene, so it is critical to understand species responses to humans in different contexts. We used camera trapping as a lens to view mammal responses to changes in human activity during the COVID-19 pandemic. Across 163 species sampled in 102 projects around the world, changes in the amount and timing of animal activity varied widely.
Under higher human activity, mammals were less active in undeveloped areas but unexpectedly more active in developed areas while exhibiting greater nocturnality. Carnivores were most sensitive, showing the strongest decreases in activity and greatest increases in nocturnality. Wildlife managers must consider how habituation and uneven sensitivity across species may cause fundamental differences in human–wildlife interactions along gradients of human influence.
Authors
Cite
Burton, A.C., et al. 2024. Mammal responses to global changes in human activity vary by trophic group and landscape. Nature Ecology & Evolution 8:924-935.
Cole Burton et al. Stephen Webb (NRI)
Bobcat (Lynx rufus) sneaking in front of a camera trap Photo courtesy of Stephen Webb
Evaluation of survivorship and annulus v calcein-stained freshwater unionid mus
Unionid mussels deposit growth rings (annuli) within the shell, which can be used to estimate age and growth. Thin-sectioning is a common technique for counting annuli, wherein a cross-section of a shell valve is taken and evaluated by multiple readers. Correctly identifying annuli can be challenging because ambiguous annuli can bias growth estimates. Staining with calcein, a fluorescent chemical, is a technique that has been used with marine and freshwater species to improve accuracy of growth estimates. This method chelates calcium, causing a permanent mark that fluoresces under ultraviolet light. Calcein has seen limited testing on unionid mussels so it remains unclear if this method has adverse effects on survival and growth.
We evaluated calcein against 2 concentrations (125 mg L 1 and 250 mg L 1) at 2 exposure times (12 and 24 h) on Cyclonaias pustulosa, a common North American unionid. Survivorship remained above 80% 6 months post-immersion. Mark quality and retention for 250 mg L 1 were high for both 12- and 24-h immersions, although historical annuli were not highlighted These findings corroborate studies indicating calcein immersion is generally safe and effective in juveniles and adults and suggest it may be useful in validating new growth
Authors
Anna Eismont
Michael deMoulpied
Clinton Robertson
Cite
Roel Lopez
Charles Randklev
Eismont, AL, M deMoulpied, CR Robertson, RR Lopez, and CR Randklev 2024
Evaluation of survivorship and annulus validation in calcein-stained freshwater unionid mussels. Scientific Reports 14:20659.
Texas pimpleback mussel (Cyclonaias petrina)
Photo by Aubry Buzek/USFWS
Mammals show faster recovery from capture and tagging in human-disturbed landscapes
Wildlife tagging provides critical insights into animal movement ecology, physiology, and behavior amid global ecosystem changes. However, the stress induced by capture, handling, and tagging can impact post-release locomotion and activity and, consequently, the interpretation of study results. Here, we analyze post-tagging effects on 1585 individuals of 42 terrestrial mammal species using collar-collected GPS and accelerometer data. Species-specific displacements and overall dynamic body acceleration, as a proxy for activity, were assessed over 20days post-release to quantify disturbance intensity, recovery duration, and speed. Differences were evaluated, considering species-specific traits and the human footprint of the study region.
Over 70% of the analyzed species exhibited significant behavioral changes following collaring events. Herbivores traveled farther with variable activity reactions, while omnivores and carnivores were initially less active and mobile. Recovery duration proved brief, with alterations diminishing within 4–7 tracking days for most species. Herbivores, particularly males, showed quicker displacement recovery (4days) but slower activity recovery (7days). Individuals in high human footprint areas displayed faster recovery, indicating adaptation to human disturbance. Our findings emphasize the necessity of extending tracking periods beyond 1week and particular caution in remote study areas or herbivore-focused research, specifically in smaller mammals.
Authors
Stiegler, J, et al 2024 Mammals show faster recovery from capture and tagging in human-disturbed landscapes Nature Communications 15:8079 Cite
Jonas Stiegler et al. Stephen Webb (NRI)
White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) buck.
A conceptual framework to inform conservation status assessments of non-charismatic species
The conservation of at-risk species is rooted in the ability of natural resource agencies to recognize when a species is imperiled and in need of regulatory action, which can be a difficult task due to incomplete information Freshwater mussels (Bivalvia: Unionidae), are a highly imperiled group of aquatic organisms and conservation tools such as the NatureServe Conservation Methodology provide a framework to determine whether a species is in decline and in need of potential management. For data deficient species like mussels this method relies heavily on expert opinion, which can lead to biased estimates of conservation status that may not reflect the true nature of their conservation need. To address these concerns, we developed a standardized and repeatable conservation ranking framework that builds upon the established NatureServe methodology. We compiled a data set of 12,018 species occurrence records of 48 freshwater mussel species, 17 geospatial layers representing environmental threats, and life history information to estimate their response to those threats. Estimated ranks were compared to previous status ranking metrics from IUCN, NatureServe, USFWS and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Of the 48 species we evaluated, three were classified as critically imperiled, 16 were imperiled, 15 were vulnerable, 13 were apparently secure, and one was secure. We found 48% of species assessed were less imperiled than NatureServe estimates and found 10% of species assessed to have a higher conservation status than previous evaluations.
Our approach can be applied to other species in other regions and should be useful for managers and scientists interested in reducing uncertainty and improving reproducibility in assignment of conservation ranks, particularly for those with limited information
Michael deMoulpied
Alexander
Kiser
Clinton Robertson Authors
Cite
Roel Lopez
Charles Randklev
de Moulpied, M, AH Kiser, CR Robertson, R Lopez, and CR Randklev 2024 A conceptual framework to inform conservation status assessments of non-charismatic species Journal of Environmental Management 372:123423
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Long live the cat: Ocelot population viability in a planned reintroduced population in Texas,
USA
Reintroductions are often needed to recover carnivore populations and restore ecological processes Felids are common subjects of reintroduction efforts, but published population models informing felid reintroduction plans are uncommon, and poor planning has sometimes caused issues in felid reintroduction programs In the United States, ocelots (Leopardus pardalis pardalis) are classified as endangered, and recovery requires population expansion into historic habitat A multi-organization effort is underway to establish a new ocelot population in Texas by releasing ocelots into an area of 478km2 of suitable habitat in ocelots' historic but now unoccupied range In this study, we used population viability analyses to compare different ocelot reintroduction strategies for the identified reintroduction area Based on a potential ocelot breeding program's limitations, we modeled reintroduction using a founding population of no more than six ocelots and no more than four ocelots released per year for no more than 15 subsequent years Within these limitations, we assessed projected population abundances and extinction risks after 30years for 20 different reintroduction strategies We found that long-term releases are necessary to establish a viable population; under conservative model assumptions, releasing six ocelots in the initial year and then releasing four individuals annually for an additional 10–15years is necessary for attaining a projected population greater than 36.62 ocelots (baseline) with <6% extinction risk. We also found that ocelot population abundance is about equally sensitive to post-release mortality and inbreeding depression.
This highlights the importance of not only supporting reintroduced ocelots' survival but also managing for high genetic diversity in the reintroduction program Further, we found that realistic but more liberal assumptions on the carrying capacity of the reintroduction area and the age of first reproduction for ocelots increase projected population abundances (53.95 individuals and 61.26 individuals, respectively), and thus reintroduction success. The model's sensitivity to carrying capacity suggests that long-term habitat protection and expansion are among the most important management actions to support ocelot reintroduction Our study establishes the first population viability model for an ocelot reintroduction plan anywhere across the species' wide geographic range, and it reinforces several key considerations for wildlife reintroduction efforts worldwide
Authors
Lindsay Martinez
Jason Lombardi
Israel Parker
Cite
Forrest East
Tyler Campbell
Roel Lopez
Martinez, L.A., J.V. Lombardi, I.D. Parker, F. East, T.A. Campbell, and R.R. Lopez. 2024. Long live the cat: Ocelot population viability in a planned reintroduced population in Texas, USA Ecosphere 15:e70044
Assessing ecological and socio-political factors in site selection for ocelot reintroduction in Texas
Wildlife reintroduction site selection requires the consideration of not only a species' ecology but also socio-political factors that may impact conservation efforts These socio-political dimensions may be especially important for endangered carnivore reintroductions on private lands in the United States, where landowner support for the reintroduction is a necessity given landowner concerns about ecological and legal impacts of carnivore restoration. We designed an assessment to identify potential sites for reintroduction of the federally endangered ocelot (Leopardus pardalis pardalis) in Texas, a state where over 97% of lands are privately owned. We incorporated International Union for Conservation of Nature recommendations into a geospatial analysis evaluating potential reintroduction sites based on site size, ecological and life history requirements of ocelots, potential natural and anthropogenic threats, and the socio-political context of each site. We identified the five highest-ranking sites that had species-specific suitable landscape structure of woody cover, fine-scale vegetative cover, minimal natural and anthropogenic threats, and that present landownership patterns that are logistically feasible for conservation planners to navigate. Our assessment provided information for ocelot conservation planning and established a framework for incorporating private land data into largescale assessments of wildlife reintroduction sites on private lands.
Authors
Lindsay Martinez
Jason Lombardi
Garrett Powers
Cite
Amanda Anderson
Tyler Campbell
Roel Lopez
Martinez, L. A., J. V. Lombardi, G. Powers, A. D. Anderson, T. Campbell, and R. R. Lopez. 2024.
Assessing ecological and socio-political factors in site selection for ocelot reintroduction in Texas. Conservation Science and Practice, e13113.
Ocelot (Leopardus pardalis)
OVERVIEWOFLIVINGSHORELINEPERMITTING ANDREGULATORYREVIEWINNORTHCAROLINA,
