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A special issue of Animals (ISSN 2076-2615). This special issue belongs to the section "Ecology and Conservation".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 April 2023) | Viewed by 28696

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Dr. Yung Chul Park

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Guest Editor

Division of Forest Science, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon 24341, Reupblic of Korea
Interests: wildlife conservation and management; camera trap; habitat ecology; movement and corridor; population ecology; conservation genetics

Prof. Dr. Hyuk Je Lee

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Molecular Ecology and Evolution Laboratory, Department of Biological Science, Sangji University, Wonju 26339, Korea
Interests: freshwater fish ecology; biomonitoring; conservation and management; environmental DNA (eDNA); evolutionary biology; population genetics/genomics

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

New technologies are playing an increasingly important role in the behavioural ecology, conservation, and management of wildlife and fish. This Special Issue introduces research using recent technologies in behavioural ecology, habitat use and selection, habitat fragmentation, home range, movement, corridor, demography, and conservation genetics, focusing on mammals, birds and fishes.

In this Special Issue, research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:

Linking behavioural ecology to conservation and management;
Combining new technologies such as camera traps, GIS, satellites, drones, radar, sensor network, etc.;
Molecular approaches such as environmental DNA (eDNA), metabarcoding and metagenomics, next-generation sequencing (NGS), etc.;
Ecoinformatic approaches such as big data, metadata, artificial intelligence (AI), mathematical modelling, etc.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Yung Chul Park
Prof. Dr. Hyuk Je Lee
Guest Editors

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Published Papers (11 papers)

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Research

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16 pages, 3552 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Climate Change on the Distribution of Threatened Fishing Bat Myotis pilosus in China

by Wei Guo, Zixuan Li, Tong Liu and Jiang Feng

Animals 2023, 13(11), 1784; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13111784 - 27 May 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1699

Abstract

Climate change and biodiversity loss are two severe challenges that the world is facing. Studying the distribution shifts of species in response to climate change could provide insights into long-term conservation and biodiversity maintenance. Myotis pilosus is the only known fishing bat in East Asia, whereas its population has been decreasing in recent years and it is listed as a “Vulnerable” species. To assess the impact of climate change on the distribution of M. pilosus, we obtained 33 M. pilosus occurrence records within China where they are mainly distributed, and extracted 30 environmental variables. MaxEnt was applied to assess the habitat suitability, recognize the important environmental variables, predict future distribution changes, and identify the potential future climate refugia. The prediction result based on eleven dominant environmental variables was excellent. The Jackknife test showed that the “minimum temperature of coldest month”, “precipitation of wettest quarter”, “percent tree cover”, and “precipitation of driest month” were the main factors affecting the distribution of M. pilosus. The current suitable areas were predicted to be mainly located in southwest and southeast China with a total area of about 160.54 × 10⁴ km², accounting for 16.72% of China’s land area. Based on the CCSM4, it was predicted that the future (2050 and 2070) suitable areas of M. pilosus will expand and shift to high latitudes and altitudes with global warming, but the area of moderately and highly suitable habitats will be small. Considering the dispersal capacity of M. pilosus, the area of colonized suitable habitats in 2050 and 2070 was predicted to be only ca. 94 × 10⁴ km² and 155 × 10⁴ km², respectively. The central and southern parts of Hainan, southern Guangdong, central Guizhou, and southern Beijing were identified as potential climate refugia and could be considered as priority conservation areas for M. pilosus. Thus, we suggest long-term monitoring of the priority conservation areas, especially the areas at high latitudes and altitudes. These results contribute to our knowledge of the possible spatial distribution pattern of M. pilosus under current and future climate scenarios, which is important for the population protection and habitat management of this special piscivorous bat species. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Behavioural Ecology, Conservation and Management of Wildlife and Fish)

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12 pages, 27391 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Radio Tracking Reveals the Home Range and Activity Patterns of Nutria (Myocastor coypus) in the Macdo Wetland in South Korea

by Maniram Banjade, Pradeep Adhikari, Sun-Hee Hong and Do-Hun Lee

Animals 2023, 13(10), 1716; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13101716 - 22 May 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2047

Abstract

Nutria (Myocastor coypus) are semi-aquatic rodents that were introduced in South Korea for commercial farming but significantly damaged aquatic ecosystems. Understanding nutria ecological behavior is essential for developing effective control and eradication strategies to mitigate their impacts. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the home range and activity patterns of 24 nutria (12 males and 12 females) in the Macdo wetland in South Korea from 2015–2016 through radio tracking. The average minimum convex polygon home range of the nutria was 0.29 ± 0.55 km², with a 95% kernel density estimation (KDE) home range of 0.43 ± 0.85 km² and a 50% KDE home range of 0.05 ± 1.1 km². The home range of males was larger than that of females; however, the winter home range of females was as large as that of males. The home range also varied seasonally, with the smallest observed in winter. The nutria showed crepuscular and nocturnal activity patterns throughout the year, with no significant difference between sexes. The activities in spring, summer, and autumn showed no significant differences, but the activity in winter was significantly different from that in the other seasons. This study may serve as a basis for developing appropriately timed and scaled management strategies to mitigate the impacts of nutria on ecosystems. In conclusion, several environmental and biological factors contribute to the behavior of nutria in South Korea. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Behavioural Ecology, Conservation and Management of Wildlife and Fish)

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15 pages, 2429 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Daily and Seasonal Activity Patterns of Plateau Pikas (Ochotona curzoniae) on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau, China, and Their Relationship with Weather Condition

by Rui Zhou, Rui Hua, Zhuangsheng Tang and Limin Hua

Animals 2023, 13(10), 1689; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13101689 - 18 May 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2053

Abstract

Exploring the activity patterns of small mammals is important for understanding the survival strategies of these animals, such as foraging and mating. The purpose of the present study was to determine the activity of free-living plateau pikas (Ochotona curzoniae) in different months and seasons (cold and warm seasons), with a particular emphasis on the effects of weather condition. Based on a camera-trapping survey conducted from October 2017 to September 2018, we evaluated the activity patterns and activity levels of plateau pikas inhabiting the eastern Qinghai–Tibet Plateau in China. The effects of environmental factors on the activity of plateau pikas were examined using the generalized additive mixed model (GAMM). The results showed that: (1) The plateau pikas exhibited unimodal patterns of activity during the cold season (October–April). During the warm season (May–September), the activity patterns of the plateau pikas were bimodal. Their activity levels were highest in June. (2) During the cold season, their activity levels rose gradually over the course of the day to a peak near noon, and they were not significantly higher after sunrise than they were before sunset. During the warm season, their activity peaks were in the morning and afternoon, and their activity levels were substantially lower after sunrise than they were before sunset. (3) The plateau pikas were more active under conditions with lower ambient temperatures and precipitation during the cold and warm seasons. While relative air humidity was positively correlated with the activity of the plateau pikas during the warm season, wind speed was negatively correlated with the pikas’ activity during the cold season. Overall, these results collectively indicate that plateau pikas occupy habitats with cool and less windy microclimates during the cold season, and with cool and moist microclimates during the warm season. Information on the time allocation of pikas’ activity levels during different seasons should provide a baseline for understanding their potential for adaptation to climate change. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Behavioural Ecology, Conservation and Management of Wildlife and Fish)

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11 pages, 1974 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Food Allocation under Asynchronous Hatching Conditions of Great Tits (Parus major)

by Ji-Won Kang and Jong-Koo Lee

Animals 2023, 13(9), 1443; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13091443 - 23 Apr 2023

Viewed by 1423

Abstract

The brood reduction hypothesis, which explains asynchronous hatching in birds, as an adaptation that enables selective survival of older nestlings when availability of food is unpredictable. This study was conducted in order to determine whether the brood reduction hypothesis can explain asynchronous hatching in passerines. Infrared cameras were installed inside nest boxes where great tits (Parus major) were attempting to reproduce in order to determine whether the parents practiced selective feeding of older nestlings. According to the results of the study, no significant difference was observed between the hatching order and the average number of feedings per nestling. In addition, when examining the distribution of food according to hatching order over time, every 30 min, beginning at 9 a.m., selective distribution of food to older nestlings was not observed. In conclusion, use of the brood reduction hypothesis, which supports selective provision of beneficial feeding of older and larger nestlings, to explain the asynchronous hatching of passerines is problematic, thus conduct of future studies focusing on other hypotheses in order to explain the asynchronous hatching of this passerine bird will be necessary. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Behavioural Ecology, Conservation and Management of Wildlife and Fish)

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13 pages, 2648 KiB

Open AccessArticle

On the Species Identification of Two Non-Native Tilapia Species, Including the First Record of a Feral Population of Oreochromis aureus (Steindachner, 1864) in South Korea

by Ju Hyoun Wang, Hee-kyu Choi, Hyuk Je Lee and Hwang Goo Lee

Animals 2023, 13(8), 1351; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13081351 - 14 Apr 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 4007

Abstract

Tilapia is an invasive species that has become widely distributed around the world. In Korea, introduced tilapia into its aquatic ecosystem for the first time with a species from Thailand in 1955, and later additionally introduced two more species from Japan and Taiwan, thus securing a total of three species of tilapia (O. niloticus, O. mossambicus and O. aureus) as food resources. Since then, O. niloticus has been reported to inhabit certain streams with thermal effluent outlets. Morphological species identification is very difficult for tilapia and a combined analysis of morphological and molecular-based species identification is therefore necessary. This study investigated a tilapia population that inhabits a thermal effluent stream (Dalseo Stream) in Daegu Metropolitan City, Korea, in order to conduct a morphological and genetic species identification of this population. In total, 37 tilapia individuals were sampled. The results of the morphological and genetic species identification analyses found that two species, O. aureus and O. niloticus, inhabit the Dalseo Stream. In Korea, the habitat of the O. niloticus natural population has been reported, but the O. aureus natural population has not been reported. Thus, we observed for the first time that a new invasive species, O. aureus, inhabits a stream in Korea. They are known to cause disturbances to aquatic organisms (e.g., fish, aquatic insects, plankton, aquatic plants) and the habitat environment (e.g., water quality, bottom structure). Accordingly, it is important to study the ecological effects of O. aureus and O. niloticus on the corresponding freshwater ecosystem closely and to prepare a management plan to prevent the spread of these species, as they are notoriously invasive. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Behavioural Ecology, Conservation and Management of Wildlife and Fish)

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13 pages, 851 KiB

Open AccessArticle

An Experimental Study in Wild Wood Mice Testing Elemental and Isotope Analysis in Faeces to Determine Variations in Food Intake Amount

by Álvaro Navarro-Castilla, M. Carmen Hernández and Isabel Barja

Animals 2023, 13(7), 1176; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13071176 - 28 Mar 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2104

Abstract

The analysis of carbon and nitrogen elemental (C, N) and isotopic compositions (δ¹³C, δ¹⁵N) in faeces are considered reliable methodologies for the study of diet in wildlife. Here, we tested the suitability of these techniques to detect variations in the amount of food intake. We captured wild wood mice (Apodemus sylvaticus) with Sherman live traps where bait access was initially free, and later it was experimentally limited inside by four different devices to cause intended variations in the amount ingested. The total C and N (%) and stable δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N isotopic values were determined for the bait and in mice faecal samples. Faecal values were lower than bait ones except for N, likely due to animal matter ingested before capture. No significant differences in total C, N and δ¹³C were found due to individual traits. However, breeding males showed higher δ¹⁵N values than breeding females, probably due to differences in energy and protein demands between both sexes during the breeding season. Only δ¹³C detected food intake variations (≥2 g). Despite further research being needed, these results initially support the potential of δ¹³C to provide information on the amount ingested, thus being useful to complement trophic ecology studies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Behavioural Ecology, Conservation and Management of Wildlife and Fish)

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11 pages, 1031 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Long-Term Olfactory Memory in African Elephants

by Franziska Hoerner, Arne Lawrenz, Ann-Kathrin Oerke, Dennis W. H. Müller, Idu Azogu-Sepe, Marco Roller, Karsten Damerau and Angelika Preisfeld

Animals 2023, 13(4), 679; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13040679 - 15 Feb 2023

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 4314

Abstract

African elephants are capable of discriminating scents up to a single changed molecule and show the largest reported repertoire of olfactory receptor genes. Olfaction plays an important role in family bonding. However, to the best of our knowledge, no empirical data exist on their ability to remember familiar scents long-term. In an ethological experiment, two mother-daughter pairs were presented with feces of absent kin, absent non-kin, and present non-kin. Video recordings showed reactions of elephants recognizing kin after long-term separation but only minor reactions to non-kin. Results give the empirical implication that elephants have an olfactory memory longer than 1 year and up to 12 years and can distinguish between kin and non-kin just by scent. These findings confirm the significance of scent for family bonds in African elephants. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Behavioural Ecology, Conservation and Management of Wildlife and Fish)

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15 pages, 1205 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Predator on the Doorstep: Kill Site Selection by a Lone Wolf in a Peri-Urban Park in a Mediterranean Area

by Marco Del Frate, Paolo Bongi, Luigi Tanzillo, Claudia Russo, Omar Benini, Sara Sieni, Massimo Scandura and Marco Apollonio

Animals 2023, 13(3), 480; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13030480 - 30 Jan 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2373

Abstract

The aim of the study was to assess which kill site characteristics were selected by a lone wolf living in a protected Mediterranean coastal area near the city of Pisa, Italy, where both wild and domestic ungulates were available as potential prey. Between 2017 and 2019, we monitored the wolf’s predatory behaviour through a combination of camera trapping and active search for kill sites and prey carcasses. The main prey found was the fallow deer (n = 82); only two wild boars and no domestic ungulates were found preyed upon. The features and habitat of kill sites were modelled to test for selection by the wolf. The habitat type of kill site was composed of meadows and pastures (89.3%), woods (7.3%), degraded coastal areas (1.9%), roads and rivers (1.1%), and marshes (0.5%). We calculated their distance from landscape features and ran a binomial generalised linear model to test the influence of such landscape variables. The distance of kill sites from landscape elements was significantly different from random control sites, and a positive selection for fences was found. In fact, the wolf pushed fallow deer towards a fence to constrain them and prevent them from escaping. We also analysed the body condition of predated fallow deer as a percentage of fat content in the bone marrow of the hind legs. Our results revealed the selection of the lone wolf for deer in good body condition. This is a possible outcome of the habitat selection shown by fallow deer in the study area, where fenced open pastures are the richest in trophic resources; therefore, our findings suggest a high efficacy for the lone wolf hunting strategy, but also the adoption of a high risk feeding strategy by deer. This study suggests that a lone predator can take advantage of human infrastructures to maximise its predatory effectiveness. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Behavioural Ecology, Conservation and Management of Wildlife and Fish)

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14 pages, 2154 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Greater Horseshoe Bats Recognize the Sex and Individual Identity of Conspecifics from Their Echolocation Calls

by Xiao Tan, Aiqing Lin, Keping Sun, Longru Jin and Jiang Feng

Animals 2022, 12(24), 3490; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12243490 - 10 Dec 2022

Viewed by 1838

Abstract

The echolocation calls of bats are mainly used for navigation and foraging; however, they may also contain social information about the emitter and facilitate social interactions. In this study, we recorded the echolocation calls of greater horseshoe bats (Rhinolophus ferrumequinum) and analyzed the acoustic parameter differences between the sexes and among individuals. Then, we performed habituation-discrimination playback experiments to test whether greater horseshoe bats could recognize the sex and individual identity of conspecifics from their echolocation calls. The results showed that there were significant differences in the echolocation call parameters between sexes and among individuals. When we switched playback files from a habituated stimuli to a dishabituated stimuli, the tested bats exhibited obvious behavioral responses, including nodding, ear or body movement, and echolocation emission. The results showed that R. ferrumequinum can recognize the sex and individual identity of conspecifics from their echolocation calls alone, which indicates that the echolocation calls of R. ferrumequinum may have potential communication functions. The results of this study improve our understanding of the communication function of the echolocation calls of bats. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Behavioural Ecology, Conservation and Management of Wildlife and Fish)

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15 pages, 2555 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Livestock Grazing on Spatio-Temporal Patterns and Behaviour of Reeves’s Pheasant Syrmaticus reevesii

by Junqin Hua, Shuai Lu, Kai Song, Jiayu Wang, Jinfeng Wang and Jiliang Xu

Animals 2022, 12(21), 2968; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12212968 - 28 Oct 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2166

Abstract

Protected areas are seeing an increase in anthropogenic disturbances in the world. Previous studies have demonstrated the impact of livestock grazing and human presence on the habitat use of birds, whereas little is known about the effect of free-ranging livestock on bird behaviour. Reeves’s Pheasant (Syrmaticus reevesii) is endemic to China and has been threatened by habitat loss and fragmentation, illegal logging, and human disturbance over the past 20 years. Based on camera trapping in the Liankangshan National Nature Reserve (LKS) and the Zhonghuashan Birds Provincial Nature Reserve (ZHS), we explore the effects of livestock grazing and human activities on the spatio-temporal distribution and behavioural patterns of Reeves’s Pheasant. Livestock does not appear to affect habitat use by the pheasant but changes its behavioural patterns. In addition, pheasants in areas with livestock foraged mostly during the early morning, while in areas without livestock, they foraged at dusk. Therefore, the study concludes that livestock intensity in nature reserves may have reduced pheasant suitability through altered patterns of vigilance and foraging behaviour. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Behavioural Ecology, Conservation and Management of Wildlife and Fish)

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Review

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22 pages, 1117 KiB

Open AccessReview

Complex Organisms Must Deal with Complex Threats: How Does Amphibian Conservation Deal with Biphasic Life Cycles?

by Nadine Nolan, Matthew W. Hayward, Kaya Klop-Toker, Michael Mahony, Frank Lemckert and Alex Callen

Animals 2023, 13(10), 1634; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13101634 - 14 May 2023

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 3533

Abstract

The unprecedented rate of global amphibian decline is attributed to The Anthropocene, with human actions triggering the Sixth Mass Extinction Event. Amphibians have suffered some of the most extreme declines, and their lack of response to conservation actions may reflect challenges faced by taxa that exhibit biphasic life histories. There is an urgent need to ensure that conservation measures are cost-effective and yield positive outcomes. Many conservation actions have failed to meet their intended goals of bolstering populations to ensure the persistence of species into the future. We suggest that past conservation efforts have not considered how different threats influence multiple life stages of amphibians, potentially leading to suboptimal outcomes for their conservation. Our review highlights the multitude of threats amphibians face at each life stage and the conservation actions used to mitigate these threats. We also draw attention to the paucity of studies that have employed multiple actions across more than one life stage. Conservation programs for biphasic amphibians, and the research that guides them, lack a multi-pronged approach to deal with multiple threats across the lifecycle. Conservation management programs must recognise the changing threat landscape for biphasic amphibians to reduce their notoriety as the most threatened vertebrate taxa globally. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Behavioural Ecology, Conservation and Management of Wildlife and Fish)

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