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Occurrence dynamics of mammals in protected tropical forests respond to human presence and activities

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Summary

This study examined how anthropogenic stressors, such as human presence and activities, influence the occurrence dynamics of 159 mammal species in 16 tropical protected areas from three biogeographic regions. Results showed that multiple covariates at both the local scale and landscape scale influenced mammal occurrence dynamics, with colonization by specialists increasing with local-scale forest cover when landscape-scale fragmentation was low, and survival probability being higher near the edge than in the core of the PA when landscape-scale human population density was low. These findings suggest that mammal occurrence dynamics are impacted by anthropogenic stressors acting at multiple scales, including outside the protected area itself.

Q&As

How do anthropogenic stressors influence the occurrence dynamics of mammal species in protected tropical forests?
Anthropogenic stressors influence the occurrence dynamics of mammal species in protected tropical forests by impacting colonization and survival probability at both the local and landscape scale.

How do local and landscape-scale factors affect the colonization and survival probability of mammal species?
Local-scale factors such as forest cover and landscape-scale factors such as human population density influence the colonization and survival probability of mammal species.

What role do protected areas play in wildlife conservation?
Protected areas play a vital role in wildlife conservation by providing a safe habitat for species to thrive.

How do responses to anthropogenic stressors differ between species groups?
Responses to anthropogenic stressors differ between species groups, with colonization by specialists increasing with local-scale forest cover when landscape-scale fragmentation is low and survival probability of generalists being higher near the edge than in the core of the PA when landscape-scale human population density is low.

How does human population density outside of protected areas affect the survival of generalist mammals?
When landscape-scale human population density is high, the survival probability of generalist mammals is higher in the core of the PA than near the edge.

AI Comments

👍 This article is a great example of how research can be used to understand the effects of human presence and activities on tropical forest biodiversity.

👎 This article fails to address the underlying causes of why human presence and activities are having a negative effect on tropical forest biodiversity.

AI Discussion

Me: It discusses how human presence and activities can affect the dynamics of mammal populations in protected tropical forests. It looks at things like colonization probability and survival probability, and how they are affected by things like forest cover, landscape fragmentation, and human population density.

Friend: Interesting. What are the implications of this article?

Me: Well, it suggests that human activities and presence can have a significant impact on the dynamics of mammal populations in protected tropical forests, and that these effects can be felt at multiple scales. This implies that conservation efforts need to take into account the potential impacts of human activities on the environment, both inside and outside the protected area. It also suggests that conservation efforts should focus on conserving habitat and maintaining landscape connectivity in order to ensure the survival of mammal populations in protected areas.

Action items

Research other studies on the occurrence dynamics of mammals in protected tropical forests.
Explore the impact of human activities on the occurrence dynamics of mammals in other ecosystems.
Develop strategies to reduce the impact of human activities on the occurrence dynamics of mammals in protected tropical forests.

Technical terms

Occurrence dynamics: The changes in the presence or absence of a species in a given area over time.
Protected areas (PAs): Areas of land or water set aside for the conservation of wildlife and natural resources.
Anthropogenic stressors: Human activities that can have a negative impact on the environment.
Camera-trap data: Data collected from cameras set up in an area to monitor wildlife activity.
Bayesian dynamic multispecies occupancy models: A statistical model used to estimate the probability of a species occupying a given area.
Forest cover: The amount of land covered by trees and other vegetation.
Fragmentation: The process of breaking up a large area of land into smaller, disconnected pieces.
Human population density: The number of people living in a given area.
Habitat specialists: Species that are adapted to living in a specific type of habitat.
Generalists: Species that are able to survive in a wide variety of habitats.
Edge: The boundary between two different habitats.
Core: The innermost part of an area.