anthropogenic influences on macro-level mammal occupancy in the appalachian trail corridor人为影响宏观哺乳动物居住在阿巴拉契亚山道走廊.pdfVIP

Anthropogenic Influences on Macro-Level Mammal Occupancy in the Appalachian Trail Corridor 1,2 2 1,3 Peter L. Erb *, William J. McShea , Robert P. Guralnick 1 Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, United States of America, 2 Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Front Royal, Virginia, United States of America, 3 University of Colorado Museum of Natural History, University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, United States of America Abstract Anthropogenic effects on wildlife are typically assessed at the local level, but it is often difficult to extrapolate to larger spatial extents. Macro-level occupancy studies are one way to assess impacts of multiple disturbance factors that might vary over different geographic extents. Here we assess anthropogenic effects on occupancy and distribution for several mammal species within the Appalachian Trail (AT), a forest corridor that extends across a broad section of the eastern United States. Utilizing camera traps and a large volunteer network of citizen scientists, we were able to sample 447 sites along a 1024 km section of the AT to assess the effects of available habitat, hunting, recreation, and roads on eight mammal species. Occupancy modeling revealed the importance of available forest to all species except opossums (Didelphis virginiana) and coyotes (Canis latrans). Hunting on adjoining lands was the second strongest predictor of occupancy for three mammal species, negatively influencing black bears (Ursus americanus) and bobcats (Lynx rufus), while positively influencing raccoons (Procyon lotor). Modeling also indicated an avoidance of high trail use areas by bears and proclivity towards high use areas by red fox (Vulpes vulpes). Roads had the lowest pre