Moving in the Anthropocene: Global reductions in terrestrial mammalian movements.
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| Abstract | :
Animal movement is fundamental for ecosystem functioning and species survival, yet the effects of the anthropogenic footprint on animal movements have not been estimated across species. Using a unique GPS-tracking database of 803 individuals across 57 species, we found that movements of mammals in areas with a comparatively high human footprint were on average one-half to one-third the extent of their movements in areas with a low human footprint. We attribute this reduction to behavioral changes of individual animals and to the exclusion of species with long-range movements from areas with higher human impact. Global loss of vagility alters a key ecological trait of animals that affects not only population persistence but also ecosystem processes such as predator-prey interactions, nutrient cycling, and disease transmission. |
| Year of Publication | :
2018
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| Journal | :
Science (New York, N.Y.)
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| Volume | :
359
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| Issue | :
6374
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| Number of Pages | :
466-469
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| Date Published | :
2018
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| ISSN Number | :
0036-8075
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| DOI | :
10.1126/science.aam9712
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| Short Title | :
Science
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