Watson Hannah, Bolton Mark, Monaghan Pat
Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK.
RSPB Centre for Conservation Science, UK Headquarters, The Lodge, Sandy, Beds SG19 2DL, UK.
Biol Conserv. 2014 Jun;174(100):127-133. doi: 10.1016/j.biocon.2014.03.020.
While negative effects of human disturbance on animals living above the ground have been widely reported, few studies have considered effects on animals occupying cavities or burrows underground. It is generally assumed that, in the absence of direct visual contact, such species are less vulnerable to disturbance. Seabird colonies can support large populations of burrow- and cavity-nesting species and attract increasing numbers of tourists. We investigated the potential effects of recreational disturbance on the reproductive behaviour of the European storm petrel , a nocturnally-active cavity-nesting seabird. Reproductive phenology and outcome of nests subject to high and low levels of visitor pressure were recorded in two consecutive years. Hatching success did not differ between disturbance levels, but overall nestling mortality was significantly higher in areas exposed to high visitor pressure. Although visitor numbers were consistent throughout the season, the magnitude and rate of a seasonal decline in productivity were significantly greater in nests subject to high disturbance. This study presents good evidence that, even when humans do not pose a direct mortality risk, animals may perceive them as a predation risk. This has implications for the conservation and management of a diverse range of burrow- and cavity-dwelling animals. Despite this reduction in individual fitness, overall colony productivity was reduced by ⩽1.6% compared with that expected in the absence of visitors. While the colony-level consequences at the site in question may be considered minor, conservation managers must evaluate the trade-off between potential costs and benefits of public access on a site- and species-specific basis.
虽然人类干扰对地面以上动物的负面影响已有广泛报道，但很少有研究考虑其对地下洞穴或洞穴中动物的影响。通常认为，在没有直接视觉接触的情况下，这类物种较不易受到干扰。海鸟聚居地可容纳大量在洞穴中筑巢的物种，并吸引越来越多的游客。我们调查了娱乐干扰对欧洲海燕繁殖行为的潜在影响，欧洲海燕是一种夜间活动、在洞穴中筑巢的海鸟。连续两年记录了受到高、低游客压力的巢穴的繁殖物候和结果。孵化成功率在不同干扰水平之间没有差异，但在游客压力高的地区，总体雏鸟死亡率显著更高。尽管整个季节游客数量保持一致，但在受到高干扰的巢穴中，生产力季节性下降的幅度和速度显著更大。这项研究提供了有力证据，表明即使人类不会造成直接死亡风险，动物也可能将其视为捕食风险。这对各种穴居和洞居动物的保护和管理具有重要意义。尽管个体适应性有所下降，但与没有游客时预期的情况相比，整个聚居地的生产力下降了1.6%。虽然该地点在聚居地层面的影响可能被认为较小，但保护管理人员必须在特定地点和物种的基础上评估公众进入的潜在成本和收益之间的权衡。
