Ehlers Smith Yvette C, Ehlers Smith David A, Ramesh Tharmalingam, Downs Colleen T
School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X01, Scottsville, Pietermaritzburg 3209, South Africa.
School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X01, Scottsville, Pietermaritzburg 3209, South Africa; Sálim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History, Anaikatty, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India.
Behav Processes. 2019 Feb;159:9-22. doi: 10.1016/j.beproc.2018.12.005. Epub 2018 Dec 12.
Understanding the effects of anthropogenic disturbance on species' behaviour is crucial for conservation planning, considering the extent of habitat loss. We investigated the influence of anthropogenic disturbances including agriculture, urbanisation, protected areas, and the presence of novel predators, on the temporal and spatial behaviour of sympatric forest antelope (Tragelaphus scriptus, Philantomba monticola, Sylvicapra grimmia, and Cephalophus natalensis) in an anthropogenic matrix containing forest fragments in the Indian Ocean Coastal Belt of South Africa. We integrated land-use types with camera-trap data and compared activity patterns using circular statistics and occupancy modelling. Antelope species overlapped in temporal and spatial distribution and exhibited diurnal activity for 50% of the time. All species exhibited nocturnal activity for ∼25-33% of all observations, except for C. natalensis. Nocturnal activity varied between species and land-use types. The predators Canis familiaris, C. mesomelas and Caracal caracal negatively influenced occupancy of P. monticola, S. grimmia and C. natalensis. Humans negatively influenced temporal activity of P. monticola, and spatial distribution of T. scriptus and S. grimmia. C. familiaris had an overall negative influence on S. grimmia. We found spatial, and to a lesser extent temporal, segregation between species. However, plasticity in activity patterns existed, which varied in response to anthropogenic effects and novel predators.
考虑到栖息地丧失的程度，了解人为干扰对物种行为的影响对于保护规划至关重要。我们在南非印度洋沿岸带包含森林碎片的人为环境中，研究了农业、城市化、保护区以及新出现的捕食者等人为干扰因素对同域分布的森林羚羊（南非薮羚、山地小羚羊、黑耳岩羚和纳氏麂羚）时空行为的影响。我们将土地利用类型与相机陷阱数据相结合，并使用圆形统计和占有率模型比较活动模式。羚羊物种在时间和空间分布上存在重叠，并且有50%的时间表现出昼间活动。除纳氏麂羚外，所有物种在所有观察中约25%-33%的时间表现出夜间活动。夜间活动在物种和土地利用类型之间有所不同。家犬、黑背胡狼和狞猫等捕食者对山地小羚羊、黑耳岩羚和纳氏麂羚的占有率产生负面影响。人类对山地小羚羊的时间活动以及南非薮羚和黑耳岩羚的空间分布产生负面影响。家犬对黑耳岩羚总体上有负面影响。我们发现物种之间存在空间隔离，在较小程度上也存在时间隔离。然而，活动模式存在可塑性，会因人为影响和新出现的捕食者而有所不同。
