背景:野猪(Susscrofa)是一种外来物种,在美国东南部已经存在了几个世纪,但仍在继续扩展到以低地和高地森林为主的新地区,后者与野猪的关系较少。这里,我们的目的是调查野猪的运动和空间使用属性,通常用于指导多个时空尺度的野猪管理。我们的调查集中在以低地和高地森林为主的新入侵景观上。
方法:我们使用自相关核密度估计器检查了(1)核心和总空间使用;(2)使用步进选择分析与各种景观特征相关的资源选择模式和空间使用热点;(3)使用广义加性混合模型在非狩猎和狩猎季节之间的每日和每小时运动模式差异。
结果:在计算的核心(1.2±0.3km2)和90%(5.2±1.5km2)的等值下,野猪(n=9)的总空间使用估计比在美国东南部的其他景观中报告的估计要小,表明野猪能够满足觅食,封面,以及较小区域内的温度调节需求。一般来说,野猪选择了更接近草本的地区,木质湿地,字段,和常年的溪流,沿着这些特征创建使用的走廊。然而,选择力量因个体而异,加强通才,野猪的适应性。野猪也表现出从秋季到冬季运动增加的趋势,可能并行增加硬桅杆的可用性。在此期间,人为压力也有所增加(例如狩猎),随着压力的增加,导致运动变得不那么昼夜。
结论:我们的工作表明,异国情调的通才的运动模式必须跨个体理解,他们可以入侵的景观的广度,和多个时空尺度。这种改进的理解将更好地为管理策略提供信息,专注于遏制新景观中的新兴入侵,同时也保护当地的自然资源。
BACKGROUND: The wild pig (Sus scrofa) is an exotic species that has been present in the southeastern United States for centuries yet continues to expand into new areas dominated by bottomland and upland forests, the latter of which are less commonly associated with wild pigs. Here, we aimed to investigate wild pig movement and space use attributes typically used to guide wild pig management among multiple spatiotemporal scales. Our investigation focused on a newly invaded landscape dominated by bottomland and upland forests.
METHODS: We examined (1) core and total space use using an autocorrelated kernel density estimator; (2) resource selection patterns and hot spots of space use in relation to various landscape features using step-selection analysis; and (3) daily and hourly differences in movement patterns between non-hunting and hunting seasons using generalized additive mixed models.
RESULTS: Estimates of total space use among wild pigs (n = 9) were smaller at calculated core (1.2 ± 0.3 km2) and 90% (5.2 ± 1.5 km2) isopleths than estimates reported in other landscapes in the southeastern United States, suggesting that wild pigs were able to meet foraging, cover, and thermoregulatory needs within smaller areas. Generally, wild pigs selected areas closer to herbaceous, woody wetlands, fields, and perennial streams, creating corridors of use along these features. However, selection strength varied among individuals, reinforcing the generalist, adaptive nature of wild pigs. Wild pigs also showed a tendency to increase movement from fall to winter, possibly paralleling increases in hard mast availability. During this time, there were also increases in anthropogenic pressures (e.g. hunting), causing movements to become less diurnal as pressure increased.
CONCLUSIONS: Our work demonstrates that movement patterns by exotic generalists must be understood across individuals, the breadth of landscapes they can invade, and multiple spatiotemporal scales. This improved understanding will better inform management strategies focused on curbing emerging invasions in novel landscapes, while also protecting native natural resources.