Patch-occupancy models indicate human activity as major determinant of forest elephant Loxodonta cyclotis seasonal distribution in an industrial corridor in Gabon
Biological Conservation
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Abstract
The importance of human activity and ecological features in influencing African forest elephant ranging behaviour was investigated in the Rabi-Ndogo corridor of the Gamba Complex of Protected Areas in southwest Gabon. Locations in a wide geographical area with a range of environmental variables were selected for patch-occupancy surveys using elephant dung to assess seasonal presence and absence of elephants. Patch-occupancy procedures allowed for covariate modelling evaluating hypotheses for both occupancy in relation to human activity and ecological features, and detection probability in relation to vegetation density. The best fitting models for old and fresh dung data sets indicate that (1) detection probability for elephant dung is negatively related to the relative density of the vegetation, and (2) human activity, such as presence and infrastructure, are more closely associated with elephant distribution patterns than are ecological features, such as the presence of wetlands and preferred fresh fruit. Our findings emphasize the sensitivity of elephants to human disturbance, in this case infrastructure development associated with gas and oil production. Patch-occupancy methodology offers a viable alternative to current transect protocols for monitoring programs with multiple covariates.
Suggested Citation
Buij, R., McShea, W., Campbell, P., Lee, M., Dallmeier, F., Guimondou, S., Mackaga, L., Guisseougou, N., Mboumba, S., Hines, J., Nichols, J., Alonso, A., 2007, Patch-occupancy models indicate human activity as major determinant of forest elephant Loxodonta cyclotis seasonal distribution in an industrial corridor in Gabon: Biological Conservation, v. 135, no. 2, p. 189-201, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2006.10.028.
| Publication type | Article |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
| Title | Patch-occupancy models indicate human activity as major determinant of forest elephant Loxodonta cyclotis seasonal distribution in an industrial corridor in Gabon |
| Series title | Biological Conservation |
| DOI | 10.1016/j.biocon.2006.10.028 |
| Volume | 135 |
| Issue | 2 |
| Year Published | 2007 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Elsevier |
| Contributing office(s) | Patuxent Wildlife Research Center |
| Description | 13 p. |
| Larger Work Type | Article |
| Larger Work Subtype | Journal Article |
| Larger Work Title | Biological Conservation |
| First page | 189 |
| Last page | 201 |
| Country | Gabon |