Moving in the Anthropocene: Global reductions in terrestrial mammalian movements.
| Author | |
| 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
|
| Journal |
:
Science (New York, N.Y.)
|
| Volume |
:
359
|
| Issue |
:
6374
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| Number of Pages |
:
466-469
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| Date Published |
:
2018
|
| ISSN Number |
:
0036-8075
|
| DOI |
:
10.1126/science.aam9712
|
| Short Title |
:
Science
|
| Download citation |
