Arkansas Project: Mesopredator Density Along an Urban to Rural Gradient

Arkansas Project

Mesopredator Density Along an Urban to Rural Gradient

September 2020 - December 2024

Personnel

Participating Agencies

USGS Cooperative Research Units

Bobcat are widespread mesopredators that are less tolerant of human development than other similarly sized mesopredators.

Mesopredators play important ecological roles in most systems. This group of wildlife is often well-adapted to human development and their densities can vary according to the human-subsidized resources with trickle down effects on other animals. Here, we are using wildlife cameras to evaluate the density and community composition of mammalian mesopredators along an urban to rural gradient in northwest Arkansas.

Research Publications

Research Publications	Publication Date
DeGregorio, B.A., C. Gale, E. Lassiter, A. Massey, C. Roberts, and J. Veon. 2021. Nine-banded Armadillo (Dasyrus novemcinctus) Activity Patterns are Influenced by Human Activity. Ecology and Evolution: 0-8. \| Abstract \| Download	November 2021	As the human footprint upon the planet expands, wildlife seeking to avoid human contact are losing the option of altering their spatial distribution and instead are shifting their daily activity patterns to be active at different times than humans. In this study, we used game cameras to evaluate how human development and activity was related to the daily activity patterns of the nine-banded armadillo (<i>Dasyrus novemcinctus)</i> along an urban to rural gradient in Arkansas, USA during the winter of 2020-2021. We found that armadillos had substantial behavioral plasticity in regard to the timing of their activity patterns; >95% of armadillo activity was nocturnal at six of the study sites whereas between 30 and 60% of activity occurred during the day at 3 other sites. Distance to downtown Fayetteville (the nearest population center) and estimated ambient sound level (both indices of human activity) best explained the likelihood of diurnal armadillo activity with armadillos being most active during the day at quiet sites far from Fayetteville. Anecdotal evidence suggests that this activity shift may be in response to not only human activity but the presence of domestic dogs. Our results provide further evidence that human activity has subtle nonlethal impacts on even common, widespread wildlife species. Because armadillos have low body temperatures and basal metabolism, being active during cold winter nights likely has measurable fitness costs. Nature reserves near human population centers may not serve as safe harbors for wildlife as we intend, and managers should benefit from considering these nonlethal responses in how they manage recreation and visitation in these natural areas.
DeGregorio, B.A., Veon, J.T. and Massey, A., 2022. Wildlife associates of nine‐banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus) burrows in Arkansas. Ecology and Evolution, 12(5), p.e8858. \| Download	June 2022

Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units Program: Arkansas Education, Research and Technical Assistance for Managing Our Natural Resources

Arkansas Project

Mesopredator Density Along an Urban to Rural Gradient

September 2020 - December 2024

Personnel

Participating Agencies

Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units Program: Arkansas
Education, Research and Technical Assistance for Managing Our Natural Resources