Severe conservation risks of roads on apex predators
Authors
Publication Date
2022-12Journal Title
Scientific Reports
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Volume
12
Issue
1
Language
en
Type
Article
This Version
VoR
Metadata
Show full item recordCitation
Quintana, I., Cifuentes, E. F., Dunnink, J. A., Ariza, M., Martínez-Medina, D., Fantacini, F. M., Shrestha, B. R., & et al. (2022). Severe conservation risks of roads on apex predators. Scientific Reports, 12 (1) https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-05294-9
Abstract
<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:p>The global expansion of road networks threatens apex predator conservation and ecosystem functioning. This occurs through wildlife-vehicle collisions, habitat loss and fragmentation, reduced genetic connectivity and increased poaching. We reviewed road impacts on 36 apex predator species and assessed their risk from current roads based on road exposure and species vulnerability. Our findings reveal all apex predators are exposed to road impacts. Eight of the ten species with the highest risk occur in Asia, although other high-risk species are present in the Americas, Africa and Europe. The sloth bear suffers the highest risk of all apex predators, followed by the tiger and dhole. Based on species risk from roads, we propose a widely applicable method to assess the potential impact of future roads on apex predators. We applied this method to proposed road developments in three areas: the Brazilian Amazon, Africa, and Nepal, to locate high-impact road segments. Roughly 500 protected areas will be intersected by these roads, threatening core apex predator habitats. We advocate the need for rigorous road development planning to apply effective mitigation measures as an urgent priority and to avoid construction in wilderness areas and predator strongholds.</jats:p>
Keywords
Article, /704/158/672, /631/158/672, article
Sponsorship
Erasmus Mundus Master Course—International Master in Applied Ecology (EMMC-IMAE) (FPA 2023 – 0224/ 532524-1-FR- 2012-1-ERA MUNDUS-EMMC, FPA 2023 – 0224/ 532524-1-FR- 2012-1-ERA MUNDUS-EMMC, FPA 2023 – 0224/ 532524-1-FR- 2012-1-ERA MUNDUS-EMMC, FPA 2023 – 0224/ 532524-1-FR- 2012-1-ERA MUNDUS-EMMC, FPA 2023 – 0224/ 532524-1-FR- 2012-1-ERA MUNDUS-EMMC, FPA 2023 – 0224/ 532524-1-FR- 2012-1-ERA MUNDUS-EMMC, FPA 2023 – 0224/ 532524-1-FR- 2012-1-ERA MUNDUS-EMMC, FPA 2023 – 0224/ 532524-1-FR- 2012-1-ERA MUNDUS-EMMC)
Identifiers
s41598-022-05294-9, 5294
External DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-05294-9
This record's URL: https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/handle/1810/334276
Rights
Licence:
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
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