Impact of land use on mammals

Summary
Species-specific responses in movement behaviour to anthropogenic disturbance (land-use and infrastructure) will be modelled by UG, TAWIRI, NTNU and NINA for GPS collared wildebeest UG, TAWIRI), zebra (UG, TAWIRI), impala (NTNU, NINA, TAWIRI)and wild dogs (NINA, NTNU, TAWIRI) using a hierarchical spatial approach assessing effects on both distribution (resource selection functions, niche overlap) and behavioural decisions (step selection functions). Species-specific vulnerability to modified landscapes at different trophic levels may decouple trophic interactions. NTNU, TAWIRI and NINA will conduct an analysis of the predator-prey interaction by assessing how land-use and infrastructure alters the resource use of wild dogs and impala (Hebblewhite et al. 2005). UG, NINA and NTNU will investigate chronic levels of stress in the GPS collared wildebeest (UG) and impala (NTNU, NINA) (from tail hairs and faeces, respectively) to determine if human disturbance illicits a stress response in respectively migrating and resident herbivores that changes their behaviour and occupancy. In impala, observational studies by NTNU and NINA will be used to link stress levels to flight initiation distance, vigilance and habitat selection. The effects of the land use and infrastructure on the traditional routes and occupancy times of migrating herbivores will be analysed by UG using GPS collars and camera traps in village lands. These changes in turn may affect grazing pressure and nutrient cycles.