Use of least-cost pathways to identify key road segments for Florida panther conservation
Roads fragment wildlife habitat, and the vehicles that travel them are often a source of wildlife mortality. Often, wildlife populations can absorb this unnatural mortality without suffering declines, but for endangered large mammals like the Florida panther, if their remaining habitat is fragmented or their mortality is increased in other ways (e.g., roadkill), their existence may be imperiled. A landscape approach is critical to identifying key road segments that are important for maintaining unimpeded panther movement. Least-cost pathway (LCP) modeling considers elements within the landscape that facilitate movement and minimize impediments when an animal travels from one area to another. Our analyses identified the most likely LCPs for panthers to use in moving between six major use areas in southwest Florida, and we identified 16 key road segments where these LCPs intersected improved roadways. These intersections correlated well with documented panther roadkill locations and overlapped fixed-kernel panther home ranges. One of our LCPs coursed through an area dominated by citrus groves; this area is strategically located between large blocks of panther habitat, which explains the cluster of panther roadkills at this location. Our analyses supported the habitat stewardship areas of the 2002 Collier County Rural Lands Stewardship Plan; however, we recommend additional protection for the pathway north of County Road 858 and west of State Road 29. We believe that by using a landscape approach, panthers and their habitat can be protected as current road networks are improved, new roads are constructed, and existing panther habitat is altered or disturbed. We did not attempt to map all possible panther–road conflict areas; however, this technique could be applied to other areas, such as possible panther reintroduction areas, as needs arise.
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Format: | monograph biblioteca |
Language: | English |
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Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Fish and Wildlife Research Institute
2008
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Subjects: | Conservation, Florida panther, Puma concolor coryi, conservation, endangered species, Florida, Everglades National Park, |
Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/1834/40371 |
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dig-aquadocs-1834-403712021-07-24T02:06:16Z Use of least-cost pathways to identify key road segments for Florida panther conservation Swanson, Kathleen Land, Darrell Kautz, Randy Kawula, Robert Conservation Florida panther Puma concolor coryi conservation endangered species Florida Everglades National Park Roads fragment wildlife habitat, and the vehicles that travel them are often a source of wildlife mortality. Often, wildlife populations can absorb this unnatural mortality without suffering declines, but for endangered large mammals like the Florida panther, if their remaining habitat is fragmented or their mortality is increased in other ways (e.g., roadkill), their existence may be imperiled. A landscape approach is critical to identifying key road segments that are important for maintaining unimpeded panther movement. Least-cost pathway (LCP) modeling considers elements within the landscape that facilitate movement and minimize impediments when an animal travels from one area to another. Our analyses identified the most likely LCPs for panthers to use in moving between six major use areas in southwest Florida, and we identified 16 key road segments where these LCPs intersected improved roadways. These intersections correlated well with documented panther roadkill locations and overlapped fixed-kernel panther home ranges. One of our LCPs coursed through an area dominated by citrus groves; this area is strategically located between large blocks of panther habitat, which explains the cluster of panther roadkills at this location. Our analyses supported the habitat stewardship areas of the 2002 Collier County Rural Lands Stewardship Plan; however, we recommend additional protection for the pathway north of County Road 858 and west of State Road 29. We believe that by using a landscape approach, panthers and their habitat can be protected as current road networks are improved, new roads are constructed, and existing panther habitat is altered or disturbed. We did not attempt to map all possible panther–road conflict areas; however, this technique could be applied to other areas, such as possible panther reintroduction areas, as needs arise. 2021-06-24T18:35:50Z 2021-06-24T18:35:50Z 2008 monograph 1930-1448 http://hdl.handle.net/1834/40371 en Fish and Wildlife Research Institute. Technical Report application/pdf application/pdf 44 Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Fish and Wildlife Research Institute St. Petersburg, FL http://aquaticcommons.org/id/eprint/26076 704 2018-11-06 20:06:47 26076 Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission |
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Conservation Florida panther Puma concolor coryi conservation endangered species Florida Everglades National Park Conservation Florida panther Puma concolor coryi conservation endangered species Florida Everglades National Park |
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Conservation Florida panther Puma concolor coryi conservation endangered species Florida Everglades National Park Conservation Florida panther Puma concolor coryi conservation endangered species Florida Everglades National Park Swanson, Kathleen Land, Darrell Kautz, Randy Kawula, Robert Use of least-cost pathways to identify key road segments for Florida panther conservation |
description |
Roads fragment wildlife habitat, and the vehicles that travel them are often a source of wildlife mortality. Often, wildlife populations can absorb this unnatural mortality without suffering declines, but for endangered large mammals like the Florida panther, if their remaining habitat is fragmented or their mortality is increased in other ways (e.g., roadkill), their existence may be imperiled. A landscape approach is critical to identifying key road segments that are important for maintaining unimpeded panther movement. Least-cost pathway (LCP) modeling considers elements within the landscape that facilitate movement and minimize impediments when an animal travels from one area to another. Our analyses identified the most likely LCPs for panthers to use in moving between six major use areas in southwest Florida, and we identified 16 key road segments where these LCPs intersected improved roadways. These intersections correlated well with documented panther roadkill locations and overlapped fixed-kernel panther home ranges. One of our LCPs coursed through an area dominated by citrus groves; this area is strategically located between large blocks of panther habitat, which explains the cluster of panther roadkills at this location. Our analyses supported the habitat stewardship areas of the 2002 Collier County Rural Lands Stewardship Plan; however, we recommend additional protection for the pathway north of County Road 858 and west of State Road 29. We believe that by using a landscape approach, panthers and their habitat can be protected as current road networks are improved, new roads are constructed, and existing panther habitat is altered or disturbed. We did not attempt to map all possible panther–road conflict areas; however, this technique could be applied to other areas, such as possible panther reintroduction areas, as needs arise. |
format |
monograph |
topic_facet |
Conservation Florida panther Puma concolor coryi conservation endangered species Florida Everglades National Park |
author |
Swanson, Kathleen Land, Darrell Kautz, Randy Kawula, Robert |
author_facet |
Swanson, Kathleen Land, Darrell Kautz, Randy Kawula, Robert |
author_sort |
Swanson, Kathleen |
title |
Use of least-cost pathways to identify key road segments for
Florida panther conservation |
title_short |
Use of least-cost pathways to identify key road segments for
Florida panther conservation |
title_full |
Use of least-cost pathways to identify key road segments for
Florida panther conservation |
title_fullStr |
Use of least-cost pathways to identify key road segments for
Florida panther conservation |
title_full_unstemmed |
Use of least-cost pathways to identify key road segments for
Florida panther conservation |
title_sort |
use of least-cost pathways to identify key road segments for
florida panther conservation |
publisher |
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Fish and Wildlife Research Institute |
publishDate |
2008 |
url |
http://hdl.handle.net/1834/40371 |
work_keys_str_mv |
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_version_ |
1756080019124256768 |