Michael R. Dusevic, Brooke S. Etherington, William M. Twardek, Tara Lepine, Aaron J. Zolderdo, Austin J. Gallagher, Kathryn Peiman, Steven J. Cooke
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Benefits to wildlife communities stemming from the protection of a single species have been documented in terrestrial and marine systems but remain understudied within the context of freshwater-protected areas (FPAs). We used five long-standing (>80 years) FPAs in three lakes in eastern Ontario, Canada, which were initially established to protect native black bass (Micropterus spp.) from angling exploitation, to assess whether this protection affected wildlife communities found in the riparian areas of these FPAs. From May to July 2021, we used baited remote camera traps and visual surveys to assess species diversity within and outside of FPAs. We recorded 61 species spanning mammalian, avian and herpetofauna taxa, with the two assessment methods identifying unique sets of species (23% overlap). Camera traps showed that animals were more active in riparian areas during the day (62% of detections) than at night. FPAs had a variable but overall positive influence on riparian wildlife biodiversity, hosting more bird, mammal, amphibian and reptile species than non-protected areas and having higher species richness. FPAs differed from other sites in the lakes by having higher habitat complexity, less human infrastructure and less human use, which potentially contributed to these differences. This study raises awareness that even small FPAs can have legacy, umbrella-type benefits that extend beyond fishes to the wildlife that use the adjacent riparian areas.
期刊介绍:
Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems is an international journal dedicated to publishing original papers that relate specifically to freshwater, brackish or marine habitats and encouraging work that spans these ecosystems. This journal provides a forum in which all aspects of the conservation of aquatic biological resources can be presented and discussed, enabling greater cooperation and efficiency in solving problems in aquatic resource conservation.