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Advisor(s)
Abstract(s)
Wildlife anthropogenic mortality is increasing worldwide, yet there is limited understanding regarding its
population-level impacts. Territorial species stand out in this context, as they possess distinctive characteristics
that are often overlooked but may significantly affect their vulnerability. In particular, population impacts may
depend on the level and spatial distribution of additional mortality risk across territories, and on the extent to
which exposure to increased mortality varies across life stages (i.e., territorial and non-territorial individuals). In
this study, we developed an Individual-Based Model (IBM) to explore these issues, using the Bonelli’s eagle
(Aquila fasciata) and electrocution in powerline pylons as a model system. We used declines in annual population
growth rates as a proxy for negative impacts, and conducted simulations to estimate the relative impacts of
different levels of mortality risk, the spatial pattern of such risks, and the risk exposure of different life stages.
Population-level impacts greatly increased with the mortality risks simulated, and they were lower when
exposure to mortality risks was concentrated versus spread across territories. Impacts were highest when both
territorial and non-territorial individuals were exposed to anthropogenic mortality risks, and they were higher
when such exposure only affected non-territorial versus territorial individuals. Our results underscore that each
breeding territory should be considered as a unit, where all existing pylons should be intervened whenever
mitigation actions are put in place. Results also highlight the importance of considering both the territorial and
non-territorial fractions of the population to prevent and mitigate the impacts of increased mortality. More
generally, our study illustrates the value of IBM frameworks such as ours to explore population-level impacts
resulting from anthropogenic mortality in territorial species, and to inform the development of conservation
strategies to mitigate such impacts.
Description
Keywords
Agent-based models Aquila fasciata Electrocution Population dynamics Power lines
Pedagogical Context
Citation
Marques, Ana Teresa, et al. «Using Individual-Based Demographic Modelling to Estimate the Impacts of Anthropogenic Mortality on Territorial Predators». Ecological Modelling, vol. 493, julho de 2024, p. 110752. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2024.110752.
Publisher
Elsevier