White-tailed deer limit their spatio-temporal overlap with hikers in a protected area
Abstract The pressure on ecosystems resulting from outdoor recreational activities is increasing globally. Protected areas offer to large mammals refugia free of hunting with greater access to food resources, but the presence of humans for recreation in these areas may induce changes in behaviour, a...
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Nature Portfolio
2024-12-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-84000-3 |
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| author | Virginie Millien Frédérique Truchon Martin-Hugues St-Laurent |
| author_facet | Virginie Millien Frédérique Truchon Martin-Hugues St-Laurent |
| author_sort | Virginie Millien |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract The pressure on ecosystems resulting from outdoor recreational activities is increasing globally. Protected areas offer to large mammals refugia free of hunting with greater access to food resources, but the presence of humans for recreation in these areas may induce changes in behaviour, activity pattern, and habitat use. We used camera traps to model the spatial distribution and temporal activity of the white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in a nature reserve located close to Montreal, the second largest metropole in Canada. We showed that deer limit their overlap with the public both across space and over time. White-tailed deer exhibited their highest activity level early in the morning, prior to the reserve’s opening hours, indicating temporal avoidance of the public. Deer were also detected at a higher rate when further away from the hiking trail, although in less suitable habitat, indicating spatial avoidance. Human recreational activities in nature reserves open to the public may thus have an indirect effect on ecosystems, by altering the habitat use and behaviour of wildlife. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-4ac07f057f814407a9012940e73ad34b |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj-art-4ac07f057f814407a9012940e73ad34b2025-01-05T12:26:58ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222024-12-0114111010.1038/s41598-024-84000-3White-tailed deer limit their spatio-temporal overlap with hikers in a protected areaVirginie Millien0Frédérique Truchon1Martin-Hugues St-Laurent2Department of Biology, McGill UniversityGault Nature Reserve, McGill UniversityCentre for Forest Research & Centre for Northern Studies, Département de Biologie, Chimie et Géographie, Université du Québec à RimouskiAbstract The pressure on ecosystems resulting from outdoor recreational activities is increasing globally. Protected areas offer to large mammals refugia free of hunting with greater access to food resources, but the presence of humans for recreation in these areas may induce changes in behaviour, activity pattern, and habitat use. We used camera traps to model the spatial distribution and temporal activity of the white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in a nature reserve located close to Montreal, the second largest metropole in Canada. We showed that deer limit their overlap with the public both across space and over time. White-tailed deer exhibited their highest activity level early in the morning, prior to the reserve’s opening hours, indicating temporal avoidance of the public. Deer were also detected at a higher rate when further away from the hiking trail, although in less suitable habitat, indicating spatial avoidance. Human recreational activities in nature reserves open to the public may thus have an indirect effect on ecosystems, by altering the habitat use and behaviour of wildlife.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-84000-3Movement behaviourTemporal activityRecreational human activitiesNature reserveWhite-tailed deer |
| spellingShingle | Virginie Millien Frédérique Truchon Martin-Hugues St-Laurent White-tailed deer limit their spatio-temporal overlap with hikers in a protected area Scientific Reports Movement behaviour Temporal activity Recreational human activities Nature reserve White-tailed deer |
| title | White-tailed deer limit their spatio-temporal overlap with hikers in a protected area |
| title_full | White-tailed deer limit their spatio-temporal overlap with hikers in a protected area |
| title_fullStr | White-tailed deer limit their spatio-temporal overlap with hikers in a protected area |
| title_full_unstemmed | White-tailed deer limit their spatio-temporal overlap with hikers in a protected area |
| title_short | White-tailed deer limit their spatio-temporal overlap with hikers in a protected area |
| title_sort | white tailed deer limit their spatio temporal overlap with hikers in a protected area |
| topic | Movement behaviour Temporal activity Recreational human activities Nature reserve White-tailed deer |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-84000-3 |
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