Seasonal and daily use of canal culverts by mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates
Abstract Landscape connectivity is critical to the long‐term conservation of wildlife populations. Although anthropogenic linear infrastructures (ALI), including roads and canals, provide important resources to humans, they can affect wildlife through habitat fragmentation and reduced movement throu...
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| Format: | Article |
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Wiley
2025-03-01
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| Series: | Wildlife Society Bulletin |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/wsb.1561 |
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| author | Kaela M. Hamilton Thomas Bommarito Heather L. Bateman Jesse S. Lewis |
| author_facet | Kaela M. Hamilton Thomas Bommarito Heather L. Bateman Jesse S. Lewis |
| author_sort | Kaela M. Hamilton |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Landscape connectivity is critical to the long‐term conservation of wildlife populations. Although anthropogenic linear infrastructures (ALI), including roads and canals, provide important resources to humans, they can affect wildlife through habitat fragmentation and reduced movement through landscapes. To increase landscape connectivity, crossing structures, including underpasses, can facilitate wildlife movement across landscapes experiencing ALI. However, little is known about how a suite of small‐ to medium‐sized species use underpasses across seasonal and daily time periods, especially for some ALI such as major canals. We used specialized camera technology (i.e., the Hobbs Active Light Trigger [HALT] camera) to evaluate use of culvert underpass crossing structures (hereafter culverts) along the Central Arizona Project canal, Arizona, by a suite of mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates. Specifically, we evaluated (1) which wildlife species used culverts, (2) how the frequency of use varied across seasons (i.e., hot‐dry, hot‐wet, cool‐wet) and (3) daily activity patterns of wildlife using culverts. We detected 31 species of wildlife using culverts, which included small‐ to medium‐sized mammals (56.4% of crossings), reptiles (21.0% of crossings), amphibians (19.0% of crossings), and invertebrates (3.6% of crossings), including some species of conservation concern, such as the Sonoran Desert tortoise (Gopherus morafkai) and Gila monster (Heloderma suspectum). However, crossings by larger mammal species were less effectively detected with the HALT cameras. Reptile crossing frequency was similar between the 2 seasons that they were active during the hot‐dry (May–June) and hot‐wet (July–October) seasons and crossing frequency by some species of amphibians and invertebrates was higher in the hot‐wet season. Throughout the entire year, small mammals used culverts more frequently in hot seasons (i.e., hot‐wet and hot‐dry) compared to the cool‐wet (November‐March) season. In addition, daily activity patterns varied by species, where species crossed culverts during diurnal (e.g., desert spiny lizards, Sceloporus magister and coachwhip snakes, Masticophis flagellum), crepuscular (e.g., cottontail rabbits, Sylvilagus audubonii and western diamondback rattlesnakes, Crotalus atrox), and nocturnal (e.g., deer mouse species, heteromyid species, woodrat species, desert stink beetle species) time periods. Our information can be used to manage wildlife crossing areas and increase landscape connectivity in relation to ALI. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-d44b622a173748a8ab20fd8abf09064b |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2328-5540 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Wildlife Society Bulletin |
| spelling | doaj-art-d44b622a173748a8ab20fd8abf09064b2025-08-20T02:56:47ZengWileyWildlife Society Bulletin2328-55402025-03-01491n/an/a10.1002/wsb.1561Seasonal and daily use of canal culverts by mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and invertebratesKaela M. Hamilton0Thomas Bommarito1Heather L. Bateman2Jesse S. Lewis3Arizona State University College of Integrative Sciences and Arts 6073 South Backus Mall Mesa 85212 AZ USABureau of Reclamation 6150 W Thunderbird Road Glendale 85306 AZ USAArizona State University College of Integrative Sciences and Arts 6073 South Backus Mall Mesa 85212 AZ USAArizona State University College of Integrative Sciences and Arts 6073 South Backus Mall Mesa 85212 AZ USAAbstract Landscape connectivity is critical to the long‐term conservation of wildlife populations. Although anthropogenic linear infrastructures (ALI), including roads and canals, provide important resources to humans, they can affect wildlife through habitat fragmentation and reduced movement through landscapes. To increase landscape connectivity, crossing structures, including underpasses, can facilitate wildlife movement across landscapes experiencing ALI. However, little is known about how a suite of small‐ to medium‐sized species use underpasses across seasonal and daily time periods, especially for some ALI such as major canals. We used specialized camera technology (i.e., the Hobbs Active Light Trigger [HALT] camera) to evaluate use of culvert underpass crossing structures (hereafter culverts) along the Central Arizona Project canal, Arizona, by a suite of mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates. Specifically, we evaluated (1) which wildlife species used culverts, (2) how the frequency of use varied across seasons (i.e., hot‐dry, hot‐wet, cool‐wet) and (3) daily activity patterns of wildlife using culverts. We detected 31 species of wildlife using culverts, which included small‐ to medium‐sized mammals (56.4% of crossings), reptiles (21.0% of crossings), amphibians (19.0% of crossings), and invertebrates (3.6% of crossings), including some species of conservation concern, such as the Sonoran Desert tortoise (Gopherus morafkai) and Gila monster (Heloderma suspectum). However, crossings by larger mammal species were less effectively detected with the HALT cameras. Reptile crossing frequency was similar between the 2 seasons that they were active during the hot‐dry (May–June) and hot‐wet (July–October) seasons and crossing frequency by some species of amphibians and invertebrates was higher in the hot‐wet season. Throughout the entire year, small mammals used culverts more frequently in hot seasons (i.e., hot‐wet and hot‐dry) compared to the cool‐wet (November‐March) season. In addition, daily activity patterns varied by species, where species crossed culverts during diurnal (e.g., desert spiny lizards, Sceloporus magister and coachwhip snakes, Masticophis flagellum), crepuscular (e.g., cottontail rabbits, Sylvilagus audubonii and western diamondback rattlesnakes, Crotalus atrox), and nocturnal (e.g., deer mouse species, heteromyid species, woodrat species, desert stink beetle species) time periods. Our information can be used to manage wildlife crossing areas and increase landscape connectivity in relation to ALI.https://doi.org/10.1002/wsb.1561Culvertsdaily activitylandscape connectivitylinear infrastructureseasonunderpasses |
| spellingShingle | Kaela M. Hamilton Thomas Bommarito Heather L. Bateman Jesse S. Lewis Seasonal and daily use of canal culverts by mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates Wildlife Society Bulletin Culverts daily activity landscape connectivity linear infrastructure season underpasses |
| title | Seasonal and daily use of canal culverts by mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates |
| title_full | Seasonal and daily use of canal culverts by mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates |
| title_fullStr | Seasonal and daily use of canal culverts by mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates |
| title_full_unstemmed | Seasonal and daily use of canal culverts by mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates |
| title_short | Seasonal and daily use of canal culverts by mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates |
| title_sort | seasonal and daily use of canal culverts by mammals reptiles amphibians and invertebrates |
| topic | Culverts daily activity landscape connectivity linear infrastructure season underpasses |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/wsb.1561 |
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