Moving in the Anthropocene: Global reductions in terrestrial mammalian movements

Science. 2018 Jan 26;359(6374):466-469. doi: 10.1126/science.aam9712.

Abstract

Animal movement is fundamental for ecosystem functioning and species survival, yet the effects of the anthropogenic footprint on animal movements have not been estimated across species. Using a unique GPS-tracking database of 803 individuals across 57 species, we found that movements of mammals in areas with a comparatively high human footprint were on average one-half to one-third the extent of their movements in areas with a low human footprint. We attribute this reduction to behavioral changes of individual animals and to the exclusion of species with long-range movements from areas with higher human impact. Global loss of vagility alters a key ecological trait of animals that affects not only population persistence but also ecosystem processes such as predator-prey interactions, nutrient cycling, and disease transmission.

MeSH terms

  • Animal Migration*
  • Animals
  • Geographic Information Systems
  • Human Activities*
  • Humans
  • Mammals*

Associated data

  • Dryad/10.5061/dryad.st350