https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/fee.2816
"Beyond the well-established benefits of wildlife road crossings and associated
infrastructure—improving driver safety, reducing animal mortality, reconnecting
habitats—there is another important but often underappreciated benefit:
supporting wildlife and ecosystems in adapting to climate change. We explore
this potential by (1) synthesizing the literature surrounding climate
adaptation and wildlife crossings, (2) presenting a case study on how crossings
support shifting animal migrations, and (3) describing key considerations for
incorporating climate information into crossing prioritizations. Among other
climate-adaptive benefits, research suggests crossings can support species
range shifts and protect access to resources even as drought and human
development compromise that access. Our case study outlines an approach for
prioritizing crossing locations most likely to support animal migration both
today and into the future. By accounting for such dynamics, wildlife crossings
can be a cost-effective tool that protects wildlife as well as motorists and
enhances the resilience of infrastructure and ecosystems in a changing world.
In a nutshell:
* Wildlife crossings and associated infrastructure (eg fencing) are effective
at reducing wildlife mortality and at connecting habitats, but their
prioritization and siting rarely consider climate change
* Strategically located crossings protect access to key resources as warmer
temperatures, droughts, and disturbances—along with expanding human land
use—compromise that access
* Examining where animals are moving today and predicting where they may move
under changing climatic conditions and land use can indicate potential crossing
locations that support wildlife now and into the future
* Climate-informed wildlife crossings can be a cost-effective, win–win solution
that leads to greater resilience for wildlife and for the infrastructure
itself"
Via
Fix the News:
https://fixthenews.com/277-second-copernican-revolution/
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
