Most mammals are on the move every day searching for food, finding a mate or seeking shelter. But mammals in human-modified landscapes move much shorter distances on average than in more natural areas – a finding that could have far-reaching consequences for ecosystems and society, according to a new international study co-authored by University of Guelph biologists.
Prof. John Fryxell, chair of U of G’s Department of Integrative Biology, and post-doctoral researcher Tal Avgar helped lead a global research project whose findings were published recently in Science.
Most mammals are on the move every day searching for food, finding a mate or seeking shelter. But mammals in human-modified landscapes move much shorter distances on average than in more natural areas – a finding that could have far-reaching consequences for ecosystems and society, according to a new international study co-authored by University of Guelph biologists.
Prof. John Fryxell, chair of U of G’s Department of Integrative Biology, and post-doctoral researcher Tal Avgar helped lead a global research project whose findings were published recently in Science.
Fryxell and Avgar, who have tracked elk, wolves and other mammals in Canada using satellite telemetry, partnered with more than 100 global researchers for the new study.
“We thought it would be really informative to measure the movement patterns of species living in close proximity to humans compared with those in more pristine environments,” Fryxell said.
Continue reading at University of Guelph.
Image via University of Guelph.
