Effects of large-scale gold mining on habitat use and selection by American pronghorn
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View abstract on PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.American pronghorn (Antilocapra americana) avoid large gold mines, preferring areas near roads but not too close. Understanding these habitat selection patterns is crucial for conserving wildlife in mineral-rich regions.
Area Of Science
- Wildlife ecology
- Conservation biology
- Resource management
Background
- Anthropogenic disturbances fragment wildlife habitats globally.
- Mineral extraction is increasing in remote areas, altering landscapes.
- Understanding impacts on resident wildlife is critical.
Purpose Of The Study
- Examine resource selection by American pronghorn near a gold mine.
- Investigate annual and seasonal habitat use in response to disturbance.
- Identify ecological factors influencing pronghorn habitat selection.
Main Methods
- Classified disturbance levels around an open-pit gold mine.
- Used random forest models to identify habitat covariates.
- Applied resource selection functions to analyze pronghorn behavior.
Main Results
- Pronghorn strongly avoided high-disturbance mine areas (pits, leach fields).
- Pronghorn selected areas near roads, with peak selection at ~2 km.
- Individual pronghorn exhibited varied responses to the mine disturbance.
Conclusions
- Gold mine expansion significantly impacts pronghorn habitat use in the Great Basin.
- Conservation strategies are needed to mitigate human-wildlife conflict in resource-rich areas.
- Further research can inform wildlife management in landscapes undergoing mineral exploitation.
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