Integrating Human and Wildlife Dynamics in Co-Occurrence Modelling.

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Wildlife Conservation
• Spatial Modeling

Background:

• Shared environments foster complex interspecific interactions, influenced by human activities impacting wildlife abundance and distribution.
• The Alps present a dynamic system with multiple ungulate species (roe deer, red deer) and a predator (wolf), shaped by historical and growing human presence (farming, hunting, tourism).

Purpose of the Study:

• To model co-occurrence probabilities of roe deer, red deer, and wolves in the Maritime Alps.
• To investigate the influence of species co-occurrences, human presence, and hunting season on occupancy and detection probabilities.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from 60 camera traps in the Maritime Alps.
• Applied multi-species occupancy models to analyze spatial and behavioral interactions.
• Examined the effects of species co-occurrences, human activities, and hunting season on wildlife dynamics.

Main Results:

• Roe deer were the most widespread and frequently recorded species.
• Pairwise species interactions had a greater impact on occupancy than individual environmental factors.
• Camera placement on trails increased wolf detection but decreased ungulate detection; hunting season reduced roe deer detection but not red deer or wolf detection.

Conclusions:

• Interspecific dependence and human activities are critical factors in shaping wildlife distribution and interactions.
• Integrating predator-prey dynamics and human influences is essential for effective wildlife management.
• Findings offer insights for optimizing human-wildlife coexistence in anthropogenic European landscapes.