Date: November 12, 2018
Source: Frontiers
The
physical presence of trails has less impact on forest birds than how frequently
the trails are used by people, finds the first study to disentangle the effect
of forest trails from the presence of humans. This is also the case when trails
have been used for decades, suggesting that forest birds do not get used to
human activity. To minimize disturbance, people should avoid roaming from designated
pathways.
The first
study to disentangle the effect of forest trails from the presence of humans
shows the number of birds, as well as bird species, is lower when trails are
used on a more regular basis. This is also the case when trails have been used
for many years, suggesting that forest birds do not get used to this
recreational activity. Published in Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution,
the finding suggests the physical presence of trails has less of an impact on
forest birds than how frequently these recreational paths are used by people.
To minimize the impact on these forest creatures, people should avoid roaming
from designated pathways.
"We
show that forest birds are quite distinctly affected by people and that this
avoidance behavior did not disappear even after years of use by humans. This
suggests not all birds habituate to humans and that a long-lasting effect
remains," says Dr Yves Bötsch, lead author of this study, based at the
Swiss Ornithological Institute, Sempach, Switzerland and affiliated with
Institute of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University Zurich,
Switzerland. "This is important to show because pressure on natural
habitats and nature protection areas is getting stronger and access bans are
often ignored."
Many
outdoor activities rely on infrastructure, with roads and trails being most
common. Previous research has shown that trails cause habitat loss and
fragmentation, where larger areas of habitat are dissected into smaller pieces
thereby separating wildlife populations. However it has been difficult to say
for certain whether it is the presence of trails or humans that have the most
impact on forest birds.
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