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Temporal Partitioning as a Means for Wildlife to Persist Around a Road in South Texas

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  • Temporal Partitioning as a Means for Wildlife to Persist Around a Road in South Texas
Thomas J Yamashita, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute, Texas A&M University – Kingsville
T Miles Hopkins, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley,
Anna Rivera Roy, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley,
Kevin Ryer, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
John Young Jr., Texas Department of Transportation
Richard J Kline, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Terrestrial wildlife (vertebrate and/or invertebrate) and ecosystem interactions
Multi-Media Session 1

Human disturbance can greatly affect wildlife behavior and can be concentrated around transport corridors such as roads. To cope with human disturbance, wildlife living near roads may alter their behavior through spatial and temporal partitioning. Temporal partitioning has been shown to be an important adaptation in places where spatial partitioning is difficult. In this study, time stamped photos from camera trap sites located in Texas, USA were used to assess how wildlife activity varies at different distances from the highway and with different levels of human activity. Diel activity was compared at camera trap sites at mitigation structures along the highway and in the habitat around the highway for 11 species (black-tailed jackrabbit, bobcat, coyote, eastern cottontail, javelina, nilgai, nine-banded armadillo, northern bobwhite, striped skunk, Virginia opossum, and white-tailed deer) and examined how distance to highway and human visitation affect wildlife presence. Jackrabbits, bobcats, coyotes, cottontails, nilgai, armadillos, opossum, and deer showed greater nighttime activity and lower daytime activity along the highway than sites around the highway. Peak activity for all species occurred during the time of lowest human activity. Additionally, cottontail, armadillo, opossum, and bobwhite were found more often along the highway while jackrabbit, nilgai, and white-tailed deer were found more often around the highway. Therefore, it is likely that wildlife living near highways may employ temporal partitioning to coexist with humans. These findings demonstrate the importance of examining how animal behavior varies around a road when assessing the impact of roads on wildlife.

temporal activity shifts
human activity
community ecology

Header image courtesy of Martin Gradjean -- Air Traffic Network

ICOET 2025 — International Conference On Ecology and Transportation