Find research datasets worth reusing

Search datasets from major research repositories and use ShareScore to quickly assess how well each record supports discovery, access, and reuse.

datasets available to search

ShareScore release 0.9.0

Dataset results

85 results for “anthropogenic disturbance”

Learn how ShareScore rates datasets ↗

dryad36/100

Short-term social dynamics following anthropogenic and natural disturbances in a free-living mammal

Anthropogenic disturbances are widely recognized for their far-reaching consequences on the survival and reproduction of wildlife, but we understand comparatively little about their effects on the social lives of group-living animals. Here we examined these short-term changes in affiliative behavior as part of a long-term study on a human-tolerant and socially flexible population of California ground squirrels (Otospermophilus beecheyi). We used social network analysis to examine short-term changes in affiliative behavior and individual consistency in response to disturbances by humans, domestic dogs, or a natural predator (the coyote). Overall, juveniles were more involved than adults in affiliative interactions, but the short-term directional effects of these acute disturbances on social cohesion varied by disturbance type. Human and dog presence reduced aboveground connectivity, particularly for juveniles, whereas disturbances by coyotes generally promoted it. Beyond these effects, we also detected non-random responses to disturbances, though individuals were not very consistent in their directional response to different disturbance types. Our results demonstrate the flexible changes in social behavior triggered by short-term disturbances imposed by humans and other threats. More generally, our findings elucidate the underappreciated sensitivity of animal social interactions to short-term ecological disturbances, raising key questions about their consequences on the social lives of animals.

opencc-zeroApr 2022View details →

dryad36/100

Ecological drivers of avian diversity in a subtropical landscape: effects of habitat diversity, primary productivity and anthropogenic disturbance

Understanding the roles of ecological drivers in shaping biodiversity is fundamental for conservation practice. In this study, we explored the effects of elevation, conservation status, primary productivity, habitat diversity, and anthropogenic disturbance (represented by human population density and birding history) on taxonomic, phylogenetic and functional avian diversity in a subtropical landscape in southeastern China. We conducted bird surveys using 1-km transects across a total of 30 sites, of which 10 sites were located within a natural reserve. Metrics of functional diversity were calculated based on six functional traits (body mass, clutch size, dispersal ratio, sociality, diet and foraging stratum). We built simultaneous autoregression models to assess the association between the ecological factors and diversity of the local avian communities. Local avian diversity generally increased with increasing habitat diversity, human population density and primary productivity. We also detected phylogenetic and functional clustering in these communities, suggesting that the avian assemblages were structured mainly by environmental filtering, rather than interspecific competition. Compared to sites outside the natural reserve, sites within the natural reserve had relatively lower avian diversity but a higher level of phylogenetic heterogeneity.

opencc-zeroJul 2022View details →

dryad36/100

Genetic data from: Cryptic persistence and loss of local endemism in Lake Constance charr subject to anthropogenic disturbance

Habitat restoration can help to protect and support endangered species. Following the restoration of Lake Constance to oligotrophic conditions, deep-water charr (originally described as Salvelinus profundus Schillinger, 1901) were rediscovered after more than 40 years of presumed extinction caused by eutrophication. Subsequent targeted surveys lead to the capture of a further 127 deep-water charr and 233 sympatric normal charr, Salvelinus cf. umbla. Given a history of intensive stocking in the lake and the possibility of introgressive hybridization, a discussion arose about the genetic status and future conservation strategies of both forms. The current study gathered life history traits and morphological and population genomic data for both extant forms, for comparison with 60–120 years' worth of historical data and museum specimens. The extant deep-water charr resembled historical specimens in terms of body shape, but significant differences between historical and extant normal charr included a decline in gill raker number over time and distinctly different body shapes and growth patterns. RAD-based population genomic analyses of the contemporary samples support these results, revealing the two extant forms to be highly divergent, albeit with a few putative hybrids. SNPs-based population assignment tests of historical and contemporary samples strongly suggest that deep-water charr persisted unaltered in Lake Constance during the eutrophic phase. Meanwhile, none of the historical genomic samples could be assigned to the extant normal S. cf. umbla population. Functional analyses of gill raker number and stocking intensity pointed to stocking with non-endemic charr as the most likely reason for the disappearance of the endemic normal form. These results show that interplay between different anthropogenic impacts, i.e. eutrophication and stocking can lead to irreversible but hard-to-detect impacts on endemic biodiversity. Understanding these impacts is a prerequisite for effective conservation of endangered populations of cryptic fish.

opencc-zeroOct 2022View details →

dryad36/100

Legacy effects of anthropogenic disturbances modulate dynamics in the world's coral reefs

Rapidly changing conditions alter disturbance patterns, highlighting the need to better understand how the transition from pulse disturbances to more persistent stress will impact ecosystem dynamics. We conducted a global analysis of the impacts of eleven types of disturbances on reef integrity using the rate of change of coral cover as a measure of damage. Then, we evaluated how the magnitude of the damage due to thermal stress, cyclones, and diseases varied among tropical Atlantic and Indo-Pacific reefs and whether the cumulative impact of thermal stress and cyclones was able to modulate the responses of reefs to future events. We found that reef damage largely depends on the condition of a reef before a disturbance, disturbance intensity, and biogeographic region, regardless of the type of disturbance. Changes in coral cover after thermal stress events were largely influenced by the cumulative stress of past disturbances and did not depend on disturbance intensity or initial coral cover, which suggests that an ecological memory is present within coral communities. In contrast, the effect of cyclones (and likely other physical impacts) was primarily modulated by the initial reef condition and did not appear to be influenced by previous impacts. Our findings also underscore that coral reefs can recover if stressful conditions decrease, yet the lack of action to reduce anthropogenic impacts and greenhouse gas emissions continues to trigger reef degradation. We uphold that evidence-based strategies can guide managers to make better decisions to prepare for future disturbances.

opencc-zeroMar 2023View details →

dryad36/100