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Integrating remote sensing data on habitat suitability and functional connectivity to inform multitaxa roadkill mitigation plans

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Abstract

Context

Road impacts on biodiversity are increasing worldwide. Few attempts have been made to integrate multiple taxonomic groups into roadkill mitigation plans, while using remotely sensed habitat suitability and functional connectivity.

Objectives

We pinpoint high-risk road locations (road planning units) for 19 woodland species from different taxonomic groups (non-flying mammals, birds, and bats) to enhance prioritisation and versatility of roadkill mitigation plans.

Methods

In Southern Portugal, we collected species occurrence data, roadkill, and high-resolution satellite imageries, along 15 years. We identified remotely sensed habitat metrics, in turn weighted together with functional connectivity models and road metrics to estimate roadkill vulnerability, using random forests. The roadkill cumulative risk across species is then estimated, as well the likelihood variation within and between taxonomic groups to verify prediction consistency.

Results

Remote sensing information thoroughly explained habitat suitability, identifying similar metrics within each group, and non-uniform environmental tolerance across species. Functional connectivity and habitat suitability significantly explained mortality, highlighting connected woodlands and neighbouring matrices. The roadkill cumulative risk endorses a conspicuous prioritisation of road planning units for implementing mitigation structures useful for multiple species, with high precision and low probability variation within each group. Some discrepancies in prediction consistency still emerge after group comparisons regarding bats.

Conclusions

We provide novel insights for multitaxa ecological responses and roadkill evaluations, demonstrating a possible spatial prioritisation in mortality patterns from species with different traits. The identified road units support resilience and multifunctionality over long-term, enabling to assist cost-effective mitigation plans. Findings ultimately offer versatility during the mitigation planning phase throughout the identification of road sub-optimal units, and opportunity costs given their potential for different taxa.

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Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge the MOVE project and team for the roadkill data collection. Fer Goytre, Rui Lourenço, Cláudia Encarnação and Joana Bernardino particularly for helping out with collecting occurrence data as well. The project LIFE-LINE (LIFE14 NAT/PT/001081) and POPCONNECT (PTDC/AAG-MAA/0372/2014); the GEE and NaturalGIS for their support. F.V. was supported by a PhD fellowship funded by Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (SFRH/BD/122854/2016).

Funding

The funding was provided by Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, SFRH/BD/122854/2016, PTDC/AAG-MAA/0372/2014, European Commission, LIFE14 NAT/PT/001081.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. MED - Mediterranean Institute for Agriculture, Environment and Development & CHANGE – Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Instituto de Investigação e Formação Avançada, Universidade de Évora, Pólo da Mitra, Ap. 94, 7006-554, Évora, Portugal

    Francesco Valerio, Pedro Salgueiro, Denis Medinas, Nuno M. Pedroso, Eduardo M. Ferreira & Sara M. Santos

  2. EaRSLab—Earth Remote Sensing Laboratory, University of Évora, 7000-671, Évora, Portugal

    Francesco Valerio & Sérgio Godinho

  3. Departamento de Biologia, UBC - Unidade de Biologia da Conservação, Universidade de Évora, Pólo da Mitra, Ap. 94, 7006-554, Évora, Portugal

    Francesco Valerio, Pedro Salgueiro, Denis Medinas, Giovanni Manghi, António Mira, Eduardo M. Ferreira, João Craveiro & Sara M. Santos

  4. Institute of Earth Sciences, Universidade de Évora, Rua Romão Ramalho, 59, 7002-554, Évora, Portugal

    Sérgio Godinho

  5. Departamento de Biologia, MED – Mediterranean Institute for Agriculture, Environment and Development & CHANGE – Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Escola de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade de Évora, Pólo da Mitra, Ap. 94, 7006-554, Évora, Portugal

    António Mira & Pedro Costa

Authors
  1. Francesco Valerio
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  2. Sérgio Godinho
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  3. Pedro Salgueiro
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  4. Denis Medinas
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  5. Giovanni Manghi
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  6. António Mira
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  7. Nuno M. Pedroso
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  8. Eduardo M. Ferreira
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  9. João Craveiro
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  10. Pedro Costa
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  11. Sara M. Santos
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Contributions

FV: SGAM and SS: conceptualised the research; AM and SS: supported with resources; FV, SG, GM and SS: developed the framework; FVPS, DM, NP, AM, SG, JC, PC and EF: collected the data; FV: analysed the data; FV: led the manuscript writing. All authors significantly supported to the writing and reviewing, and agreed for the definitive manuscript version to be eligible for publication.

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Correspondence to Francesco Valerio.

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Valerio, F., Godinho, S., Salgueiro, P. et al. Integrating remote sensing data on habitat suitability and functional connectivity to inform multitaxa roadkill mitigation plans. Landsc Ecol 38, 3335–3352 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10980-022-01587-6

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