Wildebeest forage acquisition in fragmented landscapes under variable climates

迁徙的食草动物每年必须在不同的牧场之间迁徙，每天都要迁徙以寻找食物，但景观破碎化和其他阻碍迁徙的障碍正在增加。与此同时，气候变化正在使干旱更加频繁和极端，要求动物迁移到更远的地方寻找足够的食物。野生动物种群如何受到这种综合效应的影响是令人感兴趣的。来自美国和肯尼亚的研究人员将在肯尼亚的三个保护区讨论这一主题。为了跟踪角马在整个景观中的运动，研究人员将在动物身上放置45个项圈，其中包含全球定位设备。将模拟这些地区未来的景观破碎化。还将建立一个模型，使研究人员能够模拟每个种群中个体角马的运动。 景观破碎化和干旱频率将在模拟中变化，以量化土地利用集约化和气候变化对迁徙角马种群的潜在影响。角马迁徙吸引了公众，但对个体运动以及破碎化和气候变化如何相互作用改变运动知之甚少。研究结果将揭示对其他移动的食草动物的影响，包括牲畜，并解决野生动物和人类共享景观中当前做法的可持续性。这项研究将促进新的建模方法的发展。其他更广泛的影响包括培训三名研究生，其中包括国际经验，并将研究成果纳入大学课程。此外，信息将与肯尼亚和美国的土地管理人员和公民共享。

Migratory grazers must move between ranges each year, and make daily movements to locate food, but landscape fragmentation and other obstacles to movement are increasing. At the same time, climate change is making droughts more frequent and extreme, requiring animals to move farther to locate sufficient food. How wildlife populations are affected by this combination of effects is of interest. Researchers from the U.S. and Kenya will address this topic in three conservation areas in Kenya. To track movements of wildebeest across the landscape, the researchers will place 45 collars, which contain global positioning devices, on the animals. Future landscape fragmentation in the areas will be modeled. A model will also be constructed to allow researchers to simulate movements of individual wildebeest within each population. Landscape fragmentation and frequency of droughts will be varied in simulations to quantify potential effects of land-use intensification and climate change on migratory wildebeest populations.Wildebeest migration fascinates the public, but remarkably little is known about individual movements, and how fragmentation and climate change interact to alter movements. The results will shed light on effects on other mobile grazers as well, including livestock, and address the sustainability of current practices in landscapes shared by wildlife and humans. This research will facilitate the development of novel modeling approaches. Other broader impacts include training of three graduate students, which will include international experience, and incorporation of research results into university courses. In addition, information will be shared with land managers and citizens from Kenya and the U.S.