Despite the knowledge we already have about the effects of roads on wildlife, few studies have empirically estimated the impact of road kills on the persistence of wildlife populations #WildlifeCollisions

Using the giant anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla) as model species, we integrated the vast information collected under the "Anteaters & Highways Project" (Learn more: icasconservation.org.br), including on roadkill rates, population abundance (…)

(…) and animal movement to estimate the survival rates and the proportion of the population likely to be extirpated due to roadkill. We then assessed the consequent implications of roadkill on population persistence using population viability analysis (PVA).#Roadkill #Wildlife

We found that the yearly survival rate of resident anteaters inhabiting road vicinity areas was considerably lower than for those living far from roads and that ca. 20% of the population inhabiting road vicinity areas is road-killed every year #GiantAnteater #FaunaBrasileira

According to PVA results, roadkill can greatly affect the persistence of the giant anteater populations by reducing the growth rate down to null or negative values.

Our study confirms that roads have significant impacts on local population persistence. Such impacts are likely to be common to other large mammals, calling for effective mitigation to reduce roadkill rates. #Mitigation #Coexistence

Complete article is available on the Perspectives in Ecology and Conservation (PECON) website: Elsevier sciencedirect.com/science/articl…

A very brief wrap-up of key insights from our book on the political economy of coal at Carbon Brief: Jan Christoph Steckel Carbon Brief carbonbrief.org/guest-post-wha…

Our latest paper is out. We show the importance of indigenous peoples lands for the conservation of primates at the global scale, which is an indicator of forest structure and biodiversity. 25 researchers from 13 countries, 4 from Brazil! science.org/doi/10.1126/sc… André Trigueiro

Today Fernando Ascensão presented at #IENE2022 conference at #Clujnapoca #Romania his research on giant anteater #roadecology and popultion persistence with Arnaud Desbiez and other colleagues

Podcast Azul: “Quando abrimos uma estrada, abrimos uma caixa de Pandora” publico.pt/2022/12/29/azu…

Get involved! 2-year postdoc in Railway Ecology, in University Paris Saclay (France), under project MINERVE: "The role of railway verges in promoting landscape connectivity and biodiversity" Check here euraxess.ec.europa.eu/jobs/60850 (MINERVE: youtu.be/uAfYIU_wmVY)

Papers are not our children, thus I can freely assume that this one published in npj Biodiversity is my favourite: Rescuing Botany: using citizen-science and mobile apps in the classroom and beyond nature.com/articles/s4418… #botany #biodiversity #biodiversitycrisis

Conservation translocation in the Western Palearctic We're hiring! Join us in the TRANSLOC project and help us understand the role of global change effects on translocated species. Check here euraxess.ec.europa.eu/jobs/78277 (possibility of home office)

Temos nova mestre em Ecologia e Gestão Ambiental da eChanges fc.ul.pt! Ontem a Rafaela Marques defendeu a tese com o título "Efeitos dos trilhos recreacionais na composição da vegetação e perceção ambiental dos turistas: caso de estudo do PN das Serras de Aire e Candeeiros"

New paper out in #BIOC #BIOCON! In this work led by Fernando Ascensão, we discuss a prioritization framework based on solar potential and #humanfootprint (used as a proxy for #wilderness) to identify zones where the development of #solarfarms may cause a negative impact on #biodiversity

Great weekend at CE3C field station. A total of 15 arachnologists gathered to sample #spiders for different projects. Inventorying the local fauna kickstarting the #BASS project and looking for some species for studies on the evolution of #silk. Further plans ahead.

More about the BASS sites.google.com/edu.ulisboa.pt…

Our study aims to inform the discussion on the benefits and risks of assisted colonization of argan trees in the Iberian Peninsula, including the potential for invasiveness.

Our article "A framework for large-scale risk assessment of road-related impacts, with application to #mustelids" is now online: doi.org/10.1016/j.gecc… #roadecology Fernando Ascensão Rafa Barrientos