All Outputs (25)

Scent lures and baits at camera traps improve time to first detection and detection probability of two typically elusive species of weasel (2024)
Journal Article
Ebel, K., & White, P. J. (online). Scent lures and baits at camera traps improve time to first detection and detection probability of two typically elusive species of weasel. Mammal Research, https://doi.org/10.1007/s13364-024-00771-0

There is a growing body of evidence that weasel species are in decline globally. More data on their ecology and distribution are needed to plan and justify any conservation management actions. Camera trapping can be an effective survey method for man... Read More about Scent lures and baits at camera traps improve time to first detection and detection probability of two typically elusive species of weasel.

Implications of newly developed SNPs for conservation programmes for the threatened Nubian ibex (Capra nubiana) in Oman (2024)
Journal Article
Al-Ghafri, M. K., White, P. J., Briers, R. A., Ball, A., Senn, H., Al-Jahdhami, M. H., Al-Amri, H., Tiwari, B. B., Al-Harsusi, S. N., Al-Harsusi, A. G., Al-Rawahi, Q., & Dicks, K. L. (online). Implications of newly developed SNPs for conservation programmes for the threatened Nubian ibex (Capra nubiana) in Oman. Conservation Genetics Resources, https://doi.org/10.1007/s12686-024-01370-6

Impacts of forest extent, configuration and landscape context on presence of declining breeding Eurasian curlew Numenius arquata and implications for planning new woodland (2024)
Journal Article
McGrory, R. E., Briers, R. A., Tomlin, C., Findlay, M. A., Kerslake, L. J., Riddle, N., & White, P. J. (2024). Impacts of forest extent, configuration and landscape context on presence of declining breeding Eurasian curlew Numenius arquata and implications for planning new woodland. Forest Ecology and Management, 572, Article 122281. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2024.122281

In response to the combined impacts of the climate and biodiversity crises, as well as for timber security and increased recreational access to green spaces, there is a global drive to increase tree cover. In the UK, an estimated 1.5 million ha of af... Read More about Impacts of forest extent, configuration and landscape context on presence of declining breeding Eurasian curlew Numenius arquata and implications for planning new woodland.

Surveying Birds in Open Habitats near Proposed Woodland Creation Schemes: What is the Effect of Having Fewer Visits? (2024)
Journal Article
Borthwick, M. D., Kerslake, L., Findlay, M., Briers, R. A., Tomlin, C., Riddle, N., & White, P. J. (2024). Surveying Birds in Open Habitats near Proposed Woodland Creation Schemes: What is the Effect of Having Fewer Visits?. In Practice (CIEEM), 124, 32-37

In relation to new woodland creation in England, the Forestry Commission (FC) may require breeding bird surveys of proposed sites to assess suitability for planting or natural colonisation. Previous protocols required six visits, but we wanted to tes... Read More about Surveying Birds in Open Habitats near Proposed Woodland Creation Schemes: What is the Effect of Having Fewer Visits?.

Do UK survey licenses for otter support best practice? (2024)
Journal Article
White, P., & Findlay, M. (2024). Do UK survey licenses for otter support best practice?. In Practice, 48-52

Under the Habitats Regulations, resting/breeding places of otters (Lutra lutra) are protected from damage and disturbance, and ecologists are expected to identify such structures. Following an extensive programme of research, we now believe there is... Read More about Do UK survey licenses for otter support best practice?.

Choice of model and re‐nesting probability function influences behaviour of avian seasonal productivity models and their demographic predictions (2023)
Journal Article
White, P. J. C., Stoate, C., Aebisher, N. J., Szczur, J., Ferrer, L., & Norris, K. (2024). Choice of model and re‐nesting probability function influences behaviour of avian seasonal productivity models and their demographic predictions. Ibis, 166(2), 455-471. https://doi.org/10.1111/ibi.13267

Measuring seasonal productivity is difficult in multi‐brooded species without labour‐intensive ringing studies. Individual‐based (IB) models have been used to estimate seasonal productivity with no direct knowledge of number of nesting attempts, but... Read More about Choice of model and re‐nesting probability function influences behaviour of avian seasonal productivity models and their demographic predictions.

Assessment of the accuracy of counting large ungulate species (red deer Cervus elaphus) with UAV‐mounted thermal infrared cameras during night flights (2023)
Journal Article
Zabel, F., Findlay, M. A., & White, P. J. C. (2023). Assessment of the accuracy of counting large ungulate species (red deer Cervus elaphus) with UAV‐mounted thermal infrared cameras during night flights. Wildlife Biology, 2023(3), Article e01071. https://doi.org/10.1002/wlb3.01071

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are increasingly used in wildlife surveying, including estimation of population densities. It is essential that we evaluate and test new survey methods to guide optimal sampling strategies. This study aimed to assess t... Read More about Assessment of the accuracy of counting large ungulate species (red deer Cervus elaphus) with UAV‐mounted thermal infrared cameras during night flights.

An evidence-based approach to identifying resting sites of Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra) from camera-trap and field-sign data (2022)
Journal Article
Findlay, M. A., Briers, R. A., Ingledew, R. P., & James Ciaran White, P. (2023). An evidence-based approach to identifying resting sites of Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra) from camera-trap and field-sign data. Wildlife Biology, 2023(1), Article e01036. https://doi.org/10.1002/wlb3.01036

Mammals' resting sites (dens) are important features of their ecology. Eurasian otter Lutra lutra resting sites are strictly protected by UK and European legislation and are ostensibly identified from associated field-signs. This legislation is diffi... Read More about An evidence-based approach to identifying resting sites of Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra) from camera-trap and field-sign data.

Habitat selection of smooth-coated otters (Lutrogale perspicillata) in the peri-coastal, urbanised landscape of Goa, India (2022)
Journal Article
Dias, S. J., White, P. J. C., Sinai Borker, A., & Vaz Fernandes, N. (2022). Habitat selection of smooth-coated otters (Lutrogale perspicillata) in the peri-coastal, urbanised landscape of Goa, India. Mammal Research, 67(3), 299-309. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13364-022-00639-1

Human development can have detrimental impacts on the environment and its contained ecosystems. However, several species have adapted to thrive in human-modified landscapes. This study was aimed to assess habitat selection of threatened Smooth Coated... Read More about Habitat selection of smooth-coated otters (Lutrogale perspicillata) in the peri-coastal, urbanised landscape of Goa, India.

Linking agri-environment scheme habitat area, predation and the abundance of chick invertebrate prey to the nesting success of a declining farmland bird (2022)
Journal Article
McHugh, N. M., White, P. J. C., Moreby, S., Szczur, J., Stoate, C., Leather, S. R., & Holland, J. M. (2022). Linking agri-environment scheme habitat area, predation and the abundance of chick invertebrate prey to the nesting success of a declining farmland bird. Ecological Solutions and Evidence, 3(2), Article e12155. https://doi.org/10.1002/2688-8319.12155

1. Across Europe, farmland bird populations have continued to decline since the 1970s owing to the intensification of farming practices. Studies of such declines have tended to focus specifically on either the impacts of habitats (nesting and foragin... Read More about Linking agri-environment scheme habitat area, predation and the abundance of chick invertebrate prey to the nesting success of a declining farmland bird.

Multi-scale habitat selection and spatial analysis reveals a mismatch between the wintering distribution of a threatened population of Taiga Bean Geese Anser fabalis and its protected area (2021)
Journal Article
Thornton, M., Mitchell, C., Griffin, L., Briers, R., Minshull, B., Maciver, A., & White, P. (2022). Multi-scale habitat selection and spatial analysis reveals a mismatch between the wintering distribution of a threatened population of Taiga Bean Geese Anser fabalis and its protected area. Bird Study, 68(2), 157-173. https://doi.org/10.1080/00063657.2021.1966740

Capsule: Our multi-scale habitat selection and spatial analysis of a threatened population of Taiga Bean Geese Anser fabalis highlights the importance of monitoring and review programmes to determine whether species conservation measures are being im... Read More about Multi-scale habitat selection and spatial analysis reveals a mismatch between the wintering distribution of a threatened population of Taiga Bean Geese Anser fabalis and its protected area.

Genetic diversity of the Nubian ibex in Oman as revealed by mitochondrial DNA (2021)
Journal Article
Al-Ghafri, M. K., White, P. J. C., Briers, R. A., Dicks, K. L., Ball, A., Ghazali, M., Ross, S., Al-Said, T., Al-Amri, H., Al-Umairi, M., Al-Saadi, H., Aka'ak, A., Hardan, A., Zabanoot, N., Craig, M., & Senn, H. (2021). Genetic diversity of the Nubian ibex in Oman as revealed by mitochondrial DNA. Royal Society Open Science, 8(5), Article 210125. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.210125

The Nubian ibex (Capra nubiana) is patchily distributed across parts of Africa and Arabia. In Oman, it is one of the few free-ranging wild mammals found in the central and southern regions. Its population is declining due to habitat degradation, huma... Read More about Genetic diversity of the Nubian ibex in Oman as revealed by mitochondrial DNA.

From theory to practice in pattern‐oriented modelling: identifying and using empirical patterns in predictive models (2021)
Journal Article
Gallagher, C. A., Chudzinska, M., Larsen‐Gray, A., Pollock, C. J., Sells, S. N., White, P. J. C., & Berger, U. (2021). From theory to practice in pattern‐oriented modelling: identifying and using empirical patterns in predictive models. Biological Reviews, 96(5), 1868-1888. https://doi.org/10.1111/brv.12729

To robustly predict the effects of disturbance and ecosystem changes on species, it is necessary to produce structurally realistic models with high predictive power and flexibility. To ensure that these models reflect the natural conditions necessary... Read More about From theory to practice in pattern‐oriented modelling: identifying and using empirical patterns in predictive models.

Component processes of detection probability in camera-trap studies: understanding the occurrence of false-negatives (2020)
Journal Article
Findlay, M. A., Briers, R. A., & White, P. J. C. (2020). Component processes of detection probability in camera-trap studies: understanding the occurrence of false-negatives. Mammal Research, 65, 167-180. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13364-020-00478-y

Camera-trap studies in the wild record true-positive data, but data loss from false-negatives (i.e. an animal is present but not recorded) is likely to vary and widely impact data quality. Detection probability is defined as the probability of record... Read More about Component processes of detection probability in camera-trap studies: understanding the occurrence of false-negatives.

Routes to achieving sustainable intensification in simulated dairy farms: The importance of production efficiency and complimentary land uses (2019)
Journal Article
White, P. J. C., Lee, M. A., Roberts, D. J., & Cole, L. J. (2019). Routes to achieving sustainable intensification in simulated dairy farms: The importance of production efficiency and complimentary land uses. Journal of Applied Ecology, 56(5), 1128-1139. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.13347

1. Sustainable intensification (SI) is a global challenge, aiming to increase food production whilst conserving biodiversity and ecosystem services. This is contrary to the observed trend of agricultural intensification degrading environmental qualit... Read More about Routes to achieving sustainable intensification in simulated dairy farms: The importance of production efficiency and complimentary land uses.

Optimising camera trap data quality at mammal resting places. (2018)
Journal Article
Findlay, M. A., Briers, R. A., & White, P. J. C. (2018). Optimising camera trap data quality at mammal resting places. In Practice, 24-28

A thorough understanding of how camera traps function is essential for ensuring correct set-up and quality of data. We illustrate the challenges through a case study of camera trapping an otter Lutra lutra resting and breeding place. Appropriate surv... Read More about Optimising camera trap data quality at mammal resting places..

Developing an empirical approach to optimal camera-trap deployment at mammal resting sites: evidence from a longitudinal study of an otter Lutra lutra holt (2017)
Journal Article
Findlay, M., Briers, R., Diamond, N., & White, P. (2017). Developing an empirical approach to optimal camera-trap deployment at mammal resting sites: evidence from a longitudinal study of an otter Lutra lutra holt. European journal of wildlife research, 63(6), Article 96

The study of nocturnal mammals relies on indirect evidence or invasive methods involving capture and tagging of individuals. Indirect methods are prone to error, while capture and tagging mammals have logistical and ethical considerations. Off-the-sh... Read More about Developing an empirical approach to optimal camera-trap deployment at mammal resting sites: evidence from a longitudinal study of an otter Lutra lutra holt.

Changes of bat species composition over altitudinal gradients on northern and southern aspects of the Soutpansberg mountain range, South Africa. (2016)
Journal Article
Weier, S. M., Linden, V. M., Gaigher, I., White, P. J., & Taylor, P. J. (2017). Changes of bat species composition over altitudinal gradients on northern and southern aspects of the Soutpansberg mountain range, South Africa. Mammalia, 81(1), https://doi.org/10.1515/mammalia-2015-0055

In order to gain insight into the pattern of bat species composition over altitude and the environmental variables driving the observed pattern, we compared data from moist southern and drier northern aspects of the Soutpansberg range in northern Sou... Read More about Changes of bat species composition over altitudinal gradients on northern and southern aspects of the Soutpansberg mountain range, South Africa..

Rattus management is essential for population persistence in a critically endangered passerine: combining small-scale field experiments and population modelling. (2015)
Journal Article
Maggs, G., Nicoll, M., Zuël, N., White, P. J. C., Winfield, E., Poongavanan, S., …Norris, K. (2015). Rattus management is essential for population persistence in a critically endangered passerine: combining small-scale field experiments and population modelling. Biological Conservation, 191, 274-281. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2015.06.039

Invasive species are a major threat for island biodiversity, causing species decline and extinction globally. Of all invasive mammals rats are one of the most detrimental and have been the target of numerous control and eradication programmes. In Mau... Read More about Rattus management is essential for population persistence in a critically endangered passerine: combining small-scale field experiments and population modelling..

Habitat use by Black Grouse Tetrao tetrix in a mixed moorland-forest landscape in Scotland and implications for a national afforestation strategy (2015)
Journal Article
White, P. J. C., Warren, P., & Baines, D. (2015). Habitat use by Black Grouse Tetrao tetrix in a mixed moorland-forest landscape in Scotland and implications for a national afforestation strategy. Bird Study, 62(1), 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1080/00063657.2014.1000261

Capsule Long-term conservation of Black Grouse in Scotland may rely upon the retention of sufficiently large and well-connected patches of moorland and a diversity of adjacent forest types.

Aims To study Black Grouse habitat use within a moorland-... Read More about Habitat use by Black Grouse Tetrao tetrix in a mixed moorland-forest landscape in Scotland and implications for a national afforestation strategy.