Watershed: a more efficient sampling unit for mountain camera traps
Abstract Wildlife camera trap (CT) surveys typically employ two-dimensional equal-area grid sampling, which often neglects the influence of complex mountainous terrain on species distribution, potentially yielding misleading outcomes. A watershed, incorporating diverse habitats from high to low elev...
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Nature Portfolio
2025-02-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-86031-w |
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| author | Jun-Jie Li Yi-Hao Fang Ji-Cong Zhan Xue-Jun Yang Can-Bin Huang Yan-Peng Li Kun Tan Zhi-Pang Huang Liang-Wei Cui Wen Xiao |
| author_facet | Jun-Jie Li Yi-Hao Fang Ji-Cong Zhan Xue-Jun Yang Can-Bin Huang Yan-Peng Li Kun Tan Zhi-Pang Huang Liang-Wei Cui Wen Xiao |
| author_sort | Jun-Jie Li |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Wildlife camera trap (CT) surveys typically employ two-dimensional equal-area grid sampling, which often neglects the influence of complex mountainous terrain on species distribution, potentially yielding misleading outcomes. A watershed, incorporating diverse habitats from high to low elevations and from rivers to ridges, aligns with complex mountains. Monitoring based on watersheds might address this. In southwest China’s mountain forests, under comparable sampling intensities, we contrasted the capture rate (CR), species richness, and relative abundance index (RAI) of dominant species among watershed, 1 × 1 km² grid, and elevation gradient patterns. Also, habitat factor correlations and heterogeneities were analyzed. Results reveal higher CR, species richness, and habitat heterogeneity in the watershed pattern. The elevation gradient pattern shows more stable species and RAI than the grid pattern. In small-scale mountains, topographic factors indirectly affect CT survey results via vegetation distribution. Analysis of similarities (ANOSIM) indicates significant differences in species and community among watersheds. Using watersheds as sampling units for CTs can match the mountains’ elevation differences and complex topography well, aids in capturing wildlife diversity and understanding mountain species distribution. Therefore, we recommend that the spatial sample design in mountainous areas should be based on watersheds, taking elevation gradients and topography into consideration. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-21e5a140c78e4040a3ef247078dcfad2 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj-art-21e5a140c78e4040a3ef247078dcfad22025-02-09T12:31:52ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-02-0115111310.1038/s41598-025-86031-wWatershed: a more efficient sampling unit for mountain camera trapsJun-Jie Li0Yi-Hao Fang1Ji-Cong Zhan2Xue-Jun Yang3Can-Bin Huang4Yan-Peng Li5Kun Tan6Zhi-Pang Huang7Liang-Wei Cui8Wen Xiao9Institute of Eastern-Himalaya Biodiversity Research, Dali UniversityInstitute of Eastern-Himalaya Biodiversity Research, Dali UniversityInstitute of Eastern-Himalaya Biodiversity Research, Dali UniversityInstitute of Eastern-Himalaya Biodiversity Research, Dali UniversityJianchuan Forestry and Grassland BureauInstitute of Eastern-Himalaya Biodiversity Research, Dali UniversityInstitute of Eastern-Himalaya Biodiversity Research, Dali UniversityInstitute of Eastern-Himalaya Biodiversity Research, Dali UniversityKey Laboratory of Extremely Small Populations of Wildlife in Universities of Yunnan, Southwest Forestry UniversityInstitute of Eastern-Himalaya Biodiversity Research, Dali UniversityAbstract Wildlife camera trap (CT) surveys typically employ two-dimensional equal-area grid sampling, which often neglects the influence of complex mountainous terrain on species distribution, potentially yielding misleading outcomes. A watershed, incorporating diverse habitats from high to low elevations and from rivers to ridges, aligns with complex mountains. Monitoring based on watersheds might address this. In southwest China’s mountain forests, under comparable sampling intensities, we contrasted the capture rate (CR), species richness, and relative abundance index (RAI) of dominant species among watershed, 1 × 1 km² grid, and elevation gradient patterns. Also, habitat factor correlations and heterogeneities were analyzed. Results reveal higher CR, species richness, and habitat heterogeneity in the watershed pattern. The elevation gradient pattern shows more stable species and RAI than the grid pattern. In small-scale mountains, topographic factors indirectly affect CT survey results via vegetation distribution. Analysis of similarities (ANOSIM) indicates significant differences in species and community among watersheds. Using watersheds as sampling units for CTs can match the mountains’ elevation differences and complex topography well, aids in capturing wildlife diversity and understanding mountain species distribution. Therefore, we recommend that the spatial sample design in mountainous areas should be based on watersheds, taking elevation gradients and topography into consideration.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-86031-wTopography spatial sampling designBiodiversitySpecies richnessWildlife monitoringWildlife conservationWatershed ecology |
| spellingShingle | Jun-Jie Li Yi-Hao Fang Ji-Cong Zhan Xue-Jun Yang Can-Bin Huang Yan-Peng Li Kun Tan Zhi-Pang Huang Liang-Wei Cui Wen Xiao Watershed: a more efficient sampling unit for mountain camera traps Scientific Reports Topography spatial sampling design Biodiversity Species richness Wildlife monitoring Wildlife conservation Watershed ecology |
| title | Watershed: a more efficient sampling unit for mountain camera traps |
| title_full | Watershed: a more efficient sampling unit for mountain camera traps |
| title_fullStr | Watershed: a more efficient sampling unit for mountain camera traps |
| title_full_unstemmed | Watershed: a more efficient sampling unit for mountain camera traps |
| title_short | Watershed: a more efficient sampling unit for mountain camera traps |
| title_sort | watershed a more efficient sampling unit for mountain camera traps |
| topic | Topography spatial sampling design Biodiversity Species richness Wildlife monitoring Wildlife conservation Watershed ecology |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-86031-w |
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