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<p>Introduced non-native ungulates can alter ecosystem processes and generate management conflicts. Thus, understanding spatial behavior and habitat use in invaded landscapes is highly relevant. We investigated seasonal home range and habitat selection of the natively African mountain species aoudad <i>Ammotragus lervia</i>, introduced in the Southern Dinaric Alps, Croatia, using GPS telemetry data. We used Kernel Density Estimates to estimate seasonal home range size and assessed habitat selection in several temporal scales through integrated Step Selection Analysis. Aoudad exhibited marked seasonal variation in home range size, with more restricted space use during the warm period, potentially suggesting aggregation in more favorable microhabitats under drier conditions. Habitat selection revealed consistent preference for high elevations and steep slopes, while the species avoided north facing and east facing aspects and areas with high tree cover density in both warm and cold seasons. During the night, avoidance of tree covered areas intensified and selection shifted towards steeper terrain, consistent with patterns expected under increased perceived predation risk. Weather conditions further modulated habitat selection, with temperature and wind influencing selection of slope and elevation, respectively. Overall, our findings support the capacity of the African aoudad to persist under Mediterranean mountain conditions.</p>

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Dry conditions and predation risk shape the spatial ecology of introduced aoudad

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年5月14日

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  • Nikica Šprem,
  • Konstantinos Papakostas,
  • Mariano Rodríguez Recio,
  • Pavao Gančević,
  • Klemen Jerina

摘要

Introduced non-native ungulates can alter ecosystem processes and generate management conflicts. Thus, understanding spatial behavior and habitat use in invaded landscapes is highly relevant. We investigated seasonal home range and habitat selection of the natively African mountain species aoudad Ammotragus lervia, introduced in the Southern Dinaric Alps, Croatia, using GPS telemetry data. We used Kernel Density Estimates to estimate seasonal home range size and assessed habitat selection in several temporal scales through integrated Step Selection Analysis. Aoudad exhibited marked seasonal variation in home range size, with more restricted space use during the warm period, potentially suggesting aggregation in more favorable microhabitats under drier conditions. Habitat selection revealed consistent preference for high elevations and steep slopes, while the species avoided north facing and east facing aspects and areas with high tree cover density in both warm and cold seasons. During the night, avoidance of tree covered areas intensified and selection shifted towards steeper terrain, consistent with patterns expected under increased perceived predation risk. Weather conditions further modulated habitat selection, with temperature and wind influencing selection of slope and elevation, respectively. Overall, our findings support the capacity of the African aoudad to persist under Mediterranean mountain conditions.