Effects of Road Mortality and Mitigation Measures on Amphibian Populations

• Published in: Conservation biology 2013-08, Vol.27 (4), p.657-668
• Main Author: BEEBEE, TREVOR J. C.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Accidents, Traffic - prevention & control; Amphibia. Reptilia; Amphibians; Amphibians - physiology; Animal populations; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Animals; Applied ecology; Biological and medical sciences; Conservation biology; Conservation of Natural Resources - methods; Conservation of Natural Resources - statistics & numerical data; Conservation, protection and management of environment and wildlife; cruces para fauna silvestre; Environment Design - trends; Frogs; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects; Habitat conservation; mitigación; mitigation; mortalidad en carreteras; Mortality; Mortality - trends; Parks, reserves, wildlife conservation. Endangered species: population survey and restocking; población; population; Reptiles & amphibians; Review; road mortality; Roads; Roads & highways; Species; Toads; Transportation - statistics & numerical data; Tunnels; Vertebrates: general zoology, morphology, phylogeny, systematics, cytogenetics, geographical distribution; Wildlife conservation; wildlife crossings
• ISSN: 0888-8892; 1523-1739
• DOI: 10.1111/cobi.12063

Road mortality is a widely recognized but rarely quantified threat to the viability of amphibian populations. The global extent of the problem is substantial and factors affecting the number of animals killed on highways include life-history traits and landscape features. Secondary effects include genetic isolation due to roads acting as barriers to migration. Long-term effects of roads on population dynamics are often severe and mitigation methods include volunteer rescues and under-road tunnels. Despite the development of methods that reduce road kill in specific locations, especially under-road tunnels and culverts, there is scant evidence that such measures will protect populations over the long term. There also seems little likelihood that funding will be forthcoming to ameliorate the problem at the scale necessary to prevent further population declines. La mortalidad en carreteras es una amenaza reconocida para la viabilidad de las poblaciones de anfibios pero que raramente ha sido cuantificada. El alcance global del problema es sustancial y los factores que afectan al número de animales muertos en las carreteras incluyen caracteríticas de historia de vida y rasgos del paisaje. Los efectos secundarios incluyen aislamiento genético causado por las carreteras que actúan como barreras para la migración. Los efectos a largo plazo sobre la dinámica de poblaciones a menudo son severos y los métodos de mitigación incluyen rescates por voluntarios y túneles bajo la carretera. A pesar del desarrollo de métodos que reducen los atropellamientos en localidades específicas, especialmente los túneles bajo la carretera y alcantarillas, hay evidencia escasa de que dichas medidas protegerán a las poblaciones a largo plazo. Al parecer existe también poca probabilidad de que haya financiamiento en el futuro para aminorar el problema a la escala necesaria para prevenir la disminución futura de la población.