A North Carolina State University study led by Roland Kays shows that despite human impact, Climate is still the most significant factor in where mammals thrive. The research compared the effects of Climate and human factors on mammal habitats.
Researchers used data from 25 species and over 6,000 locations in the U.S., collected through Snapshot USA’s camera traps, one of the most extensive analyses of its kind.
Kays, a researcher at N.C. The state said they expected human changes to be the main factor affecting where animals live. Instead, they found that Climate—temperature and rainfall—was more important. However, human activities like cities and farms still influenced mammal habitats.
Some species, like the Eastern gray squirrel, thrive near people. In contrast, others, like the snowshoe hare, struggle with human and agricultural presence. The study helps identify which species are sensitive to human impact and which benefit from it.
Researchers used the data to create maps predicting where different mammals are found across the U.S. They divided the country into ecoregions based on mammal populations, similar to how plant ecoregions are defined. They found that regions with more rainfall, like the Eastern deciduous forest, had more plants and mammals because of the abundant food.
The study “Climate, food, and Humans Predict Communities of Mammals in the United States” shows that Climate is the top factor influencing mammal habitats. It provides a new way to predict how climate change will affect mammal populations, as rising temperatures and changing precipitation will shift where animals can live and how they find food. This understanding will help manage mammal populations in the future.
Journal reference :
- Roland Kays, Matthew H. Snider et al., Climate, food, and humans predict communities of mammals in the United States. Diversity and Distribution. DOI: 10.1111/ddi.13900.