Anthropization impacts the selection of resting sites and their centrality in movement networks: wild boar across Europe as an example

For many animal species, resting and activity happen at distinct sites. As animals are limited in how far they can travel between resting and foraging sites, the spatial layout of those sites may constrain animal movements across the landscape. In anthropized landscapes, suitable resting sites are often scarce and dispersed, and movements between them are generally more constrained than in natural landscapes. In this context, animals may not be able to travel between any pair of resting sites in one single phase of activity. Thus, it is likely that in anthropized landscapes, some resting sites have a central position in the movement patterns of animals, serving as ‘stepping‐stones' allowing them to travel between different sectors of their home range. We tested this hypothesis by investigating the resting site selection and movement patterns of wild boars Sus scrofa along wide gradients of anthropization and forest cover across Europe. First, we characterized the dynamics of resting site utilization by the wild boar in response to anthropization, on a continental scale. Then, using network analysis applied to animal movements, and betweenness centrality as a metric, we investigated the relative contribution of resting and activity sites in connecting different parts of the home range. We found that the importance of resting sites in structuring movement patterns depended on the characteristics of the landscape, and notably on the level of anthropization. Our results suggest that in anthropized landscapes, where resting sites are sometimes a limiting resource for many animals, their spatial layout may play an often unnoticed yet important role in allowing animal movements across the landscape.

Authors

Institutions

Publication Details

Journal
Oikos
Published
2025-08-13
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1002/oik.11295
Primary Topic
Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00

Funders

Controls
|||
ALL TIME
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
article

Anthropization impacts the selection of resting sites and their centrality in movement networks: wild boar across Europe as an example

Grzegorz Baś, Marco Heurich, Marco Apollonio, Klemen Jerina et al.
Oikos
Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
article

Anthropization impacts the selection of resting sites and their centrality in movement networks: wild boar across Europe as an example

Grzegorz Baś, Marco Heurich, Marco Apollonio, Klemen Jerina, Éric Baubet, Gustave Fradin, Justine Güldenpfennig, Tamás Tari, Tomasz Podgórski, Miloš Ježek, Sonia Saı̈d, Claude Fischer, Alisa Klamm, Thomas Scheppers, Rudy Brogi, Stefano Grignolio, Janosch Arnold, Joaquín Vicente, Attila Farkas, Jim Casaer, Joyashree Roy, Francesca Brivio, Oliver Keuling, Petter Kjellander, Кevin Мorelle, András Náhlik, Stefan M. Suter, Simon Chamaillé‐Jammes, József‐Tamás Fodor, Alain Licoppe, Stephanie Kramer‐Schadt, Tsviatko Alexandrov
article en

Abstract

For many animal species, resting and activity happen at distinct sites. As animals are limited in how far they can travel between resting and foraging sites, the spatial layout of those sites may constrain animal movements across the landscape. In anthropized landscapes, suitable resting sites are often scarce and dispersed, and movements between them are generally more constrained than in natural landscapes. In this context, animals may not be able to travel between any pair of resting sites in one single phase of activity. Thus, it is likely that in anthropized landscapes, some resting sites have a central position in the movement patterns of animals, serving as ‘stepping‐stones' allowing them to travel between different sectors of their home range. We tested this hypothesis by investigating the resting site selection and movement patterns of wild boars Sus scrofa along wide gradients of anthropization and forest cover across Europe. First, we characterized the dynamics of resting site utilization by the wild boar in response to anthropization, on a continental scale. Then, using network analysis applied to animal movements, and betweenness centrality as a metric, we investigated the relative contribution of resting and activity sites in connecting different parts of the home range. We found that the importance of resting sites in structuring movement patterns depended on the characteristics of the landscape, and notably on the level of anthropization. Our results suggest that in anthropized landscapes, where resting sites are sometimes a limiting resource for many animals, their spatial layout may play an often unnoticed yet important role in allowing animal movements across the landscape.

OikosVol. 2025(11)
Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR), University of Sassari (IT), École Pratique des Hautes Études (FR), University of Freiburg (DE), HES-SO University of Applied Sciences and Arts Western Switzerland (CH), University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation (DE), Université de Montpellier (FR), University of Ferrara (IT), Research Institute for Nature and Forest (BE), Czech University of Life Sciences Prague (CZ), Bavarian Forest National Park (DE), Mammal Research Institute (PL), Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SE), Centre d'Écologie Fonctionnelle et Évolutive (FR), Research Institute for Philosophy Hannover (DE), Research Centre of Medical Technology and Biotechnology (DE), Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (ES), Slovenian Forestry Institute (SI), Service Public de Wallonie (BE), Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior (DE), Institute of Nature Conservation (PL), Centre For Wildlife Studies (IN), Bulgarian Food Safety Agency (BG), Médipole Garonne (FR), Fondation Pour la Recherche Sur la Biodiversité (FR), Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (DE), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (FR), Sapientia Hungarian University of Transylvania (RO), Technische Universität Berlin (DE), University of Castilla-La Mancha (ES), University of Sopron (HU), ZHAW Zurich University of Applied Sciences (CH)
National Geographic Society, Agentschap voor Natuur en Bos, Gouvernement Wallon, Stiftung Naturschutz Berlin, European Commission, European Environment Agency, Agence Nationale de la Recherche, Ministry of Environment, Javna Agencija za Raziskovalno Dejavnost RS, Naturvårdsverket, Université de Liège, Service Public de Wallonie, Leibniz-Institut für Zoo- und Wildtierforschung, Horizon 2020 Framework Programme, Leibniz-Gemeinschaft, Bundesamt für Umwelt
Openalex Percentile: Top 67%
Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
DOIOpen Access PDFOpenAlex
AI Navigator

Ask Laika to Summarize, Analyze, and Connect papers live on the map.

Summarize Papers & Methodologies

Extract key findings, datasets, and comparative methods across publications.

Benchmark Rankings & Visual Analytics

Rank top research institutions, authors, funders, topics, and journals by Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) and paper volume with instant charts.

Connect Distant Disciplines

Bridge topological clusters on the map to find hidden collaborative intersections.