What type of tunnel could reduce road kills?
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Published source details
Lesbarrères D., Lodé T. & Merilä J. (2004) What type of tunnel could reduce road kills?. Oryx, 38, 220-223.
Published source details Lesbarrères D., Lodé T. & Merilä J. (2004) What type of tunnel could reduce road kills?. Oryx, 38, 220-223.
Actions
This study is summarised as evidence for the following.
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Install culverts or tunnels as road crossings Action Link |
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Install culverts or tunnels as road crossings
A replicated study in 2001, of two experimental tunnels in Pays de la Loire, France (Lesbarrères, Lodé & Merilä 2004) found that amphibians used tunnels and preferred the soil-lined to the bare tunnel. Tunnels were preferred to bypassing on the grass by common toads Bufo bufo (70%) and edible frogs Rana esculenta (68%). However, agile frogs Rana dalmatina tended to bypass (70%). The soil-lined tunnel was used by 68% of the animals that used the tunnels. The difference between soil-lined and bare tunnels was significant for both frog species but not common toads. Crossing success was higher for all species in the soil-lined tunnel. Two concrete pipes (2 m long, 0.5 m diameter) were placed side by side within an enclosure (5 x 3 m). One was lined with sand and humus, the other left bare. Two 0.5 m lengths of drift-fence were installed at 45° to the entrances. A single animal was placed 1.2 m in front of the tunnels with male calls playing from the far end. Each trial lasted 10 minutes and was repeated four days later. Forty-one common toads, 42 edible frogs and 32 agile frogs captured locally were used.
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