Source data for Paper 1 - EVALUATING METHODOLOGIES USED TO MONITOR WILDLIFE CROSSING STRUCTURES – A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

<b>(i)</b><b> </b><b>Abstract</b>Wildlife crossing structures are widely implemented to mitigate the detrimental effects of increasing road infrastructure. This global systematic review assessed the effectiveness of current research in evaluating the success of these structures in addressing both the immediate and long-term impacts of roads. The results indicate that despite 50 years of research, there is not enough evidence to reach definite conclusions. Many studies rely on single monitoring methods and prioritise wildlife movement over other critical measures such as population viability, genetic flow and collision reduction. Inconsistencies in definitions of effectiveness, along with lack of control sites and baseline data further limit comparability across studies. Additionally, short study durations and geographic bias of research towards the global north further limited fair evaluation. However, the increase in use of emerging technologies, particularly artificial intelligence, offers significant potential to improve monitoring practices. This review recommends prioritising the development and integration of these technologies alongside establishing standardising guidelines, encouraging global inclusivity and incorporating long-term monitoring.<br>