Data monitorovaných úseků a mortality sudokopytníků

An experimental study was conducted to test the effectiveness of olfactory repellents (ORE) as a mitigation measure to reduce ungulate-vehicle collisions (UVC). In the first phase, an extensive field survey was undertaken while employing the Before-After Control-Impact (BACI) study design. On the basis of ungulate mortality, 134 road sections were monitored on foot along both roadsides once a week. The monitoring lasted fourteen weeks per year in both 2021 (Before period) and 2022 (After period). In the after period, 2022, ORE were applied within the impact segments. The second phase consisted of data verification and statistical analysis. The data revealed a decrease in UVC of 68%. The confidence interval of this estimate suggested, however, a great deal of uncertainty about the true value. Therefore, the data were pooled, and the Bayesian inference was applied. On the level of moderate evidence, ORE decreased the number of UVC by at least 43% and at most 60%. We also observed that the ORE effect was more pronounced in the first seven weeks after installation than in the following seven weeks, suggesting ungulate habituation to ORE. We have therefore concluded that for a short period (ideally corresponding to UVC peaks) ORE could be considered an effective safety measure for secondary roads.本研究开展了一项实验，以检验嗅觉驱避剂（olfactory repellents, ORE）作为减缓措施，降低有蹄类动物与车辆碰撞事件（ungulate-vehicle collisions, UVC）发生率的有效性。第一阶段采用前后对照-影响（Before-After Control-Impact, BACI）实验设计，开展大规模野外调查：基于有蹄类动物的死亡记录，每周步行沿道路两侧对134个路段开展一次监测；2021年（干预前阶段）与2022年（干预后阶段）每年均开展为期14周的监测工作，干预后阶段的2022年，研究人员在影响路段内布设了ORE。第二阶段包含数据验证与统计分析环节。数据显示UVC发生率下降了68%，但该估算值的置信区间表明，其真实值存在较大不确定性。因此研究团队对数据进行合并，并采用贝叶斯推断（Bayesian inference）开展分析。在中等证据强度下，ORE可使UVC发生量至少降低43%、至多降低60%。此外研究还观察到，ORE的驱避效果在布设后的前7周显著优于后续7周，这提示有蹄类动物对ORE产生了适应性习惯。据此本研究得出结论：在较短周期内（理想情况下匹配UVC发生峰值时段），嗅觉驱避剂可被视为二级道路的有效安全防护措施。