Migration is common worldwide as species access spatiotemporally varying resources and avoid predators and parasites. However, long‐distance migrations are increasingly imperiled due to development and habitat fragmentation. Improved understanding of migratory behavior has implications for conservation and management of migratory species, allowing identification and protection of seasonal ranges and migration corridors. We present a technique that applies circuit theory to predict future effects of development by analyzing season‐specific resistance to movement from anthropogenic and natural environmental features across an entire migratory path. We demonstrate the utility of our approach by examining potential effects of a proposed road system on barren ground caribou (Rangifer tarandus granti) and subsistence hunters in northern Alaska. Resource selection functions revealed migratory selection by caribou. We tested five scenarios relating habitat selection to landscape resistance using Circuitscape and GPS telemetry data. To examine the effect of potential roads on connectivity of migrating animals and human hunters, we compared current flow values near communities in the presence of proposed roads. Caribou avoided dense vegetation, rugged terrain, major rivers, and existing roads in both spring and fall. A negative linear relationship between resource selection and landscape resistance was strongly supported for fall migration while spring migration featured a negative logarithmic relationship. Overall patterns of caribou connectivity remained similar in the presence of proposed roads, though reduced current flow was predicted for communities near the center of current migration areas. Such data can inform decisions to allow or disallow projects or to select among alternative development proposals and mitigation measures, though consideration of cumulative effects of development is needed. Our approach is flexible and can easily be adapted to other species, locations and development scenarios to expand understanding of movement behavior and to evaluate proposed developments. Such information is vital to inform policy decisions that balance new development, resource user needs, and preservation of ecosystem function.

中文翻译：

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使用电路理论绘制拟议道路对高度移动草食动物迁徙连通性的潜在影响。

迁徙在世界范围内很常见，因为物种可以获取时空变化的资源并避免捕食者和寄生虫。然而，由于发展和栖息地破碎化，长距离迁徙日益受到威胁。提高对迁徙行为的理解对迁徙物种的保护和管理具有重要意义，可以识别和保护季节性范围和迁徙走廊。我们提出了一种应用电路理论来预测未来发展影响的技术，方法是分析整个迁徙路径中人为和自然环境特征对运动的季节特定阻力。我们通过检查拟议道路系统对贫瘠地面驯鹿（Rangifer tarandus granti ）的潜在影响来证明我们方法的实用性) 和阿拉斯加北部的自给猎人。资源选择函数揭示了驯鹿的迁徙选择。我们使用 Circuitscape 和 GPS 遥测数据测试了五种将栖息地选择与景观阻力相关的情景。为了检查潜在道路对迁徙动物和人类猎人连通性的影响，我们比较了存在拟议道路的社区附近的当前流量值。Caribou 在春季和秋季都避开茂密的植被、崎岖的地形、主要河流和现有道路。秋季迁移强烈支持资源选择与景观阻力之间的负线性关系，而春季迁移具有负对数关系。在拟建道路的情况下，驯鹿连通性的总体模式仍然相似，尽管预计当前移民区中心附近的社区的电流会减少。尽管需要考虑发展的累积影响，但此类数据可以为允许或禁止项目或在替代发展建议和缓解措施中进行选择的决策提供信息。我们的方法很灵活，可以很容易地适应其他物种、地点和发展场景，以扩大对运动行为的理解并评估拟议的发展。此类信息对于为平衡新开发、资源用户需求和生态系统功能保护的政策决策提供信息至关重要。尽管需要考虑发展的累积效应。我们的方法很灵活，可以很容易地适应其他物种、地点和发展场景，以扩大对运动行为的理解并评估拟议的发展。此类信息对于为平衡新开发、资源用户需求和生态系统功能保护的政策决策提供信息至关重要。尽管需要考虑发展的累积效应。我们的方法很灵活，可以很容易地适应其他物种、地点和发展场景，以扩大对运动行为的理解并评估拟议的发展。此类信息对于为平衡新开发、资源用户需求和生态系统功能保护的政策决策提供信息至关重要。