In this study, we evaluated the effect and extent of linear human disturbance caused by vehicle traffic on forest roads on animal activity time. Our research focused on four sympatric carnivores (red fox, Vulpes vulpes; raccoon dog, Nyctereutes procyonoides; Japanese marten, Martes melampus; and Asiatic black bear, Ursus thibetanus) living in the forest region of northeastern Japan. From August to November 2019, we obtained data on the activity time for each species from nine infrared-triggered cameras installed along two types of unpaved forest roads with different vehicle frequencies (high or low) and subsequently assessed the effect of vehicle-passing frequencies on activity using kernel density estimation and chi-square test. Red foxes and raccoon dogs were nocturnal on all forest roads; however, their nighttime activities were significantly greater on the forest road with a high vehicle-passing frequency than on the road with a low vehicle-passing frequency. Japanese martens showed a nocturnal pattern on all forest roads, and there was no significant difference in the proportion of nighttime activities between the forest roads. Asiatic black bears were highly active during the daytime on forest roads with a low vehicle-passing frequency, but were highly nocturnal on forest roads with a high vehicle-passing frequency. Our results suggest that human disturbance influences the ratio of daytime to nighttime activity in carnivores; however, the extent and magnitude of this effect are limited. This finding indicates that the spatial scale of effects of human disturbance on the activity of each animal species should be assessed before habitat management programs are implemented.

在这项研究中，我们评估了森林道路上车辆通行引起的线性人为干扰对动物活动时间的影响和程度。我们的研究主要集中在四个同域食肉动物（赤狐，赤狐，貉，貉，貂日本，貂melampus ;以及亚洲黑熊，黑熊），生活在日本东北部的森林地区。从2019年8月至2019年11月，我们从沿两种未铺有车辆频率（高或低）的未铺设森林道路上安装的九个红外触发相机获得了每种物种活动时间的数据，随后评估了车辆通行频率对使用核密度估计和卡方检验进行活性分析。狐狸和狗在所有林道上都是夜间活动。但是，他们的夜间活动在车辆通过频率较高的林间道路上比在车辆通过频率较低的道路上明显更大。日本貂在所有林道上都表现出夜间活动模式，并且林道之间夜间活动的比例没有显着差异。亚洲黑熊白天在车辆通过频率较低的林间道路上活跃度很高，而在车辆通过频率较高的林间道路上夜活动性强。我们的结果表明，人为干扰会影响食肉动物的白天活动与夜间活动的比率。但是，这种影响的程度和程度是有限的。这一发现表明，在实施栖息地管理计划之前，应评估人为干扰对每种动物物种活动的影响的空间尺度。这种影响的程度和程度是有限的。这一发现表明，在实施栖息地管理计划之前，应评估人为干扰对每种动物物种活动的影响的空间尺度。这种影响的程度和程度是有限的。这一发现表明，在实施栖息地管理计划之前，应评估人为干扰对每种动物物种活动的影响的空间尺度。