The impact of the COVID-19 lockdowns on wildlife-vehicle collisions in the UK.

Wildlife-vehicle collisions (WVCs) cause millions of vertebrate mortalities globally, threatening population viability and influencing wildlife behaviour and survival. Traffic volume and speed can influence wildlife mortality on roads, but roadkill risk is species specific and depends on ecological traits. The COVID-19 pandemic, and associated UK-wide lockdowns, offered a unique opportunity to investigate how reducing traffic volume alters WVC. These periods of reduced human mobility have been coined the 'anthropause'. We used the anthropause to identify which ecological traits may render species vulnerable to WVC. We did this by comparing the relative change in WVC of species with differing traits before and during the anthropause. We used Generalised Additive Model predictions to assess which of the 19 species most frequently observed as WVC in the UK exhibited changes in road mortality during two lockdown periods, March-May 2020 and December 2020-March 2021, relative to the same time periods in previous years (2014-2019). Compositional data analysis was used to identify ecological traits associated with changes in the relative number of observations during lockdown periods compared to previous years. WVC were, across all species, 80% lower during the anthropause than predicted. Compositional data analysis revealed proportionally fewer reports of nocturnal mammals, urban visitors, mammals with greater brain mass and birds with a longer flight initiation distance. Species that have several of these traits, and correspondingly significantly lower than predicted WVC during lockdowns, included badgers Meles meles, foxes Vulpes vulpes, and pheasants, Phasianus colchicus; we posit they stand to benefit most from reduced traffic, and, of the species studied here, have highest mortality under 'normal' traffic levels. This study identifies traits and species that may have experienced a temporary reprieve during the anthropause, and highlights the impacts of traffic-induced mortality on species numbers and ultimately on trait frequency in a road-dominated landscape. By taking advantage of reductions in traffic offered by the anthropause, we can understand how vehicles influence wildlife survival and behaviour and may be exerting a selective force for certain species and traits.

An inclusive venue to discuss behavioural biology research: the first global Animal Behaviour Twitter Conference

Social media platforms, such as Twitter, provide the opportunity for academics to network and to disseminate research to colleagues and the general public. More recently, Twitter in particular has become a platform for hosting academic conferences in addition to or as an alternative to either traditional in-person academic conferences or virtual conferences, now typical since the onset of COVID. The Animal Behavior Society (ABS) and the Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour (ASAB) hosted their first global Animal Behaviour Twitter Conference in January 2021, in which researchers in animal behaviour from around the world shared recent work with fellow academics. Here, we explore the impact of the first global Animal Behaviour Twitter Conference (#AnimBehav2021) using questionnaires and Web site analytics to assess the dissemination of research and networking opportunities the event provided. Ultimately, this Animal Behaviour Twitter Conference increased the global reach and the accessibility of communicating animal behaviour research in comparison to in-person events. Furthermore, we use this case study to describe the logistics of organizing a Twitter conference in the field of animal behaviour, the novel opportunities this conference brought along and how other academic societies in behavioural biology can adapt our approach and benefit from this conference format.

Moving academic conferences online: Understanding patterns of delegate engagement.

Scientific conferences are a key component of academic communication and development. During the COVID-19 pandemic, in-person conferences are rapidly moving online, yet these virtual events may not provide the same opportunities as in-person conferences. If virtual meetings are to continue to provide effective communication and networking between researchers and stakeholders, they must be adapted to increase delegate engagement and enthusiasm. Here, we present a case study of a recent medium-sized online conference. We assessed the behavior and engagement of delegates with different components of the meeting using data from website analytics and postconference surveys. Behavior was variable across the available events; talks were particularly popular but engagement with social and networking opportunities was variable. Our conclusions have been summarized in six recommendations to support future online conference organizers in enhancing engagement with their events.