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Dayananda SK, Athukorala HF, Peabotuwage I, Kumara C, Ranasinghe T, Samarasinghe D, Gouveia A, Kotagama SW, Mammides C, Jiang A, Goodale E. Rubber plantations are impermeable to an avian understory specialist in Sri Lanka. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2024; 12:47. [PMID: 38880879 PMCID: PMC11181654 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-024-00484-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 06/18/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Understanding how landscape characteristics affect animal movement is essential for conservation in human-dominated habitats. A fundamental question is how monoculture agroforests, including rubber and tea plantations, affect wildlife and its movement. Experimental translocations represent an important technique to assess animals' habitat selection while moving through agricultural matrices, especially when complemented with observations of birds' natural movements, and with "control" translocations, in which birds are moved within their natural habitat such as forest. Yet, experimental translocations have been little used for birds outside the Western Hemisphere. METHODS We conducted experimental translocations and home-range measurements on an understory forest specialist, Brown-capped Babbler (BCBA, Pellorneum fuscocapillus), and a forest generalist, Tickell's Blue Flycatcher (TBFL, Cyornis tickelliae). These species were studied in three rubber plantations, which also included some open areas mostly planted with tea, and in three forest reserves of Sri Lanka. RESULTS Four of the five BCBAs translocated within disturbed habitats (rubber plantations) could not return to their capture locations. However, all four individuals within undisturbed habitats (forest reserves) successfully returned to their point of origin within 10.5 daytime hours. In contrast, all TBFLs returned to their capture locations in both disturbed (n = 7) and undisturbed habitats (n = 3) within 11.3 daytime hours. A Cox-proportional survival model demonstrated that the percentage of rubber cover decreased return time, similar to the effect of open-area cover. The home range surveys (n = 13 for BCBA, n = 10 for TBFL) revealed that very little of the birds' natural home-ranges was covered by rubber (0.2% for BCBA, 13.1% for TBFL at 50% Kernel Density Estimates KDE). Home range size for BCBA was approximately half the size in disturbed habitats compared to undisturbed ones, although there was no significant difference between habitats for TBFL. CONCLUSIONS We conclude that rubber plantations can be impermeable to understory habitat specialist birds, and even generalist species may avoid them long-term. Our findings highlight the potential utility of strips of native vegetation, particularly those featuring understory layers, as corridors to facilitate the movement of forest specialists in landscapes dominated by rubber plantations and other types of disturbed habitats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Salindra K Dayananda
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Conservation, College of Forestry, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, Guangxi, China
- Institute of Environment and Ecology, Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen, 518055, Guangdong, China
- Field Ornithology Group of Sri Lanka, Department of Zoology and Environment Science, Faculty of Science, University of Colombo, Colombo, 00700, Western Province, Sri Lanka
| | - Harsha F Athukorala
- Field Ornithology Group of Sri Lanka, Department of Zoology and Environment Science, Faculty of Science, University of Colombo, Colombo, 00700, Western Province, Sri Lanka
| | - Indika Peabotuwage
- Field Ornithology Group of Sri Lanka, Department of Zoology and Environment Science, Faculty of Science, University of Colombo, Colombo, 00700, Western Province, Sri Lanka
| | - Chandralal Kumara
- Field Ornithology Group of Sri Lanka, Department of Zoology and Environment Science, Faculty of Science, University of Colombo, Colombo, 00700, Western Province, Sri Lanka
| | - Tharindu Ranasinghe
- Wild Island Foundation, 6A, Mendis Lane, Moratuwa, 10400, Western Province, Sri Lanka
| | - Dhammithra Samarasinghe
- Field Ornithology Group of Sri Lanka, Department of Zoology and Environment Science, Faculty of Science, University of Colombo, Colombo, 00700, Western Province, Sri Lanka
| | - Ana Gouveia
- Institute of Environment and Ecology, Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen, 518055, Guangdong, China
| | - Sarath W Kotagama
- Field Ornithology Group of Sri Lanka, Department of Zoology and Environment Science, Faculty of Science, University of Colombo, Colombo, 00700, Western Province, Sri Lanka
| | - Christos Mammides
- Nature Conservation Unit, Frederick University, 1036, Pallouriotisa, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Aiwu Jiang
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Conservation, College of Forestry, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, Guangxi, China.
| | - Eben Goodale
- Department of Health and Environmental Science, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou, 215123, Jiangsu, China.
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2
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Conservation prioritization through combined approach of umbrella species selection, occupancy estimation, habitat suitability and connectivity analysis of kingfisher: A study from an internationally important wetland complex (Ramsar site) in India. ECOL INFORM 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoinf.2022.101833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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3
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Wolfe E, Hammill E, Memmott J, Clements CF. Landscape configuration affects probability of apex predator presence and community structure in experimental metacommunities. Oecologia 2022; 199:193-204. [PMID: 35523981 PMCID: PMC9120115 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-022-05178-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2021] [Accepted: 04/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Biodiversity is declining at an unprecedented rate, highlighting the urgent requirement for well-designed protected areas. Design tactics previously proposed to promote biodiversity include enhancing the number, connectivity, and heterogeneity of reserve patches. However, how the importance of these features changes depending on what the conservation objective is remains poorly understood. Here we use experimental landscapes containing ciliate protozoa to investigate how the number and heterogeneity in size of habitat patches, rates of dispersal between neighbouring patches, and mortality risk of dispersal across the non-habitat ‘matrix’ interact to affect a number of diversity measures. We show that increasing the number of patches significantly increases γ diversity and reduces the overall number of extinctions, whilst landscapes with heterogeneous patch sizes have significantly higher γ diversity than those with homogeneous patch sizes. Furthermore, the responses of predators depended on their feeding specialism, with generalist predator presence being highest in a single large patch, whilst specialist predator presence was highest in several-small patches with matrix dispersal. Our evidence emphasises the importance of considering multiple diversity measures to disentangle community responses to patch configuration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ellie Wolfe
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1TQ, UK.
| | - Edd Hammill
- Department of Watershed Sciences and the Ecology Center, Utah State University, Old Main Hill, Logan, UT, USA
| | - Jane Memmott
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1TQ, UK
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4
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Condell K, Robinson WD, Moore RP, Rourke B. Myoglobin as a conservation‐relevant predictor of short‐distance flight capacity in Neotropical forest birds. Biotropica 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/btp.13047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kelsey Condell
- Department of Biological Sciences California State University Long Beach California USA
| | - W. Douglas Robinson
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Sciences Oregon State University Corvallis Oregon USA
| | - Randall P. Moore
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Sciences Oregon State University Corvallis Oregon USA
| | - Bryan Rourke
- Department of Biological Sciences California State University Long Beach California USA
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5
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Dayananda SK, Mammides C, Liang D, Kotagama SW, Goodale E. A review of avian experimental translocations that measure movement through human-modified landscapes. Glob Ecol Conserv 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2021.e01876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
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6
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Predicting burrowing owl flight trajectories in urban environments. Urban Ecosyst 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s11252-021-01170-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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7
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Kämmerle J, Taubmann J, Andrén H, Fiedler W, Coppes J. Environmental and seasonal correlates of capercaillie movement traits in a Swedish wind farm. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:11762-11773. [PMID: 34522339 PMCID: PMC8427587 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2021] [Revised: 06/20/2021] [Accepted: 06/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Animals continuously interact with their environment through behavioral decisions, rendering the appropriate choice of movement speed and directionality an important phenotypic trait. Anthropogenic activities may alter animal behavior, including movement. A detailed understanding of movement decisions is therefore of great relevance for science and conservation alike. The study of movement decisions in relation to environmental and seasonal cues requires continuous observation of movement behavior, recently made possible by high-resolution telemetry. We studied movement traits of 13 capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus), a mainly ground-moving forest bird species of conservation interest, over two summer seasons in a Swedish windfarm using high-resolution GPS tracking data (5-min sampling interval). We filtered and removed unreliable movement steps using accelerometer data and step characteristics. We explored variation in movement speed and directionality in relation to environmental and seasonal covariates using generalized additive mixed models (GAMMs). We found evidence for clear daily and seasonal variation in speed and directionality of movement that reflected behavioral adjustments to biological and environmental seasonality. Capercaillie moved slower when more turbines were visible and faster close to turbine access roads. Movement speed and directionality were highest on open bogs, lowest on recent clear-cuts (<5 y.o.), and intermediate in all types of forest. Our results provide novel insights into the seasonal and environmental correlates of capercaillie movement patterns and supplement previous behavioral observations on lekking behavior and wind turbine avoidance with a more mechanistic understanding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jim‐Lino Kämmerle
- FVA Wildlife InstituteForest Research Institute of Baden‐Wuerttemberg FVAFreiburgGermany
- Chair of Wildlife Ecology and ManagementUniversity of FreiburgFreiburgGermany
| | - Julia Taubmann
- FVA Wildlife InstituteForest Research Institute of Baden‐Wuerttemberg FVAFreiburgGermany
- Chair of Wildlife Ecology and ManagementUniversity of FreiburgFreiburgGermany
| | - Henrik Andrén
- Grimsö Wildlife Research StationDepartment of EcologySwedish University of Agricultural SciencesRiddarhyttanSweden
| | - Wolfgang Fiedler
- Department of Migration and Immuno‐EcologyMax Planck Institute of Animal BehaviorRadolfzellGermany
| | - Joy Coppes
- FVA Wildlife InstituteForest Research Institute of Baden‐Wuerttemberg FVAFreiburgGermany
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8
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis C. Beltrán
- Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of Illinois at Chicago Chicago IL 60607 U.S.A
| | - Henry F. Howe
- Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of Illinois at Chicago Chicago IL 60607 U.S.A
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Syiem BLN, Goswami VR, Vasudev D. "In a tree by the brook, there's a songbird who sings": Woodlands in an agricultural matrix maintain functionality of a wintering bird community. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0201657. [PMID: 30071074 PMCID: PMC6072076 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0201657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2018] [Accepted: 07/19/2018] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The agricultural matrix has increasingly been recognized for its potential to supplement Protected Areas (PAs) in biodiversity conservation. This potential is highly contextual, depending on composition and spatial configuration of matrix elements and their mechanistic relationship with biological communities. We investigate the effects of local vegetation structure, and proximity to a PA on the site-use of different guilds in a wintering bird community within the PA, and in wooded land-use types in the surrounding matrix. We used occupancy models to estimate covariate–guild relationships and predict site-use. We also compared species richness (estimated through capture–recapture models) and species naïve site-use between the PA and the matrix to evaluate taxonomic changes. We found that tree cover did not limit the site-use of most guilds of the community, probably due to high canopy cover across all chosen sites. Exceptions to this were guilds comprising generalist species. Shrub cover and bamboo cover had important effects on some woodland-associated guilds, suggesting a change in limiting factors for site-use under adequate tree cover. Site-use across the matrix was high for all analyzed guilds. This was found to be due to three non-exclusive reasons: (i) presence of one or more ubiquitous species (found all across the landscape) within some guilds, (ii) redundancy of species within guilds that buffered against a decrease in site-use, and (iii) turnover in guild composition/abundances to more generalist species from PA to matrix. Estimated species richness was higher in the matrix (107± 11; mean ± SE) than in the PA (90± 7), which may have been in part due to the addition of generalist species in the matrix. Understanding factors that limit biological communities is crucial to better managing the ever-increasing matrix for biodiversity conservation. Our study provides insights into the effects of different components of vegetation structure on the bird community in wooded land-use types in the matrix. We highlight the value of woodlands surrounding PAs in maintaining multiple guilds, and hence, the functionality of a wintering bird community. However, we caution that the matrix may fall short in retaining some specialized species of the community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Biang La Nam Syiem
- Post-graduate Programme in Wildlife Biology and Conservation, Wildlife Conservation Society India Program and National Centre for Biological Sciences, Bangalore, India
- Wildlife Conservation Society, India Program, Bangalore, India
- Centre for Wildlife Studies, Bangalore, India
- * E-mail:
| | - Varun R. Goswami
- Wildlife Conservation Society, India Program, Bangalore, India
- Centre for Wildlife Studies, Bangalore, India
- Conservation Initiatives, Guwahati, India
| | - Divya Vasudev
- Wildlife Conservation Society, India Program, Bangalore, India
- Centre for Wildlife Studies, Bangalore, India
- Conservation Initiatives, Guwahati, India
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10
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van Strien MJ. Consequences of population topology for studying gene flow using link-based landscape genetic methods. Ecol Evol 2017; 7:5070-5081. [PMID: 28770047 PMCID: PMC5528204 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.3075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2016] [Revised: 03/29/2017] [Accepted: 04/25/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Many landscape genetic studies aim to determine the effect of landscape on gene flow between populations. These studies frequently employ link‐based methods that relate pairwise measures of historical gene flow to measures of the landscape and the geographical distance between populations. However, apart from landscape and distance, there is a third important factor that can influence historical gene flow, that is, population topology (i.e., the arrangement of populations throughout a landscape). As the population topology is determined in part by the landscape configuration, I argue that it should play a more prominent role in landscape genetics. Making use of existing literature and theoretical examples, I discuss how population topology can influence results in landscape genetic studies and how it can be taken into account to improve the accuracy of these results. In support of my arguments, I have performed a literature review of landscape genetic studies published during the first half of 2015 as well as several computer simulations of gene flow between populations. First, I argue why one should carefully consider which population pairs should be included in link‐based analyses. Second, I discuss several ways in which the population topology can be incorporated in response and explanatory variables. Third, I outline why it is important to sample populations in such a way that a good representation of the population topology is obtained. Fourth, I discuss how statistical testing for link‐based approaches could be influenced by the population topology. I conclude the article with six recommendations geared toward better incorporating population topology in link‐based landscape genetic studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maarten J van Strien
- Planning of Landscape and Urban Systems (PLUS) Institute for Spatial and Landscape Planning ETH Zurich Zürich Switzerland
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11
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Wang YS, Potts JR. Partial differential equation techniques for analysing animal movement: A comparison of different methods. J Theor Biol 2017; 416:52-67. [PMID: 28063843 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtbi.2017.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2016] [Revised: 11/21/2016] [Accepted: 01/03/2017] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Recent advances in animal tracking have allowed us to uncover the drivers of movement in unprecedented detail. This has enabled modellers to construct ever more realistic models of animal movement, which aid in uncovering detailed patterns of space use in animal populations. Partial differential equations (PDEs) provide a popular tool for mathematically analysing such models. However, their construction often relies on simplifying assumptions which may greatly affect the model outcomes. Here, we analyse the effect of various PDE approximations on the analysis of some simple movement models, including a biased random walk, central-place foraging processes and movement in heterogeneous landscapes. Perhaps the most commonly-used PDE method dates back to a seminal paper of Patlak from 1953. However, our results show that this can be a very poor approximation in even quite simple models. On the other hand, more recent methods, based on transport equation formalisms, can provide more accurate results, as long as the kernel describing the animal's movement is sufficiently smooth. When the movement kernel is not smooth, we show that both the older and newer methods can lead to quantitatively misleading results. Our detailed analysis will aid future researchers in the appropriate choice of PDE approximation for analysing models of animal movement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Shan Wang
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Sheffield, Hicks Building, Hounsfield Road, Sheffield S3 7RH, UK.
| | - Jonathan R Potts
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Sheffield, Hicks Building, Hounsfield Road, Sheffield S3 7RH, UK.
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12
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Volpe NL, Robinson WD, Frey SJK, Hadley AS, Betts MG. Tropical Forest Fragmentation Limits Movements, but Not Occurrence of a Generalist Pollinator Species. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0167513. [PMID: 27941984 PMCID: PMC5152895 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0167513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2016] [Accepted: 11/15/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Habitat loss and fragmentation influence species distributions and therefore ecological processes that depend upon them. Pollination may be particularly susceptible to fragmentation, as it depends on frequent pollinator movement. Unfortunately, most pollinators are too small to track efficiently which has precluded testing the hypothesis that habitat fragmentation reduces or eliminates pollen flow by disrupting pollinator movement. We used radio-telemetry to examine space use of the green hermit hummingbird (Phaethornis guy), an important ‘hub’ pollinator of understory flowering plants across substantial portions of the neotropics and the primary pollinator of a keystone plant which shows reduced pollination success in fragmented landscapes. We found that green hermits strongly avoided crossing large stretches of non-forested matrix and preferred to move along stream corridors. Forest gaps as small as 50 m diminished the odds of movement by 50%. Green hermits occurred almost exclusively inside the forest, with the odds of occurrence being 8 times higher at points with >95% canopy cover compared with points having <5% canopy cover. Nevertheless, surprisingly. the species occurred in fragmented landscapes with low amounts of forest (~30% within a 2 km radius). Our results indicate that although green hermits are present even in landscapes with low amounts of tropical forest, movement within these landscapes ends up strongly constrained by forest gaps. Restricted movement of pollinators may be an underappreciated mechanism for widespread declines in pollination and plant fitness in fragmented landscapes, even when in the presence of appropriate pollinators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noelia L. Volpe
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Oregon State University, 104 Nash Hall, Corvallis, OR, United States of America
| | - W. Douglas Robinson
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Oregon State University, 104 Nash Hall, Corvallis, OR, United States of America
| | - Sarah J. K. Frey
- Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States of America
| | - Adam S. Hadley
- Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States of America
| | - Matthew G. Betts
- Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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13
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Bauder JM, Breininger DR, Bolt MR, Legare ML, Jenkins CL, Rothermel BB, McGarigal K. Seasonal Variation in Eastern Indigo Snake (Drymarchon couperi) Movement Patterns and Space Use in Peninsular Florida at Multiple Temporal Scales. HERPETOLOGICA 2016. [DOI: 10.1655/herpetologica-d-15-00039.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Javan M. Bauder
- Department of Environmental Conservation, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
| | - David R. Breininger
- NASA Ecological Programs, Integrated Mission Support Services, Mail Code IMSS-300, Kennedy Space Center, FL 32899, USA
| | - M. Rebecca Bolt
- NASA Ecological Programs, Integrated Mission Support Services, Mail Code IMSS-200, Kennedy Space Center, FL 32899, USA
| | - Michael L. Legare
- Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, PO Box 6504, Titusville, FL 32782, USA
| | | | | | - Kevin McGarigal
- Department of Environmental Conservation, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
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Da Silveira NS, Niebuhr BBS, Muylaert RDL, Ribeiro MC, Pizo MA. Effects of Land Cover on the Movement of Frugivorous Birds in a Heterogeneous Landscape. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0156688. [PMID: 27257810 PMCID: PMC4892584 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0156688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2015] [Accepted: 05/18/2016] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Movement is a key spatiotemporal process that enables interactions between animals and other elements of nature. The understanding of animal trajectories and the mechanisms that influence them at the landscape level can yield insight into ecological processes and potential solutions to specific ecological problems. Based upon optimal foraging models and empirical evidence, we hypothesized that movement by thrushes is highly tortuous (low average movement speeds and homogeneous distribution of turning angles) inside forests, moderately tortuous in urban areas, which present intermediary levels of resources, and minimally tortuous (high movement speeds and turning angles next to 0 radians) in open matrix types (e.g., crops and pasture). We used data on the trajectories of two common thrush species (Turdus rufiventris and Turdus leucomelas) collected by radio telemetry in a fragmented region in Brazil. Using a maximum likelihood model selection approach we fit four probability distribution models to average speed data, considering short-tailed, long-tailed, and scale-free distributions (to represent different regimes of movement variation), and one distribution to relative angle data. Models included land cover type and distance from forest-matrix edges as explanatory variables. Speed was greater farther away from forest edges and increased faster inside forest habitat compared to urban and open matrices. However, turning angle was not influenced by land cover. Thrushes presented a very tortuous trajectory, with many displacements followed by turns near 180 degrees. Thrush trajectories resembled habitat and edge dependent, tortuous random walks, with a well-defined movement scale inside each land cover type. Although thrushes are habitat generalists, they showed a greater preference for forest edges, and thus may be considered edge specialists. Our results reinforce the importance of studying animal movement patterns in order to understand ecological processes such as seed dispersal in fragmented areas, where the percentage of remaining habitat is dwindling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Stefanini Da Silveira
- Departament of Ecology, Spatial Ecology and Conservation Lab, Universidade Estadual Paulista Julio de Mesquita Filho, Rio Claro, São Paulo, Brazil
- * E-mail:
| | - Bernardo Brandão S. Niebuhr
- Departament of Ecology, Spatial Ecology and Conservation Lab, Universidade Estadual Paulista Julio de Mesquita Filho, Rio Claro, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Renata de Lara Muylaert
- Departament of Ecology, Spatial Ecology and Conservation Lab, Universidade Estadual Paulista Julio de Mesquita Filho, Rio Claro, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Milton Cezar Ribeiro
- Departament of Ecology, Spatial Ecology and Conservation Lab, Universidade Estadual Paulista Julio de Mesquita Filho, Rio Claro, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Marco Aurélio Pizo
- Departament of Zoology, Universidade Estadual Paulista Julio de Mesquita Filho, Rio Claro, São Paulo, Brazil
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15
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Teng M, Zhou Z, Wang P, Xiao W, Wu C, Lord E. Geotechnology-Based Modeling to Optimize Conservation of Forest Network in Urban Area. ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2016; 57:601-619. [PMID: 26661451 DOI: 10.1007/s00267-015-0642-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2014] [Accepted: 11/24/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Forest network development in urban areas faces the challenge from forest fragmentation, human-induced disturbances, and scarce land resources. Here, we proposed a geotechnology-based modeling to optimize conservation of forest network by a case study of Wuhan, China. The potential forest network and their priorities were assessed using an improved least-cost path model and potential utilization efficiency estimation. The modeling process consists of four steps: (i) developing species assemblages, (ii) identifying core forest patches, (iii) identifying potential linkages among core forest patches, and (iv) demarcating forest networks. As a result, three species assemblages, including mammals, pheasants, and other birds, were identified as the conservation targets of urban forest network (UFN) in Wuhan, China. Based on the geotechnology-based model, a forest network proposal was proposed to fulfill the connectivity requirements of selected species assemblages. The proposal consists of seven forest networks at three levels of connectivity, named ideal networks, backbone networks, and comprehensive network. The action priorities of UFN plans were suggested to optimize forest network in the study area. Additionally, a total of 45 forest patches with important conservation significance were identified as prioritized stepping-stone patches in the forest network development. Urban forest conserve was also suggested for preserving woodlands with priority conservation significance. The presented geotechnology-based modeling is fit for planning and optimizing UFNs, because of the inclusion of the stepping-stone effects, human-induced pressures, and priorities. The framework can also be applied to other areas after a sensitivity test of the model and the modification of the parameters to fit the local environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingjun Teng
- College of Horticultural & Forestry Sciences/Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Biology, Ministry of Education, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China.
- Research Institute of Forest Ecology, Environment and Protection/Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Environment of the State Forestry Administration, Chinese Academy of Forestry Sciences, Beijing, 100091, China.
| | - Zhixiang Zhou
- College of Horticultural & Forestry Sciences/Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Biology, Ministry of Education, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China.
| | - Pengcheng Wang
- College of Horticultural & Forestry Sciences/Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Biology, Ministry of Education, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China.
| | - Wenfa Xiao
- Research Institute of Forest Ecology, Environment and Protection/Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Environment of the State Forestry Administration, Chinese Academy of Forestry Sciences, Beijing, 100091, China.
| | - Changguang Wu
- College of Horticultural & Forestry Sciences/Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Biology, Ministry of Education, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China.
| | - Elizabeth Lord
- Department of Geography & Program in Planning, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.
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García-Martínez MÁ, Escobar-Sarria F, López-Barrera F, Castaño-Meneses G, Valenzuela-González JE. Value of Riparian Vegetation Remnants for Leaf-Litter Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in a Human-Dominated Landscape in Central Veracruz, Mexico. ENVIRONMENTAL ENTOMOLOGY 2015; 44:1488-1497. [PMID: 26352255 DOI: 10.1093/ee/nvv141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2015] [Accepted: 08/16/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Riparian remnants are linear strips of vegetation immediately adjacent to rivers that may act as refuges for biodiversity, depending on their habitat quality. In this study, we evaluated the role of riparian remnants in contributing to the diversity of leaf-litter ants by determining the relationship between ant diversity and several riparian habitat characteristics within a human-dominated landscape in Veracruz, Mexico. Sampling was carried out in 2012 during both dry and rainy seasons at 12 transects 100 m in length, where 10 leaf-litter samples were collected along each transect and processed with Berlese-Tullgren funnels and Winkler sacks. A total of 8,684 individuals belonging to 53 species, 22 genera, and seven subfamilies were collected. The observed mean alpha diversity accounted for 34.4% of the total species recorded and beta diversity for 65.6%. Species richness and composition were significantly related to litter-layer depth and soil compaction, which could limit the distribution of ant species depending on their nesting, feeding, and foraging habits. Riparian remnants can contribute toward the conservation of ant assemblages and likely other invertebrate communities that are threatened by anthropogenic pressures. In human-dominated landscapes where remnants of riparian vegetation give refuge to a diverse array of myrmecofauna, the protection of the few remaining and well-preserved riparian sites is essential for the long-term maintenance of biodiversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel Á García-Martínez
- Instituto de Ecología, A.C., Carretera antigua a Coatepec 351, El Haya, Xalapa 91070, Veracruz, México.
| | - Federico Escobar-Sarria
- Instituto de Ecología, A.C., Carretera antigua a Coatepec 351, El Haya, Xalapa 91070, Veracruz, México
| | - Fabiola López-Barrera
- Instituto de Ecología, A.C., Carretera antigua a Coatepec 351, El Haya, Xalapa 91070, Veracruz, México
| | - Gabriela Castaño-Meneses
- Ecología de Artrópodos en Ambientes Extremos, Unidad Multidisciplinaria de Docencia e Investigación, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Campus Juriquilla, Boulevard Juriquilla 3001, 76230, Querétaro, México
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17
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Neumann W, Martinuzzi S, Estes AB, Pidgeon AM, Dettki H, Ericsson G, Radeloff VC. Opportunities for the application of advanced remotely-sensed data in ecological studies of terrestrial animal movement. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2015; 3:8. [PMID: 25941571 PMCID: PMC4418104 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-015-0036-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2014] [Accepted: 03/04/2015] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Animal movement patterns in space and time are a central aspect of animal ecology. Remotely-sensed environmental indices can play a key role in understanding movement patterns by providing contiguous, relatively fine-scale data that link animal movements to their environment. Still, implementation of newly available remotely-sensed data is often delayed in studies of animal movement, calling for a better flow of information to researchers less familiar with remotely-sensed data applications. Here, we reviewed the application of remotely-sensed environmental indices to infer movement patterns of animals in terrestrial systems in studies published between 2002 and 2013. Next, we introduced newly available remotely-sensed products, and discussed their opportunities for animal movement studies. Studies of coarse-scale movement mostly relied on satellite data representing plant phenology or climate and weather. Studies of small-scale movement frequently used land cover data based on Landsat imagery or aerial photographs. Greater documentation of the type and resolution of remotely-sensed products in ecological movement studies would enhance their usefulness. Recent advancements in remote sensing technology improve assessments of temporal dynamics of landscapes and the three-dimensional structures of habitats, enabling near real-time environmental assessment. Online movement databases that now integrate remotely-sensed data facilitate access to remotely-sensed products for movement ecologists. We recommend that animal movement studies incorporate remotely-sensed products that provide time series of environmental response variables. This would facilitate wildlife management and conservation efforts, as well as the predictive ability of movement analyses. Closer collaboration between ecologists and remote sensing experts could considerably alleviate the implementation gap. Ecologists should not expect that indices derived from remotely-sensed data will be directly analogous to field-collected data and need to critically consider which remotely-sensed product is best suited for a given analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wiebke Neumann
- />Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1630 Linden Drive, Madison, WI 53706 USA
- />Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Umeå, SE-90183 Sweden
| | - Sebastian Martinuzzi
- />Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1630 Linden Drive, Madison, WI 53706 USA
| | - Anna B Estes
- />Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1630 Linden Drive, Madison, WI 53706 USA
- />The Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Anna M Pidgeon
- />Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1630 Linden Drive, Madison, WI 53706 USA
| | - Holger Dettki
- />Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Umeå, SE-90183 Sweden
| | - Göran Ericsson
- />Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Umeå, SE-90183 Sweden
| | - Volker C Radeloff
- />Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1630 Linden Drive, Madison, WI 53706 USA
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18
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Equivalence between Step Selection Functions and Biased Correlated Random Walks for Statistical Inference on Animal Movement. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0122947. [PMID: 25898019 PMCID: PMC4405542 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0122947] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2014] [Accepted: 02/15/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Animal movement has a fundamental impact on population and community structure and dynamics. Biased correlated random walks (BCRW) and step selection functions (SSF) are commonly used to study movements. Because no studies have contrasted the parameters and the statistical properties of their estimators for models constructed under these two Lagrangian approaches, it remains unclear whether or not they allow for similar inference. First, we used the Weak Law of Large Numbers to demonstrate that the log-likelihood function for estimating the parameters of BCRW models can be approximated by the log-likelihood of SSFs. Second, we illustrated the link between the two approaches by fitting BCRW with maximum likelihood and with SSF to simulated movement data in virtual environments and to the trajectory of bison (Bison bison L.) trails in natural landscapes. Using simulated and empirical data, we found that the parameters of a BCRW estimated directly from maximum likelihood and by fitting an SSF were remarkably similar. Movement analysis is increasingly used as a tool for understanding the influence of landscape properties on animal distribution. In the rapidly developing field of movement ecology, management and conservation biologists must decide which method they should implement to accurately assess the determinants of animal movement. We showed that BCRW and SSF can provide similar insights into the environmental features influencing animal movements. Both techniques have advantages. BCRW has already been extended to allow for multi-state modeling. Unlike BCRW, however, SSF can be estimated using most statistical packages, it can simultaneously evaluate habitat selection and movement biases, and can easily integrate a large number of movement taxes at multiple scales. SSF thus offers a simple, yet effective, statistical technique to identify movement taxis.
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19
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Schlägel UE, Lewis MA. Detecting effects of spatial memory and dynamic information on animal movement decisions. Methods Ecol Evol 2014. [DOI: 10.1111/2041-210x.12284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ulrike E. Schlägel
- Centre for Mathematical Biology; Department of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences; University of Alberta; Edmonton AB Canada T6G 2G1
| | - Mark A. Lewis
- Centre for Mathematical Biology; Department of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences; University of Alberta; Edmonton AB Canada T6G 2G1
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20
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La Sorte FA, Butchart SHM, Jetz W, Böhning-Gaese K. Range-wide latitudinal and elevational temperature gradients for the world's terrestrial birds: implications under global climate change. PLoS One 2014; 9:e98361. [PMID: 24852009 PMCID: PMC4031198 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0098361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2014] [Accepted: 05/01/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Species' geographical distributions are tracking latitudinal and elevational surface temperature gradients under global climate change. To evaluate the opportunities to track these gradients across space, we provide a first baseline assessment of the steepness of these gradients for the world's terrestrial birds. Within the breeding ranges of 9,014 bird species, we characterized the spatial gradients in temperature along latitude and elevation for all and a subset of bird species, respectively. We summarized these temperature gradients globally for threatened and non-threatened species and determined how their steepness varied based on species' geography (range size, shape, and orientation) and projected changes in temperature under climate change. Elevational temperature gradients were steepest for species in Africa, western North and South America, and central Asia and shallowest in Australasia, insular IndoMalaya, and the Neotropical lowlands. Latitudinal temperature gradients were steepest for extratropical species, especially in the Northern Hemisphere. Threatened species had shallower elevational gradients whereas latitudinal gradients differed little between threatened and non-threatened species. The strength of elevational gradients was positively correlated with projected changes in temperature. For latitudinal gradients, this relationship only held for extratropical species. The strength of latitudinal gradients was better predicted by species' geography, but primarily for extratropical species. Our findings suggest threatened species are associated with shallower elevational temperature gradients, whereas steep latitudinal gradients are most prevalent outside the tropics where fewer bird species occur year-round. Future modeling and mitigation efforts would benefit from the development of finer grain distributional data to ascertain how these gradients are structured within species' ranges, how and why these gradients vary among species, and the capacity of species to utilize these gradients under climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frank A. La Sorte
- Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
| | | | - Walter Jetz
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Katrin Böhning-Gaese
- Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre (BiK-F), Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung, Frankfurt (Main), Germany
- Department of Biological Sciences, Goethe Universität, Frankfurt (Main), Germany
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Gray CL, Slade EM, Mann DJ, Lewis OT. Do riparian reserves support dung beetle biodiversity and ecosystem services in oil palm-dominated tropical landscapes? Ecol Evol 2014; 4:1049-60. [PMID: 24772282 PMCID: PMC3997321 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.1003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2013] [Accepted: 01/20/2014] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Agricultural expansion and intensification are major threats to global biodiversity, ecological functions, and ecosystem services. The rapid expansion of oil palm in forested tropical landscapes is of particular concern given their high biodiversity. Identifying management approaches that maintain native species and associated ecological processes within oil palm plantations is therefore a priority. Riparian reserves are strips of forest retained alongside rivers in cultivated areas, primarily for their positive hydrological impact. However, they can also support a range of forest-dependent species or ecosystem services. We surveyed communities of dung beetles and measured dung removal activity in an oil palm-dominated landscape in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo. The species richness, diversity, and functional group richness of dung beetles in riparian reserves were significantly higher than in oil palm, but lower than in adjacent logged forests. The community composition of the riparian reserves was more similar to logged forest than oil palm. Despite the pronounced differences in biodiversity, we did not find significant differences in dung removal rates among land uses. We also found no evidence that riparian reserves enhance dung removal rates within surrounding oil palm. These results contrast previous studies showing positive relationships between dung beetle species richness and dung removal in tropical forests. We found weak but significant positive relationships between riparian reserve width and dung beetle diversity, and between reserve vegetation complexity and dung beetle abundance, suggesting that these features may increase the conservation value of riparian reserves. Synthesis and applications: The similarity between riparian reserves and logged forest demonstrates that retaining riparian reserves increases biodiversity within oil palm landscapes. However, the lack of correlation between dung beetle community characteristics and dung removal highlights the need for further research into spatial variation in biodiversity–ecosystem function relationships and how the results of such studies are affected by methodological choices.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Eleanor M Slade
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford Oxford, U.K ; Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Helsinki Helsinki, Finland
| | - Darren J Mann
- Hope Entomological Collections, Museum of Natural History, Oxford University Oxford, U.K
| | - Owen T Lewis
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford Oxford, U.K
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22
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Thurfjell H, Ciuti S, Boyce MS. Applications of step-selection functions in ecology and conservation. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2014; 2:4. [PMID: 25520815 PMCID: PMC4267544 DOI: 10.1186/2051-3933-2-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 249] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2013] [Accepted: 02/03/2014] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Recent progress in positioning technology facilitates the collection of massive amounts of sequential spatial data on animals. This has led to new opportunities and challenges when investigating animal movement behaviour and habitat selection. Tools like Step Selection Functions (SSFs) are relatively new powerful models for studying resource selection by animals moving through the landscape. SSFs compare environmental attributes of observed steps (the linear segment between two consecutive observations of position) with alternative random steps taken from the same starting point. SSFs have been used to study habitat selection, human-wildlife interactions, movement corridors, and dispersal behaviours in animals. SSFs also have the potential to depict resource selection at multiple spatial and temporal scales. There are several aspects of SSFs where consensus has not yet been reached such as how to analyse the data, when to consider habitat covariates along linear paths between observations rather than at their endpoints, how many random steps should be considered to measure availability, and how to account for individual variation. In this review we aim to address all these issues, as well as to highlight weak features of this modelling approach that should be developed by further research. Finally, we suggest that SSFs could be integrated with state-space models to classify behavioural states when estimating SSFs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henrik Thurfjell
- />Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E9 Canada
| | - Simone Ciuti
- />Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E9 Canada
- />Department of Biometry and Environmental System Analysis, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, 79106 Germany
| | - Mark S Boyce
- />Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E9 Canada
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23
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Volpe NL, Hadley AS, Robinson WD, Betts MG. Functional connectivity experiments reflect routine movement behavior of a tropical hummingbird species. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2014; 24:2122-2131. [PMID: 29188685 DOI: 10.1890/13-2168.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Translocation experiments, in which researchers displace animals and then monitor their movements to return home, are commonly used as tools to assess functional connectivity of fragmented landscapes. Such experiments are purported to have important advantages of being time efficient and of standardizing “motivation” to move across individuals. Yet, we lack tests of whether movement behavior of translocated birds reflects natural behavior of unmanipulated birds. We compared the routine movement behavior of a tropical hummingbird, the Green Hermit (Phaethornis guy), to that of experimentally translocated individuals. We tested for differences in site selection patterns during movement at two spatial scales (point and path levels). We also compared movement rates between treatments. Behaviors documented during translocation experiments reflected those observed during routine movements. At the point level, both translocated and non-translocated birds showed similar levels of preference for mature tropical forest. At the path level, step selection functions showed both translocated and non-translocated hummingbirds avoiding movement across non-forested matrix and selecting streams as movement corridors. Movement rates were generally higher during translocation experiments. However, the negative influence of forest cover on movement rates was proportionately similar in translocation and routine movement treatments. We report the first evidence showing that movement behavior of birds during translocation experiments is similar to their natural movement behavior. Therefore, translocation experiments may be reliable tools to address effects of landscape structure on animal movement. We observed consistent selection of landscape elements between translocated and non-translocated birds, indicating that both routine and translocation movement studies lead to similar conclusions regarding the effect of landscape structure and forest composition on functional connectivity. Our observation that hummingbirds avoid non-forest matrix and select riparian corridors also provides a potential mechanism for pollen limitation in fragmented tropical forest.
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24
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Fremier AK, DeClerck FAJ, Bosque-Pérez NA, Carmona NE, Hill R, Joyal T, Keesecker L, Klos PZ, Martínez-Salinas A, Niemeyer R, Sanfiorenzo A, Welsh K, Wulfhorst JD. Understanding Spatiotemporal Lags in Ecosystem Services to Improve Incentives. Bioscience 2013. [DOI: 10.1525/bio.2013.63.6.9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
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25
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Neuschulz EL, Brown M, Farwig N. Frequent bird movements across a highly fragmented landscape: the role of species traits and forest matrix. Anim Conserv 2012. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-1795.2012.00582.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- E. L. Neuschulz
- Department of Conservation Ecology; Faculty of Biology; Philipps-Universität Marburg; Marburg; Germany
| | - M. Brown
- School of Life Sciences; University of KwaZulu-Natal; Pietermaritzburg; South Africa
| | - N. Farwig
- Department of Conservation Ecology; Faculty of Biology; Philipps-Universität Marburg; Marburg; Germany
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26
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VAN Strien MJ, Keller D, Holderegger R. A new analytical approach to landscape genetic modelling: least-cost transect analysis and linear mixed models. Mol Ecol 2012; 21:4010-23. [PMID: 22738667 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-294x.2012.05687.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 142] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Landscape genetics aims to assess the effect of the landscape on intraspecific genetic structure. To quantify interdeme landscape structure, landscape genetics primarily uses landscape resistance surfaces (RSs) and least-cost paths or straight-line transects. However, both approaches have drawbacks. Parameterization of RSs is a subjective process, and least-cost paths represent a single migration route. A transect-based approach might oversimplify migration patterns by assuming rectilinear migration. To overcome these limitations, we combined these two methods in a new landscape genetic approach: least-cost transect analysis (LCTA). Habitat-matrix RSs were used to create least-cost paths, which were subsequently buffered to form transects in which the abundance of several landscape elements was quantified. To maintain objectivity, this analysis was repeated so that each landscape element was in turn regarded as migration habitat. The relationship between explanatory variables and genetic distances was then assessed following a mixed modelling approach to account for the nonindependence of values in distance matrices. Subsequently, the best fitting model was selected using the statistic. We applied LCTA and the mixed modelling approach to an empirical genetic dataset on the endangered damselfly, Coenagrion mercuriale. We compared the results to those obtained from traditional least-cost, effective and resistance distance analysis. We showed that LCTA is an objective approach that identifies both the most probable migration habitat and landscape elements that either inhibit or facilitate gene flow. Although we believe the statistical approach to be an improvement for the analysis of distance matrices in landscape genetics, more stringent testing is needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maarten J VAN Strien
- WSL Swiss Federal Research Institute, Zürcherstrasse 111, CH-8903 Birmensdorf, Switzerland.
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27
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Aben J, Adriaensen F, Thijs KW, Pellikka P, Siljander M, Lens L, Matthysen E. Effects of matrix composition and configuration on forest bird movements in a fragmented Afromontane biodiversity hot spot. Anim Conserv 2012. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-1795.2012.00562.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- J. Aben
- Evolutionary Ecology Group; Department of Biology; University of Antwerp; Antwerp; Belgium
| | - F. Adriaensen
- Evolutionary Ecology Group; Department of Biology; University of Antwerp; Antwerp; Belgium
| | - K. W. Thijs
- Division Forest, Nature and Landscape; KU Leuven; Leuven; Belgium
| | - P. Pellikka
- Department of Geosciences and Geography; University of Helsinki; Helsinki; Finland
| | - M. Siljander
- Department of Geosciences and Geography; University of Helsinki; Helsinki; Finland
| | | | - E. Matthysen
- Evolutionary Ecology Group; Department of Biology; University of Antwerp; Antwerp; Belgium
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