TY - JOUR
T1 - Influence of local and landscape factors on distributional dynamics
T2 - A species-centred, fitness-based approach
AU - Flesch, Aaron D.
N1 - Funding Information:
National Park Service, Tucson Audubon Society, T&E Inc., Defenders of Wildlife, Center for Biological Diversity, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Sonoran Joint Venture, Arizona Zoological Society and Sierra Club.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2017 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.
PY - 2017/7/12
Y1 - 2017/7/12
N2 - In spatially structured populations, distributional dynamics are driven by the quantity, connectivity and quality of habitat. Because these drivers are rarely measured directly and simultaneously at relevant scales, information on their relative importance remains unclear. I assessed the influence of both direct and indirect measures of local habitat quality, and of landscape habitat amount and connectivity on long-term territory occupancy dynamics of non-migratory pygmy owls. Direct measures of local habitat quality based on territory-specific reproductive output had greater effects on distribution than landscape factors, but only when spatio-temporal fluxes in performance linked to environmental stochasticity and intraspecific competition were considered. When habitat quality was measured indirectly based on habitat structure, however, landscape factors had greater effects. Although all landscape factors were important, measures of landscape connectivity that were uncorrelated with habitat amount and based on attributes of matrix structure and habitat configuration that influence dispersal movements had greater effects than habitat effective area (amount weighted by quality). Moreover, the influence of connectivity (but not habitat effective area) depended on local habitat quality. Such results suggest the relative importance of local habitat quality in driving distribution has been underestimated and that conservation strategies should vary spatially depending on both local and landscape contexts.
AB - In spatially structured populations, distributional dynamics are driven by the quantity, connectivity and quality of habitat. Because these drivers are rarely measured directly and simultaneously at relevant scales, information on their relative importance remains unclear. I assessed the influence of both direct and indirect measures of local habitat quality, and of landscape habitat amount and connectivity on long-term territory occupancy dynamics of non-migratory pygmy owls. Direct measures of local habitat quality based on territory-specific reproductive output had greater effects on distribution than landscape factors, but only when spatio-temporal fluxes in performance linked to environmental stochasticity and intraspecific competition were considered. When habitat quality was measured indirectly based on habitat structure, however, landscape factors had greater effects. Although all landscape factors were important, measures of landscape connectivity that were uncorrelated with habitat amount and based on attributes of matrix structure and habitat configuration that influence dispersal movements had greater effects than habitat effective area (amount weighted by quality). Moreover, the influence of connectivity (but not habitat effective area) depended on local habitat quality. Such results suggest the relative importance of local habitat quality in driving distribution has been underestimated and that conservation strategies should vary spatially depending on both local and landscape contexts.
KW - Connectivity
KW - Habitat amount
KW - Habitat fragmentation
KW - Habitat quality
KW - Matrix structure
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U2 - 10.1098/rspb.2017.1001
DO - 10.1098/rspb.2017.1001
M3 - Article
C2 - 28679731
AN - SCOPUS:85023745430
VL - 284
JO - Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B: Biological sciences
JF - Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B: Biological sciences
SN - 0962-8436
IS - 1858
M1 - 20171001
ER -