内蒙古达赉湖自然保护区狼冬季的生境选择

内蒙古达赉湖自然保护区狼的生境受到了自然环境变化压力和人为干扰的严重影响。为了解内蒙古达赉湖自然保护区狼的冬季生境特征,于2008年10-12月,在内蒙古达赉湖国家级自然保护区对狼的冬季生境选择进行了研究。野外共测量了59个20m×20m样方中的11个生态因子,运用聚类分析和主成分分析法,对狼的冬季生境选择因子进行了分析。结果表明,狼的生境主要特征为:隐蔽程度中等以上,水源距离100m,生境类型为高草阔地、干旱苇塘和河套,植被类型是以芦苇和柳灌丛为优势种的沼泽植被,植被高度1.0m,食物丰富度良好,居民点距离1000m,距草原道路距离1000m,牧场距离500m。影响狼冬季生境选择的主要因子为植被高度、植被类型和隐蔽级。次要因子为距围栏距离、雪深、距水源距离、生境类型、距牧场距离、食物丰富度和距居民点距离。     

内蒙古达赉湖地区蒙原羚生境适宜度评价

2008年在内蒙古达赉湖地区蒙原羚(Procapra gutturosa)生境考察基础上,以植被类型、植被盖度、坡度、距水源距离、距放牧点距离、距居民点距离、距道路距离为生境适宜性评价因子,利用3S技术和模糊赋值对蒙原羚生境适宜度进行评价。结果表明:在不考虑人为干扰时,蒙原羚的最适宜生境面积占总面积的17.7%,次适宜生境面积占总面积的36.9%,不适宜生境面积占总面积的45.4%;考虑人为干扰时蒙原羚的最适宜生境面积占总面积的13.0%,次适宜生境面积占总面积的28.3%,不适宜生境面积占总面积的58.7%;研究地区蒙原羚实际生境和潜在生境相比,不适宜生境面积增加了29.2%,表明人为干扰是内蒙古达赉湖地区蒙原羚适宜生境急剧减少的主要原因。     

内蒙古达赉湖地区蒙原羚冬季采食生境选择

蒙原羚是欧亚大陆温带草原生态系统中的特有物种和数量最多的有蹄类动物。2010年11月—2011年1月,在内蒙古达赉湖地区开展了蒙原羚冬季采食生境选择研究。结果表明:蒙原羚冬季选择利用雪深<6cm,地上生物量>50g.m-2,距围栏1000～2000m,植被高度>20cm,植被盖度>40%,隐蔽条件(可视距离)3000～4000m,到居民点距离>2000m,距家畜>2000m,坡度<20°,中上坡位,针茅(Stipa spp.)和羊草(Aneurolepidium chinnenses)等植被类型的生境采食;生境因子综合影响蒙原羚的冬季采食生境选择,依照贡献值的大小依次为到围栏距离、地上生物量、雪深和隐蔽条件。逐步判别分析表明,由这4个变量构成的判别方程在对蒙原羚采食样方进行区分时,正确判别率为82.1%。因此,建立合理的围栏管理制度、提高可利用食物量等是蒙原羚保护的关键。     

普氏原羚生境选择的数量化分析

1998 年8 月至1999 年8 月, 在湖东种羊场地区开展了普氏原羚生境选择的研究。在湖东—克图沙丘和草原交界处沿约30 km的样线开展种群调查, 在调查过程中, 共发现582 只普氏原羚。在研究中选择了8 类与普氏原羚生境选择相关的生态因子: 植被类型、食物丰富度、草原围栏、隐蔽条件、人为干扰、距公路距离、距沙丘距离和距农业用地距离, 研究了普氏原羚的生境选择。在研究中, 将这些生态因子分别分成3 个等级, 进行回归分析, 建立普氏原羚在不同生境中出现的概率的预测性方。通过对生态因子和普氏原羚在不同生境中出现的概率进行方差分析, 判断影响普氏原羚生境选择的主要生态因子是人为干扰和围栏, 其次为食物丰富度、距沙丘距离和农业用地距离, 植被类型、隐蔽条件和与公路距离对普氏原羚生境选择的影响不明显。     

江苏盐城海滨区域丹顶鹤适宜越冬生境变化

以3期盐城海滨湿地景观分布图为基础,在GIS技术支持下,以食物丰富度、水源、隐蔽条件、人类活动、最小斑块面积和日常活动距离为生境适宜性评价因子,采用生境评价模型,分析了丹顶鹤(Grus japonensis)适宜越冬生境的变化.结果表明:1987-2007年,丹顶鹤生境类型发生显著变化,盐城海滨区域自然湿地面积减少27.6%,丹顶鹤条件适宜生境总面积迅速减少;丹顶鹤条件适宜生境面积和比例发生显著变化,面积由2354.36km2减为1100.13 km2,比例由1987年的51.6%减为2007年的24.1%;随着自然湿地景观破碎化和人类干扰逐渐加剧,盐城海滨区域丹顶鹤适宜生境的比例由1987年的28.2%减为2007年的13.5%,面积由1286.05 km2减为614.95 km2.     

黑龙江省完达山地区马鹿生境破碎化及其影响因子

应用景观生态学原理和地理信息系统技术,分析黑龙江省完达山地区马鹿生境相关因子重要性、对景观连接度进行模糊相对赋值,建立了景观连接度评价模型及景观斑块指数,研究了黑龙江省完达山地区关于马鹿生境的景观连接度水平、生境的适宜性以及景观的空间结构。结果表明:(1)在155.6km2的面积中,适宜地区的总面积仅为14.81km2,占研究地区的9.52%;次适宜地区的总面积为9.57km2,占研究地区的6.15%;一般适宜地区的总面积为130.05km2,占研究地区的83.58%;不适宜地区的总面积为1.17km2,占研究地区的0.75%;(2)研究地区马鹿各类适宜地区呈多个斑块且相互隔离,在空间分布上处于破碎状态,而且不适宜地区斑块(人为活动景观)的面积比例虽小,在生态系统中形态上的破碎化程度较小,但对马鹿的生境的生态功能的丧失起到重要作用。     

小兴安岭铁力林业局冬季西伯利亚狍(Capreolus pygargus)的生境选择

为了揭示西伯利亚狍(Capreolus pygargus)的生境选择倾向,本文在小兴安岭铁力林业局布设22条样线,每条样线长1.5 km左右,于2014年11月、2015年1月和12月沿着样线共设置西伯利亚狍的利用样方105个和对照样方68个,记录样方内15个生境因子特征。利用Bailey’s法判断西伯利亚狍对各生境因子的选择倾向,使用资源选择函数分析西伯利亚狍对生境因子的综合选择。结果表明,西伯利亚狍倾向选择的地形特征分别为海拔≤300 m或≥450 m、上坡位或坡度4°;倾向选择的植被特征分别为农田或针叶林、林龄≤25 yr、郁闭度≥0.6、乔木数量≤15棵、乔木平均高15 m、乔木平均胸径≤10 cm、灌木盖度≤0.3或草本盖度0.2;倾向选择的食物特征为食物多;倾向选择的安全特征分别为能见度50 m或雪深≤10 cm。影响西伯利亚狍生境综合选择的主要因子为坡向、坡度、植被类型、郁闭度、乔木数量、乔木平均高和能见度。铁力林业局西伯利亚狍喜欢农田、喜欢易于感知威胁并能够迅速逃跑的相对开阔的生境;地形特征、植被特征和安全特征是影响综合选择的主要生境特征。本研究提示,构建适宜农田林地空间配置的景观格局将成为景观尺度保护西伯利亚狍种群的途径。     

不同营林面积情景下鹿科动物的潜在生境分布

在有人为干扰的森林景观中开展鹿科动物适宜生境分布研究,对于解决大尺度生境保护与小面积森林经营的矛盾问题有着重要的参考意义,也符合我国林区的现实需求.2013—2015年冬季进行的多次野外调查收集196处鹿科动物出现点信息,将这些点作为分布点数据,选取地形、景观类型、植被特征和人类干扰4类17种因子作为环境变量,利用最大熵模型方法,分析4种林下经营面积情景下小兴安岭铁力林业局马鹿和狍的潜在适宜生境分布特征及其对环境因子的响应.结果表明:模型预测精度达到优秀水平,稳定性好,鹿科动物的适宜生境主要集中在东部区域;不同情景下,两种鹿科动物的主要环境影响因子相似,均为距农田距离、距居民点距离、距河流距离、距营林区距离和海拔因子,其中,距营林区距离因子的贡献率稳定在4%～6%;两种鹿科动物躲避人类经营活动干扰的距离(1200～1300 m)较为接近.在无林下经营情景中,鹿科动物的适宜生境分布较广、面积较大;随着经营面积的增大,适宜生境面积减少;当经营面积扩大到现实情况的2～3倍时,鹿科动物栖息地面积缩减较为严重.     

小兴安岭南麓马鹿冬季适宜生境评价

通过2014-2015年两次冬季野外调查, 将收集的79处马鹿(Cervus elaphus)出现信息作为分布点数据, 选取地形、景观类型、植被特征和人类干扰4类19种因子作为环境变量, 利用最大熵(maximum entropy, MaxEnt)模型, 分析了小兴安岭铁力林业局辖区马鹿种群冬季潜在适宜生境分布特征和主要环境因子对马鹿分布的影响。结果显示: 模型预测精度较高, 训练集与验证集的平均AUC(area under the curve, 受试工作者曲线下面积)值分别为0.949和0.958; Jackknife检验结果表明: 景观类型因子对马鹿生境选择的影响较大; 坡向、距大路距离、距混交林距离、距灌草地距离和距农田距离是影响马鹿生境分布的主要环境因子, 其综合贡献值依次为27.8%、23.9%、19.5%、15.3%和10.4%; 距小路距离对马鹿分布影响较小。我们依据MaxEnt模型最大约登指数, 找到最佳中断点0.22作为阈值将马鹿冬季栖息地划分为适宜和不适宜两个等级, 其面积分别为663.49 km²和1,378.85 km², 分别占研究区总面积的32%和68%。马鹿的适宜生境主要分布在铁力林业局辖区的东部山地和中部林地等区域; 南部地区接近铁力市区, 人类活动频繁, 不适宜马鹿栖息。对马鹿种群的保护管理措施提出3点建议: 控制人为干扰; 构建多样性景观; 优先保护马鹿的潜在适宜生境分布区。     

内蒙古达赉湖西岸地区大鵟巢穴特征和巢址选择

2010年和2011年3月-6月,对内蒙古达赉湖国家级保护区达赉湖西岸地区大鵟(Buteo hemilasius)的巢穴结构和巢址选择因子进行了调查研究.采用野外观察和样方法定位了13个大鵟巢址,并对巢址样方的20个生态因子进行测量,运用主成分分析法对影响大鵟巢址选择的主要因子进行了分析.测量显示,大鵟巢穴的基本结构特征为:外径(94.7+4.2) cm;巢高度(46.1±2.7) cm;内径(24.8±1.5)cm;巢深(14.0±+0.9)cm.生境因子分析结果表明,达赉湖西岸地区大鵟的巢集中分布在湖岸或水塘附近的悬崖,营巢点坡度为15°-45°之间的阳坡或半阳坡;隐蔽度高于20％;草本密度大于5株/m2;植被均高大于30cm;巢距悬崖上部距离2-5m;距水源l00m以内;距居民点距离大于lkm;距草原道路的距离大于0.5km;而对于物种丰富度没有特殊要求.主成分分析显示,影响大鵟巢址选择的主要因子有3个,依次为:隐蔽性因子(主要包括巢址区域的植物特征和地形特征)、干扰因子和食物因子.各主成分中,相对系数绝对值最高的变量依次是:植被盖度、距居民点距离、巢的高度和距草原道路距离.     

Foraging ecology and spatial behaviour of the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) in a wet grassland ecosystem

We investigated diet composition, habitat selection and spatial behaviour of the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) in relation to the availability of wader nests in a coastal polder area in southwest Denmark. The predatory role of the red fox in wet grassland ecosystems has profound implications for conservation status of declining populations of grassland breeding waders. However, few studies have focussed on the foraging ecology and behaviour of the red fox in these landscapes. Faecal analyses revealed that fox diet consisted of birds (43 % of prey remains?/?32 % of biomass), rodents (39 %?/?21 %), sheep (mainly as carrion, 14 %?/?41 %) and lagomorphs (4 %?/?7 %). Charadriiformes (including waders) comprised 3–12 % of prey remains throughout the year. Telemetry data and spotlight counts indicated that foxes did not select areas with high densities of breeding waders, suggesting that foxes did not target wader nests while foraging. Foxes maintained stable home ranges throughout their lives, indicating that the area sustained a permanent fox population all year round. The population densities, estimated from spotlight surveys, were 0.74 visible foxes km^?2 (95 % CI; 0.34–1.61) on the preferred breeding habitat for waders and 1.21 km^?2 in other open habitats such as cultivated fields. Our results indicate that red fox predation on wader nests is incidental, consistent with the notion that red foxes are generalist predators that opportunistically subsist on many prey groups.     

Spatial patterns of red fox (Vulpes vulpes) dens in a semi-arid landscape of North Africa

Different patterns of the use of space by red foxes ( Vulpes vulpes ) depend mainly on the distribution and availability of food patches. Nevertheless, other key resources such as suitable areas for dens can also influence the territory size and social organization of this predator. In fact, landscape modifications such as habitat patchiness made by human activities (agricultural practices, urbanization) should create ample unfavourable zones for den settlement. Several studies focused on the distribution and use of dens by the red fox in different habitat types but we do not have any data on the den settlement and habitat composition in the semi-arid regions of North Africa. This study was carried out at Djerba island (SE Tunisia), virtually deprived of surface water and with a semi-arid climate because of the bordering Sahara desert. We used line and random transects to find fox dens. The spatial pattern of dens varied mainly in different habitat types and geoclimatic regions. Highly fragmented areas were also occupied by foxes that built dens close together inside small suitable patches. Fox dens had fewer entrances in more arid regions and they mainly faced the south. Habitat selection was influenced by water availability and irrigated tree plantations that modify soil textures allowing digging of dens. Moreover, asphalt roads limit den settlements. We suggest that the choice of denning sites by foxes depends on persisting harsh conditions and human activities.     

大型野生食草动物生境资源利用竞争关系

生物多样性维持是三江源区的重要生态功能,野生动物保护的科学规划需要掌握区内野生动物的栖息地分布状况与资源竞争关系。利用无人机遥感的新技术,在三江源玛多县开展藏野驴、藏原羚和岩羊的适宜栖息地识别与划定以及生境资源利用竞争关系研究。结果显示,2017年玛多县藏野驴适宜生境面积3559.43 km²,距水源距离是限制适宜生境面积的主要因子;藏原羚的适宜生境面积为283.76 km²,岩羊的适宜生境面积为29.97 km²,坡度、距水源距离以及植被类型是制约适宜栖息地面积的主要因素。由于在栖息地坡度选择中的生态位差异,三种大型野生食草动物的生境重叠面积均较小,生境竞争关系较弱。研究为生物多样性保护提供了全新的思路,可为相似区域的野生动物保护与恢复综合规划提供支撑。     

贺兰山马麝(Moschus chrysogaster)生境适宜性评价

马麝(Moschus chrysogaster)是我国特有种,在贺兰山分布数量不足百头,对贺兰山马麝进行生境适宜性评价是保护和恢复贺兰山马麝种群的前提和依据。2014—2016年通过样线法对贺兰山马麝的野外分布情况进行调查,确定了750个马麝出现位点,结合13个环境因子变量,利用最大熵(MAXENT)模型,并根据最大约登指数划分贺兰山马麝适宜生境及不适宜生境的分布区,对贺兰山地区马麝的生境适宜性进行评价。研究结果表明：在众多影响贺兰山马麝分布的环境因子中,针叶林、距水源距离、距护林点距离、海拔高度、距矿区距离和距道路距离六种环境因子影响较大;贺兰山地区适宜马麝分布的生境面积极小,仅占贺兰山地区总面积的3.27%,面积为120.24 km²,而不适宜生境面积为3 555.72 km²。利用受试者工作特征性曲线对模型进行检测,结果表明预测水平达到优秀,可以为马麝保护工作提供参考。为保护和恢复马麝种群,建议管理部门加强管理力度,严格控制人为干扰,识别和建立马麝各适宜生境之间的生态廊道,加强对零散分布的潜在适宜生境区域的利用。     

Quantity and Configuration of Available Elephant Habitat and Related Conservation Concerns in the Lower Kinabatangan Floodplain of Sabah,Malaysia

The approximately 300 (298, 95% CI: 152–581) elephants in the Lower Kinabatangan Managed Elephant Range in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo are a priority sub-population for Borneo''s total elephant population (2,040, 95% CI: 1,184–3,652). Habitat loss and human-elephant conflict are recognized as the major threats to Bornean elephant survival. In the Kinabatangan region, human settlements and agricultural development for oil palm drive an intense fragmentation process. Electric fences guard against elephant crop raiding but also remove access to suitable habitat patches. We conducted expert opinion-based least-cost analyses, to model the quantity and configuration of available suitable elephant habitat in the Lower Kinabatangan, and called this the Elephant Habitat Linkage. At 184 km², our estimate of available habitat is 54% smaller than the estimate used in the State''s Elephant Action Plan for the Lower Kinabatangan Managed Elephant Range (400 km²). During high flood levels, available habitat is reduced to only 61 km². As a consequence, short-term elephant densities are likely to surge during floods to 4.83 km⁻² (95% CI: 2.46–9.41), among the highest estimated for forest-dwelling elephants in Asia or Africa. During severe floods, the configuration of remaining elephant habitat and the surge in elephant density may put two villages at elevated risk of human-elephant conflict. Lower Kinabatangan elephants are vulnerable to the natural disturbance regime of the river due to their limited dispersal options. Twenty bottlenecks less than one km wide throughout the Elephant Habitat Linkage, have the potential to further reduce access to suitable habitat. Rebuilding landscape connectivity to isolated habitat patches and to the North Kinabatangan Managed Elephant Range (less than 35 km inland) are conservation priorities that would increase the quantity of available habitat, and may work as a mechanism to allow population release, lower elephant density, reduce human-elephant conflict, and enable genetic mixing.     

Red foxVulpes vulpes density and habitat use in a rural area of western Poland in the end of 1990s, compared with the turn of 1970s

The red foxVulpes vulpes (Linnaeus, 1758) density and habitat use were studied in open farmland of western Poland, where forests covered only 6% of the area. During 1997-2000, nocturnal spotlight counts (in spring and early winter), the location of breeding sites and snow tracking were carried out, and the feeding habitat was described based on the stomach content of shot individuals. The average fox density estimated on the ground of spotlight counts was 1.02 individuals/km2 in spring and 1.63 ind./km2 in early winter, while the winter density obtained from the results of track counts was 1.26 ind./km². The average breeding population density, calculated as the double density of breeding sites (mean 0.31/km²), amounted to 61% of the average total spring density, which indicates the occurrence of surplus individuals in the population. The searching intensity of farmland by foxes did not changed with the increasing distance from forests, but relatively larger number of individuals was observed <0.5 km than 0.5–1.0 km away from settlements. Out of 81 identified breeding sites, 17% were located in forests and 83% in farmland. The predominant ingredients of the fox’s diet were farm livestock and small rodents (44.4 and 43.8% of the stomach content volume, respectively). The fox density in the study area was 5.4 times higher, compared with the turn of the 1970s, and changes in the habitat use consisted of more intensive occupation of open farmland and the use of human-produced food. Thus, these changes may have been among reasons of the increase in the fox density in western Poland.     

松嫩平原苍鹭秋季栖息地选择及适宜性分布

苍鹭（Ardea cinerea）是松嫩平原湿地的常见鸟种,松嫩平原也是苍鹭重要的栖息地。为了了解苍鹭潜在栖息地的适宜性分布,利用GPS/GSM卫星跟踪技术,结合遥感影像和地理信息系统,应用Maxent模型对松嫩平原苍鹭秋季潜在的栖息地进行了评价,并对其适宜性分布进行了分析。结果显示：水源距离和绿度指数是影响松嫩平原苍鹭秋季栖息地适宜性的重要环境变量;松嫩平原内苍鹭适宜栖息地面积为2761.06 km²（占研究区域的1.24%）,主要分布在大庆（756.86 km²,占适宜栖息地面积的27.41%）、白城（537.14 km²,占适宜栖息地面积的19.45%）、齐齐哈尔（439.43 km²,占适宜栖息地面积的15.92%）等地市行政区,以大庆市杜尔伯特蒙古族自治县（429.90 km²,占适宜栖息地面积的15.57%）、白城市镇赉县（334.92 km²,占适宜栖息地面积的12.13%）、大庆市肇源县（185.54 km²,占适宜栖息地面积的6.72%）等县级行政区为主;其中,15.79%的适宜栖息地依次受到莫莫格保护区（10.34%）、扎龙保护区（3.47%）、向海保护区（0.67%）、查干湖保护区（0.54%）、大布苏保护区（0.41%）、乌裕尔河保护区（0.36%）等国家级自然保护区的保护。建议对未受到保护的零星小面积栖息地给与更多关注。     

Space Use and Habitat Selection by Bobcats in the Fragmented Landscape of South-Central Iowa

Abstract: Historically, bobcats (Lynx rufus) were found throughout the Corn Belt region, but they nearly disappeared from this area due to habitat loss and unregulated harvest that occurred during the century after European settlement. Reports of bobcat occurrences have been increasing in Iowa, USA, and biologists would like to understand the mechanisms enabling bobcats to recolonize this fragmented agricultural landscape. We determined space use and habitat selection of bobcats by radiocollaring 68 bobcats in south-central Iowa during 2003–2006. We triangulated 12,966 locations and recovered an additional 1,399 3-dimensional locations from Global Positioning System collars. We used a fixed kernel estimator to calculate 95% utilization distributions (UDs) for home ranges and 50% UDs for cores. Annual home range area of males (x̄ = 58.6 km², 95% CI = 49.2–69.9) was nearly 3 times that of females (x̄=19.9 km², 95% CI = 17.0–23.3). Females used smaller home ranges during April-September when they were suspected to have kittens with them (x̄ = 16.8 km², 95% CI = 13.7–20.7), as compared to October-March (x̄ = 24.1 km², 95% CI = 19.0–30.7), whereas home ranges of males did not differ between seasons. Similarly, core area of males (x̄ = 7.7 km², 95% CI = 6.2–9.6) was larger than that of females (x̄ = 2.3 km², 95% CI = 1.9–2.7). Females used significantly smaller cores in April-September (x̄ = 1.8 km², 95% CI = 1.4–2.3) as compared to October-March (x̄ = 2.8 km², 95% CI = 2.2–3.7), whereas males did not. For both sexes, compositional analysis indicated that forest habitat was ranked higher than all other habitat classes at both the landscape and local scale. Standardized habitat selection ratios illustrate that female and male bobcats selected forest habitat about twice as frequently as any other habitat class, including grassland and Conservation Reserve Program land. Predictive models indicated that home range and core area was smaller in landscapes where perennial forest and grassland habitats were less fragmented. Predictive models indicated home ranges were more irregular in shape in landscapes where row crop patches were less aggregated within home ranges. Our results have practical implications for wildlife managers regarding expected bobcat habitat use and distribution as the species becomes more abundant in the agricultural landscape of the Midwest.     

How Do Landscape Structure,Management and Habitat Quality Drive the Colonization of Habitat Patches by the Dryad Butterfly (Lepidoptera: Satyrinae) in Fragmented Grassland?

Most studies dealing with species distribution patterns on fragmented landscapes focus on the characteristics of habitat patches that influence local occurrence and abundance, but they tend to neglect the question of what drives colonization of previously unoccupied patches. In a study of the dryad butterfly, we combined classical approaches derived from metapopulation theory and landscape ecology to investigate the factors driving colonization from a recent refugium. In three consecutive transect surveys, we recorded the presence and numbers of imagos in 27 patches of xerothermic grassland and 26 patches of wet meadow. Among the predictors affecting the occurrence and abundance of the dryad, we considered environmental variables reflecting (i) habitat patch quality (e.g., goldenrod cover, shrub density, vegetation height); (ii) factors associated with habitat spatial structure (patch size, patch isolation and fragmentation); and (iii) features of patch surroundings (100-m buffers around patches) that potentially pose barriers or provide corridors. Patch colonization by the dryad was strongly limited by the distance from the species refugium in the region; there was a slight positive effect of shrub density in this respect. Butterfly abundance increased in smaller and more fragmented habitat patches; it was negatively impacted by invasive goldenrod cover, and positively influenced by the density of watercourses in patch surroundings. Nectar plant availability was positively related to species abundance in xerothermic grassland, while in wet meadow the effect was the reverse. We conclude that dryad colonization of our study area is very recent, since the most important factor limiting colonization was distance from the refugium, while the habitat quality of target patches had less relevance. In order to preserve the species, conservation managers should focus on enhancing the quality of large patches and should also direct their efforts on smaller and more fragmented ones, including those with relatively low resource availability, because such habitat fragments have an important role to play for specialist species.