Use of space and habitats by meadow voles at the home range,patch and landscape scales

Using capture/recapture methods, we examined the spatial usage patterns of Microtus pennsylvanicus within and between experimentally created habitat patches of three sizes (1.0, 0.25 and 0.0625 ha) and between a 20-ha fragmented and a 20-ha continuous habitat landscape. We tested the prediction that home ranges near patch edges would be qualitatively different from those in patch interiors, and that the edge:interior habitat ratio could be used to make predictions concerning the dispersion and spatial use of individuals occupying different sized patches and between landscapes with different habitat structure. We found adult females on patch edges to have larger and more exclusive home ranges, larger body sizes, longer residence times, and to reproduce at a higher frequency than those in patch interiors. These edge effects also appeared to be largely responsible for the greater proportion of larger, reproductive females we found in small than larger patches and in the fragmented than in the continuous habitat (control) landscape. The selection of higher quality edge habitats by dominant females and the relegation of sub-dominants to patch interiors provides an explanation for the observed differences in the distribution and performance of females over patches and between landscapes.     

Controlled experiments of habitat fragmentation: a simple computer simulation and a test using small mammals

Habitat fragmentation involves a reduction in the effective area available to a population and the imposition of hard patch edges. Studies seeking to measure effects of habitat fragmentation have compared populations in fragments of different size to estimate and area effect but few have examined the effect of converting open populations to closed ones (an effect of edges). To do so requires a shift in spatial scope-from comparison of individual fragments to that of fragmented versus unfragmented landscapes. Here we note that large-scale, controlled studies of habitat fragmentation have rarely been performed and are needed. In making our case we develop a simple computer simulation model based on how individual animals with home ranges are affected by the imposition of habitat edges, and use it to predict population-level responses to habitat fragmentation. We then compare predictions of the model with results from a field experiment on Peromyscus and Microtus. Our model treats the case where home ranges/territories fall entirely within or partially overlap with that of sample areas in continuous landscapes, but are restricted to areas within habitat fragments in impacted landscapes. Results of the simulations demonstrate that the imposition of hard edges can produce different population abundances for similar-sized areas in continuous and fragmented landscapes. This edge effect is disproportionately greater in small than large fragments and for species with larger than smaller home ranges. These predictions were generally supported by our field experiment. We argue that large-scale studies of habitat fragmentation are sorely needed, and that control-experiment contrasts of fragmented and unfragmented microlandscapes provide a logical starting point.     

Integrating edge effects into studies of habitat fragmentation: a test using meiofauna in seagrass

Habitat fragmentation is thought to be an important process structuring landscapes in marine and estuarine environments, but effects on fauna are poorly understood, in part because of a focus on patchiness rather than fragmentation. Furthermore, despite concomitant increases in perimeter:area ratios with fragmentation, we have little understanding of how fauna change from patch edges to interiors during fragmentation. Densities of meiofauna were measured at different distances across the edges of four artificial seagrass treatments [continuous, fragmented, procedural control (to control for disturbance by fragmenting then restoring experimental plots), and patchy] 1 day, 1 week and 1 month after fragmentation. Experimental plots were established 1 week prior to fragmentation/disturbance. Samples were numerically dominated by harpacticoid copepods, densities of which were greater at the edge than 0.5 m into patches for continuous, procedural control and patchy treatments; densities were similar between the edge and 0.5 m in fragmented patches. For taxa that demonstrated edge effects, densities exhibited log-linear declines to 0.5 m into a patch with no differences observed between 0.5 m and 1 m into continuous treatments. In patchy treatments densities were similar at the internal and external edges for many taxa. The strong positive edge effect (higher densities at edge than interior) for taxa such as harpacticoid copepods implies some benefit of patchy landscapes. But the lack of edge effects during patch fragmentation itself demonstrates the importance of the mechanisms by which habitats become patchy.     

Large-scale forest fragmentation increases the duration of tent caterpillar outbreak

I examined historical data (1950–1984) on the duration of outbreaks of the forest tent caterpillar (Malacosoma disstria) in northern Ontario, Canada. Outbreak duration was compared to host tree species dominance and forest structure over large areas of boreal forest partially cleared for agriculture. Abundance of the principal host tree species Populus tremuloides had no consistent effect on duration of outbreak within forest districts, and was negatively correlated with duration of outbreaks among the eight forest districts examined. The amount of forest edge per km² was the best, and most consistent, predictor of the duration of tent caterpillar outbreaks both within individual forest districts and among forest districts. Because forest tent caterpillar populations are driven largely by the impact of parasitoids and pathogens, results here suggest that large-scale increase in forest fragmentation affects the interaction between these natural enemies and forest tent caterpillar. Increased clearing and fragmentation of boreal forests, by agriculture and forestry, may be exacerbating outbreaks of this forest defoliator.     

An additive edge correction for the influence potential of trees

The influence potential on a quadrat (IPQ) is an index for measuring the ecological effect that trees have on understory vegetation observed in a quadrat of a plot. IPQ is defined as the sum of the effect of every trees in the plot, where the effect depends on the size of the tree and the distance between the tree and the quadrat. Since only the trees in the plot have been observed and not the trees outside the plot, the true IPQ may be underestimated. Existing edge corrections are not appropriate for this case. We propose a correction that consists of adding the expected IPQ due to effects of trees outside the plot to the observed IPQ. The expectation is obtained by applying the Campbell theorem for stationary marked point processes. Data from the 1985-86 National Forest Inventory of Finland was used to calculate IPQ for six quadrats systematically allocated to each of 1240 plots. The implementation of the correction for this data is described. The distributions of IPQ with and without the correction proved the existence of edge effects and the effectiveness of the correction to eliminate the bias. This method has the potential to be applied to other additive functions.     

Effects of farming practices on spatial behaviour of common voles

This study aimed to reveal changes in spatial behaviour of common voles (Microtus arvalis) after alteration of their habitat by farming practices. Radio-collared common voles were tracked before and after mulching, mowing, harvesting wheat, and ploughing in the flood plain of the river Unstrut in central Germany. Voles undisturbed by agricultural practices were tracked on a mulchland, an abandoned pasture, and a cattle pasture. There was a large decrease in home-range size after harvesting wheat (96%, P<0.001). Changes after mowing (–74%, P=0.06) were almost significant whereas changes after mulching were not (+14%, P=0.60). On the cattle pasture we found a decrease in home-range size (42%, P=0.03) possibly due to increased spatial activity of cattle in autumn. There was a positive correlation of home-range size and vegetation height for plots with and without farming activity but no correlation with vegetation cover, population density, and breeding. Radio-collared common voles did not show evasive movements and farming practices did not cause a shift of centres of activity. Common voles clearly reacted to sudden changes in vegetation height, which may indicate an immediate response to predation risk. Electronic Publication     

Leaf herbivory is more impacted by forest composition than by tree diversity or edge effects

Links between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning are well established. Beyond biodiversity per se, community composition can have strong effects on ecosystem functioning. Furthermore, spatial processes including edge effects, can impact the diversity-functioning relationship. These spatial processes are especially relevant within a food web context, such as the transfer of plant biomass across the food chain through herbivory. The relative importance of diversity, community composition and spatial context on herbivory pressure at the community and the species level is, however, poorly understood.To fill this gap in our understanding, we studied to what degree herbivory in temperate forest plots varies according to edge distance, tree diversity and forest composition. In contrast to the prevailing view of tree herbivory increasing at forest edges, we found that the effects of forest edge and tree diversity on leaf herbivory were masked by effects of forest composition, i.e. the specific contributions of the tree species. The strongest composition effect found was increased herbivory on Quercus robur in the presence of Fagus sylvatica.Our findings highlight that neither edge distance, tree diversity, nor the interaction affected one ecosystem function, namely herbivory, whilst tree community composition did. This warrants consideration of identity and composition effects in future studies if we are to deepen our understanding of the determinants of ecosystem functions across systems.     

景观边界影响域研究进展

景观边界影响域研究是景观边界研究的重要组成部分,也是景观生态学国内外研究的一个热点问题.本文主要从景观边界影响域的定量判定方法、非生物因子边界影响域、生物因子边界影响域的研究以及边界影响域的影响因子等方面综述了国外近几十年边界影响域的研究进展.并在探讨国内景观边界影响域的研究现状基础上,对边界影响域的研究前景进行展望.     

Distinct seasonal habitat selection by annually sedentary mountain hares (Lepus timidus) in the boreal forest of Sweden

Mountain hares (Lepus timidus) show high site fidelity even though they are non-territorial and sometimes make long excursions to new areas outside their home range. This study investigates how far apart consecutive annual and seasonal home ranges of the same individual are situated, how much they overlap and if habitat preference can explain the observed high site fidelity. The results show that hares usually overlap their previous home range, both between seasons and years, although the seasonal overlap is smaller, indicating that hares show a more pronounced change of areas between seasons than between years. The seasonal habitat selection was very distinct, tracking changing resource availability between seasons, while the annual selection was difficult to interpret as it mixed the seasonal patterns. Consequently, the annual selection seems to be merely an artefact from the more important seasonal selection. I therefore caution that results from habitat selection studies based on annual home ranges that are estimated from animals in seasonally differing environments should be treated with care. It appears that while seasonal home ranges are selected on the basis of resource availability, there is sufficient variation in the strength of this response to suggest that a mountain hares local knowledge of an area could also explain fidelity to their annual home ranges.     

Life on the edge: gastrointestinal parasites from the forest edge and interior primate groups

Humans are responsible for massive changes to primate habitats, and one unanticipated consequence of these alterations may be changes in host-parasite interactions. Edges are a ubiquitous aspect of human disturbance to forest landscapes. Here we examine how changes associated with the creation of edges in Kibale National Park, Uganda, alter the parasite community that is supported by two species of African colobines: the endangered red colobus (Piliocolobus tephrosceles) and the black-and-white colobus (Colobus guereza). An analysis of 822 fecal samples from edge and forest interior groups revealed no difference in the richness of parasite communities (i.e., the number of parasite species recovered from the host's fecal sample). However, for both species the proportion of individuals with multiple infections was greater in edge than forest interior groups. The prevalence of specific parasites also varied between edge and forest interior groups. Oesophagostomum sp., a potentially deleterious parasite, was 7.4 times more prevalent in red colobus on the edge than in those in the forest interior, and Entamoeba coli was four times more prevalent in red colobus on the edge than in animals from the forest interior. Environmental contamination with parasites (measured as parasite eggs/gm feces) by red colobus from the edge and forest interior differed in a similar fashion to prevalence for red colobus, but it did not differ for black-and-white colobus. For example, egg counts of Oesophagostomum sp. were 10 times higher in red colobus from the edge than in those from the interior. The less severe infections in the black-and-white colobus relative to the red colobus may reflect the fact that black-and-white colobus raid agricultural crops while red colobus do not. This nutritional gain may facilitate a more effective immune response to parasites by the black-and-white colobus. The fact that animals on the edge are likely not nutritionally stressed raises an intriguing question as to what facilitates the elevated infections in edge animals. We speculate that interactions with humans may be linked to the observed patterns of infections, and hence that understanding the ecology of infectious diseases in nonhuman primates is of paramount importance for conservation and potentially for human-health planning.