Modeling Dynamics of Habitat‐Interior Bird Populations in Fragmented Landscapes

Abstract

A stochastic computer model was used to examine the effects of varying degrees of habitat fragmentation on the dynamics of a hypothetical population of forest‐interior bid. The primary demographic parameter that influenced the population's dynamics was fecundity, which varied as a function of how far a birds territory was from an ecological edge. As our model landscape became more fragmented the proportion of forest habitat that was near edges increased geometrically, and the population's overall fecundity dropped as a result. The model demonstrates that impaired reproduction in a fragmented landscape is, by itself a sufficient disruption of the population's dynamics to generate population declines and shifts in distribution similar to those observed in the fragmented forests of southern Wisconsin. Without immigration of recruits from other regions where reproduction is better, habitat‐interior populations in a severely fragmented landscape can become locally extinct.

Effects of Fuel Reduction Treatments on Avian Nest Density in the Upper Piedmont of South Carolina

“…Nest predation is reported to be greater in edge habitat than in forest interior habitat [8] and nest parasitism by brown-headed cowbird (Molothrus ater Boddaert) has been related to declines in some Neotropical migrants [9,10]. Nest predation has also been found to be positively related to the number of shrub-nesting species [11].…”

Composição e estrutura da comunidade de aves na paisagem fragmentada do Pontal do Paranapanema

“…No entanto, a inclusão da variação geográfica pode nos fornecer novas informações para entendermos a influência da fragmentação sobre as espécies de uma forma mais ampla Temple & Cary, 1988). Podemos, por exemplo, avaliar se as espécies apresentam respostas distintas em diferentes localidades, verificar quais tipos de configurações da paisagem são mais apropriados para conservar diferentes espécies e avaliar a importância relativa dos parâmetros da paisagem de acordo com sua distribuição geográfica.…”

Untangling interactions: do temperature and habitat fragmentation gradients simultaneously impact biotic relationships?

“…For the higher trophic levels, the synergistic nature of global change impacts on the herbivore and parasitoid may be explained by a combination of factors. Firstly, as fragmentation occurs, the proportion of habitat near edges increases geometrically [57] and environmental conditions in the remaining habitat are altered (such as air temperature and moisture, vapour pressure deficit, soil moisture and light intensity) [58]. This is commonly hypothesized to impact species that require habitat interior microclimate conditions [58].…”