Three‐dimensional habitat structure and landscape genetics: a step forward in estimating functional connectivity

Abstract

Estimating connectivity among fragmented habitat patches is crucial for evaluating the functionality of ecological networks. However, current estimates of landscape resistance to animal movement and dispersal lack landscape-level data on local habitat structure. Here, we used a landscape genetics approach to show that high-fidelity habitat structure maps derived from Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data critically improve functional connectivity estimates compared to conventional land cover data. We related pairwise genetic distances of 128 Capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus) genotypes to least-cost path distances at multiple scales derived from land cover data. Resulting β values of linear mixed effects models ranged from 0.372 to 0.495, while those derived from LiDAR ranged from 0.558 to 0.758. The identification and conservation of functional ecological networks suffering from habitat fragmentation and homogenization will thus benefit from the growing availability of detailed and contiguous data on three-dimensional habitat structure and associated habitat quality.

Assessing changes in functional connectivity in a desert bighorn sheep metapopulation after two generations

“…Animal movement behaviours may be more plastic than we often recognize, particularly when such behaviours may be learned. Much attention has been given to the need to consider and estimate functional connectivity (Milanesi, Holderegger, Bollmann, Gugerli, & Zellweger, ; Turgeon, Robillard, Gregoire, Duclos, & Kramer, ), particularly from empirical data, and individual variation in functional connectivity has likewise been recognized (Belisle, ). Even a single empirical estimate of functional connectivity can pose a significant challenge.…”

A Research Agenda for Microclimate Ecology in Human-Modified Tropical Forests

“…In addition to advancing our understanding of the ecology of human-modified tropical forests, a renewed focus on microclimate would also benefit efforts to better manage, conserve and restore these ecosystems. Mapping horizontal, vertical, and temporal variation in microclimate at landscape and regional scales (e.g., Jucker et al, 2018) would help identify dispersal corridors that are climatically suitable for a range of taxonomic groups (Milanesi et al, 2017). This would allow microclimate ecology to be integrated into classical landscape ecology and metacommunity dynamics (Hesselbarth et al, 2019;Senior et al, 2019), and also guide efforts to restore and increase connectivity in fragmented landscapes (e.g., through the rehabilitation of riparian buffer zones; Luke et al, 2019).…”

The importance of hermeneutics in ecological scientific knowledge

“…С учетом изложенного разра-батывается специфический набор терминов, концептуальных и эмпирических средств и способов исследования, благодаря чему понимание наряду с объяснением выходит в экологических ис-следованиях на передний план. Наконец, следует иметь в виду, что показания приборов и т. п. обретают смысл лишь в рамках «жизненного мира» эколога-практика и исследователя [3].…”