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1.
Ronan Marrec Gaël Caro Paul Miguet Isabelle Badenhausser Manuel Plantegenest Aude Vialatte Vincent Bretagnolle Bertrand Gauffre 《Landscape Ecology》2017,32(12):2383-2398
Context
Agroecosystems are dynamic, with yearly changing proportions of crops. Explicit consideration of this temporal heterogeneity is required to decipher population and community patterns but remains poorly studied.Objectives
We evaluated the impact on the activity-density of two dominant carabid species (Poecilus cupreus and Anchomenus dorsalis) of (1) local crop, current year landscape composition, and their interaction, and (2) inter-annual changes in landscape composition due to crop rotations.Methods
Carabids were sampled using pitfall-traps in 188 fields of winter cereals and oilseed rape in three agricultural areas of western France contrasting in their spatial heterogeneity. We summarized landscape composition in the current and previous years in a multi-scale perspective, using buffers of increasing size around sampling locations.Results
Both species were more abundant in oilseed rape, and in landscapes with a higher proportion of oilseed rape in the previous year. P. cupreus abundance was negatively influenced by oilseed rape proportion in the current year landscape in winter cereals and positively by winter cereal proportion in oilseed rape. A. dorsalis was globally impacted at finer scales than P. cupreus.Conclusions
Resource concentration and dilution-concentration processes jointly appear to cause transient dynamics of population abundance and distribution among habitat patches. Inter-patch movements across years appear to be key drivers of carabids’ survival and distribution, in response to crop rotation. Therefore, the explicit consideration of the spatiotemporal dynamics of landscape composition can allow future studies to better evidence ecological processes behind observed species patterns and help developing new management strategies.2.
Julie Betbeder Marianne Laslier Laurence Hubert-Moy Françoise Burel Jacques Baudry 《Landscape Ecology》2017,32(9):1867-1879
Context
The ability to detect ecological networks in landscapes is of utmost importance for managing biodiversity and planning corridors.Objectives
The objective of this study was to evaluate the information provided by a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) image for landscape connectivity modeling compared to aerial photographs (APs).Methods
We present a novel method that integrates habitat suitability derived from remote sensing imagery into a connectivity model to explain species abundance. More precisely, we compared how two resistance maps constructed using landscape and/or local metrics derived from AP or SAR imagery yield different connectivity values (based on graph theory), considering hedgerow networks and forest carabid beetle species as a model.Results
We found that resistance maps using landscape and local metrics derived from SAR imagery improve landscape connectivity measures. The SAR model is the most informative, explaining 58% of the variance in forest carabid beetle abundance. This model calculates resistance values associated with homogeneous patches within hedgerows according to their suitability (canopy cover density and landscape grain) for the model species.Conclusions
Our approach combines two important methods in landscape ecology: the construction of resistance maps and the use of buffers around sampling points to determine the importance of landscape factors. This study was carried out through an interdisciplinary approach involving remote sensing scientists and landscape ecologists. This study is a step forward in developing landscape metrics from satellites to monitor biodiversity.3.
Róbert Gallé Péter Császár Tímea Makra Nikolett Gallé-Szpisjak Zsuzsanna Ladányi Attila Torma Kapilkumar Ingle Péter Szilassi 《Landscape Ecology》2018,33(8):1435-1446
Context
Intensive agricultural management practices and landscape homogenisation are the main drivers of biodiversity loss in agricultural landscapes. Agricultural fields are regularly disturbed and provide unstable habitats due to crop management regimes. This may lead to movement of arthropods into neighbouring non-arable habitats, as natural and semi-natural habitats provide suitable overwintering sites.Objectives
Here we assessed the effect of landscape composition and configuration on the overwintering spider and carabid fauna of grassy field margins and hedgerows.Methods
We sampled ground-dwelling arthropods at field edges of different types (grassy field margin and hedgerows), landscape composition (diverse and simple) and configuration (mosaic and large-scale agricultural landscapes).Results
We detected larger spiders in hedgerows than in grassy field margins and in complex landscapes rather than in simple landscapes. We found a significant effect of interaction between landscape composition and edge type on ballooning propensity of spiders. Agrobiont carabids were more abundant in field edges of compositionally simple and large-scale agricultural landscapes. Furthermore, we showed an effect of interaction between landscape composition and edge type on agrobiont spiders. We collected larger carabids in grassy field margins than in hedgerows and carabids were smaller in simple landscapes than in diverse landscapes. The spider community was affected by edge type, and landscape composition had a significant effect on the carabid community.Conclusions
Small-scale agricultural landscapes may have higher overall densities of ground-dwelling spiders and carabids than large scale landscapes due to the relatively high edge density and the higher quantity of available overwintering sites.4.
Pedro A. Salgueiro António Mira João E. Rabaça Carmo Silva Sofia Eufrázio Denis Medinas Giovanni Manghi Bruno Silva Sara M. Santos 《Landscape Ecology》2018,33(3):353-370
Context
When modeling a species’ distribution, landscapes can alternatively be conceptualized following patch- or gradient-based approaches. However, choosing the most suitable conceptualization is difficult and methods for empirical validation are still lacking.Objectives
To address the conditions under which a given conceptual model is more suitable, taking into account landscape context and species trait dependency effects. Patch- and gradient-based conceptualizations were built based on two structurally different landscapes: variegated and mosaic. We hypothesize that: (H1) gradient-based models better describe variegated landscapes while patch-based models perform better in mosaic landscapes; and (H2) gradient-based models will fit generalist species better while patch-based models will suit specialists better.Methods
We modeled the distribution of eleven bird species in each landscape using each conceptualization. We determined the suitability of each conceptual model to fit statistical models by looking for cross-species responses and deviations from best models.Results
We found no clear support for our hypotheses. Although patch-based models performed better in mosaic landscapes (H1), they also provided useful conceptualizations in variegated landscapes. However, when patches showed high heterogeneity, gradient-based approaches better fit specialist species (H2).Conclusions
The suitability of a given conceptual model depends on the interaction between species habitat specialization, and the intrinsic spatial heterogeneity of the landscape and the ability of each conceptualization to capture it. Gradient-based models provide better information on resource allocation, while patch-based models offer a simplified perspective on landscape attributes. Future research should consider the nature of both species and landscapes in order to avoid bias from inadequate landscape conceptualizations.5.
Jessica L. Neumann Geoffrey H. Griffiths Andrew Hoodless Graham J. Holloway 《Landscape Ecology》2016,31(2):301-315
Context
Landscape heterogeneity (the composition and configuration of matrix habitats) plays a major role in shaping species communities in wooded-agricultural landscapes. However, few studies consider the influence of different types of semi-natural and linear habitats in the matrix, despite their known ecological value for biodiversity.Objective
To investigate the importance of the composition and configuration of matrix habitats for woodland carabid communities and identify whether specific landscape features can help to maintain long-term populations in wooded-agricultural environments.Methods
Carabids were sampled from woodlands in 36 tetrads of 4 km2 across southern Britain. Landscape heterogeneity including an innovative representation of linear habitats was quantified for each tetrad. Carabid community response was analysed using ordination methods combined with variation partitioning and additional response trait analyses.Results
Woodland carabid community response was trait-specific and better explained by simultaneously considering the composition and configuration of matrix habitats. Semi-natural and linear features provided significant refuge habitat and functional connectivity. Mature hedgerows were essential for slow-dispersing carabids in fragmented landscapes. Species commonly associated with heathland were correlated with inland water and woodland patches despite widespread heathland conversion to agricultural land, suggesting that species may persist for some decades when elements representative of the original habitat are retained following landscape modification.Conclusions
Semi-natural and linear habitats have high biodiversity value. Landowners should identify features that can provide additional resources or functional connectivity for species relative to other habitat types in the landscape matrix. Agri-environment options should consider landscape heterogeneity to identify the most efficacious changes for biodiversity.6.
Romain Carrié Emilie Andrieu Annie Ouin Ingolf Steffan-Dewenter 《Landscape Ecology》2017,32(8):1631-1642
Context
The local intensity of farming practices is considered as an important driver of biodiversity in agricultural landscapes and its effect on biodiversity has been shown to interact with landscape complexity. But the influence of landscape-wide intensity of farming practices on biodiversity and its combined effect with landscape complexity have been little explored.Objective
In this study, we tested the interactive effect of the landscape-wide intensity of farming practices and landscape complexity on the local species richness and abundance of farmland wild bee communities.Methods
We captured wild bees in 96 crop fields and explored the effect of landscape-wide intensity of various farming practices along a gradient of landscape complexity (proportion of semi-natural habitats).Results
We found that species richness and abundance of wild bees were more positively influenced by landscape complexity in highly insecticide-sprayed landscapes than in less intensively managed landscapes. In contrast, we found that the positive effect of landscape complexity on bee species richness only occurred in landscapes with low nitrogen inputs.Conclusions
Our study demonstrates the interactive effects of landscape-wide farming intensity and landscape complexity in shaping the diversity of farmland wild bee communities. We conclude that the management of farming intensity at the landscape-scale could mitigate the effects of habitat loss on wild bee decline and would help to maintain pollination services in agricultural landscapes.7.
Chevonne Reynolds Robert J. FletcherJr. Celine M. Carneiro Nicole Jennings Alison Ke Michael C. LaScaleia Mbhekeni B. Lukhele Mnqobi L. Mamba Muzi D. Sibiya James D. Austin Cebisile N. Magagula Themba’alilahlwa Mahlaba Ara Monadjem Samantha M. Wisely Robert A. McCleery 《Landscape Ecology》2018,33(2):241-255
Context
The landscape heterogeneity hypothesis states that increased heterogeneity in agricultural landscapes will promote biodiversity. However, this hypothesis does not detail which components of landscape heterogeneity (compositional or configurational) most affect biodiversity and how these compare to the effects of surrounding agricultural land-use.Objectives
Our objectives were to: (1) assess the influence of the components of structural landscape heterogeneity on taxonomic diversity; and (2) compare the effects of landscape heterogeneity to those of different types of agricultural land-use in the same landscape across different taxonomic groups.Methods
We identified a priori independent gradients of compositional and configurational landscape heterogeneity within an agricultural mosaic of north-eastern Swaziland. We tested how bird, dung beetle, ant and meso-carnivore richness and diversity responded to compositional and configurational heterogeneity and agricultural land-use across five different spatial scales.Results
Compositional heterogeneity best explained species richness in each taxonomic group. Bird and ant richness were both positively correlated with compositional heterogeneity, whilst dung beetle richness was negatively correlated. Commercial agriculture positively influenced bird species richness and ant diversity, but had a negative influence on dung beetle richness. There was no effect of either component of heterogeneity on the combined taxonomic diversity or richness at any spatial scale.Conclusions
Our results suggest that increasing landscape compositional heterogeneity and limiting the negative effects of intensive commercial agriculture will foster diversity across a greater number of taxonomic groups in agricultural mosaics. This will require the implementation of different strategies across landscapes to balance the contrasting influences of compositional heterogeneity and land-use. Strategies that couple large patches of core habitat across broader scales with landscape structural heterogeneity at finer scales could best benefit biodiversity.8.
Alexandra D. Papanikolaou Ingolf Kühn Mark Frenzel Oliver Schweiger 《Landscape Ecology》2017,32(3):581-593
Context
The abundance of important providers of ecosystem services such as wild bees likely increases with landscape heterogeneity, but may also fluctuate across the flowering season following varying weather conditions.Objectives
In the present study, we investigated the combined effect of landscape heterogeneity and intra-annual variability in temperature and precipitation on the spatial and temporal stability of wild bee abundance.Methods
We used bee monitoring data from six 4 km × 4 km sites in central Germany and 16 local communities per site. The data were collected six times per year from 2010 to 2013. Following a multimodel inference approach, we identified the importance of landscape heterogeneity, weather variability and their interaction to the stability of wild bee abundance.Results
We found that the stability of wild bee abundance increased with landscape heterogeneity, but decreased with increasing intra-annual variability in both temperature and precipitation. However, our key finding was a buffering mechanism enabling high abundance stability in heterogeneous landscapes even under highly variable temperature conditions. Interestingly, the same mechanism did not apply for high variability in precipitation.Conclusions
Our findings suggest that increasing landscape heterogeneity is beneficial for protecting wild bees against the projected increase in temperature variability until the end of the twenty first century, although we cannot make inferences for extreme events such as heatwaves. Nevertheless, our results equally highlight that landscape heterogeneity should not be treated as a one-size-fits-all solution and the need remains for developing alternative strategies to mitigate the effect of increasing variability in precipitation.9.
Context
Anthropogenic landscape simplification and natural habitat loss can negatively affect wild bees. Alternatively, anthropogenic land-use change may diversify landscapes, creating complementary habitats that maintain overall resource continuity and diversity.Objectives
We examined the effects of landscape composition, including land-cover diversity and percent semi-natural habitat, on wild bee abundance and species richness within apples, a pollinator-dependent crop. We also explored whether different habitats within diverse landscapes can provide complementary floral resources for bees across space and time.Methods
We sampled bees during apple bloom over 2 years within 35 orchards varying in surrounding landscape diversity and percent woodland (the dominant semi-natural habitat) at 1 km radii. To assess habitat complementarity in resource diversity and temporal continuity, we sampled flowers and bees within four unique habitats, including orchards, woodlands, semi-natural grasslands, and annual croplands, over three periods from April–June.Results
Surrounding landscape diversity positively affected both wild bee abundance and richness within orchards during bloom. Habitats in diverse landscapes had different flower communities with varying phenologies; flowers were most abundant within orchards and woodlands in mid-spring, but then declined over time, while flowers within grasslands marginally increased throughout spring. Furthermore, bee communities were significantly different between the closed-canopy habitats, orchards and woodlands, and the open habitats, grasslands and annual croplands.Conclusions
Our results suggest that diverse landscapes, such as ones with both open (grassland) and closed (woodland) semi-natural habitats, support spring wild bees by providing flowers throughout the entire foraging period and diverse niches to meet different species’ requirements.10.
11.
Hilda A. Sánchez-de-Jesús Víctor Arroyo-Rodríguez Ellen Andresen Federico Escobar 《Landscape Ecology》2016,31(4):843-854
Context
Identifying the drivers shaping biological assemblages in fragmented tropical landscapes is critical for designing effective conservation strategies. It is still unclear, however, whether tropical biodiversity is more strongly affected by forest loss, by its spatial configuration or by matrix composition across different spatial scales.Objectives
Assessing the relative influence of forest patch and landscape attributes on dung beetle assemblages in the fragmented Lacandona rainforest, Mexico.Methods
Using a multimodel inference approach we tested the relative impact of forest patch size and landscape forest cover (measures of forest amount at the patch and landscape scales, respectively), patch shape and isolation (forest configuration indices at the patch scale), forest fragmentation (forest configuration index at the landscape scale), and matrix composition on the diversity, abundance and biomass of dung beetles.Results
Patch size, landscape forest cover and matrix composition were the best predictors of dung beetle assemblages. Species richness, beetle abundance, and biomass decreased in smaller patches surrounded by a lower percentage of forest cover, and in landscapes dominated by open-area matrices. Community evenness also increased under these conditions due to the loss of rare species.Conclusions
Forest loss at the patch and landscape levels and matrix composition show a larger impact on dung beetles than forest spatial configuration. To preserve dung beetle assemblages, and their key functional roles in the ecosystem, conservation initiatives should prioritize a reduction in deforestation and an increase in the heterogeneity of the matrix surrounding forest remnants.12.
Théophile Olivier Reto Schmucki Benoit Fontaine Anne Villemey Frédéric Archaux 《Landscape Ecology》2016,31(4):865-876
Context
Understanding the factors contributing to maintaining biodiversity is crucial to mitigate the impact of anthropogenic disturbances. Representing large proportions of green area in highly modified landscapes, residential gardens are often seen as local habitats that can contribute to larger networks of suitable environments at the landscape scale.Objectives
We investigated the impact of the landscape context on butterfly communities observed in residential gardens, taking into account garden characteristics, land-use types and presence of linear features in the surrounding landscape. We examined how species traits affected butterflies’ response to landscape context and habitat quality.Methods
We performed a cross-scale study, based on citizen science data documenting butterfly species composition and abundance in 920 gardens across France. We examined the effect of garden quality, the area of different land-use types and the length of linear elements measured at three scales within the surrounding landscape. Species were grouped according to their habitat preference and mobility.Results
Urbanization negatively affected total species richness and the abundance of butterfly in each group. This was related to declining habitat quality and reduced area of suitable habitat in the surrounding landscape. The magnitude of this effect, however, was negatively correlated with mobility, a trait related to habitat preference. The spatial scale at which landscape context best explained variation in butterfly abundance changed with species’ habitat preference.Conclusions
This study highlights the importance of preserving high quality habitats in altered landscapes and considering species’ mobility and habitat preference when assessing the impact of landscapes on butterfly communities.13.
Yohan?Charbonnier Pierre?Gaüzère Inge?van?Halder Julien?Nezan Jean-Yves?Barnagaud Hervé?Jactel Luc?Barbaro
Context
In heterogeneous landscapes, habitat complementation is a key process underlying the distribution of mobile species able to exploit non-substitutable resources over large home ranges. For instance, insectivorous bats need to forage in a diversity of habitat patches offering varied compositions and structures within forest landscape mosaics to fulfill their life cycle requirements.Objectives
We aimed at analyzing the effects of forest structure and composition measured at the stand and landscape scales on bat species richness, abundance and community composition in pine plantation forests of south-western France.Methods
We sampled bat communities at different periods of the summer season using automatic ultrasound recorders along a tree composition gradient from pine monocultures to pure oak stands. We analyzed bat species activity (as a proxy for bat abundance) and species richness with linear mixed models. Distance-based constrained ordinations were used to partition the spatio-temporal variation in bat communities.Results
Deciduous tree cover increased bat activity and modified community composition at both stand and landscape scales. Changes in bat communities were mostly driven by landscape-scale variables while bat activity responded more to stand-scale predictors.Conclusions
The maintenance of deciduous trees at both stand and landscape scales is likely critical for bat communities living in fast-growing conifer plantations, by increasing the availability and diversity of prey and roosting sites. Our study suggests that bats respond to forest composition at both stand and landscape scales in mosaic plantation landscapes, mainly through a resource complementation process.14.
Surface metrics for landscape ecology: a comparison of landscape models across ecoregions and scales
Peter J. Kedron Amy E. Frazier Gustavo A. Ovando-Montejo Jing Wang 《Landscape Ecology》2018,33(9):1489-1504
Context
The patch-mosaic model is lauded for its conceptual simplicity and ease with which conventional landscape metrics can be computed from categorical maps, yet many argue it is inconsistent with ecological theory. Gradient surface models (GSMs) are an alternative for representing landscapes, but adoption of surface metrics for analyzing spatial patterns in GSMs is hindered by several factors including a lack of meaningful interpretations.Objectives
We investigate the performance and applicability of surface metrics across a range of ecoregions and scales to strengthen theoretical foundations for their adoption in landscape ecology.Methods
We examine metric clustering across scales and ecoregions, test correlations with patch-based metrics, and provide ecological interpretations for a variety of surface metrics with respect to forest cover to support the basis for selecting surface metrics for ecological analyses.Results
We identify several factors complicating the interpretation of surface metrics from a landscape perspective. First, not all surface metrics are appropriate for landscape analyses. Second, true analogs between surface metrics and patch-based, landscape metrics are rare. Researchers should focus instead on how surface measures can uniquely measure spatial patterns. Lastly, scale dependencies exist for surface metrics, but relationships between metrics do not appear to change considerably with scale.Conclusions
Incorporating gradient surfaces into landscape ecological analyses is challenging, and many surface metrics may not have patch analogs or be ecologically relevant. For this reason, surface metrics should be considered in terms of the set of pattern elements they represent that can then be linked to landscape characteristics.15.
Erick M. G. Cordeiro James F. Campbell Thomas W. Phillips Kimberly A. With 《Landscape Ecology》2018,33(11):1881-1894
Context
Although animal movement behaviors are influenced by spatial heterogeneity, such behaviors can also generate spatial heterogeneity via interactions with the emergent spatial structure and other individuals (i.e., the social landscape).Objective
Elucidate the behavioral and ecological mechanisms of pattern formation in a homogeneous resource landscape.Methods
We analyzed the movement pathways and space-use patterns of the lesser grain borer (Rhyzopertha dominica) within homogeneous resource landscapes (wheat kernels). Experimental trials consisted of individual beetles foraging alone or paired with a member of the same or different sex.Results
We identified two sources of pattern formation: (1) beetles were attracted to areas where they or another beetle had previously fed, leading to increased patchiness via positive reinforcement; and (2) the presence of conspecifics affected whether and at what scales patchiness occurred. Solitary males had lower rates of movement and less tortuous pathways than solitary females, but both sexes generated fine-scale patchiness in the resource distribution. Patchy resource landscapes were also generated by male–female pairs, but not by same-sex pairings. Paired females in particular exhibited significantly greater daily net displacements and more random space use than solitary females.Conclusions
Pattern formation is a complex process, even in a relatively simple, homogeneous resource landscape. In particular, patterns created by individuals when foraging alone versus in pairs underscores how social interactions can fundamentally alter the resultant pattern of heterogeneity that emerges in resource landscapes.16.
Context
Amphibians are declining worldwide and land use change to agriculture is recognized as a leading cause. Argentina is undergoing an agriculturalization process with rapid changes in landscape structure.Objectives
We evaluated anuran response to landscape composition and configuration in two landscapes of east-central Argentina with different degrees of agriculturalization. We identified sensitive species and evaluated landscape influence on communities and individual species at two spatial scales.Methods
We compared anuran richness, frequency of occurrence, and activity between landscapes using call surveys data from 120 sampling points from 2007 to 2009. We evaluated anuran responses to landscape structure variables estimated within 250 and 500-m radius buffers using canonical correspondence analysis and multimodel inference from a set of candidate models.Results
Anuran richness was lower in the landscape with greater level of agriculturalization with reduced amount of forest cover and stream length. This pattern was driven by the lower occurrence and calling activity of seven out of the sixteen recorded species. Four species responded positively to the amount of forest cover and stream habitat. Three species responded positively to forest cohesion and negatively to rural housing. Two responded negatively to crop area and diversity of cover classes.Conclusions
Anurans within agricultural landscapes of east-central Argentina are responding to landscape structure. Responses varied depending on species and study scale. Life-history traits contribute to responses differences. Our study offers a better understanding of landscape effects on anurans and can be used for land management in other areas experiencing a similar agriculturalization process.17.
Context
Environmental processes and dispersal are primary determinants of metacommunity dynamics. The relative importance of these effects may vary between species of different abundance classes, given variation in life history traits. Under high disturbance conditions, rare species may be more easily eliminated from their optimal habitats and their distribution may therefore be more heavily dependent upon dispersal from nearby habitat patches than common species.Objectives
We tested if metacommunity dynamics vary between abundance classes in a high disturbance environment.Methods
Standardized butterfly sampling was conducted in the urban parks of Hong Kong. To estimate the strength of environmental processes, we measured an array of environmental variables for all sampled parks. Spatial predictors were generated to estimate the effect of dispersal.Results
For shaping common species compositions, we found environmental processes (and specifically environmental variables including floral density and surrounding woody plant cover) slightly more important than spatial processes. For rare species, only spatial processes were significant while environmental processes were insignificant. Our result contrasts previous studies in natural metacommunities, which have shown that both common and rare species compositions are shaped by environmental processes and similar variables.Conclusions
Our results demonstrate that high disturbance conditions may inhibit rare species establishment and persistence in urban landscapes. Local habitat management may not be sufficient in conserving rare species in urban environments—spatial context and configuration should be considered in planning for biodiversity. We also highlight the utility of community deconstruction analysis in providing insights into rare species metacommunity dynamics.18.
Context
Understanding how rare species are distributed can be difficult due to heterogeneity between landscape units. Lack of statistical replication of landscapes can make it difficult to carry out testing. Model systems may be a solution.Objectives
We test whether lichen thalli along the trunk of a tree are analogous to habitat patches in a kilometers-extent landscape and hence can function as a model system. This model system allows for increased statistical power. We use this system to test whether landscapes with rare species are different from those without.Methods
We sampled macrolichen diversity along the trunk of 24 balsam fir trees in a stand on the Avalon Peninsula, Newfoundland, Canada, along with microclimate variables. We analysed difference in pattern by aspect and along the gradient of 1 m up the trunk as well as between trees containing the rare Erioderma pedicellatum and those without.Results
We found no difference in total patch richness or abundance between the micro-landscapes. We found significantly consistent patterns in lichen patches along the trunk. These patterns were similar on the trees with the rare species. Lichen species richness did not differ between trees containing the rare species versus those that did not.Conclusions
Lichen patch pattern is statistically similar between trees and as such, these can be considered as replicate landscape units. Thus, landscape ecologists can use micro-landscapes as model systems to conduct observational and manipulative experiments to test questions about spatial pattern and process, such as those concerning distribution of rare species.19.
Balázs Deák Orsolya Valkó Péter Török András Kelemen Ádám Bede András István Csathó Béla Tóthmérész 《Landscape Ecology》2018,33(7):1117-1132
Context
Landscape and habitat filters are major drivers of biodiversity of small habitat islands by influencing dispersal and extinction events in plant metapopulations.Objectives
We assessed the effects of landscape and habitat filters on the species richness, abundance and trait composition of grassland specialist and generalist plants in small habitat islands. We studied traits related to functional spatial connectivity (dispersal ability by wind and animals) and temporal connectivity (clonality and seed bank persistence) using model selection.Methods
We sampled herbaceous plants, landscape (local and regional isolation) and habitat filters (inclination, woody encroachment and disturbance) in 82 grassland islands in Hungary.Results
Isolation decreased the abundance of good disperser specialist plants due to the lack of directional vectors transferring seeds between suitable habitat patches. Clonality was an effective strategy, but persistent seed bank did not support the survival of specialist plants in isolated habitats. Generalist plants were unaffected by landscape filters due to their wide habitat breadth and high propagule availability. Clonal specialist plants could cope with increasing woody encroachment due to their high resistance against environmental changes; however, they could not cope with intensive disturbance. Steep slopes providing environmental heterogeneity had an overall positive effect on species richness.Conclusions
Specialist plants were influenced by the interplay of landscape filters influencing their abundance and habitat filters affecting species richness. Landscape filtering by isolation influenced the abundance of specialist plants by regulating seed dispersal. Habitat filters sorted species that could establish and persist at a site by influencing microsite availability and quality.20.
E. J. Raynor C. D. Griffith D. Twidwell W. H. Schacht C. L. Wonkka C. P. Roberts C. L. Bielski D. M. Debinski J. R. Miller 《Landscape Ecology》2018,33(12):2103-2119