Analyzing the effect of stepping stones on target patch colonisation in structured landscapes for Eurasian lynx |
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Authors: | Stephanie Kramer-Schadt Tobias S Kaiser Karin Frank Thorsten Wiegand |
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Institution: | (1) Department of Ecological Modelling (OESA), Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, UFZ, Permoserstr. 15, 04318 Leipzig, Germany;(2) Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Alfred-Kowalke-Strasse 17, 10315 Berlin, Germany;(3) Tessmar Group, Max F. Perutz Laboratories, Dr. Bohr Gasse 9, 1220 Vienna, Austria |
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Abstract: | With habitat loss and fragmentation having become two of the major threats to the viability of species, the question of how
to manage landscapes for species conservation has attracted much attention. In this context, the planning of stepping stones
has been proposed to increase connectivity in fragmented landscapes. We present a simulation study with a neutral landscape
approach to assess the effects of stepping stones on colonization success. To that end, we used a spatially explicit, calibrated
population model of the European lynx (Lynx lynx) coupled with structured landscapes, in which we could control the landscape parameters of dispersal habitat coverage and
contagion, as well as the number and size of stepping stones available for breeding. In general, we found that colonization
success increased with increasing habitat coverage but decreased with increasing habitat contagion, while the introduction
of stepping stones had significant effects in critical situations. Especially at low to medium dispersal habitat coverage
and high disperser mortality, stepping stones had a positive effect on colonization success when they were large enough to
produce new dispersers, but negative effects when they were small and located in a way that dispersers would be distracted
from more suitable breeding habitat patches. The latter clearly constituted a shading effect and argues for a thorough consideration
of the trade-offs related to stepping stone size and location when implementing stepping stones as a conservation measure,
especially when the number of individuals of conservation concern is low. |
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