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The influence of habitat availability and landscape structure on the distribution of wood cricket (Nemobius sylvestris) on the Isle of Wight, UK

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Abstract

Little information is available regarding the landscape ecology of woodland invertebrate species with limited dispersal ability. An investigation was therefore conducted within woodland fragments in an agricultural landscape for the flightless wood cricket (Nemobius sylvestris) on the Isle of Wight, UK. The current pattern of distribution of the species, established during a field survey, was related to measures of habitat availability and habitat isolation/fragmentation. Results revealed that wood cricket populations were patchily distributed and mainly found in relatively large mature woodland fragments situated closely (<50 m) to another occupied site. Although the occurrence of wood cricket was related to fragment area, isolation, habitat availability and woodland age, a logistic regression model revealed that presence of the species was most accurately predicted by fragment isolation and area alone. These results highlight the vulnerability of relatively immobile woodland invertebrate species, such as wood cricket, to the impacts of habitat loss and fragmentation.

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Acknowledgements

We like to thank Richard Hobbs, Sandrine Petit, Sallie Bailey and Kevin Watts for their input and comments on the content of this manuscript. We also like to thank the Forestry Commission and the Scottish Forestry Trust for funding this research. We further like to thank Thomas O. Crist and two anonymous referees for their thoughtful comments on an earlier version of this manuscript.

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  1. School of Conservation Sciences, Bournemouth University, Talbot Campus, Fern Barrow, Poole, Dorset, BH12 5BB, UK

    Niels C. Brouwers & Adrian C. Newton

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  1. Niels C. Brouwers
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  2. Adrian C. Newton
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Correspondence to Niels C. Brouwers.

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Brouwers, N.C., Newton, A.C. The influence of habitat availability and landscape structure on the distribution of wood cricket (Nemobius sylvestris) on the Isle of Wight, UK. Landscape Ecol 24, 199–212 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10980-008-9298-4

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