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Functional connectivity in forest birds: evidence for species-specificity and anisotropy

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Abstract

Context

Functional connectivity is assumed to play a critical role in population dynamics in fragmented landscapes. Although it is generally summarized as an isotropic metric, functional connectivity may be anisotropic, i.e. may vary as a function of movement axis and direction. In addition, variation in functional connectivity among species within the same landscape has rarely been examined.

Objectives

Here, we asked to what extent the functional connectivity of managed forest landscapes is species-specific, and whether there is evidence for directional anisotropy in functional connectivity for two species of forest songbirds.

Methods

We performed 6-km reciprocal translocations between two pairs of sites and we monitored return times of territorial male Ovenbirds (Seiurus aurocapilla; n = 47) and Black-throated Green Warblers (Setophaga virens; n = 37) in northwestern New Brunswick, Canada. Each landscape was dominated by deciduous forest and comprised a 500- to 900-m wide strip of conifer plantation perpendicular to the movement axis.

Results

Homing time was shorter for Black-throated Green Warbler than for Ovenbird and anisotropy in functional connectivity was detected in the Ovenbird in one of the landscapes. Differences between species may reflect the Ovenbird’s narrower habitat and foraging niche.

Conclusions

Our results indicate that spatially-explicit population models should account for variability in functional connectivity among species, even when they are closely related. Our findings also suggest that anisotropy can be present under specific conditions.

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to J. Roy-Drainville and M. Bourgault for their help in the field. We also thank M. Caron from Acadian Timber Corp., and G. Pelletier and P. Hurley-Poitras, from the Northern Hardwood Research Institute, for logistical support. D. Blouin provided helpful advice on statistical analyses. This work was supported by a NSERC Discovery Grant and by grants from the New Brunswick Wildlife Trust Fund and the New Brunswick Innovation Foundation (NBIF) to MAV. CG was also supported by a STGM scholarship from NBIF. Our research protocol was approved by Université de Moncton’s Animal Care Committee and by the Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment Canada.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Département de Biologie et Centre d’étude de la Forêt, Université de Sherbrooke, 2500 Boulevard de l’Université, Sherbrooke, QC, J1K 2R1, Canada

    Catherine Geoffroy & Marc Bélisle

  2. Département de Biologie, Université de Moncton, Pavillon Léopold-Taillon, 18 Avenue Antonine-Maillet, Moncton, NB, E1A 3E9, Canada

    Catherine Geoffroy, Marie-Line Fiola & Marc-André Villard

  3. Department of Biology, Mount Allison University, 63B York Street, Sackville, NB, E4L 1G7, Canada

    Marc-André Villard

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  1. Catherine Geoffroy
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Correspondence to Marc-André Villard.

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Geoffroy, C., Fiola, ML., Bélisle, M. et al. Functional connectivity in forest birds: evidence for species-specificity and anisotropy. Landscape Ecol 34, 1363–1377 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10980-019-00849-0

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