Abstract
Based on our observations and those of others from the literature, we construct a graphical model of habitat use in territorial species at high densities relative to optimal habitat availability. This model ignores differences in abundance among habitats, and, together with other models of habitat use, predicts that there should be greater stability (lower turnover rates) among individuals occupying optimal habitat than among those in suboptimal habitat(s). Future studies assessing quality among habitats might take advantage of this by comparing individual turnover rates among habitat types using standard mark-recapture methodology. As an illustrative example, we present a case in wintering wood thrushes (Catharus mustelinus; Muscicapidae: Turdinae) in which relative abundance and habitat quality were inversely related. Many individuals of this nearctic-neotropic migrant species hold nonbreeding territories in the seemingly crowded rainforest of southern Veracruz, Mexico.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Adler GH, Wilson ML (1987) Demography of a habitat generalist, the white-footed mouse, in a heterogeneous environment. Ecology 68: 1785–1796
Barbour MG, Burk JH, Pitts WD (1987) Terrestrial plant ecology, 2nd edn. Benjamin/Cummings, Menlo Park
Brown JL (1964) The evolution of diversity in avian territorial systems. Wilson Bull 76: 160–169
Brown JL (1969) Territorial behavior and population regulation in birds: a review and re-evaluation. Wilson Bull 81: 293–329
Christian JJ (1970) Social subordination, population density, and mammalian evolution. Science 168: 84–90
Cottam G, Curtis JT (1956) Use of distance measures in phytosociological sampling. Ecology 37: 451–460
Fretwell SD (1972) Populations in a seasonal environment. Princeton University Press, Princeton
Fretwell SD, Lucas HL Jr (1970) On territorial behavior and other factors influencing habitat distribution in birds. I. Theoretical development. Acta Biotheor 19: 16–36
Gauthreaux SA (1978) The ecological significance of behavioral dominance. In: Bateson PPG, Klopfer PH (eds) Perspectives in ethology. Plenum, New York, pp 17–54
Hobbs NT, Hanley TA (1990) Habitat evaluation: do use/availability data reflect carrying capacity? J Wildl Manage 54: 515–522
Holt RD (1985) Population dynamics in two-patch environments: some anomalous consequences of an optimal habitat distribution. Theor Popul Biol 28: 181–208
Jenkins D, Watson A, Miller GR (1963) Population studies on red grouse, Lagopus lagopus scoticus (Lath.) in northeast Scotland. J Anim Ecol 32: 317–377
Jenkins D, Watson A, Miller GR (1967) Population fluctuations in the red grouse, Lagopus lagopus scoticus. J Anim Ecol 36: 97–122
Krebs JR (1971) Territory and breeding in the great tit, Parus major L. Ecology 52: 2–22
Krohn WB (1992) Sequence of habitat occupancy and abandonment: potential standards for testing habitat models. Wildl Soc Bull 20: 441–444
Lomnicki A (1978) Individual differences between animals and the natural regulation of their numbers. J Anim Ecol 47: 461–475
McPeek MA, Holt RD (1992) The evolution of dispersal in spatially and temporally varying environments. Am Nat 140: 1010–1027
Miranda F, Hernandez E (1963) Los tipos de vegetación de México y su clasificación. Bol Soc Bot México 28: 29–179
Patterson IJ (1980) Territorial behavior and the limitation of population density. Ardea 68: 53–62
Pennington TD, Sarukhan J (1968) Arboles tropicales de México. Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Forestates, México
Pulliam HR (1988) Sources, sinks, and population regulation. Am Nat 132: 652–661
Rappole JH, Morton ES (1985) Effects of habitat alteration on a tropical avian forest community. Ornithol Monogr 36: 1013–1019
Rappole JH, Warner DW (1980) Ecological aspects of migrant bird behavior in Veracruz, Mexico. In: Keast A, Morton ES (eds) Migrant birds in the neotropics. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington D.C., pp 353–393
Rappole JH, Ramos MA, Winker K (1989) Wintering wood thrush movements and mortality in southern Veracruz. Auk 106: 402–410
Rosenzweig ML (1985) Some theoretical aspects of habitat selection. In: Cody ML (ed) Habitat selection in birds. Academic Press, New York, pp 517–540
States JB (1976) Local adaptations in chipmunk (Eutamias amoenus) populations and evolutionary potential at species borders. Ecol Monogr 46: 221–256
Van Horne B (1982) Niches of adult and juvenile deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus) in seral stages of coniferous forest. Ecology 63: 92–103
Van Horne B (1983) Density as a misleading indicator of habitat quality. J Wildl Manage 47: 893–901
Wiens JA, Rotenberry JT (1981) Censusing and the evaluation of habitat occupancy. Stud Avian Biol 6: 522–532
Winker K, Rappole JH, Ramos MA (1990a) Within-forest preferences of wood thrushes wintering in the rainforest of southern Veracruz. Wilson Bull 102: 715–720
Winker K, Rappole JH, Ramos MA (1990b) Population dynamics of the wood thrush (Hylocichla mustelina) on its wintering grounds in southern Veracruz, México. Condor 92: 444–460
Wyatt WW, Bridges CM Jr (1967) Statistics for the behavioral sciences. Heath, Boston
Zimmerman JL (1971) The territory and its density dependent effect in Spiza americana. Auk 88: 590–612
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Winker, K., Rappole, J.H. & Ramos, M.A. The use of movement data as an assay of habitat quality. Oecologia 101, 211–216 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00317286
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00317286