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Loss and fragmentation of mature woodland reduce the habitat niche breadth of forest birds

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Abstract

Context

Habitat loss and fragmentation may alter habitat occupancy patterns, for example through a reduction in regional abundance or in functional connectivity, which in turn may reduce the number of dispersers or their ability to prospect for territories. Yet, the relationship between landscape structure and habitat niche remains poorly known.

Objectives

We hypothesized that changes in landscape structure associated with habitat loss and fragmentation will reduce the habitat niche breadth of forest birds, either through a reduction in density-dependent spillover from optimal habitat or by impeding the colonization of patches.

Methods

We surveyed forest birds with point counts in eastern Ontario, Canada, and analyzed their response to loss and fragmentation of mature woodland. We selected 62 landscapes varying in both forest cover (15–45%) and its degree of fragmentation, and classified them into two categories (high versus low levels of loss and fragmentation). We determined the habitat niche breadth of 12 focal species as a function of 8 habitat structure variables for each landscape category.

Results

Habitat niche breadth was narrower in landscapes with high versus low levels of loss and fragmentation of forest cover. The relative occupancy of marginal habitat appeared to drive this relationship. Species sensitivity to mature forest cover had no apparent influence on relative niche breadth.

Conclusions

Regional abundance and, in turn, density-dependent spillover into suboptimal habitat appeared to be determinants of habitat niche breadth. For a given proportion of forest cover, fragmentation also appeared to alter habitat use, which could exacerbate its other negative effects unless functional connectivity is high enough to allow individuals to saturate optimal habitat.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by a discovery grant from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) to MAV and by an industrial postgraduate scholarship from NSERC and Bird Studies Canada to RT. We thank the Canadian Wildlife Service (Ontario Region) and bourses Acadie-France for financial support. D. Tozer, M.-A. Giroux, C. Francis, K. McGarigal, and two anonymous reviewers made stimulating comments on the manuscript. We are indebted to A. Antaya for her assistance with fieldwork, and to all landowners who allowed access to their woodlots. This project was approved by Université de Moncton’s Animal Care Committee (permit #14-06).

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RT and MAV conceived the study; RT and FL collected and analyzed the field data; RT and FL performed satellite image and spatial analyses; RT and MAV led the writing of the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Rémi Torrenta.

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Torrenta, R., Lacoste, F. & Villard, MA. Loss and fragmentation of mature woodland reduce the habitat niche breadth of forest birds. Landscape Ecol 33, 1865–1879 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10980-018-0718-9

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