scholarly journals What drives variation in habitat use by Anolis lizards: habitat availability or selectivity?

2006 ◽  
Vol 84 (6) ◽  
pp. 877-886 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.A. Johnson ◽  
R. Kirby ◽  
S. Wang ◽  
J.B. Losos
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Use ◽  
Geographic Variation ◽  
Forest Type ◽  
Habitat Preferences ◽  
Sympatric Species ◽  
Habitat Characteristics ◽  
Habitat Availability ◽  
Microhabitat Use ◽  
Forest Types

Geographic variation in habitat availability may drive geographic variation in a species’ habitat use; alternatively, species adapted to particular habitat characteristics may use a habitat regardless of its availability within an environment. In this study, we investigated habitat use of two sympatric species of Anolis lizards that are morphologically specialized to use different microhabitats. We examined variation in microhabitat use and availability among four distinct forest types. In each forest type, we quantified available microhabitats (i.e., perch diameter, angle of inclination, and visibility), as well as microhabitats actually used by each species. We found that species consistently differed in microhabitat use, corresponding to each species’ morphological specializations. However, microhabitat use of both species varied among sites. This variation in Anolis gundlachi Peters, 1876 reflected differences in microhabitat availability, while the variation in Anolis krugi Peters, 1876 resulted from differential microhabitat selectivity. These results indicate that both habitat availability and habitat preferences must be examined in multiple localities for a species to understand the causes of variation in its habitat use.

Habitat Use by Arboreal Mammals along an Environment Gradient in North-eastern Victoria

1991 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 125 ◽  
Author(s):  
AF Bennett ◽  
LF Lumsden ◽  
JSA Alexander ◽  
PE Duncan ◽  
PG Johnson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Use ◽  
Environmental Gradient ◽  
Forest Type ◽  
High Elevation ◽  
Annual Rainfall ◽  
Distributional Pattern ◽  
Forest Types ◽  
Phascolarctos Cinereus ◽  
North Eastern ◽  
Arboreal Mammal

A total of 1487 observations of nine species of arboreal mammal, Acrobates pygmaeus, Phascolarctos cinereus, Petauroides volans, Petaurus australis, P. breviceps, P. norfolcensis, Pseudocheirusperegrinus, Trichosurus caninus and T. vulpecula, were made during surveys of the vertebrate fauna of northeastern Victoria. Habitat use by each species was examined in relation to eight forest types that occur along an environmental gradient ranging from sites at high elevation with a high annual rainfall, to sites on the dry inland and riverine plains. Arboreal mammals were not evenly distributed between forest types. Three species (P. australis, P. volans and T. caninus) were mainly associated with moist tall forests; two species (P. norfolcensis and T. vulpecula) were primarily associated with drier forests and woodlands of the foothills; the remaining three species (A. pygmaeus, P. breviceps and P. peregrinus) occurred widely throughout the forests. The composition of the arboreal mammal assemblage changed along the environmental gradient, but species displayed gradual changes in abundance with forest type rather than marked discontinuities in distributional pattern. The highest overall frequencies of occurrence of arboreal mammals were in forests typically dominated by a mixture of eucalypt species. The position at first sighting of an animal, and the relative height in the forest stratum, were used to describe the micro-habitats utilised. In general, the microhabitats occupied by each species are consistent with the distribution of their known food resources.

scholarly journals Movement Patterns and Habitat use for Sympatric Species

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth McAlpine-Bellis ◽  
Kaera L Utsumi ◽  
Kelly M Diamond ◽  
Janine Klein ◽  
Sophia Gilbert-Smith ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Use ◽  
Great Basin ◽  
Movement Patterns ◽  
Step Length ◽  
Sympatric Species ◽  
Habitat Characteristics ◽  
Foraging Strategies ◽  
Turn Angle ◽  
Visual Predator ◽  
Food Movement

Abstract Background: Movement is an important characteristic of an animal’s ecology, reflecting perception of and response to environmental conditions. To effectively search for food, movement patterns likely depend on habitat characteristics and the sensory systems used to find prey. We examined movements associated with foraging for two sympatric species of lizards inhabiting the Alvord Basin in the Great Basin Desert of southeastern Oregon. The two species have largely overlapping diets but find prey via different sensory cues, which link to their differing foraging strategies — the long-nosed leopard lizard, Gambelia wislizenii, is a visually-oriented predator, while the western whiptail, Aspidoscelis tigris, relies heavily on chemosensory cues to find prey.Methods: Using detailed focal observations, we characterized the habitat use and movement paths of each species. We placed markers at the location of focal animals every minute for the duration of each 30-min observation. Afterwards, we recorded whether each location was in the open or in vegetation, as well as the movement metrics of step length, path length, net displacement, straightness index, and turn angle, and then made statistical comparisons between the two species.Results: The visual forager spent more time in open areas, moved less frequently over shorter distances, and differed in patterns of plant use compared to the chemosensory forager. Path characteristics of step length and turn angle differed between species.Conclusions: The visual predator moved in a way that was consistent with the notion that they require a clear visual path to stalk prey whereas the movement of the chemosensory predator increased their chances of detecting prey by venturing further into vegetation. Sympatric species can partition limited resources through differences in search behavior and habitat use.

Diet and habitat use of two sympatric species of Philodryas (Colubridae), in south Brazil

2005 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 25-31 ◽  
Author(s):  
Otávio Marques ◽  
Paulo Hartmann
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Use ◽  
Feeding Habits ◽  
Strong Relationship ◽  
Sympatric Species ◽  
Food Type ◽  
Microhabitat Use ◽  
Southern Brazil ◽  
Food Items ◽  
Forested Areas ◽  
South Brazil

AbstractFeeding habits and habitat use of the colubrid snakes Philodryas olfersii and P. patagoniensis in southern Brazil are presented here. Philodryas olfersii and P. patagoniensis are sympatric in the study area and both dwell in open and forested areas. Specimens preserved in collections and observations of snakes in the field yielded the data. Both species are diet generalists, feeding on small vertebrates, mainly frogs. Philodryas patagoniensis has a broader diet, a less variable frequency of food items, and fed on heavier prey than P. olfersii. Seasonal variation in diet occurs in both species. The semiarboreal Philodryas olfersii is more slender and has a longer tail than the terrestrial P. patagoniensis, characters that may reflect differences in microhabitat use. There are a strong relationship between habitat use and frequency of a given food type. Differences in the use of food resources between P. olfersii and P. patagoniensis seem to reflect differences in foraging microhabitats used by each species.

scholarly journals Habitat segregation and migration in tropical anguillid eels, Anguilla bengalensis bengalensis and A. bicolor bicolor

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Takaomi Arai ◽  
Inn-Ju Chai ◽  
Yoshiyuki Iizuka ◽  
Chih-Wei Chang
Keyword(s):  
Life History ◽  
Habitat Use ◽  
Habitat Preferences ◽  
Sympatric Species ◽  
Peninsular Malaysia ◽  
Habitat Segregation ◽  
Otolith Sr:Ca Ratios ◽  
Sr:Ca Ratios ◽  
And Migration ◽  
Continental Growth

Abstract Anguillid eels of the genus Anguilla, which have a unique catadromous life history, are widely distributed across many parts of the world. However, little research has been conducted on the behavioural mechanisms of habitat segregation between sympatric species in tropical anguillid eels. To understand the ecological and behavioural mechanisms involved in the life history and migration of tropical anguillid eels, strontium (Sr):calcium (Ca) ratios were examined in otoliths of A. bengalensis bengalensis (41 specimens) and A. bicolor bicolor (130 specimens) collected from ten rivers in northwestern Peninsular Malaysia. The otolith Sr:Ca ratios revealed different habitat use between the two species. The broad range of otolith Sr:Ca ratios and habitat shift found in A. bicolor bicolor suggested that its habitat utilization was opportunistic in environments of varying salinity. A. bicolor bicolor prefers to live in the midstream to downstream areas with tidal influences. A. bengalensis bengalensis, however, was found to only reside in freshwater environments throughout their continental growth. A. bengalensis bengalensis tends to live in upstream area with no tidal influence. Their habitat use, migratory history, and habitat distribution indicate that habitat segregation occurs between the two species, leading to the different habitat preferences in tropical river systems.

Selection of den, rendezvous, and resting sites by wolves in the Bialowieza Forest, Poland

2003 ◽  
Vol 81 (1) ◽  
pp. 163-167 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jörn Theuerkauf ◽  
Sophie Rouys ◽  
Wlodzimierz Jedrzejewski
Keyword(s):  
Canis Lupus ◽  
Forest Type ◽  
Ground Cover ◽  
Habitat Characteristics ◽  
Coniferous Forests ◽  
Forest Edges ◽  
Forest Types ◽  
Resting Sites ◽  
Białowieża Forest ◽  
Selection Of

We studied wolf (Canis lupus) selection of 19 den, 10 rendezvous, and 31 resting sites found between 1986 and 2000 in the Bialowieza Forest (Poland). Our objective was to determine whether wolves selected sites far from villages, forest edges, and roads, and whether these sites had dense ground cover for concealment. We also tested whether wolves selected a particular forest type for their den sites. Den and rendezvous sites were located at greater distances from villages, forest edges, and intensively used roads than random points. Locations of resting sites were not affected by these manmade structures. Wolves selected dry coniferous forests for den sites but also used other forest types. We concluded that the suitability of an area for pup raising depended mainly on the spatial distribution of forest, human settlements, and public roads, and to a lesser extent on habitat characteristics.

scholarly journals Mouse lemurs’ and degraded habitat

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simon Knoop ◽  
Lounès Chikhi ◽  
Jordi Salmona
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Use ◽  
Forest Type ◽  
Conservation Status ◽  
Forest Degradation ◽  
Mouse Lemur ◽  
Degraded Forest ◽  
Forest Types ◽  
Tree Hole ◽  
Mouse Lemurs ◽  
Lemur Species

AbstractMadagascar is known for its unique biodiversity including its endemic primates, the lemurs. This biodiversity is threatened by deforestation, forest degradation and anthropogenic disturbances. Several mouse lemurs (genus Microcebus) have been shown to cope with habitat disturbances and degradation. However, there are 24 recognized mouse lemur species living in very different habitats, and it is not clear whether all these species respond similarly to forest degradation. Here, we review the literature on mouse lemur use of degraded habitat. We further question whether mouse lemurs show variation in degraded habitat use, with respect to forest type, conservation status and distribution range. We show that data on degraded forest (DF) use is available for 14 species and geographically aggregated in a few locations. However, data are scarce for most species, and lacking for almost half of the currently recognized species. Our results however confirm that most mouse lemur species are able to cope with, but do not necessarily respond positively to habitat degradation. We found no variation in degraded habitat use, with respect to forest type, conservation status and distribution range. However, we identified food resources availability, understory structure, predation, and tree hole availability to be the most frequently invoked factors potentially influencing DF use. The relative frequency of these four factors vary among forest types suggesting that differences may exist but still require research efforts for ecological and environmental differences among regions to be fully understood.RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTSLittle differences in the use of degraded forest (DF) between forest types, distribution ranges or conservation status.Varying factors potentially affecting DF use, such as food resources, forest structure, tree hole availability and predation.

A survey of terrestrial gastropods from central Maine

1976 ◽  
Vol 54 (5) ◽  
pp. 620-627 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. George Gleich ◽  
Frederick F. Gilbert
Keyword(s):  
Relative Abundance ◽  
Habitat Preferences ◽  
Coniferous Forests ◽  
Snail Species ◽  
Forest Types ◽  
Mixed Forests ◽  
Terrestrial Gastropods

Terrestrial gastropods were collected in central Maine from June to November 1971 to study their distribution, relative abundance, and habitat preferences. Gastropods were widespread, but not abundant. Thirty-five percent of the 1626 gastropods collected were slugs. Thirty-seven snail species, including eight slug species, were found. Discus cronkhitei and Zonitoides arboreus were the most commonly collected gastropods: Deroceras reliculatum and Pallifera dorsalis were the most common slugs. Snails (excluding slugs) were more abundant in the northwestern portion of central Maine, whereas slugs were more abundant in the southeastern portion. Slugs were significantly less abundant in coniferous forests than in deciduous or mixed forests, but snail numbers (excluding slugs) in the three forest types were not significantly different.

Summer stream habitat preferences of Nunavik anadromous Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus) fry and parr

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Véronique Dubos ◽  
André St-Hilaire ◽  
Normand E Bergeron
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Use ◽  
Salvelinus Alpinus ◽  
Habitat Preferences ◽  
Arctic Region ◽  
Arctic Char ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Stream Habitat ◽  
Physical Habitat ◽  
High Plasticity ◽  
Slow Velocity

Arctic char is a fish species known to occupy diverse habitats within the Arctic region. However, summer habitat use during the juvenile stage of the anadromous form is largely unknown. The present study aims to characterize fry and parr summer habitat preferences. Surveys were conducted by electrofishing, associated with physical habitat characterization on several rivers of the Ungava Bay, Nunavik, Canada. At the microhabitat and station scales, fry showed significant habitat preferences for shallow water and slow velocity. At the mesohabitat scale, fry showed a significant habitat selectivity for riffles. This habitat selectivity implies that habitat models can be built to evaluate the potential of habitat suitability for Arctic char fry. However, no significant habitat selectivity was found for parr. Parr size was nonetheless positively correlated with velocity, which was found to be a limitative factor for juvenile habitat use. This first attempt at modeling juvenile anadromous Arctic char habitat in rivers emphasizes the importance of selecting an appropriate spatial scale and reiterates the fact that parr showed relatively high plasticity in stream habitat selection.

scholarly journals The woody flora of Shettihalli Wildlife Sanctuary, central Western Ghats of Karnataka, India - A checklist

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (13) ◽  
pp. 20033-20055
Author(s):  
Naveen Babu Kanda ◽  
Kurian Ayushi ◽  
Vincy K. Wilson ◽  
Narayanan Ayyappan ◽  
Narayanaswamy Parthasarathy
Keyword(s):  
Western Ghats ◽  
Forest Cover ◽  
Forest Type ◽  
Human Impacts ◽  
Forest Types ◽  
Wildlife Sanctuary ◽  
Peninsular India ◽  
Ecological Features ◽  
Central Western Ghats ◽  
The Western Ghats

Documenting the biodiversity of protected areas and reserve forests is important to researchers, academicians and forest departments in their efforts to establish policies to protect regional biodiversity. Shettihalli Wildlife Sanctuary (SWS) is an important protected area located in the central Western Ghats of Karnataka state known for its diverse flora and fauna with distinct ecological features. For the last four decades the sanctuary has witnessed the loss of forest cover, yet the vegetation in few locations is relatively undisturbed. The current inventory was undertaken during 2019–2020 to provide a checklist of woody species from SWS under-researched earlier. The list comprises 269 species of trees, lianas and shrubs distributed in 207 genera and 68 families. The most diverse families are Fabaceae, Moraceae, Rubiaceae, Rutaceae, Lauraceae, Apocynaceae, Meliaceae, Malvaceae, Phyllanthaceae, and Anacardiaceae, representing 48% of total woody flora. The sanctuary shelters 263 native and six exotic plant species. Thirty-nine species were endemic to the Western Ghats, five species to peninsular India and one species to the Western Ghats and Andaman & Nicobar Islands. Four forest types, i.e., dry deciduous, moist deciduous, semi-evergreen, and evergreen forests, are represented in the sanctuary. Of the total species, only seven occurred in all forest types, while 111 species are exclusive to a single forest type. One-hundred-and-four taxa were assessed for the International Union for Conservation of Nature & Natural Resources (IUCN) Red List. Ten species that fall under Near Threatened, Vulnerable, and Endangered categories were encountered occasionally. The baseline data generated on plant diversity will be useful in highlighting the importance of these forests for species conservation and forest management. Such data form a cornerstone for further research. For instance, to understand the effect of invasive species and human impacts on the diversity of the region. 

Characterizing Canopy Openness Across Large Forested Landscapes Using Spherical Densiometer and Smartphone Hemispherical Photography

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katie L Beeles ◽  
Jordon C Tourville ◽  
Martin Dovciak
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Large Range ◽  
Forest Type ◽  
High Elevation ◽  
Canopy Openness ◽  
Hemispherical Photography ◽  
Forest Types ◽  
Northeastern United States ◽  
Closed Canopy ◽  
The Right

Abstract Canopy openness is an important forest characteristic related to understory light environment and productivity. Although many methods exist to estimate canopy openness, comparisons of their performance tend to focus on relatively narrow ranges of canopy conditions and forest types. To address this gap, we compared two popular approaches for estimating canopy openness, traditional spherical densiometer and modern smartphone hemispherical photography, across a large range of canopy conditions (from closed canopy to large gaps) and forest types (from low-elevation broadleaf to high-elevation conifer forests) across four states in the northeastern United States. We took 988 field canopy openness measurements (494 per instrument) and compared them across canopy conditions using linear regression and t-tests. The extensive replication allowed us to quantify differences between the methods that may otherwise go unnoticed. Relative to the densiometer, smartphone photography overestimated low canopy openness (<10%) but it underestimated higher canopy openness (>10%), regardless of forest type. Study Implications We compared two popular ways of measuring canopy openness (smartphone hemispherical photography and spherical densiometer) across a large range of forest structures encountered in the northeastern United States. We found that, when carefully applied, the traditional spherical densiometer can characterize canopy openness across diverse canopy conditions (including closed canopies) as effectively as modern smartphone canopy photography. Although smartphone photography reduced field measurement time and complexity, it was more susceptible to weather than the densiometer. Although selection of the right method depends on study objectives, we provide a calibration for these two popular methods across diverse canopies.

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