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Towards a functional resource‐based concept for habitat: a butterfly biology viewpoint
Author(s) -
Dennis, Roger L.H.,,
Shreeve, Tim G.,
Van Dyck, Hans
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
oikos
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.672
H-Index - 179
eISSN - 1600-0706
pISSN - 0030-1299
DOI - 10.1034/j.1600-0579.2003.12492.x
Subject(s) - butterfly , ecology , population biology , habitat , resource (disambiguation) , biology , metapopulation , conservation biology , population , environmental resource management , computer science , environmental science , biological dispersal , sociology , computer network , demography
The habitat is the basic unit for developments in life history, population dynamics, landscape ecology and conservation of organisms. It is frequently treated as a particulate, invariant and homogeneous entity (a patch). Here we examine the implications of using this concept of habitat in butterfly biology. In doing so, we suggest the alternative approach of applying a functional resource‐based concept of habitat. This recognises the fundamental requirements of organisms, consumables and utilities, the latter describing suitable environmental conditions as well as essential substrates. We argue that a resource‐based concept is critical for butterfly conservation and call for the development of a resource database on butterfly biology .