Open AccessHabitat fragmentation reduces disperser success in juvenile nuthatches Sitta europaea: evidence from patterns of territory establishment
Author(s) -
Matthysen Erik,
Currie David
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
ecography
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.973
H-Index - 128
eISSN - 1600-0587
pISSN - 0906-7590
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0587.1996.tb00156.x
Subject(s) - biological dispersal , ecology , habitat , fragmentation (computing) , habitat fragmentation , seed dispersal , juvenile , population , geography , biology , abundance (ecology) , demography , sociology
We studied establishment in summer territories by first‐year nuthatches Sitta europaea both in a large forest and in a set of small and isolated forest fragments (2 yr in each area). In the large forest, vacant territories were rapidly taken up by newly formed pairs of juveniles. In the fragments, settlers arrived at a slower rate, more of them remained unpaired, and more territories remained vacant at the end of the dispersal period. Furthermore, territories were taken up in a highly predictable order related to territory quality in the large forest, but not so in the fragments. We suggest that dispersal is more costly in a highly fragmented habitat, reducing the number of settlers at the population level, and reducing opportunities for pair formation and habitat selection at the individual level.