•  
  •  
 

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Keywords

distribution, breeding biology, house Wren, fragmented habitat, songbirds

College

Life Sciences

Department

Physiology and Developmental Biology

Abstract

The distribution and life history characteristics of organisms can be significantly affected by structural variation in their habitats. One major type of variation is spatial arrangement and whether a habitat extends continuously or exists in small, fragmented patches. The effects of this variation have been documented in organisms from fruit flies (Jaenike 1978) to Amazonian beetles (Klein 1989) to songbirds (Andren and Angelstam 1988, Gates and Gysel 1978). According to research findings and theoretical prediction, many significant consequences of habitat fragmentation are caused by an increased ratio of habitat edge length to area. Studies indicate that increased edge length creates greater opportunity for predator invasion (Wilcove 1985) and brood parasitism, as well as increasing exposure to wind and weather extremes (Jarvis 1993). In addition, a smaller habitat size may mean a decreased quality or quantity of food, possibly resulting in stunted rates of reproduction and growth (Moller 1991). Because habitat fragmentation can correlate with species declines due to the factors outlined above, it is important to understand what happens to animal populations living in fragmented habitats in order to effectively plan for species conservation.

Download

Share

COinS