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Dispersal and Use of Corridors by Birds in Wooded Patches on an Agricultural Landscape

Dispersal and Use of Corridors by Birds in Wooded Patches on an Agricultural Landscape Dispersal behavior has important effects on the persistence and recolonization of populations, but is one of the least understood traits of most organisms. Knowledge of patterns of fledgling, natal, and breeding dispersal of birds in a patchy environment will assist in decisions regarding reserve design and protection or construction of corridors. I present data on movement patterns of three migratory bird species, American Robin (Turdus migratorius), Brown Thrasher (Toxostoma rufum), and Loggerhead Shrike (Lanius ludovicianus). These birds are relatively common breeders in south‐central North Dakota (U.S.) in riparian woodlands and in shelterbelts (woodlots planted as windbreaks in the open agricultural environment). Field assistants and I individually marked and monitored the movements of more than 500 adults breeding in a network of shelterbelts across an 8 × 11 km study area. Most movement occurred at relatively short distances within a shelterbelt. Movements by adults between shelterbelt sites, although rare, occurred significantly more frequently between sites connected by a wooded corridor than between unconnected sites. For robins, there were on average 2.5 dispersal events between each pair of connected sites, but only 0.17 dispersal events between each pair of unconnected sites (Mann‐Whitney test, significant at p < 0.009). Because unconnected and connected sites were similar in average area (1.7 to 1.9 ha), distance to next wooded habitat, and tree‐species composition, this result provides a test of the hypothesis that organisms disperse preferentially along connecting corridors. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Conservation Biology Wiley

Dispersal and Use of Corridors by Birds in Wooded Patches on an Agricultural Landscape

Haas, Carola A.
Conservation Biology , Volume 9 (4) – Aug 1, 1995
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Publisher
Wiley
Copyright
Copyright © 1995 Wiley Subscription Services, Inc., A Wiley Company
ISSN
0888-8892
eISSN
1523-1739
DOI
10.1046/j.1523-1739.1995.09040845.x
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

Dispersal behavior has important effects on the persistence and recolonization of populations, but is one of the least understood traits of most organisms. Knowledge of patterns of fledgling, natal, and breeding dispersal of birds in a patchy environment will assist in decisions regarding reserve design and protection or construction of corridors. I present data on movement patterns of three migratory bird species, American Robin (Turdus migratorius), Brown Thrasher (Toxostoma rufum), and Loggerhead Shrike (Lanius ludovicianus). These birds are relatively common breeders in south‐central North Dakota (U.S.) in riparian woodlands and in shelterbelts (woodlots planted as windbreaks in the open agricultural environment). Field assistants and I individually marked and monitored the movements of more than 500 adults breeding in a network of shelterbelts across an 8 × 11 km study area. Most movement occurred at relatively short distances within a shelterbelt. Movements by adults between shelterbelt sites, although rare, occurred significantly more frequently between sites connected by a wooded corridor than between unconnected sites. For robins, there were on average 2.5 dispersal events between each pair of connected sites, but only 0.17 dispersal events between each pair of unconnected sites (Mann‐Whitney test, significant at p < 0.009). Because unconnected and connected sites were similar in average area (1.7 to 1.9 ha), distance to next wooded habitat, and tree‐species composition, this result provides a test of the hypothesis that organisms disperse preferentially along connecting corridors.

Journal

Conservation Biology – Wiley

Published: Aug 1, 1995

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