Experimental Test of Matrix Permeability and Corridor Use by an Endemic Understory Bird

• Published in: Conservation biology Vol. 20; no. 1; pp. 135 - 145
• Main Authors: CASTELLÓN, TRACI D, SIEVING, KATHRYN E
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 350 Main Street , Malden , MA 02148 , USA , and 9600 Garsington Road , Oxford OX4 2DQ , UK Blackwell Science Inc 01.02.2006; Blackwell Science; Blackwell; Blackwell Publishing Ltd
• Subjects: Animal Identification Systems; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Animals; Applied ecology; Aves; Biological and medical sciences; Birds; Chile; Connectivity; Conservation biology; Conservation of Natural Resources; Conservation, protection and management of environment and wildlife; corredores; corridors; cruce de claros; Demography; Dispersal; dispersión; Environment; Forest conservation; forest fragmentation; Forest habitats; fragmentación de bosques; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; gap crossing; Geography; Habitat conservation; Habitat corridors; Habitat fragmentation; Habitats; Landscape; Landscapes; matrix; matriz; Parks, reserves, wildlife conservation. Endangered species: population survey and restocking; Passeriformes; Passeriformes - physiology; Pasture; pastures; Permeability; physiology; Population Dynamics; rain forests; Rainforests; Rhinocryptidade; Rhinocryptidae; Shrubs; Sieving; Time Factors; Translocation; Understory; Vegetation; Vertebrates: general zoology, morphology, phylogeny, systematics, cytogenetics, geographical distribution; Wildlife conservation; Chile; South America; Forests; Experimental test; Endemic species; dispersal; Permeability; forest fragmentation; matrix; Dispersion; Conservation corridor; Fragmentation; Vertebrata; gap crossing; Understory; corridors; Rhinocryptidae; Habitat; Aves; Environmental protection
• ISSN: 0888-8892; 1523-1739
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1523-1739.2006.00332.x

Because of widespread habitat fragmentation, maintenance of landscape connectivity has become a major focus of conservation planning, but empirical tests of animal movement in fragmented landscapes remain scarce. We conducted a translocation experiment to test the relative permeability of three landscape elements (open habitat, shrubby secondary vegetation, and wooded corridors) to movement by the Chucao Tapaculo (Scelorchilus rubecula), a forest understory bird endemic to South American temperate rainforest. Forty-one radio-tagged subjects were translocated (individually) to three landscape treatments consisting of small release patches that were either entirely surrounded by open habitat (pasture), entirely surrounded by dense shrubs, or linked to other patches by wooded corridors that were otherwise surrounded by open matrix. The number of days subjects remained in release patches before dispersal (a measure of habitat resistance) was significantly longer for patches surrounded by open habitat than for patches adjoining corridors or surrounded by dense shrubs. These results indicate that open habitat significantly constrains Chucao dispersal, in accord with expectation, but dispersal occurs equally well through wooded corridors and shrub-dominated matrix. Thus, corridor protection or restoration and management of vegetation in the matrix (to encourage animal movement) may be equally feasible alternatives for maintaining connectivity.