Habitat loss and fragmentation affecting mammal and bird communities—The role of interspecific competition and individual space use

摘要: Abstract Fragmentation and loss of habitat are major threats to animal communities therefore important conservation. Due the complexity interplay spatial effects community processes, our mechanistic understanding how respond such landscape changes is still poor. Modelling studies have mostly focused on elucidating principles response fragmentation at relatively large temporal scales relevant metacommunity dynamics. Yet, it has been shown that also small scale like foraging behaviour, space use by individuals local resource competition factors. However, most consider these smaller designed for single species characterized high model complexity. Hence, they not easily applicable ecological interacting individuals. To fill this gap, we apply an allometric individual home range formation investigate mammal bird communities, and, in context, role interspecific use. Results show a similar both taxa loss. Community composition shifted towards higher frequency animals. The exponent 95%-quantile size distribution (ISD, described as power law distribution) emerging threshold behaviour with decreasing area. per se strong effect mammals, but birds. ISDs were insensitive considered here. These patterns can be explained competitive release taking place exception bird's buffering fragmentation, presumably adjusting their ranges. results reflect consequences mobility birds compared mammals same importance considering interaction, particularly fragmentation. Our approach enables scaling up from physiology terrestrial disentangling controlling changes.