Environmental disturbance increases social connectivity in a passerine bird.

摘要: Individual level response to natural and anthropogenic disturbance represents an increasingly important, but as yet little understood, component of animal behavior. Disturbance events often alter habitat, which in turn can modify behaviors individuals affected areas, including changes habitat use associated social structure. To better understand these relationships, we investigated aspects selection connectivity a small passerine bird, the red-backed fairywren (Malurus melanocephalus), before vs. after naturally occurring fire Northern Territory, Australia. We utilized network framework evaluate dynamics pre- post-fire. Our study covered non-breeding season two consecutive years fires occurred, whose was those that were not by fire. Individuals had stronger ties (i.e. higher weighted degree) fires, while areas actually lower degree. suggest this change connections may be linked habitat. Before fairywrens used similar grass cover available plots randomly generated within our site. Fire caused reduction cover, responded selecting with relative random plots. This demonstrates how and/or resource availability lead substantive environment experience.