Spatial patterns in European rabbit abundance after a population collapse

摘要: Assessing the associations between spatial patterns in population abundance and environmental heterogeneity is critical for understanding various processes managing species communities. This study evaluates responses of European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus), an important prey predators conservation concern Mediterranean ecosystems, to at different scales. Multi-scale habitat models three areas Donana, south-western Spain, were developed using a spatially extensive dataset faecal pellet counts as index. The best included variables scales examined: distance from lagoons (broad scale), mean landscape shrub coverage interspersion pastures (home-range pasture cover (microhabitat scale). These may well have been related availability food refuge However, models’ fit data their predictive accuracy independent sample varied among regions. Accurate predictions some showed that combination can provide reliable method assessing ecologically complex such over large areas. On other hand, failed identify suffered strongest demographic collapse after viral epidemics, underlining difficulty generalizing this approach. In latter case, factors difficult implement static disease history prevalence, predator regulation others underlie lack association. Habitat useful guidelines management attributes relevant rabbits help improve influential not obviously should also be analyzed more detail.