Habitat requirements and conservation needs of peripheral populations: the case of the great crested newt (Triturus cristatus) in the Scottish Highlands
Habitat requirements and conservation needs of peripheral populations: the case of the great crested newt (Triturus cristatus) in the Scottish Highlands
复制标题
外围种群的栖息地要求和保护需求：以苏格兰高地的大凤头蝾螈（Triturus cristatus）为例
作者：
A. Miró;D. O’Brien;J. Hall;R. Jehle
边缘种群具有重要的保护意义，因为它们作为进化潜力的储存库并在了解特定物种的生态需求方面发挥着作用。主要由于水生繁殖地的丧失，大凤头蝾螈Triturus cristatus 是欧洲衰退最快的两栖动物物种之一。我们重点关注苏格兰高地的红冠鹬分布范围的西北边界，旨在描述一组孤立的边缘种群的栖息地要求和保护需求。我们记录了 129 个与繁殖池相关的环境参数，并使用变量选择程序和随机森林分析来构建物种当前发生情况的预测模型，以及纳入种群损失数据的种群持续性预测模型。预测冠红花发生和持续存在的最重要变量与池塘质量、池塘岸边和周围陆地栖息地（特别是樟子松和桦木混合林地）有关，并且与该物种核心范围内确定的变量不同。我们建议栖息地管理和池塘建设应关注当地最有利的栖息地特征，以改善种群的保护状况和恢复能力。这项保护机构和科学研究人员之间的合作工作是连接研究、管理和保护的一个说明性例子。
Edge populations are of conservation importance because of their roles as reservoirs of evolutionary potential and in understanding a given species’ ecological needs. Mainly due to loss of aquatic breeding sites, the great crested newt Triturus cristatus is amongst the fastest declining amphibian species in Europe. Focusing on the north-westerly limit of the T. cristatus range, in the Scottish Highlands, we aimed to characterise habitat requirements and conservation needs of an isolated set of edge populations. We recorded 129 breeding pond-related environmental parameters, and used a variable selection procedure followed by random forest analysis to build a predictive model for the species’ present occurrence, as well as for population persistence incorporating data on population losses. The most important variables predicting T. cristatus occurrence and persistence were associated with pond quality, pond shore and surrounding terrestrial habitat (especially mixed Pinus sylvestris–Betula woodland), and differed from those identified in the species’ core range. We propose that habitat management and pond creation should focus on the locally most favourable habitat characteristics to improve the conservation status and resilience of populations. This collaborative work, between conservation agencies and scientific researchers, is presented as an illustrative example of linking research, management and conservation.