LTREB: Ecological and Evolutionary Determinants of Habitat Selection and Risk of Nest Predation among Coexisting Species

9707598马丁栖息地共存物种之间的选择通常被认为是反映选择，最大限度地减少生态成本和最大限度地提高健身。共存物种之间的生态过程往往被强调为微生境选择差异的潜在解释。然而，过程和过程背后的机制很少被直接测试。捕食可以促进共存物种之间的微生境差异，是一个可以直接测试的过程。然而，栖息地选择也可能受到生理耐受性的限制，作为物种进化历史的函数，不同的进化历史或生理耐受性可能为物种间资源利用的差异提供另一种解释。这种生物与非生物影响的交替作用特别突出沿着小气候梯度，因为物种通常沿沿着小气候梯度分离。这项研究将解决的问题，“物种的分布沿着环境梯度反映生理约束或生态成本的反应，如巢捕食或植被偏好？“继续长期研究这个系统和巢址的变化是重要的，因为这种变化提供了一个前所未有的机会，以研究生物与非生物对栖息地选择和物种共存的影响的潜在作用，基于潜在环境影响的动态变化。继续这项长期的工作将推进我们的理解的机制巢捕食作为一个过程影响栖息地的选择，物种共存，和父母的活动模式。这些数据将为物种的长期保护提供重要信息;成功繁殖的栖息地要求对保护至关重要，美国林务局目前正在使用该项目下收集的数据来影响正在研究的森林的土地管理决策。

9707598 Martin Habitat selection among coexisting species is generally thought to reflect choices that minimize ecological costs and maximize fitness. Ecological processes among coexisting species are often emphasized as a potential explanation for differences in microhabitat choices. Yet, processes and the mechanisms underlying processes are rarely directly tested. Predation can favor microhabitat differences among coexisting species and is a process that can be tested directly. However, habitat selection also may be constrained by physiological tolerances as a function of the evolutionary history of a species and different evolutionary histories or physiological tolerances may provide an alternative explanation for differences in resource use among species. Such alternative actions of biotic versus abiotic influences are particularly highlighted along microclimate gradients because species commonly segregate along microclimate gradients. This study will address the question, "Does the distribution of species along an environmental gradient reflect physiological constraints or responses to ecological costs such as nest predation or vegetation preferences?" Continued long term study of this system and nest site shifts is important because such shifts provide an unprecedented opportunity to examine the potential role of biotic versus abiotic influences on habitat selection and species coexistence based on dynamic changes in potential environmental influences. Continuation of this long-term work will advance our understanding of mechanisms underlying nest predation as a process influencing habitat selection, species coexistence, and parental activity patterns. These data will provide important information for long-term conservation of species; habitat requirements for successful reproduction are critical for conservation and data being collected under this project is currently being used by the US Forest Service to affect land management decisions on the forests being studied.