Metapopulation Dynamics of the New England Cobble Beach Plant Community

本研究的目的是确定景观特征和物种生活史特征（即一年生植物与多年生植物以及稀有物种与常见物种）如何相互作用，以确定植物种群的大范围（即 10 公里至 100 公里）分布和动态。 栖息地斑块大小和与最近邻近种群的距离等因素被认为可以控制种群灭绝和随后在空置地点重新殖民的可能性。 很少有实地研究来检验这些预测。 本次调查将重点关注美国罗得岛州纳拉甘西特湾的沿海湿地植物。 GPS 技术将用于绘制湿地栖息地的位置，并对 20 x 30 公里研究区域内的 350 个栖息地斑块进行年度调查，将记录种群灭绝和 12 种植物物种在斑块上的重新定殖。了解景观特征如何影响大规模种群动态是生物保护的基础。 例如，此类信息可用于优化海洋保护区设计，确保保护区网络足够大且彼此距离足够近，以维持稀有和濒危物种种群的稳定。 这项研究还将使资源管理者能够检测和减轻环境影响对该湿地栖息地和其他湿地栖息地的影响。

The goal of this study is to determine how characteristics of the landscape and species life history traits (i.e., annuals vs. perennials and rare vs. common species) interact to determine the large-scale (i.e., 10 km to 100 km) distribution and dynamics of plant populations. Factors such as habitat patch size and the distance from the nearest neighboring population are thought to control the probabilities of population extinction and the subsequent re-colonization of a vacant location. Very few field studies have been performed to test these predictions. This investigation will focus on coastal wetland plants in Narragansett Bay, RI, USA. GPS technologies will be used to map out the location of wetland habitats and yearly surveys of 350 habitat patches within a 20 x 30 km study area will document population extinction and patch re-colonization by 12 plant species. Understanding how landscape characteristics affect the large-scale dynamics of populations is fundamental to biological conservation. For example, such information can be used to optimally design marine reserves, ensuring that networks of protected areas are large enough and close enough to each other to maintain stable populations of rare and endangered species. This study will also enable resource managers to detect and mitigate the effects of environmental impacts to this and other wetland habitats.