Avian habitat selection in space and time: Connecting individual behaviours to population patterns

个体在不同情况下的行为差异对于理解种群生态学至关重要。同样，忽视密度依赖和种群过程对动物行为的影响，限制了我们理解为什么动物选择特定的栖息地元素的能力。为了深入了解为什么动物选择一个栖息地元素而不是另一个栖息地元素，需要关于栖息地元素内发生的生物过程以及这种过程如何在空间尺度上有所不同的信息。生态学家早就认识到最佳觅食、Fretwell的理想栖息地选择的行为模型和密度依赖在种群生态学中的重要性之间的联系。然而，证明这些联系的实证检验仍然有限。我的研究计划集中在使用经验测试和计算机模拟工具来建立这些联系，以及使用这些理论来改进保护决策。在这份提案中，我的重点是： 1)在草原猛禽系统中，个性作为影响竞争能力的因素的作用，以及这如何影响二级和三级栖息地选择； 2)开发从空间移动数据中识别独特行为(觅食、筑巢防御)的方法，目的是确定竞争如何影响觅食； 3)了解在食物可获得性高或低的地区，以及有或没有竞争对手的地区，觅食和对巢的警惕之间的权衡； 4)建立在过去工作的基础上，提供鸟类何时避开或选择栖息地边缘的一般模型。正在应用新技术来提高我们对大量北方物种的空间利用和鸟类丰度的理解，目的是评估区域密度、个性和食物变化如何影响边缘效应； 5)评估空间尺度和抽样努力作为影响二阶和三阶选择行为是否准确预测总体水平反应的因素的作用。 HQP是我研究计划的核心。在过去的6年里，我为200名HQP提供了机会。我预计，在下一个周期，将有类似数量的学生接受培训。我的项目的成功依赖于开发一个强有力协调的合作学生项目系统，这些项目单独是独特的，但当整合时，提供更多机会来揭示行为、人口、保护和景观生态之间的基本联系。正如我的出版记录和过去学生的就业能力所证明的那样，这种方法培养了在应用和理论生态方面都有能力的全面发展的个人。DG项目提供了关键的资金，使我的学生能够将他们的应用工作扩展到基本的趋势和状态信息之外，以测试关于生态学理论和驱动不同空间尺度上鸟类多样性格局的过程的具体假设。

Variation in behaviour among individuals in different situations is crucial to understanding population ecology. Similarly, ignoring the effects of density-dependence and population processes on animal behaviour limits our ability to understand why animals select particular habitat elements. To gain insight into why animals select one habitat element over another requires information on the biotic processes occurring within habitat elements and how this differs across spatial scales. Ecologists have long recognized the connections between optimal foraging, Fretwell's behavioural models of ideal habitat selection, and the importance of density-dependence in population ecology. However, empirical tests that demonstrate these connections remain limited. My research program is centered on using empirical tests and computer simulation tools to make these connections, as well as using these theories to improve conservation decision making. In this proposal I focus on: 1) The role of personality as a factor influencing competitive ability and how this influences 2nd and 3rd order habitat selection in a prairie raptor system; 2) Developing ways of identifying unique behaviours (foraging, nest defence) from spatial movement data with the goal of determining how competition influences foraging; 3) Understand the trade-offs between foraging and nest vigilance in areas with high vs low food availability and with and without competitors; 4) Building on a past body of work to provide a general model of when birds avoid or select habitat edges. New technologies are being applied to improve our understanding of space use and bird abundance for a large number of boreal species with the goal of evaluating how regional density, personality, and variation in food influences edge effects; 5) Evaluating the role of spatial scale and sampling effort as factors influencing whether 2nd and 3rd order selection behaviours accurately predict population-level responses. HQP are central to my research program. In the past 6 years I have provided opportunities to ~200 HQP. I foresee similar numbers of students being trained in the next cycle. The success of my program is dependent on developing a strongly-coordinated system of collaborative student projects that individually are unique but when integrated provide greater opportunities to reveal fundamental insights into linkages between behavioural, population, conservation, and landscape ecology. As evidenced by my publication record and the employability of past students, this approach creates well-rounded individuals with competencies in both applied and theoretical ecology. The DG program provides critical funds that allow my students to expand their applied work beyond basic trend and status information to test specific hypotheses about ecological theory and the processes that drive patterns of avian diversity at different spatial scales.