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Movement patterns of generic walkers in habitat patches: simulations and field studies.

Opps, Sheldon*,1, Arthurs, Michael1, Callaghan, Tara1, Silva, Marina1, 1 University of Prince Edward Island, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada

ABSTRACT- The movement of individuals within forest patches in fragmented landscapes can ultimately influence the survival and distribution of the whole population. We studied the movement patterns of small mammals within forest patches using both computer simulations and field data. In particular, we examined how movement metrics are affected by (1) the variation in habitat complexity; (2) within-patch connectivity (proportion and size of forest gaps); (3) macrohabitat and microhabitat features; and (4) habitat type (edge vs interior). We generated different types of forest patches varying in habitat complexity and within-patch connectivity. We simulated the movement of four generic mammals varying in body size (small vs large), perceptual ability, and habitat preference (specialist vs generalist). Simulation data were compared with movement paths from two small mammal species (Tamias striatus and Peromyscus maniculatus) inhabiting forest patches within an agricultural landscape. We also explored the distributions of different movement metrics to compare the behaviour of the different walkers in terms of their responses to variations in habitat complexity. Depending upon the spatial scale, departures from the correlated random walk model were observed for some animals. Comparisons with the Lévy walk model also revealed differences in space utilization between the four generic small mammals, as well as between T. striatus and P. maniculatus. Transitions in fractal dimension revealed correlations between microhabitat features and movement metrics at small spatial scales, and between macrohabitat variables and movement at large spatial scales. Overall both simulation and field data support the idea that both habitat complexity and behaviour dictate how small mammals move in forest patches.

Key words: Animal movement, Spatial patterns, Simulations, Small Mammals

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