Have behavioural ecologists given up on the search for the fundamental niche?
Submitted by editor on 25 November 2014.
Get the paper! Have behavioural ecologists given up on the search for the fundamental niche?
by Manuela Panzacchi
No, not at all. Although, strictly speaking, fundamental niches are inestimable theoretical constructs, they are too important to be forgotten. They are the key to understand species’ present and past distribution, and plasticity to climatic and environmental changes. We approximated the fundamental niche of wild mountain reindeer by modelling individual-based animal movement data across populations. Model predictions allowed for inter-population comparisons in the amount of optimal habitat, and showed the environmental preferences reindeer would exhibit if there were no barriers to movements, thus supporting the development of targeted and cost-efficient tools for conservation and management.
Animated video: Villy the reindeer struggling with barriers
Full article here: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ecog.01075/abstract