Habitat fragmentation affects movement and space use of a specialist folivore, the koala

Abstract

Habitat fragmentation changes landscape patterns and can disrupt many important ecological processes. Movement allows individuals to find resource patches to maintain their fitness and habitat fragmentation can disrupt this process. We explored the ecological impact of habitat fragmentation on movement and space use of a specialist folivore, the koala Phascolarctos cinereus. We GPS tracked koala movements within a fragmented agricultural landscape. We calculated the total distance moved across four months and the number of core patches by each koala. We used four metrics (proximity, functional connectivity, clumpiness, perimeter‐to‐area fractal dimension) to quantify landscape fragmentation within koala home ranges and determine its effects on movement and space use. Functional connectivity had the greatest effect on individual movement and space use. Decreasing connectivity led to longer and more direct movements by koalas and more core patches within an individual home range. Our study provides insight into the effects of habitat fragmentation on animal movement and space use, which can be used by wildlife managers to plan and manage landscapes more effectively. We conclude that restoring or protecting resource patches to promote greater functional connectivity will reduce the costs associated with the isolation of resource patches for species occupying fragmented landscapes. By providing a quantitative relationship between habitat connectivity and movement and space use costs, our results enable managers to set restoration targets, by identifying the most effective way to provide the functional connectivity minimizing the negative impact on focal species.

Effect of disturbances and habitat fragmentation on an arboreal habitat specialist mammal using GPS telemetry: a case of the red panda

“…GPS telemetry has been rarely used in studying the effect of disturbances and habitat fragmentation on arboreal mammals (Rus et al 2020 ). Most of the available studies on responses of arboreal mammals to habitat fragmentation and disturbances are based on sign surveys, e.g.…”

Movement and dispersal of a habitat specialist in human-dominated landscapes: a case study of the red panda

“…Movement of animals through such landscapes is necessary to maintain ecosystem health and viability of local populations and metapopulations [ 3 , 4 ]. An unwillingness to move through modified habitats makes habitat specialists especially vulnerable to human-induced fragmentation and disturbances [ 1 , 3 , 5 ], with implications for foraging, reproduction, and conspecific interactions [ 6 – 9 ]. Movement patterns usually vary across sex and age classes on a temporal scale [ 10 – 12 ].…”

“…Variation in movement trajectory can be considered a proxy for response to risk and disturbances [ 3 , 14 ]. Usually an animal’s movement path is direct, faster and shorter in areas with high risk and disturbance [ 3 , 5 , 14 , 15 ]. Conversely, they follow a tortuous path and slowdown in high quality habitat [ 14 ].…”

“…A recent study on an arboreal specialist folivore, the koala Phascolarctos cinereus , reported adverse effects of habitat fragmentation on movement patterns [ 5 ]. Nevertheless there is a lack of information on how arboreal habitat specialists inhabiting mountain habitat deal with disturbances and habitat fragmentation.…”

Protected Area Downsizing; Challenges and Ecological Implications on Large Mammal and Biodiversity Conservation in Chirisa Safari Area (CSA)

“…Similar cases had been observed in the Manyoni and Gadzi sections where roads had been developed in the excised area along the periphery of CSA. This has an impact on large mammal species movement and ecosystem integrity as a result of habitat fragmentation(Rus et al, 2006).…”