We found a match
Your institution may have access to this item. Find your institution then sign in to continue.
- Title
Riparian habitat disturbed by reservoir management does not function as an ecological trap for the Yellow Warbler ( Setophaga petechia).
- Authors
Quinlan, S.P.; Green, D.J.
- Abstract
Ecological traps arise when anthropogenic change creates habitat that appears suitable but when selected reduces the fitness of an individual. We evaluated whether riparian habitat within the drawdown zone of the Arrow Lakes Reservoir, British Columbia, creates an ecological trap for Yellow Warblers ( (L., 1766)) by investigating habitat preferences and the fitness consequences of habitat selection decisions. Preferences were inferred by examining how habitat variables influenced settlement order, and comparing habitat at nest sites and random locations. Males preferred to settle in territories with more riparian shrub and tree cover, higher shrub diversity, and less high canopy cover. Females built nests in taller shrubs surrounded by a greater density of shrub stems. Habitat preferences were positively associated with fitness: nest sites in taller shrubs surrounded by higher shrub-stem densities were more likely to avoid predation and fledge young, whereas territories with more riparian cover, higher shrub diversity, and less high canopy cover had higher annual productivity. We therefore found no evidence that riparian habitat affected by reservoir operations functions as an ecological trap. Current habitat selection decisions may be associated with fitness because Yellow Warblers are adapted to breeding in a heterogeneous environment subject to periodic flooding.
- Subjects
YELLOW warbler; RIPARIAN ecology; RIPARIAN animals; HABITAT selection; RESERVOIR ecology; LAKE management
- Publication
Canadian Journal of Zoology, 2012, Vol 90, Issue 3, p320
- ISSN
0008-4301
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1139/z11-138