Biology subjects

Moorcroft, P. R.

Publications and source records attributed to Moorcroft, P. R..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2022

Remote sensing-based forest modeling reveals positive effects of functional diversity on productivity at local spatial scale

O_LIForest biodiversity is critical for many ecosystem functions and services at plot scale, but it is uncertain how biodiversity influences ecosystem functioning across environmental gradients and contiguous larger areas. We used remote sensing and process-based terrestrial biosphere modeling to explore functional diversity-productivity relationships at multiple scales for a heterogeneous forest site in Switzerland. C_LIO_LIWe ran the biosphere model with empirical data about forest structure and composition derived from ground-based surveys, airborne laser scanning and imaging spectroscopy for the years 2006-2015 at 10x10-m spatial resolution. We then related the model outputs forest productivity to functional diversity under observed and experimental model conditions. C_LIO_LIFunctional diversity increased productivity significantly (p < 0.001) across all simulations at 20x20-m to 30x30-m scale, but at 100x100-m scale positive relationships disappeared under homogeneous soil conditions. C_LIO_LIWhereas local functional diversity was an important driver of productivity, environmental context (especially soil depth, texture and water availability) underpinned the variation of productivity (and functional diversity) at larger spatial scales. Integration of remotely-sensed information on canopy composition and structure into terrestrial biosphere models helps fill the knowledge gap about how plant biodiversity affects carbon cycling and biosphere feedbacks onto climate over large contiguous areas. C_LI

ecology↗

bioRxiv2020

Experimental evidence of memory-based foraging decisions in a large wild mammal

Many animals restrict their movements to a characteristic home range. This pattern of constrained space-use is thought to result from the foraging benefits of memorizing the locations and quality of heterogeneously distributed resources. However, due to the confounding effects of sensory perception, the role of memory in home range movement behavior lacks unequivocal evidence in the wild. Here, we analyze the foraging decisions of a large mammal during a field resource manipulation experiment designed to disentangle the effects of memory and perception. Using a cognitive movement model, we demonstrate that roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) rely on memory, not perception, to track the spatio-temporal dynamics of resources within their home range. Our findings show a memory-based spatial transition model parametrized with experimental data can successfully be used to quantify cognitive processes and to predict how animals respond to resource heterogeneity in space and time.

ecology↗

bioRxiv2019

Movement and space-use responses of a large herbivore to experimental alteration of resource availability

The link between spatio-temporal resource patterns and movement behaviour is a key ecological process, however, limited experimental support has been produced at the home range scale. In this study, we analysed the spatial responses of a resident large herbivore (roe deer Capreolus capreolus) during an in situ manipulation of a concentrated food resource. Specifically, we experimentally altered feeding site accessibility to roe deer and recorded (for 25 animal-years) individual responses by GPS tracking. We found that, following the loss of their preferred resource, roe deer actively tracked resource dynamics leading to more exploratory movements, and larger, spatially-shifted home ranges. Then, we showed, for the first time experimentally, the importance of site fidelity in the maintenance of large mammal home ranges by demonstrating the return of individuals to their familiar, preferred resource despite the presence of alternate, equally-valuable food resources. This behaviour was modulated at the individual level, where roe deer characterised by a high preference for feeding sites exhibited more pronounced behavioural adjustments during the manipulation. Together, our results establish the connections between movement, space-use, individual preference, and the spatio-temporal pattern of resources in home ranging behaviour.

ecology↗