Assessing the ability of novel ecosystems to support animal wildlife through analysis of diurnal raptor territoriality.

ABSTRACT: Novel ecosystems have emerged through human intervention and are rapidly expanding around the world. Whether they can support animal wildlife has generated considerable controversy. Here we developed a new approach to evaluate the ability of a novel forest ecosystem, dominated by the exotic tree species Eucalyptus globulus, to support animal wildlife in the medium and long term. To evaluate this ability, we took advantage of the fact that species territory size decreases with increasing habitat quality, and we used territoriality of a raptor guild composed of Northern Goshawk (Accipiter gentilis), Eurasian Sparrowhawk (A. nisus) and Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo) as indicator. We compared the territoriality of these species in the novel ecosystem with that in other ecosystems found in the li

SUBMITTER: Martinez-Hesterkamp S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6191124 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature