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Spatial structure and dispersal dynamics in a house sparrow metapopulation
Peter S Ranke1, Yimen G Araya-Ajoy1, Thor Harald Ringsby1
1Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.
The Journal of Animal Ecology
|August 29, 2021
Summary
Dispersal patterns in house sparrows (Passer domesticus) vary between farm and non-farm islands, influenced by distance and local population dynamics. Habitat type significantly shapes metapopulation structure and dispersal strategies.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Metapopulation Dynamics
- Island Biogeography
Background:
- Metapopulation dynamics are shaped by local population processes and dispersal, influenced by spatial structure, isolation, and habitat heterogeneity.
- Understanding these factors is crucial for predicting species persistence in fragmented landscapes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how emigration and immigration of house sparrows (Passer domesticus) in a Norwegian archipelagic metapopulation are affected by spatial and temporal variations in population size, inter-island distance, local demography, and habitat characteristics.
- To compare dispersal dynamics between two distinct habitat types: farm islands and non-farm islands.
Main Methods:
- Empirical study of house sparrow (Passer domesticus) populations across a Norwegian archipelago.
- Analysis of emigration and immigration rates in relation to inter-island distance, population size, recruit production, and habitat type (farm vs. non-farm islands).
Main Results:
- Dispersal was spatially structured, with lower emigration and immigration involving farm islands compared to non-farm islands.
- Emigration and immigration primarily occurred between nearby islands.
- The influence of population size and recruit production on dispersal varied significantly between farm and non-farm islands, indicating differential responses to environmental conditions and spatial variation.
Conclusions:
- Spatial heterogeneity in environmental conditions critically influences how spatial and temporal variations in population size and recruitment affect dispersal dynamics in metapopulations.
- The house sparrow metapopulation exhibits distinct structures: non-farm islands resemble a mainland-island model, while farm islands show characteristics of source-sink or balanced dispersal models.
- Differential dispersal dynamics between habitat types have significant implications for the ecological and evolutionary trajectories of this metapopulation.
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