Serengeti real estate: density vs. fitness-based indicators of lion habitat quality.

Abstract:

:Habitat quality is typically inferred by assuming a direct relationship between consumer density and resource abundance, although it has been suggested that consumer fitness may be a more accurate measure of habitat quality. We examined density vs. fitness-based measures of habitat quality for lions in the Serengeti National Park, Tanzania. A 40-year average of female reproductive success (yearling cubs per female) was best explained by proximity to river confluences, whereas patterns of productivity (yearling cubs per km(2)) and adult female density (individuals per km(2)) were associated with more general measures of habitat quality and areas of shelter in poor habitat. This suggests that density may not accurately distinguish between high-quality 'source' areas and low-quality sites that merely provide refuges for effectively non-reproductive individuals. Our results indicate that density may be a misleading indicator of real estate value, particularly for populations that do not conform to an ideal free distribution.

journal_name

Ecol Lett

journal_title

Ecology letters

authors

Mosser A,Fryxell JM,Eberly L,Packer C

doi

10.1111/j.1461-0248.2009.01359.x

subject

Has Abstract

pub_date

2009-10-01 00:00:00

pages

1050-60

issue

10

eissn

1461-023X

issn

1461-0248

pii

ELE1359

journal_volume

12

pub_type

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