Scholarlink

Context <p>Understanding how environmental factors shape species distributions at different spatial scales is crucial for predicting responses to global change. However, most studies conflate factors determining habitat use and range boundaries, lacking a clear distinction between them.</p> Objective <p>This study examines the environmental determinants of a generalist species with a relatively small range, distinguishing factors that shape range boundaries from those affecting habitat use.</p> Methods <p>Using IUCN-assembled brown hyena presence data, we systematically varied the spatial extent of background points to separate variables related to range boundaries and habitat use. We used ensemble species distribution models (SDMs), including climatic, landscape, biogeographic, and anthropogenic variables, to compare different spatial scales. Additionally, we compared our results to traditional SDMs, which randomly distribute background points, depicting geographic distribution in general.</p> Results <p>Our findings indicate that range boundaries and habitat use can be explained by different environmental factors and that the traditionally used SDM approaches can be biased towards one of these scales, depending on the background points distribution. In the case of brown hyenas, range boundaries are mainly defined by climatic factors, while habitat use is influenced by carnivore diversity, prey biomass, and anthropogenic factors. With multiple variables driving habitat use but only a few limiting range, our results suggest that brown hyenas function as habitat generalists but range specialists.</p> Conclusions <p>Our study highlights the importance of study design when making inferences about species distributions at different spatial scales. Our findings challenge traditional classifications of generalist and specialist species, showing that presumed generalists may be habitat generalists but range specialists, like brown hyenas. Our methodological framework can be applied to other species to refine predictions of distributional responses to environmental change at different scales.</p>

错误：搜索内容不能为空，请输入英文关键词
错误：关键词超出字数限制，请精简
高级检索

A tale of scale: different factors influence the range boundaries and habitat use of a generalist mammalian carnivore

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

    开放获取

  • 发表日期：

    2025年11月25日

查看全文
  • Francisca A. S. Virtuoso,
  • Frank van Langevelde,
  • Andrew P. Jacobson,
  • Stephanie M. Dloniak,
  • Florian Weise,
  • Femke Broekhuis

摘要

Context

Understanding how environmental factors shape species distributions at different spatial scales is crucial for predicting responses to global change. However, most studies conflate factors determining habitat use and range boundaries, lacking a clear distinction between them.

Objective

This study examines the environmental determinants of a generalist species with a relatively small range, distinguishing factors that shape range boundaries from those affecting habitat use.

Methods

Using IUCN-assembled brown hyena presence data, we systematically varied the spatial extent of background points to separate variables related to range boundaries and habitat use. We used ensemble species distribution models (SDMs), including climatic, landscape, biogeographic, and anthropogenic variables, to compare different spatial scales. Additionally, we compared our results to traditional SDMs, which randomly distribute background points, depicting geographic distribution in general.

Results

Our findings indicate that range boundaries and habitat use can be explained by different environmental factors and that the traditionally used SDM approaches can be biased towards one of these scales, depending on the background points distribution. In the case of brown hyenas, range boundaries are mainly defined by climatic factors, while habitat use is influenced by carnivore diversity, prey biomass, and anthropogenic factors. With multiple variables driving habitat use but only a few limiting range, our results suggest that brown hyenas function as habitat generalists but range specialists.

Conclusions

Our study highlights the importance of study design when making inferences about species distributions at different spatial scales. Our findings challenge traditional classifications of generalist and specialist species, showing that presumed generalists may be habitat generalists but range specialists, like brown hyenas. Our methodological framework can be applied to other species to refine predictions of distributional responses to environmental change at different scales.