1998/10/22 by Graeme P. Boswell, N. F. Britton, Nigel R. Franks · 5 citations
Agricultural and Biological Sciences · Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · Environmental Science · #Plant and animal studies #Insect and Arachnid Ecology and Behavior #Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies #Habitat fragmentation #Habitat #Habitat destruction #Ecology #Extinction (optical mineralogy) #Keystone species #Fragmentation (computing) #Geography #Landscape connectivity #Population #Rainforest #Biology #Biological dispersal
paper · doi:10.1098/rspb.1998.0521
openalex publication_date 1998/10/22 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/31
Many species survive in specialized habitats. When these habitats are destroyed or fragmented the threat of extinction looms. In this paper, we use percolation theory to consider how an environment may fragment. We then develop a stochastic, spatially explicit, individual–based model to consider the effect of habitat fragmentation on a keystone species (the army ant Eciton burchelli) in a neo tropical rainforest. The results suggest that species may become extinct even in huge reserves before their habitat is fully fragmented; this has important implications for conservation. We show that sustainable forest–harvesting strategies may not be as successful as is currently thought. We also suggest that habitat corridors, once thought of as the saviour for fragmented environments, may have a detrimental effect on population persistence.