Populations across species ranges respond differently to habitat loss and fragment

Abstract

Abstract Context Conservation strategies assume all species populations respond equally to habitat loss, but we investigated sensitivity patterns and tested two hypotheses: 1) equal sensitivity across the range or environmental suitability, and (2) highest sensitivity in range edge populations or at low environmental suitability. We also evaluated if species traits such as dispersal ability, habitat specialization, and range size were associated with sensitivity responses. Methods We studied the Brazilian Atlantic Forest across 179 landscape sites. We used two model types to analyze sensitivity to habitat transformations and performed a PCA and permutational MANOVA framework to link species traits to sensitivity patterns. Results Our study shows that populations within a species' range can have different patterns of sensitivity to habitat transformations. We found four sensitivity patterns, which were not related to species traits. Biogeographic and landscape factors interact to affect population abundances, resulting in antagonistic or synergistic effects. These interactions can change population responses to habitat transformations depending on their range position or environmental suitability. Conclusions The study found different patterns of sensitivity to habitat transformation within species. Conservationists should avoid generalizing species sensitivity without considering range position and environmental suitability. Wildlife managers should protect vulnerable areas along the range edge, especially for species sensitive to habitat transformations. For Atlantic Forest endemic species, the vulnerable areas are in the transition region between the Atlantic Forest and the Cerrado.