Habitat loss and fragmentation are leading causes of species extinction. The construction of corridors, narrow strips of habitat that connect otherwise isolated patches of the same habitat, is a recognized way to overcome the negative effects of fragmentation. These corridors allow for movement of organisms between populations and provide colonists to habitat patches in which populations have become locally extinct. Although many studies provide strong support for these functions of corridors, many others do not. A key challenge remains, then, to predict which species will be most or least affected by connectivity. This project will develop a predictive framework of connectivity effects on plants. The framework will be widely applicable because it is based on simple life history traits, modes of pollination and seed dispersal - characteristics shared by practically all vascular plants. Six uncommon species of restoration interest will be used to test the predictive framework at two spatial scales: (1) highly controlled and replicated landscapes consisting of 1-ha patches with and without corridors, and (2) one hundred forest stands (tens of hectares) created by operational forestry practices. A second key intellectual contribution will be the incorporation of edge effects into the study of connectivity.
The broader significance of this study is four-fold. First, it will integrate research and education for elementary to graduate students. The project partners with an organization that has a proven track record of introducing children (grades 3-12) from underprivileged backgrounds to hands-on, field-based, environmental lessons at the study site. The project relies heavily on undergraduate interns for data collection and provides many of them with independent research projects. Graduate students will also be trained. Second, the research provides professional mentorship for women and minorities, who will be vigorously recruited to participate in the project. The investigators have a strong track record in this regard. Third, the study represents a unique partnership among academic institutions, the NSF, and the U.S. Forest Service. Finally, results from the study are relevant both to conservation and to management. By explicitly focusing on species of restoration concern to the U.S. Forest Service in a species-rich, and increasingly scarce ecosystem (longleaf pine savannah), the results of this study are likely to be immediately applicable.
