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Presence Does Not Always Signify Survivability in Degraded Forest
The presence of certain species in an area of degraded forest can be misleading in trying to interpet their resiliency
to forest disturbance. In some cases disturbed forest may provide enough resources for a species to exist but not
maintain a positive population growth rate. Their presence in the forest patch (known as a population sink) is
only maintained by continued migration from an adjacent source population in an area of undisturbed or higher quality
forest (known an a population source). Though the behavior and population densities of the two areas may be similar,
the population of the degraded habitat can not be sustained without the source population.
If the high quality habitat is disturbed and there are no other adjacent habitats of suitable quality, both populations
will be lost and the species will become extinct in the area. This is an important consideration for wildlife conservation
through sustainable development schemes. For some species to persist, there must be corridors connecting intact
habitats with secondary forests.
Continued: Extinction
This article was written by Rhett A. Butler [bibliographic citation for this page] and was last updated on the most recent date listed in the column on the right side.
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