The effects of forest structure on individual and population level: experimental and

geographic information system (GIS) approach

 

Funding: The Academy of Finland

Duration: 1998-2012

Study group:   Dr. Harri Hakkarainen (head of the project)

                                    Univ. of Turku, Dept. of Biology, Section of Ecology,

20014 Turku

                                    e-mail: Harhak at utu.fi

 

            Eric Le Tortorec (Univ. of Turku

             Dr. Petri Suorsa (Univ. of Turku)

            Dr. Jouni Sorvari (Univ. of Turku)

            Dr. Esa Huhta (Finnish Forest Research Institute)

            M. Sc. Ari Nikula (Finnish Forest Research Institute)

            Prof. Markku Kuitunen (Univ. of Jyväskylä)

            Doc. Samuli Helle (Univ. of Turku)  

Backround: During the last decades modern forestry has had a large-scale impact on the structure of forest landscapes. Individuals are harmed by the decrease in the amount and fragmented

spacing of resources required by individuals, when they must move and expand their home ranges. This probably increases the costs of reproduction and physiological stress of individuals.

The problems of habitat fragmentation are fairy well known in community level. Very little is known, however, about the effects of changes in forest landscape structure on viability and breeding

success of individuals, although the response of population arises from responses of individuals.       

 

The aim of the project: Our aim is to study whether changes in forest structure have effects on individuals´ reproductive success, survival, physiological stress, food resources, and morphological

characteristics. In addition, intra- and inter-specific interactions, predation and competition are examined in differently fragmented forest landscapes. We use experimental approach by comparing

individuals which breed in large and small forest patches. We also use geographic information system (GIS) and more detailed vegetation description in the field to study which kind of effects

forest structure (the effects of isolation, patch size, forest composition etc.) has on different species. In this context, we will approach the problem of forest fragmentation by long-term data

on treecreepers and three raptor species. Our results can be applied to solve the problems of ecological forest planning.

 

Study species:            treecreeper (Certhia familiaris)  

                                    Tengmalm’s owl (Aegolius funereus)

                                    goshawk (Accipiter gentilis)

                                    buzzard (Buteo buteo)

bankvole (Clethrionomys glareolus)

                                    ants (Formica sp.)

 

Main interests of the project:           -    forest fragmentation

-      habitat quality

-      breeding success and survival

-      physiological stress

-      intra- and inter-specific interactions

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LIST OF PUBLICATIONS

 Articles in international scientific journals with referee practice

 1) Hakkarainen H and Korpimäki E 1991: Reversed sexual size dimorphism in Tengmalm's owl: is small male size adaptive? - Oikos 61: 337-346.

 2) Hakkarainen H, Korpimäki E, Mappes T and Palokangas P 1992: Kestrel hunting behaviour towards solitary and grouped Migrotus agrestis and M. epiroticus - a laboratory experiment. - Ann. Zool. Fennici 29: 279-284.

 3) Hakkarainen H, Korpimäki E, Huhta E and Palokangas P 1993: Delayed maturation in plumage colour: evidence for the female-mimicry hypothesis in the kestrel. - Beh. Ecol. Sociobiol. 33: 247-251.

 4) Hakkarainen H and Korpimäki E 1993: The effect of female body size on clutch volume of Tengmalm's owls Aegolius funereus in varying food conditions. - Ornis Fenn. 70: 189-195.

 5) Hakkarainen H and Korpimäki E 1994: Nest defence of Tengmalm's owls reflects offspring survival prospects under fluctuating food conditions. - Anim. Behav 48: 843-849.

 6) Hakkarainen H and Korpimäki E 1994: Does feeding effort of Tengmalm's owls reflect offspring survival prospects in cyclic food conditions? - Oecologia 97: 209-214.

 7) Hakkarainen H and Korpimäki E 1994: Environmental, parental and adaptive variation in egg size of Tengmalm's owls in varying food conditions. - Oecologia 98: 362-368.

 8) Hakkarainen H and Korpimäki E 1995: Contrasting phenotypic correlations in food provision of male Tengmalm's owls (Aegolius funereus) in a temporally heterogenous environment. - Evol. Ecol. 9: 30-37.

 9) Hakkarainen H, Korpimäki E, Ryssy J and Vikström S 1996: Low heritability in morphological and breeding characters of Tengmalm's owls: the role of cyclic food and laying date? - Evol. Ecol 10: 207-219.

 10) Hakkarainen H and Korpimäki E 1996: Competitive and predatory interactions among raptors: an observation and experimental study. - Ecology 77: 1134-1142.

 11) Hakkarainen H, Korpimäki E, Koivunen V and Kurki S 1997. Boreal owl responses to forest management: a review. - Journal of Raptor Research 31: 125-128.

 12) Hakkarainen H, Huhta E, Lahti K, Lundvall P, Mappes T, Tolonen P and Wiehn J 1996: A test of male mating and hunting success in the kestrel: the advantages of smallness? - Beh. Ecol. Sociobiol. 39: 375-380.

 13) Hakkarainen H, Koivunen V and Korpimäki E 1997: Reproductive success and parental effort of Tengmalm's owls: effects of spatial and temporal variation in habitat quality. - EcoScience 4: 35-42.

 14) Hakkarainen H, Koivunen V, Korpimäki E and Kurki S 1996: Clear-cut areas and breeding success of Tengmalm's owls Aegolius funereus. - Wildlife Biology 2: 253-258.

 15) Korpimäki E and Hakkarainen H 1991: Fluctuating food supply affects the clutch size of Tengmalm's owl, independently of laying date. - Oecologia 85: 543-552.

 16) Korpimäki E, Hakkarainen H and Bennet GF 1993: Blood parasites and reproductive success of Tengmalm's owls: detrimental effects on females but not on males? - Funct. Ecology 7: 420-426.

 17) Viitala J, Hakkarainen H and Ylönen H 1994: Different dispersal in Clethrionomys and Microtus. - Ann. Zool. Fennici 31: 411-415.

 18) Palokangas P, Korpimäki E, Hakkarainen H, Huhta E, Tolonen P and Alatalo RV 1994: Female kestrels gain reproductive success by choosing brightly ornamented males. - Anim. Behav. 47: 443-448.

 19) Korpimäki E, Koivunen V and Hakkarainen H 1996: Microhabitat use and behaviour of voles under weasel and raptor predation risk: predator facilitation? - Beh. Ecol. 7: 30-34.

 20) Koivunen V, Korpimäki E, Hakkarainen H and Norrdahl K 1996: Prey choice of Tengmalm's owl (Aegolius funereus funereus): preference of substandard individuals? - Can. J. Zool. 74: 816-823.

 21) Koivunen V, Korpimäki E and Hakkarainen H 1996: Differential avian predation on sex and size classes of small mammals: doomed surplus or dominant individuals? - Ann. Zool. Fennici 33: 293-301.

 22) Korpimäki E, Koivunen V and Hakkarainen H 1996: Do radio-collars increase the predation risk of small rodents? - Ethol. Ecol. Evol. 8: 377-386.

 23) Huhta E, Hakkarainen H and Lundvall P 1998: Bright colours and predation risk in passerines. - Ornis Fenn. 75: 89-93.

 24) Koivunen V, Korpimäki E and Hakkarainen H 1998: Refuge sites of voles under owl predation risk: priority of dominant individuals? - Beh. Ecol. 9: 231-236.

 25) Hakkarainen H and Korpimäki E 1998: Why do territorial male Tengmalm's owls fail to obtain a mate? - Oecologia 114: 578-582.

 26) Hakkarainen H, Ilmonen P, Koivunen V and Korpimäki E 1998: Blood parasites and nest defense behaviour of Tengmalm's owls. - Oecologia 114: 574-577.

 27) Koivunen V, Korpimäki E and Hakkarainen H 1998: Are mature female voles more susceptible than immatures to avian predation? - Acta Oecol. 19: 389-393.

 28) Korpimäki E and Hakkarainen H 1999: Reproductive effort of Tengmalm's owls under fluctuating food conditions. - Proceedings of the Centre for Reproductive Biology 9: 56-60.

 29) Ilmonen P, Hakkarainen H, Koivunen V, Korpimäki E, Mullie A and Shutler D 1999: Parental effort and blood parasitism in Tengmalm's owl: effects of natural and experimental variation in food abundance. - Oikos 86: 79-86.

 30) Wiebe K, Jönsson K, Wiehn J, Hakkarainen H and Korpimäki E 2000: Hatching synchrony in low vole years: are female Eurasian kestrels energetically constraint? - Ornis Fenn. 77: 1-9.

 31) Hakkarainen H, Ilmonen P, Koivunen V and Korpimäki E 2001: Experimental increase of predation risk induces breeding dispersal of Tengmalm’s owl. – Oecologia 126: 355-359.

 32) Jäntti A, Aho T, Hakkarainen H, Kuitunen M and Suhonen J 2001: Prey depletion by foraging of Eurasian treecreeper, Certhia Familiaris, on tree trunk arthropods. – Oecologia 128: 488-491.

 33) Laaksonen T, Korpimäki E and Hakkarainen H 2002: Interactive effects of parental age and environmental variation on the breeding performance of Tengmalm’s owls. – J. Anim. Ecol. 71: 23-31.

 34) Hakkarainen H, Korpimäki E, Koivunen V and Ydenberg R 2002: Survival of male Tengmalm’s owls under temporally varying food conditions. – Oecologia 131: 83-88.

 35) Hakkarainen H, Yli-Tuomi I, Korpimäki E and Ydenberg R 2002: Provisioning response to manipulation of apparent predation danger by parental pied flycatchers. - Ornis Fenn. 79: 139-144.

 36) Valkama J, Korpimäki E, Holm A and Hakkarainen H 2002. Hatching asynchrony and brood reduction in Tengmalm’s owl Aegolius funereus: the role of temporal and spatial variation in food abundance. – Oecologia 133: 334-341.

 37) Hakkarainen H, Mykrä S, Kurki S, Korpimäki E, Nikula A and Koivunen V 2003. Habitat composition as a determinant of reproductive success of Tengmalm’s owls under fluctuating food conditions. - Oikos 100: 162-171.

 38) Eeva T, Koivunen V and Hakkarainen H 2003. Population densities of forest birds in a heavy metal pollution gradient. -  Avian Science 2: 227-236.

 39) Suorsa P, Huhta E, Nikula A, Nikinmaa M, Jäntti A, Helle H, Hakkarainen H 2003. Forest management is associated with physiological stress in an old-growth forest passerine. – Proc. R. Soc. Lond. B 270: 963-969.

 40) Huhta, E., Jäntti, A., Suorsa, P., Aho, T., Kuitunen, M., Nikula, A. and Hakkarainen, H. 2003. Habitat-related nest predation effect on the breeding success of the Eurasian treecreeper. -  Eco Science 10: 283-288.

 41) Suorsa, P., Helle, H., Huhta, E. Jäntti, A., Nikula, A. and Hakkarainen, H. 2003. Forest fragmentation is associated with primary brood sex ratio in the treecreeper (Certhia familiaris). - Proc. R. Soc. Lond. B. 270: 2215-2222.

 42) Suorsa, P.,  Helle, H., Koivunen, V., Huhta, E., Nikula, A. and Hakkarainen, H 2004. Effects of forest patch size on physiological stress and immunocompetence in an area-sensitive passerine, the Eurasian

treecreeper Certhia familiaris - an experiment. - Proc. R. Soc. Lond. B. 271: 435-440.

 43) Vainio, L., Hakkarainen, H., Rantala, M. and Sorvari, J. 2004. Individual variation in immune function in the ant Formica exsecta: effects of nest site, body size and sex. - Evol. Ecol. 18: 75-84.

 44) Huhta, E., Aho, T., Jäntti, A., Suorsa, P., Kuitunen, M., Nikula, A. and Hakkarainen, H. 2004. Forest fragmentation increases nest predation in the Eurasian treecreeper. - Cons. Biol. 18: 148-155.

 45) Sorvari, J. and Hakkarainen, H. 2004. Clear-cuts increase aggressive behaviour between neighbouring colonies of the wood ant Formica aquilonia. - Anim. Behav. 67: 151-153.

46) Hakkarainen, H., Mykrä, S., Kurki, S., Tornberg, R., Jungell, S. and Nikula, A. 2004. Long-term change in territory occupancy pattern of goshawks (Accipiter gentilis) - EcoScience 11: 399-403.

47) Hakkarainen, H., Mykrä, S., Kurki, S., Tornberg, R. and Jungell, S. 2004. Competitive interactions among raptors in boreal forests - Oecologia 141: 420-424.

48) Suorsa, P., Huhta, E., Jäntti, A., Nikula, A., Helle, H., Kuitunen, M. and Hakkarainen, H. 2004. Tresholds in selection of breeding habitat by the Eurasian treecreeper (Certhia familiaris) - Biological Conservation 121: 443-452.

 49) Laaksonen, T., Hakkarainen, H. and Korpimäki, E. 2004. Lifetime reproduction of a forest-dwelling owl increases with age and area of forests - Proc. R. Soc. Lond. B. (Suppl.) 271: 461-464.

50) Sorvari, J. and Hakkarainen, H. 2005. Deforestation reduces nest mound size and decreases the production of sexual offspring in the wood ant Formica aquilonia. – Ann. Zool. Fenn. 42: 259-267.

51) Sorvari, J., Rantala, L.M., Rantala M.J., Hakkarainen, H. and Eeva, T. 2006. Heavy metal pollution disturbs immune response in wild ant populations. – Env. Pollut. 145: 324-328 .

 

52) Eeva, T., Hakkarainen, H., Laaksonen, T. and Lehikoinen, E. 2006. Environmental pollution has sex-dependent effects on local survival. – Biology Letters 2: 298-300.

 

53) Hakkarainen, H., Huhta, E., Koskela, E., Mappes, T., Soveri, T. and Suorsa, P. 2007. Eimeria – parasites are associated with a lowered mother’s and offspring’ body condition in island and mainland populations

of the bank vole. – Parasitology 134: 23-31

 

54) Sorvari, J. and Hakkarainen, H. 2007. Forest loss and sex ratio in forest-dwelling wood ant Formica aquilonia. – Naturwissenschaften 94: 392-395

 

55) Sorvari, J. and Hakkarianen, H. 2007. The role of food and colony size in sexual offspring production in a social insect: an experiment. – Ecol. Entomology 32: 11-14

 

56) Jäntti, A., Suorsa, P., Hakkarainen, H., Sorvari, J., Huhta, E. and Kuitunen, M. 2007. Within territory abundance of red wood ants is associated with the body condition of nestlings

in the Eurasian treecreeper. – J. Avian Biol. 38: 619-624

 

57) Jäntti, A., Hakkarainen, H., Kuitunen, M. and Suhonen, J. 2007. The importance of landscape structure for nest defence in the Eurasian Treecreeper, Certhia familiaris.. – Ornis Fenn. 84: 145-154.

58) Sorvari, J. and Hakkarainen, H. 2007. Wood ants are wood ants: deforestation causes population declines in the polydomous wood ant Formica aquilonia. - Ecological Entomology 32: 707-711.

 

59) Sorvari, J., Hakkarainen, H. & Rantala, M. J. 2008. Immune defense of ants is associated with changes in habitat characteristics. - Environmental Entomology 37: 51-56.

 

60) Hakkarainen, H., Korpimnäki, E., Laaksonen, T., Nikula, A. and Suorsa, P. 2008. Survival of male Tengmalm’s owls increases with cover of old forest in their territory. – Oecologia 155: 479-486.

 

61) Sorvari, J., Theodora, P., Turillazzi, S., Hakkarainen, H. & Sundström, L. 2008. Food resources, chemical signalling and nest mate recognition in the ant Formica aquilonia. – Behavioral Ecology

     19: 441-447.

 

62) Korpimäki, E., Hakkarainen, H., Laaksonen, T. & Vasko, V. 2008. Responses of owls and Eurasian kestrels to natural and human induced spatio temporal variation. – Scottish Birds 28: 19-27.

63) Mappes, T., Grapputo, A., Hakkarainen, H., Huhta, E., Koskela, E., Saunanen, R. & Suorsa, P. 2008. Island selection on mammalian life-histories: genetic differentiation in offspring size.

BMC Evolutionary Biology  8: 296.

 

64) Eeva, T., Hakkarainen, H., Belskii, E. 2009. Local survival of pied flycatcher males and females in a pollution gradient of a Cu-smelter. - Environmental Pollution 157: 1857-1861.

 

65) Sorvari J. and Hakkarainen, H. 2009. Forest-clear-cutting causes small workers in the polydomous wood ant Formica aguilonia. – Ann. Zool. Fenn. 46: 431-438.

 

66) Korpimäki, E., Hakkarainen, H., Laaksonen, T. and Vasko, V. 2009. Responses of owls and Eurasian kestrels to spatio-temporal variation of their main prey. – Ardea 97: 646-647.

 

67) Suhonen, J, Jokimäki, J., Kaisanlahti-Jokimäki, M-L, Hakkarainen, H., Huhta, E., Inki, K. and Jokinen, S and Suorsa, P. 2009. Urbanization and stability of a bird community in winter

     - EcoScience 16: 502-507.

 

68) Helle, S., Suorsa, P, Huhta, E. and Hakkarainen, H. 2010. Fluctuating feather asymmetry in relation to corticosterone levels is sex-dependent in treecreeper (Certhia familiaris) nestlings.

     - Biology Letters (in press).

 

Articles in book chapters and other international compilation works with referee practice

1) Viitala J, Pusenius J, Ylönen H, Mappes T and Hakkarainen H 1996: Social organization and life-history strategy in microtines.

In: European mammals (eds Mathias, M.L., Santos-Reis, M., Amori, G., Libois, R., Mitchell-Jones, A., Saint-Girons, M.C.), p. 151-159. Lisboa, Portugal

 

2) Korpimäki E, Hakkarainen H, Ilmonen P and Wiehn J 2001: Detrimental effects of blood parasites on parental effort and reproductive success of Tengmalm’s owls (Aegolius funereus) and Eurasian

kestrels (Falco tinnunculus). – Newton, I., Kavanagh, R., Olsen, J. and Taylor, I. (eds.), - Ecology and Conservation of owls, CSIRO Publishing, Collingwood, Australia, pp. 68-73.