Influence of landscape pattern on wildlife population structure
Spatial patterns in landscape structure can shape animal dispersal and gene flow, and can have important conservation implications. My research has explored the role of landscape structure in shaping the transient and settlement stages of dispersal of American marten, and mechanisms, such as social behaviour, that might drive the relationships we observe between landscape and population structure. I have also contributed to research assessing the genetic structure of an expanding populations of fishers (Pekania pennanti) in eastern North America, the population genetic structure of a reintroduced population of American marten (Martes americana) in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, USA, the genetic structure of Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis) across its distribution in North America, and the role of climate in shaping the population genetic structure of Canada lynx.
The role of landscape structure on the transient phase of American marten dispersal
Landscape heterogeneity can influence animal dispersal by causing a directional bias in dispersal rate, as certain landscape configurations might promote, impede, or prevent movement and gene flow. American martens are considered specialists of late-seral coniferous forests. We assessed marten gene flow to test the hypothesis that forest management has maintained landscape connectivity for martens in the managed forests of Ontario, Canada. We found that marten gene flow was best described by isolation by Euclidean distance, suggesting that managed forests in Ontario are well connected for marten and neither impede nor promote marten gene flow at the provincial scale.
The role of landscape structure on the emigration and settlement phases of American marten dispersal
At-site environmental conditions can have strong influences on genetic connectivity, and in particular on the immigration and settlement phases of dispersal. We used the nodes of a genetic network to describe the influence of at-site habitat characteristics on genetic connectivity of American martens in Ontario, Canada. We found that highly connected nodes had high habitat quality for marten (deep snow and high proportions of coniferous and mature forest) and were farther from the range edge, suggesting that the emigration and settlement phases of marten dispersal are driven by landscape characteristics.
Does landscape connectivity shape local and global social network structure in white-tailed deer?
While much research has focused on how characteristics of individuals influence their roles in social networks, we were interested in the role that landscape structure plays in animal sociality at both individual (local) and population (global) levels. We used female white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in Illinois, USA, to investigate the potential effect of landscape on social network structure by weighting the edges of seasonal social networks with association rate. Our work advances the general understanding of animal social networks, demonstrating how landscape features can underlie differences in social behavior both within and among wildlife social networks. Our findings also have implications for the role of landscape structure on the spread of infectious disease.
Publications
Koen EL, MI Tosa, CK Nielsen, and EM Schauber. 2017. Does landscape connectivity shape local and global social network structure in white-tailed deer? PLoS ONE 12(3): e0173570. Link
Howell PE, EL Koen, BW Williams, GJ Roloff, and KT Scribner. 2016. Contiguity of landscape features pose barriers to gene flow among American marten (Martes americana) genetic clusters in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Landscape Ecology 31(5): 1051-1062. Link
Koen EL, J Bowman, and PJ Wilson. 2016. Node-based measures of connectivity in genetic networks. Molecular Ecology Resources 16(1): 69-79. Link
Row JR, PJ Wilson, C Gomez, EL Koen, J Bowman, DH Thornton, and DL Murray. 2014. The subtle role of climate change on population genetic structure in Canada lynx. Global Change Biology 20(7): 2076-2086. Link
Koen EL, J Bowman, CJ Garroway, SC Mills, and PJ Wilson (2012) Landscape resistance and American marten gene flow. Landscape Ecology 27(1): 29-43. Link
Row JR, C Gomez, EL Koen, J Bowman, DL Murray, and PJ Wilson (2012) Dispersal promotes high gene flow among Canada lynx populations across North America. Conservation Genetics 13(5):1259-1268. Link
Carr D, J Bowman, CJ Kyle, SM Tully, EL Koen, J-F Robitaille, and PJ Wilson (2007) Rapid homogenization of multiple sources: Genetic structure of a recolonizing population of fishers. Journal of Wildlife Management 71: 1853-1861. Link
The role of landscape structure on the transient phase of American marten dispersal
Landscape heterogeneity can influence animal dispersal by causing a directional bias in dispersal rate, as certain landscape configurations might promote, impede, or prevent movement and gene flow. American martens are considered specialists of late-seral coniferous forests. We assessed marten gene flow to test the hypothesis that forest management has maintained landscape connectivity for martens in the managed forests of Ontario, Canada. We found that marten gene flow was best described by isolation by Euclidean distance, suggesting that managed forests in Ontario are well connected for marten and neither impede nor promote marten gene flow at the provincial scale.
The role of landscape structure on the emigration and settlement phases of American marten dispersal
At-site environmental conditions can have strong influences on genetic connectivity, and in particular on the immigration and settlement phases of dispersal. We used the nodes of a genetic network to describe the influence of at-site habitat characteristics on genetic connectivity of American martens in Ontario, Canada. We found that highly connected nodes had high habitat quality for marten (deep snow and high proportions of coniferous and mature forest) and were farther from the range edge, suggesting that the emigration and settlement phases of marten dispersal are driven by landscape characteristics.
Does landscape connectivity shape local and global social network structure in white-tailed deer?
While much research has focused on how characteristics of individuals influence their roles in social networks, we were interested in the role that landscape structure plays in animal sociality at both individual (local) and population (global) levels. We used female white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in Illinois, USA, to investigate the potential effect of landscape on social network structure by weighting the edges of seasonal social networks with association rate. Our work advances the general understanding of animal social networks, demonstrating how landscape features can underlie differences in social behavior both within and among wildlife social networks. Our findings also have implications for the role of landscape structure on the spread of infectious disease.
Publications
Koen EL, MI Tosa, CK Nielsen, and EM Schauber. 2017. Does landscape connectivity shape local and global social network structure in white-tailed deer? PLoS ONE 12(3): e0173570. Link
Howell PE, EL Koen, BW Williams, GJ Roloff, and KT Scribner. 2016. Contiguity of landscape features pose barriers to gene flow among American marten (Martes americana) genetic clusters in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Landscape Ecology 31(5): 1051-1062. Link
Koen EL, J Bowman, and PJ Wilson. 2016. Node-based measures of connectivity in genetic networks. Molecular Ecology Resources 16(1): 69-79. Link
Row JR, PJ Wilson, C Gomez, EL Koen, J Bowman, DH Thornton, and DL Murray. 2014. The subtle role of climate change on population genetic structure in Canada lynx. Global Change Biology 20(7): 2076-2086. Link
Koen EL, J Bowman, CJ Garroway, SC Mills, and PJ Wilson (2012) Landscape resistance and American marten gene flow. Landscape Ecology 27(1): 29-43. Link
Row JR, C Gomez, EL Koen, J Bowman, DL Murray, and PJ Wilson (2012) Dispersal promotes high gene flow among Canada lynx populations across North America. Conservation Genetics 13(5):1259-1268. Link
Carr D, J Bowman, CJ Kyle, SM Tully, EL Koen, J-F Robitaille, and PJ Wilson (2007) Rapid homogenization of multiple sources: Genetic structure of a recolonizing population of fishers. Journal of Wildlife Management 71: 1853-1861. Link