How Similar Are Populations On "urban" And "natural" Islands?
Thursday, December 8, 2011 - 10:40
in Biology & Nature
Although human habitats often differ from natural areas in obvious ways, there are sometimes unexpected similarities. For instance, urban "habitat islands"--or patches of suitable habitat separated by barriers such as buildings and roads--are not unlike geological islands separated by water. Among animals living on natural islands, there are usually fairly low levels of dispersal relative to continuous habitats, since it is difficult for many animals to cross water. This can lead to reductions of genetic diversity, since individuals are surrounded by, and forced to mate with, relatives who share similar genes. read more