Habitat Selection and Its Importance in Conservation Biology

Abstract

Understanding which habitats are selected by animals, and how they do so, provides fundamental knowledge about how animals satisfy their requirements for survival and reproduction. Several factors, such as population densities, competitors, predators, prey availability, and the spatial distribution of resources may contribute to habitat selection, which depends on the interaction between the characteristics of the habitat and the species’ or individuals’ intrinsic features and previous experience. How and why animals select certain portions or resources of their surroundings, the role of experience in habitat selection, how to study these aspects, and their applications in animal conservation are some of the topics we cover in this chapter. A habitat selection study on the first reintroduced population of giant anteaters (Myrmecophaga tridactyla) in South America is used as a case study to exemplify and discuss some of the concepts and processes described in this chapter.