Incorporating in situ habitat patchiness in site selection models reveals that site fidelity is not always a consequence of animal choice

Using a tractable study system, starfish movements were simulated among rock pools based on empirical data. Data included number of individuals that showed fidelity to a rock pool, distance displaced from rock pools at high tide and low tide, maximum distance moved after 5 days, number of animals that left a rock pool during high tide and direction of departures. 3D maps of test rock pools were created from field images. Random movements of starfish were simulated within those 3d images using the empirical data of starfish movement. The authors showed that site fidelity could be a response of animal site selection or the lack of available habitats within the landscape.