Data from: Structural habitat predicts functional dispersal habitat of a large carnivore: how leopards change spots

Natal dispersal promotes inter-population linkage, and is key to spatial distribution of populations. Degradation of suitable landscape structures beyond the specific threshold of an individual's ability to disperse can therefore lead to disruption of functional landscape connectivity and impact metapopulation function. Because it ignores behavioural responses of individuals, structural connectivity is easier to assess than functional connectivity and is often used as a surrogate for landscape connectivity modelling. However using structural resource selection model as surrogate for modelling functional connectivity through dispersal could be erroneous. We tested how well a second order resource selection function (RSF) model (structural connectivity), based on GPS telemetry data from resident adult leopard (Panthera pardus L.), could predict subadult habitat use during dispersal (functional connectivity). We created eight non-exclusive subsets of the subadult data based on differing definitions of dispersal to assess the predictive ability of our adult-based RSF model extrapolated over a broader landscape. Dispersing leopards used habitats in accordance with adult selection patterns, regardless of the definition of dispersal considered. We demonstrate that, for a wide-ranging apex carnivore, functional connectivity through natal dispersal corresponds to structural connectivity as modelled by a second order RSF. Mapping of the adult-based habitat classes provides direct visualisation of the potential linkages between populations, without the need to model paths between a priori starting and destination points. The use of such landscape scale RSFs may provide insight into predicting suitable dispersal habitat peninsulas in human-dominated landscapes where mitigation of human-wildlife conflict should be focused. We recommend the use of second order resource selection functions for landscape conservation planning and propose a similar approach to the conservation of other wide-ranging large carnivore species where landscape-scale resource selection data already exist.出生扩散（natal dispersal）可促进种群间联系，是调控种群空间分布的关键环节。当适宜景观结构的退化突破个体扩散能力的临界阈值时，会破坏功能景观连通性（functional landscape connectivity），进而损害集合种群（metapopulation）的整体功能。由于结构连通性（structural connectivity）忽略了个体的行为响应，其评估难度低于功能景观连通性，因此常被用作景观连通性建模的替代指标。但以结构资源选择模型作为通过扩散实现的功能景观连通性建模的替代指标，可能会引入误差。本研究基于定居成年豹（Panthera pardus L.）的GPS遥测（GPS telemetry）数据构建二阶资源选择函数（second order resource selection function, RSF）模型（对应结构连通性），并检验其能否准确预测扩散期亚成体的生境利用（即功能景观连通性）。我们基于不同的扩散定义，构建了亚成体数据集的8个非排他性子集，以此评估在更大尺度景观上外推的、基于成年个体的RSF模型的预测能力。无论采用何种扩散定义，扩散中的豹均会选择与成年个体偏好一致的生境。本研究证实，对于活动范围广阔的顶级食肉动物（apex carnivore）而言，通过出生扩散实现的功能景观连通性，与二阶RSF模型所表征的结构连通性高度契合。基于成年个体生境类别的制图可直接可视化种群间的潜在联系，无需先验地设定起点与终点并建模其移动路径。这类景观尺度的RSF模型可为预测人类主导景观中的适宜扩散生境半岛提供理论依据，而这类区域正是开展人兽冲突缓解工作的重点所在。我们建议在景观保护规划中采用二阶资源选择函数，并针对已有景观尺度资源选择数据的其他广布大型食肉动物物种，提出了类似的保护研究思路。