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This research aims to investigate the relationship between spatial covariance and grassland bird community occupancy in fragmented grasslands.

March 14, 2026EcosphereOpen Access

Finding the (small) cores: Spatial covariance tracks grassland bird community occupancy in fragmented grasslands

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Bayesian occupancy models reveal spatial covariance identifies grassland cores, aiding conservation efforts.

This research aims to investigate the relationship between spatial covariance and grassland bird community occupancy in fragmented grasslands.
Employed Bayesian multispecies occupancy models.
Analyzed six grassland bird species’ occupancy probabilities.
Examined spatial covariance at scales of 0.81, 7.29, and 65.61 ha.
Studied tree cover as a predictor of bird occupancy.
Smallest spatial scale (0.81 ha) best predicted bird occupancy.
Grassland bird occupancy declined at tree-grass boundaries.
Occupancy probability for certain bird species increased significantly in grassland cores.
Spatial covariance serves as a strong predictor over tree cover alone.

Berry et al. (2026) studied this question.

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