![]() There is a growing recognition of the significance of evolutionary thinking for conservation biology (e.g., Ashley et al. Because phenotypic traits are shaped by evolutionary processes, evolutionary history has the potential to affect ecological interactions and, hence, the prosperity of species in rapidly changing environments under human impact (e.g., Purvis et al. Organisms make use of their phenotype (behaviour, morphology, physiology and life-history traits) to deal with their environment (both opportunities and constraints). Such relationships are best understood as interactions because the environment is not only dictating the fate of organisms, but organisms also affect the environment. Perceptual ability may be subject to adaptive change, but it may also constrain organisms from showing adaptive behaviours in rapidly changing environments.Įcology is generally described as the study of the relationships between organisms and the (a)biotic environment. This approach may offer new opportunities for conservation and may help avoid failures with habitat restoration. This behavioural approach takes into account aspects that relate to the perceptual world of organisms. The resource-based habitat concept is a functional habitat model based on resource distributions (consumables and conditions) and individual movements. It states that different organisms live in different perceptual worlds dealing with specific subsamples of the environment as a result of their evolutionary and developmental history. Therefore, the Umwelt-concept from ethology needs to be integrated in the way we think about habitat and habitat selection. Human activity may also interfere with the environmental information used by organisms. Structural habitat units (e.g., land cover types) as perceived by humans may not represent functional habitat units for other organisms. ![]() The way the habitat of a species is considered is an example of typological thinking biased by human perception. However, ecology and conservation studies often work with species-specific, fixed traits that ignore intraspecific variation. There is a growing recognition for the significance of evolutionary thinking in ecology and conservation biology.
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