DOI: 10.5061/dryad.s4mw6m95r
title: Corridor quality affects net movement, size of dispersers, and population growth in experimental microcosms

description: Corridors are expected to increase species dispersal in fragmented
 habitats. However, it remains unclear how the quality of corridors
 influences the dispersal process, and how it interacts with corridor
 length and width. Here we investigate these factors using a small-scale
 laboratory system where we track the dispersal of the model organism
 Collembola Folsomia candida. Using this system, we study the
 effects of corridor length, width, and quality on the probability of
 dispersal, net movement, body size of dispersers, and the rate of change
 in population size after colonization. We show that corridor quality
 positively affected dispersal probability, net movement, and the rate of
 change in population size in colonised patches. Moreover, corridor quality
 significantly affected the size of dispersers, with only larger
 individuals dispersing through poor quality corridors. The length and
 width of corridors affected both the rate at which populations increased
 in colonised patches and the net number of individuals which dispersed,
 suggesting that these physical properties may be important in maintaining
 the flow of individuals in space. Our results thus suggest that corridor
 quality can have an important role in determining not only the probability
 of dispersal occurs but also the phenotypes of the individuals which
 disperse, with concomitant effects on the net movement of individuals and
 the rate of change in population size in the colonised patches.
description: ##Introduction Data from Li, D., Clements, C.
 F., Shan, I. L., & Memmott, J. (2021). Corridor quality affects
 net movement, size of dispersers, and population growth in experimental
 microcosms. Oecologia, 195(2), 547-556.
 #Structure There are two datasheets - count
 data (i.e. number of individuals) and body size data - collected from our
 "two patches one corridor " Collembola microcosms. 
 **replicate ** -  a unique code for each microcosm
 **patch** - habitat patches, either source, sink (i.e.
 colonization patches), or corridor  **quality** - the
 quality of corridors, either poor or good **length** -
 the length of corridors, either long or short **width**
 - the width of corridors, either wide or narrow
 **date** - the date and time when microcosms are
 sampled **count** - number of individuals
 **bodysize** - the average size of all individuals (mm)
 **food **- food was provided as unstarving.  
 **times **- the times of sampling events , starts from 0, then 1,
 2, 3... **hours** - the hours since the experiment
 start #Treatments There were total 8
 treatment groups, with 10 replicates in each group. It was a fully
 factorial experiment studying the effect of corridor length, width, and
 quality on the number and size of dispersers.  **long ×
 wide × good**: corridors are 14 cm in length and 1 cm in width and
 constructed in good quality  **long × wide × poor**:
 corridor are 14  cm in length and 1 cm in width and constructed in poor
 quality **long × narrow × good**: corridors are 14 cm
 in length and 0.5 cm in width and constructed in good quality 
 **long × narrow × poor**: corridor are 14 cm in length and 0.5 cm
 in width and constructed in poor quality **short × wide
 × good**: corridors are 7 cm in length and 1 cm in width and constructed
 in good quality  **short × wide × poor**: corridor are
 7 cm in length and 1 cm in width and constructed in poor quality
 **short × narrow × good**: corridors are 7 cm in length and 0.5
 cm in width and constructed in good quality  **short ×
 narrow × poor**: corridor are 7 cm in length and 0.5 cm in width and
 constructed in poor quality
description: ##set up details #microcosms
 The microcosms were 3D printed, with two circle habitat patches
 connected with one corridor. The habitat patches were 5 cm in diameter, 2
 cm in height.  #plaster of Paris
 Plaster of Paris (Hobbycraft LTD, UK) was mixed with black dye
 (Blue Lizard Reptiles LTD, UK) to created habitat patches and good quality
 corridors.  #organisms The
 microcosms were inoculated with soil Collembola Folsomia candida to the
 source patches at the beginning of the experiment (i.e. hours =
 0)