Spatial Ecology and Conservation of Migratory Shorebirds in the U.S. PDF Download

Author: Laura X. Payne
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 164

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Author: Dr. Mark A. Colwell
Publisher: Univ of California Press
ISBN: 0520947967
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 345

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Shorebirds are model organisms for illustrating the principles of ecology and excellent subjects for research. Their mating systems are as diverse as any avian group, their migrations push the limits of endurance, and their foraging is easily studied in the open habitats of estuaries and freshwater wetlands. This comprehensive text explores the ecology, conservation, and management of these fascinating birds. Beginning chapters examine phylogenetic relationships between shorebirds and other birds, and cover shorebird morphology, anatomy, and physiology. A section on breeding biology looks in detail at their reproductive biology. Because shorebirds spend much of their time away from breeding areas, a substantial section on non-breeding biology covers migration, foraging ecology, and social behavior. The text also covers shorebird demography, population size, and management issues related to habitat, predators, and human disturbances. Throughout, it emphasizes applying scientific knowledge to the conservation of shorebird populations, many of which are unfortunately in decline.

Author: Deborah M. Finch
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Bird populations
Languages : en
Pages : 32

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This report was prepared in support of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation's Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Program and the USDA Forest Service's role in the program. Recent analyses of data on forest-dwelling species, many of which are neotropical migrants, show population declines in many North American areas. The literature review summarizes current information on population trends of neotropical migratory birds and the factors affecting migrant populations on the breeding and wintering grounds. Opportunities for research, monitoring, and conservation of these migrants on Forest Service lands are discussed.

Author: Tong Mu
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Investigating the factors shaping the diversified patterns of habitat use and long-distance movements of migratory species is not only fundamental to understanding the ecology and evolution of migration, but also has direct conservation implications to more effectively preserving globally declining migrant populations. In my dissertation, I used coastal shorebirds as the focal species, and investigated how an ecological understanding in their habitat preferences, habitat quality, as well as migratory movement and migration strategies may inform conservation practices for these rapidly declining species at different scales.In Chapter 1, I quantified the spatiotemporal distribution patterns of local shorebird populations, and found that the upper tidal flats provided more than 70% of the cumulative foraging time for most shorebird populations, disproportionately greater than the size of this stretch of tidal flat. The results could explain why the population decline rates of many shorebird species have far exceeded the overall rate of tidal habitat loss, highlighting the importance of protecting upper tidal flats for the conservation of migratory shorebirds.In Chapter 2, I devised an entirely field-based approach to quantitatively evaluate the quality of a major stopover site for the declining Red Knot. I estimated that the Nanpu tidal flat was operating below, but remarkably close to, its carrying capacity. This approach needs to be applied more broadly to more accurately evaluate how the Red Knot population may respond to changes in habitat quality.In Chapters 3 and 4, I tracked the annual migration of two small shorebird species, Red-necked Stint and Red-necked Phalaropes, using light-level geolocators. Tracking the annual movement of migratory species not only sheds light on the species-specific migration patterns, but also contributes to understanding the factors shaping migration strategies and the vulnerability of these strategies to different anthropogenic threats.Taken together, this dissertation investigated some of the key ecological questions regarding the migration and stopover ecology of migratory, with direct conservation implications in identifying the factors that affect the vulnerability of migratory species to various anthropogenic threats at different scales.

Author: William H.. Schlesinger
Publisher:
ISBN: 9783946729297
Category : Ecology
Languages : en
Pages : 244

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William H. Schlesinger believes that scientists have a duty to translate scientific research for non-specialists and he has a particular talent for doing so. The author of numerous scientific papers and two textbooks, he has also written hundreds of newspaper and magazine pieces, blog entries, and radio scripts that explain complex environmental issues.

Author: John T. Tanacredi
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 0387899596
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 658

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Horseshoe crabs, those mysterious ancient mariners, lured me into the sea as a child along the beaches of New Jersey. Drawn to their shiny domed shells and spiked tails, I could not resist picking them up, turning them over and watching the wondrous mechanical movement of their glistening legs, articulating with one another as smoothly as the inner working of a clock. What was it like to be a horseshoe crab, I wondered? What did they eat? Did they always move around together? Why were some so large and others much smaller? How old were they, anyway? What must it feel like to live underwater? What else was out there, down there, in the cool, green depths that gave rise to such intriguing creatures? The only way to find out, I reasoned, would be to go into the ocean and see for myself, and so I did, and more than 60 years later, I still do.

Author: Thomas E. Martin
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 0195359178
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 506

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Book Description
The apparent decline in numbers among many species of migratory songbirds is a timely subject in conservation biology, particularly for ornithologists, ecologists, and wildlife managers. This book is an attempt to discuss the problem in full scope. It presents an ambitious, comprehensive assessment of the current status of neotropical migratory birds in the U.S., and the methods and strategies used to conserve migrant populations. Each chapter is an essay reviewing and assessing the trend from a different viewpoint, all written by leaders in the fields of ornithology, conservation, and population biology.

Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Estuaries
Languages : en
Pages : 79

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Many migratory shorebirds rely on estuaries as stop-over sites to refuel during migration, and the loss of stop-over sites is a primary threat to shorebird populations on the West Coast of the United States (e.g. Calidris alpina pacifica, C. mauri). Conservation and research has focused on the largest of these sites; however, smaller estuaries also host thousands of migratory shorebirds. Furthermore, the reasons for site selection are largely unknown. Estuarine inter-tidal microhabitats are non-uniform and both abiotic and biotic factors may serve as predictors of whether an abundance of shorebirds will use a site. I investigated shorebird site selection on broad and fine scales within Oregon estuaries. To identify factors that relate to shorebird abundance on large spatial scales, I compiled shorebird abundance data from estuaries throughout the Pacific Northwest as well as data on site quality factors. To investigate site selection on a finer scale I measured shorebird abundance, habitat characteristics, and food resources―invertebrates and a newly considered source, biofilm―within two Oregon estuaries during the fall migration period. Finally, I examined whether channels are preferentially used by foraging Calidrid shorebirds by conducting observations during the spring migration. I investigated whether channels may be superior foraging habitat possibly because prey are more abundant, are found at shallower depths, or because sediments are more penetrable (increasing the opportunity for shorebird probing) by taking infauna cores and measuring force required to probe in the sediment at channel and open mudflat sites. Among estuaries, shorebird densities in spring were best predicted by estuary size, as opposed to the amount of any one habitat. During fall migration, the amount of grassland in the surrounding watershed was also a good predictor, pointing to the probable importance of roost sites as well as feeding grounds. The amount of infauna also related to the density of shorebirds using a site. Within estuaries, shorebird distribution in the inter-tidal region was not generally predicted by prey abundance. Channels were used preferentially by shorebirds, and infauna abundance along channels was greater than in the surrounding mudflats. The more penetrable sediments of the channel also made it easier for shorebirds to probe and capture prey. Identification of these large-scale and fine-scale factors that influence site quality for migratory shorebirds will assist land and wildlife managers' efforts to protect these species.

Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Dissertations, Academic
Languages : en
Pages : 884

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Author: Jonathan Robert Bart
Publisher: Univ of California Press
ISBN: 0520273109
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 320

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"/i/Arctic Shorebirds in North America//i/ represents a study that is one of the remarkable achievements of wildlife fieldcraft, like those done by Aldo Leopold in the 1930s and by the Craighead Brothers in the 1960s. To conduct a study of this scientific caliber in the great expanse and harsh climate of the Arctic makes it one of the great wildlife investigations whose value will only grow with time."--Larry Niles, Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey "It is most timely that Jonathan Bart and Victoria Johnston have gathered information on shorebirds that breed in the Arctic regions of North America. Data on these birds is generated at a wide range of locations by many different individuals and teams, and this book puts it into perspective. It is particularly valuable to have this treatise when so many shorebird species worldwide are in marked decline."--Clive Minton, Australasian Wader Studies Group "When the PRISM program for pan-Arctic shorebird monitoring was introduced, everyone agreed with its laudable aims, but it seemed impractical. How could shorebird biologists with limited time and resources acquire robust data on the size and trend of shorebird populations across the American Arctic? Now, the credibility gap has been bridged. /i/Arctic Shorebirds in North America//i/ presents the rigorous, practical methods that will be the foundation of Arctic shorebird monitoring for years to come. I look forward to Arctic PRISM becoming the keystone of shorebird conservation in the Western Hemisphere."--Humphrey Sitters, editor of /i/Wader Study Group Bulletin//i/