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At least 1,351 records · Page 75Linked to original sources
USGS2007

Coastal change-potential assessment of Sleeping Bear Dunes, Indiana Dunes, and Apostle Islands National Lakeshores to lake-level changes

A change-potential index (CPI) was used to map the susceptibility of the shoreline to future lake-level change within Apostle Islands, Indiana Dunes, and Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshores (NL) along Lake Superior and Lake Michigan. The CPI in the Great Lakes setting ranks the following in terms of their physical contribution to lake-level related coastal change: geomorphology, regional coastal slope, rate and direction (i.e., rise and fall) of relative lake-level change, historical shoreline change rates, annual ice cover and mean significant wave height. The rankings for each input variable were combined, and an index value calculated for 1-minute bins covering the parks. The CPI highlights those regions where the physical effects of lake-level and coastal change might be the greatest. This approach combines the coastal system's potential for change with its natural ability to adapt to changing environmental conditions, yielding a quantitative, although relative, measure of the park's natural susceptibility to the effects of lake-level variation. The CPI provides an objective technique for evaluation and long-term planning by scientists and park managers. The CPI is applied to the National Lakeshores of Apostle Islands, Indiana Dunes, and Sleeping Bear Dunes to test this methodology in lake settings. The National Lakeshores in this study consist of sand and gravel beaches, rock outcrops, and dune and glacial bluffs. The areas within these Great Lakes parks that are likely to experience the most lake-levelrelated coastal change are areas of unconsolidated sediment where regional coastal slope is low and wave energy is high.

Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin↗
USGS2012

Water-quality, bed-sediment, and discharge data for the Mississippi River-Gulf Outlet and adjacent waterways, southeastern Louisiana, August 2008 through December 2009

The Mississippi River-Gulf Outlet navigation channel (MRGO) was constructed in the early 1960s to provide a safer and shorter route between the Gulf of Mexico and the Port of New Orleans for deep-draft, ocean-going vessels and to promote the economic development of the Port of New Orleans. In 2006, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers developed a plan to de-authorize the MRGO. The plan called for a rock barrier to be constructed across the MRGO near Bayou La Loutre. In 2008, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Louisiana Coastal Area Science and Technology Program began a study to document the impacts of the rock barrier on water-quality and flow before, during, and after its construction. Water-quality, bed-sediment, and discharge data were collected in the MRGO and adjacent water bodies from August 2008 through December 2009.

Louisiana↗
USGS1979

Preconstruction and postconstruction ground-water levels, Lock and Dam 2, Red River Valley, Louisiana

Proposed construction of a series of locks and dams in the Red River in Louisiana will cause a permanent increase in average river stage. The potentiometric surface of the shallow alluvial aquifer and the water table in the fine-grained material confining the aquifer will be affected. The purpose of this study using digital-modeling techniques, was to predict the average postconstruction potentiometric surface (steady state) and the water table (nonsteady state) so that potential effects of the water-level changes could be evaluated. Plans for lock and dam 2 at mile 87 (kilometer 140) above the mouth of the Red River call for a pool elevation of 58 feet (17.7 meters) and will cause an average increase in river stage of 12.5 feet (3.8 meters). As a result, ground-water levels will be raised 1 foot (0.3 meter) or more within 4 miles (6.4 kilometers) of the river and will be near land surface in low areas. The potentiometric surface may be as much as 1 to 2 feet (0.3 to 0.6 meter) above land surface south of Latanier along Chatlin Lake Canal and south of the Annandale area of Alexandria. The magnitude of ground-water-level fluctuations near the river will be reduced.

Louisiana↗
USGS1979

Preconstruction and postconstruction ground-water levels, Lock and Dam 3, Red River Valley, Louisiana

Proposed construction of a series of locks and dams in the Red River in Louisiana will cause a permanent increase in average river stage. The potentiometric surface of the shallow alluvial aquifer and the water table in the fine-grained material confining the aquifer will be affected. The purpose of this study, using digital-modeling techniques, was to predict the average postconstruction potentiometric surface (steady state) and the water table (nonsteady state) so that potential effects of the water-level changes could be evaluated. Plans for lock and dam 3 at realined mile 111 (kilometer 179) above the mouth of the Red River call for a pool elevation of 87 feet (27 meters) and will cause an average increase in river stage ranging from 21 to 3.5 feet (l.4 to 1.1 meters). As a result, ground-water levels will be raised to near land surface in low areas east of the river from the damsite to Aloha and in a 0.5-mile (0.8-kilometer) strip along the west side extending 9 miles (14 kilometers) above the dam. The potentiometric surface may be above land surface locally near the dam. The magnitude of ground-water-level fluctuations near the river will be reduced to less than half the preconstruction range.

Louisiana↗
USGS1979

Preconstruction and postconstruction ground-water levels, Lock and Dam 4, Red River Valley, Louisiana

Proposed construction of a series of locks and dams in the Red River in Louisiana will cause a permanent increase in average river stage. The potentiometric surface of the shallow alluvial aquifer and the water table in the fine-grained material confining the aquifer will be affected. The purpose of this study, using digital-modeling techniques, was to predict the average postconstruction potentiometric surface (steady state) and the water table (nonsteady state) so that potential effects of the water-level changes could be evaluated. Plans for lock and dam 4 at realined mile 154 (kilometer 250) above the mouth of the Red River call for a pool elevation of 115 feet (35 meters) and will cause an average increase in river stage ranging from 24 to 4.5 feet (7 to 1.4 meters). As a result, ground-water levels will be raised 1 foot (0.3 meter) or more between the Red River and Bayou Pierre from the dam to Coushatta , and below Campti, east of the river. The potentiometric surface may be at or near land surface in low areas between the Red River and Bayou Pierre, and above land surface locally upstream from the dam. The magnitude of ground-water-level fluctuations near the river will be reduced to less than half the present range.

Louisiana↗
USGS1979

Preconstruction and postconstruction ground-water levels, Lock and Dam 5 and 6, Red River Valley, Louisiana

Proposed construction of a series of locks and dams in the Red River in Louisiana will cause a permanent increase in average river stage. The potentiometric surface of the shallow alluvial aquifer and the water table in the fine-grained material confining the aquifer will be affected. The purpose of this study, using digital-modeling techniques, was to predict the average postconstruction potentiometric surface (steady state) and the water table (nonsteady state) so that potential effects of the water-level changes could be evaluated. Plans for lock and dam 5 at mile 243 (kilometer 390) above the mouth of the Red River call for a pool elevation of 145 feet (44 meters) and will cause an average increase in river stage of 23 feet (7.0 meters). As a result, ground-water levels in the pool area will be raised to near land surface in much of the area between the river and Bayou Pierre and as much as 2 miles (3.2 kilometers) east of the river from the dam upstream to realined mile 220 (kilometer 350). Areas of Barksdale Air Force Base where levels are now near land surface would be enlarged and extend downstream along Flat River to near Curtis. The potentiometric surface may be above land surface near Howard, Anderson Island, and Dixie Gardens. (Woodard-USGS)

Louisiana↗
USGS2009

Hydrologic conditions and a firm-yield assessment for J.B. Converse Lake, Mobile County, Alabama, 1991-2006

J.B. Converse (Converse) Lake is the primary source of drinking water for the city of Mobile, Alabama. Concerns regarding the ability of the reservoir to meet current and future water demands during drought conditions have prompted this study. The 1991 through 2006 water years included a drought that occurred during 2000, and drought conditions currently (2007) are affecting the area. To assist officials of the Mobile Area Water and Sewer System in planning for future demands for drinking water in the Mobile metropolitan area, the firm yield for Converse Lake was estimated by the U.S. Geological Survey. The firm yield of Converse Lake was estimated using the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection’s firm-yield-estimator (FYE) model, which recently was refined by the U.S. Geological Survey. The model uses a mass-balance approach to determine the maximum average daily withdrawal rate that can be sustained during a period of record that includes a drought of record. If the reservoir is in contact with an aquifer, the FYE also includes routines that estimate the volume of ground-water and surface-water exchange between the aquifer and the reservoir. The average daily firm yield for Converse Lake was estimated to be 79 million gallons per day using the FYE routine that does not include ground-water exchange between the reservoir and the adjacent aquifer. Observed lake levels and withdrawals during the drought of 2000 indicate that more than 74 million gallons per day of water were withdrawn without complete depletion of reservoir storage. Therefore, it is likely that ground-water exchange with the reservoir may supplement available reservoir storage. If water exchange occurs between the aquifer and the reservoir, an increase in the volume of water available to the reservoir may occur during a drought. To quantify the potential ground-water contribution to reservoir storage, an analytical solution was applied to the FYE simulation of Converse Lake to estimate ground-water exchange between the reservoir and the aquifer. Aquifer properties required by the FYE were estimated by model calibration to observed water levels that occurred during the drought of 2000. When ground-water exchange between the reservoir and adjacent aquifer is included, the average daily firm yield increased to 83 million gallons per day. The estimate of 83 million gallons per day incorporates both total surface-water flow and ground-water exchange components. This analysis indicated that direct ground-water interaction contributes about 5 percent of the firm yield of Converse Lake. However, the average daily firm yield of 83 million gallons per day, based in part on calibrated values for aquifer transmissivity and storage, can be used only as a guideline until these aquifer properties can be defined better by field investigation in the Converse Lake watershed.

Alabama↗
USGS2025

Evaluating elk distribution and conflict under proposed management alternatives at the National Elk Refuge in Jackson, Wyoming

We evaluated measurable attributes describing the current and future distribution of Cervus elaphus canadensis (elk) across a region surrounding Jackson, Wyoming, for five feedground management alternatives proposed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as a revision to the 2007 “Bison and Elk Management Plan” of the National Elk Refuge. A resource selection function evaluated measurable attributes of interest to managers, including elk use of private property and sensitive habitat types at monthly timesteps and varying winter conditions. The study area boundaries were created through an expert elicitation process and consist of the Jackson Elk Herd Unit, Grand Teton National Park, the National Elk Refuge, and the northern third of the Fall Creek Elk Herd Unit. For each of the five alternatives, we distributed monthly elk numbers calculated in a concurrent analysis that simulated chronic wasting disease dynamics in this system for 20 years. Measurable attributes representing potential elk use of (1) private property, (2) cattle properties as an index of Brucella abortus risk, and sensitive habitats consisting of (3) Populus tremuloides Michx. (quaking aspen), (4) Populus angustifolia E. James (narrowleaf cottonwood), and (5) Salix L. (willow) in core winter use areas all closely followed the declines of elk abundance projected by the elk chronic wasting disease model. After 20 years, the continue feeding alternative ranked most favorably in terms of limiting elk days on private property and reducing brucellosis risk from elk to cattle because this alternative concentrated elk on the National Elk Refuge and resulted in the lowest elk population sizes. However, other management alternatives, including increase harvest and reduce feeding, tended to limit elk use of sensitive quaking aspen, narrowleaf cottonwood, and willow habitats during winter (December–April).

Wyoming↗
USGS2025

Evaluating elk distribution and conflict under proposed management alternatives at the National Elk Refuge in Jackson, Wyoming

We evaluated measurable attributes describing the current and future distribution of Cervus elaphus canadensis (elk) across a region surrounding Jackson, Wyoming, for five feedground management alternatives proposed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as a revision to the 2007 “Bison and Elk Management Plan” of the National Elk Refuge. A resource selection function evaluated measurable attributes of interest to managers, including elk use of private property and sensitive habitat types at monthly timesteps and varying winter conditions. The study area boundaries were created through an expert elicitation process and consist of the Jackson Elk Herd Unit, Grand Teton National Park, the National Elk Refuge, and the northern third of the Fall Creek Elk Herd Unit. For each of the five alternatives, we distributed monthly elk numbers calculated in a concurrent analysis that simulated chronic wasting disease dynamics in this system for 20 years. Measurable attributes representing potential elk use of (1) private property, (2) cattle properties as an index of Brucella abortus risk, and sensitive habitats consisting of (3) Populus tremuloides Michx. (quaking aspen), (4) Populus angustifolia E. James (narrowleaf cottonwood), and (5) Salix L. (willow) in core winter use areas all closely followed the declines of elk abundance projected by the elk chronic wasting disease model. After 20 years, the continue feeding alternative ranked most favorably in terms of limiting elk days on private property and reducing brucellosis risk from elk to cattle because this alternative concentrated elk on the National Elk Refuge and resulted in the lowest elk population sizes. However, other management alternatives, including increase harvest and reduce feeding, tended to limit elk use of sensitive quaking aspen, narrowleaf cottonwood, and willow habitats during winter (December–April).

Wyoming↗
USGS1988

Map of bedrock-surface topography in parts of the Paterson and Pompton Plains quadrangles, New Jersey

A seismic-refraction survey was done by the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE), to define the altitudes of the bedrock surface beneath part of a proposed water diversion tunnel to control periodic heavy flooding along parts of the Passaic and Pompton Rivers in northeastern New Jersey. The altitude of the top of the tunnel is planned to be approximately at sea level. The ACOE would like to have a minimum of 40 ft of bedrock above the top of the tunnel for construction and engineering purposes. The results of the study show that the bedrock ranges in altitude from 40 to 140 ft above sea level, and that there is a northeast trending bedrock valley that overlies the proposed tunnel alignment. (USGS)

Water-Resources Investigations Report↗
USGS2020

Use of genetic mark-recapture to estimate breeding site fidelity and philopatry in a threatened sea duck population, Alaska-breeding Steller’s eiders

The Steller’s eider (Polysticta stelleri) is a sea duck that breeds in Arctic tundra regions of Russia and Alaska. The Alaska-breeding population is listed as threatened under the U.S. Endangered Species Act because of a perceived contraction of their breeding range in North America. Understanding demographic rates of the listed population is critical for determining and evaluating measures that can lead to an increase in abundance and thus, long-term viability. Specifically, estimates of return rates to breeding areas by adult females and natal areas by juvenile females are needed for planning effective recovery actions. We used a suite of polymorphic loci to genotype individuals and generated genetic profiles of nesting females and female offspring from nest materials collected from 1995 – 2016 in a ~170 km2 study area near Utqiaġvik, Alaska. We analyzed capture histories of genetically-identified individuals to estimate breeding site fidelity, temporary emigration, and natal site fidelity (philopatry). From a sample of 365 nests, we found that breeding site fidelity of adult females was high (0.91, SE 0.07) and temporary emigration also was high (0.77, SE 0.06) and variable across years (range 0.34 – 0.97). From egg shell remains of 124 hatched females, we observed nine recaptures as nesting adults, suggesting that philopatry was also high (range 0.6-1.0). Given the relatively high rates of adult female breeding site fidelity and female philopatry that we estimated, management actions that reduce mortality of adult females and increase annual productivity are likely to help maintain the population of a few hundred breeding Steller’s eiders on the Arctic Coastal Plain of Alaska.

Alaska↗
USGS2022

Are existing modeling tools useful to evaluate outcomes in mangrove restoration and rehabilitation projects? A minireview

Ecosystem modeling is a critical process for understanding complex systems at spatiotemporal scales needed to conserve, manage, and restore ecosystem services (ESs). Although mangrove wetlands are sources of ESs worth billions of dollars, there is a lack of modeling tools. This is reflected in our lack of understanding of mangroves’ functional and structural attributes. Here, we discuss the “state of the art” of mangrove models used in the planning and monitoring of R/R projects during the last 30 years. The main objectives were to characterize the most frequent modeling approach, their spatiotemporal resolution, and their current utility/application in management decisions. We identified 281 studies in six broad model categories: conceptual, agent-based (ABM), process-based (PBM), spatial, statistical, and socioeconomic/management (ScoEco). The most widely used models are spatial and statistical, followed by PBM, ScoEco, and conceptual categories, while the ABMs were the least frequently used. Yet, the application of mangrove models in R/R projects since the early 1990s has been extremely limited, especially in the mechanistic model category. We discuss several approaches to help advance model development and applications, including the targeted allocation of potential revenue from global carbon markets to R/R projects using a multi-model and integrated approach.

Forests↗
USGS1998

Regional characterization of land cover using multiple sources of data

Many organizations require accurate intermediate-scale land-cover information for many applications, including modeling nutrient and pesticide runoff, understanding spatial patterns of biodiversity, land-use planning, and policy development. While many techniques have been successfully used to classify land cover in relatively small regions, there are substantial obstacles in applying these methods to large, multiscene regions. The purpose of this study was to generate and evaluate a large region land-cover classification product using a multiple-layer land-characteristics database approach. To derive land-cover information, mosaicked Landsat thematic mapper (TM) scenes were analyzed in conjunction with digital elevation data (and derived slope, aspect, and shaded relief), population census information, Defense Meteorological Satellite Program city lights data, prior land-use and land-cover data, digital line graph data, and National Wetlands Inventory data. Both leaf-on and leaf-off TM data sets were analyzed. The study area was U.S. Federal Region III, which includes the states of Pennsylvania, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, and West Virginia. The general procedure involved (1) generating mosaics of multiple scenes of leaves-on TM data using histogram equalization methods; (2) clustering mosaics into 100 spectral classes using unsupervised classification; (3) interpreting and labeling spectral classes into approximately 15 land-cover categories (analogous to Anderson Level 1 and 2 classes) using aerial photographs; (4) developing decision-making rules and models using from one to several ancillary data layers to resolve confusion in spectral classes that represented two or more targeted land-cover categories; and (5) incorporating data from other sources (for example, leaf-off TM data and National Wetlands Inventory data) to yield a final land-cover product. Although standard accuracy assessments were not done, a series of consistency checks using available sources of land-cover information were conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of this approach for generating accurate land-cover information for large regions.

Photogrammetric Engineering and Remote Sensing↗
USGS2018

Incorporating an approach to aid river and reservoir fisheries in an altered landscape

Reservoir construction for human-use services alters connected riverine flow patterns and influences fish production. We sampled two pelagic fishes from two rivers and two reservoirs and related seasonal and annual hydrology patterns to the recruitment and growth of each species. River and reservoir populations of Freshwater Drum Aplodinotus grunniens reached similar ages (32 and 31, respectively). Likewise, longevity of Gizzard Shad Dorosoma cepedianum between the two systems was also similar (7 and 8 years, respectively). However, both species grew larger in the rivers compared to reservoir residents. Recruitment of Freshwater Drum in reservoirs was negatively related to water retention time (r2=0.59) suggesting moving water through the reservoir was beneficial. Riverine recruitment of Freshwater Drum populations was negatively related to the annual number of flow reversals and positively related to prespawn discharge (r2 = 0.33). Unlike Freshwater Drum, there was no relationship between flow metrics and Gizzard Shad recruitment in reservoirs. However, recruitment of riverine Gizzard Shad was positively related to high flow pulses during the prespawn and spawning seasons (r2 = 0.48). The growth of both species in reservoirs was positively related to the number of days each year that water levels were above the conservation pool. Growth of Freshwater Drum was also negatively related to minimum reservoir summer water levels (r2 = 0.84). Growth of both Freshwater Drum and Gizzard Shad occupying lotic systems was positively related to May (r2 = 0.86) and July discharge (r2 = 0.84), respectively. In general, growth and recruitment of the reservoir populations was more related to annual water patterns, whereas riverine fishes responded more to seasonal flow patterns. Results of this study provide important information on the relationship between hydrology and pelagic fish production in both rivers and reservoirs. This information is useful if agencies are interested in developing holistic river-reservoir water-allocation plans.

Cooperator Science Series↗
USGS1975

An introduction to the processes, problems, and management of urban lakes

Lakes are bodies of water formed in depressions on the earth's surface, and as such, act as depositories for a variety of chemical and biological materials. The study of lakes has become increasingly prevalent in recent years. Lakes are a valuable resource, and their multiple uses have made them susceptible to water-quality problems such as algal blooms, sediment deposition and fish kills. These problems are products of the eutrophication process (enrichment, aging and extinction of lakes), which is often accelerated by man. Therefore, it becomes important to understand the properties and processes of lakes which govern lake enrichment, and the measures available to control enrichment. Lakes are described in terms of their physical (light penetration, temperature, sediment, and morphology), chemical (chemical constituents, plant nutrients:, and dissolved gases) and biological (plankton, benthos, and nekton) properties. These properties are all interre]ated, and are important variables to measure to evaluate water quality. In addition, lake processes, such as photosynthesis, respiration, eutrophication, and biogeochemical cycling, are important factors in determining the sources and extent of enrichment, and managing a lake for maximum benefit. Meeting demands for water of high quality requires a general knowledge of lake properties and processes, coupled with lake-basin planning, watershed and lake management, and water-quality control. There are many lake-management and control practices, but the best tools for quality control are preventive measures. Once extensive enrichment has occurred, there are few management or control options available. As lake studies become more common, sampling techniques for data collection need increased accuracy and consistency, in order to make meaningful comparisons between different lakes. Therefore, the report discusses the main factors involved in conducting lake studies. These factors include the types and frequency of measurements useful in lake reconnaissance studies and a review of literature on sampling equipment and techniques. A glossary of selected terms begins the report, which is intended for guideline use by urban planners and managers.

Circular↗
USGS1995

K1-95-HW: Cruise report 1995 - Preliminary results, phase III: Sediment chemistry and biological sampling survey

Mamala Bay, off the south shore of the island of Oahu, has been used as a repository of dredged material primarily from Pearl and Honolulu Harbors for over a century. The U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency are conducting an integrated study on the distribution and character of dredged materials as well as the effects of dredged material on the marine environment. A three phase study is providing information to evaluate the effects on seafloor substrate and the benthic fauna. The studies include geophysical profiling and imaging, bottom photography, sampling, chemical and physical analyses of sediment, and evaluations of the benthic population, population density, and adverse impacts to the benthic fauna. Phase 1, conducted in 1993, inventoried the seafloor via remote sensing. Sidescan sonar and subbottom profilers characterized the seafloor in and around the disposal sites, and the resulting products reveal the character and extent of the dredged material. These data were used to plan Phase 2 in 1994, a sampling program that employed subbottom profilers, video and still photography, and seafloor sampling to ground truth the sonar mosaic and identify the seafloor substrates responsible for the various acoustic signatures on the sonar images and subbottom profiles. Box coring provided the samples necessary to distinguish dredged material from native sediment, and for the chemical analyses used to determine contaminant concentrations. Phase 3 studies conducted in June of 1995 consisted of box core sampling for chemical and biological analyses. Specific studies include: infaunal taxonomy and population density, bioassay/bioaccumulation, sediment chemistry, and post-disposal resuspension and transport. The 1995 survey, conducted June 14 through 17, resulted in the collection of 39 box cores from 20 different stations. Multiple box cores were composited at 7 different locations occupied in 1994, to provide the material required for the 7 bioassay and bioaccumulation analyses currently underway (Figure 1). Seventeen of the 20 stations occupied provided the biological samples for the benthic infaunal identification and population density study conducted by Dr. Julie Brock of the University of Hawaii, and the sediment chemistry analyses conducted (and completed) by Quanterra Environmental Laboratories (Figure 1). Seven of the 20 stations occupied in 1995 were occupied in 1994, and provide the data for direct comparison of sediment chemistry at the same sites from two consecutive years. The sum total of the data collected from all three phases of the monitoring program will provide the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency with the information required to make informed decisions as to the management of the South Oahu disposal site in Mamala Bay.

Hawai'i↗
USGS2011

A multi-species framework for landscape conservation planning

 Rapidly changing landscapes have spurred the need for quantitative methods for conservation assessment and planning that encompass large spatial extents. We devised and tested a multispecies framework for conservation planning to complement single-species assessments and ecosystem-level approaches. Our framework consisted of 4 elements: sampling to effectively estimate population parameters, measuring how human activity affects landscapes at multiple scales, analyzing the relation between landscape characteristics and individual species occurrences, and evaluating and comparing the responses of multiple species to landscape modification. We applied the approach to a community of terrestrial birds across 25,000 km 2 with a range of intensities of human development. Human modification of land cover, road density, and other elements of the landscape, measured at multiple spatial extents, had large effects on occupancy of the 67 species studied. Forest composition within 1 km of points had a strong effect on occupancy of many species and a range of negative, intermediate, and positive associations. Road density within 1 km of points, percent evergreen forest within 300 m, and distance from patch edge were also strongly associated with occupancy for many species. We used the occupancy results to group species into 11 guilds that shared patterns of association with landscape characteristics. Our multispecies approach to conservation planning allowed us to quantify the trade-offs of different scenarios of land-cover change in terms of species occupancy.

Conservation Biology↗
USGS2017

Landscape capability models as a tool to predict fine-scale forest bird occupancy and abundance

Context Species-specific models of landscape capability (LC) can inform landscape conservation design. Landscape capability is “the ability of the landscape to provide the environment […] and the local resources […] needed for survival and reproduction […] in sufficient quantity, quality and accessibility to meet the life history requirements of individuals and local populations.” Landscape capability incorporates species’ life histories, ecologies, and distributions to model habitat for current and future landscapes and climates as a proactive strategy for conservation planning. Objectives We tested the ability of a set of LC models to explain variation in point occupancy and abundance for seven bird species representative of spruce-fir, mixed conifer-hardwood, and riparian and wooded wetland macrohabitats. Methods We compiled point count data sets used for biological inventory, species monitoring, and field studies across the northeastern United States to create an independent validation data set. Our validation explicitly accounted for underestimation in validation data using joint distance and time removal sampling. Results Blackpoll warbler ( Setophaga striata ), wood thrush ( Hylocichla mustelina ), and Louisiana ( Parkesia motacilla ) and northern waterthrush ( P. noveboracensis ) models were validated as predicting variation in abundance, although this varied from not biologically meaningful (1%) to strongly meaningful (59%). We verified all seven species models [including ovenbird ( Seiurus aurocapilla ), blackburnian ( Setophaga fusca ) and cerulean warbler ( Setophaga cerulea )], as all were positively related to occupancy data. Conclusions LC models represent a useful tool for conservation planning owing to their predictive ability over a regional extent. As improved remote-sensed data become available, LC layers are updated, which will improve predictions.

Landscape Ecology↗