FORT scientists develop density-habitat relationships and density distribution maps to guide management of 11 songbird species in the Intermountain West
FORT scientists Nicholas Van Lanen, Adrian Monroe, and Cameron Aldridge recently published population trends and density-habitat associations for 11 songbird species using summertime point count data collected throughout the Intermountain West. These maps can help managers identify areas for protection or where management activities may have undesired effects on species.
Many wildlife populations are declining globally due to environmental changes including habitat loss and fragmentation, a changing climate, and changes in land use and management. As a result, managers tasked with maintaining healthy wildlife populations can benefit from information regarding current population trajectories and likely wildlife response to environmental change.
To address this need, we modeled population trends and density-habitat associations for 11 songbird species (Bewick’s wren, black-throated gray warbler, Brewer’s sparrow, gray flycatcher, gray vireo, green-tailed towhee, juniper titmouse, loggerhead shrike, sagebrush sparrow, sage thrasher, and Townsend’s solitaire) using summertime point count data collected throughout the Intermountain West.
We found regional population changes for 10 species. Cooler and wetter weather was associated with increases in density for five of the study species, while no species increased with warmer and drier conditions. Anthropogenic development is expected to negatively affect six of the 11 species investigated, but may benefit two species. Model results indicate pinyon-juniper removal may increase Brewer’s sparrow, green-tailed towhee, and sage thrasher densities. Conversely, pinyon-juniper removal is expected to reduce Bewick’s wren, black-throated gray warblers, gray flycatcher, and juniper titmouse densities the most.
Our study results highlight the importance of considering effects to non-target species before implementing large-scale habitat manipulations. The predicted density distribution maps (available via the associated data release) can be used by managers to assess the potential for species of interest to be affected by place-based management practices throughout the Intermountain West.
Full citation: Van Lanen, N.J., A.P. Monroe, C.L. Aldridge. 2023. Living on the edge: Predicting songbird response to management and environmental changes at an ecological boundary. Ecology and Evolution. https://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ece3.10648
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Modeling Songbird Density-Habitat Relationships to Predict Population Responses to Environmental Change Within Pinyon-juniper and Sagebrush Ecosystems
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