Managing individual nests promotes population recovery of a top predator
January 9, 2018
- Threatened species are managed using diverse conservation tactics implemented at multiple scales ranging from protecting individuals, to populations, to entire species. Individual protection strives to promote recovery at the population‐ or species‐level, although this is seldom evaluated.
- After decades of widespread declines, bald eagles, Haliaeetus leucocephalus, are recovering throughout their range due to legal protection and pesticide bans. However, like other raptors, their recovery remains threatened by human activities. Bald eagle nests are commonly managed using buffer zones to minimize human disturbance, but the benefits of this practice remain unquantified.
- Within Voyageurs National Park (VNP), Minnesota, USA, managers have monitored bald eagle populations for over 40 years, and since 1991, have protected at‐risk nests from human disturbance using buffer zones (200 and 400 m radius). We aimed to (1) quantify the recovery of bald eagles in VNP (1973–2016), and (2) provide a first‐ever evaluation of the individual‐ and population‐level effects of managing individual nests. To do so, we developed Bayesian Integrated Population Models combining observations of nest occupancy and reproductive output (metrics commonly collected for raptors) to estimate nest‐level probabilities of occupancy, nest success, and high productivity (producing ≥2 nestlings), as well as population‐level estimates of abundance and growth.
- The breeding population of bald eagles at VNP increased steadily from
Citation Information
| Publication Year | 2018 |
|---|---|
| Title | Managing individual nests promotes population recovery of a top predator |
| DOI | 10.1111/1365-2664.13062 |
| Authors | Jennyffer Cruz, Steve Windels, Wayne Thogmartin, Shawn M. Crimmins, Leland Grim, Benjamin Zuckerberg |
| Publication Type | Article |
| Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
| Series Title | Journal of Applied Ecology |
| Index ID | 70195317 |
| Record Source | USGS Publications Warehouse |
| USGS Organization | Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center |
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Wayne E Thogmartin, PhD
Research Ecologist
Research Ecologist
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Shawn Crimmins, PhD
Research Wildlife Biologist
Research Wildlife Biologist
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Related
Wayne E Thogmartin, PhD
Research Ecologist
Research Ecologist
Email
Phone
Shawn Crimmins, PhD
Research Wildlife Biologist
Research Wildlife Biologist
Email