A5006092027- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
- Animal Ecology and Behavior Studies
- Fire effects on ecosystems
- Species Distribution and Climate Change
- Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies
- Avian ecology and behavior
- Rangeland and Wildlife Management
- Isotope Analysis in Ecology
- Environmental DNA in Biodiversity Studies
- Identification and Quantification in Food
- Animal Vocal Communication and Behavior
- Land Use and Ecosystem Services
- Marine animal studies overview
- Atmospheric and Environmental Gas Dynamics
Sierra Engineering (United States)
2021-2024
CF Industries Holdings (United States)
2022
US Forest Service
2022
University of Wisconsin–Madison
2022
Predator populations are imperiled globally, due in part to changing habitat and trophic interactions. Theoretical laboratory studies suggest that heterogeneous landscapes containing prey refuges acting as source habitats can benefit both predator populations, although the importance of heterogeneity natural systems is uncertain. Here, we tested hypothesis landscape mediates predator-prey interactions between California spotted owl (Strix occidentalis occidentalis)-a mature forest...
Abstract Predators are among the most threatened animal groups globally, with prey declines contributing to their endangerment. However, assessments of habitat conditions that influence successful capture different species rare, especially for small, cryptic predators. Accordingly, predator conservation plans based on relative importance habitats inferred from coarse-scale studies do not consider features hunting success, which can vary species. To address this limitation, we integrated...
Abstract Mountain ecosystems contain strong elevational gradients in climate and vegetation that shape species distributions the structure of animal communities. Nevertheless, studies habitat selection for individual rarely account such often result being managed uniformly across their range, which may not improve conservation as intended. Therefore, we characterized variation nocturnal by 18 GPS‐tagged California spotted owls ( Strix occidentalis ) along a 1400‐m gradient Sierra Nevada,...
Abstract Pesticide use is pervasive and the exposure of non-target wildlife has been well documented over past half-century. Among pesticides, anticoagulant rodenticides (AR) have emerged as a particularly important threat in forests western United States, with mortality reported for several species conservation concern. To further quantify this threat, we collected specimens Barred Owls (Strix varia) Owl x Spotted hybrids from Klamath Cascade Mountains Sierra Nevada California, USA to...
Abstract Aim Landscape and climatic change are promoting range shifts, potentially leading to competition hybridization between formerly isolated species. However, density‐dependent interactions can impede the timely identification of associated conservation problems. The barred owl's expansion into spotted provides a natural experiment test for density dependence in niche overlap early versus late stages biological invasion, thus illuminating an important biogeographical process. Location...
Abstract We evaluated how forest type, vegetation structure in trapping webs, and proximate types influenced localized (~6.35 hectares) abundances for commonly captured small mammals northern California, USA. trapped from May to August of 2011–13 69 patches that represented: (1) clearcuts (3–5 years postharvest), (2) 10–20 year-old conifer plantations, (3) rotation-aged stands, (4) Watercourse Lake Protection Zones. 11 species; four sufficient numbers regression modeling. Our average...
Although the effects of shifting fire regimes on bird populations have been recognized as important to ecology and conservation, consequences for trophic interactions avian species – raptors in particular remain relatively unknown. Here, we found that within national parks with long‐standing (40+ years) management programmes, California Spotted Owls Strix occidentalis consumed predominantly Woodrats Neotoma spp. Pocket Gophers Thomomys spp.; however, contrast our predictions, when their...
Limited information exists on small mammal communities in industrial forests of northern California. Small are important components forest ecosystems and a better understanding relationships to fine-scale habitat features can aid management. We developed overall species-specific models assess the between mammals (64 m2) (i.e., cover shrub, forb, grass, rock, mineral soil, litter, downed wood, trees). also assessed land category. trapped from May August 2011–2013 65 stands using web based...
ABSTRACT Owls play important cultural, ecological, and indicator roles throughout the world. Yet owls’ cryptic behavior has led to uncertainties about their basic ecology, including foraging, communication, functional within community, potentially hindered implementation of effective conservation measures. Here we demonstrate potential for next‐generation GPS tags capable recording high‐precision, minute‐by‐minute locations paired with other technologies resolve some these uncertainties. We...
Fire-adapted species have evolved to exploit resources in heterogenous landscapes that presumably maximize energy acquisition and minimize energetic expenditure. However, limited empirical work exists demonstrating the explicit mechanisms drive such adaptive responses fire across diverse landscapes. The California spotted owl (Strix occidentalis occidentalis) appears benefit from landscape heterogeneity preferentially uses smaller patches of severely burned forest, a behavior has been...
Abstract Context The concepts of habitat fragmentation and heterogeneity are central to the conservation biodiversity; yet understanding when landscapes transition from heterogenous fragmented can challenge in practice. Complex sometimes difficult-to-measure responses species, ultimately biological communities, may reflect outcome life-history trade-offs shaped by different landscape properties. Objectives Here, we tested hypothesis that a mosaic forest stands improved hunting breeding...
Abstract Invasive predators can have detrimental impacts on native species and biological communities through direct consumptive effects indirect trophic interactions. As an invasive, apex predator achieving high densities, barred owls ( Strix varia ) may pose a substantial threat to wildlife in western North American forests. Studies of the ecology their invasive range, however, involved morphological examinations prey remains with limited taxonomic resolution. We conducted DNA...