Application of lidar for critical endangered bird species conservation on the island of Kauai, Hawaii

Fricker, Geoffrey A.; Crampton, Lisa H.; Gallerani, Erica M.; Hite, Justin M.; Inman, Richard; Gillespie, Thomas W.

doi:10.1002/ecs2.3554

Cited by 9 publications

(19 citation statements)

References 54 publications

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“…The Maui species models using the full suite of lidar‐derived metrics (elevation, slope, topographic wetness index, canopy density, canopy height, relative height 90, relative height 75, relative height 50, and relative height 25) performed very well with AUC scores >0.945 and low levels of uncertainty with SD values <0.010 (Appendix S1: Table S2). The 100‐m scale performed better for predicting suitable nesting habitat for kiwikiu than the 10‐m scale, in contrast to results obtained for Kaua'i species (Fricker et al, 2021).…”

Section: Resultscontrasting

confidence: 65%

“…Although both 'akikiki and 'akeke'e are rare and somewhat cryptic species, previous field‐based work acquired natural history and habitat information for these species (Behnke et al, 2016). Additionally, much was learned about their habitat preferences with previous fine‐scale modeling in their native range (Fricker et al, 2021). Given this previous work, we know that the fine‐scale vegetation structure models developed here corroborate the known essential biotic and abiotic habitat information necessary to inform translocations.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Consideration of the canopy density values in the area on east Maui with currently suitable climatic conditions reveals that the metrics greatly favor 'akikiki nesting sites with a distribution centered around 75%. Fricker et al (2021) found that 'akeke'e preferred denser canopies with less heterogeneity in canopy height. This is reflected in the distribution of canopy density values of known nesting locations on Kaua'i.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The situation on Kaua'i, the Hawaiian island with the most single‐island endemic avian species, is particularly grave. The eight remaining native forest birds of Kaua'i are currently relegated to the upper elevations of the island in 'ōhi'a ( Metrosideros polymorpha ) dominated forests of the Alaka'i plateau (Fricker et al, 2021). A recent study of honeycreeper vulnerability to avian malaria found that the current climate of the Alaka'i plateau is suitable for both vector and parasite sporogonic development most of the year, indicating several species may have extremely short timelines to extinction (Fortini et al, 2020; Paxton et al, 2016).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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High resolution lidar data shed light on inter‐island translocation of endangered bird species in the Hawaiian Islands

Gallerani,

Burgett,

Vaughn

et al. 2023

Ecological Applications

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Translocation, often a management solution reserved for at-risk species, is a highly time-sensitive intervention in the face of a rapidly changing climate.The definition of abiotic and biotic habitat requirements is essential to the selection of appropriate release sites in novel environments. However, fieldbased approaches to gathering this information are often too time intensive, especially in areas of complex topography where common, coarse-scale climate models lack essential details. We apply a fine-scale remote sensing-based approach to study the 'akikiki (Oreomystis bairdi) and 'akeke'e (Loxops caeruleirostris), Hawaiian honeycreepers endemic to Kaua'i that are experiencing large-scale population declines due to warming-induced spread of invasive disease. We use habitat suitability modeling based on fine-scale light detection and ranging (lidar)-derived habitat structure metrics to refine coarse climate ranges for these species in candidate translocation areas on Maui. We found that canopy density was consistently the most important variable in defining habitat suitability for the two Kaua'i species. Our models also corroborated known habitat preferences and behavioral information for these species that are essential for informing translocation. We estimated a nesting habitat that will persist under future climate conditions on east Maui of 23.43 km 2 for 'akikiki, compared to the current Kaua'i range of 13.09 km 2 . In contrast, the novel nesting range for 'akeke'e in east Maui was smaller than its current range on Kaua'i (26.29 vs. 38.48 km 2 , respectively). We were also able to assess detailed novel competitive interactions at a fine scale using models of three endemic Maui species of conservation concern: ' akohekohe (Palmeria dolei), Any use of trade, firm, or product names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. The findings and conclusions in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

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Section: Resultscontrasting

confidence: 65%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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High resolution lidar data shed light on inter‐island translocation of endangered bird species in the Hawaiian Islands

Gallerani,

Burgett,

Vaughn

et al. 2023

Ecological Applications

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“…The other one is ‘predictive modelling’, which aims to predict unknown values of the biodiversity response variable based on pre‐specified relationships. Predictive SDM is especially useful in supporting conservation decision‐making, such as in selecting protected areas; identifying critical habitats that contain essential features for endangered species conservation; or predicting the impacts of climate or land use change on biodiversity (Araújo et al, 2019; Fricker et al, 2021; Guisan et al, 2013; Morris et al, 2020).…”

Section: Role Of Vegetation Structure In the Distribution Of Speciesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Vegetation structure derived from airborne laser scanning to assess species distribution and habitat suitability: The way forward

Moudrý

Cord

Gábor

et al. 2022

Diversity and Distributions

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Ecosystem structure, especially vertical vegetation structure, is one of the six essential biodiversity variable classes and is an important aspect of habitat heterogeneity, affecting species distributions and diversity by providing shelter, foraging, and nesting sites. Point clouds from airborne laser scanning (ALS) can be used to derive such detailed information on vegetation structure. However, public agencies usually only provide digital elevation models, which do not provide information on vertical vegetation structure.Calculating vertical structure variables from ALS point clouds requires extensive data processing and remote sensing skills that most ecologists do not have. However, such information on vegetation structure is extremely valuable for many analyses of habitat use and species distribution. We here propose 10 variables that should be easily accessible to researchers and stakeholders through national data portals. In addition, we argue for a consistent selection of variables and their systematic testing, which would allow for continuous improvement of such a list to keep it up-to-date with the latest evidence. This initiative is particularly needed not only to advance ecological and biodiversity research by providing valuable open datasets but also to guide potential users in the face of increasing availability of global vegetation structure products.

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Patterns of avian tree usage in the primeval temperate forests of Białowieża National Park

Karpińska,

Kamionka‐Kanclerska,

Czortek

et al. 2024

Ecology and Evolution

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Species distribution and resource utilization are a fundamental aspect of ecology. By analyzing the tree space usage by birds and determining the species composition of birds across different parts of trees, our study could shed light on the mechanisms shaping co‐occurrence patterns in bird communities. Therefore, our study aimed to determine the species composition of birds across different parts of trees. We investigated whether species richness differs between positions on a tree and how these positions influence the probability of occurrence of the 10 most frequently observed bird species. To achieve this, we observed birds within permanent plots in Białowieża National Park (BNP) and analyzed the distribution patterns of birds within six vertical and three horizontal sectors of trees. The compositional dissimilarity between tree sectors was assessed using detrended correspondence analysis. We employed generalized linear mixed‐effects models to examine differences in species richness. The majority of the BNP bird community was associated with the branches, while other birds occupied the tree crown trunks and the understory trunks. Species richness was the highest on branches in the crown part of trees, followed by lower species richness on trunks associated with crowns, and the lowest richness was observed on branches and trunks in the understory. These results indicate that branches in the middle and lower parts of the crown serve as avian diversity hotspots on trees, likely due to the abundance of various food sources. The differing patterns of tree usage by specific bird species may suggest the avoidance of interspecific competition for resources. The study results of tree usage by bird species obtained in the primeval forest provides a reference point for studies conducted in human‐altered woods.

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Application of lidar for critical endangered bird species conservation on the island of Kauai, Hawaii

Cited by 9 publications

References 54 publications

High resolution lidar data shed light on inter‐island translocation of endangered bird species in the Hawaiian Islands

High resolution lidar data shed light on inter‐island translocation of endangered bird species in the Hawaiian Islands

Vegetation structure derived from airborne laser scanning to assess species distribution and habitat suitability: The way forward

Patterns of avian tree usage in the primeval temperate forests of Białowieża National Park

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