Effects of a forest pathogen on habitat selection and quality for the endangered golden‐cheeked warbler

Stewart, Laura R.; Morrison, Michael L.; Hutchinson, Mark R.; Appel, David N.; Wilkins, R. Neal

doi:10.1002/wsb.386

Cited by 12 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 56 publications

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“…Habitat quality and impacts of various habitat management actions are often assessed by measuring basic demographic measures such as pairing and breeding success using the reproductive index for populations of golden‐cheeked warblers (Klassen et al , Marshall et al , Stewart et al ). Our ability to evaluate habitat quality and recommend management and conservation strategies is reliant on accurate estimates of these measures in available habitat types or under various management scenarios.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluation of a reproductive index for estimating songbird productivity: Case study of the golden-cheeked warbler

2015

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It is critically important to determine and understand relationships between endangered species populations and landscape and habitat features to effectively manage and conserve populations and the habitats they rely on. Several recent studies focused on the golden‐cheeked warbler (Setophaga chrysoparia), an endangered songbird that breeds exclusively in central Texas, USA, have used a reproductive index to link pairing and breeding success to various factors of interest. However, no field test has evaluated the performance of a reproductive index at estimating productivity of golden‐cheeked warblers or similar forest songbirds. We computed reproductive index ranks for 5 observers from multiple plots during 2013 and 2014 and compared these ranks with actual reproductive success determined from territory mapping and nest monitoring of color‐banded adults. At the territory level, we found no significant correlation between 84 matched territories delineated by the reproductive index and territories delineated by intensive monitoring. At the plot level, index monitoring underestimated the total number of territorial males, but density from index monitoring was weakly correlated with actual density. We found no significant relationship for pairing success estimated from the reproductive index and actual pairing success, or with breeding success from the reproductive index with nest survival or actual breeding success, when controlling for observer. The reproductive index did not produce reliable estimates of reproductive performance at either the territory or plot level and we recommend intensive monitoring of color‐banded individuals when absolute estimates of reproductive success rates or other demographic measures are required, such as in species viability or threat assessments. © 2015 The Wildlife Society.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluation of a reproductive index for estimating songbird productivity: Case study of the golden-cheeked warbler

2015

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“…woodlands and forests within central Texas. Warbler habitat is generically described as juniper‐oak woodland, but there is substantial variation within woodland vegetation structure and composition that may affect perceived or realized habitat quality as measured by density or nest (or territory) success (Peak and Thompson , ; Stewart et al ; Reidy et al ; Sesnie et al ). Previous studies focused separately on relationships between vegetation structure or woodland characteristics on warbler occupancy (Magness et al , Farrell et al ), density (Peak and Thompson , Reidy et al , Sesnie et al ), and productivity (Peak and Thompson ), and only one investigated multiple spatial scales with fine‐scale and coarse‐scale vegetation, and terrain data (DeBoer and Diamond ).…”

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confidence: 99%

Density and nest survival of golden‐cheeked warblers: Spatial scale matters

Reidy

Thompson

O'Donnell³

2017

J Wildl Manag

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Conservation and management plans often rely on indicators such as species occupancy or density to define habitat quality, ignoring factors that influence reproductive success, and potentially limiting conservation achievements. We examined relationships between predicted density and nest survival with environmental features at multiple spatial scales for the golden‐cheeked warbler (Setophaga chrysoparia) in a large preserve within an urbanizing landscape. Larger‐scale features of the forest and landscape composition best predicted density, whereas small‐scale vegetation features best predicted nest success. Predicted warbler density was more influenced by vegetation structure at the forest (100‐m) and landscape (1‐km) scales than at the plot (5–11.3‐m) scale. Predicted warbler density increased with greater woodland cover (100‐m), average canopy height (100‐m), and mixed woodland cover (1‐km). Average predicted density derived from distance sampling models fit to count data across 1,506 points surveyed during 2011–2014 was 0.21 males/ha (95% CI = 0.20–0.22). Nest survival (n = 610 nests) was strongly correlated with vegetation and terrain characteristics at the plot scale. Period nest survival decreased 28% and increased 36% and 21% across the range of slope, woody understory, and juniper basal area, respectively. Daily nest survival averaged 0.97 (0.96–0.98) but declined throughout the breeding season and varied annually (2011–2015). We recommend management for a high percentage of closed‐canopy, tall mixed juniper (Juniperus ashei)‐oak (Quercus spp.) woodland at the forest and landscape scales to support high densities of warblers. We also recommend protecting upland woodlands with a well‐developed woody understory and greater basal area of junipers because these characteristics were associated with greater nest success. © 2017 The Wildlife Society.

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“…While mapping warbler territories, we documented behaviors of male and female warblers and used a modified ranking system developed by Vickery et al () and implemented by others to record the reproductive status of each male (e.g., Butcher et al , Lackey et al , Klassen et al , Marshall et al , Stewart et al ). Observations of nests offer more detailed information on reproductive output than Vickery rankings (Reidy et al ), but reproductive indices limit disruption to nesting pairs (Götmark ), which is important for studies involving endangered species.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of road construction noise on golden‐cheeked warblers: An update

et al. 2017

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Previously, we reported results from an impact assessment that examined the effects of road construction noise on habitat selection and productivity of an endangered songbird, the golden‐cheeked warbler (Setophaga chrysoparia; warbler hereafter), in rural Texas, USA. We found no evidence that road construction or traffic noise negatively influenced warbler territory density, territory placement, pairing success, or fledging success during 3 years of road construction activities (2007–2009). In addition, warblers exhibited few acute responses to construction noise played at close range (2008–2009). Herein, we expanded on previous results to include an additional year of construction data (2010) and 3 years of post‐construction data (2011–2013) because birds may exhibit delayed responses to disturbance. We also examined the potential influence of road construction noise and activity on warbler song characteristics because birds may sing at higher minimum frequencies if loud noise masks their communication signals. Similar to previous findings, we found no evidence that road construction or traffic noise negatively influenced warblers in our rural study area. However, noise levels varied little across experimental and control study sites, with increasing distance from the road, or between the construction and post‐construction phases of our study. Warblers may respond negatively to louder noise or other disturbances that accompany construction activities (e.g., vibrations), but our comparisons across study sites, the results of our playback experiment, and data collected during concurrent studies in urban Texas and on military land suggest this is unlikely. © 2017 The Wildlife Society.

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Effects of a forest pathogen on habitat selection and quality for the endangered golden‐cheeked warbler

Cited by 12 publications

References 56 publications

Evaluation of a reproductive index for estimating songbird productivity: Case study of the golden-cheeked warbler

Evaluation of a reproductive index for estimating songbird productivity: Case study of the golden-cheeked warbler

Density and nest survival of golden‐cheeked warblers: Spatial scale matters

Effects of road construction noise on golden‐cheeked warblers: An update

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