Marbled Murrelet nest site selection at three fine spatial scales
We implemented a unique tree-climbing effort to examine nesting-habitat selection of Marbled Murrelets (Brachyramphus marmoratus) in managed forest stands of Washington and Oregon during 1996-1999. Researchers climbed over 3000 trees to search for old and active murrelet nests during the breeding se...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Resilience Alliance
2021-12-01
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| Series: | Avian Conservation and Ecology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.ace-eco.org/vol16/iss2/art4/ |
| _version_ | 1797968267348803584 |
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| author | Thomas E. Hamer Kim Nelson Jay Jones Jake Verschuyl |
| author_facet | Thomas E. Hamer Kim Nelson Jay Jones Jake Verschuyl |
| author_sort | Thomas E. Hamer |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | We implemented a unique tree-climbing effort to examine nesting-habitat selection of Marbled Murrelets (Brachyramphus marmoratus) in managed forest stands of Washington and Oregon during 1996-1999. Researchers climbed over 3000 trees to search for old and active murrelet nests during the breeding season (May-Sept.) in a random sample of stands known to be occupied by murrelets. Within these stands, characteristics of murrelet nest sites and non-nest sites were measured at three fine spatial scales: nest limb or platform, nest tree, and nest-site or forest patch (0.5 ha). We report results of a Bayesian hierarchical logistic regression model using three covariates at each of the three fine spatial scales. All three branch/platform scale covariates positively predicted nest occupancy with higher probabilities of nesting occurring at branches/platforms with higher horizontal cover, larger platform diameters, and higher moss cover. Tree scale characteristics associated with higher probabilities of nesting included higher platform counts and higher moss depth. Effect of tree diameter on probability of nesting was unclear. At the patch scale, lower probability of nesting occurred for stands with higher densities of trees with platforms. This unexpected relationship may be due in part to decreasing likelihood of observing a nest on a given platform when there are more platforms in a patch. Variation in tree size and percent canopy cover at the patch scale showed no clear association with nest selection at the patch scale. The prevalence of nests in Dwarf Mistletoe-infected hemlock trees may have partially obfuscated the effect of tree diameter on probability of encountering a nest in portions of our study area. Fine scale conservation efforts for Marbled Murrelets may include recruiting or retaining trees with larger numbers of platforms, large branches with high percentages of moss cover and horizontal cover, and younger trees with platforms created by Dwarf Mistletoe deformities. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T02:44:09Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-323d3911707a4e90a68526100e913b0d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1712-6568 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T02:44:09Z |
| publishDate | 2021-12-01 |
| publisher | Resilience Alliance |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Avian Conservation and Ecology |
| spelling | doaj.art-323d3911707a4e90a68526100e913b0d2023-01-02T18:14:36ZengResilience AllianceAvian Conservation and Ecology1712-65682021-12-0116241883Marbled Murrelet nest site selection at three fine spatial scalesThomas E. Hamer0Kim Nelson1Jay Jones2Jake Verschuyl3Hamer EnvironmentalOregon State University, Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Corvallis ORWeyerhaeuser Company, Seattle, WANational Council for Air and Stream ImprovementWe implemented a unique tree-climbing effort to examine nesting-habitat selection of Marbled Murrelets (Brachyramphus marmoratus) in managed forest stands of Washington and Oregon during 1996-1999. Researchers climbed over 3000 trees to search for old and active murrelet nests during the breeding season (May-Sept.) in a random sample of stands known to be occupied by murrelets. Within these stands, characteristics of murrelet nest sites and non-nest sites were measured at three fine spatial scales: nest limb or platform, nest tree, and nest-site or forest patch (0.5 ha). We report results of a Bayesian hierarchical logistic regression model using three covariates at each of the three fine spatial scales. All three branch/platform scale covariates positively predicted nest occupancy with higher probabilities of nesting occurring at branches/platforms with higher horizontal cover, larger platform diameters, and higher moss cover. Tree scale characteristics associated with higher probabilities of nesting included higher platform counts and higher moss depth. Effect of tree diameter on probability of nesting was unclear. At the patch scale, lower probability of nesting occurred for stands with higher densities of trees with platforms. This unexpected relationship may be due in part to decreasing likelihood of observing a nest on a given platform when there are more platforms in a patch. Variation in tree size and percent canopy cover at the patch scale showed no clear association with nest selection at the patch scale. The prevalence of nests in Dwarf Mistletoe-infected hemlock trees may have partially obfuscated the effect of tree diameter on probability of encountering a nest in portions of our study area. Fine scale conservation efforts for Marbled Murrelets may include recruiting or retaining trees with larger numbers of platforms, large branches with high percentages of moss cover and horizontal cover, and younger trees with platforms created by Dwarf Mistletoe deformities.https://www.ace-eco.org/vol16/iss2/art4/<span style="font-style: normal">brachyramphus marmoratus</span>forest managementhabitat selectionmarbled murreletnest-site characteristicsnesting ecologyoregontree climbingwashington |
| spellingShingle | Thomas E. Hamer Kim Nelson Jay Jones Jake Verschuyl Marbled Murrelet nest site selection at three fine spatial scales Avian Conservation and Ecology <span style="font-style: normal">brachyramphus marmoratus</span> forest management habitat selection marbled murrelet nest-site characteristics nesting ecology oregon tree climbing washington |
| title | Marbled Murrelet nest site selection at three fine spatial scales |
| title_full | Marbled Murrelet nest site selection at three fine spatial scales |
| title_fullStr | Marbled Murrelet nest site selection at three fine spatial scales |
| title_full_unstemmed | Marbled Murrelet nest site selection at three fine spatial scales |
| title_short | Marbled Murrelet nest site selection at three fine spatial scales |
| title_sort | marbled murrelet nest site selection at three fine spatial scales |
| topic | <span style="font-style: normal">brachyramphus marmoratus</span> forest management habitat selection marbled murrelet nest-site characteristics nesting ecology oregon tree climbing washington |
| url | https://www.ace-eco.org/vol16/iss2/art4/ |
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