White-throated Sparrow Response to Forest Harvesting in North-Central Alberta: Results Not So Clear-Cut?
The use of density to measure a species' responses to habitat change remains prevalent despite warnings that relying on such parameters can be misleading. We evaluated whether density was a useful surrogate of habitat quality for the White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis), an apparent...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Resilience Alliance
2008-06-01
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| Series: | Avian Conservation and Ecology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.ace-eco.org/vol3/iss1/art6/ |
| _version_ | 1797969207404527616 |
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| author | Kevin C. Hannah Fiona K. A. Schmiegelow Kathryn E. H. Aitken |
| author_facet | Kevin C. Hannah Fiona K. A. Schmiegelow Kathryn E. H. Aitken |
| author_sort | Kevin C. Hannah |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The use of density to measure a species' responses to habitat change remains prevalent despite warnings that relying on such parameters can be misleading. We evaluated whether density was a useful surrogate of habitat quality for the White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis), an apparent habitat generalist, in a recently logged landscape near Calling Lake, Alberta, Canada. We detected significant differences in the territory density of birds among three distinct habitat types: interior forest, forest edges, and recent (4- to 6-yr-old) clear-cuts. However, the observed patterns in territory density were not consistent with several indices of habitat quality. We found a consistent and marked gradient for indices such as nesting success (based on a reproductive index), pairing success, and the proportion of territories that successfully fledged young between interior forest sites and clear-cuts. Edge habitats, in which high relative density offset lower reproductive success, represented moderate-quality habitat for this species. Our results suggest that the continued use of density alone, without some measure of habitat quality, is insufficient if not misleading when evaluating response to habitat change. Our results have important implications for understanding the population dynamics of this species, which is often overlooked in population-level studies yet continues to experience long-term population declines over large portions of its breeding range. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T02:57:26Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-850bc27c37504c65be41ba0dec307fc7 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1712-6568 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T02:57:26Z |
| publishDate | 2008-06-01 |
| publisher | Resilience Alliance |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Avian Conservation and Ecology |
| spelling | doaj.art-850bc27c37504c65be41ba0dec307fc72023-01-02T14:38:35ZengResilience AllianceAvian Conservation and Ecology1712-65682008-06-0131610.5751/ACE-00238-030106238White-throated Sparrow Response to Forest Harvesting in North-Central Alberta: Results Not So Clear-Cut?Kevin C. Hannah0Fiona K. A. Schmiegelow1Kathryn E. H. Aitken2Canadian Wildlife ServiceUniversity of AlbertaUniversity of AlbertaThe use of density to measure a species' responses to habitat change remains prevalent despite warnings that relying on such parameters can be misleading. We evaluated whether density was a useful surrogate of habitat quality for the White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis), an apparent habitat generalist, in a recently logged landscape near Calling Lake, Alberta, Canada. We detected significant differences in the territory density of birds among three distinct habitat types: interior forest, forest edges, and recent (4- to 6-yr-old) clear-cuts. However, the observed patterns in territory density were not consistent with several indices of habitat quality. We found a consistent and marked gradient for indices such as nesting success (based on a reproductive index), pairing success, and the proportion of territories that successfully fledged young between interior forest sites and clear-cuts. Edge habitats, in which high relative density offset lower reproductive success, represented moderate-quality habitat for this species. Our results suggest that the continued use of density alone, without some measure of habitat quality, is insufficient if not misleading when evaluating response to habitat change. Our results have important implications for understanding the population dynamics of this species, which is often overlooked in population-level studies yet continues to experience long-term population declines over large portions of its breeding range.http://www.ace-eco.org/vol3/iss1/art6/Albertahabitat qualityforest harvestingreproductive successboreal forestWhite-throated SparrowZonotrichia albicollis |
| spellingShingle | Kevin C. Hannah Fiona K. A. Schmiegelow Kathryn E. H. Aitken White-throated Sparrow Response to Forest Harvesting in North-Central Alberta: Results Not So Clear-Cut? Avian Conservation and Ecology Alberta habitat quality forest harvesting reproductive success boreal forest White-throated Sparrow Zonotrichia albicollis |
| title | White-throated Sparrow Response to Forest Harvesting in North-Central Alberta: Results Not So Clear-Cut? |
| title_full | White-throated Sparrow Response to Forest Harvesting in North-Central Alberta: Results Not So Clear-Cut? |
| title_fullStr | White-throated Sparrow Response to Forest Harvesting in North-Central Alberta: Results Not So Clear-Cut? |
| title_full_unstemmed | White-throated Sparrow Response to Forest Harvesting in North-Central Alberta: Results Not So Clear-Cut? |
| title_short | White-throated Sparrow Response to Forest Harvesting in North-Central Alberta: Results Not So Clear-Cut? |
| title_sort | white throated sparrow response to forest harvesting in north central alberta results not so clear cut |
| topic | Alberta habitat quality forest harvesting reproductive success boreal forest White-throated Sparrow Zonotrichia albicollis |
| url | http://www.ace-eco.org/vol3/iss1/art6/ |
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