Utilization of a species occupancy model for management and conservation

Abstract Conserving habitat is increasingly challenging as human populations grow. Remote‐sensing technology has provided a means to delineate species' habitat on large spatial scales. However, by combining habitat delineations with predictions of species' occurrence, habitat models can pr...

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Main Authors: Tiffany M. McFarland, Heather A. Mathewson, Julie E. Groce, Michael L. Morrison, J. Cal Newnam, R. Todd Snelgrove, Kevin L. Skow, Bret A. Collier, R. Neal Wilkins
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2012-09-01
Series:Wildlife Society Bulletin
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/wsb.106
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author Tiffany M. McFarland
Heather A. Mathewson
Julie E. Groce
Michael L. Morrison
J. Cal Newnam
R. Todd Snelgrove
Kevin L. Skow
Bret A. Collier
R. Neal Wilkins
author_facet Tiffany M. McFarland
Heather A. Mathewson
Julie E. Groce
Michael L. Morrison
J. Cal Newnam
R. Todd Snelgrove
Kevin L. Skow
Bret A. Collier
R. Neal Wilkins
author_sort Tiffany M. McFarland
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Conserving habitat is increasingly challenging as human populations grow. Remote‐sensing technology has provided a means to delineate species' habitat on large spatial scales. However, by combining habitat delineations with predictions of species' occurrence, habitat models can provide additional utility applications for conservation by allowing us to forecast how changing environmental and landscape conditions affect species' occurrence and distribution. We demonstrate how a spatially explicit habitat occupancy model for the golden‐cheeked warbler (Setophaga chrysoparia) can be used as an impact assessment and conservation planning tool. We used predictions of patch‐level occupancy rates and created several scenarios that simulated the removal or protection of warbler habitats. Resulting changes to habitat structure and availability were used to assess the resulting impacts of removal or protection on the occurrence probability for remaining habitat patches. By recalculating occupancy based on changes to habitat, our approach provides the ability to assess and compare impacts of location and orientation of development so that the least harmful option relative to predicted occurrence can be chosen. Potential applications of our modeling approach are many because our methods provide a useful tool for identifying potential impacts and assisting with mitigation efforts focused on the conservation and management of a species. © 2012 The Wildlife Society.
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spelling doaj-art-ce45c484a3994cd1aa62a5efd90c2bdb2024-12-16T11:30:52ZengWileyWildlife Society Bulletin2328-55402012-09-0136343243910.1002/wsb.106Utilization of a species occupancy model for management and conservationTiffany M. McFarland0Heather A. Mathewson1Julie E. Groce2Michael L. Morrison3J. Cal Newnam4R. Todd Snelgrove5Kevin L. Skow6Bret A. Collier7R. Neal Wilkins8Institute of Renewable Natural Resources, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USAInstitute of Renewable Natural Resources, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USAInstitute of Renewable Natural Resources, Texas A&M University, San Antonio, TX 78215, USADepartment of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USATexas Department of Transportation, P.O. Box 15426, Austin, TX 78761, USAInstitute of Renewable Natural Resources, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USAInstitute of Renewable Natural Resources, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USAInstitute of Renewable Natural Resources, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USAInstitute of Renewable Natural Resources, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USAAbstract Conserving habitat is increasingly challenging as human populations grow. Remote‐sensing technology has provided a means to delineate species' habitat on large spatial scales. However, by combining habitat delineations with predictions of species' occurrence, habitat models can provide additional utility applications for conservation by allowing us to forecast how changing environmental and landscape conditions affect species' occurrence and distribution. We demonstrate how a spatially explicit habitat occupancy model for the golden‐cheeked warbler (Setophaga chrysoparia) can be used as an impact assessment and conservation planning tool. We used predictions of patch‐level occupancy rates and created several scenarios that simulated the removal or protection of warbler habitats. Resulting changes to habitat structure and availability were used to assess the resulting impacts of removal or protection on the occurrence probability for remaining habitat patches. By recalculating occupancy based on changes to habitat, our approach provides the ability to assess and compare impacts of location and orientation of development so that the least harmful option relative to predicted occurrence can be chosen. Potential applications of our modeling approach are many because our methods provide a useful tool for identifying potential impacts and assisting with mitigation efforts focused on the conservation and management of a species. © 2012 The Wildlife Society.https://doi.org/10.1002/wsb.106conservation planninggolden‐cheeked warblerhabitatlandscape managementmitigationSetophaga chrysoparia
spellingShingle Tiffany M. McFarland
Heather A. Mathewson
Julie E. Groce
Michael L. Morrison
J. Cal Newnam
R. Todd Snelgrove
Kevin L. Skow
Bret A. Collier
R. Neal Wilkins
Utilization of a species occupancy model for management and conservation
Wildlife Society Bulletin
conservation planning
golden‐cheeked warbler
habitat
landscape management
mitigation
Setophaga chrysoparia
title Utilization of a species occupancy model for management and conservation
title_full Utilization of a species occupancy model for management and conservation
title_fullStr Utilization of a species occupancy model for management and conservation
title_full_unstemmed Utilization of a species occupancy model for management and conservation
title_short Utilization of a species occupancy model for management and conservation
title_sort utilization of a species occupancy model for management and conservation
topic conservation planning
golden‐cheeked warbler
habitat
landscape management
mitigation
Setophaga chrysoparia
url https://doi.org/10.1002/wsb.106
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