Population response of a declining songbird to silviculture : how cerulean warbler (Setophaga cerulea) territory size and settlement patterns fare in the face of forest disturbance
Over the past five decades, populations of the Cerulean Warbler (Setophaga cerulea) have declined precipitously and the response of populations to silviculture has been identified as a high-priority research need. This species was studied in nine forest management units in Southern Indiana following...
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2012
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| Online Access: | http://cardinalscholar.bsu.edu/handle/123456789/195886 http://liblink.bsu.edu/uhtbin/catkey/1666985 |
| Summary: | Over the past five decades, populations of the Cerulean Warbler (Setophaga cerulea) have declined precipitously and the response of populations to silviculture has been identified as a high-priority research need. This species was studied in nine forest management units in Southern Indiana following a harvest that took place in 2008. Males were detected, territories were demarcated, and male age-class was determined to identify settlement patterns. Vegetation was measured in all territories and associated random non-use sites. Data analyzed in ArcMap (ArcGIS 10) show that Cerulean Warbler territory size was smallest and density was highest in even-aged units. Territories contained a greater number of small woody species than non-use sites but no vegetative differences existed between male age-classes. Instead, males appeared to select areas by relying on social cues from experienced neighbors. It is possible that “social attraction” management techniques could influence male Cerulean Warbler settlement patterns, providing a valuable tool for the conservation of this species. === Forest management effects on cerulean warbler territory size in southern Indiana -- Conspecific social cues strongly influence cerulean warbler male settlement patterns in a managed forest. === Department of Biology |
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