This thesis compared the bird and mammal populations utilizing three multiflora rose hedgerows in Delaware County, Indiana during a one year period.. Results were based on weekly observations and snap-trapping records. Relative abundance and frequency indices were used in comparing populations. Birds were also classified according to their seasonal occurrence on the areas, and activities of birds and mammals were reported.This study showed that the species composition of the areas was similar but that population sizes and degree of species utilization varied as a result of adjacent land use and disturbance rather than the length or volume of the hedgerows.Ball State UniversityMuncie, IN 47306

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Tennessee, Knoxville, 2002. / Title from title page screen (viewed Sept. 4, 2002). Thesis advisor: David Buehler. Document formatted into pages (xiii, 100 p. : ill. (some col.)). Vita. Includes bibliographical references (p. 60-67).

During autumn 1993, the U. S. Forest Service began implementing a program of prescribed surface fire in the Fork Ridge region of Hoosier National Forest. To determine the effects of the prescribed surface fire on ground- and shrub-nesting nearctic migrants, I conducted vegetation structure sampling, bird abundance surveys, and nest searches during the 1996 and 1997 breeding seasons. The prescribed surface fire drastically reduced understory vegetative cover from 0.0 to 2.5 m above ground and the density of live stems < 5.0 cm dbh. Herbaceous cover < 0.5 m tall in the burned site returned to levels similar to the unburned site within 2 years of the burn.Prescribed burning had little effect on overall avian species diversity, but altered the community composition. In 1996, there were 12 species present in the unburned site which were absent in the burned site and 9 species present in the burned site which were absent in the unburned site. In 1997, there were 9 species present in the unburned site which were absent in the burned site and 7 species present in the burned site which were absent in the unburned site. As a guild, ground- and shrub-nesting nearctic migrants and residents were less abundant in the burned site compared to the unburned site. Conversely, species such as Indigo Buntings (Passerina cyanea) and White-breasted Nuthatches (Sitter carolinensis) were more abundant in the burned site.Nests in the burned site had a 25% success rate, whereas nests in the unburned site had a 44% success rate. Nest parasitism did not differ between the burned site (1.2 cowbird eggs/nest) and unburned site (0.9 cowbird eggs/nest). Worm-eating Warblers (Helmitheros vermivorus) were the only ground- and shrunb-nesting nearctic migrant found in the burned site. Worm-eating Warbler nests in the burned site were characterized as having greater understory cover than surrounding burned areas. My results suggest that prescribed surface fires in Fork Ridge may be negatively impacting some ground- and shrub-nesting migrants by altering nesting habitat. / Department of Biology

The black-billed gull (Larus bulleri) is a small gull that nests in dense colonies on gravel-bedded rivers in southern New Zealand. This dissertation describes research undertaken in Southland in 2004-2006 that investigates black-billed gull population decline and its causes. Historical ground counts of nests were calibrated with aerial photography of colonies and population trends analysed. The decline in breeding birds on Southland's four main rivers was equivalent to 6.0%/year (SE 1.8) or 83.6% in 30 years justifying the species' present listing as Endangered. Aerial monitoring is a poor index of the breeding population and major temporal variation was identified in counts. All re-sighted second-year birds exhibited natal dispersal and -70% left the natal catchment. Forty one percent of birds banded as adults also dispersed to other catchments. Breeding dispersal is apparently unrelated to previous breeding success and the availability of the previous year's colony site, and dispersing birds did not move as groups. Southland's black-billed gulls constitute a single inter-mixing population. Black-billed gulls selected sites on islands and banks according to availability, and selected rivers consistent with the number of gravel patches. Site vulnerability to floods varied significantly. Re-use of colony sites was positively influenced by use in previous years, the extraction of gravel, site stability and low weed cover. Widespread introduced weeds on colony sites preventing nesting and may have increased flooding risk. Colony size was related to colony area, which was related to gravel patch size. Investigation of historical changes in breeding habitat availability in Southland indicated a major reduction in gravel habitat on the Lower Oreti River between 1976 and 2002 due to river works including gravel extraction. On the Waiau River, Manapouri Dam construction in 1970 initially increased gravel areas, since reversed in the mid Waiau, and caused a 75% decline in the number of islands. Gravel patch sizes are still declining on the Lower Oreti and possibly the Mid Waiau. Hundreds of gravel patches remain on Southland rivers. Over 5000 nests in 21 colonies were monitored during incubation. Colony nest success was most influenced by colony location, averaging 90.1% (SE 2.1) on islands within rivers, and 66.8% (SE 2.2) on riverbanks, indicating that terrestrial predators exert the greatest influence on productivity. Breeding success, the mean number of fledglings produced per nest by colony, varied between 0 and 0.88 fledglings (mean 0.32, SE 0.08). Both parameters were positively related to colony size. The three smallest colonies failed to breed successfully, suggesting the presence of an Allee effect. Deterministic matrix models were used to investigate population trends using survival and productivity estimates for the closely related Kaikoura red-billed gull (L. novaehollandiae scopulinus). Adult survival, followed by breeding success and survival of first year birds, had the greatest influence on population projections. Improvements in most parameters are probably required to reverse the decline of Southland's black-billed gulls. Predation and disturbance by introduced mammals and the native black-backed gull (L. dominicanus) had the greatest impact on black-billed gull productivity. Most human disturbance is insignificant compared to predator disturbance, but illegal shooting of large numbers of adult gulls has major impacts in smaller sub-populations. Damming and excessive water abstraction reduces island habitat due to lowering of flows. Major climatic events such as droughts, and chemical ingestion through a diet dominated by agricultural invertebrates, are potential major threats about which little is known. Management actions including the collation and analysis of all unpublished black-billed gull count datasets, a thorough test of the accuracy of aerial monitoring, trialling of decoys to attract colonies to nest on islands, predator control at bank colonies, targeted weed control on high quality sites, advocacy and education and further research are recommended.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Mississippi State University. Department of Biological Sciences. / Title from title screen. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Toronto, 1997. / Two chapters co-authored with Kathy Martin. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Tennessee, Knoxville, 2008. / Title from title page screen (viewed on Sept. 23, 2009). Thesis advisor: David A. Buehler. Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M. Sc.)--Memorial University of Newfoundland, 1997. / Bibliography: leaves 44-51.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2005. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 235-285).

Thesis (M.S.)--Evergreen State College, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references: p. 77-99.