This project had 2 major objectives. The first objective was to assess how well the revised U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Foraging Habitat Guidelines depict good quality habitat for the red-cockaded woodpecker (Picoides borealis) at Camp Lejeune, NC. To accomplish this, I used multiple linear and logistic regression to examine the relationships between fitness, habitat use, home range size, and habitat characteristics described in the guidelines. I assumed that habitat characteristics that confer quality were related to higher fitness, greater habitat use, and reduced home range size. To a large extent, the guidelines are validated. Red-cockaded woodpeckers responded favorably to habitat that mimics the historical, mature, and fire-maintained pine forests of the southeastern U.S., characterized by high densities of large pines, low densities of small and medium pines, and a lush herbaceous groundcover. Variables positively associated with habitat use and fitness were associated with reduced home range size, and those negatively associated with habitat use and fitness with increased home range size. Percent herbaceous groundcover was a significant regressor indicative of quality in every model. The second objective was to assess how well USFWS foraging partitions represent habitat used by red-cockaded woodpeckers. I conducted home range follows of 23 groups of red-cockaded woodpeckers and estimated the percentage of each home range encompassed by partitions of varying radii. The percentage of the actual home range included in the partition increased as a function of partition radius. The standard 800 m circular partition, on average, included 91% of the home range, but significant variation existed between groups. / Master of Science

This dissertation employed a random forest algorithm for Land Use Land Cover (LULC) classification and proposed and tested a modified forest transition framework in the Greater Shawnee National Forest (GSNF), Illinois. Subsequently, a machine learning-based multilayer artificial neural network was used to assess the LULC of the GSNF between 2019 and 2050 utilizing IPCC-based projected climate data. The accuracy of LULC classification was evaluated using Kappa statistics and Producer and User accuracies. The Stepwise Regression, Support Vector Machine, Random Forest, and Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Tradeoffs (InVEST) models were compared to quantify terrestrial carbon stock. Similarly, InVEST, FRAGSTAT, and Maxent models were used for habitat quality analysis and to estimate the probability of bobcat distribution. The terrestrial carbon stock, habitat quality, and bobcat distribution were quantified across three spatial resolutions, 30, 60, and 90 meters, to assess if there were substantial differences in the represented trends of these measures of Ecosystem Services (ES). The LULC analysis showed varying levels of temporal and spatial variabilities with increased deciduous forest (1.35%), mixed forest (26.40%), agricultural land (2.15%), and urbanized areas (6.70%) between 1990 and 2019. Notably, the LULC intensity analysis exhibited stability from 2001 to 2019, consistent with the forest transition framework proposed in the study. However, when integrating temperature and precipitation projections derived from the IPCC, notable changes in forest cover were observed from the western to eastern sectors within the central region of the GSNF. In all IPCC based scenarios, overall forest cover (deciduous, evergreen, and mixed) declined. The classification accuracy of the LULC assessment ranged from 92.9% to 95.9%, accompanied by kappa statistics ranging from 0.89 to 0.94. The prediction accuracy of LULC change was validated for the year 2019, ranging from 77.99% to 84.67%, with kappa statistics between 0.79 and 0.81, depending on the scenario, and predictions were extended to the year 2050. The terrestrial carbon stock in GSNF varied from 15 to 212 MgC per hectare across different models. The RF model performed best at 90 meters resolution with FIA-based data, with RMSE values of 17.45, 18.73, and 20.05, and R-squared values of 0.53, 0.48, and 0.43 for 2001, 2010, and 2019, respectively. The findings indicated that while the InVEST model provides a broad and generalized approach to quantifying carbon storage, the random forest (RF) model is essential for obtaining more accurate and precise estimations. LULC has gradually become more fragmented over time, leading to a decline in average habitat quality from 1990 (0.724±0.215) to 2019 (0.689±0.192). Regardless of increased forest density, the proportion of high-quality habitats (habitat quality score above 0.83) decreased by 5% during the study period. Interestingly, there was a notable increase in the probability score of bobcat distribution from 1990 (0.327±0.123) to 2019 (0.347±0.084). The study revealed a strong correlation between habitat quality and the probability of bobcat distributions, indicating a mutual influence between the two factors. This dissertation suggests that the LULC change of the GSNF follows the forest transition framework and has a significant implication on ecosystem services, such as carbon storage and habitat quality. These results are instrumental for sustainable land management to optimize terrestrial carbon stock and habitat quality, thereby mitigating the impacts of climate change.

Les écosystèmes aquatiques contiennent environ 25% de la biodiversité globale et sont parmi les plus affectés par l’activité humaine. Cela est entre autres causé par la position de « receveur » des rivières, lacs et océans dans leur bassin versant. Les espèces aquatiques, en eau douce particulièrement, sont ainsi hautement à risque d’être affectées par l’activité humaine. La protection de ces espèces peut inclure la protection et la restauration de leurs habitats. Les modèles de qualité d’habitats (MQH) peuvent être utilisés afin de déterminer quels habitats protéger et restaurer. Les MQH définissent la relation entre un indice de qualité d’habitats (IQH, e.g. densité) et des conditions environnementales. Toutefois, la performance des MQH dépend de l’IQH sélectionné. Ici, notre objectif est de comparer des MQH basés sur deux IQH estimés pour des poissons en rivière : 1) la densité instantanée, échantillonnée en transect par plongée en apnée et 2) la densité cumulative, échantillonnée en point fixe par caméra-vidéo en stéréo. Au total, douze modèles ont été construits et nos analyses indiquent que les MQH basés sur la densité instantanée ont des capacités explicatives significativement supérieures. Les variables environnementales retenues pour expliquer la distribution de chaque espèce sont toutefois différentes. Cela semble être causé en partie par des différences inhérentes à l’échantillonnage (e.g. échelle spatiale). Ces résultats démontrent que la densité instantanée en tant qu’IQH produit des MQH aux capacités explicatives supérieures et que les deux IQH semblent donner des informations complémentaires sur les caractéristiques des habitats à protéger et à restaurer. / Aquatic ecosystems contain approximately 25% of the global biodiversity and are among the most affected by human activity. This may be caused by the position of “receivers” rivers, lakes and oceans have in their watershed. Aquatic species, specially in freshwater, are thus at high risk of being affected by human activity. Assuring the survival of these species may include protecting and restoring their habitats. Habitat quality models (HQM) can be used to determine which habitats to protect and how to restore damaged habitats. HQM are relationships between habitat quality indices (HQI, e.g., density) and environmental conditions prevailing in those habitats. However, how well an HQM performs depends on the chosen HQI it is computed with. For this research, we compared HQM based on two HQI estimated for fish in a river : 1) instantaneous density, sampled by transect snorkeling survey and 2) cumulative density, sampled by fixed stereo-video recording. Analyses of twelve HQM show that, contrary to our hypothesis, HQM based on instantaneous density had higher explanatory capacities. However, environmental conditions selected by both types of HQM to explain a species’ distribution were different. This may in part be explained by inherent differences of the sampling methods (e.g., spatial scale). We conclude that instantaneous density as HQI produces HQM of higher explanatory capacities, yet both HQI may provide complementary information on the characteristics of habitats to protect and restore.

This diploma thesis deals with the biodiversity hotspots - high biodiversity areas with a large proportion of endemic species, which also has already lost a significant part of its natural habitat. The historical development of the biodiversity hotspots concept is described, all 34 hotspots is characterized, species diversity and endemism of plants and animals, potential natural vegetation is analysed, as well as threats, anthropogenic impact and conservation considering protected areas, categories I-IV areas of the IUCN protected areas management system, and national parks. A complete digital vector database of national parks was created. Qualitative importance of each hotspot is evaluated using the Myers method and areas of the world with the highest conservation priority are identified. Keywords: biodiversity hotspots, habitat quality, protected areas, national parks

Nesta dissertação investigamos o papel dos mamíferos em cascatas tróficas nas florestas tropicais, e os efeitos da configuração espacial e qualidade do habitat assim como das atividades humanas atuais sobre a distribuição de mamíferos de maior porte em uma paisagem rural de Mata Atlântica. No primeiro capítulo, através de uma revisão da literatura sumarizamos e avaliamos a evidência empírica de que mamíferos estão envolvidos em cascatas tróficas em florestas tropicais com o objetivo de indicar os avanços, os problemas e os desafios nessa área. Poucos estudos empíricos e conceituais foram encontrados na literatura, todos realizados nas últimas três décadas, enquanto que a maioria dos estudos empíricos foi realizada nos Neotrópicos. Grande parte das hipóteses relacionadas a cascatas tróficas foi apenas proposta, e considera o homem como predador de topo. Além da maior parte das variáveis quantificadas não serem adequadas para demonstrar efeitos em cascata, a escala temporal da maioria dos estudos revisados foi curta para acessar estes efeitos sobre a comunidade de plantas que contém espécies longevas. Nenhuma hipótese abordou o efeito dos predadores de topo sobre as populações de presas pequenas via o controle da densidade e distribuição de mesopredadores. A maioria das hipóteses que encontramos na literatura se refere a outros efeitos indiretos causados por mamíferos, em particular através da dispersão de sementes e da disponibilização de nutrientes via fezes. Dessa maneira, demonstramos que o termo \"cascata trófica\" tem sido utilizado amplamente, englobando outros efeitos indiretos que se propagam via outras interações que não tróficas, e que a evidência empírica disponível até o momento de que mamíferos desencadeiam cascatas tróficas em florestas tropicais é pequena. No segundo capítulo, através da amostragem de 23 remanescentes florestais e do uso de modelos de ocupação e da abordagem de seleção de modelos, investigamos como fatores associados à configuração espacial e qualidade do habitat e a outras atividades humanas em andamento interagem e condicionam a distribuição de mamíferos terrestres de maior porte em paisagens intensamente modificadas pelo homem. A assembléia de mamíferos de maior porte encontrada na paisagem estudada é simplificada e dominada por mamíferos silvestres generalistas de médio porte, sugerindo que o controle de mesopredadores e a regeneração das florestas podem estar comprometidos. Os resultados também sugerem que: (1) a distribuição de mamíferos de maior porte deve ser condicionada mais por fatores associados à configuração espacial do que à qualidade do habitat florestal; (2) as atividades humanas atuais são tão ou mais importantes que a configuração espacial e a qualidade do habitat para a maioria das espécies. O tamanho dos fragmentos e a distância a rodovias, entre os fatores associados à configuração espacial, e a caça e a presença do cachorro doméstico, entre as atividades humanas atuais, foram particularmente importantes para a distribuição das espécies de mamíferos de maior porte. A relevância das atividades humanas em andamento sugere que estratégias de manejo que foquem em mudanças na atitude da população humana, através de programas de conscientização e educação, podem ter resultados significativos em termos da persistência de populações de mamíferos em paisagens rurais. / In this dissertation we investigated the role of large mammals in trophic cascades in tropical forests, and the effects of habitat configuration and quality as well as of current human activities on the distribution of large mammals in a rural Atlantic forest landscape. In the first chapter, through a literature review we summarized and evaluated the empirical evidence that mammals are involved in trophic cascades in tropical forest, with the aim of highlighting the progress, problems and challenges in this area. Few conceptual and empirical studies were found in the literature, all of which were performed in the last three decades, while most of the empirical studies were developed in the Neotropics. Most of the hypotheses related to trophic cascades were only proposed and not tested, and considered humans as top predators. Not only most of the quantified variables were not appropriate to demonstrate cascading effects, but also the temporal scale of most studies was short to detect these effects on plant communities composed of long-lived species. We did not find hypotheses addressing the effect of top predators on the populations of small prey through the control of mesopredator density and distribution. Most hypotheses in the reviewed literature refer to other indirect effects played by mammals, especially through seed dispersal and nutrient allocation via feaces. Thus, we demonstrate that the term \"trophic cascade\" has been used widely, encompassing other indirect effects that propagate through other, non-throphic interactions, and that the empirical evidence available so far that mammals are drivers of trophic cascades in tropical forest is weak. In the second chapter, through the sampling of 23 forest fragments and using occupancy models and a model selection approach, we investigated how factors associated with habitat configuration and quality and with other current human activities interact to define the distribution of terrestrial large mammals in human-modified landscapes. The large mammal assemblage from the studied landscape is impoverished and dominated by medium-sized generalist species, suggesting that both the control of mesopredators and forest regeneration may be compromised. Our results also suggest that: (1) the distribution of large mammals is determined mainly by aspects of habitat configuration rather than by aspects of habitat quality, and (2) current human activities are equally or more important than habitat configuration and quality for most of the species. Fragment size and distance to roads, among the factors associated with habitat configuration, and hunting pressure and domestic dog presence, among those associated with current human activities, were particularly important to the distribution of large mammal species. The relevance of current human activities suggests that management strategies that focus on changing people attitudes, through programs of education, can have significant results in terms of the persistence of mammal populations in rural landscapes.

Studien syftar till att testa teorier om effekter av habitatstorlek, konnektivitet, områdesskydd, habitatmängd och fragmentering på enskilda arters förekomstmönster, samt undersöka existensen av fragmenteringströskel och utdöendetröskel. Förekomstdata för revlummer Lycopodium annotinum och mattlummer Lycopodium clavatum har insamlats i 61 skogsfragment utspridda i 10 kartrutor à 2,5×2,5 km i landskapet Södermanland. I vardera skogsfragment undersöktes en yta om 500m2. Revlummer förekom i 13 och mattlummer i 10 av de undersökta skogsfragmenten. I 7 kartrutor förekom revlummer i minst 1 skogsfragment, för mattlummer var motsvarande siffra 8 kartrutor. Resultaten visar att habitatstorlek har en signifikant positiv effekt på förekomst av revlummer och mattlummer samt att konnektivitet har en signifikant positiv effekt på förekomst av mattlummer. Områdesskydd, habitatmängd och fragmentering i landskapet har ingen påvisad effekt på förekomst av dessa arter och ingen fragmenteringströskel eller utdöendetröskel har hittats. Dessa resultat indikerar att ett bevarande av skogsfragment med stor storlek och hög konnektivitet är viktigt för de undersökta arternas fortsatta livskraft. / The aim of this study is to test theories of the effects of habitat size, connectivity, area protection, habitat amount and fragmentation on the occurrence of single species, plus examining the existence of a fragmentation threshold and an extinction threshold. Occurrence of stiff clubmoss Lycopodium annotinum and stag’s-horn clubmoss Lycopodium clavatum was examined in 61 forest fragments scattered over 10 large 2,5×2,5 km plots, located in the county of Stockholm in Sweden. In each forest an area covering 500m2 was searched for the two species. Lycopodium annotinum occured in 13 and L. clavatum in 10 of the investigated fragments. Lycopodium annotinum occurred in at least 1 fragment in 7 large plots, 8 large plots was the corresponding number for L. clavatum. The results showed a significant positive effect of habitat size on the occurrence of both species and a significant positive effect of connectivity on the occurrence of Lycopodium clavatum. Area protection, habitat amount and fragmentation had no observed effect on the occurrence of these species, and no fragmentation threshold or extinction threshold was found. These results indicate the importance of preserving large forest fragments with high connectivity, to assure continued viability of the examined species.

No description available.

Nesta dissertação investigamos o papel dos mamíferos em cascatas tróficas nas florestas tropicais, e os efeitos da configuração espacial e qualidade do habitat assim como das atividades humanas atuais sobre a distribuição de mamíferos de maior porte em uma paisagem rural de Mata Atlântica. No primeiro capítulo, através de uma revisão da literatura sumarizamos e avaliamos a evidência empírica de que mamíferos estão envolvidos em cascatas tróficas em florestas tropicais com o objetivo de indicar os avanços, os problemas e os desafios nessa área. Poucos estudos empíricos e conceituais foram encontrados na literatura, todos realizados nas últimas três décadas, enquanto que a maioria dos estudos empíricos foi realizada nos Neotrópicos. Grande parte das hipóteses relacionadas a cascatas tróficas foi apenas proposta, e considera o homem como predador de topo. Além da maior parte das variáveis quantificadas não serem adequadas para demonstrar efeitos em cascata, a escala temporal da maioria dos estudos revisados foi curta para acessar estes efeitos sobre a comunidade de plantas que contém espécies longevas. Nenhuma hipótese abordou o efeito dos predadores de topo sobre as populações de presas pequenas via o controle da densidade e distribuição de mesopredadores. A maioria das hipóteses que encontramos na literatura se refere a outros efeitos indiretos causados por mamíferos, em particular através da dispersão de sementes e da disponibilização de nutrientes via fezes. Dessa maneira, demonstramos que o termo \"cascata trófica\" tem sido utilizado amplamente, englobando outros efeitos indiretos que se propagam via outras interações que não tróficas, e que a evidência empírica disponível até o momento de que mamíferos desencadeiam cascatas tróficas em florestas tropicais é pequena. No segundo capítulo, através da amostragem de 23 remanescentes florestais e do uso de modelos de ocupação e da abordagem de seleção de modelos, investigamos como fatores associados à configuração espacial e qualidade do habitat e a outras atividades humanas em andamento interagem e condicionam a distribuição de mamíferos terrestres de maior porte em paisagens intensamente modificadas pelo homem. A assembléia de mamíferos de maior porte encontrada na paisagem estudada é simplificada e dominada por mamíferos silvestres generalistas de médio porte, sugerindo que o controle de mesopredadores e a regeneração das florestas podem estar comprometidos. Os resultados também sugerem que: (1) a distribuição de mamíferos de maior porte deve ser condicionada mais por fatores associados à configuração espacial do que à qualidade do habitat florestal; (2) as atividades humanas atuais são tão ou mais importantes que a configuração espacial e a qualidade do habitat para a maioria das espécies. O tamanho dos fragmentos e a distância a rodovias, entre os fatores associados à configuração espacial, e a caça e a presença do cachorro doméstico, entre as atividades humanas atuais, foram particularmente importantes para a distribuição das espécies de mamíferos de maior porte. A relevância das atividades humanas em andamento sugere que estratégias de manejo que foquem em mudanças na atitude da população humana, através de programas de conscientização e educação, podem ter resultados significativos em termos da persistência de populações de mamíferos em paisagens rurais. / In this dissertation we investigated the role of large mammals in trophic cascades in tropical forests, and the effects of habitat configuration and quality as well as of current human activities on the distribution of large mammals in a rural Atlantic forest landscape. In the first chapter, through a literature review we summarized and evaluated the empirical evidence that mammals are involved in trophic cascades in tropical forest, with the aim of highlighting the progress, problems and challenges in this area. Few conceptual and empirical studies were found in the literature, all of which were performed in the last three decades, while most of the empirical studies were developed in the Neotropics. Most of the hypotheses related to trophic cascades were only proposed and not tested, and considered humans as top predators. Not only most of the quantified variables were not appropriate to demonstrate cascading effects, but also the temporal scale of most studies was short to detect these effects on plant communities composed of long-lived species. We did not find hypotheses addressing the effect of top predators on the populations of small prey through the control of mesopredator density and distribution. Most hypotheses in the reviewed literature refer to other indirect effects played by mammals, especially through seed dispersal and nutrient allocation via feaces. Thus, we demonstrate that the term \"trophic cascade\" has been used widely, encompassing other indirect effects that propagate through other, non-throphic interactions, and that the empirical evidence available so far that mammals are drivers of trophic cascades in tropical forest is weak. In the second chapter, through the sampling of 23 forest fragments and using occupancy models and a model selection approach, we investigated how factors associated with habitat configuration and quality and with other current human activities interact to define the distribution of terrestrial large mammals in human-modified landscapes. The large mammal assemblage from the studied landscape is impoverished and dominated by medium-sized generalist species, suggesting that both the control of mesopredators and forest regeneration may be compromised. Our results also suggest that: (1) the distribution of large mammals is determined mainly by aspects of habitat configuration rather than by aspects of habitat quality, and (2) current human activities are equally or more important than habitat configuration and quality for most of the species. Fragment size and distance to roads, among the factors associated with habitat configuration, and hunting pressure and domestic dog presence, among those associated with current human activities, were particularly important to the distribution of large mammal species. The relevance of current human activities suggests that management strategies that focus on changing people attitudes, through programs of education, can have significant results in terms of the persistence of mammal populations in rural landscapes.

No description available.

To improve habitat quality for wildlife, habitat managers prescribe various disturbances. Habitat management techniques alter the vegetation structure, composition, and quality, changing food and cover resources and availability. To investigate how habitat management and vegetation heterogeneity affect space use by wildlife species, I deployed 81 camera-traps and collected fine scale vegetation data across a variety of treatments (i.e., canopy reduction, prescribed fire, and herbicide application) in a managed loblolly pine forest. I created a new method for accounting for imperfect detection and error in camera count data. My method provided better inference about the effects of variables on animal use. Species responded differently to different functional groups of plants, but predicted use from generalized additive models showed higher use in the most intensively managed pine stands, indicating that management promotes animal use by improving habitat quality. Animals used every treatment, indicating the need for heterogeneity in resources when managing wildlife.