As várzeas do Alto Tietê e do Alto Paraíba do Sul, na Mata Atlântica do sudeste brasileiro, têm sido severamente exploradas e ocupadas por cidades, agricultura, e mineração nos últimos 500 anos. Endêmico destas áreas, o bicudinho-do-brejo-paulista (Formicivora paludicola) passou muito tempo desconhecido para a ciência, até sua descoberta em 2005, quando sua situação de ameaça parecia preocupante. Esta ave (Thamnophilidae) foi descoberta à beira da extinção, e nada se sabe sobre sua distribuição, história natural, estrutura populacional e seleção de habitat, o que gera perspectivas de conservação pessimistas e desacreditadas. Este trabalho traz uma investigação da distribuição da espécie e das áreas mais adequadas à sua sobrevivência usando modelos ecológicos de nicho, amostragens de campo e modelos de ocupação. Nossos resultados mostram que a espécie deve ser considerada Criticamente Ameaçada de acordo com os critérios da IUCN. A ocupação humana na região resultou em uma perda de mais de 300 km2 de habitat adequado à ocorrência de F. paludicola, que agora apresenta uma área de ocupação severamente fragmentada de 1,42 km2. Além disso, esta espécie apresenta capacidade de dispersão limitada, alta especificidade de habitat e disponibilidade de habitat restrita. Também apontamos que brejos com menor densidade de taboa (Typha dominguensis) apresentam maiores probabilidades de ocorrência de F. paludicola, e que essas áreas devem ser priorizadas em futuros esforços de conservação. Usando estimativas geradas por Kernel, nós ainda mostramos que a espécie apresenta pequena área de vida de apenas 0,55 ha, e ocorre em altas densidades nas áreas ocupadas remanescentes, apresentando tamanho populacional entre 383 e 985 indivíduos maduros. Por fim, usando \"Torus shift\", nós demonstramos que a espécie exótica invasora, lírio-do-brejo (Hedychium coronarium) é evitada por F. paludicola, e que a invasão biológica representa mais uma ameaça às populações existentes. A conservação desta espécie reside na criação de uma rede de unidades de conservação conectadas, com áreas naturais e restauradas. Por causa de sua estrutura populacional marcada pela alta densidade, a espécie pode prosperar em áreas alagadas adequadas protegidas da ocupação humana, contaminação dos corpos d\'água e plantas exóticas invasoras. Estes esforços poderiam ajudar não só esta ave extremamente ameaçada, mas também restaurar uma parte das áreas alagadas da Mata Atlântica no estado de São Paulo / Wetlands in Upper Tietê and Upper Paraíba do Sul basins, in southeastern Atlantic Forest, Brazil, have been severely transformed by urbanization, agriculture and mining in the last 500 years. Endemic to these areas, the São Paulo Marsh Antwren (Formicivora paludicola) persisted through this period unknown to science until its discovery in 2005, when its threatened situation became worrying. This bird (Thamnophilidae) was discovered on the verge of extinction, and virtually nothing is known about its natural history, population structure and habitat selection, which made conservation perspectives pessimist and discredited. We investigated both the species distribution and the distribution of its suitable areas using ecological niche modeling, fieldwork surveys and occupancy models. Our results show that the species should be considered \"Critically Endangered\" according to IUCN criteria. Human occupation has resulted in a loss of more than 300 km2 of suitable habitat, so that it now occupies a total and severely fragmented area of only 1.42 km2. Additionally, F. paludicola has limited dispersal ability, narrow habitat specificity, and restricted habitat availability. Furthermore, we showed that marshes with lower cattail (Typha dominguensis) densities have higher probabilities of being occupied. Thus, these areas should be prioritized in future conservation efforts. Using Kernel home range estimations, we show that the species has a small home range of about 0.55 ha, and occurs in high densities in those areas where it is still present, with a total population size between 383 and 985 mature birds. Furthermore, using a novel tool for animal habitat selection studies, the Torus Shift, we showed that the alien invasive ginger lily (Hedychium coronarium) is avoided by the species, and that this invasion represents a serious threat to the remaining populations. The successful conservation of F. plaudicola rests on the creation of a series of interconnected protected areas, with natural and restored wetlands. Given the high density of their population structure, this species could thrive in a relatively small area of suitable wetlands protected from human occupation, water contamination and invasive plants. Such efforts would also greatly contribute to the general conservation and restoration of Atlantic Forest wetlands

As várzeas do Alto Tietê e do Alto Paraíba do Sul, na Mata Atlântica do sudeste brasileiro, têm sido severamente exploradas e ocupadas por cidades, agricultura, e mineração nos últimos 500 anos. Endêmico destas áreas, o bicudinho-do-brejo-paulista (Formicivora paludicola) passou muito tempo desconhecido para a ciência, até sua descoberta em 2005, quando sua situação de ameaça parecia preocupante. Esta ave (Thamnophilidae) foi descoberta à beira da extinção, e nada se sabe sobre sua distribuição, história natural, estrutura populacional e seleção de habitat, o que gera perspectivas de conservação pessimistas e desacreditadas. Este trabalho traz uma investigação da distribuição da espécie e das áreas mais adequadas à sua sobrevivência usando modelos ecológicos de nicho, amostragens de campo e modelos de ocupação. Nossos resultados mostram que a espécie deve ser considerada Criticamente Ameaçada de acordo com os critérios da IUCN. A ocupação humana na região resultou em uma perda de mais de 300 km2 de habitat adequado à ocorrência de F. paludicola, que agora apresenta uma área de ocupação severamente fragmentada de 1,42 km2. Além disso, esta espécie apresenta capacidade de dispersão limitada, alta especificidade de habitat e disponibilidade de habitat restrita. Também apontamos que brejos com menor densidade de taboa (Typha dominguensis) apresentam maiores probabilidades de ocorrência de F. paludicola, e que essas áreas devem ser priorizadas em futuros esforços de conservação. Usando estimativas geradas por Kernel, nós ainda mostramos que a espécie apresenta pequena área de vida de apenas 0,55 ha, e ocorre em altas densidades nas áreas ocupadas remanescentes, apresentando tamanho populacional entre 383 e 985 indivíduos maduros. Por fim, usando \"Torus shift\", nós demonstramos que a espécie exótica invasora, lírio-do-brejo (Hedychium coronarium) é evitada por F. paludicola, e que a invasão biológica representa mais uma ameaça às populações existentes. A conservação desta espécie reside na criação de uma rede de unidades de conservação conectadas, com áreas naturais e restauradas. Por causa de sua estrutura populacional marcada pela alta densidade, a espécie pode prosperar em áreas alagadas adequadas protegidas da ocupação humana, contaminação dos corpos d\'água e plantas exóticas invasoras. Estes esforços poderiam ajudar não só esta ave extremamente ameaçada, mas também restaurar uma parte das áreas alagadas da Mata Atlântica no estado de São Paulo / Wetlands in Upper Tietê and Upper Paraíba do Sul basins, in southeastern Atlantic Forest, Brazil, have been severely transformed by urbanization, agriculture and mining in the last 500 years. Endemic to these areas, the São Paulo Marsh Antwren (Formicivora paludicola) persisted through this period unknown to science until its discovery in 2005, when its threatened situation became worrying. This bird (Thamnophilidae) was discovered on the verge of extinction, and virtually nothing is known about its natural history, population structure and habitat selection, which made conservation perspectives pessimist and discredited. We investigated both the species distribution and the distribution of its suitable areas using ecological niche modeling, fieldwork surveys and occupancy models. Our results show that the species should be considered \"Critically Endangered\" according to IUCN criteria. Human occupation has resulted in a loss of more than 300 km2 of suitable habitat, so that it now occupies a total and severely fragmented area of only 1.42 km2. Additionally, F. paludicola has limited dispersal ability, narrow habitat specificity, and restricted habitat availability. Furthermore, we showed that marshes with lower cattail (Typha dominguensis) densities have higher probabilities of being occupied. Thus, these areas should be prioritized in future conservation efforts. Using Kernel home range estimations, we show that the species has a small home range of about 0.55 ha, and occurs in high densities in those areas where it is still present, with a total population size between 383 and 985 mature birds. Furthermore, using a novel tool for animal habitat selection studies, the Torus Shift, we showed that the alien invasive ginger lily (Hedychium coronarium) is avoided by the species, and that this invasion represents a serious threat to the remaining populations. The successful conservation of F. plaudicola rests on the creation of a series of interconnected protected areas, with natural and restored wetlands. Given the high density of their population structure, this species could thrive in a relatively small area of suitable wetlands protected from human occupation, water contamination and invasive plants. Such efforts would also greatly contribute to the general conservation and restoration of Atlantic Forest wetlands

The eastern whip-poor-will (Antrostomus vociferus: hereafter whip-poor-will) has been declining from historical population levels throughout its range in the northeast. Although whip-poor-wills have been reported to use a variety of habitats, most recent studies have associated whip-poor-wills with open habitat, such as early-successional habitats or forest edges. Population declines of other early-successional bird species have been attributed to the loss of early-successional disturbance-dependent habitats in the northeast, and it has been suggested that habitat loss is a significant factor in whip-poor-will population declines, as well. However, there remain substantial gaps in our understanding of whip-poor-will habitat associations, and quantitative habitat data in the literature are lacking. As forest management plays an important role in creating and maintaining habitat for many disturbance-dependent bird species, further characterization of whip-poor-will habitat preferences is necessary to determine whether management efforts may benefit this species as well. In order to derive quantitative estimates of habitat requirements, I studied whip-poor-will habitat associations at Fort Drum in upstate New York. In 2015 and 2016, whip-poor-wills were surveyed at night at randomly-selected point count locations and vegetation measurements were collected in the point count radii to relate whip-poor-will occupancy with structural and compositional habitat variables. Whip-poor-will occupancy was strongly related to intermediate amounts of basal area, with values that generally correspond to forest denser than most shrublands, but more open than closed-canopy forest. Occupancy was also related to lower understory height values, which supports evidence that whip-poor-wills may prefer habitat with a relatively open understory. In 2016, I also measured habitat at locations where whip-poor-wills were foraging, roosting, and nesting, to investigate the theory that whip-poor-wills require open habitat for foraging, but more closed habitat for nesting. Ten adult whip-poor-wills were tracked using radio telemetry and vegetation measurements were collected at a subset at these points where the birds were either foraging or roosting during the day, as well as at any identified nest sites. Comparisons of the vegetation measurements revealed that foraging habitat was significantly more open than roosting habitat, as foraging habitat had lower tree density, basal area, and understory height. Contrary to conventional thought, the few nest sites found in this study were in areas that had low basal area, similar to the habitat at foraging locations. The results suggest that while creating more open-canopy habitat may benefit whip-poor-wills by providing suitable foraging habitat, and potentially nesting habitat, maintaining denser forest within proximity to these open areas may also provide valuable cover for roosting whip-poor-wills. In conclusion, I suggest that land owners looking to create or maintain suitable habitat for whip-poor-wills apply forest management treatments that create openings but still maintain intermediate levels of basal area, such as shelterwood or group tree selection. Foraging habitat for whip-poor-wills appears to be generally more open than roosting habitat, both in terms of lower basal area and a more open understory, so having areas where tree and understory removal is concentrated in proximity to areas that are denser may also benefit this species.

No description available.

No description available.

Swamp rabbits (Sylvilagus aquaticus) are a bottomland hardwood forest specialist undergoing contraction at the northern extent of their range. This decline is often attributed to the loss of bottomland hardwood forest and frequent, intense flooding. To mitigate this decline and inform decisions regarding the swamp rabbit’s conservation status, there is a pressing need for long-term monitoring efforts. Although currently listed as imperiled (S2) in Missouri, shifts in occupancy trends may warrant a reassessment of the swamp rabbit’s state rank. The Missouri Department of Conservation has conducted decadal surveys for swamp rabbits since 1991, and the work presented here describes the fourth iteration of this study – 2022-2023. Repeated latrine surveys at 176 previously surveyed sites were conducted from November 2022 – April 2023 across 16 counties in southeast Missouri. Dynamic occupancy models were then used to estimate occupancy, colonization, extinction, and detection probabilities and identify environmental factors driving distribution changes since 2012. Additionally, I examined the impact of including ground latrines in swamp rabbit detection histories for the 2022-2023 survey season in a comparative single-season occupancy analysis. This analysis aimed to evaluate how the incorporation of ground latrines, as opposed to restricting detections to latrines on elevated surfaces, influenced estimates of occupancy and detection probabilities. Swamp rabbits were detected at 148 sites in 15 counties in 2022-2023, with a noted increase in occupancy probability from 0.66 (SE = 0.01) in 2010-2012 to 0.79 (SE = 0.01) in 2022-2023. As expected, site isolation negatively impacted occupancy probability, but predictors for patch richness density, site area, flood frequency, and flood severity had varying levels of support. For example, occupancy probability was negatively influenced by patch richness density but positively influenced by site area, while colonization probabilities were high and positively influenced by both flood frequency and severity. Extinction probability was low but was negatively influenced by flood frequency. Models with occupancy, colonization, and extinction as a function of the proportion of bottomland hardwood forest at a site were not supported. Detection probability decreased from 0.90 (SE = 0.19) in 2010-2012 to 0.78 (SE = 0.13) in 2022-2023. The inclusion of ground latrines in analyses did increase detection (0.68 to 0.84) and estimates of occupancy probabilities (0.95 to 1.00) but the change in estimates of occurrence was not biologically meaningful. Despite concerns about decline at the northern edge of their range, swamp rabbit populations in southeast Missouri appear to be expanding, evidenced by the increased occupancy and promising colonization and extinction rates. While long-term monitoring efforts should continue, managers should consider changing the swamp rabbit’s state rank from imperiled (S2) to vulnerable (S3).

O nordeste paulista é composto por um mosaico de ambientes fortemente antropizado, com predominância de plantios de cana-de-açúcar, além de florestas plantadas de eucalipto e fragmentos de Cerrado. Embora o veado-catingueiro (Mazama gouazoubira) seja uma espécie amplamente distribuída em diferentes biomas do Brasil, pouco é conhecido sobre a sua capacidade de adaptação em paisagens alteradas. Neste contexto, modelos de ocupação da paisagem e dados de armadilhas fotográficas foram utilizados para verificar quais fatores ambientais são importantes na escolha do uso e seleção de hábitat pelo veado-catingueiro. Foram amostradas quatro áreas em três cenas de paisagens, entre os meses de Abril e Setembro de 2013 e 2014, totalizando um esforço amostral de 6240 armadilhas/dia. Os resultados apontam que o veado-catingueiro está amplamente distribuído nos remanescentes de Cerrado do nordeste do estado de São Paulo, além de ocupar com a mesma intensidade tanto o interior como o entorno de unidades de conservação. Foi observado um efeito positivo dos plantios de silvicultura na ocupação da paisagem pela espécie. A distribuição temporal dos registros ao longo do ciclo de 24 horas também foi semelhante dentro e fora de unidades de conservação. Estes resultados sugerem que o veado-catingueiro é uma espécie ecologicamente plástica e que está se beneficiando da heterogeneidade ambiental presente no nordeste paulista. Estes hábitos generalistas lhe atribuem vantagens em comparação a outras espécies mais especialistas nesse cenário. / The northeast of São Paulo state is a region where Cerrado remants are immersed in a landscape with high human influence mediated by vast sugarcane and Eucalyptus plantations. Mammals survival in this landscape has been little explored. Brown brocket deer (Mazama gouazoubira, Fischer 1814) is a species with widespread distribution in different biomes of Brazil, however little is known about its capacity of adaptation in landscapes with intensive agriculture. We conducted a study based on occupancy modelling from camera trapping data in order to evaluate which environmental factors are important to habitat selection by brown brocket deer. The study was carried out in three agricultural landscapes at four study areas between April and September (2013 and 2014) with a total effort of 6240 traps-day. Our results show that brown brocket deer are well adapted to Cerrado/agricultural matrix in the state of Sao Paulo, showing high ecological flexibility. This deer used non-protected areas as much as protected areas. Silviculture represented the only landscape covariate with high relative importance for brown brocket deer. Also, brown brocket deer shows rhythm of activity similar in and out protected areas. Our results suggest that brown brocket deer is extremely plastic species that is benefiting from environmental heterogeneity present in São Paulo\'s northeast. The generalist habit of this deer gives it advantage when compared to other more specialist species in this scenario.

Submitted by Jaqueline Silva (jtas29@gmail.com) on 2014-09-04T21:36:39Z No. of bitstreams: 2 Luciano Signorelli Faria Lima.pdf: 6489666 bytes, checksum: ffffa86e79bc4373bbb31a31eac21136 (MD5) license_rdf: 23148 bytes, checksum: 9da0b6dfac957114c6a7714714b86306 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2014-09-04T21:36:39Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 Luciano Signorelli Faria Lima.pdf: 6489666 bytes, checksum: ffffa86e79bc4373bbb31a31eac21136 (MD5) license_rdf: 23148 bytes, checksum: 9da0b6dfac957114c6a7714714b86306 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-07-28 / Land use activities have been frequently transforming broad native areas into pastures or plantations. This process turned out to be a global problem and is known as one major responsible for declinesin various taxonomical groups. Frogs are one of the most threated groups among vertebrates, from which species with aquatic larvae are more susceptible. Such populations follow metacommunity dynamics and can be structured in function of combined processes, such as patch dynamics, species ordination dynamics, mass effect and neutral dynamics. Nevertheless, the lack of knowledge with respect to anuran species occupation and richness patterns in local and regional scale poses as a threat to their conservation. The aim of my work is to provide relevant information to the conservation of anurans in the Brazilian Cerrado. I investigated regional and local scale patterns and identified factors related to richness and occupation of anuran species that breed in Cerrado ponds. For that, I have collected data in the state of Goiás, which is the only Brazilian state totally inserted in the Cerrado biome and that follows that same tendency of habitat loss as the whole biome (due to agriculture expansion). In Chapter I present the first official list for the whole state of Goiás, with the objective to cover inventory gaps. In Chapter II, I explore local and landscape factors that determine local and regional diversities of anurans. I also assess the effects of area, heterogeneity, productivity and local and landscape habitat complexity over alpha and beta diversities of anurans. In Chapter III, I approach one of the most classic and controversial models for the conservation of the species, known as "SLOSS" (single large or several small). This model should be considered especially when the goal is to preserve as many frog species associated with ponds.Finally, in Chapter IV, I built occupation models to assess the effects of amount of remaining habitats, isolation between remnants as well as local characteristics on the occurrence of some species of amphibians typical Brazilian Cerrado. / As atividades de uso da terra têm transformado grandes áreas naturais em áreas de pastagens ou agricultáveis. Este processo se tornou um problema mundial e é tido como um dos principais responsáveis pelo declínio de espécies de diferentes grupos taxonômicos. Dentre os vertebrados, os anfíbios são um dos grupos mais ameaçados, sendo que as espécies com larvas aquáticas são as mais susceptíveis. Tais populações seguem uma dinâmica de metacomunidades e podem estruturar-se de acordo com uma combinação de processos, conhecidos como dinâmica de manchas, dinâmica de ordenação de espécies, efeito de massa e dinâmica neutra. No entanto, a escassez de informações a respeito do padrão de riqueza e ocupação das espécies de anuros em escala local e regional é um problema para a conservação da diversidade dos mesmos. Tendo como principal objetivo fornecer informações relevantes para a conservação de anuros no Cerrado brasileiro, abordei questões relacionadas aos padrões em escala local e regional, bem como modelos de ocupação de algumas espécies de anfíbios com o intuito de identificar fatores que estão direcionando a riqueza e ocupação das espécies de anuros que se reproduzem em poças no Cerrado. Para isso, coletei dados no estado de Goiás, único estado brasileiro totalmente inserido no bioma Cerrado, e que segue a mesma tendência do restante do bioma em relação a perda de habitat devido ao avanço das fronteiras agrícolas. Com o intuito de cobrir lacunas de inventários para a região, no Capítulo I apresento a primeira lista oficial de espécies de anuros para o estado de Goiás. No Capítulo II, abordo como fatores locais e da paisagem determinam a diversidade local e regional de anuros. Busquei explorar os efeitos da área, heterogeneidade e complexidade de hábitats local e da paisagem e da produtividade sobre a diversidade alfa e beta de anuros. No Capítulo III¸ abordo um dos modelos mais clássicos e controversos para conservação das espécies, que é conhecido como: “muitas pequenas ou uma única grande” ou “SLOSS” (single large or several small). Este modelo deve ser especialmente considerado quando o objetivo é preservar o maior número de espécies de anuros associados a poças. E, por fim, no Capítulo IV, construí modelos de ocupação para ter acesso aos efeitos da quantidade de remanescentes de habitas, isolamento entre remanescentes de Cerrado, bem como características locais sobre a ocorrência de algumas espécies de anfíbios típicas do Cerrado Brasileiro.

O nordeste paulista é composto por um mosaico de ambientes fortemente antropizado, com predominância de plantios de cana-de-açúcar, além de florestas plantadas de eucalipto e fragmentos de Cerrado. Embora o veado-catingueiro (Mazama gouazoubira) seja uma espécie amplamente distribuída em diferentes biomas do Brasil, pouco é conhecido sobre a sua capacidade de adaptação em paisagens alteradas. Neste contexto, modelos de ocupação da paisagem e dados de armadilhas fotográficas foram utilizados para verificar quais fatores ambientais são importantes na escolha do uso e seleção de hábitat pelo veado-catingueiro. Foram amostradas quatro áreas em três cenas de paisagens, entre os meses de Abril e Setembro de 2013 e 2014, totalizando um esforço amostral de 6240 armadilhas/dia. Os resultados apontam que o veado-catingueiro está amplamente distribuído nos remanescentes de Cerrado do nordeste do estado de São Paulo, além de ocupar com a mesma intensidade tanto o interior como o entorno de unidades de conservação. Foi observado um efeito positivo dos plantios de silvicultura na ocupação da paisagem pela espécie. A distribuição temporal dos registros ao longo do ciclo de 24 horas também foi semelhante dentro e fora de unidades de conservação. Estes resultados sugerem que o veado-catingueiro é uma espécie ecologicamente plástica e que está se beneficiando da heterogeneidade ambiental presente no nordeste paulista. Estes hábitos generalistas lhe atribuem vantagens em comparação a outras espécies mais especialistas nesse cenário. / The northeast of São Paulo state is a region where Cerrado remants are immersed in a landscape with high human influence mediated by vast sugarcane and Eucalyptus plantations. Mammals survival in this landscape has been little explored. Brown brocket deer (Mazama gouazoubira, Fischer 1814) is a species with widespread distribution in different biomes of Brazil, however little is known about its capacity of adaptation in landscapes with intensive agriculture. We conducted a study based on occupancy modelling from camera trapping data in order to evaluate which environmental factors are important to habitat selection by brown brocket deer. The study was carried out in three agricultural landscapes at four study areas between April and September (2013 and 2014) with a total effort of 6240 traps-day. Our results show that brown brocket deer are well adapted to Cerrado/agricultural matrix in the state of Sao Paulo, showing high ecological flexibility. This deer used non-protected areas as much as protected areas. Silviculture represented the only landscape covariate with high relative importance for brown brocket deer. Also, brown brocket deer shows rhythm of activity similar in and out protected areas. Our results suggest that brown brocket deer is extremely plastic species that is benefiting from environmental heterogeneity present in São Paulo\'s northeast. The generalist habit of this deer gives it advantage when compared to other more specialist species in this scenario.

<p>  </p> <p>Blanding’s Turtle populations face direct threats to their survival. To help protect populations, habitats that can best support Blanding’s Turtle populations need to be identified across their range. Blanding’s Turtles have been a difficult to detect species and may be present at a site even if not detected during targeted surveys. Additionally, Blanding’s Turtles may be present at a site but may have little to no recruitment so additional measures of site suitability beyond species presence are needed to determine more suitable or higher quality habitats. In my research, I attempt to determine suitability of sites for Blanding’s Turtles across Michigan and Ohio using data collected from rapid assessment protocols fit into single season occupancy models with wetland and upland landcover types as co-variates of occupancy. To further determine the suitability of sites based on these data, I created single season occupancy models for juvenile Blanding’s Turtles and used N-mixture abundance modelling to determine relative abundance of Blanding’s Turtles at a site using the same landcovers as covariates of occupancy and abundance. Both modelling frameworks also allowed me to include detection covariates that could increase Blanding’s Turtle detection in future surveys. </p> <p>Detection was largely influenced by Julian date with the highest probability of detection occurring from mid-May through late June. Length of trapping surveys was also found to influence Blanding’s Turtle detection with a substantial decrease in daily trap capture rates by the fourth trap night of a survey. Michigan occupancy and abundance models found that the most suitable sites in Michigan would have high percentages of high-quality upland forest and woody wetland landcovers, with the percentage of open water supporting the occupancy of turtles but having no discernable effect on abundance. Total upland forest also significantly increased the probability of juvenile occupancy in Michigan. In Michigan, I also observed that survey method can greatly influence the estimates of occupancy and abundance, and I determined that visual surveys cannot accurately determine these estimates. The heavily disturbed nature of Ohio’s landscape took away from the predictive power of landcovers used in my research for Blanding’s Turtle occupancy and abundance. The vast difference between occupied habitats in Michigan and Ohio also takes away from the predictive power of the regional level model and relative abundance of Blanding’s Turtle populations cannot be accurately determined at this scale using the spatial covariates I included. However, total undisturbed forest and total wetland proved to be positive covariates of Blanding’s Turtle abundance and occupancy for adult and juvenile turtles across both states, but the habitats used in each state vary greatly so future conservation decisions should be made on the state level as largest spatial scale. Using my models for Michigan suitable sites can be determined within the state and compare relative abundance between sites to determine healthier populations. For future analysis in Ohio, different, smaller scales spatial covariates should be used to explain differences in occupancy and abundance between sites.</p>