Progress 10/01/03 to 09/30/08
Outputs
OUTPUTS: This project is being terminated. The research will continue in RMRS Project 4256-6
Impacts
(N/A)
Publications
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Progress 10/01/06 to 09/30/07
Outputs
Efforts continue to revise the recovery plan for the Mexican spotted owl. The revision is a coordinated effort including scientists and managers from Rocky Mountain Research Station, Southwestern Region of the Forest Service, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Arizona Department of Game and Fish, New Mexico Game and Fish Department, Utah Division of Natural Resources, Colorado Division of Wildlife, Colorado State University, and Montana State University. The revision is scheduled for completion in 2008. A pilot monitoring study for Mexican spotted owls, based on capture-recapture methodology, was evaluated. Results demonstrated that spatial variation among sampling quadrats and temporal variation across years reduced statistical power to determine population trend over time. Rigorous monitoring to achieve adequate statistical power may be prohibitively costly for this species based on capture-recapture methods. Often land surface area is underestimated because topography is
not taken into account, leading to underestimates of animal home range sizes or overestimates of population density. A method was developed for calculating landscape surface area from digital elevation models which should improve accuracy of estimates of home range size and population density. A comprehensive study conducted on the Sky Islands provided classification models to type vegetation into major groupings. No such system was available to researchers or managers, thus this will provide a useful tool for future use. Another novel tool based on Cohen's Kappa statistic evaluates classification success of vegetation models developed using remote sensing. The model was developed using bird-habitat data from the Pinalenos Mountains and demonstrates an application that can be used with similar vegetation data sets. An economical device was developed to assist researchers studying reproductive activities of cavity-nesting species. This wireless camera viewer can access cavities up to
15 meters high without having to climb trees. The cost of the system is less that one-fourth of similar systems available on the commercial market, yet it is just as effective. A series of editorials were published in Journal of Wildlife Management addressing a number of topics relevant to wildlife professionals. These topics included: the role of science in shaping wildlife management, priority directions for research, basic versus applied research, observational versus experimental studies, analysis paralysis, responsibilities of authors for reporting information correctly, and how publications should be impactful. Program delivery continues to managers and the general public in a variety of forms, ranging from individual consultations and workshops to classroom visits. These activities are key to informing users and constituents of accomplishments and applications of our research results.
Impacts
Efforts continue to revise the recovery plan for the Mexican spotted owl. The revision is a coordinated effort including scientists and managers from Rocky Mountain Research Station, Southwestern Region of the Forest Service, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Arizona Department of Game and Fish, New Mexico Game and Fish Department, Utah Division of Natural Resources, Colorado Division of Wildlife, Colorado State University, and Montana State University. The pilot monitoring study informs managers of potential problems with the approach and offers a more efficient and cost-effective alternative. The vegetation classification model provides researchers and managers with tools that can be used for future studies or in planning future resource management. Application of Cohen's Kappa can be used to assess accuracy of GIS vegetation coverages. The cavity viewer provides researchers with an economical alternative when conducting studies on species that occupy cavities.
Information derived from these studies is useful to managers charged with conserving these species. The editorials provided thought-provoking information to influence how researchers conduct studies and report information and how managers can use such information.
Publications
- Block, W.M., and M.L. Morrison. 2007. Editorial: getting it right. Journal of Wildlife Management 71:1023-1024.
- Block, W.M., and M.L. Morrison. 2007. Editorial: is this truly an international journal? Journal of Wildlife Management 71:2119.
- Block, W.M., and M.L. Morrison. 2007. Editorial: tread lightly or carry a big stick. Journal of Wildlife Management 71:301-302.
- Block, W.M., and M.L. Morrison. 2007. Editorial: welcome to the new Journal of Wildlife Management. Journal of Wildlife Management 71:1-3.
- Block, W.M., M.L. Morrison, and C. Johnson. 2007. Journal of Wildlife Management guidelines. 55 pp. Available: http://jwm.allentrack.net/html/JWM_Manuscript_Guidelines.pdf.
- Huebner, D.P., and S.R. Hurteau. 2007. An economical wireless cavity nest viewer. Journal of Field Ornithology 78(1):87-92.
- Morrison, M.L., and W.M. Block. 2007. Editorial: by the time you read this. Journal of Wildlife Management 71:681-683.
- Morrison, M.L., and W.M. Block. 2007. Editorial: how to be impactful. Journal of Wildlife Management 71: 1747-1748.
- Morrison, M.L., and W.M. Block. 2007. Editorial: out with the old. Journal of Wildlife Management 71:2447-2448.
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Progress 10/01/05 to 09/30/06
Outputs
Efforts continue to revise the recovery plan for the Mexican spotted owl. The revision is a coordinated effort including scientists and managers from Rocky Mountain Research Station, Southwestern Region of the Forest Service, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Arizona Department of Game and Fish, New Mexico Game and Fish Department, Utah Division of Natural Resources, Colorado Division of Wildlife, Colorado State University, and Montana State University. The revision is scheduled for completion in 2007. A pilot monitoring study for Mexican spotted owls, based on capture-recapture methodology, was evaluated. Results demonstrated that spatial variation among sampling quadrats and temporal variation across years reduced statistical power to determine population trend over time. Rigorous monitoring to achieve adequate statistical power may be prohibitively costly for this species based on capture-recapture methods. Often land surface area is underestimated because topography
is not taken into account, leading to underestimates of animal home range sizes or overestimates of population density. A method was developed for calculating landscape surface area from digital elevation models which should improve accuracy of estimates of home range size and population density. A comprehensive study conducted on the Sky Islands provided classification models to type vegetation into major grouping. No such system was available to researchers or managers, thus this will provide a useful tool for future use. Another novel tool based on Cohen's Kappa statistic evaluates classification success of vegetation models developed using remote sensing. The model was developed using bird-habitat data from the Pinalenos Mountains and demonstrates an application that can be used with similar vegetation data sets. Program delivery continues to managers and the general public in a variety of forms, ranging from individual consultations and workshops to classroom visits. These
activities are key to informing users and constituents of accomplishments and applications of our research results.
Impacts
Efforts continue to revise the recovery plan for the Mexican spotted owl. The revision is a coordinated effort including scientists and managers from Rocky Mountain Research Station, Southwestern Region of the Forest Service, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Arizona Department of Game and Fish, New Mexico Game and Fish Department, Utah Division of Natural Resources, Colorado Division of Wildlife, Colorado State University, and Montana State University. The pilot monitoring study informs managers of potential problems with the approach and offers a more efficient and cost-effective alternative. The vegetation classification model provides researchers and managers with tools that can be used for future studies or in planning future resource management. Application of Cohen's Kappa can be used to assess accuracy of GIS vegetation coverages.
Publications
- Huebner, D.P. 2006. Fort Valley Experimental Forest 30-minute meteorological data: 2003-present. [Online]. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/rm/data_archive [2006, October 3].
- Iniguez, J.M., J.L. Ganey, P.J. Dougherty, and J.D. Bailey. 2005. Using cluster analysis and a classification and regression tree model to identify cover types in the sky islands of southeastern Arizona. Pp.195-200 in: Gottfried, G.J.; B.S. Gebow, L.G. Eskew, and C.B. Edminster, compilers. Connecting mountain islands and desert seas: biodiversity and management of the Madrean Archipelago II. Proceedings RMRS-P-36. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. Fort Collins, CO.
- Jenness, J., and J.J. Wynne. 2005. Cohens Kappa and classification table metrics 2.0: an ArcView 3x extension for accuracy assessment of spatially-explicit models: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report OF 2005-1363. U.S. Geological Survey, Southwest Biological Science Center, Flagstaff, AZ.
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Progress 10/01/04 to 09/30/05
Outputs
Efforts continue to revise the recovery plan for the Mexican spotted owl. The revision is a coordinated effort including scientists and managers from Rocky Mountain Research Station, Southwestern Region of the Forest Service, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Arizona Department of Game and Fish, New Mexico Game and Fish Department, Utah Division of Natural Resources, Colorado Division of Wildlife, Colorado State University, and Montana State University. The revision is scheduled for completion in 2006. A pilot monitoring study for Mexican spotted owls based on capture-recapture methodology was evaluated. Results demonstrated that spatial variation among sampling quadrats and temporal variation across years reduced statistical power to determine population trend over time. Rigorous monitoring to achieve adequate statistical power may be prohibitively costly for this species based on capture-recapture methods. Often land surface area is underestimated because topography is
not taken into account, leading to underestimates of animal home range sizes or overestimates of population density. A method was developed for calculating landscape surface area from digital elevation models which should improve accuracy of estimates of home range size and population density. Program delivery continues to managers and the general public in a variety of forms, ranging from individual consultations and workshops to classroom visits. These activities are key to informing users and constituents of accomplishments and applications of our research results.
Impacts
Efforts continue to revise the recovery plan for the Mexican spotted owl. The revision is a coordinated effort including scientists and managers from Rocky Mountain Research Station, Southwestern Region of the Forest Service, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Arizona Department of Game and Fish, New Mexico Game and Fish Department, Utah Division of Natural Resources, Colorado Division of Wildlife, Colorado State University, and Montana State University. The pilot monitoring study informs managers of potential problems with the approach and offers a more efficient and cost-effective alternative.
Publications
- Ganey, J.L., G.C. White, D.C. Bowden, and A.B. Franklin. 2004. Evaluating methods for monitoring populations of Mexican spotted owls: a case study. Pp. 337-385 in W. L. Thompson (editor). Sampling rare and elusive species: concepts, designs, and techniques for estimating population parameters. Island Press. Washington, DC.
- Jenness, J.S. 2004. Calculating landscape surface area from digital elevation models. Wildlife Society Bulletin 32(3):829-839.
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Progress 10/01/03 to 09/30/04
Outputs
Efforts continue to revise the recovery plan for the Mexican spotted owl. The revision is a coordinated effort including scientists and managers from Rocky Mountain Research Station, Southwestern Region of the Forest Service, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Arizona Department of Game and Fish, New Mexico Game and Fish Department, Utah Division of Natural Resources, Colorado Division of Wildlife, Colorado State University, and Montana State University. The revision is scheduled for completion in 2005. Program delivery continues to managers and the general public in a variety of forms, ranging from individual consultations to workshops to classroom visits. The activities are key to informing users and constituents of accomplishments and applications of our research results.
Impacts
Efforts continue to revise the recovery plan for the Mexican spotted owl. The revision is a coordinated effort including scientists and managers from Rocky Mountain Research Station, Southwestern Region of the Forest Service, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Arizona Department of Game and Fish, New Mexico Game and Fish Department, Utah Division of Natural Resources, Colorado Division of Wildlife, Colorado State University, and Montana State University.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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Progress 10/01/02 to 09/30/03
Outputs
Bird surveys done from 1985-1986 at 123 sampling points within lowland riparian vegetation in southeastern Arizona were compared with counts done from 1994-1995 at the same locations to evaluate changes in populations and bird assemblages. Surveys were done at the National Audubon Appleton-Whittell Research Ranch, Nature Conservancy Canelo Hills Preserve, and the Coronado National Forest. Few changes were noted in vegetation composition and structure between sampling periods. One hundred twenty-one species were detected during the 1985-1986 surveys, whereas 129 were observed during the 1994-1995 surveys. Of these species, thirteen were unique to the 1985-1986 surveys whereas 21 were unique to the 1994-1995 surveys. There was no overall change in bird abundance, although 14% of the resident and 7% of the Neotropical migratory birds declined. Furthermore, 14% and 10% of resident and Neotropical migratory birds, respectively, increased from 1985-1986 to 1994-1995.
Impacts
This research quantifies changes in bird numbers over the decade beginning in 1985 and ending in 1995. It shows that changes in species composition and populations numbers were subtle and suggests that riparian systems were somewhat stable during the period studied.
Publications
- Freeman, R., W. Bowerman, T. Grubb, A. Bath, G. Dawson, K. Ennis, D. Best, and J. Giesy. 2002. Opening rivers to Trojan fish: the ecological dilemma of dam removal in the great lakes. Conservation in Practice. 3(4): 35-40.
- Hall, L.S., M.L. Morrison, L.L. Christoferson, J. Martin, C.E. Bock, and T.R. Strong. 2002. Bird populations in riparian areas of southeastern Arizona in 1985-86 and 1994-95. Western North American Naturalist. 62(3): 370-376.
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Progress 10/01/01 to 09/30/02
Outputs
Preliminary data analysis was conducted on a data set to understand habitat relationships of reptiles and amphibians inhabiting riparian areas found on the Sky Island mountain ranges of southeastern Arizona. Predictive habitat models will be developed that can be used to rate habitat suitability for the species studied.
Impacts
(N/A)
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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