WILDLIFE CONSERVATION IN MISSISSIPPI, THE SOUTHEAST REGION AND BEYOND.

• Sponsoring Institution: Other Cooperating Institutions
• Project Status: ACTIVE
• Funding Source: STATE
• Reporting Frequency: Annual
• Accession No.: 1025126
• Project Start Date: Oct 30, 2020
• Project End Date: Sep 30, 2025
• Program Code: [(N/A)]- (N/A)

Recipient Organization
FOREST AND WILDLIFE RES CENTER
(N/A)
MISSISSIPPI STATE,MS 39762

Performing Department
Dept of Wildlife and Fisheries

Non Technical Summary
Research on how wildlife species interact with each other and the environment are of interest to wildlife and conservation biologists. As human population growth continues global biodiversity is becoming increasingly threatened and fragmented, highlighting the increasing need for species and habitat management. Typically, ecological studies are conducted at the: a) population, b) community, or c) ecosystem level. The hierarchical structure of ecological relations dictates that information gaps at the population or community level may limit inference and conclusions at the ecosystem level. This is of particular interest to managers as modern conservation efforts are aimed at the higher levels of this hierarchy. Similarly, the geographic scale at which we conduct our research must recognize the transboundary nature of wildlife movements and use across international boundaries. Moreover, providing our students with overseas conservation experiences will benefit them professionally.Measuring and understanding factors that influence natural populations has always been an important consideration in management, especially for rare and/or declining species. Population ecology includes the study of the processes that affect survival and recruitment of members of a particular species occupying a given area, typically focuses on 4 components: births, deaths, emigration, and immigration. Interactions between these basic demographic components and habitats dictate population trajectory (growth or decline) and provide a starting point for conservation and management studies.The research proposed herein will provide biologists and managers in Mississippi, the Southeastern U.S. and various regions of the Caribbean and South America with information and techniques necessary to manage and recover a suite of organisms. The natural resources profession and general public increasingly expect management decisions to be scientifically based on a clear understanding of the ecology of species and ecosystems. This requires, in addition to traditional studies of habitat requirements and basic biology, a deeper understanding of processes at the population and community level. The research outlined below is designed to increase our understanding of population and community-level processes, and to suggest ways to incorporate this information into the decision-making process.

Animal Health Component

80%

Research Effort Categories

Basic

20%

Applied

80%

Developmental

(N/A)

Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)	Subject of Investigation (SOI)	Field of Science (FOS)	Percent
136	0850	1070	100%

Knowledge Area
136 - Conservation of Biological Diversity;

Subject Of Investigation
0850 - Wildlife habitats;

Field Of Science
1070 - Ecology;

Keywords

biodiversity

caribbean

conservation

ecology

habitat

south america

Goals / Objectives
Research on the interaction of wildlife species and the environment is of major interest to wildlife and conservation biologists. As human population growth continues global biodiversity is becoming increasingly threatened and fragmented, highlighting the increasing need for species and habitat management. Typically, ecological studies are conducted at the: a) population, b) community, or c) ecosystem level. The hierarchical structure of ecological relations dictates that information gaps at the population or community level may limit inference and conclusions at the ecosystem level. This is of particular interest to managers as modern conservation efforts are aimed at the higher levels of this hierarchy. Similarly, the geographic scale at which we conduct our research must recognize the transboundary nature of wildlife movements and use across international boundaries. Moreover, providing our students with overseas conservation experiences will benefit them professionally.The research proposed herein will provide biologists and managers in Mississippi, the Southeastern U.S. and various regions of the Caribbean and South America with information and techniques necessary to manage and recover a suite of organisms. The natural resources profession and general public increasingly expect management decisions to be scientifically based on a clear understanding of the ecology of species and ecosystems. This requires, in addition to traditional studies of habitat requirements and basic biology, a deeper understanding of processes at the population and community level. The research outlined below is designed to increase our understanding of population and community-level processes, and to suggest ways to incorporate this information into the decision-making process.

Project Methods
Study 1. Avian abundance and use patterns in fields managed for the Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) in Mississippi: a multi-scale approach.Research will be conducted at Black Prairie WMA, Okatibbee WMA, William C. Deviney WMA, and Muscadine Farms WMA in Mississippi.Monthly avian point count surveys will be conducted from June to December.We will use the maximum count obtained to determine detective-naïve relative abundance using statistical modelswell established for modeling count data of unmarked populations that do not account for imperfect detection.Throughout the duration of the field season (June-December), we will trap doves using Kniffin funnel traps.Captured doves will be banded with a size 3A federal band on one leg and a colored band, different color will be used at each study site, on the other leg. Along with banding, doves will be classified by age, hatch year (HY) or after hatch year (AHY).We will use a capture-mark-recapture, live capture and harvest recovery, approach to determine population size and model age-specific survival of mourning doves.Study 2. Modeling at-Risk-Species' Sustainability in the U.S. Caribbean.For this project, we will apply an ensemble modeling approach to develop species distribution models (SDMs) and viability maps for U.S. Caribbean species petitioned for listing, currently listed T&E species, state or regional Species of Greatest Conservation Need, or other species deemed at-risk in which ensemble modeling efforts may inform targeted surveying and monitoring.Ensemble SDMs will be developed to predict potential suitable habitat for each selected species based on environmental conditions associated with known populations.We will generate SDMs using three modeling techniques: generalized additive model (GAM), generalized boosted model, also known as boosted regression trees, and maximum entropy.

Progress 10/01/21 to 09/30/22

Outputs
Target Audience: Nothing Reported Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Postdoctoral Research Associate and PI conducted training workshops for project colleaborators. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Spatial databases and results distributed amongst project collaborators. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Field data collection and reports completed for the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service in Puerto Rico.

Publications

Progress 10/30/20 to 09/30/21

Outputs
Target Audience:In Mississsippi, our target audience are theMississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Forest Service, and U.S. Fishand Wildlife Service. Private land owners engaged in wildlife conservation practices (e.g., timber management, wetlandsconservation) and lands owned and managed by various non-governmental conservation organizations (e.g., Nature Conservancy, Ducks Unlimited). Also, sportsmen and hunters in Mississippi and nearby states. For our overseas work, our target audience are non-governmental organizations, universities, and government agencies in various countries of the Caribbean andSouth America. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?On the ground training and sharing of analytical approaches have benefited collaborators and students involved. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Yes, mainly through the action of our collaborators which includes conservation NGOs working with local communities. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Complete several research projects, disseminate research products to cooperators, participate in professional conferences to disseminate results and prepare manuscripts for publication in peer-reviewed profressional journals.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Research provided state conservation agencies and NGOs with spatial information on potential habitat for at-risk species of conservation concern. Results have provided cooperators with information that will improve field survey efforts for species of conservation concern. Research with collaborators in South America (Uruguay, Argentina, and Brazil) continues with increased efforts to develop further research proposals and funding. Research in the U.S. Caribbean (Puerto Rico & U.S. Virgin Islands) continues with several research products to be delivered to cooperators in the region (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Puerto Rico Department of Natural Resources).

Publications

• Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Ramirez-Reyes, C., M. Nazeri, G. Street, D. Todd Jones-Farrand, F.J. Vilella, and K.O. Evans. 2021. Embracing ensemble species distribution models to inform at-risk species status assessments. Journal of Fish and Wildlife Management 12(1):98-111.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Ramirez-reyes, C.A., K.O. Evans, G.M. Street, D.T. Jones-Farrand, and F.J. Vilella. 2021. Targeting surveys for at-risk species through species distribution models. Jul 22, 2021. Webinar for The Natural Areas Association
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Ramirez-reyes, C.A., K.O. Evans, G.M. Street, D.T. Jones-Farrand, and F.J. Vilella. 2021. Lessons learned on using species distribution models in Species Status Assessments. International Association for Landscape Ecology - North America meeting. April 12, 2021. Reno, Nevada, USA
• Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2020 Citation: Vilella, F.J., J.A. Cruz-Burgos, R.M. Kaminski, H.R. Murkin, J.B. Davis, S.L. Weitzel, and F. Vizcarra. 2020. Avian community response to management of vegetation and water levels in restored wetlands at the Humacao Nature Reserve, Puerto Rico. Caribbean Naturalist 72:1-21.
• Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Ramirez-Reyes C., G. Street, F.J. Vilella, D.T. Jones-Farrand, M.S. Wiggers, and K.O. Evans. 2021. Ensemble species distribution model identifies survey opportunities for at-risk bearded beaksedge (Rhynchospora crinipes) in the southeastern United States. Natural Areas Journal 41(1):55-63.