Geology topics

Riggs O. Wilson

Publications and source records attributed to Riggs O. Wilson.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

USGS2026

Considerations for using autonomous recording units to monitor northern bobwhite occupancy at large spatial scales

Northern bobwhites ( Colinus virginianus ) have experienced widespread declines across their range, increasing the need for population monitoring across broad spatial and temporal scales. Yet large-scale monitoring of post-breeding bobwhites remains limited by the time-intensive nature of fall (i.e., autumn) covey counts. Passive acoustic monitoring with autonomous recording units (ARUs) and automatic detection software may help overcome these constraints but requires further study. From 2017 to 2021, we paired in-person observer point counts with ARU surveys during the fall in southern Iowa, USA to 1) evaluate how ARU detections compare to observer detections, 2) assess the accuracy of automatic classification software for covey calls, 3) gauge the influence of weather and ordinal date on detection, and 4) offer best practices for processing ARU acoustic data. We found high correspondence (89.2%) in detection and non-detection outcomes between paired ARU and observer surveys. Across manually processed recordings, 95.7% of covey call detections occurred within a 35-min window (50–15 min before sunrise). Increasing wind speed and cloud cover were associated with reduced detection probabilities. Wind speeds ≥5 m/s resulted in detection probabilities <0.5. The cumulative probability of detecting bobwhites at a site exceeded 0.995 (95% Credible Interval [CrI] = 0.987, 0.999) after 4 survey days when technicians processed the files. Manual processing had the highest mean detection probability (0.75, 95% CrI = 0.66, 0.82) compared with automatic detection software with 2 different confidence thresholds (0.46 [95% CrI = 0.39, 0.53] and 0.45 [95% CrI = 0.36, 0.55]). Automatic detection software allowed for substantially faster processing with relatively few false positives (false positive rate of 0.014 to 0.038). Autonomous recording units coupled with automatic detection software provided a promising alternative to in-person observer point counts of bobwhite covey calls for determining site occupancy and have the potential to greatly increase capacity for landscape-level bobwhite monitoring.

Iowa↗

USGS2025

Effects of northern bobwhite habitat management on avian species of conservation concern

The umbrella species concept is often used as a tool to guide management decisions and focus efforts towards one focal species whose habitat needs overlap that of other species. We assessed this concept in the context of an agriculturally dominant landscape using one of the most well-studied avian species in North America as a target for conservation efforts: Northern Bobwhite ( Colinus virginianus ). This species is often viewed as an umbrella species for grassland and shrubland bird conservation throughout its native range due to its complex, year-round habitat requirements. We assessed the influence of Northern Bobwhite habitat management on six songbird species of conservation concern in Iowa by evaluating similarities and differences in habitat associations between each species. Our objectives were to (1) assess which vegetation characteristics were most strongly associated with Northern Bobwhite occupancy and (2) evaluate whether those characteristics were also associated with abundance of the focal songbird species. We used occupancy and N-mixture models to assess relationships between vegetation characteristics and Northern Bobwhite occupancy and songbird abundance, respectively. We found that the vegetation characteristics most strongly associated with Northern Bobwhite occupancy probability were the amounts of closed canopy forest, early successional woody vegetation, non-vegetated areas, and percent cover of bare ground. We found that for some of these covariates, including the amounts of forest and non-vegetated area, the effect on focal songbird species abundance aligned with Northern Bobwhite occupancy. For others, including the amount of early successional woody vegetation, the effects differed. This assessment of overlap and variability in habitat associations suggests that Northern Bobwhite-targeted management can provide benefits to other grassland and shrubland birds, but may also come with some trade-offs. This work adds to existing literature, further highlighting the nuances of the umbrella species concept in that land management benefits from the assessment of trade-offs and inclusion of local community dynamics.

Iowa↗

USGS2024

Wildlife stewardship on Tribal lands: Our place is in our soul By Serra J. Hoagland and Steven Albert (Eds.), Baltimore, Maryland: Johns Hopkins University Press. 2023. pp. 432. $59.95 (hardcover). ISBN 978-1-4214-4657-8

Despite thousands of years of land stewardship by Indigenous Peoples, Western ideology and science predominantly influences wildlife management in North America today. Indigenous science and Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) extend beyond the scope of Western science and ecological understanding to include knowledge derived from generations of people living as part of ecosystems (Rinkevich 2008 ). Historically, Western science and TEK have operated separately, resulting in the exclusion of Indigenous Peoples and TEK in wildlife science and management, which has led to significant knowledge gaps in Western science. Today, many practitioners are seeking ways to study and manage wildlife in more inclusive ways that integrate multiple perspectives, including those from Indigenous communities, wildlife managers, researchers, and academics.

Journal of Wildlife Management↗