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At least 1,657 records · Page 92Linked to original sources

USGS2010

Using a distribution and conservation status weighted hotspot approach to identify areas in need of conservation action to benefit Idaho bird species

Identification of biodiversity hotspots (hereafter, hotspots) has become a common strategy to delineate important areas for wildlife conservation. However, the use of hotspots has not often incorporated important habitat types, ecosystem services, anthropogenic activity, or consistency in identifying important conservation areas. The purpose of this study was to identify hotspots to improve avian conservation efforts for Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN) in the state of Idaho, United States. We evaluated multiple approaches to define hotspots and used a unique approach based on weighting species by their distribution size and conservation status to identify hotspot areas. All hotspot approaches identified bodies of water (Bear Lake, Grays Lake, and American Falls Reservoir) as important hotspots for Idaho avian SGCN, but we found that the weighted approach produced more congruent hotspot areas when compared to other hotspot approaches. To incorporate anthropogenic activity into hotspot analysis, we grouped species based on their sensitivity to specific human threats (i.e., urban development, agriculture, fire suppression, grazing, roads, and logging) and identified ecological sections within Idaho that may require specific conservation actions to address these human threats using the weighted approach. The Snake River Basalts and Overthrust Mountains ecological sections were important areas for potential implementation of conservation actions to conserve biodiversity. Our approach to identifying hotspots may be useful as part of a larger conservation strategy to aid land managers or local governments in applying conservation actions on the ground.

Idaho↗

USGS2014

Age-Ratios and Condition of En Route Migrant Blackpoll Warblers in the British Virgin Islands

The en route migration ecology of Blackpoll Warblers ( Setophaga striata ) is poorly understood, yet intriguing. Blackpoll Warblers undertake the longest open water migration of any wood warbler species, traveling from northeastern North America to South America, with the first potential landfall being the West Indies. This migration requires substantial energy reserves and subjects Blackpoll Warblers to unpredictable weather events, which may influence survival. Few studies have examined age ratios or condition of Blackpoll Warblers while the warblers are en route through the Caribbean region. I captured and banded Blackpoll Warblers in the British Virgin Islands over 10 consecutive autumn migrations. Ratios of hatch-year to adult Blackpoll Warblers were variable but averaged lower than the ratios reported at continental departure locations. Average mass of Blackpoll Warblers was less than that reported at continental departure locations, with 26% of adults and 40% of hatch-year birds below the estimated fat free mass; hatch-year birds were consistently in poorer condition than adults. Blackpoll Warblers captured in the British Virgin Islands were also in poorer condition than those reported from the Dominican Republic and Barbados; this may be because of the British Virgin Islands being the first landfall after the transatlantic crossing, whereas Blackpoll Warblers arriving at the other Caribbean study locations may have had opportunities for stopover prior to arrival or have departed from farther south on the continent. However, this suggests that the British Virgin Islands likely provide important stopover habitat as a first landfall location for Blackpoll Warblers arriving from the transatlantic migration route.

Guana Island↗

USGS2017

An integrated population model for bird monitoring in North America

Integrated population models (IPMs) provide a unified framework for simultaneously analyzing data sets of different types to estimate vital rates, population size, and dynamics; assess contributions of demographic parameters to population changes; and assess population viability. Strengths of an IPM include the ability to estimate latent parameters and improve the precision of parameter estimates. We present a hierarchical IPM that combines two broad‐scale avian monitoring data sets: count data from the North American Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) and capture–recapture data from the Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship (MAPS) program. These data sets are characterized by large numbers of sample sites and observers, factors capable of inducing error in the sampling and observation processes. The IPM integrates the data sets by modeling the population abundance as a first‐order autoregressive function of the previous year's population abundance and vital rates. BBS counts were modeled as a log‐linear function of the annual index of population abundance, observation effects (observer identity and first survey year), and overdispersion. Vital rates modeled included adult apparent survival, estimated from a transient Cormack‐Jolly‐Seber model using MAPS data, and recruitment (surviving hatched birds from the previous season + dispersing adults) estimated as a latent parameter. An assessment of the IPM demonstrated it could recover true parameter values from 200 simulated data sets. The IPM was applied to data sets (1992–2008) of two bird species, Gray Catbird ( Dumetella carolinensis ) and Wood Thrush ( Hylocichla mustelina ) in the New England/Mid‐Atlantic coastal Bird Conservation Region of the United States. The Gray Catbird population was relatively stable (trend +0.4% per yr), while the Wood Thrush population nearly halved (trend −4.5% per yr) over the 17‐yr study period. IPM estimates of population growth rates, adult survival, and detection and residency probabilities were similar and as precise as estimates from the stand‐alone BBS and CJS models. A benefit of using the IPM was its ability to estimate the latent recruitment parameter. Annual growth rates for both species correlated more with recruitment than survival, and the relationship for Wood Thrush was stronger than for Gray Catbird. The IPM's unified modeling framework facilitates integration of these important data sets.

Ecological Applications↗

USGS2018

A reinterpretation of “Homing pigeons’ flight over and under low stratus” based on atmospheric propagation modeling of infrasonic navigational cues

Pigeons flying above temperature inversion and related low-stratus layers appear to lack important navigational cues, and a reinterpretation of Wagner’s 1978 study suggests that these cues are low-frequency acoustic signals (infrasound). Wagner released homing pigeons above opaque stratus over the Swiss Plateau to determine whether they could locate their loft beneath it. Birds above the clouds appeared lost, while those that descended beneath them returned home directly. Atmospheric propagation modeling of infrasonic waves virtually transmitted from the loft area shows that these signals would have been ducted beneath the inversion layer, and would not have reached the release sites above it. The absence of homeward infrasonic cues above temperature inversions could explain the disorientation of Wagner’s birds, especially if such signals are the predominant cues used by pigeons to home. The possible generation of infrasonic navigational signals in the loft area and recent queries concerning the infrasound navigational “map” hypothesis are also discussed.

Journal of Comparative Physiology A↗

USGS2003

Sexual selection affects local extinction and turnover in bird communities

Predicting extinction risks has become a central goal for conservation and evolutionary biologists interested in population and community dynamics. Several factors have been put forward to explain risks of extinction, including ecological and life history characteristics of individuals. For instance, factors that affect the balance between natality and mortality can have profound effects on population persistence. Sexual selection has been identified as one such factor. Populations under strong sexual selection experience a number of costs ranging from increased predation and parasitism to enhanced sensitivity to environmental and demographic stochasticity. These findings have led to the prediction that local extinction rates should be higher for species/populations with intense sexual selection. We tested this prediction by analyzing the dynamics of natural bird communities at a continental scale over a period of 21 years (1975-1996), using relevant statistical tools. In agreement with the theoretical prediction, we found that sexual selection increased risks of local extinction (dichromatic birds had on average a 23% higher local extinction rate than monochromatic species). However, despite higher local extinction probabilities, the number of dichromatic species did not decrease over the period considered in this study. This pattern was caused by higher local turnover rates of dichromatic species, resulting in relatively stable communities for both groups of species. Our results suggest that these communities function as metacommunities, with frequent local extinctions followed by colonization. Anthropogenic factors impeding dispersal might therefore have a significant impact on the global persistence of sexually selected species.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences↗

USGS2000

Postbreeding movements of American Avocets and implications for wetland connectivity in the western Great Basin

Wetlands in the western Great Basin of the United States are patchily distributed and undergo extensive seasonal and annual variation in water levels. The American Avocet ( Recurvirostra americana ) is one of many shorebird species that use these wetlands as breeding and migratory stopover sites and must adjust to variable conditions. We used radio telemetry to determine postbreeding, premigratory movement patterns of avocets throughout the region. In 1996 and 1997, 185 breeding adults were captured and fitted with radio transmitters at five breeding areas in Oregon, California, and Nevada. Regular aerial and ground surveys were conducted at the five main study areas from June through September, or until all avocets had left a site. Other wetlands in the western Great Basin also were surveyed by aircraft for the presence of radio-marked birds. Fifty-six percent of radio-marked avocets were still detected in the region at least eight weeks after capture. Each of these individuals was detected at an average of 2.1 lakes (range 0 to 6), with 74% found at more than one lake system. Forty radio-marked individuals moved at least 200 km between wetlands prior to migration, most of which dispersed northward. Male and female patterns did not differ significantly. Overall, movements may be associated with a prebasic molt, exploitation of a superabundant food source in northern lakes, and reconnaissance for future breeding efforts or staging sites. These results also demonstrate wide-ranging patterns of dispersal in this species and suggest a need for the consideration of large-scale habitat connectivity issues in establishing conservation strategies for shorebirds in the western Great Basin.

The Auk↗

USGS2000

Effects of neck bands on survival of greater snow geese

Neck bands are a widely used marker in goose research. However, few studies have investigated a possible negative effect of this marker on survival. We tested the effect of neck bands on the survival of adult female greater snow geese ( Chen caerulescens atlantica ) by marking birds with either a neck band and a metal leg band or a leg band only on Bylot Island (Nunavut, formerly included in the Northwest Territories, Canada) from 1990 to 1996. Annual survival was estimated using leg-band recoveries in fall and winter and using neck-band sightings in spring and fall. Recapture rates were estimated using summer recaptures. Using recovery data, the selected model yielded a survival similar for the neck-banded and leg-banded only birds ( S = 0.845 ± 0.070 vs. S = 0.811 ± 0.107). The hypothesis of equality of survival between the 2 groups was easily accepted under most constraints imposed on survival or recovery rates. However, failure to account for a different direct recovery rate for neck-banded birds would lead us to incorrectly conclude a possible negative effect of neck bands on survival. Using sighting data, mean annual survival of neck-banded birds was independently estimated at 0.833 ± 0.057, a value very similar to that estimated with band-recovery analysis. Raw recapture rates during summer were significantly lower for neck-banded birds compared to those marked with leg bands only (4.6% vs. 12.1%), but in this analysis, survival, site fidelity, reproductive status, and recapture rates were confounded. We conclude that neck bands did not affect survival of greater snow geese, but could possibly affect other demographic traits such as breeding propensity and emigration.

Nunavut↗

USGS2024

Effects of noise from oil and gas development on raptors and songbirds—A science synthesis to inform National Environmental Policy Act analyses

The U.S. Geological Survey is working with Federal land management agencies to develop a series of science syntheses to support environmental effects analyses that agencies conduct to comply with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). This report synthesizes science information about the potential effects of noise from oil and gas development on North American raptors, songbirds, and other small avian species. We conducted a structured search of published scientific literature to find information about noise levels produced during oil and gas development, methods for analyzing sound propagation, the effects of noise on avian species, and measures to reduce noise emissions. We follow the organization first established in U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2023-5114, in which the report sections align with standard elements of NEPA analyses. We found that oil and gas development is a common source of human-caused noise on public lands and includes noise sources such as heavy construction and drilling machinery, long-term production machinery, truck traffic, and aircraft. Common techniques for predicting potential noise include field data collection using a sound level meter, inference from previously published data, and sound propagation modeling. The effects of human-caused noise on songbirds are well researched, whereas, among raptors, only owl species have been well-studied in relation to noise. Several studies have established that noise can reduce owl hunting success because many owl species are heavily reliant on hearing prey when hunting. The effects of noise on songbirds depend on several factors. Typically, birds that rely on vocal communication for mating, predator detection, and spatial orientation, and that are less able to adjust the frequencies of their vocalizations, are more vulnerable to behavioral changes and decreased fitness in noisy areas. Techniques suggested in the literature for reducing noise emissions include artificial sound barriers, seasonal and daily timing restrictions, traffic control measures, and siting infrastructure to take advantage of natural sound barriers. Public land managers can use this report by incorporating it by reference in NEPA documentation, as supplemental information, or as a general reference to find literature or identify gaps in the literature about the effects of noise from oil and gas development on raptors and songbirds.

Scientific Investigations Report↗

USGS1993

Habitat use and survival rates of wintering American woodcocks in coastal South Carolina and Georgia

Habitat use and survival rates of radio-marked American woodcocks (Scolopax minor) were studied during the winter in coastal South Carolina (1988-89) and Georgia (1989-90). Soon after they arrived, woodcocks were captured in mist nets or in modified shorebird traps or by nightlighting. Each bird was weighed, aged, sexed, and fitted with a 4-g radio transmitter and monitored daily until it died or could not be located or until its radio failed. During the day, the woodcocks in South Carolina frequented seasonally flooded stands of gum-oak-willow (Liquidambar-Quercus-Salix) > 75% of the time and <15-year-old pine (Pinus spp.) plantations during the remaining time. The predominantly used understory vegetation was switch cane (Arundinaria gigantica). In Georgia, woodcocks used bottomland hardwoods, young pine plantations (<15-years-old), mature pine-hardwood stands, and clear-cuttings that had regenerated naturally. Wax myrtle (Myrica cerifera) dominated the used understory species at these sites. The woodcocks in South Carolina rarely made daily moves between daytime and nighttime cover, whereas the birds in Georgia made regular flights. At both sites, the daily survival rates of females were low, especially in the absence of losses from hunting. Daily survival rates of females ranged from 0.992 in adults to 0.994 in young. Daily survival rates of males ranged from 1.0 in adults to 0.996 in young. We determined no significant differences in the daily survival rates of woodcocks by age or sex in either South Carolina or Georgia. Probable predators of radio-marked woodcocks included bobcats (Lynx rufus), gray foxes (Urocyon cinereoargenteus), and barred owls (Strix varia).

Biological Report↗

USGS2000

Impacts of cowbird parasitism on wood thrushes and other neotropical migrants in suburban Maryland forests

During 1988-1993, we monitored nests of neotropical migrant birds in seven suburban Maryland forests to compare parasitism and predation rates in forests of different areas. Of 1,122 nests monitored, 672 were of Wood Thrush, the most commonly found nesting species. Study sites were forests that ranged in size from 21 ha to more than 1,300 ha in the Piedmont and Coastal Plain regions of Maryland within 50 km of Washington, D.C. Parasitism rates of Wood Thrush nests varied greatly among sites, ranging from 0% (29 nests in 1990-1992) in a site in extensive forest to 68% (31 nests 1992-1993) in a 21-ha, selectively logged old-growth forest. A sudden increase in parasitism from 9% (102 nests 1990-1991) to 35% (125 nests 1992-1993) in a 23-ha old-growth forest was noteworthy. The surrounding environment at this site is changing from rural to residential. Wood Thrush parasitism rates dropped as the breeding season progressed, but peaks of parasitism coincided with peaks of nesting activity. Parasitism rates for Hooded Warblers (88% of 17 nests-all sites) were most alarming. High predation rates were a much greater factor in low productivity for Wood Thrushes than parasitism.

Book chapter↗

USGS2000

The current status of amphibian and reptile ecotoxicological research

The extent of research conducted on the effects of contaminants on reptiles and amphibians has been scant compared to that of other vertebrate classes including fishes, birds and mammals. In a review of literature from 1972 until 1998 we found that only about 2.7% of the papers published on ecotoxicology in vertebrates concerned amphibians and 1.4% for reptiles. Most studies on amphibian ecotoxicology were on metals, pesticides, and acid deposition. For reptiles the greatest frequency of papers included metals, organochlorines, and others. In proportion to the taxonomic importance, far more papers were written on turtles than on other reptile orders. Most of the papers dealt with residues and very few dealt with effects of contaminant exposure.

Book chapter↗

USGS1989

Migration of radio-marked whooping cranes from the Aransas-Wood Buffalo population: Patterns of habitat use, behavior, and survival

Use of migration stop-overs by radio-tracked whooping cranes (Grus americana) was studied in fall 1981-83 and spring 1983-84. Information on habitat use, time-activity budgets, and hazards encountered is presented for a sample of 27 individuals, including 9 radio-marked birds. Survival rate is calculated for radio-marked birds and compared with estimates for birds not radio-marked. Distribution patterns of birds for which complete stopover information is available are contrasted with distributions derived from opportunistic observations.

Fish and Wildlife Technical Report↗

USGS2006

Tests of landscape influence: Nest predation and brood parasitism in fragmented ecosystems

The effects of landscape fragmentation on nest predation and brood parasitism, the two primary causes of avian reproductive failure, have been difficult to generalize across landscapes, yet few studies have clearly considered the context and spatial scale of fragmentation. Working in two river systems fragmented by agricultural and rural-housing development, we tracked nesting success and brood parasitism in >2500 bird nests in 38 patches of deciduous riparian woodland. Patches on both river systems were embedded in one of two local contexts (buffered from agriculture by coniferous forest, or adjacent to agriculture), but the abundance of agriculture and human habitation within 1 km of each patch was highly variable. We examined evidence for three models of landscape effects on nest predation based on (1) the relative importance of generalist agricultural nest predators, (2) predators associated with the natural habitats typically removed by agricultural development, or (3) an additive combination of these two predator communities. We found strong support for an additive predation model in which landscape features affect nest predation differently at different spatial scales. Riparian habitat with forest buffers had higher nest predation rates than sites adjacent to agriculture, but nest predation also increased with increasing agriculture in the larger landscape surrounding each site. These results suggest that predators living in remnant woodland buffers, as well as generalist nest predators associated with agriculture, affect nest predation rates, but they appear to respond at different spatial scales. Brood parasitism, in contrast, was unrelated to agricultural abundance on the landscape, but showed a strong nonlinear relationship with farm and house density, indicating a critical point at which increased human habitat causes increased brood parasitism. Accurate predictions regarding landscape effects on nest predation and brood parasitism will require an increased appreciation of the multiple scales at which landscape components influence predator and parasite behavior. ?? 2006 by the Ecological Society of America.

Ecology↗

USGS1993

Changing nest placement of Hawaiian Common Amakihi during the breeding cycle

We studied the nesting behavior of the Common Amakihi ( Hemignathus virens ) from 1970-1981 on the island of Hawaii to determine if the species alters nest placement over a protracted 9-month breeding season. Birds preferentially chose the southwest quadrant of trees in which to build nests during all phases of the breeding season. It appeared that ambient temperature (Ta) was a contributing factor to differential nest placement between early and late phases of the annual breeding cycle. When Ta is low during the early (December-March) breeding period, Common Amakihi selected exposed nesting locations that benefitted them with maximum solar insolation. However, in the later phase of the breeding period (April-July) when Ta was much higher, renesting birds selected nest sites deeper in the canopy in significantly taller trees. This is one of the few documented examples in which a species changes location of nest during a breeding season, thus allowing exploitation of temporally differing microclimatic conditions.

Hawaii↗

USGS2019

Monitoring boreal avian populations: How can we estimate trends and trajectories from noisy data?

Substantial effort has been dedicated to developing reliable monitoring schemes for North American bird populations, but our ability to monitor bird populations in the boreal forest remains limited because of the sparsity of long-term data sets, particularly in northerly regions. Given the importance of the boreal forest for many migratory birds, we set out to (1) summarize the main challenges associated with monitoring avian populations, (2) describe the available statistical tools for population monitoring and their applications, and (3) identify future directions to overcome current challenges in monitoring bird populations in the boreal forest. Defining and delineating populations of interest and identifying the drivers that affect those populations present the greatest current challenges. This is because migratory birds may be affected by many population-limiting processes at different stages of their annual life cycles. These factors are often hierarchically structured and can influence populations at the local, regional, or continental scales. Some of the challenges associated with delineating populations and identifying population drivers can be addressed via the plethora of sampling and analytic methods available to examine population change over time. Choosing the proper analytic methods depends on the goals of the study and the nature of the data such as single or multiple populations, repeated occurrence or count-based surveys, or demographic rates. Recent advances in hierarchical and integrated population models make these analytic approaches some of the most promising avenues for the development of future methods. However, these tools require large data sets, and acquiring sufficient data on bird populations and potential explanatory variables is difficult in the boreal forest. If the current challenges to monitoring birds in the boreal forest are to be overcome, serious effort should be dedicated to integrating existing data and making them accessible. Enhancing survey effort through multispecies surveys will also play an important role. Implementing spatially balanced sampling plans with a rotating panel design could balance the trade-offs between spatial versus temporal replication at an affordable cost. Improving the accessibility of environmental covariates that are spatially and temporally explicit would also enable development of mechanistic population models that improve our understanding of migratory bird population dynamics. Finally, given that long-term monitoring programs can take many decades before delivering reliable population trends and that organizational priorities often change over time, we suggest that collaborative efforts will help ensure the long-term survival of new monitoring programs.

Avian Conservation and Ecology↗

USGS2023

Disparate data streams together yield novel survival estimates of Alaska-breeding Whimbrels

Survival estimates are critical components of avian ecology. In well-intentioned efforts to maximize the utility of one's research, survival estimates often derive from data that were not originally collected for survival assessments, and such post hoc analyses may include unintentional biases. We estimated the survival of Whimbrels captured and marked at two breeding sites in Alaska using divergent data streams that in isolation were subject to methodological biases. Although both capture sites were chosen to study the migration ecology of Alaska-breeding Whimbrels, maximizing the conservation value of the data we collected was obviously desirable. We used multi-year telemetry information to infer survival from one site (Colville River) and mark-resight techniques to estimate survival from a second site (Kanuti River). At the Colville River, we could not feasibly include a control group of birds to assess potential survival effects of externally mounted transmitters, while at Kanuti River we were unable to accurately account for potential emigration events because we used resightings alone. We integrated these datasets in a Bayesian hierarchical framework, an approach that permitted insights across sites that moderated methodological biases within sites. Using telemetry enabled us to detect permanent emigration events from breeding sites in two of ten birds; results that informed estimates for birds without tracking devices. These datasets yielded point estimates of true survival of Whimbrels from Colville River equipped with solar-powered satellite transmitters that were higher (0.83) than true survival estimates of Whimbrels from Kanuti River marked with leg flags alone (0.74) or equipped with surgically implanted satellite transmitters (0.50), but the 95% credible intervals on these estimates overlapped across groups. For species like Whimbrels that are difficult and costly to study, combining information from disparate data streams allowed us to derive novel demographic estimates, an approach with clear application to other similar studies.

Alaska↗

USGS2025

A short-term sublethal oral exposure to microcystin-LR disrupts cecal microbiome homeostasis in mallard

Introduction: The frequency of cyanobacterial blooms seems to have increased globally in recent decades due to human induced eutrophication and climate change. Cyanobacterial blooms can produce several groups of toxins, among which microcystin-LR (MC-LR) is one of the most abundant. Effects of MC-LR on avian microbiome have not been studied and studies in laboratory murines have been limited to metabarcoding of prokaryotes. Methods: Using RNA shotgun sequencing, we compared the richness and composition of metabolically active prokaryotes, expressed virulence factors, antimicrobial resistance genes, metabolic pathways, Gene Ontology terms, enzymes, and proteins in mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) that were orally exposed to a sublethal dose of MC-LR for one week and unexposed birds. Results: Richness and composition of all compared features did not differ between exposed and control birds and none were differentially expressed between exposure groups. However, richness and/or composition of all features except virulence factors and Carbohydrate Active enzymes had multiple-fold greater dispersion in exposed birds than in controls. This effect was especially pronounced in expressed metabolic (MetaCyc) pathways. Discussion: Our results suggest that MC-LR exposure had a stochastic (rather than deterministic) effect on cecal microbiota, especially its function. Observed disturbance of the microbiota homeostasis is consistent with the Anna Karenina Principle. This principle has been documented in a wide range of eukaryotes using primarily microbial community metabarcoding. Although stochastic disturbance of microbiota function has been hypothesized, our study seems to be the first to demonstrate this in an experimental study.

Wisconsin↗

USGS2024

Identifying conservation introduction sites for endangered birds through the integration of lidar-based habitat suitability models and population viability analyses

Similar to other single-island endemic Hawaiian honeycreepers, the critically endangered ‘ākohekohe ( Palmeria dolei ) is threatened by climate-driven disease spread. To avert the imminent risk of extinction, managers are considering novel measures, including the conservation introduction (CI) of ‘ākohekohe from Maui to higher elevation habitats on the Island of Hawai’i. This study integrated lidar-based habitat suitability models (LHSMs) and population viability analyses (PVAs) to assess five candidate sites currently considered by managers for CI. We first developed an LHSM for the species’ native range on Maui. We then projected habitat suitability across candidate CI sites, using forest structure and topography metrics standardized across sensor types. Given the structural variability observed within the five candidate sites, we identified clusters of contiguous, highly suitable habitat as potential release sites. We then determined how many adult individuals could be supported by each cluster based on adult home range estimates. To determine which clusters could house the minimum number of ‘ākohekohe birds necessary for a stable or increasing future population, we conducted PVAs under multiple scenarios of bird releases. We found that canopy height and relative height 90 had the greatest effects on model performance, possibly reflecting ‘ākohekohe’s preference for taller canopies. We found that a small release of at least nine pairs of equal sex ratios were sufficient for an 80% chance of success and a <1% chance of extirpation in 20 years, resulting in a minimum release area of 4.5 ha in size. We integrated the results of the LHSM and PVA into an interactive web application that allowed managers to consider the caveats and uncertainties associated with both LHSMs and PVAs in their decision-making process. As climate change continues to threaten species worldwide, this research demonstrates the value of lidar remote sensing combined with species-specific models to enable rapid, quantitative assessments that can inform the increasing consideration of time-sensitive conservation introductions.

Hawaii↗