Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Habitat selection analysis'

The moose (Alces alces) is very important both economically and ecologically, therefore all knowledge of moose is vital for future management of the moose population. Little is known about moose habitat selection in Sweden. In coastal southwestern Sweden growing human population and new infrastructure projects continuously threaten to fragment and isolate local moose populations. The habitat selection of 22 moose, 8 males and 14 females, in southwestern Sweden was studied from February 2002 until December 2005. The moose were captured and fitted with GPS-collars and positions were collected at 2-hour intervals. The number of moose positions totaled 71103 during the study period of 46 months. Data for individual animals were divided into four seasons: spring, summer, fall and winter based on climate and moose biology. A total of 125 moose seasonal home ranges were generated and habitat use within each of the generated home ranges was studied using Euclidean distance-based analysis. A reclassified digital landcover map was divided into the land use classes agriculture, clear-cut, coniferous forest, deciduous forest, mire and mountain. The results showed that there was a difference in habitat selection between males and females. Males were significantly closer to forest and clear-cuts compared to females. Both males and females selected clear-cuts and avoided agriculture within their home ranges.

Älgen är en viktig art, både ekonomiskt och ekologiskt, och all kunskap är viktig för att även i framtiden kunna sköta en sund älgstam. Trots flertalet studier finns det många frågetecken om älgens habitatval i Sverige. En ökad exploateringstakt och nya infrastrukturprojekt hotar att fragmentera och isolera populationer av älg. Habitatvalet hos 22 älgar, 8 tjurar och 14 kor, i sydvästra Sverige studerades mellan februari 2002 och december 2005. Älgarna sövdes och utrustades med GPS-sändare, deras positioner registrerades varannan timma och det totala antalet positioner under den 46 månader långa studietiden var 71103 stycken. Data från varje älg delades in i 4 säsonger; vår, sommar, höst och vinter, baserat på klimat och älgens biologi. Totalt genererades 125 hemområden baserade på säsong, och valet av habitat inom varje hemområde studerades med hjälp av Euclidean distance-based analysis. En omklassificerad digital marktäckedata användes som var indelad i 6 olika klasser; odlad mark, hygge, barrskog, lövskog, myrmark och berg i dagen. Resultaten visade att det var skillnad mellan könen i hur de väljer habitat. Tjurarna var signifikant närmare barrskog och hyggen än korna, men både tjurar och kor selekterade för hyggen och undvek odlad mark inom deras hemområden.

Combining wildlife conservation and urban development often can be problematic. Lewin's Rail is a near threatened, cryptic ground-dwelling bird that is found on land subject to development activity by the Brisbane Airport Corporation. This study quantified the habitat requirements of Lewin's Rail, and examined aspects of the regeneration of this habitat. By assessing the habitat requirements of Lewin's Rail, measures could be taken to facilitate the protection and integrity of remaining habitat, and also to minimise the impact of future disturbance upon the population on Brisbane airport land. The study also helps inform management of Lewin's Rail in other areas subject to human impact.

The development and implementation of effective species and population-specific management strategies requires population-specific information. To demonstrate the relative extirpation risk associated with various road mortality scenarios for a population of Blanding’s turtles at Canadian Nuclear Laboratories in Chalk River, Ontario, a Population Viability Analysis was conducted. Road mortality of two adult females every ten years resulted in population extirpation within 200 years relative to a stable population not experiencing road mortality. To accommodate informed decision-making for the management of this species at risk, the movement patterns and habitat selection of this Blanding’s turtle population were described. There was no significant difference between males and females in distance moved between relocations in either the spring or the summer, but turtles moved greater distances in the spring than in the summer. Annual and seasonal home range size did not differ between the sexes or between spring and summer periods. A compositional analysis indicated Blanding’s turtles preferred marsh habitats over bog, swamp, lake, and upland. Matched-paired logistic regression was used to determine selection of microhabitat features, such as type of vegetation, in the spring and summer. Turtles preferred sites with warmer air temperatures, shallower water, a higher availability of open water, and greater coverage of emergent and floating vegetation types in the spring period. In the summer period, turtles preferred sites characterized by cooler, deeper water, a higher availability of open water, and greater coverage of emergent and floating vegetation types. This population of Blanding’s turtles appears to be relatively small and the continued threat of road mortality indicates a delicate situation for its persistence. Considering seasonally preferred habitats will best inform management decisions for seasonal work restrictions and future development plans.

I examined the effects of potential predators in relation to habitat selection in Peromyscus leucopus. I also examined habitat selection in three other sympatric species (Blarina brevicauda, Blarina carolinensis, Sorex longirostris). I utilized data fiom 49 sampling sites on National Park Service land; Petersburg National Battlefield Eastern Front Unit (15), Five-Forks Unit (17), Appomattox Court House National Historical Park (15) and Booker T. Washington National Monument (12). Sites were categorized by location (park unit) and habitat type (i.e. bottom-land hardwood), and the microhabitat within each sampling site was characterized by four variables (% cover of grasses, herbs, shrubs, and volume of downed wood). Importance values of tree species within each sampling site were also measured. Peromyscus leucopus, B. brevicauda, B. carolinensis, and S. longirostris were captured in all habitat types. Low capture rates for shrew species and high variability in the abundance of shrew species among all sampling sites were likely responsible for the lack of differences in abundance among habitats (p > 0.05). Peromyscus leucopus represented 76% of the captures among prey species and was the only species to demonstrate differences in relative abundance among habitat types. The relative abundance of P. leucopus was higher in bottom-land hardwood habitat when compared to pine forest plantation habitat (ANOVA, p P. leucopus among these habitat types may be explained by differences in understory structural diversity. Furthermore, the corresponding increase in the relative abundance of Procyon lotor (the most abundant predator during the study) in structurally heterogeneous habitat (bottom-land hardwood) suggests the importance of anti-predator behaviors within these habitat types. Ultimately, this may suggest that prey cannot escape the presence or calculate the abundance of predators and instead simply avoid dangerous habitats. Although the relative abundance of the most abundant predator (P. lotor) and prey (P. leucopus) species were positively associated within certain habitat types, a negative association between predator and prey species abundance was evident within parks. In the Eastern Front unit the relative abundance of prey (P. leucopus, S. longirostris) was lower in comparison to the Five-Forks unit while the abundance of P. lotor was higher (ANOVA, p P. lotor, Didelphis virginiana, and Urocyon cinereoargenteus were higher in the Eastern Front unit when compared to the Five-Forks unit. It appeared that the lethal effects of predators are evident at larger scales (within parks) despite the anti-predator behaviors of prey at smaller scales (within microhabitats). My results indicate that at larger scales (within parks) the lethal effects (removal of prey) of abundant predators may overwhelm the non-lethal effects (anti-predator behavior) exhibited by prey at smaller scales, especially in areas where structurally heterogenous habitats are lacking.

Kakapo (Strigops habroptilus) are a flightless, nocturnal parrot endemic to New Zealand. Thought to be extinct within their natural range, kakapo are currently listed as nationally critical. The current population of 86 individuals is managed by the Department of Conservation’s National Kakapo Team on two offshore islands in southern New Zealand, with all females of breeding age on Codfish Island (Whenua Hou). Kakapo only breed once every two to five years, coinciding with the mast fruiting of specific plant species. On Codfish Island, the proportion of adult female kakapo that breed in rimu (Dacrydium cupressinum) fruiting years is dependent on the quantity of fruit produced, with fewer females attempting to breed during low mast years. The purpose of this research is to investigate why only some adult female kakapo breed in low rimu fruiting years on Codfish Island, specifically assessing if foraging home range size and/or habitat selection influence breeding. A total of 506 location points were collected at night for 18 adult female kakapo between March and May 2006. These were used to estimate foraging home ranges and to assess if kakapo select for particular types of vegetation. Ecological Niche Factor Analysis was used to determine the relative importance of habitat variables in the distribution of female kakapo and to predict areas of suitable breeding habitat when rimu fruit is limited. The breeding success of individuals in 2005, a low rimu mast year, was used to identify if differences in home ranges or habitat selection occurred between breeding and non-breeding females. The large variation in foraging home range sizes recorded in this research was consistent with previous studies. Foraging home range sizes were on average twice the size for breeders than for non-breeders, suggesting that adult female kakapo may be limited in their ability to breed by the size of the area they occupy. Adult female kakapo did not randomly use vegetation on Codfish Island as some vegetation types were not used, while others were common inside foraging home ranges. Adult female kakapo utilise a broad niche and are capable of surviving in a wide range of habitats. However, breeding females were more specialised in their niche requirements than non-breeders, with breeders utilising areas with higher abundances of mature rimu trees. Females occurred in high elevation, flat areas of the island but this may have been because this is where appropriate vegetation types occurred. During low rimu mast years, breeding adult females were predicted to occupy habitat in high elevation, plateau areas with a high abundance of rimu. Areas identified as sub-optimal habitat for breeding included the coastal areas, the lower elevation area of the main valley and some ridgelines. The home ranges of all 10 breeding females contained some optimal habitat, while females who did not breed were more likely to be located in sub-optimal habitat. Although there were significant areas of optimal breeding habitat not occupied by adult female kakapo, other kakapo may have been present in these areas. To increase the proportion of females that breed in low rimu mast years, it may be necessary to remove sub-adult females or surplus adult males living in optimal breeding habitat from the island. Alternatively, females in sub-optimal breeding habitat could be fed supplementary foods or transferred to other islands where there is unoccupied suitable breeding habitat available.

In this thesis the demography, home range and habitat selection of a reintroduced population of Anatolian mouflon (Ovis gmelinii anatolica), which had a single remaining population, was studied to evaluate the reintroduction success and determine the conservation management interventions. For this purpose among 104 individuals reintroduced in Sariyar Wildlife Protection Area (Ankara, Turkey), 40 adults were radio-collared and 28 juvenile were ear-tagged and monitored from 2005 to 2009. The survival of the population according to the age groups (females, 0: 0.5423, 1: 0.60, 2: 0.5316, 3: 0.6637, 3+: 0.6728) and the fecundity of adult females (2: 0.2260, 3: 0.2034, 3+: 0.2034) are estimated. A population viability analysis was performed and the persistence of the population within the next 20 years was estimated. Increasing the survival rate of adult female through conservation or restocking the population with at least six adult females every year decreased the risk of extinction in the near future considerably. The year-round home ranges of the individuals ranged between 805 &ndash
3435 ha. (Mean ±
SE: 1934 ±
140 ha). The movements of the tracked individuals followed seasonal patterns: centers of activities changed according to seasons in 80% of the adult mouflon. Reintroduced mouflon selected southern aspects (p=0.001), increasing slopes &ndash
especially medium to high slope terrain &ndash
(slope >
30°
, p=0.002), and distant locations to villages and roads. Results indicate that appropriate protective measures should be implemented immediately to mitigate the causes of juvenile mortality. Restocking the population for the next 10 years with adult females would have a stabilizing effect on the declining population and will act as a buffering mechanism during the adaptation period to the new area.

Beekeepers in Appalachia market varietal honeys derived from particular species of deciduous trees; however, finding places in a mountainous landscape to locate new beeyards is difficult. Site selection is hindered by the high up-front costs of negotiating access to remote areas with limited knowledge of the available forage. Remotely sensed data and species distribution modeling (SDM) of trees important to beekeepers could aid in locating apiary sites at the landscape scale. The objectives of this study are i) using publicly available forest inventory data, to model the spatial distribution of three native tree species that are important to honey producers in eastern Kentucky: American Basswood, Sourwood and Tulip Poplar, and to assess the accuracy of the models, ii) to incorporate a method for discounting the value of a nectar resource as a function of distance based on an energetic model of honeybee foraging, and iii) to provide an example by ranking potential apiary locations around the perimeter of a mine site in the study area based on their proximity to probable species habitat using a GIS model. Logistic regression models were trained using presence-absence records from 1,059 USFS Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) sub-plots distributed throughout a 9,000 km2 portion of the Kentucky River watershed. The models were evaluated by applying them to a separate dataset, 950 forest inventory sub-plots distributed over a 40.5 km2 research forest maintained by the University of Kentucky. Weights derived from an energic model of honeybee foraging were then applied to the probabilities of tree species occurrence predicted by the SDM. As an example, 24 potential apiary locations around the perimeter of a reclaimed mine site were selected and then ranked according to a site suitability index. Three tributary areas corresponding to different honeybee flight ranges were considered: 500m, 700m, and 1,200m. Results confirm that rankings are dependent on the foraging range considered, suggesting that the number of colonies at an apiary location would be an important factor to consider when choosing a site. However, the methodology makes assumptions that are only anecdotally supported, notably i) that colonies will forage preferentially at the target species when it is in bloom and, ii) that foragers will exhaust resources closest to the hive first, regardless of patch size. Additional study of how bees deplete the nectar resources surrounding an apiary is needed to verify the usefulness of SDM in site selection for varietal honey production.

In this thesis a number of statistical methods have been developed and applied to habitat suitability modelling for rare and threatened species. Data available on these species are typically limited. Therefore, developing these models from these data can be problematic and may produce prediction biases. To address these problems there are three aims of this thesis. The _rst aim is to develop and implement frequentist and Bayesian statistical modelling approaches for these types of data. The second aim is develop and implement expert elicitation methods. The third aim is to apply these novel approaches to Australian rare and threatened species case studies with the intention of habitat suitability modelling. The _rst aim is ful_lled by investigating two innovative approaches for habitat suitability modelling and sensitivity analysis of the second approach to priors. The _rst approach is a new multilevel framework developed to model the species distribution at multiple scales and identify excess zeros (absences outside the species range). Applying a statistical modelling approach to the identi_cation of excess zeros has not previously been conducted. The second approach is an extension and application of Bayesian classi_cation trees to modelling the habitat suitability of a threatened species. This is the _rst `real' application of this approach in ecology. Lastly, sensitivity analysis of the priors in Bayesian classi_cation trees are examined for a real case study. Previously, sensitivity analysis of this approach to priors has not been examined. To address the second aim, expert elicitation methods are developed, extended and compared in this thesis. In particular, one elicitation approach is extended from previous research, there is a comparison of three elicitation methods, and one new elicitation approach is proposed. These approaches are illustrated for habitat suitability modelling of a rare species and the opinions of one or two experts are elicited. The _rst approach utilises a simple questionnaire, in which expert opinion is elicited on whether increasing values of a covariate either increases, decreases or does not substantively impact on a response. This approach is extended to express this information as a mixture of three normally distributed prior distributions, which are then combined with available presence/absence data in a logistic regression. This is one of the _rst elicitation approaches within the habitat suitability modelling literature that is appropriate for experts with limited statistical knowledge and can be used to elicit information from single or multiple experts. Three relatively new approaches to eliciting expert knowledge in a form suitable for Bayesian logistic regression are compared, one of which is the questionnaire approach. Included in this comparison of three elicitation methods are a summary of the advantages and disadvantages of these three methods, the results from elicitations and comparison of the prior and posterior distributions. An expert elicitation approach is developed for classi_cation trees, in which the size and structure of the tree is elicited. There have been numerous elicitation approaches proposed for logistic regression, however no approaches have been suggested for classi_cation trees. The last aim of this thesis is addressed in all chapters, since the statistical approaches proposed and extended in this thesis have been applied to real case studies. Two case studies have been examined in this thesis. The _rst is the rare native Australian thistle (Stemmacantha australis), in which the dataset contains a large number of absences distributed over the majority of Queensland, and a small number of presence sites that are only within South-East Queensland. This case study motivated the multilevel modelling framework. The second case study is the threatened Australian brush-tailed rock-wallaby (Petrogale penicillata). The application and sensitivity analysis of Bayesian classi_cation trees, and all expert elicitation approaches investigated in this thesis are applied to this case study. This work has several implications for conservation and management of rare and threatened species. Novel statistical approaches addressing the _rst aim provide extensions to currently existing methods, or propose a new approach, for identi _cation of current and potential habitat. We demonstrate that better model predictions can be achieved using each method, compared to standard techniques. Elicitation approaches addressing the second aim ensure expert knowledge in various forms can be harnessed for habitat modelling, a particular bene_t for rare and threatened species which typically have limited data. Throughout, innovations in statistical methodology are both motivated and illustrated via habitat modelling for two rare and threatened species: the native thistle Stemmacantha australis and the brush-tailed rock wallaby Petrogale penicillata.

In this thesis a number of statistical methods have been developed and applied to habitat suitability modelling for rare and threatened species. Data available on these species are typically limited. Therefore, developing these models from these data can be problematic and may produce prediction biases. To address these problems there are three aims of this thesis. The _rst aim is to develop and implement frequentist and Bayesian statistical modelling approaches for these types of data. The second aim is develop and implement expert elicitation methods. The third aim is to apply these novel approaches to Australian rare and threatened species case studies with the intention of habitat suitability modelling. The _rst aim is ful_lled by investigating two innovative approaches for habitat suitability modelling and sensitivity analysis of the second approach to priors. The _rst approach is a new multilevel framework developed to model the species distribution at multiple scales and identify excess zeros (absences outside the species range). Applying a statistical modelling approach to the identi_cation of excess zeros has not previously been conducted. The second approach is an extension and application of Bayesian classi_cation trees to modelling the habitat suitability of a threatened species. This is the _rst `real' application of this approach in ecology. Lastly, sensitivity analysis of the priors in Bayesian classi_cation trees are examined for a real case study. Previously, sensitivity analysis of this approach to priors has not been examined. To address the second aim, expert elicitation methods are developed, extended and compared in this thesis. In particular, one elicitation approach is extended from previous research, there is a comparison of three elicitation methods, and one new elicitation approach is proposed. These approaches are illustrated for habitat suitability modelling of a rare species and the opinions of one or two experts are elicited. The _rst approach utilises a simple questionnaire, in which expert opinion is elicited on whether increasing values of a covariate either increases, decreases or does not substantively impact on a response. This approach is extended to express this information as a mixture of three normally distributed prior distributions, which are then combined with available presence/absence data in a logistic regression. This is one of the _rst elicitation approaches within the habitat suitability modelling literature that is appropriate for experts with limited statistical knowledge and can be used to elicit information from single or multiple experts. Three relatively new approaches to eliciting expert knowledge in a form suitable for Bayesian logistic regression are compared, one of which is the questionnaire approach. Included in this comparison of three elicitation methods are a summary of the advantages and disadvantages of these three methods, the results from elicitations and comparison of the prior and posterior distributions. An expert elicitation approach is developed for classi_cation trees, in which the size and structure of the tree is elicited. There have been numerous elicitation approaches proposed for logistic regression, however no approaches have been suggested for classi_cation trees. The last aim of this thesis is addressed in all chapters, since the statistical approaches proposed and extended in this thesis have been applied to real case studies. Two case studies have been examined in this thesis. The _rst is the rare native Australian thistle (Stemmacantha australis), in which the dataset contains a large number of absences distributed over the majority of Queensland, and a small number of presence sites that are only within South-East Queensland. This case study motivated the multilevel modelling framework. The second case study is the threatened Australian brush-tailed rock-wallaby (Petrogale penicillata). The application and sensitivity analysis of Bayesian classi_cation trees, and all expert elicitation approaches investigated in this thesis are applied to this case study. This work has several implications for conservation and management of rare and threatened species. Novel statistical approaches addressing the _rst aim provide extensions to currently existing methods, or propose a new approach, for identi _cation of current and potential habitat. We demonstrate that better model predictions can be achieved using each method, compared to standard techniques. Elicitation approaches addressing the second aim ensure expert knowledge in various forms can be harnessed for habitat modelling, a particular bene_t for rare and threatened species which typically have limited data. Throughout, innovations in statistical methodology are both motivated and illustrated via habitat modelling for two rare and threatened species: the native thistle Stemmacantha australis and the brush-tailed rock wallaby Petrogale penicillata.

As aves de rapina, assim como os outros grupos animais, não estão distribuídas de maneira uniforme nos diferentes hábitats que compõem a paisagem terrestre. Conhecer e entender os fatores (e as implicações) que levam as espécies a escolher um determinado hábitat é questão essencial nos estudos de ecologia. Esse tema ganha ainda mais importância não só pela escassez de informações sobre a ecologia e história natural das aves de rapina na região Neotropical, mas também, pelo atual cenário de alteração dos hábitats. Estes são modificados rapidamente sem que haja um conhecimento básico da relação espécie/hábitat e dos efeitos provocadas por tais alterações. Dessa maneira, a presente tese teve como objetivo principal verificar o uso e a seleção de hábitat por aves de rapina diurnas em uma paisagem heterogênea (151. 866 ha) na região central do Estado de São Paulo (22° 15′ S; 47° 49′ W), onde a Estação Ecológica de Itirapina (EEI) foi considerada como área núcleo. Ainda, foi também alvo desse estudo estimar a área de vida de três espécies de rapineiros (Falco femoralis, Rupornis magnirostris e Heterospizias meridionalis) por meio de rádio-telemetria; verificar a eficiência de captura das aves de rapina frente a dois tipos de armadilhas, bal-chatri e goshawk; e elaborar um mapa de uso/ocupação do solo da área em questão, bem como analisar a paisagem no entorno da EEI. Entre setembro de 2005 e fevereiro de 2007 foram registradas 19 espécies de Falconiformes (Pandionidae n =1, Falconidae n = 5, Accipitridae n = 13) em uma paisagem essencialmente ocupada por monoculturas (cana-de-açúcar 22 %, laranja 14 %, eucalipto 13 %) e pastagens (21%). A riqueza média dos Falconiformes em áreas de monoculturas foi de 4,6 espécies e nas áreas naturais 10,3. A composição de espécies da taxocenose se mostrou mais relacionada às outras de área abertas sob influência do Cerrado. Um total de 48 indivíduos, pertencentes a cinco espécies, foram capturados pelos dois tipos de armadilhas. O sucesso de captura geral foi de 15,3 % (n = 33) para a armadilha bal-chatri e de 1 captura a cada 11,8 dias (8,5 %) para goshawk trap (n = 15). Implicações e limitações referentes à captura das aves de rapinas em áreas abertas foram também discutidas. A média da área de vida pelo método Kernel adaptativo (KA) 95 % foi de 1.329 ± 780 ha para F. femoralis, 129 ± 140 ha para R. magnirostris e de 1.883 ha para o indivíduo de H. meridionalis. A média da área de vida de F. femoralis foi 2,8 maior em áreas alteradas quando comparada a áreas naturais. De maneira geral, a qualidade do hábitat parece ter influenciado nos diferentes valores de requerimento de área apresentado pelos indivíduos e, também, na seleção/rejeição dos diferentes hábitats. Na maioria dos casos, as monoculturas foram rejeitadas, enquanto as áreas naturais foram selecionadas pelas aves de rapina. Cana-de-açúcar foi rejeitada por todas as aves de rapina. O único ambiente alterado utilizado em maior proporção que o esperado foi pastagem, selecionada por quatro das 10 espécies analisadas. Em contrapartida, três espécies evitaram este hábitat. Este é o primeiro estudo a avaliar a seleção de hábitat por Falconiformes no Brasil e demonstra que o intensivo incremento de áreas para agricultura pode afetar negativamente até mesmo as espécies mais abundantes e generalistas, contrário a algumas generalizações da literatura. A interação entre estrutura do hábitat, disponibilidade de presas, morfologia e comportamento de caça parece explicar tanto o tamanho da área de vida requerida quanto a utilização diferenciada dos diferentes tipos de hábitats.
Raptors, similarly to other animal groups, are not randomly distributed in the different habitats in the terrestrial landscape. Knowing and understanding the factors (and implications) influencing these species to chose a certain habitat are essential in ecological studies. This subject has become even more important not only because of the lack of information on the ecology and natural history of raptors of the Neotropics, but also because of current scenario of habitat changes. Areas are being rapidly modified without a basic knowledge of the species/habitat relationship and the effects it may cause. Thus, the main goal of this thesis was to examine habitat use and selection by diurnal birds of prey in a heterogeneous landscape (151. 866 ha) in the central region of state of São Paulo (22° 15′ S; 47° 49′ W), where the Estação Ecológica de Itirapina (EEI) was considered the central area. Also, this study aimed at estimating the home range size of three raptor species (Falco femoralis, Rupornis magnirostris and Heterospizias meridionalis) through radio-telemetry; examining the efficiency of capture of birds of prey using two types of traps, bal-chatri and goshawk; and mapping land use/occupation of the study area and making the landscape analysis around the EEI. Between September 2005 and February 2007, 19 species of Falconiformes (Pandionidae n = 1, Falconidae n = 5, Accipitridae n = 13) were observed in a landscape basically occupied by monocultures (sugar cane 22 %, orange 14 %, eucalyptus 13 %) and pastures (2 1%). The average richness of Falconiformes in areas occupied by a monoculture was 4,6 species and 10,3 in natural areas. The species composition of the assemblage was more similar to those of other open areas influenced by Cerrado. Forty-eight individuals from five species were captured in the two types of traps. The general capture success was 15.3 % (n = 33) for the bal-chatri trap and 1 capture every 11,8 days (8,5 %) for the goshawk trap (n = 15). Implications and limitations of the capture of birds of preys in the areas were also discussed. The average home range obtained with the 95 % adaptive Kernel method (AK 95%) was 1.329 ± 780 ha for F. femoralis, 129 ± 140 ha for R. magnirostris and 1.883 ha for the individual of H. meridionalis. The average home range of F. femoralis was 2.8 higher in altered areas when compared to natural ones. In general, habitat quality seems to have influenced the different values of home range requirement of individuals, and also, in the selection/rejection of the different habitats. In most cases, monocultures were rejected, while natural areas were selected by raptors. Sugar cane plantations were rejected by all raptors. The only altered habitat used more than expected was pastures, selected by four of ten species analyzed. However, three species avoided this habitat. This is the first study to evaluate habitat selection by Falconiformes in Brazil and demonstrate that the increase of areas for agriculture may negatively affect even the most abundant and generalist species, contrary to some generalizations described in the literature. The interaction among the habitat structure, prey availability, morphology and hunting behavior seems to explain home range size requirements as well as the differential use of the various types of habitats.

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This thesis consists of three works that analyses the term structure of interest rates using different datasets and models. Chapter 1 proposes a parametric interest rate model that allows for segmentation and local shocks in the term structure. Adopting U.S. Treasury data, two versions of this segmented model are implemented. Based on a sequence of 142 forecasting experiments, the proposed models are compared to established benchrnarks and find that they outperform in out-of-sample forecasting results, specially for short-term maturities and for the 12-month horizon forecast. Chapter 2 adds no-arbitrage restrictions when estimating a dynamic gaussian polynomial term structure model for the Brazilian interest rate market. This article propose an important approximation of the time series of term structure risk factors, that allows to extract the risk premium embedded in interest rate zero coupon instruments without having to run a fui! optimization of a dynamic model. This methodology has the advantage to be easily implemented and provides a good approximation for the term structure risk premia that can be used in many applications. Chapter 3 models the joint dynamic of nominal and real yields using an affine macro-finance no-arbitrage term structure model in order to decompose the break even inflation rates into inflation risk premiums and inflation expectations in the US market. The Yields-Only and the Macro version of this model are implemented and the estimated inflation risk premiums obtained are small and quite stable during the sample period, but have differences when comparing the two versions of the model.
Esta tese é composta de três artigos que analisam a estrutura a termo das taxas de juros usando diferentes bases de dados e modelos. O capítulo 1 propõe um modelo paramétrico de taxas de juros que permite a segmentação e choques locais na estrutura a termo. Adotando dados do tesouro americano, duas versões desse modelo segmentado são implementadas. Baseado em uma sequência de 142 experimentos de previsão, os modelos propostos são comparados à benchmarks e concluí-se que eles performam melhor nos resultados das previsões fora da amostra, especialmente para as maturidades curtas e para o horizonte de previsão de 12 meses. O capítulo 2 acrescenta restrições de não arbitragem ao estimar um modelo polinomial gaussiano dinâmico de estrutura a termo para o mercado de taxas de juros brasileiro. Esse artigo propõe uma importante aproximação para a série temporal dos fatores de risco da estrutura a termo, que permite a extração do prêmio de risco das taxas de juros sem a necessidade de otimização de um modelo dinâmico completo. Essa metodologia tem a vantagem de ser facilmente implementada e obtém uma boa aproximação para o prêmio de risco da estrutura a termo, que pode ser usada em diferentes aplicações. O capítulo 3 modela a dinâmica conjunta das taxas nominais e reais usando um modelo afim de não arbitagem com variáveis macroeconômicas para a estrutura a termo, afim de decompor a diferença entre as taxas nominais e reais em prêmio de risco de inflação e expectativa de inflação no mercado americano. Uma versão sem variáveis macroeconômicas e uma versão com essas variáveis são implementadas e os prêmios de risco de inflação obtidos são pequenos e estáveis no período analisado, porém possuem diferenças na comparação dos dois modelos analisados.

Many aspects of habitat selection have been largely ignored in conservation planning of large mammals, including variation between day and night movement patterns, inter-individual niche variation of conspecifics and translocated individual‟s responses to new environments in relation to the influence of ecogeographical variables. Being a solitary moving animal with a known tendency to move through the night, the black rhino Diceros bicornis is a perfect species to test theories about individual spatial and temporal variation in habitat utilisation. I tested the appropriateness of using carrying capacity (CC) estimates as a tool for population conservation planning, and as an indicator of habitat utilisation for black rhino. I found individual selection was not related to the value of the habitat according to modelled CC. I therefore do not recommend the use of a priori calculations of resource quality and abundance of habitats (CC estimates), which do not take into account the factors that influence an animal‟s selection of a habitat, as indicators of species habitat use. Secondly I tested whether current methods of analyzing mainly diurnal location data of animals result in accurate ecological or conservation conclusions. I found a circadian variation in habitat use for different behaviours, and that excluding nocturnal data from home and browsing range analyses would provide inaccurate results for black rhino habitat use. I then tested for inter-individual niche variation amongst two populations of black rhino at various scales of selection, ranging from habitat through to browse selection. I showed that black rhino, a selective browser, had a significant degree of inter-individual habitat and dietary niche variation. Consequently, pooling habitat location data and diet selection data for black rhino individuals in a population does not reflect the actual selection of any, or many, individuals. To clarify which ecogeographical variables might influence this selection I ran maximum entropy models on individual‟s diurnal locations across the landscape. I was then able to develop a habitat suitability model which was based on the individual rather than population, providing a more accurate prediction. I repeated the individual models in phases, from the initial post-release phase after the release of individuals onto a new reserve through to their „settled‟ phase, allowing me to explore the effect of habitat variables on different settling phases of translocated animals. The results indicate that all the rhinos‟ acclimation phase lasted no longer than 25 days and that to minimize disturbance to the settling process all individuals in a newly released cohort should be released within this period. This study as a whole provides conservation managers with a better ecological understanding of black rhino in conjunction with a number of management tools. This will enable conservation managers to better understand the way animals utilise and perceive their environment, allowing for better monitoring and analyses of animal movements. This will aid in the development of strategic management plans in the conservation of not only animal species but also the ecosystems that they reside in and the identification of suitable areas for future conservation of animal species.
Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville, 2010.

This research develops spatial-explicit methods to characterize the relationship between wildlife and habitat use and selection. Both home range analysis and resource selection function (RSF) models, two common methods of representing wildlife-habitat associations, are often summarized aspatially. I apply a novel method to home range analysis which quantifies the spatial-temporal patterns of site fidelity and range drift. As a result, the spatial structure of home ranges is described, thus building on current methods which summarize ranges as aspatial metrics, often mean area. Furthermore, I develop a new method to spatially assess the ability of RSF models to predict wildlife occurrence using conditional randomization. As opposed to summarizing RSF model accuracy as a single value, I produce spatially-explicit and mappable outputs. I also demonstrate how this spatial method may be used to improve RSF model results. I apply these two spatial-temporal methods to a case study on adult female grizzly bears (Ursus arctos) in the Northeastern slopes of the Canadian Rockies. Through describing the spatial-temporal pattern of grizzly bear home range change, I determine that offspring status and season impact the size and spatial configuration of a bear’s home range. By spatially evaluating the predictive success of a RSF model, I locate and quantify the spatial pattern of areas where the model is under-predicting bear occurrence using Local Moran’s I. Further, I evaluate landscape characteristics at these locations and suggest additions to the model which may increase accuracy. Both home range analysis methods and RSF evaluation techniques could assist in conservation by aiding in the delineation of critical grizzly bear habitat areas in both space and time.

Avian point counts were conducted in tall-grass prairie fragments and adjacent grassland and agricultural matrix habitat in southern Manitoba. Bird density/abundance was compared between habitat types, while variables within prairie at local, patch or landscape level were modeled to determin avian habitat selection. Prairies and matrix grassland habitat supported the same number of species in both years, and densities of all focal bird species were the same in non-native grasslands as compared with native tall-grass prairies. Overall species richness in tall-grass prairies was mainly driven by vegetation variables. Variable responses to habitat structure and composition between avian species indicate that managing grasslands to promote heterogeneity is important to sustain a diverse assemblage of avian species. As individual species were affected most strongly by vegetation structure and richness, it follows that management of prairie vegetation through techniques such as grazing and prescribed burning could optimize habitat usability for birds.

Human footprint - in which land is converted for human use - is a leading contributor to global habitat and biodiversity loss. The accelerated rate of human landscape change to meet our growing needs has led to the direct loss of critical habitat and shifts in species distributions, interactions, and behaviour. These altered conditions affect species’ ability to adapt to environmental stressors, while some species thrive and others decline. In North America, one ungulate has successfully invaded new habitat in conjunction with human land use – the white-tailed deer. Across the continent, the invasion of white-tailed deer has led to increased competition with other ungulate species including mule deer, moose, and woodland caribou. In regions with abundant apex predators, they have become a source of primary prey as their populations increase. The mechanisms by which deer occupy landscapes in the northern extents of their geographic range are not well studied outside of the winter months, or how deer respond behaviourally to various types of human disturbance in a predator-rich environment. To address these knowledge gaps, I examined population scale resource selection across seasons and individual movement behaviour in white-tailed deer in northeastern Alberta’s intensively developed oil and gas landscape. I used previously developed models of predator frequency to spatially extrapolate wolf and black bear occurrence across my study region as indicators of indirect predation risk. I used two approaches to habitat modeling to examine deer responses to various modes of human landscape change, including roads, seismic lines, and cut blocks in addition to predators and natural habitat. Deer were best described by cumulative effects – or the combination of all of these factors – across all seasons with proximity to linear features explaining the most variation among the parameters tested. Most prominently in winter, deer strongly selected for habitat features expected to contain abundant natural sources of forage, and linear features, despite a potential increased risk of predation by wolves – suggesting that deer make energetic trade-offs between forage availability and predation risk. At the individual level, deer significantly increased their rate of movement when occupying habitat associated with predation risk. I suggest that deer make greater energetic trade-offs during winter when mobility is limited to evade predators and energetic costs are higher. The continued use of anthropogenic features post-winter, increased rate of movement and spread of landscape occupancy by deer may allude to the importance of human disturbance in maintaining deer in northern climates. Linear corridors may be an important mechanism by which deer are able to successfully colonize new areas at the northern extents of their range. My results shed light on the drivers of deer distributions in human altered landscapes for managing populations where the invasion of deer is complicit in the decline of other ungulate species such as woodland caribou in Alberta’s boreal forest.
Graduate

A primary focus of wildlife research is to understand how habitat conditions and human activities impact the health of wild animals. External factors, both natural and anthropogenic that impact the ability of an animal to acquire food and build energy reserves have important implications for reproductive success, avoidance of predators, and the ability to withstand disease, and periods of food scarcity. In the analyses presented here, I quantify the impacts of habitat quality and anthropogenic disturbance on indicators of health for individuals in a threatened grizzly bear population in Alberta, Canada. The first analysis relates spatial patterns of hair cortisol concentrations, a promising indicator of long-term stress in mammals, measured from 304 grizzly bears to a variety of continuous environmental variables representative of habitat quality (e.g., crown closure, landcover, and vegetation productivity), topographic conditions (e.g., elevation and terrain ruggedness), and anthropogenic disturbances (e.g., roads, forest harvest blocks, and oil and gas well-sites). Hair cortisol concentration point data were integrated with continuous variables by creating a stress surface for male and female bears using kernel density estimation validated through bootstrapping. The relationships between hair cortisol concentrations for males and females and environmental variables were quantified using random forests, and landscape scale stress levels for both genders was predicted based on observed relationships. Low female stress levels were found to correspond with regions with high levels of anthropogenic disturbance and activity. High female stress levels were associated primarily with high-elevation parks and protected areas. Conversely, low male stress levels were found to correspond with parks and protected areas and spatially limited moderate to high stress levels were found in regions with greater anthropogenic disturbance. Of particular concern for conservation is the observed relationship between low female stress and sink habitats which have high mortality rates and high energetic costs. Extending the first analysis, the second portion of this research examined the impacts of scale-specific habitat selection and relationships between biology, habitat quality, and anthropogenic disturbance on body condition in 85 grizzly bears represented using a body condition index. Habitat quality and anthropogenic variables were represented at multiple scales using isopleths of a utilization distribution calculated using kernel density estimation for each bear. Several hypotheses regarding the influence of biology, habitat quality, and anthropogenic disturbance on body condition quantified using linear mixed-effects models were evaluated at each habitat selection scale using the small sample Aikake Information Criterion. Biological factors were influential at all scales as males had higher body condition than females, and body condition increased with age for both genders. At the scale of most concentrated habitat selection, the biology and habitat quality hypothesis had the greatest support and had a positive effect on body condition. A component of biology, the influence of long-term stress, which had a negative impact on body condition, was most pronounced within the biology and habitat quality hypothesis at this scale. As the scale of habitat selection was represented more broadly, support for the biology and anthropogenic disturbance hypothesis increased. Anthropogenic variables of particular importance were distance decay to roads, density of secondary linear features, and density of forest harvest areas which had a negative relationship with body condition. Management efforts aimed to promote landscape conditions beneficial to grizzly bear health should focus on promoting habitat quality in core habitat and limiting anthropogenic disturbance within larger grizzly bear home ranges.
Graduate
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mathieub@uvic.ca

I investigated if constructed wetlands provide breeding habitat for the Horned Grebe (Podiceps auritus) in northwest Alberta. Over two years, I conducted bird surveys of 201 borrow-pits (ponds created during road construction) and 18 natural wetlands and collected data on local habitat and landscape features. For subsets of ponds, I also collected water chemistry and invertebrate data, and conducted stable isotope analysis. Grebes occurred on 36% of borrow-pits and produced chicks on 61% of occupied sites in 2007 and 81% in 2008. Grebes occurred more frequently on larger ponds, with more emergent vegetation, and avoided forested ponds that supported beaver activity. Horned Grebes are generalist foragers that did not select nesting ponds based on food-web structure. Twenty-six other bird species used borrow-pits, with distinct assemblages occurring on agricultural versus forested ponds. My study indicates that wetland construction offers a viable method for creating habitat for Horned Grebes and other species.
Ecology

This dissertation interrogates the deficit assumptions about English proficiency of skilled immigrants who were recruited by Canadian governments between the late 1990s and early 2000s. Through the lens of literacy as social practice, the eighteen-month ethnographic qualitative research explores the sequential experiences of settlement and economic integration of seven well-educated Chinese immigrant professionals. The analytical framework is built on sociocultural approaches to literacy and learning, as well as the theories of discourses and language reproduction. Using multiple data sources (observations, conversational interviews, journal and diary entries, photographs, documents, and artifacts collected in everyday lives), I document many different ways that well-educated Chinese immigrants take advantage of their language and literacy skills in English across several social domains of home, school, job market, and workplace. Examining the trans-contextual patterning of the participants’ language and literacy activities reveals that immigrant professionals use literacy as assistance in seeking, negotiating, and taking hold of resources and opportunities within certain social settings. However, my data show that their language and literacy engagements might not always generate positive consequences for social networks, job opportunities, and upward economic mobility. Close analyses of processes and outcomes of the participants’ engagements across these discursive discourses make it very clear that the monolithic assumptions of the dominant language shape and reinforce structural barriers by constraining their social participation, decision making, and learning practice, and thereby make literacy’s consequences unpredictable. The deficit model of language proficiency serves the grounds for linguistic stereotypes and economic marginalization, which produces profoundly consequential effects on immigrants’ pathways as they strive for having access to resources and opportunities in the new society. My analyses illuminate the ways that language and literacy create the complex web of discursive spaces wherein institutional agendas and personal desires are intertwined and collide in complex ways that constitute conditions and processes of social and economic mobility of immigrant populations. Based on these analyses, I argue that immigrants’ successful integration into a host country is not about the mastery of the technical skills in the dominant language. Rather, it is largely about the recognition and acceptance of the value of their language use and literacy practice as they attempt to partake in the globalized new economy.