Characterization of polymorphic microsatellites in the logrunner, Orthonyx temminckii (Aves: Orthonychidae)

The definitive version is available at www.blackwell-synergy.comWe isolated and characterized 10 polymorphic microsatellite loci in the logrunner (Orthonyx temminckii), a rainforest-dwelling Australian bird. The number of alleles per locus observed within two populations ranged from three to 39, with observed heterozygosities of between 0.12 and 1.00. We demonstrate that these markers are useful for both population- and individual-level analyses.James A. Nicholls, Jeremy J. Austin, David C. Pavlacky, David J. Gree

Causal mechanisms for negative impacts of energy development inform management triggers for sagebrush birds

Abstract Estimated population trends can identify declining species to focus biological conservation, but monitoring may fail to illuminate causes of population change and strategies for reversing declines. Monitoring programs can relate trends with environmental attributes to test causal hypotheses, but typical analytical approaches do not explicitly support causal inference, diluting available data for informing conservation. The U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) extended Integrated Monitoring in Bird Conservation Regions with a quasi‐experimental sampling design over a 10‐year period (2010–2019) to evaluate the impacts of oil and gas development on sagebrush birds within the Atlantic Rim Natural Gas Field Development Project in southern Wyoming. We analyzed resulting data using a multiscale community occupancy model to estimate trends in species occupancy and richness relevant to management triggers. Additionally, we employed path analysis to evaluate mechanisms underlying observed trends to inform potential management responses. Fine‐scale occupancy for sage thrasher (Oreoscoptes montanus) declined within the high‐development stratum at a rate sufficient to meet an a priori management trigger established by the BLM. Two additional sagebrush‐associated species, Brewer's (Spizella breweri) and sagebrush sparrow (Artemisiospiza nevadensis), exhibited negative development relationships with trend, as did overall species richness, and richness of grassland, sagebrush, and generalist guilds. We identified well pad density and invasive plants associated with energy development as causal factors contributing to these negative development impacts. We demonstrate an analytical approach for both estimating occupancy trends and identifying underlying causes to inform conservation action. Reducing the development footprint, including well pad density and associated invasive plants, could help reduce or limit impacts on birds within this landscape

A statistically rigorous sampling design to integrate avian monitoring and management within Bird Conservation Regions

<div><p>Monitoring is an essential component of wildlife management and conservation. However, the usefulness of monitoring data is often undermined by the lack of 1) coordination across organizations and regions, 2) meaningful management and conservation objectives, and 3) rigorous sampling designs. Although many improvements to avian monitoring have been discussed, the recommendations have been slow to emerge in large-scale programs. We introduce the Integrated Monitoring in Bird Conservation Regions (IMBCR) program designed to overcome the above limitations. Our objectives are to outline the development of a statistically defensible sampling design to increase the value of large-scale monitoring data and provide example applications to demonstrate the ability of the design to meet multiple conservation and management objectives. We outline the sampling process for the IMBCR program with a focus on the Badlands and Prairies Bird Conservation Region (BCR 17). We provide two examples for the Brewer’s sparrow (<i>Spizella breweri</i>) in BCR 17 demonstrating the ability of the design to 1) determine hierarchical population responses to landscape change and 2) estimate hierarchical habitat relationships to predict the response of the Brewer’s sparrow to conservation efforts at multiple spatial scales. The collaboration across organizations and regions provided economy of scale by leveraging a common data platform over large spatial scales to promote the efficient use of monitoring resources. We designed the IMBCR program to address the information needs and core conservation and management objectives of the participating partner organizations. Although it has been argued that probabilistic sampling designs are not practical for large-scale monitoring, the IMBCR program provides a precedent for implementing a statistically defensible sampling design from local to bioregional scales. We demonstrate that integrating conservation and management objectives with rigorous statistical design and analyses ensures reliable knowledge about bird populations that is relevant and integral to bird conservation at multiple scales.</p></div

Landscape relationships for the Brewer’s sparrow in the Badlands and Prairies Bird Conservation Region, 2011.

<p>(A) Big sagebrush land cover. (B) Mountain big sagebrush land cover. The bold trend lines are model averaged estimates of large-scale occupancy (ψ) for Primary Sampling Units (1-km² grid cells) at the mean values of the other covariates in the model and the bounding lines are unconditional 90% confidence intervals.</p

The distribution of the Brewer’s sparrow from the Integrated Monitoring in Bird Conservation Regions Program, 2011.

<p>The color ramp for the sampling frame of 1-km² grid cells represent model averaged predictions of large-scale occupancy (ψ) for the most recent distribution in 2011. The inset shows the Brewer’s sparrow occupancy distribution within the Badlands and Prairies Bird Conservation Region at greater resolution.</p

The estimated population density of the Brewer’s sparrow at multiple spatial scales, 2010–2015.

<p>(A) U.S. Forest Service, Thunder Basin National Grassland, Wyoming. (B) U.S. Bureau of Land Management lands in the Badlands and Prairies Bird Conservation Region (BCR 17). (C) Wyoming portion of BCR 17. (D) Entire BCR 17. The filled symbols are estimates of population density (km^-2), the error bars are 90% confidence intervals and the vertical dashed arrow represents the timing of wildland fires in the Thunder Basin National Grassland.</p