Ruffed Grouse (Bonasa Umbellus) Habitat Ecology in the Central and Southern Appalachians
Author | : Darroch M. Whitaker |
Publisher | : |
Total Pages | : 410 |
Release | : 2003 |
ISBN-10 | : OCLC:61049348 |
ISBN-13 | : |
Rating | : 4/5 (48 Downloads) |
Book excerpt: Ruffed grouse populations are low in Appalachian forests, possibly because low habitat quality negatively affects survival, condition, and reproduction. Through the Appalachian Cooperative Grouse Research Project (ACGRP) researchers tracked>1500 radioed grouse at 10 study sites (1996-2002). To improve our understanding of Appalachian grouse habitat ecology, I carried out two primary analyses of this database. First, grouse should be under selective pressure to minimize movements, so I studied factors associated with variation in home range size. Second, importance of a habitat is affected by an individual's resource needs, and I investigated factors associated with variation in selection of "preferred" habitats. Both approaches yielded important insights into the species' regional habitat ecology. As elsewhere, clearcuts, which afford escape cover, formed the cornerstone of grouse habitat in the region. However, a number of other factors were also important. At the root of this was a divergence in habitat ecology between grouse inhabiting the two major forest types in the region. In oak-hickory forests nutritional constraint strongly influenced habitat use.