Virginia Tech
    • Log in
    View Item 
    •   VTechWorks Home
    • ETDs: Virginia Tech Electronic Theses and Dissertations
    • Masters Theses
    • View Item
    •   VTechWorks Home
    • ETDs: Virginia Tech Electronic Theses and Dissertations
    • Masters Theses
    • View Item
    JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.

    Breeding bird populations in relation to the vegetation structure of abandoned contour mines in Southwest Virginia

    Thumbnail
    View/Open
    LD5655.V855_1977.C423.pdf (2.682Mb)
    Downloads: 26
    Date
    1977
    Author
    Chapman, David L.
    Metadata
    Show full item record
    Abstract
    Twelve study areas on abandoned contour mines in southwest Virginia were surveyed to investigate relationships between breeding bird population parameters and structural aspects of the disturbed area vegetation. The territorial mapping method was employed to census bird populations. The number of breeding species, number of breeding pairs, bird species diversity, and number of observed species (breeding or visiting) were determined for each disturbed area, the marginal undisturbed forest, and each total study area (marginal and disturbed areas combined). Vegetation was sampled within units of similar vegetation on each disturbed area; 17 vegetation parameters were recorded for each unit. These were weighted by the size of each vegetation unit and averaged for each disturbed area. Linear and multiple regressions of each population variable were performed on 51 vegetation and site-factor variables. Bird population parameters of the disturbed and total study areas showed positive relationships with several aspects of disturbed area revegetation. However, among forested orphan mines, decreases in bird populations were observed when canopy closure apparently affected a reduction in understory vegetation. Bird populations of the marginal areas decreased with the reforestation of the disturbed areas, apparently reflecting a decrease in the edge effect. Several sets of equations for population parameters of the disturbed and total study areas are presented for use in habitat evaluation. Relationships revealed for bird population parameters of the disturbed and total study areas suggest that reclamation efforts should strive to achieve a high degree of vegetative cover, increase the amount of ground layer vegetation, and provide for the future development of higher vegetational strata. These vegetational features should be introduced in a manner which will augment existing vegetational heterogeneity.
    URI
    http://hdl.handle.net/10919/64135
    Collections
    • Masters Theses [19687]

    If you believe that any material in VTechWorks should be removed, please see our policy and procedure for Requesting that Material be Amended or Removed. All takedown requests will be promptly acknowledged and investigated.

    Virginia Tech | University Libraries | Contact Us
     

     

    VTechWorks

    AboutPoliciesHelp

    Browse

    All of VTechWorksCommunities & CollectionsBy Issue DateAuthorsTitlesSubjectsThis CollectionBy Issue DateAuthorsTitlesSubjects

    My Account

    Log inRegister

    Statistics

    View Usage Statistics

    If you believe that any material in VTechWorks should be removed, please see our policy and procedure for Requesting that Material be Amended or Removed. All takedown requests will be promptly acknowledged and investigated.

    Virginia Tech | University Libraries | Contact Us