Landscape dynamics from 1990--2010 and the human to apex predator (red-tailed hawk) relationship on La Gonave, Haiti

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dc.contributor.authorWhite, Justin Haehlenen
dc.contributor.committeechairKennedy, Lisa M.en
dc.contributor.committeechairShao, Yangen
dc.contributor.committeememberChristie, Maria Elisaen
dc.contributor.committeememberCampbell, James B. Jr.en
dc.contributor.departmentGeographyen
dc.date.accessioned2015-05-27T08:05:41Zen
dc.date.available2015-05-27T08:05:41Zen
dc.date.issued2013-01-21en
dc.description.abstractThe island of La Gonave, ~50 km northwest of Port-au-Prince, represents the subsistence Haitian lifestyle. Little is known about human--environment interactions on La Gonave. The first objective of this research was to investigate landscape dynamics through image classification, change detection, and landscape pattern analysis using Landsat 5 (TM) imagery from 1990--2010. Five land cover classes were considered: Agriculture, Forest/Dense Vegetation (DV), Shrub, Barren/Eroded, and Nonforested Wetlands. Overall image classification accuracy was 87%. The area percent change was -39.7, -22.7, 87.4, -7.0, 10.2%, for the respective classes. Landscape pattern analysis illustrated the encroachment of Shrub in core Forest/DV patches and the decline of Agricultural patch integrity. Agricultural abandonment, deforestation, and forest regrowth generated an increasingly fragmented landscape. The second objective of this research was to better understand the survival of the red-tailed hawk (RTH) on La Gonave by exploring the human--RTH relationship. We implemented a survey (n = 121) in 10 rural villages on La Gonave regarding their perceptions and interactions with the RTH during May--June, 2012. During fieldwork we sighted seven RTHs and found one nest. Many respondents noted the aggressive behavior of RTHs during nesting, suggesting reproductive behavior on the island. Our results indicate that RTHs inhabiting this island were not persecuted, despite intense predation of domestic chickens. Aside from predation near homes, villagers do not interact with the hawk as it remains out of sight. The RTH currently has no known predators, but it remains in danger of island extirpation due to ecological degradation.en
dc.description.degreeMaster of Scienceen
dc.format.mediumETDen
dc.identifier.othervt_gsexam:175en
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10919/52637en
dc.publisherVirginia Techen
dc.rightsIn Copyrighten
dc.rights.urihttp://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/en
dc.subjectTropical land cover changeen
dc.subjectLa Gonaveen
dc.subjectHaitien
dc.subjectlandscape pattern analysisen
dc.subjectLandsat 5 (TM)en
dc.subjectred-tailed hawken
dc.subjectlivestock predationen
dc.subjecthuman--large carnivore relationshipen
dc.titleLandscape dynamics from 1990--2010 and the human to apex predator (red-tailed hawk) relationship on La Gonave, Haitien
dc.typeThesisen
thesis.degree.disciplineGeographyen
thesis.degree.grantorVirginia Polytechnic Institute and State Universityen
thesis.degree.levelmastersen
thesis.degree.nameMaster of Scienceen

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