Habitat relationships of bobwhite quail and cottontail rabbits on agricultural lands in Halifax County, Virginia

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dc.contributor.authorCline, Gerald A.en
dc.contributor.committeechairStauffer, Dean F.en
dc.contributor.committeememberKirkpatrick, Roy L.en
dc.contributor.committeememberBromley, Peter T.en
dc.contributor.departmentFisheries and Wildlife Sciencesen
dc.date.accessioned2014-03-14T21:38:57Zen
dc.date.adate2010-06-22en
dc.date.available2014-03-14T21:38:57Zen
dc.date.issued1988-11-09en
dc.date.rdate2010-06-22en
dc.date.sdate2010-06-22en
dc.description.abstractI examined the relationships of quail and rabbits to agricultural land uses in the Virginia Piedmont during 1986-1987. Bobwhites and cottontails were censused and the associated habitat components quantified at 2 scales: macro-scale at 121 road transect stations, and a micro-scale at 87-foot transect stations. Additionally, the quail's immediate habitat was measured using variables found in the HSI model for northern bobwhite. The paucity of rabbit sightings prevented an analysis of habitat relationships for this species. Relative quail densities decreased from 1986 to 1987 along both road and foot transects (P < 0.05). A model (R² = 0.374) relating relative density of quail at stations to adjacent habitat found positive (P < 0.10) relationships for crop/crop, road/pasture, road/fallow, and "other" edges and negative (P < 0.10) relationships for road/tall grass yard edge and 3 variables describing dense overstory canopies. The presence/absence of quail at foot transect stations was related to habitat characteristics using logistic regression. Wooded fallow fields, the length (m) of pasture/fallow and forest/forest edges, and the total number of all edges present were positively related to quail presence (P < 0.001). Analysis of quail-centered plots indicated quail preferred areas with more woody cover, less grass composing the herbaceous canopy, more bare ground or light litter ( < 2 cm deep), and more honeysuckle canopy than was randomly available (P < 0.05). Management recommendations are to emphasize maximizing the number of different edges present, especially the combinations highlighted by this analysis. Efforts should be made to maximize the number of fallow fields in early successional stages. Cultivation of field borders and corners, waterways, and other idle areas should be discouraged.en
dc.description.degreeMaster of Scienceen
dc.format.extentxi, 99 leavesen
dc.format.mediumBTDen
dc.format.mimetypeapplication/pdfen
dc.identifier.otheretd-06222010-020136en
dc.identifier.sourceurlhttp://scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/available/etd-06222010-020136/en
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10919/43388en
dc.publisherVirginia Techen
dc.relation.haspartLD5655.V855_1988.C564.pdfen
dc.relation.isformatofOCLC# 19256952en
dc.rightsIn Copyrighten
dc.rights.urihttp://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/en
dc.subject.lccLD5655.V855 1988.C564en
dc.subject.lcshCottontails -- Virginia -- Halifax Countyen
dc.subject.lcshNorthern bobwhite -- Virginia -- Halifax Countyen
dc.titleHabitat relationships of bobwhite quail and cottontail rabbits on agricultural lands in Halifax County, Virginiaen
dc.typeThesisen
dc.type.dcmitypeTexten
thesis.degree.disciplineFisheries and Wildlife Sciencesen
thesis.degree.grantorVirginia Polytechnic Institute and State Universityen
thesis.degree.levelmastersen
thesis.degree.nameMaster of Scienceen

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