Demography, Nest Site Selection, and Physiological and Behavioral Responses to Overflights and other Human Activities, of Wilson's Plover (Charadrius wilsonia) at Cape Lookout National Seashore, North Carolina

Simple item page
dc.contributor.authorDeRose-Wilson, Audrey Lauraen
dc.contributor.committeechairFraser, James D.en
dc.contributor.committeememberKarpanty, Sarah M.en
dc.contributor.committeememberWalters, Jeffrey R.en
dc.contributor.departmentFisheries and Wildlife Sciencesen
dc.date.accessioned2014-03-14T21:46:28Zen
dc.date.adate2012-11-05en
dc.date.available2014-03-14T21:46:28Zen
dc.date.issued2012-09-12en
dc.date.rdate2012-11-05en
dc.date.sdate2012-09-25en
dc.description.abstractThere is little information on demographic trends of, or threats to the Wilson's Plover (Charadrius wilsonia), despite concerns that habitat degradation may be causing the species to decline. I studied Wilson's Plover demography, nest site selection, and physiological and behavioral responses to overflights at Cape Lookout National Seashore, North Carolina, where the National Park Service and U.S. Marine Corps recently lowered the altitude for overflights at tactical speeds. I monitored the responses of incubating Wilson's Plovers to overflights and other human activities and compared heart rate, incubation rate, and vigilance behaviors during time periods with and without these stimuli. I compared habitat use vs. availability at the island-scale, and nest placement relative to geomorphic features and vegetative cover, both on a local and island-wide scale. Wilson's Plovers increased vigilance during military rotary-wing and civilian fixed-wing overflights, but not during military fixed-wing overflights. Plovers were vigilant more and incubated less when researchers were present. Wilson's Plovers selected for interdune areas, flats and isolated dunelets on flats, and against beach and dunes. At the local scale, nests were more likely to be near dense vegetation than random points. Mayfield nest survival was 25%, and predation caused most of the nest failure. Daily nest survival was negatively correlated with nest age and initiation date. Nests with cameras and heart rate monitors had lower survival, and nests with predator exclosures had higher survival. The mean number of chicks fledged per pair was 0.78.en
dc.description.degreeMaster of Scienceen
dc.identifier.otheretd-09252012-105229en
dc.identifier.sourceurlhttp://scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/available/etd-09252012-105229/en
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10919/44899en
dc.publisherVirginia Techen
dc.relation.haspartDeRose-Wilson_AL_T_2012.pdfen
dc.relation.haspartDeRose-Wilson_AL_IACUC_Approval.pdfen
dc.rightsIn Copyrighten
dc.rights.urihttp://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/en
dc.subjectWilson's Ploveren
dc.subjectReproductionen
dc.subjectoverflightsen
dc.subjectheart rateen
dc.subjecthabitat selectionen
dc.subjectdisturbanceen
dc.subjectCharadrius wilsoniaen
dc.subjectbehavioren
dc.titleDemography, Nest Site Selection, and Physiological and Behavioral Responses to Overflights and other Human Activities, of Wilson's Plover (Charadrius wilsonia) at Cape Lookout National Seashore, North Carolinaen
dc.typeThesisen
thesis.degree.disciplineFisheries and Wildlife Sciencesen
thesis.degree.grantorVirginia Polytechnic Institute and State Universityen
thesis.degree.levelmastersen
thesis.degree.nameMaster of Scienceen

Files

Original bundle
Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
Thumbnail Image
Name:
DeRose-Wilson_AL_T_2012.pdf
Size:
2.09 MB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Download
Thumbnail Image
Name:
DeRose-Wilson_AL_IACUC_Approval.pdf
Size:
421.08 KB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Download

Collections

Masters Theses