Upland Nesting Ducks As Surrogate Species For Avian Conservation In The Dry Mixed Grass Prairie

Surrogate species are frequently used to simplify conservation planning, but the effectiveness of this strategy has not been sufficiently evaluated. I hypothesized that upland-nesting ducks as a group may have potential to be effective surrogate species for avian conservation in the dry mixed-grass prairie, as they have a number of characteristics of flagship and umbrella species. I determined whether ducks might be effective surrogate species for upland and wetland songbirds and shorebirds by comparing effects of habitat management (cattle grazing and field size), distance to other habitats (water, cropland/forage, or roads), local vegetation characteristics, and landscape context (amount and distribution of upland habitat), on the richness, density, and nest success of ducks, songbirds, and shorebirds. Data were collected on density, richness, and nest success of ducks, songbirds and shorebirds in 39 native dry mixed-grass fields in southern Alberta, ranging from 11-3239 ha, that al.

"The bibliography is a guide to recent scientific literature covering effects of agricultural conservation practices on fish and wildlife. The citations listed here provide information on how conservation programs and practices designed to improve fish and wildlife habitat, as well as those intended for other purposes (e.g., water quality improvement), affect various aquatic and terrestrial fauna"--Abstract.

The vast scope of conservation problems has forced biologists and managers to rely on "surrogate" species to serve as shortcuts to guide their decision making. These species-known by a host of different terms, including indicator, umbrella, and flagship species-act as proxies to represent larger conservation issues, such as the location of biodiversity hotspots or general ecosystem health. Synthesizing an immense body of literature, conservation biologist and field researcher Tim Caro offers systematic definitions of surrogate species concepts, explores biological theories that underlie them, considers how surrogate species are chosen, critically examines evidence for and against their utility, and makes recommendations for their continued use. The book clarifies terminology and contrasts how different terms are used in the real world considers the ecological, taxonomic, and political underpinnings of these shortcuts identifies criteria that make for good surrogate species outlines the circumstances where the application of the surrogate species concept shows promise Conservation by Proxy is a benchmark reference that provides clear definitions and common understanding of the evidence and theory behind surrogate species. It is the first book to review and bring together literature on more than fifteen types of surrogate species, enabling us to assess their role in conservation and offering guidelines on how they can be used most effectively.

Birds as Monitors of Environmental Change looks at how bird populations are affected by pollutants, water quality, and other physical changes and how this scientific knowledge can help in predicting the effects of pollutants and other physical changes in the environment.