Local vs. Large Scale Gradients of Species Diversity in Birds

Student names removed for anonymity

BY222

Objectives

• Local, Regional, Continental comparisons– Species richness– Land coverage• Patterns

– Land use• East coast to interior Colorado

Yellow Warbler, Fishman Island, Virginia

Hypotheses

Continental:• The further East, the greater the species

richness of birds Regional• There will be a greater species richness in

birds where there is more waterLocal• There will be more species in forested areas.

Brown-Headed Cowbird Squaw Creek, Missouri

Our Measurements

Latitude: 30° N to 40°NLongitude: -75°W to -105°WField measurements: ≈3, 5 minsw/ 25, 50, 100mType: State Wildlife Management AreaData collected: Avg of up to 5yrsBreeding BirdsLocal scale: 0.82km^2Regional Scale: 52km^2

Breeding Birds Species Richness

Species Richness vs Longitude

-110 -105 -100 -95 -90 -85 -80 -75 -70 -65 -600

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

Longitude (°)

Spec

ies R

ichne

ss

Tennessee Edger Euns

0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.20

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

Local Scale (.82Km^2)

Proportion Land Use Forest

Spec

ies R

ichne

ss

0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 102468

1012141618

Regional Scale (52 km^2)

Proportion Land Use Forest

Spcie

s Rich

ness

Conclusions

• Continental scale bird species increase closer to the coast

• Regional and local patterns show similar species richness