Keep off the grass: The Impact of Habitat Development on Avian Species Richness at Two Shelby County Golf Courses

Thomas Beamish, Robbie Bohrer, Conner Bradley, Andres Miller, Rhodes CollegeIntroduction

Methods

Results

Figure 1.1. The overall species high count for T.O Fuller State Park based on data from the eBird database.

Discussion

Statistical Analysis

● Shannon index (Overton -3.76, T.O. Fuller Park -3.99) Indicates similar species diversity between parks (Table 1.1)

● Species Composition, There were 61 unique species at overton park, 30 unique species at T.O. Fuller, and 53 shared species between each site.

● Two tailed T-test, showed that the difference in the mean species diversity among each site (p = .042) was significant

● Wald Chi Square, A generalized linear model suggests that species diversity is significantly dependent on the site and time of sampling. (x² = 10.75, p = 0.01)

● Overton Park has a higher mean species diversity than T.O. fuller (Table 1.1) Therefore our hypothesis was not supported.

References

Setting/ Tools● Overton Park and T.O. Fuller State Park golf courses● Binoculars, notebook, time keeperOn Site Observations ● Data was collected using stationary point counts.● Point count sampling is taken from a single location, where the

observer records everything they can see or hear. ● Sampling lasted for 20 minutes before the observer moved to another

location● Both the species present and the total number of birds was recorded. ● Sampling was done before noon each time● Field sampling data was combined with Ebird databaseStatistical Analysis: ● A Shannon-Wiener Diversity Index was used to assess species

diversity ● A Wald Chi Square test measured the impact of time and location on

species richness● A two tailed t-test was used to compare the mean species richness per

site

● According to our results Overton Park contains a higher avian biodiversity than T.O. Fuller State Park

● High biodiversity at overton park may be explained by the fact that it is located near an old growth forest

● While Overton appears to be more diverse statistically, this may be because Overton has more citizen entries on eBird.

● Since T.O Fuller is more rural, it attracts fewer visitors so the full extent of populations may not be known

● More individuals and species were found per checklist at T.O. Fuller, indicating that populations may be more abundant than Overton

● T.O. Fuller Park has recently began restoration efforts, it may take many years to see changes impact overall avian biodiversity

● Creating corridors in Shelby County could facilitate increased species richness.

● Citizen science databases such as eBird provide helpful information about local and regional avian ecology

● Through additional research and tracking, ecologists can better understand dispersal and foraging patterns of local species.

● Understanding Avian ecology can help inform new conservation efforts that seek to restore suitable mosaic habitats similar to T.O. Fuller..

Blair, Robert B. "Land Use and Avian Species Diversity Along an Urban Gradient." <i>Ecological Applications</i> 6.2 (1996): 506-19. Print.

Colding, Johan, and Carl Folke. "The Role of Golf Courses in Biodiversity Conservation and Ecosystem Management." <i>Ecosystems</i> 12.2 (2008): 191-206. Print.

Tanner, R., and A. Gange. "Effects of Golf Courses on Local Biodiversity." <i>Landscape and Urban Planning</i> 71.2 (2005): 137-46. Print.

Conclusion

○ Shannon Index indicates that species richness is very similar between the two sites.

○ Longer term research (5-10 years) with consistent data collection would improve our results

○ Practicing species identification with an expert would eliminate inherent errors

○ Increasing the sample size to more sites within Shelby County would help identify large scale trends.

○ Compiling seasonal analysis would give researchers a better idea of migrating populations.

○ Citizen science offers a great tool for compiling data

Figure 1.2. Species high count for Overton Park based on eBird database. There are more reported species, but less avg count.

Urbanized development is responsible for the loss of wetland,

riparian, and grassland habitats. These resources are critical sites for

a wide range of migratory and residential bird species, and habitat

fragmentation and disturbances contribute heavily to local

population decline. Therefore, presence of large habitat patches such

as old-growth wood lots and recreational natural areas may

contribute to preserving biodiversity at local and landscape scale.

Further, avian research suggests that mosaic habitats with multiple

biological resources and ecotones (wetlands, streams, grasslands,

woodlands, scrublands) supports residential and migratory avifauna

by providing multiple resources needed for their survival and

reproduction. In Shelby County, there are many areas that offer

unique opportunities to assess avian species diversity. Overton Park

and T.O. Fuller State Park are examples of similar mosaic habitats

that are influenced differently by urbanization. Both sites have golf

courses, however T.O. Fuller has began a habitat restoration project,

whereas Overton park has not. Additionally, Overton park is located

in a more urbanized area, which may further influence species

diversity.

Hypothesis:

H1: Urbanization and increased human use has an effect on avian

species diversity.

Prediction: Overton Park will have less richness than T.O. Fuller.

Overton Park T.O. Fuller Park

Total Individuals 487 371

Total Species 113 86

Total Checklists 46 22

Spec. per checklist 2.46 3.01

Ind. per checklist 10.58 16.86

Shannon Index -3.76 -3.99

Table 1.1 Results:

Figure 1.3. Proposed corridor between sites to facilitate dispersal

T.O. Fuller Sample Site Overton Park Sample Site