Theses and Dissertations
Advisor
McConnell, Mark D.
Committee Member
Iglay, Raymond
Committee Member
Conner, L. Mike
Date of Degree
5-10-2024
Original embargo terms
Visible MSU only 2 years
Document Type
Graduate Thesis - Campus Access Only
Major
Wildlife, Fisheries and Aquaculture
Degree Name
Master of Science (M.S.)
College
College of Forest Resources
Department
Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Aquaculture
Abstract
Effective conservation requires reliable knowledge of habitat selection and data describing the target species’ response to prominent management techniques. Herein, I describe northern bobwhite breeding season resource selection in an intensively managed longleaf pine ecosystem and investigate the influence of post-fire succession and days-since-fire on bobwhite use of recently burned areas. I recorded bobwhite locations three times per week and surveyed recently burned areas twice daily. I found that bobwhite prefer natural pine woodlands burned the current year and pine plantations, hardwood pine forest, and shrub/scrub communities burned 1-2 years ago. Bobwhite avoided natural pine woodlands burned 1-2 years ago, recently burned (<1 year) shrub/scrub and hardwood-pine communities, urban/mowed areas, and hardwood forests. Few bobwhite used burned areas immediately following fire, but use of burned areas increased as post-fire green-up progressed. Days-since-fire was the best competing model to explain bobwhite use of recently burned areas.
Recommended Citation
Grayum, Jeffrey Martin, "Assessing northern bobwhite habitat use and short-term response to prescribed fire in an intensively managed longleaf pine ecosystem" (2024). Theses and Dissertations. 6112.
https://scholarsjunction.msstate.edu/td/6112