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