Predicting Geese and Eider Nest Distributions on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta of Alaska, 1985–2013
Dates
End Date
2015-08-30
Start Date
2012-07-01
Summary
To determine the current spatial distribution of waterfowl nesting areas and understand the importance of environmental variables in the selection of nest locations, we modeled nest densities for six species of geese and eiders that commonly breed on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, including cackling goose ( Branta hutchinsii minima), emperor goose ( Chen canagica), black brant ( B. bernicla nigricans), greater white-fronted goose ( Anser albifrons frontalis), spectacled eider ( Somateria fischeri), and common eider ( S. mollissima). The data used were from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's long-term waterbird monitoring program in which single-visit nest searches were conducted during incubation (typically from early to mid-June) on 2,318 [...]
Summary
To determine the current spatial distribution of waterfowl nesting areas and understand the importance of environmental variables in the selection of nest locations, we modeled nest densities for six species of geese and eiders that commonly breed on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, including cackling goose ( Branta hutchinsii minima), emperor goose ( Chen canagica), black brant ( B. bernicla nigricans), greater white-fronted goose ( Anser albifrons frontalis), spectacled eider ( Somateria fischeri), and common eider ( S. mollissima). The data used were from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's long-term waterbird monitoring program in which single-visit nest searches were conducted during incubation (typically from early to mid-June) on 2,318 plots sampled during 29 years from 1985 to 2013. Nest density was modeled for each species using random forests and landscape environmental variables. These models were then used to predict and map nest densities across the coastal zone of Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, revealing areas of high and low nest densities. These predictive surfaces can be used to better understand and monitor the important waterbird nesting areas on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta of Alaska, a foundational step in developing vulnerability assessments and adaption strategies for these important species.
