Meeting Abstract
As humans change the environment around them, the need for reliable estimates of population growth are critical for all species, especially imperiled ones. Population models, however, often do not include accurate estimates of survival and reproduction because certain life stages or species are secretive or cryptic. Furthermore, many models do not include the multitude of environmental variables that affect adult and juvenile survival. Bachman’s sparrows are Near Threatened songbirds that spend much of their lives hidden in the understory of pine flatwoods and prairies, and they prefer areas that are frequently burned by fire. The interactions between habitat, physiology, and behavior are poorly understood in this species, and the effects of these factors, and their interactions, on survival and reproduction have not been explored. In the first stage of this research, we found that some habitat characteristics affected nest success. Success differed between years and in relation to time since fire. However, vegetation characteristics did not vary in relation to time since fire and did not affect success or nestling condition. Nestlings were lighter in 2017 than 2016 possibly due to lower rainfall before and during the 2017 breeding season. Our results suggest that habitat affects nest success and nestling condition through other variables that relate to time since fire and rainfall, one potential being arthropod abundance. The next step will be to study the physiology and behavior of this species to determine how all three factors influence survival and reproduction.
