Browsing by Author "Zlonis, Edmund J"

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    Development of Habitat Models and Habitat Maps for Breeding Bird Species In the Agassiz Lowlands Subsection, Minnesota, USA
    (University of Minnesota Duluth, 2015) Bednar, Joshua D; Zlonis, Edmund J; Panci, Hannah; Moen, Ronald; Niemi, Gerald J
    We report results of a two-­‐year effort in 2013 and 2014 to sample breeding bird species in the extensive lowland coniferous forests in the Agassiz Lowland Ecological Subsection (ALS) of northwestern Minnesota. The effort is a part of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MNDNR) forest planning process to identify forested areas of conservation concern to selected forest bird species potentially affected by logging activity. The general objectives were to: 1) identify lowland coniferous forest stands that encompassed a gradient of age classes, productivity as measured by site index, and forest patch sizes, 2) sample breeding bird populations within each of the selected stands in 2013 and 2014, 3) identify habitat and landscape characteristics associated with selected breeding bird species within these forest stand types, 4) develop habitat models for bird species of conservation concern and those potentially affected by logging activity, 5) apply the habitat models to state-­‐owned land to map the potential distribution of individual species or combinations of species in the ALS, and 6) provide recommendations on forest management that could be beneficial for conservation of breeding birds within the ALS.
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    Encampment Forest: Breeding Bird Species Composition – 2014-2015
    (University of Minnesota Duluth, 2016) Niemi, Gerald J; Condon, Elizabeth; Bracey, Annie; Zlonis, Edmund J; Schutte, Sara
    During the summers of 2014 and 2015, we completed point count surveys for breeding birds along transects within a selected portion of the Encampment Forest during the breeding season (June) and the post-breeding season (late July-early August). The main objectives of these surveys were to determine the species composition of breeding birds within this old-growth forest area and identify the habitats and landscape characteristics associated with these species. During the breeding season a combined total of 66 species were observed within the 644 acre area that was sampled in 2014 and 2015. These included four species that flew over while sampling (Common Loon, Canada Geese, Turkey Vulture, and Ring-billed Gull). As expected, detectability decreased during the post-breeding period where we observed about 20 fewer species (44 species in both 2014 and 2015) and an average of about 500 fewer individuals with the same effort.
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    Summary of Breeding Bird Trends in the Chippewa and Superior National Forests of Minnesota: 1995-2012
    (University of Minnesota Duluth, 2012) Niemi, Gerald J; Grinde, Alexis R; Bednar, Joshua D; Zlonis, Edmund J
    The breeding bird communities of the western Great Lakes region have among the richest diversity of breeding bird species in North America (Green 1995, Howe et al. 1997, Rich et al. 2004). The importance of this diversity and past concerns with potential declines of some species has led to a strong interest in monitoring forest bird populations in the region. The relatively heavily forested landscapes of northern Minnesota and Wisconsin are considered to be population 'sources' for many forest bird species and may be supplementing population 'sinks' in the agricultural landscapes of the lower Midwest (Robinson et al. 1995, Temple and Flaspohler 1998). Analysis of population trends is used as an 'early-warning system' of potential problems in a species population and serves as a measure of the ecological condition of the environment (Niemi and McDonald 2004a). Recently, a draft of a general technical report on a summary of the twenty-plus year data that have been gathered in the Chequamegon, Chippewa, Nicolet, and Superior NFs from the late 1980s through 2011 has been completed (Niemi et al. 2013). This report is due for publication during the spring of 2013. It summarizes a substantial amount of information that has been gathered on population trends, habitat relationships, bird community assemblages, factors potentially affecting population trends, management recommendations for bird species of concern, and a brief review of potential invasive species affecting bird species. Large-scale population monitoring programs such as the U.S. Geological Survey’s Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) provide important information on trends at a continental scale. However, limited coverage in some areas can make it difficult to use BBS data to characterize population trends at smaller geographic scales (Peterjohn et al. 1995). Continental trends also have the potential to mask regional population trends (Holmes and Sherry 1988), thus there is a need for regional monitoring programs that can provide more localized information (Howe et al. 1997). In response to the need for regional population data, a long-term forest breeding bird monitoring program was established in 1991 in the Chippewa and Superior NFs. The Forest Service is mandated to monitor certain management indicator species (Manley et al. 1993), and our monitoring program expands beyond indicator species to include all forest songbird species that we can adequately sample. Currently, approximately 314 stands (942 points) within the two NFs are surveyed during the breeding season (June 1 to July 10). The primary objective of this report is to update U.S. Forest Service personnel on results of the forest bird monitoring program. Here we focus on relative abundance trends of individual species during the period from 1995-2012 (18 years) and summarize the most important recent results.
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    Summary of Breeding Bird Trends in the Chippewa and Superior National Forests of Minnesota: 1995-2013
    (University of Minnesota Duluth, 2013) Zlonis, Edmund J; Grinde, Alexis R; Bednar, Joshua D; Niemi, Gerald J
    The breeding bird communities of the western Great Lakes region have among the richest diversity of breeding bird species in North America (Green 1995, Howe et al. 1997, Rich et al. 2004). The importance of this diversity and past concerns with potential declines of some species has led to a strong interest in monitoring forest bird populations in the region. The relatively heavily forested landscapes of northern Minnesota and Wisconsin are considered to be population 'sources' for many forest bird species and may be supplementing population 'sinks' in the agricultural landscapes of the lower Midwest (Robinson et al. 1995, Temple and Flaspohler 1998). Analysis of population trends is used as an 'early-warning system' of potential problems in a species population and serves as a measure of the ecological condition of the environment (Niemi and McDonald 2004a). 2013 Annual Report – Forest Bird Monitoring 2 Recently, a draft of a general technical report on a summary of the twenty-plus year data that have been gathered in the Chequamegon, Chippewa, Nicolet, and Superior NFs from the late 1980s through 2011 has been completed (Niemi et al. 2013). This report has gone through several iterations of peer-review and is currently in press. It summarizes a substantial amount of information that has been gathered on population trends, habitat relationships, bird community assemblages, factors potentially affecting population trends, management recommendations for bird species of concern, and a brief review of potential invasive species affecting bird species. Large-scale population monitoring programs such as the U.S. Geological Survey’s Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) provide important information on trends at a continental scale. However, limited coverage in some areas can make it difficult to use BBS data to characterize population trends at smaller geographic scales (Peterjohn et al. 1995). Continental trends also have the potential to mask regional population trends (Holmes and Sherry 1988), thus there is a need for regional monitoring programs that can provide more localized information (Howe et al. 1997). In response to the need for regional population data, a long-term forest breeding bird monitoring program was established in 1991 in the Chippewa and Superior NFs. The Forest Service is mandated to monitor certain management indicator species (Manley et al. 1993), and our monitoring program expands beyond indicator species to include all forest songbird species that we can adequately sample. Although recent changes to the USFS Planning Rule are in the process of being implemented (USDA Forest Service 2012), we are confident that this program is an effective way of monitoring the characteristics and conditions of an important component of the ecological communities present in these NFs. Currently, more than 300 stands (> 900 points) within the two NFs are surveyed during the breeding season (June 1 to July 10). The primary objective of this report is to update U.S. Forest Service personnel on results of the forest bird monitoring program. Here we focus on relative abundance trends of individual species during the period from 1995-2013 (19 years) and summarize the most important recent results.
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    Summary of Breeding Bird Trends in the Chippewa and Superior National Forests of Minnesota: 1995-2014
    (University of Minnesota Duluth, 2014) Zlonis, Edmund J; Grinde, Alexis R; Condon, Elizabeth; Panci, Hannah; Li, Yang; Regal, Ronald R; Niemi, Gerald J
    A total of 329 existing forest stands were surveyed for breeding birds including 135 and 194 stands (953 survey points) in the Chippewa and Superior National Forests (NFs), respectively in 2014.
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    Summary of Breeding Bird Trends in the Chippewa and Superior National Forests of Minnesota: 1995-2015
    (University of Minnesota Duluth, 2015) Zlonis, Edmund J; Grinde, Alexis R; Bednar, Joshua D; Niemi, Gerald J