Sample Grain Influences the Functional Relationship Between Canopy Cover and Gopher Tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) Burrow Abandonment

    Authors

    C. P. Catano; J. J. Angelo;I. J. Stout

    Comments

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    Abbreviated Journal Title

    Chelonian Conserv. Biol.

    Keywords

    Akaike Information Criterion; lidar remote sensing; logistic regression; longleaf pine savanna; sandhill habitat; spatial scale; species-habitat; management; FLORIDA SANDHILL; HABITAT; LIDAR; POPULATION; MOVEMENT; PATTERNS; MANAGEMENT; VEGETATION; ABUNDANCE; ECOSYSTEM; Zoology

    Abstract

    Change in vegetation structure alters habitat suitability for the threatened gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus). An understanding of this dynamic is crucial to inform habitat and tortoise management strategies. However, it is not known how the choice of the sample grain (i.e., cell size) at which vegetation structure is measured impacts estimates of tortoise-habitat relationships. We used lidar remote sensing to estimate canopy cover around 1573 gopher tortoise burrows at incrementally larger sample grains (1-707 m(2)) in 450 ha of longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) savanna. Using an information theoretic approach, we demonstrate that the choice of grain size profoundly influences modeled relationships between canopy cover and burrow abandonment. At the most supported grain size (314 m(2)), the probability of burrow abandonment increased by 1.7% with each percent increase in canopy cover. Ultimately, detecting the appropriate sample grain can lead to more effective development of functional relationships and improve predictive models to manage gopher tortoise habitats.

    Journal Title

    Chelonian Conservation and Biology

    Volume

    13

    Issue/Number

    2

    Publication Date

    1-1-2014

    Document Type

    Article

    Language

    English

    First Page

    166

    Last Page

    172

    WOS Identifier

    WOS:000346132000005

    ISSN

    1071-8443

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