Date of Award
12-2015
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Departmental Honors
Department
Wildland Resources
Abstract
Bobolink, Dolichonyx oryxivories, populations are declining in Utah. I characterized the habitat conditions of known bobolink nesting sites in Utah and compared these conditions to those for nest sites in Wisconsin where bobolinks are abundant. My habitat assessment included identifying vegetation species, vegetation cover, pH, temperature, and precipitation at each site location. Vegetation cover different between Utah and Wisconsin nest sites. Precipitation varied for both locations with no correlation between water availability and bobolink presence. One possible driver for the reduction in bobolinks throughout Utah is the drastic increase in temperature. Other possible external factors include livestock grazing, edge distance, forb density, and the status of bobolinks as pests in South America.
Recommended Citation
Unger, Bethany Q., "Non-Suitable Habitat a Cause for Declining Bobolink Populations in Northern Utah" (2015). Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects. 613.
https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/honors/613
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Faculty Mentor
Dan MacNulty
Departmental Honors Advisor
David Koons