Date of Award:

5-1-1997

Document Type:

Thesis

Degree Name:

Master of Science (MS)

Department:

Biology

Committee Chair(s)

Kimberly A. Sullivan

Committee

Kimberly A. Sullivan

Committee

Edward W. Evans

Committee

David Winn

Abstract

We conducted an avian census at 897 random points documenting the presence and relative abundance of breeding bird species across 11 cover types in the Manti-La Sal National Forest. We detected 85 bird species varying in abundance from Dark-eyed Juncos (Junco hyemalis) encountered at 33% of the points to 11 species that were detected only once. Relative abundances of all species by cover type were reported. We found a significant linear relationship between MacArthur's alpha diversity (species number) and the structural complexity of the cover types. However, we failed to find a relationship between sampling effort and the proportion of species that were neotropical migrants. Seven of the species found in the study area are listed as "Species of Special Concern" by federal or state agencies. In addition, we discussed the benefits of and problems encountered in a trial of the random point avian census protocol, a protocol that eliminates many sources of potential investigator bias. These sources of potential bias are outlined and discussed. A landscape level species/census size curve (generated with a fortran randomized program) is presented, which indicates on average only 75 census points detect 50% and 324 census points detect 80% of the species identified with 897 census points, respectively. We also detected no significant differences in relative abundance of bird assemblages among the pure and mixed cover types, aspen, aspen/mix, and aspen/spruce and among the fine grained conifer cover types, limber pine/mix, Douglas-fir/mix, and spruce/fir.

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