Dataset
Data from: Tall, heterogenous forests improve prey capture, delivery to nestlings, and reproductive success for Spotted Owls in southern California
Dryad
12/12/2022
DOI: 10.5061/dryad.h70rxwdnq
Abstract
Predator-prey interactions can be profoundly influenced by vegetation
conditions, particularly when predator and prey prefer different habitats.
Although such interactions have proven challenging to study for small and
cryptic predators, recent methodological advances substantially improve
opportunities for understanding how vegetation influences prey acquisition
and strengthen conservation planning for this group. The California
Spotted Owl (Strix occidentalis occidentalis) is well-known as an
old-forest species of conservation concern, but whose primary prey in many
regions – woodrats (Neotoma spp.) – occurs in a broad range of vegetation
conditions. Here, we used high-resolution GPS tracking coupled with nest
video monitoring to test the hypothesis that prey capture rates vary as a
function of vegetation structure and heterogeneity, with emergent,
reproductive consequences for Spotted Owls in Southern California.
Foraging owls were more successful capturing prey, including woodrats, in
taller multilayered forests, in areas with higher heterogeneity in
vegetation types, and near forest-chaparral edges. Consistent with these
findings, Spotted Owls delivered prey items more frequently to nests in
territories with greater heterogeneity in vegetation types and delivered
prey biomass at a higher rate in territories with more forest-chaparral
edge. Spotted Owls had higher reproductive success in territories with
higher mean canopy cover, taller trees, and more shrubby vegetation.
Collectively, our results provide additional and compelling evidence that
a mosaic of large tree forests with complex canopy and shrubby vegetation
increases access to prey with potential reproductive benefits to Spotted
Owls in landscapes where woodrats are a primary prey item. We suggest that
forest management activities that enhance forest structure and vegetation
heterogeneity could help curb declining Spotted Owl populations while
promoting resilient ecosystems in some regions.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Data from: Tall, heterogenous forests improve prey capture, delivery to nestlings, and reproductive success for Spotted Owls in southern California
- Creators
- Zachary Wilkinson - University of Wisconsin–MadisonH. Anu Kramer - University of Wisconsin–MadisonGavin Jones - Rocky Mountain Research StationCeeanna Zulla - University of Wisconsin–MadisonKate McGinn - University of Wisconsin–MadisonJosh Barry - University of Wisconsin–MadisonSarah Sawyer - US Forest ServiceRichard Tanner - Tanner Research (United States)R. J. Gutiérrez - University of Minnesota SystemJohn Keane - US Forest ServiceM. Zachariah Peery - University of Wisconsin–Madison
- Resource Type
- Dataset
- DOI
- 10.5061/dryad.h70rxwdnq
- Publisher
- Dryad
- Grant note
- University of Wisconsin–Madison (https://ror.org/01y2jtd41) US Forest Service (https://ror.org/03zmjc935)
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 12/12/2022
- Academic Unit
- School of Earth, Environment, and Sustainability
- Record Identifier
- 9985222720602771
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