Using qualitative methods to support recovery of endangered species: The case of red-cockaded woodpecker foraging habitat

Garabedian, James E.; Peterson, M. Nils; Moorman, Christopher E.; Kilgo, John C.

doi:10.1016/j.gecco.2019.e00553

Title: Using qualitative methods to support recovery of endangered species: The case of red-cockaded woodpecker foraging habitat

Abstract

Meta-analyses are powerful tools for synthesizing wildlife-habitat relationships, but small sample sizes and complex species-habitat relationships often preclude correlative metaanalyses on endangered species. In this study, we demonstrate qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) as a tool that can reliably synthesize habitat-fitness relationships from small sample sizes for species with narrow habitat requirements.We apply QCA to results from a habitat threshold regression tree model and identify habitat thresholds with consistent positive effects on fitness of the federally endangered red-cockaded woodpecker (Dryobates borealis; RCW) on the Savannah River Site, USA. We reformulated regression tree results in a QCA framework to examine the consistency of threshold effects on RCW fledgling production at the individual group level (n = 47). Synthesizing regression tree results with QCA revealed alternative combinations of habitat thresholds that in conjunction with group size consistently led to above-average fledgling production for 41 of 47 (88%) individual RCW groups. Importantly, QCA identified unique combinations of habitat thresholds and group size related to above-average fledgling production that were not retained in the regression tree model due to small sample sizes. Synthesizing a small habitat-fitness dataset using QCA provided a tractable method to identify unique combinations of habitat and group size conditions that aremore »« less

Authors:

Garabedian, James E.;

; Moorman, Christopher E.; Kilgo, John C.

Publication Date:: Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2019

Research Org.:: USDA Forest Service-Savannah River, New Ellenton, SC (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:: USDOE Office of Environmental Management (EM), Acquisition and Project Management

Contributing Org.:: USDA Forest Service-Savannah River, New Ellenton, SC

OSTI Identifier:: 1531030

Alternate Identifier(s):: OSTI ID: 1512088

Report Number(s):: 19-02-P
Journal ID: ISSN 2351-9894; S2351989419300101; e00553; PII: S2351989419300101

Grant/Contract Number:: AI09-00SR22188; SRS 10-CS-11083601-003; EM0003622

Resource Type:: Published Article

Journal Name:: Global Ecology and Conservation

Additional Journal Information:: Journal Name: Global Ecology and Conservation Journal Volume: 17 Journal Issue: C; Journal ID: ISSN 2351-9894

Publisher:: Elsevier

Country of Publication:: Netherlands

Language:: English

Subject:: 60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES; Endangered species; Habitat threshold; Pine forest; Meta-analysis; Population fitness; Recovery plan

Citation Formats


                    Garabedian, James E., Peterson, M. Nils, Moorman, Christopher E., and Kilgo, John C. Using qualitative methods to support recovery of endangered species: The case of red-cockaded woodpecker foraging habitat.  Netherlands: N. p., 2019. 
Web.  doi:10.1016/j.gecco.2019.e00553.

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                    Garabedian, James E., Peterson, M. Nils, Moorman, Christopher E., & Kilgo, John C. Using qualitative methods to support recovery of endangered species: The case of red-cockaded woodpecker foraging habitat.  Netherlands.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gecco.2019.e00553

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                    Garabedian, James E., Peterson, M. Nils, Moorman, Christopher E., and Kilgo, John C. Tue .  
"Using qualitative methods to support recovery of endangered species: The case of red-cockaded woodpecker foraging habitat".  Netherlands.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gecco.2019.e00553.

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@article{osti_1531030,

  title        = {Using qualitative methods to support recovery of endangered species: The case of red-cockaded woodpecker foraging habitat},

  author       = {Garabedian, James E. and Peterson, M. Nils and Moorman, Christopher E. and Kilgo, John C.},

  abstractNote = {Meta-analyses are powerful tools for synthesizing wildlife-habitat relationships, but small sample sizes and complex species-habitat relationships often preclude correlative metaanalyses on endangered species. In this study, we demonstrate qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) as a tool that can reliably synthesize habitat-fitness relationships from small sample sizes for species with narrow habitat requirements.We apply QCA to results from a habitat threshold regression tree model and identify habitat thresholds with consistent positive effects on fitness of the federally endangered red-cockaded woodpecker (Dryobates borealis; RCW) on the Savannah River Site, USA. We reformulated regression tree results in a QCA framework to examine the consistency of threshold effects on RCW fledgling production at the individual group level (n = 47). Synthesizing regression tree results with QCA revealed alternative combinations of habitat thresholds that in conjunction with group size consistently led to above-average fledgling production for 41 of 47 (88%) individual RCW groups. Importantly, QCA identified unique combinations of habitat thresholds and group size related to above-average fledgling production that were not retained in the regression tree model due to small sample sizes. Synthesizing a small habitat-fitness dataset using QCA provided a tractable method to identify unique combinations of habitat and group size conditions that are consistently important to individual fitness, but may not be detected by meta-analyses that can be biased by small sample sizes. QCA offers a viable approach for synthesis of habitat-fitness relationships and can be extended to address many complex issues in endangered species recovery when correlative meta-analyses are not possible.},

  doi          = {10.1016/j.gecco.2019.e00553},

  journal      = {Global Ecology and Conservation},

  number       = C,

  volume       = 17,

  place        = {Netherlands},

  year         = {Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2019},

  month        = {Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2019}

}

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Cited by: 3 works

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Figures / Tables:

Table 1: Habitat thresholds listed in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS, 2003) red-cockaded woodpecker recovery plan.

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