Modeling nest-site occurrence for the Northern Spotted Owl at its southern range limit in central California

摘要: At the southern end of its range, Northern Spotted Owl (Strix occidentalis caurina) occurs in high densities and nests a wide range forest types ages, exhibiting different foraging nesting habits than northern part range. The intensive monitoring this subspecies on public lands Marin County, California, combined with availability fine-scale geographic information system (GIS) data, provided unique opportunity to apply evaluate habitat-based species occurrence modeling approach at scale most relevant local land managers planning agencies. We used 4 years breeding owl survey data (1998–2001) GIS layers representing topographic, anthropogenic, vegetation-based landscape characteristics build logistic regression models nest-site occurrence. Models were develop spatial predictions within study area adjacent ecoregions, which validated an independent dataset. also compared predictive performance two vegetation differing their floristic detail accuracy. model based layer generally exhibited better more generic regional layer. Model results indicated that connectivity topographic conditions, rather type or age, strongest predictors presence. Predicting outside original was somewhat successful for coastal ecoregion similar climate, but not random nearby inland ecoregion, suggesting locally derived are necessary adequately predict