Impact of exotic plants on bird population in suburban forest fragments

Graduate Research Assistants: Amanda Conover (M.S. Wildlife Ecology)

Collaborators: Dr. Vince D'Amico (United States Forest Service), United States Forest Service

Suburban development into forested areas is occurring rapidly across the United States and many of the remnant forests within suburban and agricultural landscapes are being fragmented from contiguous areas into smaller patches. Fragmentation by the surrounding matrix of suburban development is impacting the quality of this habitat for avian species. One of the most significant ecological effects linked to forest fragmentation by suburban development is the invasion of non-native plants into the ecosystem. However, few studies have explicitly examined the link between the density of native plants and avian biodiversity or build a habitat occupancy model for birds in suburban habitats based on native plant cover. The primary objective of this project will be to build a habitat occupancy model for birds in suburban forest fragments to examine the links between exotic plant density, invertebrate abundance, and bird biodiversity and abundance. The model developed by this study will provide managers with ways to improve suburban remnant forest habitat for birds and may help to minimize the effects of invasive plants while maintaining biodiversity within the forest fragment.