Science Projects The Atlantic Coast Joint Venture is committed to increasing its reliance on sound and objective science when developing conservation plans for all birds. In order to meet this goal, the Joint Venture and its partners' are undertaking research projects that address some of our most pressing needs. As we move forward, the Joint Venture will be developing a Biological Needs Assessment document that will identify other issues that need to have directed research projects initiated.

Southeast Regional GAP Project

The Mission of the Southeast Gap Analysis Project (SE-GAP) is to provide data and assistance for regional assessments of the conservation status of native vertebrate species and natural land cover types and to facilitate the application of this information to land management activities.

This is accomplished through the following five objectives:

1. Mapping the land cover of the Southeast United States.

2. Mapping the predicted distributions of vertebrate species for the Southeast U.S.

3. Documenting the representation of vertebrate species and land cover types in areas managed for the long-term maintenance of biodiversity.

4. Providing this information to the public and those entities charged with land use research, policy, planning, and management.

5. Building institutional cooperation in the application of this information to state and regional management activities.

Applying remote sensing tools to regional conservation planning for migratory landbirds

The dramatic seasonal migrations of Nearctic-Neotropical migratory landbirds confound efforts to design effective conservation strategies that will protect migrants throughout all phases of their annual cycle, particularly during passage. However, advances in radar ornithology and geographic information science (GIS) now make it possible to locate migratory stopover sites and integrate the spatial and temporal patterns of migrant stopover with data on land cover, habitat configuration and land use. This project is using weather surveillance radar (NEXRAD) and GIS tools in development of a model regional conservation plan for protecting migratory landbirds during passage. The central steps in developing the proposed conservation plan include creating, applying, and assessing a standardized ranking system for prioritizing the conservation value of migratory landbird stopover sites.

For more information please follow these links:

NJ Audubon Preserving Oases Along the Flyway

TNC Virginia Eastern Shore Radar Project (Adobe pdf file)

Modeling species distribution in Atlantic Northern Forest (BCR 14)

The objective of this study is to identify the most important breeding areas in BCR 14 for a select group of high priority birds. This will be accomplished by mapping the potential breeding habitat and estimating habitat quality. Predictive models of the probability of encountering a single individual have been developed using Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) data and a set of potential environmental correlates. Those correlates include: land cover (e.g., NLCD type classification), topography, geology and elevation. Preliminary classification tree models have been developed.

Assessing Bird and Bat Migration Over Appalachian Ridges

Biologists at the U.S. Geological Survey's Patuxent Wildlife Research Center and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have developed a multi-year collaborative regional study of the spatial and temporal distribution patterns and flight characteristics of birds and bats that migrate nocturnally through the Appalachian Mountain region of the Mid-Atlantic States (MD, PA, VA and WV). This study is using radar and acoustical monitoring techniques to document passage rates, species relative abundance, flight direction and altitudes of migrating birds and bats during fall and spring at multiple locations in the region. This information will be used to model the effects of weather, site and landscape characteristics, and other variables on migrant abundance and flight characteristics to identify where, when, and under what conditions migrants may be at risk. This study is designed to increase our understanding of nocturnal bird and bat migration through the Appalachians, so that informed and scientifically sound conservation recommendations can be made to reduce the risk of development to migratory wildlife.  Download a copy of our fact sheet now (116 KB Adobe pdf file)

 

Integrated Waterbird Management and Monitoring Program

Managers and scientists are working together in a new project to understand and optimally manage conservation lands in the Atlantic and Mississippi Flyways to support continental populations of waterbirds. They are using adaptive management and modeling in an innovative way that incorporates their management expertise as well as new conservation planning and modeling tools.

You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader software to open some of the documents on this page. If you do not have this software, you may obtain it free of charge by following the link above.