University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
Distribution and population genetics of Northern saw-whet owls in the Southern Appalachians
Abstract
dc:description.abstractMy study looked at the distribution and abundance of Northern saw-whet owls (Aegolius acadicus) in the Southern Cherokee and Nantahala National Forests. Pennsylvania Toot Route Protocol (Larzone and Mulvihill 2006) was used to survey routes in the spring/summer of 2013 – 14. Nine birds were found, primarily above 1067 m. I studied the population dynamics of A. acadicus in the Southern Appalachians to determine a subspecies was present. Samples from Pennsylvania, New York, Tennessee and North Carolina were obtained; cytochrome b and NADH dehydrogenase subunit 2 were sequenced and analyzed using AMOVAs and network analyses. The Southern Appalachian population was not a subspecies but may be a recent colonization with a small population. Further research into habitat requirements in the Southern Appalachians as well as fecundity and general ecology can help conservation efforts. Current forest management plans do factor in the needs of this species but there are data gaps.
Degree
thesis:*- Grantor dc:publisher
- University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
Author and committee
dc:creator, dc:contributor.*- Author dc:creator
-
- Floyd, Danielle E.
- Contributors dc:contributor
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- Aborn, David A.
- Wilson, Thomas P.; O'Neill, Eric M.
- College of Arts and Sciences
Subjects
dc:subject × 4Rights
dc:rights- Language dc:language
- English, eng
Identifiers
dc:identifier.*- Repository record dc:identifier
- https://scholar.utc.edu/theses/508
- OAI identifier oai:identifier
- oai:scholar.utc.edu:theses-1646