Climatically robust multiscale species distribution models to support pronghorn recovery in California.

We combined two climate-based distribution models with three finer-scale suitability models to identify habitat for pronghorn recovery in California now and into the future. We used a consensus approach to identify areas of suitable climate now and future for pronghorn in California. We compared the results of climate models from two separate hypotheses about their historical ecology in the state.

Shade trees preserve avian insectivore biodiversity on coffee farms in a warming climate.

Aim: Coffee is an important export for many developing countries, with a global annual trade value of $100 billion, but it is threatened by a warming climate. Shade trees may mitigate the effects of climate change through temperature regulation that can aid in coffee growth, slow pest reproduction, and sustain avian insectivore diversity. The impact of shade on bird diversity and microclimate on coffee farms has been studied extensively in the Neotropics, but there is a dearth of research in the Paleotropics.

Right on track? Performance of satellite telemetry in terrestrial wildlife research.

Satellite telemetry is an increasingly utilized technology in wildlife research, and current devices can track individual animal movements at unprecedented spatial and temporal resolutions. However, as we enter the golden age of satellite telemetry, we need an in-depth understanding of the main technological, species-specific and environmental factors that determine the success and failure of satellite tracking devices across species and habitats. Here, we assess the relative influence of such factors on the ability of satellite telemetry units to provide the expected amount and quality of data by analyzing data from over 3,000 devices deployed on 62 terrestrial species in 167 projects worldwide.

Historical Population Size Change and Differentiation of Relict Populations of the Endangered Giant Kangaroo Rat.

From a conservation management perspective it is important to understand how genetic diversity is partitioned across a species' range, including 1) identification of evolutionarily distinct units versus those recently isolated through anthropogenic activities and 2) the relative genetic contributions among components of fragmented (meta)populations. To address these questions, we investigated the phylogeography and metapopulation structure among relict populations of the endangered giant kangaroo rat (Dipodomys ingens) in the highly altered San Joaquin Desert Ecosystem. This keystone species underwent a ~97% range reduction over the past century, resulting in a current range that is highly fragmented, with 2 dominant northern and southern populations occurring 150 km apart.

A multi-scale distribution model for non-equilibrium populations suggests resource limitation in an endangered rodent.

Species distributions are known to be limited by biotic and abiotic factors at multiple temporal and spatial scales. Species distribution models, however, frequently assume a population at equilibrium in both time and space. Studies of habitat selection have repeatedly shown the difficulty of estimating resource selection if the scale or extent of analysis is incorrect.