Multi-Factor Analysis of Avian Life History from a Unique Long-Term Data Base

Blums9974077许多鸟类保护倡议的成功与否，关键取决于在它们长大的地区存活并返回繁殖的幼鸟的数量，然而，能够彻底评估这些过程的研究非常少。然而，最近对出生一天的小鸭子和它们的母亲进行单独标记的长期努力，加上一个在以后的生活中寻找和定位这些鸟的计划，已经为三种鸭子产生了独特的繁殖和生存数据。因此，这项研究的主要目标是利用迄今为自由生活的鸟类收集的最大数据集之一，估计鸭子的存活率和回报率，并探索它们差异如此之大的原因。先进的统计程序提供了分析这些数据的机会，更重要的是，可以确定决定人口是下降、保持稳定还是增加的因素。关于影响鸟类繁殖成功和招募的因素的研究结果对私人、国家和国家的湿地管理政策和计划具有重要意义。对湿地项目的巨额财政投资需要产生积极的种群反应和可生存的种群的战略。此外，这些发现可能对调整与不同种群水平的捕捞候鸟的狩猎季节相关的时间、长度和袋子限制具有实际的管理意义。

Blums9974077The success of many bird conservation initiatives depends critically on the number of young that survive and return to breed in areas where they were raised, yet remarkably few studies have been able to evaluate these processes thoroughly. However, a recent long-term effort to individually mark day-old ducklings and their mothers coupled with a program to find and locate these birds later in life has produced unique reproductive and survival data for three species of ducks. Therefore, the principal goal of this study is to estimate survival and return rates of ducks, and explore reasons why they vary so much, by exploiting one of the largest data sets ever assembled for free-living birds. Advanced statistical procedures provide an opportunity to analyze these data and, more importantly, to identify factors that determine whether a population declines, remains stable, or increases. Results about factors influencing breeding success and recruitment of birds have important implications for private, state and national wetland management policies and programs. The large financial investment in wetland programs requires strategies that result in positive population responses and viable populations. Furthermore, these findings may have practical management implications for adjusting the timing, length, and bag limits associated with hunting seasons for different population levels of harvested migratory waterfowl.