Research Starter Grant-Understanding the relationship between housing density and forest structure on avian communities across forested landscapes

森林内的住房开发通过植被结构的丧失和改变，减少和改变了鸟类的生境。 由于测量植被结构是困难和耗时的，即使在小尺度（几公顷），很少有人知道房屋如何改变森林结构在更大的尺度，这反过来又如何影响鸟类。 本研究的目的是了解房屋对鸟类种群和群落的影响，通过耦合信息的住房密度和森林结构。 将使用激光测高（LiDAR）计算北卡罗来纳州森林结构的高分辨率三维估计值，并与美国人口普查的住房密度数据进行分析，以提供栖息地质量的估计值。 鸟类测量将来自北美繁殖鸟类调查，并根据栖息地质量进行建模。 这项研究将是有史以来第一次整合住房数据和三维森林结构信息在多个景观的目的是了解它们对鸟类的相对影响，以利于保护和管理。这项研究还将导致创建有史以来最大的三维森林地图，分辨率高（10米），并将与各机构和其他组织分享。 这项工作本质上是跨学科的，是生态学、社会学和地理学领域的桥梁。 也有教育机会，将有利于本科生，包括那些来自代表性不足的群体，如夏威夷土著人。

Housing development within forests has reduced and modified bird habitat through loss and alteration of the vegetation structure. Because measuring vegetation structure is difficult and time consuming even at small scales (several hectares), little is known about how houses alter forest structure at larger scales, and in-turn how this affects birds. The goal of this study is to understand the effects of houses on bird populations and communities in forests by coupling information on housing density and forest structure. High resolution, three-dimensional estimates of forest structure will be calculated for North Carolina using laser altimetry (LiDAR), and analyzed with housing density data from the U.S. Census to provide estimates of habitat quality. Bird measures will be derived from the North American Breeding Bird Survey and modeled against habitat quality. This study will be the first ever to integrate housing data and three-dimensional forest structure information over multiple landscapes for the purpose of understanding their relative effects on birds in order to benefit conservation and management. The research will also result in creation of the largest three-dimensional forest map ever produced at a fine resolution (10 meter) and this will be shared with agencies and other organizations. The work is inherently interdisciplinary in nature and bridges fields of ecology, sociology, and geography. There are also education opportunities that will benefit undergraduate students, including those from underrepresented groups, such as Native Hawaiians.