Doctoral Dissertation Research: Avian Community Response to Broad-Scale Ecological Disturbances Across Spruce-Fir Forests

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Shifts in natural disturbance regimes can radically change communities at regional scales and consequently impact ecosystem functions and processes. This doctoral dissertation research project will investigate the impact of broad-scale ecological disturbances on the avian community in sub-alpine conifer forests. The doctoral student will use Bayesian modeling methods to evaluate the community-level impacts of logging treatments and bark beetle epidemics on the common avifauna guilds. The research will quantitatively predict the effects of logging and beetle outbreaks on both future forest dynamics and ecosystem services, including avian diversity. It will provide new perspectives regarding bark beetle-wildlife relationships for aiding ecologists in determining the effects of a warming climate on broad-scale forest disturbance dynamics. The study has important implications for forest and natural resources government and non-government agencies because it will provide insights regarding alternative approaches for improving forest resiliency and conservation. As a Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement award, this award also will provide support to enable a promising student to establish a strong independent research career.The doctoral student will use observational and modeling approaches to understand the ecological consequences of landscape-altering beetle disturbances. The study will be conducted at four sites in the spruce-fir forests of Colorado's San Juan Mountains. Using remote sensing derived products, in-situ data, and Bayesian modeling methods, the student will seek to answer two core sets of questions: (a) How do spruce beetle outbreaks impact avian community composition and abundance, and what forest structure variables are associated with increased diversity? (2) How does avian diversity change as a function of specific forest structure variables in forests that are logged to mitigate spruce beetle infestations? Project results will enhance understanding of disturbance-wildlife relationships and their effects on broad-scale forest disturbance dynamics, thereby helping to preserve future biodiversity more effectively.