Variety is the Spice of Desert Bird Life: Foundation Plant Species Provide Habitat Heterogeneity for Bird Communities in the Mojave Desert

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dc.contributor.advisorLortie, Christopher J.
dc.contributor.authorOwen, Malory Blake
dc.date.accessioned2020-11-13T13:52:49Z
dc.date.available2020-11-13T13:52:49Z
dc.date.copyright2020-08
dc.date.issued2020-11-13
dc.date.updated2020-11-13T13:52:48Z
dc.degree.disciplineBiology
dc.degree.levelMaster's
dc.degree.nameMSc - Master of Science
dc.description.abstractPlants provide habitat and resources to the desert animal community. However, these interactions are species specific and can depend on season. I tested the hypothesis that birds use different foundation species in deserts as microhabitat, and birds shift associations by flowering and fruiting life-stages. I used line transects to record habitat associations of birds at a protected site in the Mojave Desert. I found that the bird biodiversity and behaviour were not equally represented across all microhabitats or season. Diversity of birds and territorial behaviors were significantly greater at shrubs microhabitats in spring. Shrubs likely primarily provided structural heterogeneity for the avian community to use as perches, nests, and other non-trophic services because foraging and consumption were observed less often. Bird biodiversity was greater at cacti than at open summer microhabitats, which supported the least bird biodiversity. Non-trophic interactions with plants are important for maintaining local bird diversity in deserts.
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10315/37927
dc.languageen
dc.rightsAuthor owns copyright, except where explicitly noted. Please contact the author directly with licensing requests.
dc.subjectZoology
dc.subject.keywordsEcology
dc.subject.keywordsMicrohabitat
dc.subject.keywordsHeterogeneity
dc.subject.keywordsHabitat heterogeneity
dc.subject.keywordsHabitat
dc.subject.keywordsPositive interactions
dc.subject.keywordsFacilitation
dc.subject.keywordsFoundation species
dc.subject.keywordsFoundation
dc.subject.keywordsBenefactor species
dc.subject.keywordsBenefactor
dc.subject.keywordsBeneficiary
dc.subject.keywordsNurse plant
dc.subject.keywordsBird
dc.subject.keywordsBirds
dc.subject.keywordsAvian
dc.subject.keywordsAvies
dc.subject.keywordsDesert
dc.subject.keywordsArid
dc.subject.keywordsArid ecosystem
dc.subject.keywordsCactus
dc.subject.keywordsShrub
dc.subject.keywordsOpen gap
dc.subject.keywordsMicrosite
dc.subject.keywordsMojave
dc.subject.keywordsMojave desert
dc.subject.keywordsSouthern California
dc.subject.keywordsCalifornia
dc.subject.keywordsAmphipiza bilineata
dc.subject.keywordsConservation
dc.subject.keywordsConservation biology
dc.subject.keywordsEnvironmental management
dc.subject.keywordsEnvironmental restoration
dc.subject.keywordsRestoration
dc.subject.keywordsManagement
dc.titleVariety is the Spice of Desert Bird Life: Foundation Plant Species Provide Habitat Heterogeneity for Bird Communities in the Mojave Desert
dc.typeElectronic Thesis or Dissertation

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