Date of Award

Summer 8-1-1999

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

Life Sciences

First Advisor

Peter E. Scott

Second Advisor

Steven L. Lima

Third Advisor

Marion T. Jackson

Abstract

Many bird species native to the tallgrnss prairie region oCthc central U.S. have declined drastically since European settlement due lo the destruction and alteration of grassland habitat. In this study, the breeding bird communities or 21 large reclaimed surface coal mine grasslands in a seven-county area or southwestern Indiana were examined with respect to species and guild composition, density, variation among sites, and grassland size. In addition, the vegetation characteristics of nine large mine grasslands were described and related to the presence and abundance or eight grasslund bird species common to the study areas. The immense size of mine grasslands (~25,000 ha in southwestern Indiana) contributes to their potential for conscrvution or grassland birds. Breeding birds were censused during I.he summer of 1998 using three rounds of 5- minute point counts (N = 253) along mine roads and foot lrnnsccts (45 km combined) in roadless areas. Vegetation was measured on 104 transects adjacent lo roadside bird census points. Bird communities were composed mainly of species characteristic of grassland, shrubland/savannah, and open habitat. Three grassland species, Red-winged Blackbird, Eastern Meadowlark, and Grasshopper Sparrow, accounted for 47.7% of all detections, and five others were common (Dickcissel, Common Yellowthroat, Hcnslow's Sparrow, Northern Bobwhite, and Homed Lark). Red-winged Blackbird, Common Yellowthroal, and Henslow's Sparrow showed preference for larger grasslands in at least one type of analysis. Vegetation was dominated by exotic grasses: tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea), smooth brome (Bromus inermis), orchard grass (Dactylis glomerata), and Japanese brome (Bromusjaponica) accounted for 89% of the grass canopy. Forbs were less than half as abundant as grasses, and woody species were largely absent. Hcnslow's Sparrow exhibited the most strict habitat requirements. responding significantly to seven variables in univariate presence/absence tests, and lo one variable in regression analysis or abundance on vegetation variables.

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