Evidence-based recommendations for Atlantic Coast piping plover (Charadrius melodus) conservation and habitat restoration

Abstract

OF THE DISSERTATION Evidence-based recommendations for Atlantic Coast piping plover (Charadrius melodus) conservation and habitat restoration By BROOKE MASLO Dissertation Advisor: Steven N. Handel Conservation action and habitat restoration for threatened and endangered species are often guided by anecdotal evidence. Limited time and resources are wasted on ineffective strategies, or in some cases, on management that is detrimental to the target species. Therefore, rigorous scientific study must be easily translatable into pragmatic conservation directives. For the Atlantic Coast piping plover (Charadrius melodus), a threatened beach-nesting shorebird, two major threats exist for the recovery of the species – habitat degradation by beach stabilization practices and human disturbance, and intense predation pressure by the introduced red fox (Vulpes vulpes). This dissertation employs robust statistical methods to: 1) analyze piping plover nesting and foraging behavior, and 2) evaluate the effectiveness of predator exclosures to present evidence-based recommendations for the restoration of breeding habitat and the optimization of reproductive success. Piping plover nests primarily occur in four distinct habitat conditions defined by percent shell and pebble cover, and distance to nearest dunes and high tide line. Characteristics also vary depending on where the nest is initiated (backshore, overwash fan, primary dune). I translate these results into practical restoration target parameters