Master of Science (MS), Bowling Green State University, 2021, Biological Sciences
Bird species have declined due to increased urbanization and intensive agricultural land use by humans. This study examined how survey effort and the landscape metrics of contagion, total edge, and conversion affected bird diversity in Ohio from 2013-2017. These factors were measured at the landscape level for agricultural, natural, and urban areas. Bird data obtained from the Audubon's Societies Christmas Bird Count was used to calculate the diversity metrics including Shannon's Diversity Index, rarity weighted richness, and species richness. Survey effort had a positive effect and was the most important variable determining bird diversity. Natural area contagion also consistently had a positive effect while urban contagion consistently had a negative effect on bird diversity. Agricultural contagion had mixed effects on bird diversity. This approach to analyzing bird diversity is easily done at scale and can be adapted for an array of metrics. However, more information on climate change and longer-term landscape change is needed to better understand how landscape change and human land-use affects bird diversity over time.
Committee: Maria G. Bidart PhD (Advisor); Andrew Gregory PhD (Committee Member); Kevin McCluney PhD (Committee Member)
Subjects: Biology