Deutschman Lab Projects
The California Least Tern is a state and federally listed endangered species. Despite years of management and monitoring efforts unanswered questions remain about the link between nest site characteristics and nest fate. Recent declines in numbers of breeding pairs and numbers of fledglings suggest that despite efforts to provide suitable nest habitat, survival rates of chicks to the fledgling stage are still falling.
The goal of this project is to uncover least tern nesting habitat preferences by quantitatively comparing vegetation composition and habitat structure between nesting and non-nesting sites. Ground cover, plant species, vegetation height, and total vegetative cover will be measured directly on and around Least Tern nests. This data will then be compared with the habitat characteristics of nearby areas containing no Least Tern nests so that the features of preferred nesting habitat can be defined. This experiment involves using 2-meter transects and small quadrats to measure habitat directly at a tern nest and at a paired non-nest point. Where possible, nest-fate and habitat data will be used to look for any correlations (ex. abandonment, depredation, fledgling success).
Research Questions
1. Do habitat characteristics (e.g. vegetation height, species composition, ground cover) influence California Least Tern nest placement?
2. Is there a relationship between habitat characteristics at a California Least Tern nest site and nest fate?
Lead Biologist: Julia Jesu
Do Fine-scale Habitat Characteristics Influence Predation, Nest Fate, and Population Dynamics of California Least Terns (Sternula antillarum browni)?
