HR: 0800h
AN: B11B-0155    [Abstracts]
TI: Understanding the contributions of the biophysical and the human built environments on avian biodiversity
AU: Phillips, L
EM: lphillips@montana.edu
AU: * Hansen, A
EM: hansen@montana.edu
AB: Ecological theory suggests that the potential for biodiversity varies across the continent as determined by biophysical factors. Ecosystem energy, for example, sets an upper limit on species richness. Intensive human land use is now widespread over North America and likely reduces biodiversity below the biophysical potential. The goal of this study is to understand the contributions of the biophysical environment and the human built environment in structuring bird biodiversity across North America and to concurrently evaluate the use of MODIS land products to test these hypotheses. The study is designed to greatly improve our understanding of biodiversity potential across the continent, quantify how land use has altered biodiversity from this potential, and to prioritize places within and among physiographic ecoregions in conservation importance. Preliminary results for the US Pacific Northwest indicate that the MODIS land surface products explained between 38% and 48% of the variation in land bird Shannon's diversity. The best multivariate model from these factors included mean and variation in net primary productivity and normalized difference vegetation index. This model explained 58% of the variation in Shannon diversity. When climate variables were added to the candidate models, the best model explained 64% of the variation. This pilot analysis demonstrates that MODIS products are significant predictors of bird diversity, and will add substantially to our ability to quantify patterns of association with biophysical factors. Additionally, recently developed land use change data will allow analyses of human land use impacts to understand its role. The study will rigorously test current and new scientific theory on controls on biodiversity, evaluate the utility of eight MODIS and AMSR-E products for understanding and mapping avian biodiversity at regional to continental scales, provide the first maps of biodiversity potential across the continent and the first quantitative assessment of how land use modifies biodiversity from this natural potential, and finally provide land mangers tools for prioritization of conservation valuable lands.
DE: 6329 Project evaluation
DE: 6339 System design
DE: 0400 Biogeosciences
SC: Biogeosciences [B]
MN: 2004 AGU Fall Meeting