Pacific Southwest Research Station

Publication Information

Title: Evaluating avian-habitat relationships models in mixed-conifer forests of the Sierra Nevada

Author: Purcell, Kathryn L.; Hejl, Sallie J.; Larson, Terry A.

Date: 1992

Source: Transactions of the Western Section of the Wildlife Society. 28: 120-136

Description: Using data from two studies in the southern and central Sierra Nevada, we compared the presence and abundance of bird species breeding in mixedconifer forests during 1978-79 and 1983-85 to predictions &om the California Wildlife Habitat Relationships (WHR) System. Twelve percent of the species observed in either study were not predicted by the WHR database to occur in mixed-conifer vegetation (errors of omission). Twentyeight percent of the species predicted by the database were not observed in either study (errors of commission). We suggest several corrections to the WHR database and discuss the problems of classifjmg stands, predicting the effects of management activities, evaluating habitat quality, and regional differences in habitat suitability. Because California is a large and diverse state, geographic differences in habitat suitability within a species' range need to be considered by biologists using the WHR database. We suggest subdividmg the database into several bioregional zones.

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Purcell, Kathryn L.; Hejl, Sallie J.; Larson, Terry A.  1992.  Evaluating avian-habitat relationships models in mixed-conifer forests of the Sierra Nevada  Transactions of the Western Section of the Wildlife Society. 28: 120-136.