Forging a Bayesian link between habitat selection and avoidance behavior in a grassland grouse.

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Wildlife Conservation
• Behavioral Ecology

Background:

• Habitat selection is a fundamental ecological process, often confused with habitat preference and use.
• A clear conceptual framework is needed to differentiate these terms and analyze animal responses to environmental features.

Purpose of the Study:

• To differentiate habitat selection, preference, and use within a Bayesian framework.
• To estimate prior probability profiles for habitat selection by the Lesser Prairie-Chicken (Tympanuchus pallidicinctus).
• To quantify the avoidance of various anthropogenic features by this species.

Main Methods:

• Utilized long-term occupancy data of the Lesser Prairie-Chicken.
• Analyzed avoidance patterns relative to anthropogenic features (roads, powerlines, wells, fences, buildings) in areas with varying feature densities.
• Employed a Bayesian approach to model habitat selection and estimate prior probabilities.

Main Results:

• Lesser Prairie-Chickens strongly avoided large (e.g., outbuildings) and tall (e.g., powerlines) anthropogenic features.
• Low, unobtrusive features like fences showed little to no avoidance.
• Co-location of features influenced avoidance, with birds being "pushed toward" some features due to avoidance of others.

Conclusions:

• The study provides a method to incorporate avoidance behavior into habitat selection analyses.
• Understanding species' responses to anthropogenic features is crucial for effective conservation planning.
• The Bayesian framework allows inference of selection processes from use data, given prior preference data.