Identifying habitat conservation needs for the endangered whooping crane along the Central Texas Coast

Simple item page
dc.contributor.advisorDr. James Gibeaut
dc.contributor.authorLumb, Luz
dc.date.accessioned2015-03-23T17:11:07Z
dc.date.accessioned2015-03-23T17:11:07Z
dc.date.available2015-03-23T17:11:07Z
dc.date.available2015-03-23T17:11:07Z
dc.date.issued2014-11
dc.descriptionA Thesis Paper Submitted In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi Environmental Science Program Corpus Christi, Texasen_US
dc.description.abstractThe Aransas-Wood Buffalo whooping cranes (Grus americana) make up the only natural self-sustaining population of these endangered migratory wading birds in the world. Human and natural pressures threaten habitat quantity, quality, and integrity on their wintering grounds along the central Texas coast. This project developed tools for habitat conservation planning to support the endangered species downlisting goal of 1,000 cranes in the Aransas-Wood Buffalo population. First, a Comprehensive Habitat Type Database (CHTD) of benthic, wetland, and upland environments was developed from best available land cover information and bathymetric data. Then, habitat preference was determined using the CHTD and a spatially explicit dataset of whooping crane sightings from 2004 to 2010. About 1,000 km2 of preferred habitat were mapped across the 7,000 km2 study area. Projected losses and gains of preferred habitat as a result of sea level rise were then identified using results from the Sea Level Affecting Marshes Model (SLAMM) for various sea level rise scenarios up to the year 2100. Under 1 m of sea level rise, about 33% of preferred habitat is expected to be lost by 2100. Results showed that to reach the International Recovery Plan downlisting goal of 1,000 cranes, habitat conservation efforts must extend beyond the central Texas coast.en_US
dc.description.collegeCollege of Science and Engineeringen_US
dc.description.departmentPhysical and Environmental Sciencesen_US
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/1969.6/592
dc.language.isoen_USen_US
dc.rightsThis material is made available for use in research, teaching, and private study, pursuant to U.S. Copyright law. The user assumes full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials. Any materials used should be fully credited with its source. All rights are reserved and retained regardless of current or future development or laws that may apply to fair use standards. Permission for publication of this material, in part or in full, must be secured with the author and/or publisher.en_US
dc.subjectWhooping craneen_US
dc.subjectendangered speciesen_US
dc.subjectconservationen_US
dc.subjectconservation planningen_US
dc.subjectstrategic habitat conservationen_US
dc.subjectAransas National Wildlife Refugeen_US
dc.subjectSLAMMen_US
dc.subjectsea level riseen_US
dc.subjecthabitaten_US
dc.subjectland coveren_US
dc.subjecthabitat useen_US
dc.subjectGISen_US
dc.subjectgeographic information scienceen_US
dc.titleIdentifying habitat conservation needs for the endangered whooping crane along the Central Texas Coasten_US
dc.typeTexten_US
dc.type.genreThesisen_US
thesis.degree.disciplineEnvironmental Scienceen_US
thesis.degree.grantorTexas A & M University--Corpus Christien_US
thesis.degree.levelMastersen_US
thesis.degree.nameMaster of Scienceen_US

Files

Original bundle

Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Thumbnail Image
Name:
Lumb 2014 Identifying habitat conservation needs for the endangered whooping crane along the central Texas coast.pdf
Size:
8.24 MB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Description:
Download

License bundle

Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
No Thumbnail Available
Name:
license.txt
Size:
1.71 KB
Format:
Item-specific license agreed upon to submission
Description:
Download

Collections

Theses
College of Science Theses and Dissertations