Is the decline of Burrowing Owls Speotyto cunicularia in prairie Canada linked to changes in Great Plains ecosystems?
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Summary: We examined population and ecosystem patterns hoping to inform conservation strategies for Burrowing Owls Speotyto cunicularia in Canada. The owls chose moderately to heavily grazed grasslands for nesting and roosting, and avoided cultivated fields. Where grassland patches were isolated in 90% cultivation, owls dispersed later, for shorter distances and less often. Mortality rate during the 5-month study was high (adult ratio 0.45, juveniles 0.55), which may contribute to local declines. Additional mortality may occur on migration and during winter. We extrapolate from local effects (loss of grassland habitat with burrows for roosting, and ~2% “incidental” predation) to suggest that such changes detrimental to the owls occur throughout the central Great Plains ecosystem which the owls occupy year-round. The changes include ecosystem processes such as plant succession, owl dispersal and predation. These changes are likely to be irreversible on a scale that would be required to help this owl. The species may face extinction in Canada, at the northern limit of its range.
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The current state of cultivation technology has only justified average annual productivity up to about 13 g m−2 d−1, half that required for biomass cost targets.
“However, the current state of cultivation technology has only justified average annual productivity up to about 13 g m -2 d -1 , half that required for biomass cost targets [17].”
From Microalgae to biofuels through hydrothermal liquefaction: Open-source techno-economic analysis and life cycle assessment (2021) · cites this paper as [17]
The Habitat assessment and A demographic model passages concern Burrowing Owl habitat and population change, not biomass cultivation technology. Searches for the claimed 13 g m−2 d−1 productivity figure and biomass cost targets found no passage addressing either point. The indexed passages provide no page numbers. (LLM, conf=0.76)
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- Authors
- Clayton, K. M., & Schmutz, J. K.
- Affiliations
- University of Saskatchewan (CA)
- Venue
- Bird Conservation International
- Publisher
- Cambridge University Press (CUP)
- Published
- 1999-06
- Volume
- 9
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 163-185
- ISSN
- 0959-2709 (ISSN-L)
- 1474-0001
- OpenAlex
- W2117354760
- Cited by
- 61
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2024: 1 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 8 · 2020: 1 · 2017: 2 · 2016: 3 · 2015: 2 · 2014: 4 · 2013: 2 · 2012: 3
- FWCI
- 2.51
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- Bird Conservation International (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- World Wildlife Fund
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Ecology › Avian ecology and behavior
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Ecology › Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Ecology › Animal Ecology and Behavior Studies
- Keywords
- Athene cunicularia, population decline (ecology), Great Plains, grassland habitat loss, grazing, habitat fragmentation, mortality, predation, vegetation succession, conservation, extinction risk
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