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VERSION:2.0
PRODID:icalendar-ruby
CALSCALE:GREGORIAN
X-WR-CALNAME:Thesis Defense: Molly Astell
X-WR-TIMEZONE:Mountain Time (US & Canada)
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20261014T230021Z
UID:tag:localist.com\,2008:EventInstance_50827199270107
DTSTART:20251008T200000Z
DTEND:20251008T210000Z
DESCRIPTION:Title: Live and Let Fly: Assessing Threats to California Condor
 s\n\nProgram: Biology MS\n\nCommittee Chair: Todd Katzner\n\nCommittee: To
 dd Katzner\, Julie Heath\, Trevor Caughlin\n\nAbstract: California condors
  (Gymnogyps californianus) are a critically endangered species that face t
 hreats\, both anthropogenic and natural\, that slow recovery of their popu
 lation. The leading causes of death of condors are lead toxicosis\, predat
 ion\, trauma\, fire\, and collision and electrocution at power lines. As a
  long-lived and slow-maturing species\, each death is consequential and un
 derstanding when and where threats occur can greatly benefit effective man
 agement and mitigation. Although the focus of extensive mitigation efforts
 \, lead toxicosis remains the leading cause of death for condors. There ha
 s been less effort dedicated to addressing the second-leading anthropogeni
 c threat\, interactions with power lines. Such efforts may yield substanti
 al benefits if strategically targeted to the areas of greatest risk.\nWe u
 sed GPS data from 140 condors in southern California between 2013 and 2023
  to identify where on the landscape condors most frequently interact with 
 power lines and we evaluated landscape features at these locations to iden
 tify correlates of locations where birds are most at risk of death from el
 ectrocution or collision. We identified 4.27 km2 (0.02% of condor range an
 d 0.18% of power lines in condor range) of “danger zones” where risk w
 as highest and that could be prime candidates for effective mitigation. Co
 ndor perching near power lines was positively associated with terrain rugg
 edness\, while low-altitude flight near power lines was negatively associa
 ted with that ruggedness. Both these risky behaviors were most commonly as
 sociated with forested areas.\nWe evaluated temporal trends for all of the
  leading causes of death of condors to identify annual and seasonal patter
 ns that could inform risk management and mitigation for this high priority
  species. Across the entire population\, deaths from lead toxicosis contin
 ues to increase in frequency\, likely because as the population grows\, ol
 der birds are relying less on clean proffered food and instead foraging on
  carrion they find themselves. Death from trauma temporarily increased aro
 und 2012\; the reason for this is not clear. Finally\, death from fire was
  most likely to occur in the summer\, the start of the fire season. Compar
 isons between subpopulation suggested that the steepest increase in lead t
 oxicosis was in the central California subpopulation. The southern Califor
 nia subpopulation showed peaks in deaths related to trauma in 2012 and pre
 dation in 2010.\nTogether\, these findings highlight that threats to condo
 rs vary spatially and temporally\, and they suggest avenues for risk mitig
 ation. Identifying power lines in “danger zones” lets managers know wh
 ere to target application of mitigation such as power line retrofits and l
 ine markers. Similarly identifying temporal trends overall\, and differenc
 es in subpopulations that occupy different areas supports development of a
 daptive mitigation strategies to target threat-specific action when and wh
 ere it can have the greatest impact.
GEO:43.605248;-116.213593
LOCATION:Raptor Research Center Building (RAPT)\, 118
SUMMARY:Thesis Defense: Molly Astell
URL;VALUE=URI:https://events.boisestate.edu/event/thesis-defense-molly-aste
 ll
CATEGORIES:Lectures and Presentations
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