Department of Environmental Conservation

 PhD, W&FCON

Project:

 Ecology and conservation of piping plovers

Contact:

jseaveyjseavey(at)eco.umass.edu

Web links:

Research website: http://www.science.smith.edu/~jseavey/
Landscape Ecology Lab: http://www.umass.edu/landeco/

Support:

Krusos Foundation; Smith College; The National Park Service;
The Nature Conservancy; National Fish and Wildlife Foundation

Faculty Advisor:

Kevin McGarigal

Project abstract:

Protecting and managing high quality habitat is vital to an organism’s persistence, and yet remains largely underutilized in endangered species recovery. In the twenty-three years since the federal listing of the Atlantic Coast population of the piping plover (Charadrius melodus) , critical breeding habitat has not been officially identified. While, population and reproductive levels have been steadily increasing, progress has been inconsistent and remains uncertain. In the face of increasing coastal development and the projected sea level rise due to climate change, the outlook for plover recovery is bleak. The determination of high quality habitat for piping plovers and its subsequent management will contribute greatly to recovery efforts by focusing on that habitat with the largest population fitness value.

Our research explores many themes behind habitat modeling for this endangered species from determining what parameters best measure habitat selection, the spatial scales of selection, to creating a detailed habitat model for plovers along the barrier island system of New York. We also apply our habitat model to climate change scenarios, likely to impact plover populations over the next 100 years. Our work will contribute to the science of habitat modeling and to piping plover recovery efforts.

Publications:

Seavey, J., K. McGarigal, T. Litwin. In prep. Identifying high quality piping plover (Charadrius melodus) habitat for species conservation.
 
Seavey, J., K. McGarigal, T. Litwin. In prep. Multiple scale density dependence in piping plover productivity.

Seavey, J., K. McGarigal, T. Litwin, In prep. Loss of piping plover (Charadrius melodus) habitat and productivity from rising sea-level.