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Negative Effects Of Rapid Warming And Drought On Reproductive Dynamics And Population Size Of An Avian Predator In The Arid Southwest, Kirsten Cruz-Mcdonnell

Biology ETDs

Avian communities of arid ecosystems may be particularly vulnerable to global climate change due to the magnitude of model projected change for desert regions and the inherent challenges for species of resource limited ecosystems. How arid zone birds will be affected by rapid increases in air temperature and increased drought frequency and severity is poorly understood. To date, avian responses to climate change have primarily been studied in northern temperate regions in relatively mesic habitats. We studied the effects of increasing air temperature and aridity on a Burrowing Owl (Athene cunicularia) population in the southwestern USA from 1998-2013. Over 16 …