Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Optimal Strategies For Grassland Restoration To Increase Spatial Carrying Capacity Of Florida Sandhill Cranes In Pasco County, Florida, Ibrahim Kaya

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The Florida sandhill crane (Antigone canadensis pratensis) is a non-migratory bird species occurring throughout the Florida peninsula and the Okefenokee Swamp in southeastern Georgia. Human land-altering activities have led to a substantial decline in the amount and condition of suitable habitat, including grasslands, for the species in Florida, thereby decreasing the population size significantly. Grasslands located in close proximity to nesting locations are one of the habitat types on which the population viability of the species depends, as they provide foraging and brooding habitat which is crucial for successful reproduction. The purpose of this study is to propose the most …