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Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics
Retention And Efficacy Of Citizen Scientist Volunteers Of The Texas Quail Index, Kelly S. Reyna, Dale Rollins
Retention And Efficacy Of Citizen Scientist Volunteers Of The Texas Quail Index, Kelly S. Reyna, Dale Rollins
National Quail Symposium Proceedings
The Texas Quail Index (TQI) was a 5-year, science-based project that utilized citizen scientists to collect data in the field, including 5 indices of bobwhite abundance in the spring, and 3 indices of bobwhite abundance in the fall. Over the course of the study, 84% of all volunteers dropped out of the program and <8% of all data sets were complete. Accordingly, we surveyed the volunteers by mail to determine the rate and cause of participation decline and to identify characteristics of a reliable volunteer. Results indicated that annual volunteer participation rate declined more rapidly as time and labor requirements increased. Similarly, 74.3% of survey respondents who dropped out of the study reported leaving because the project required too much time and work. Motives may have contributed to the volunteer attrition as 72% of volunteers joined the program to learn more about quail management; however 71% of those that left the program reported not gaining knowledge in that area. We recommend that project designs, for citizen-science projects, should incorporate the motives of volunteers and recruit those whose motives best align with project goals. We also recommend that citizen-science coordinators keep volunteer tasks short and within the interest of the volunteer, to increase retention. Finally, we recommend stipends for volunteers on large-scale, laborious projects.
Response Of Grassland Birds To Agricultural Intensity At Different Spatial Scales In Texas, Anna Matthews, M. Clay Green, James Giocomo
Response Of Grassland Birds To Agricultural Intensity At Different Spatial Scales In Texas, Anna Matthews, M. Clay Green, James Giocomo
National Quail Symposium Proceedings
The decline in grassland birds is often associated with habitat loss due to intensity of conversion to agricultural lands and the alterations of natural disturbances. We sought to identify agricultural effects at differing scales that correlate to Texas grassland bird abundance, especially northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus). Ninety-five roadside routes were surveyed in 20 Texas counties ranging from the Oklahoma border to the coastal plains. We conducted point counts in May and June from 2013 to 2016. To estimate the coarse effects of agriculture on bird abundance at a county level, we used number of cattle and area of …
Predicting Northern Bobwhite Habitat In Semiarid Rangeland Using Landsat Imagery, Jeffrey G. Whitt, Kelly S. Reyna
Predicting Northern Bobwhite Habitat In Semiarid Rangeland Using Landsat Imagery, Jeffrey G. Whitt, Kelly S. Reyna
National Quail Symposium Proceedings
Multiple studies have attempted to model northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) distribution using classified remotely sensed imagery in combination with pattern recognition software. These models tend to be more accurate in humid subtropical regions. To identify bobwhite habitat in subhumid and semiarid rangeland, we performed our own classification on 4 LANDSAT scenes of Clay County, Texas, from July and December 2015. Stands of mature little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) provide excellent bobwhite nesting cover and could be identified using LANDSAT imagery. Habitat was scored from 0 to 1.0 based on estimated range health, presence of little bluestem, and …
Response Of Northern Bobwhites To Habitat Improvement On Private Lands In The Rolling Plains Of Texas, C. Brad Dabbert, Robin Verble-Pearson
Response Of Northern Bobwhites To Habitat Improvement On Private Lands In The Rolling Plains Of Texas, C. Brad Dabbert, Robin Verble-Pearson
National Quail Symposium Proceedings
Northern bobwhites (Colinus virginianus) in the Rolling Plains of Texas have experienced significant declines in recent years. Examination of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Quail Roadside Counts reveals a steep decline since 2007 in the Rolling Plains of Texas. Biologists only detected 2.91 birds/counting route in 2013. This number marked 2 years in a row of record lows (counts started in 1978) below the long-term mean of 19.7 birds/route (Texas Parks and Wildlife 2015). These numbers are not surprising given the historically damaging drought Texas has suffered. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department counts improved to 7.5 bobwhites/counting …