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Informationen zum Autor Richard N. Conner is Research Wildlife Biologist and D. Craig Rudolph is Research Ecologist at the U. S. Forest Service Southern Research Station in Nacogdoches, Texas. Jeffrey R. Walters is Bailey Professor of Biology at Virginia Tech. Klappentext Though small among its woodpecker relatives, the Red-cockaded Woodpecker poses a huge dilemma for its human neighbors. Uniquely adapted to live in the old-growth pine forests of the southeastern United States, the Red-cockaded Woodpecker has nearly disappeared as the forests have been cleared for agricultural, commercial, and residential uses over the last two centuries. Today, it waits at a crossroads. Scientific management practices could restore the woodpecker's habitat and population, but the imperative to convert old-growth forests to other uses remains.In this book, three of the leading experts on the Red-cockaded Woodpecker offer a comprehensive overview of all that is currently known about its biology and natural history and about the ecology of the fire-maintained forests it requires for survival. As the most visible endangered species in the Southeast, and the one whose conservation impacts the largest land area, the Red-cockaded Woodpecker holds a compelling interest not only for ornithologists, but also for wildlife managers, foresters, developers, environmentalists, and government officials. For all of these groups, this book will be the essential resource for learning more about the Red-cockaded Woodpecker and ensuring its survival. Zusammenfassung Three of the leading experts on the Red-cockaded Woodpecker offer a comprehensive overview of all that is currently known about its biology and natural history and about the ecology of the fire-maintained forests it requires for survival. Inhaltsverzeichnis Foreword by Frances C. JamesAcknowledgments1. An Introduction A Brief HistoryThe Southern Pine EcosystemsChange across the LandscapeWoodpecker Populations PlummetThe Tide Begins to TurnAn Unknown Future2. Fire-Maintained Pine Ecosystems History of the Southeastern ForestsThe Longleaf Pine ForestOther Southern PinesThe Animal CommunityA Summary PerspectiveThreats to the Fire-Maintained Ecosystem3. Evolution, Taxonomy, and Morphology of the Red-cockaded Woodpecker EvolutionTaxonomyMorphologyParasites4. Red-cockaded Woodpecker Distribution: Past and Present Distribution Prior to Recorded HistoryRecorded Historical DistributionThe Logging EraThe Modern EraThe Extent of Population DeclineThe Current Population5. Cavity Trees in Fire-Maintained Southern Pine Ecosystems Cavity Construction in Live PinesResin WellsCavity Competition and KleptoparasitismCavity Tree SelectionThe Cavity Tree Cluster6. Social Behavior and Population Biology The Cooperative Breeding SystemEvolution of the Social SystemPopulation DynamicsPopulation ViabilityReproductionGeneral BehaviorTerritories and AggressionVocalizations7. Foraging Ecology of Red-cockaded Woodpeckers Foraging SubstratesForaging BehaviorDietSexual Dimorphism in Foraging BehaviorForaging RequirementsRelationships with Other Insectivorous Birds8. Red-cockaded Woodpeckers and Bark Beetles: A Love-Hate Relationship Forest Landscape InteractionsDynamics of a Beetle InfestationBeetle Epidemics9. The Causes of Population Declines The Decline of the Red-cockaded Woodpecker as a Carrying Capacity ProblemThe Role of Foraging Habitat10. Extinction, Legal Status, and History of Management ExtinctionEarly Roots of Conservation EffortsDesignation of Endangered Status and Initial GuidelinesExpansion of Scientific Information and Refinement of Management GuidelinesLitigationRed-cockaded Woodpeckers on Military BasesRed-cockaded Woodpeckers and Private LandsThe Dawn of a New EraDevelopment of New Woodpecker Management Guidelines11. State-of-the-Art Management The New Management StrategyThe Optimistic and Pessimistic FuturesNew Management Policies12. An Uncertain Future Conflicts with O...
