Data from: Local and landscape metrics identify opportunities for conserving cavity-nesting birds in a rapidly urbanizing ecoregion

Urban centers are rapidly expanding globally, resulting in regional forest-cover transformations that shift from temperate forest biomes to a heterogeneous mix of urban development, forest patches, and agriculture. Data on habitat use within remaining forest patches embedded across land use types, particularly in urban land use, are needed to optimize conservation strategies as urban growth continues. In the rapidly urbanizing southern Piedmont, USA, small pine patches have become more frequent across the landscape and are found embedded within second-growth forest, agricultural, and urban land use matrices. We used point-count surveys and N-mixture models to determine the effect of patch- and landscape-scale drivers on cavity-nesting bird abundance, including the threatened Brown-headed Nuthatch (Sitta pusilla), in pine forest patches. Model-averaged estimates suggest Brown-headed Nuthatches are more abundant in large patches in a heterogeneous matrix that includes urban residential development. Three other cavity-nesting species declined in abundance as a function of reduced canopy cover. White-breasted Nuthatches increased and Tufted Titmice decreased in abundance in response to patch area. By identifying factors that predict abundance at local and landscape scales for ecologically sensitive and generalist species, we can more effectively contribute to regional conservation efforts in urban ecosystems, extending conservation in practice beyond protected areas.

全球城市中心正快速扩张，引发区域森林覆盖格局发生转变：原本的温带森林生物群系逐渐被异质化的城市开发斑块、残存林斑与农业用地所替代。当前亟需获取嵌入各类土地利用类型（尤其是城市土地利用类型）中的残存林斑的栖息地利用数据，以便在城市持续扩张的背景下优化区域保护策略。在美国快速城市化的南部皮埃蒙特地区，小型松林斑在景观中愈发常见，且嵌入于次生林、农业用地与城市土地利用基质之中。本研究采用点计数调查（point-count surveys）与N混合模型（N-mixture models），探究林斑尺度与景观尺度的驱动因子对松林斑内洞巢鸟类（cavity-nesting bird）种群丰度的影响，研究对象包括受胁物种棕头鳾（Brown-headed Nuthatch，学名Sitta pusilla）。模型平均估计结果显示，在包含城市住宅开发的异质化基质中，棕头鳾在大型林斑内的种群丰度更高。另有三种洞巢鸟类的种群丰度随冠层覆盖度降低而下降。白胸鳾（White-breasted Nuthatch）的种群丰度随林斑面积增大而升高，而簇山雀（Tufted Titmouse）的种群丰度则随林斑面积增大而降低。通过明确生态敏感物种与广适性物种在局域与景观尺度上的种群丰度预测因子，我们能够更有效地助力城市生态系统的区域保护工作，将保护实践从保护区范畴延伸至更广泛的区域。