Nest survival modeling using a multi-species approach in forests managed for timber and biofuel feedstock

1. Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) intercropping is a novel forest management practice for biomass production intended to generate cellulosic feedstocks within intensively managed loblolly pine-dominated landscapes. These pine plantations are important for early-successional bird species, as short rotation times continually maintain early successional habitat. We tested the efficacy of using community models compared to individual surrogate species models in understanding influences on nest survival. We analysed nest data to test for differences in habitat use for 14 bird species in plots managed for switchgrass intercropping and controls within loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) plantations in Mississippi, USA. 2. We adapted hierarchical models using hyper-parameters to incorporate information from both common and rare species to understand community-level nest survival. This approach incorporates rare species that are often discarded due to low sample sizes, but can inform community-level dem...