Edge effects reduce persistence but not colonization in a declining <em>Setophaga virens</em> (Black-throated Green Warbler) population in Alberta's boreal forest

Setophaga virens (Black-throated Green Warbler) is listed as a species of special concern in Alberta due to perceived population declines and projected future habitat loss from resource extraction. Using dynamic occupancy models over 25 years, we examined how different types of anthropogenic edges drive population dynamics in this interior forest specialist. We observed a 58% decline in occupancy from 1993 to 2018, driven by low colonization rates that failed to compensate for reduced persistence near edges. Sites farther from seismic lines and harvest areas showed markedly higher persistence probabilities, but edge proximity had no effect on colonization probability, suggesting that birds initially settle near edges but subsequently abandon these territories. Contrary to our predictions, regenerating harvest edges showed no mitigation of negative edge effects after 25 years. Site-level analysis revealed dramatic variation in persistence probability across sites, ranging by nearly two o..., , # Edge effects reduce persistence but not colonization in a declining *Setophaga virens* (Black-throated Green Warbler) population in Alberta's boreal forest ## Overview This repository contains data and code for analyzing 25 years (1993-2018) of Black-throated Green Warbler occupancy dynamics in response to anthropogenic edge effects in Alberta's boreal forest. The analysis uses hierarchical Bayesian dynamic occupancy models to estimate colonization and persistence probabilities while accounting for imperfect detection. **Citation:** [manuscript citation here] ## Software Requirements * **R version:** 4.4.2 or higher * **JAGS:** 4.3.0 or higher (must be installed separately from [https://mcmc-jags.sourceforge.io/](https://mcmc-jags.sourceforge.io/)) * **R packages:** * `jagsUI` (1.5.2+): Interface for JAGS * `loo` (2.5.1+): Model comparison using WAIC * `dplyr` (1.1.0+): Data manipulation * `ggplot2` (3.4.0+): Visualization * `ROCR` (1.0-11+): AUC calculations * `ape` ...,