4.5 River Basins
F I GURE 4 .10
Location of priority HUC12 watersheds in the Cape Fear River Basin
Monitoring. Long-term monitoring is critical to assessing species and ecosystem health over time and gauging the resilience of organisms to continued impacts to state waters. Studies should include identifcation of population trends, as well as assessment of con- servation or development activities. Tese eforts will inform species and habitat manage- ment decisions. Long-term monitoring sites need to be identifed and monitoring protocols developed for all priority species. Monitoring plans should be coordinated with other exist- ing monitoring programs where feasible. Research. Research topics that facilitate appropriate conservation actions include habitat use and preferences, reproductive behavior, fecundity, population dynamics and genetics, feeding, competition, and food web dynamics. Increased understanding of life histories and status helps determine the vulnerability of priority species to further imperilment, in addition to identifying possibilities for improved management and conservation. All stud- ies should provide recommendations for mitigation and restoration. Formal descriptions
520
2015 NC Wildlife Action Plan
Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online