Chapter 4 Habitats
Priority Conservation Action, Examples of Focal Species or Focal Habitats
• Determine the status and distribution of rattlesnakes in this habitat. Timber (Canebrake) Rattlesnake Pigmy Rattlesnake • Survey for other SGCN and high priority species, especially herpetofauna. Lizards Snakes • Determine composition of vegetation and use this baseline data to monitor changes to vegetation structure. 4.3.9.6.2 Monitoring Monitoring involves repeated observation and recording of specific parameters to show trends over time. Long-term monitoring that includes statistical and quantitative analysis in the design is critical to assessing species and ecosystem health and gauging the resilience of organisms to changing conditions (Gitzen et al. 2012, Lindenmayer and Likens 2009) . Monitoring efforts should include identification of population trends, as well as assessment of impacts from conservation or development activities. These efforts will inform species and habitat management decisions. Long-term monitoring sites need to be identified, and monitoring protocols developed for all priority species. Monitoring plans should be coordinated with other existing monitoring programs where feasible. Monitoring of aquatic taxa is critical to assessing species and ecosystem health and gauging the resilience of organisms to a changing climate. These monitoring efforts will inform future decisions on how to manage aquatic species.
Priority Conservation Action, Examples of Focal Species or Focal Habitats
• Establish long-term monitoring for neotropical migrants that are not well tracked by BBS in this habitat type.
• Establish vegetation monitoring plots to detect phenological and plant structure changes.
4.3.9.6.3 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. Research must also be conducted to determine
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2025 NC Wildlife Action Plan
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