INFLUENCES OF WEATHER AND LAND USE ON WILD TURKEY POPULATIONS IN NEW YORK

Abstract: We assessed the influence of weather and land use on the population dynamics of wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) during a 12‐year period in southern New York. Wild turkey abundance and rate of population change were indexed using hunter effort and harvest records from fall hunting across...

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Main Authors: William F. Porter, Daniel J. Gefell
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 1995-01-01
Series:Wildlife Society Bulletin
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/j.2328-5540.1995.tb00215.x
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author William F. Porter
Daniel J. Gefell
author_facet William F. Porter
Daniel J. Gefell
author_sort William F. Porter
collection DOAJ
description Abstract: We assessed the influence of weather and land use on the population dynamics of wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) during a 12‐year period in southern New York. Wild turkey abundance and rate of population change were indexed using hunter effort and harvest records from fall hunting across 256 townships. Winter and spring weather conditions were assessed using data collected at National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) weather stations. Land use was assessed using data from New York's Land Use and Natural Resources (LUNR) survey conducted in 1970. Population abundance was generally below the long‐term mean, with periodic eruptions. On an annual basis, weather and land use were poor predictors of population dynamics. However, on medium time intervals (3‐4 yrs), weather and land use accounted for 19 to 95% of the variation in population abundance and rate of change. We hypothesize that weather factors are poor predictors in annual intervals because positive and negative influences of different factors are seldom in synchrony. When favorable conditions are coincident among several weather factors, rapid population growth occurs. The magnitude of population growth appears related to land use.
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spelling doaj-art-bb8b5c106f7844a481c0ea39c821e3e42025-08-20T03:19:23ZengWileyWildlife Society Bulletin2328-55401995-01-011995S1758010.1002/j.2328-5540.1995.tb00215.xINFLUENCES OF WEATHER AND LAND USE ON WILD TURKEY POPULATIONS IN NEW YORKWilliam F. Porter0Daniel J. Gefell1Faculty of Environmental and Forest BiologyState University of New York, College of Environmental Science and ForestrySyracuseNY13210Faculty of Environmental and Forest BiologyState University of New York, College of Environmental Science and ForestrySyracuseNY13210Abstract: We assessed the influence of weather and land use on the population dynamics of wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) during a 12‐year period in southern New York. Wild turkey abundance and rate of population change were indexed using hunter effort and harvest records from fall hunting across 256 townships. Winter and spring weather conditions were assessed using data collected at National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) weather stations. Land use was assessed using data from New York's Land Use and Natural Resources (LUNR) survey conducted in 1970. Population abundance was generally below the long‐term mean, with periodic eruptions. On an annual basis, weather and land use were poor predictors of population dynamics. However, on medium time intervals (3‐4 yrs), weather and land use accounted for 19 to 95% of the variation in population abundance and rate of change. We hypothesize that weather factors are poor predictors in annual intervals because positive and negative influences of different factors are seldom in synchrony. When favorable conditions are coincident among several weather factors, rapid population growth occurs. The magnitude of population growth appears related to land use.https://doi.org/10.1002/j.2328-5540.1995.tb00215.xhabitatland useMeleagris gallopavopopulation dynamicsweatherwild turkey
spellingShingle William F. Porter
Daniel J. Gefell
INFLUENCES OF WEATHER AND LAND USE ON WILD TURKEY POPULATIONS IN NEW YORK
Wildlife Society Bulletin
habitat
land use
Meleagris gallopavo
population dynamics
weather
wild turkey
title INFLUENCES OF WEATHER AND LAND USE ON WILD TURKEY POPULATIONS IN NEW YORK
title_full INFLUENCES OF WEATHER AND LAND USE ON WILD TURKEY POPULATIONS IN NEW YORK
title_fullStr INFLUENCES OF WEATHER AND LAND USE ON WILD TURKEY POPULATIONS IN NEW YORK
title_full_unstemmed INFLUENCES OF WEATHER AND LAND USE ON WILD TURKEY POPULATIONS IN NEW YORK
title_short INFLUENCES OF WEATHER AND LAND USE ON WILD TURKEY POPULATIONS IN NEW YORK
title_sort influences of weather and land use on wild turkey populations in new york
topic habitat
land use
Meleagris gallopavo
population dynamics
weather
wild turkey
url https://doi.org/10.1002/j.2328-5540.1995.tb00215.x
work_keys_str_mv AT williamfporter influencesofweatherandlanduseonwildturkeypopulationsinnewyork
AT danieljgefell influencesofweatherandlanduseonwildturkeypopulationsinnewyork