@article{boone_bankovich_reichert_watson_mccleery_2024, title={Frequent prescribed burns reduce mammalian species richness and occurrence in longleaf pine sandhills}, volume={553}, ISSN={["1872-7042"]}, DOI={10.1016/j.foreco.2023.121596}, abstractNote={Prescribed fire is a critical forest management tool, the frequency and size of which can alter the composition of wildlife communities. In the longleaf pine ecosystem of the southeastern United States, frequent prescribed fire (1–3 year fire interval) is used to replicate natural processes that prevent woody encroachment and transition to alternate states. However, we have little understanding of how different scales and frequencies of fire influence medium and large mammals. To address this knowledge gap, we assessed the homogenizing influence of prescribed fire on mammal community composition at different fire frequencies and scales. We set 110 camera trap grids containing 990 individual camera points across conservation lands in north Florida and the Florida panhandle. We used a Bayesian multi-species occupancy modeling approach to assess the relationship between fire frequency and the occurrence of 11 mammal species across three spatial scales (0.2 ha, 12.57 ha, and 176.71 ha). Species richness was negatively associated with increased burn frequency at all scales and community occurrence was negatively associated with increased burn frequency at the two largest scales. Non-native nine-banded armadillos were negatively associated with increased burn frequency at all scales and non-native feral hogs were negatively associated with increased burn frequency at the two largest scales. Raccoons and opossums, both known nest predators, were negatively associated with increased burn frequency at the two largest scales. Our results indicate that prescribed fire applied at 1–3 year intervals could be used to reduce the occurrence of most non-native mammals and several prolific nest predators in longleaf pine sandhills, particularly at larger scales. However, these perceived benefits must be weighed against the concurrent loss of the ecosystem services and functions native generalist species provide.}, journal={FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT}, author={Boone, Wesley W. and Bankovich, Brittany A. and Reichert, Brian E. and Watson, Mandy B. and McCleery, Robert A.}, year={2024}, month={Feb} }
 @article{boone_mccleery_2023, title={Climate change likely to increase co-occurrence of island endemic and invasive wildlife}, url={https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecochg.2022.100061}, DOI={10.1016/j.ecochg.2022.100061}, abstractNote={Climate change is altering the distribution of wildlife across the globe. These distributional changes, paired with the environmental and vegetative shifts that spurred them, are likely to change co-occurrence patterns and interspecific interactions of native and invasive wildlife. A mesocosm of global change, we worked on Sanibel Island; a low-lying ∼4,900 ha barrier island in southwestern Florida, USA. Sanibel Island possessed a freshwater interior lined with mangrove forests to the north. Sanibel was ∼50% developed, ∼50% conserved, hydrologically degraded, shrub-encroached, and susceptible to inundation by sea-level rise. We used a Bayesian multispecies occupancy modeling approach to investigate how the effects of climate change might change co-occurrence patterns of 2 native island-endemic species (Sanibel Island rice rat [Oryzomys palustris sanibeli]; insular hispid cotton rat [Sigmodon hispidus insulicola]) and 1 exotic invasive species (black rat [Rattus rattus]). We found that co-occurrence is likely to increase between cotton rats and black rats with unknown impacts on interspecific interactions. We also found that climate change may threaten the persistence of cotton rats and black rats on Sanibel Island, but not rice rats so long as mangrove forests persist. Broadly our research demonstrates the importance of investigating interactions between climate change and co-occurrence when assessing contemporary and future wildlife distributions.}, journal={Climate Change Ecology}, author={Boone, Wesley W., IV and McCleery, Robert A.}, year={2023}, month={Dec} }
 @article{boone_johnson_2023, title={Fight or flight: Eastern wild Turkey repeatedly defends nest against raccoon}, volume={36}, ISSN={["2352-2496"]}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.fooweb.2023.e00289}, DOI={10.1016/j.fooweb.2023.e00289}, abstractNote={Eastern wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris) are an economically and culturally important species throughout eastern and central North America. Eastern wild turkey nests are predated by a suite of predators, providing sustenance for those predators but also potentially adding to recent turkey population declines. While studies of wild turkey nest success and nest predation rates are common, many rely on artificial nests which fail to account for the defensive capabilities of nesting hens. Direct observation of attempted and successful predation events are largely absent from the literature, but needed to understand these interspecific interactions. Following the chance discovery of an eastern wild turkey nest we placed two camera traps overlooking the nest. The camera traps recorded six attempted nest raids by a raccoon (Procyon lotor), of which only once did the raccoon appear to steal an egg. The remaining five attempts were fended off by the hen, which puffed her feathers and defended the nest. We conclude that hens may be capable of defending their nests against attempted predation events by raccoons, but additional research is needed to determine if this hen's defensive capacity is typical and whether other predators are more successful at raiding nests.}, journal={FOOD WEBS}, publisher={Elsevier BV}, author={Boone, Wesley W. and Johnson, Reese}, year={2023}, month={Sep} }
 @article{boone_moorman_terando_moscicki_collier_chamberlain_pacifici_2023, title={Minimal shift of eastern wild turkey nesting phenology associated with projected climate change}, url={https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecochg.2023.100075}, DOI={10.1016/j.ecochg.2023.100075}, abstractNote={Climate change may induce mismatches between wildlife reproductive phenology and temporal occurrence of resources necessary for reproductive success. Verifying and elucidating the causal mechanisms behind potential mismatches requires large-scale, longer-duration data. We used eastern wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris) nesting data collected across the southeastern U.S. over eight years to investigate potential climatic drivers of variation in nest initiation dates. We investigated climactic relationships with two datasets, one inclusive of successful and unsuccessful nests (full dataset) and another of just successful nests (successfully hatched dataset), to determine whether successfully hatched nests responded differently to weather changes than all nests did. In the full dataset, each 10 cm increase in January precipitation was associated with nesting occurring 0.46–0.66 days earlier, and each 10 cm increase in precipitation during the 30 days preceding nesting was associated with nesting occurring 0.17–0.21 days later. In the successfully hatched dataset, a 10 cm increase in March precipitation was associated with nesting occurring 0.67–0.74 days earlier, and an increase of one unit of variation in February maximum temperature was associated with nesting occurring 0.02 days later. We combined the results of these modeled relationships with multiple climate scenarios to understand potential implications of future climate change on wild turkey nesting phenology; results indicated that mean nest initiation date is projected to change by <0.1 day by 2040–2060. Wild turkey nesting phenology did not track changes in spring green-up timing, which could result in phenological mismatch between the timing of nesting and the availability of resources critical for successful reproduction.}, journal={Climate Change Ecology}, author={Boone, Wesley W. and Moorman, Christopher E. and Terando, Adam J. and Moscicki, David J. and Collier, Bret A. and Chamberlain, Michael J. and Pacifici, Krishna}, year={2023}, month={Nov} }
 @article{boone_moorman_moscicki_collier_chamberlain_terando_pacifici_2023, title={Robust assessment of associations between weather and eastern wild turkey nest success}, volume={11}, ISSN={["1937-2817"]}, DOI={10.1002/jwmg.22524}, abstractNote={Abstract}, journal={JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT}, author={Boone, Wesley W. and Moorman, Christopher E. and Moscicki, David J. and Collier, Bret A. and Chamberlain, Michael J. and Terando, Adam J. and Pacifici, Krishna}, year={2023}, month={Nov} }
 @article{boone_albrecht_conrad_lechowicz_hellgren_mccleery_2022, title={Shrub encroachment threatens persistence of an endemic insular wetland rodent}, url={https://doi.org/10.1093/jmammal/gyac058}, DOI={10.1093/jmammal/gyac058}, abstractNote={Abstract}, journal={Journal of Mammalogy}, author={Boone, Wesley W, IV and Albrecht, Audrey A and Conrad, Jeremy R and Lechowicz, Chris J and Hellgren, Eric C and McCleery, Robert A}, editor={Flaherty, ElizabethEditor}, year={2022}, month={Oct} }
 @article{bat activity response to fire regime depends on species, vegetation conditions, and behavior_2021, volume={502}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2021.119722}, DOI={10.1016/j.foreco.2021.119722}, abstractNote={• Vegetation conditions were more strongly related to bat activity than fire regime. • Bat community activity increased with fire frequency. • Bat response to fire frequency varied across species. • Foraging efficiency and emergence activity decreased with fire frequency. Disturbances such as fire play an important role in shaping forests and the wildlife they support. As such, forest managers employ prescribed fire to restore ecosystem function, promote forest biodiversity, and maintain wildlife habitat. To better understand how bats respond to variation in fire regime, we used acoustic recorders to quantify bat activity in forests maintained by frequent fire in southern Florida, USA and modelled this variation as a function of both fire regime and vegetation characteristics. Next, to better understand the mechanisms underlying these responses, we quantified variation in bat foraging efficiency and activity during the important early evening period. We found that even in regions historically maintained by frequent fire, bat activity was more closely associated with vegetation conditions, such as canopy cover and woody understory volume, than fire regime. When vegetation and fire frequency were considered together, the bat activity response was nuanced. Activity across the bat community was greater in forests that had burned more frequently in the previous two decades, but bats appeared more likely to encounter prey in forests that burned less frequently. Species-specific responses added additional complexity, potentially related to size and wing morphology, with larger bats responding more strongly to fire, whereas activity of smaller bats was primarily related to vegetation characteristics. Similarly, activity during the early-evening shifted as a function of fire frequency, but in different directions for different species. Our results suggest that investigations of occurrence or overall bat activity may provide an incomplete understanding of the complex responses to fire regimes that become more apparent when activity is partitioned into more refined metrics. These nuances have implications for management of fire-maintained forests. Though frequent burning may best promote the ecosystem services associated with insectivorous bat activity, a more heterogenous approach to fire management that considers bat species diversity, bat behavior, and vegetation conditions may provide additional benefits to bats.}, journal={Forest Ecology and Management}, publisher={Elsevier BV}, year={2021}, month={Dec}, pages={119722} }
 @article{torrez_frock_boone_sovie_mccleery_2021, title={Seasick: Why Value Ecosystems Severely Threatened by Sea-Level Rise?}, volume={44}, url={https://doi.org/10.1007/s12237-020-00850-w}, DOI={10.1007/s12237-020-00850-w}, abstractNote={Climate change will alter natural areas on a global scale within the next century. In areas vulnerable to climate change, scientists are regularly challenged to justify the resources needed for research and conservation. We face what may seem like a losing battle, especially in low-lying coastal areas where sea-level rise is predicted to severely degrade or destroy many ecosystems. Using sea-level rise in the low-elevation state of Florida, USA, as a case study, we argue that it is critical to remain engaged in the research, restoration, and conservation of natural areas threatened by climate change for as long as possible. These areas will continue to provide invaluable ecological and societal benefits. Additionally, uncertainty surrounding climate change forecasts and their ecological impact leaves room for optimism, research, and actions that are necessary for developing adaptation plans and mitigating further sea-level rise and other consequences of climate change. We urge scientists and particularly students beginning their careers not to forego research and conservation efforts of these imperiled lands but to face this unprecedented challenge with determination, creativity, and solution-based strategies.}, number={4}, journal={Estuaries and Coasts}, publisher={Springer Science and Business Media LLC}, author={Torrez, Elizabeth C. Braun and Frock, Catherine F. and Boone, Wesley W., IV and Sovie, Adia R. and McCleery, Robert A.}, year={2021}, month={Jun}, pages={899–910} }
 @article{boone_albrecht_conrad_lechowicz_hellgren_mccleery_2021, title={Shrub Encroachment Threatens Persistence of An Endemic Insular Wetland Rodent}, url={https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-312551/v1}, DOI={10.21203/rs.3.rs-312551/v1}, abstractNote={Abstract}, author={Boone, Wesley Williams and Albrecht, Audrey A and Conrad, Jeremy R and Lechowicz, Chris J and Hellgren, Eric C and McCleery, Robert A}, year={2021}, month={Apr} }
 @article{hallett_kinahan_mcgregor_baggallay_babb_barnabus_wilson_li_boone_bankovich_2019, title={Impact of Low-Intensity Hunting on Game Species in and Around the Kanuku Mountains Protected Area, Guyana}, volume={7}, url={http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-85075692814&partnerID=MN8TOARS}, DOI={10.3389/fevo.2019.00412}, abstractNote={Unsustainable harvest is driving population declines in tropical forest species across the globe. Despite maintaining the second highest percent forest cover in the world (85%), concern is increasing in Guyana that unmanaged commercial and subsistence hunting activities could result in defaunation, and the cascading ecological effects of ‘empty forests.’ The Rupununi region in southwestern Guyana, home to the Kanuku Mountains Protected Area (KMPA), hosts one of the world’s lowest human population densities (0.42 people/km2), as well as large tracts of both Neotropical savanna and forest habitats, making it one of the country’s most biodiverse regions. Indigenous Makushi and Wapichan communities that reside there have maintained subsistence lifestyles mediated by traditional beliefs and management practices for millennia. However, as human populations and access to markets increase, there is a corresponding increase in harvesting of natural resources. Protected areas have long been recognized for their role in biodiversity conservation, while also serving as a reserve for subsistence hunters. The KMPA, one of Guyana’s newest protected areas, allows for the continued sustainable use of its resources by indigenous communities. It is critical to understand the patterns, impacts, and sustainable levels of hunting in and around the protected area so that biodiversity can be managed and conserved effectively. Our study shows that the impact of current hunting intensity in and around the KMPA remains relatively low and supports the hypothesis that Neotropical forests can support hunting pressure of <1 person/km2. While our results show that current levels of hunting in the region can be considered sustainable, small shifts in activity patterns and relative abundance of preferred game species were observed in higher intensity hunting areas, which in turn appeared to have influenced other non-hunted species’ activity patterns and relative abundance. Our results suggest therefore, that even in low hunting intensity areas, monitoring both preferred game and non-hunted species’ activity patterns and abundances is important to act as an early warning system before animal populations are significantly impacted by overharvesting. Further, our study highlights the importance of considering the entire ecosystem and not simply individual populations when establishing sustainable harvesting rates for an area.}, journal={Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution}, author={Hallett, M.T. and Kinahan, A.A. and McGregor, R. and Baggallay, T. and Babb, T. and Barnabus, H. and Wilson, A. and Li, F.M. and Boone, W.W. and Bankovich, B.A.}, year={2019} }
 @article{stanton_boone_soto-shoender_fletcher_blaum_mccleery_2018, title={Shrub encroachment and vertebrate diversity: A global meta-analysis}, volume={27}, url={http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-85042079873&partnerID=MN8TOARS}, DOI={10.1111/geb.12675}, abstractNote={Abstract}, number={3}, journal={Global Ecology and Biogeography}, author={Stanton, R.A. and Boone, W.W. and Soto-Shoender, J. and Fletcher, R.J. and Blaum, N. and McCleery, R.A.}, year={2018}, pages={368–379} }
 @article{boone_mccleery_reichert_2017, title={Fox squirrel response to forest restoration treatments in longleaf pine}, volume={98}, url={http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-85039174217&partnerID=MN8TOARS}, DOI={10.1093/jmammal/gyx110}, abstractNote={Restoration of the longleaf pine (Pinus palustris; LLP) ecosystem and its associated fauna is a principal goal of many land-management agencies in the southeastern United States. Prescribed fire and herbicide application are 2 common methods of LLP restoration. We employed a multi-scale approach to investigate how occurrence of fox squirrels (Sciurus niger) was influenced by fire frequency and herbicide application in LLP communities of northern Florida. We sampled 9-point, 4-ha grids of camera traps with 106 grids in fire treatments, 23 herbicide treatment grids, and 27 control grids. We evaluated a priori models for occurrence of fox squirrels at point, 4-ha patch, and home-range scales, and the influence of fire and herbicides on vegetation structure. Fox squirrel occurrence was positively associated with densities of turkey oak (Quercus laevis) at the patch scale, which were significantly less abundant in herbicide-treated areas. Fox squirrel occurrence was negatively correlated with fire interval and positively correlated with oak densities at a localized point scale. Additionally, fox squirrel point occurrences declined over time since the last fire. Fire produced habitat more favorable for fox squirrels than did herbicide treatments.}, number={6}, journal={Journal of Mammalogy}, author={Boone, W.W. and McCleery, R.A. and Reichert, B.E.}, year={2017}, pages={1594–1603} }
 @article{darracq_boone_mccleery_2016, title={Burn regime matters: A review of the effects of prescribed fire on vertebrates in the longleaf pine ecosystem}, volume={378}, url={http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-84979900770&partnerID=MN8TOARS}, DOI={10.1016/j.foreco.2016.07.039}, abstractNote={A clear understanding of how management influences vertebrate biodiversity is critical for the conservation of rare ecosystems, such as the longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) ecosystem in the southeastern United States. We used scientific literature to assess how vertebrate use of the longleaf pine ecosystem (High or low) differed in response to high (1–3 years), moderate (>3–5 years), and low (>5 years) burn frequencies. For all species combined, we found that the number of high use (HU) species associated with moderately burned forests (n = 140) was 22% and 33% greater than in high (n = 115) and low burn (n = 105) frequency forests, respectively. This pattern was most clear for Aves and Reptilia. Specifically, the number of HU species associated with moderate burn frequencies (Aves – n = 69; Reptilia – n = 36) was 21% and 25% greater for Aves and 56 and 63% greater for Reptilia than high (Aves – n = 57; Reptilia – n = 23) and low burn frequencies (Aves – n = 55; Reptilia – n = 22), respectively. We found no difference in the number of HU species across burn frequencies for Amphibia or Mammalia. For species considered longleaf pine specialists, across all vertebrate taxa the number of HU species was associated with areas of high and moderate burn frequencies. We posit that moderate burn frequencies had the greatest number of HU species because of requirements for multiple habitat types, structural diversity, and habitat components that are reduced in, or not provided by, areas with high burn frequencies. If conservation of specific longleaf pine specialists that rely on habitat created by high fire frequencies (e.g. Red-cockaded woodpeckers) is the objective, we suggest managing with high burn frequencies at the local scale. Conversely, if management objectives include maximizing wildlife diversity, managers should use a more variable fire regime across the landscape, from annual to less frequent 5 year burn intervals, to maintain localized patches of oaks and increase the compositional and structural diversity within the system.}, journal={Forest Ecology and Management}, author={Darracq, A.K. and Boone, W.W. and McCleery, R.A.}, year={2016}, pages={214–221} }