Investigators:	Wiley M. Kitchens
		Additional Project Information at:

Project Topic: Ecological Modeling

Project Start Date: 10/2000
Project End Date: 9/2005

Project Abstract:
The snail kite (Rostrhamus sociabilis) is an endangered species that resides in the highly fluctuating ecosystem in the central and southern Florida wetlands. Many demographic traits, such as stage-dependent survival, reproduction, and movement of the snail kite vary both temporally and spatially. How these demographic parameters vary as a function of environmental conditions, hydrology in particular, is crucial for understanding how the snail kite will respond to proposed changes in water regulation in South and Central Florida. In particular, these data are needed for testing and improving the existing spatially-explicit, individual-based ATLSS snail kite model, developed by Mooij and Bennetts, which has recently been delivered to Department of Interior and other agencies. From these data and the model, projections can be made on snail kite response to any hydrologic scenario. Also, continued estimates will be made of the rate of population growth (l). Assessing l, as well as the demographic parameters, is critical for identifying and evaluating the effectiveness of management actions and conservation strategies. In addition, new modeling techniques, such as structural modeling are being explored to better understand the effects of hydrology on the snail kite. The task of this project is to do the following:

1. To monitor the status of the snail kite population trends in central and southern Florida.
2. To provide estimates of demographic parameters for the spatially explicit individual-based model in ATLSS.
3. Provide relevant data for structural modeling approach to determine causal effects of hydrology on snail kite demographic parameters (collaboration with Bruce Pugesek, USGS)