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Common terns (Sterna hirundo) as indicators of ecosystem response to urbanization in the Barnegat Bay Watershed region of New Jersey, 1982-2007

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TypeOfResource
Text
TitleInfo (ID = T-1)
Title
Common terns (Sterna hirundo) as indicators of ecosystem response to urbanization in the Barnegat Bay Watershed region of New Jersey, 1982-2007
Identifier
ETD_1727
Identifier (type = hdl)
http://hdl.rutgers.edu/1782.2/rucore10001600001.ETD.000051405
Language
LanguageTerm (authority = ISO639-2); (type = code)
eng
Genre (authority = marcgt)
theses
Subject (ID = SBJ-1); (authority = RUETD)
Topic
Geography
Subject (ID = SBJ-1); (authority = ETD-LCSH)
Topic
Common tern--Habitat
Subject (ID = SBJ-1); (authority = ETD-LCSH)
Topic
Urbanization--Environmental aspects--New Jersey
Subject (ID = SBJ-1); (authority = ETD-LCSH)
Topic
Ecosystem health
Subject (ID = SBJ-1); (authority = lcsh/lcnaf)
Geographic
Barnegat Bay Watershed (N.J.)--Environmental conditions
Abstract
While recording avian populations in Barnegat Bay for more than 30 years, it was observed that out of 34 nesting islands inhabited by common terns (Sterna hirundo); only 15 currently host colonies of common terns. Within the same period of time, the region has experienced intense urban development, especially in recent years. The intent of this research is to provide a method to investigate the spatial relationship of changes in encroaching urbanization to common tern populations. Since the success of coastal communities is dependent upon sustainable coastal urbanization, integrating correlations between land-use change and avian populations can provide information to use when establishing conservation sites or protected areas. Conservation of avian ecosystems requires identifying critical habitat areas that are affected by urbanization. The null hypothesis of this research was that long-term population variability does not result from encroaching urbanization on common tern habitats. If common terns are adversely affected by the direct and indirect effects of increasing urbanization in the area, it could be an indication of declining ecosystem health. These birds serve as excellent bioindicators of ecosystem health because they feed at high trophic levels of food chains within the ecosystems in Barnegat Bay. To find correlations between changing urbanization and populations, 25 years of population data of common terns nesting on salt marsh islands in Barnegat Bay, New Jersey from 1984-2006 was compared with satellite imagery for 1984, 1995, 2001 and 2006 using Geographic Information Systems (GIS). The island group experiencing the greatest percent change (40.6%) in distance from the nearest edge of urbanization to tern habitats, also experienced the greatest overall decline in Common Tern populations over a 25 year period. Distance was calculated using the Euclidean Distance, or straight-line distance, tool in Spatial Analyst using ArcGIS. The change in distance indicates an encroachment of urbanized land in the direction on common tern nesting and breeding areas. During the study period, populations of common terns did not experience a linear decline; however, there was a linear increase in urbanization. Long-term population variability may be due to indirect effects of land-use change including volatile weather conditions, predation, and recreational disturbances or dredging projects.
PhysicalDescription
Form (authority = gmd)
electronic resource
Extent
vi, 50 p. : ill.
InternetMediaType
application/pdf
InternetMediaType
text/xml
Note (type = degree)
M.S.
Note (type = bibliography)
Includes bibliographical references (p. 38-50)
Note (type = statement of responsibility)
by Sheila Shukla
Name (ID = NAME-1); (type = personal)
NamePart (type = family)
Shukla
NamePart (type = given)
Sheila
NamePart (type = date)
1973
Role
RoleTerm (authority = RULIB); (type = )
author
DisplayForm
Sheila Shukla
Name (ID = NAME-2); (type = personal)
NamePart (type = family)
Schneider
NamePart (type = given)
Laura
Role
RoleTerm (authority = RULIB); (type = )
chair
Affiliation
Advisory Committee
DisplayForm
Laura Schneider
Name (ID = NAME-3); (type = personal)
NamePart (type = family)
Tulloch
NamePart (type = given)
David
Role
RoleTerm (authority = RULIB); (type = )
internal member
Affiliation
Advisory Committee
DisplayForm
David Tulloch
Name (ID = NAME-4); (type = personal)
NamePart (type = family)
Burger
NamePart (type = given)
Joanna
Role
RoleTerm (authority = RULIB); (type = )
outside member
Affiliation
Advisory Committee
DisplayForm
Joanna Burger
Name (ID = NAME-1); (type = corporate)
NamePart
Rutgers University
Role
RoleTerm (authority = RULIB); (type = )
degree grantor
Name (ID = NAME-2); (type = corporate)
NamePart
Graduate School - New Brunswick
Role
RoleTerm (authority = RULIB); (type = )
school
OriginInfo
DateCreated (point = ); (qualifier = exact)
2009
DateOther (qualifier = exact); (type = degree)
2009-05
Place
PlaceTerm (type = code)
xx
RelatedItem (type = host)
TitleInfo
Title
Rutgers University Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Identifier (type = RULIB)
ETD
RelatedItem (type = host)
TitleInfo
Title
Graduate School - New Brunswick Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Identifier (type = local)
rucore19991600001
Location
PhysicalLocation (authority = marcorg); (displayLabel = Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey)
NjNbRU
Identifier (type = doi)
doi:10.7282/T3V69JS8
Genre (authority = ExL-Esploro)
ETD graduate
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RightsDeclaration (AUTHORITY = GS); (ID = rulibRdec0006)
The author owns the copyright to this work.
Copyright
Status
Copyright protected
Availability
Status
Open
RightsEvent (AUTHORITY = rulib); (ID = 1)
Type
Permission or license
Detail
Non-exclusive ETD license
AssociatedObject (AUTHORITY = rulib); (ID = 1)
Type
License
Name
Author Agreement License
Detail
I hereby grant to the Rutgers University Libraries and to my school the non-exclusive right to archive, reproduce and distribute my thesis or dissertation, in whole or in part, and/or my abstract, in whole or in part, in and from an electronic format, subject to the release date subsequently stipulated in this submittal form and approved by my school. I represent and stipulate that the thesis or dissertation and its abstract are my original work, that they do not infringe or violate any rights of others, and that I make these grants as the sole owner of the rights to my thesis or dissertation and its abstract. I represent that I have obtained written permissions, when necessary, from the owner(s) of each third party copyrighted matter to be included in my thesis or dissertation and will supply copies of such upon request by my school. I acknowledge that RU ETD and my school will not distribute my thesis or dissertation or its abstract if, in their reasonable judgment, they believe all such rights have not been secured. I acknowledge that I retain ownership rights to the copyright of my work. I also retain the right to use all or part of this thesis or dissertation in future works, such as articles or books.
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Technical

ContentModel
ETD
MimeType (TYPE = file)
application/pdf
MimeType (TYPE = container)
application/x-tar
FileSize (UNIT = bytes)
757760
Checksum (METHOD = SHA1)
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