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Centreville Middle School

From:

Lisa Spears

Reply-To:

Lisa Spears

Date:

Tue, 2 May 2006 06:56:55 -0400

FYI...Any assistance would be greatly appreciated. Keep in mind these are
Middle School girls who are interested in science, and are continuing to
pursue their finding on their own time. Arts and Sciences is not heavily
supported in the school system, but thanks to the help of wonderful teachers
these kids have this opportunity to spread their wings. Again, any help you
can provide is most appreciated Most Kindest Regards, Lisa Spears 
  _____  


Centreville Middle School - Ecology Corp.

231 Ruthsburg Road

Centreville, MD 21617

 

 

Dear  MOS Members,

 

I am writing on behalf of four Centreville Middle School students who have
been invited to participate in the 7th International Conference on
Environmental Management of Enclosed Coastal Seas in Caen, France, from May
5 - 13, 2006.  At the conference, the students will present their findings,
attend seminars, participate in a study tour, interact with students from
other countries, and visit historic sites in Paris and Normandy Beaches.
They are the only students from a United States middle school whose project
was accepted for presentation.

 

The students worked the majority of the summer and throughout the school
year to collect data, learn required technology such as Powerpoint and
ArcView software programs, Global Positioning Systems, GIS computer mapping,
and college level statistics in order to prepare their research project
entitled "The Effects of Forest Fragmentation on Forest Interior Bird
Species Diversity on a Coastal Watershed Landscape".  (see attached)

 

As you may have recently read in the newspaper, the trip was denied by the
Queen Anne's County Board of Education.  However, the parents, teacher and
students (with the support of the Superintendent and Centreville Middle
School) still plan on attending the conference, and are in the process of
raising the thousands of dollars necessary for airfare, hotels and
transportation to make this highly educational endeavor become a reality.

 

All donations are tax deductible and you will be sent a receipt for your tax
records once your donation has been received.  Please include your full name
and address.  Additionally, a list of contributors' names will appear in the
school newsletter.

 

The students would greatly appreciate your donation made payable to
"Centreville Middle School - Ecology Corps." and sent to the attention of 

Mr. George Radcliffe, 

Centreville Middle School, 

231 Ruthsburg Road, Centreville, MD 21617.  

 

Thank you,

 

 Lisa Spears, Sharon Brinster, Ecology Corps Fund Raising Coordinator

443-496-4631

410-827-7898



 

 

The Effects of Forest Fragmentation on Forest Interior Bird Species
Diversity on a Coastal Watershed Landscape

Christina BRINSTER, AMANDA SPEARS, Charlotte Staver, AND JESSICA WHITE

Centreville Middle School, Centreville, Maryland U.S.A.

 

Abstract:

Preston, Darlington, and others have shown a clear relationship between the
area (A) of oceanic islands and the number of species (S) they contain.  The
relationship is expressed as S=CAz with studies involving birds showing the
value of z to approximate 0.3. This has been clearly demonstrated in
research studies; as islands size increases, the number of species
increases. Wilson and MacArthur's Island Biogeography Theory further
predicts that the actual species on an island can change from year to year
due to colonization and local extinction (turnover), but the number of
species remains at equilibrium. Forest fragmentation creates forest islands
of different sizes on the mainland.  We investigated five different forests
islands on the Maryland Eastern Shore to see if this oceanic relationship
fits forest bird species' counts. We also examined how key individual forest
species were affected by changing forest size by informally surveying 55
forests.

            We used Global Positioning System (GPS) units to run a series of
transects through each island, recording species at pre-identified points.
We compiled a species count for each forest island. We found a significant
correlation (r = .94, n = 11, P< .0001) between island area and the number
of species found with a z value of 0.28. We found that the smallest islands
had a smaller number of true interior forest-breeding bird species and
mostly had edge species. The data clearly show that larger forest islands
have more species.

            We estimated species turnover (T) for the two islands (Haint
Woods, 3.4 acres; Andelot Farms, 141.4 acres) which had been sampled the
previous year (2004).  Each island was sampled twice in 2005, and we could
estimate the error in trying to replicate the study in the same year (RE).
The annual turnover and replication error were almost identical for both
forest areas (Haint Woods, T = 59%, RE = 60%; Andelot Farms, T = 24%; RE =
17%). This indicates that we cannot conclude there is any turnover since
replication error could explain the differences. We can infer, however, that
replication error does increase as forest size decreases. Possibly other
factors are at work as forest size decreases, and Wilson and MacArthur's
equilibrium theory may not fit.

This can be tested by looking at actual species' composition. In the 55
forests informally surveyed, we found the minimum, mean, and median areas of
all forests in which each species was present.  We found that some species
were rarely, if at all, found in small forest islands.  These area sensitive
species included the Black and White Warbler (Mniotilta varia) and
Worm-Eating Warbler (Helmitheros vermivorus). This clearly would impact the
immigration needed to maintain equilibrium.

            We have reached four conclusions. First, the island-species
relationship seems to apply to forest islands. Second, replication error
makes it impossible to see if turnover is occurring, but replication error
clearly increases with decreasing forest size. Third, species' data suggest
that the immigration that Wilson and MacArthur predict might be limited by
the fact that certain species may not colonize a smaller island.  Area
sensitive species tend to drop out as forest size decreases, and the smaller
forests are populated predominantly by species that require a more
generalized habitat.  Finally, our data suggest that management of land in
coastal watersheds should focus on preserving large forest blocks.  One
large forest seems to be clearly better than several small in maintaining
the highest species diversity.