Research
Piping plover nesting ecology
Plovers are a migratory shorebird that were listed under the U.S. Endangered Species Act in 1985. The three distinct populations -- Great Plains, Great Lakes, and Atlantic Coast -- inhabit coastal beaches and river shorelines. The Atlantic Coast population spends their winter months in the southeast (e.g., Caribbean, Florida, the Carolinas, etc.) and fly north (e.g., Delaware, New York, Maine, etc.). In the breeding season, they utilize the cryptic coloration of their eggs and feathers to camouflage their nests and bodies in the sand and shells to avoid predation.
My lab group has been monitoring the Fire Island, New York population since 2013, following the significant habitat creation caused by Hurricane Sandy. I joined the team and conducting fieldwork in the 2021 - 2022 breeding seasons. My specific research objective was to identify the habitat characteristics plovers use to choose their nest locations over time in a such a dynamic coastal landscape. This involves observing their behavior, conducting thorough nest searches, and collecting key habitat data (e.g., elevation, land cover type, and vegetation coverage). It's been quite a privilege getting hands-on wildlife experience with an imperiled species. From this, I've gained essential wildlife monitoring skills and an immense appreciation for shorebird conservation.
Results of Research
In prep
Dorsey, S. S., S. J. Ritter, C. N. Wails, S. G. Robinson, K. M. Walker, D.H. Catlin, S. M. Karpanty, and J. D. Fraser. In prep. Assessing the Role of Viewshed from the Nest on Piping Plover Nest-Site Selection.
2022
Dorsey, S. S., S. J. Ritter, C. N. Wails, S. G. Robinson, K. M. Walker, D.H. Catlin, S. M. Karpanty, and J. D. Fraser. 2022. How Does Nest-Site Viewshed Affect Piping Plover Nest-Site Selection. Presentation at The Waterbird Society 46th Annual Meeting in Corpus Christi, TX.
2021
Dorsey, S. S., S. J. Ritter, S. G. Robinson, K. M. Walker, C. N. Wails, D.H. Catlin, S. M. Karpanty, and J. D. Fraser. 2021. ‘Plover-View’: The Role of Viewshed in Nest-Site Selection in Piping Plovers. Presentation at The Wildlife Society 28th Annual Meeting (virtual).
Wails, C. N, S. G. Robinson, K. M. Walker, S. S. Dorsey, G. D. Hevia, S. J. Ritter, D.H. Catlin, S. M. Karpanty, and J. D. Fraser. 2021. Effectiveness monitoring and targeted studies in support of FIMI conservation measures (report).