Dissertations and Theses @ UNI
Availability
Open Access Thesis
Keywords
House sparrow--Iowa; House finch--Iowa; Competition (Biology)--Iowa; Competition (Biology); House sparrow; House finch; Iowa;
Abstract
In Iowa, the House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) is a non-indigenous avian species commonly found in areas inhabited by humans. During the past 10 years the House Sparrow population numbers have declined 54%. Competition for resources between the House Sparrow and House Finch has been cited as the reason for the decline. It has also been suggested that interspecific competition between the House Sparrow and House Finch is not the primary reason for the decline because the two perceive the environment on different scales: the House Sparrow is a coarse-grained species and the House Finch a fine-grained species. In three urban areas within Jones and Linn Counties I documented the location of House Sparrow and House Finch nest sites to determine the graininess of each species. Based on the spatial distribution of House Sparrow nest sites I concluded that the House Sparrow is a coarse-grained species. Due to a lack of House Finch nest sites, it is difficult to conclude whether the House Finch is fine-grained or coarse-grained. Shared resources do not appear limited, therefore it is difficult to accept that the primary cause for the decline in House Sparrow numbers is a result of interspecific competition with the House Finch. The question remains as to why the House Sparrow numbers continue to decline. Recent avian research indicates that the impacts of pesticides on non-target species have been significant in reducing individual reproduction or survival rates and is worth further examination.
Year of Submission
2002
Degree Name
Master of Science
Department
Department of Biology
First Advisor
Jill Trainer
Second Advisor
Laura Jackson
Third Advisor
Orlando Schwartz
Date Original
2002
Object Description
1 PDF file (41 leaves)
Copyright
©2002 Carol A. Heaverlo
Language
en
File Format
application/pdf
Recommended Citation
Heaverlo, Carol A., "Graininess of Spatial Distribution in House Sparrows and House Finches: Implications for Interspecific Competition" (2002). Dissertations and Theses @ UNI. 2908.
https://scholarworks.uni.edu/etd/2908
Comments
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