MaxEnt Model of Belted Kingfisher Nests Along the Tennessee River Gorge Largely Determined by Soil Type
Event Type
Research Presentation
Academic Department
Environmental Studies
Location
Dana Science Building, 2nd floor
Start Date
26-4-2024 1:30 PM
End Date
26-4-2024 3:00 PM
Description
The Belted Kingfisher, Megaceryle alcyon, is a species of bird in the order Coraciiformes known for having burrow-style nests on the borders of rivers, creeks, and lakes. Using data from the Tennessee River Gorge Trust collected via in-person scouting, we mapped documented Belted Kingfisher nesting sites and tested them against a collection of variables, including NCLD 2019 land cover data, bioclimatic factors from WorldClim, and soil type. This was done using ArcGIS, a web mapping service from ESRI. We found based on a series of significance tests that BEKI prefer to nest along bodies of water that are bordered by sandy clay soil. This map suggests various sites that are ripe for further investigation by the Tennessee River Gorge Trust, within their surveyed land we found hot spots for possible BEKI activity on Elder Mountain, and in Falling Water Nature Preserve, all within the city of Chattanooga, TN.
MaxEnt Model of Belted Kingfisher Nests Along the Tennessee River Gorge Largely Determined by Soil Type
Dana Science Building, 2nd floor
The Belted Kingfisher, Megaceryle alcyon, is a species of bird in the order Coraciiformes known for having burrow-style nests on the borders of rivers, creeks, and lakes. Using data from the Tennessee River Gorge Trust collected via in-person scouting, we mapped documented Belted Kingfisher nesting sites and tested them against a collection of variables, including NCLD 2019 land cover data, bioclimatic factors from WorldClim, and soil type. This was done using ArcGIS, a web mapping service from ESRI. We found based on a series of significance tests that BEKI prefer to nest along bodies of water that are bordered by sandy clay soil. This map suggests various sites that are ripe for further investigation by the Tennessee River Gorge Trust, within their surveyed land we found hot spots for possible BEKI activity on Elder Mountain, and in Falling Water Nature Preserve, all within the city of Chattanooga, TN.