e-obs Stories & Publications

@article{tekam_habitat_2026,

title = {Habitat Selection and Seed Dispersal by the Great Blue Turaco (Corythaeola cristata) in the Rainforests of Southern Cameroon},

author = {Antoine S. A. Tekam and Nicholas J. Russo and Bonaventure Sonk\'{e} and Vincent Deblauwe and Docas L. Nshom and Nicolas Barbier and Ant\'{o}nio Ferraz and Sassan Saatchi and Martin Wikelski and Elsa M. Ordway and Thomas B. Smith},

url = {https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/btp.70153},

doi = {10.1111/btp.70153},

issn = {1744-7429},

year  = {2026},

date = {2026-01-01},

urldate = {2026-02-17},

journal = {Biotropica},

volume = {58},

number = {1},

pages = {e70153},

abstract = {Tropical rainforests are biodiversity hotspots, where the seeds of 60%\textendash90% of trees are dispersed by animals, yet movement data needed to understand the behaviors and habitat selection of tropical frugivores remain scarce. We GPS-tracked four great blue turacos (Corythaeola cristata) in the Dja Faunal Reserve of southern Cameroon and predicted spatial patterns of seed dispersal within each bird's home range, which covered up to 2.33 km2. Using integrated Step Selection Analyses, we related turaco movements to LiDAR-derived measurements of 3D vegetation structure and habitat type. One individual preferred areas of tall canopy height, whereas one preferred intermediate canopy height and avoided swamps and areas of greater vertical vegetation complexity. Seed dispersal patterns for the two turacos with the largest home ranges were predicted to be more diffuse, with local maxima almost an order of magnitude smaller than those with smaller home ranges. Although the great blue turaco is a common bird species throughout central African forests, this is the first study to characterize the species' movement ecology using telemetry. The observed individual variation in movement and habitat use underscores the need to track a broader range of species in central African landscapes, which are increasingly threatened by hunting, logging, habitat loss, and climate change.},

note = {_eprint: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/btp.70153},

keywords = {accelerometer, African, Animal movement, Backpack, behavior, biodiversity, bird, Bird Solar, Flight behaviour, Flying, Forest, frugivore, home range, movement ecology, Space use, Step Selection Function, telemetry},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{ulrey_use_2025,

title = {Use of LiDAR to examine habitat selection by incubating female wild turkeys in South Carolina},

author = {Erin E. Ulrey and Nicholas W. Bakner and James E. Garabedian and John C. Kilgo and Bret A. Collier and Michael J. Chamberlain},

url = {https://wildlife.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/wsb.1628},

doi = {10.1002/wsb.1628},

issn = {2328-5540, 2328-5540},

year  = {2025},

date = {2025-12-01},

urldate = {2025-12-17},

journal = {Wildlife Society Bulletin},

volume = {49},

number = {S1},

pages = {e1628},

abstract = {Abstract 

 Avian reproductive activities are energetically demanding, leading to periods of heightened risk and reduced energy acquisition. Behavioral decisions by females in response to their physiological requirements are particularly important during nesting, as the availability and distribution of resources around nest sites can affect fitness of incubating females. We evaluated how spatially explicit LiDAR‐derived estimates of forest structure and topographical features influenced habitat selection by female eastern wild turkeys ( 

 Meleagris gallopavo silvestris 

 ) during the incubation period. We analyzed spatial data from 83 nesting attempts at the Savannah River Site in South Carolina, USA, during 2021\textendash2022. Female wild turkeys selected for incubation recess locations in pine ( 

 Pinus 

 spp.) forests with an average basal area of textasciitilde14 m 

 2 

 /ha and density of 335 trees/ha. Selection probability was positively associated with south‐ and west‐facing aspects. Our findings highlight the importance of mature pine forests with understories that enhance foraging opportunities as key factors influencing incubation behaviors in female eastern wild turkeys.},

keywords = {behavior, bird, incubation, LiDAR, Meleagris gallopavo silvestris, recess movement, resource selection function, Wild Turkey},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}