Urban Wildlife Management, Second Edition

448 Pages·2009·9.11 MB·English

by  Adams, Clark E

Urban
Wildlife
Management
Second Edition

Urban
Wildlife
Management
Second Edition
Clark E. Adams Kieran J. Lindsey
•
Boca Raton London New York
CRC Press is an imprint of the
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Photo Credits: Front Cover - Mule deer (Marilyn A. Thornbery), Black bear (Sharon Baruch-Mordo, Colorado State
University), Ducklings (Alan R. Harris). Back Cover - Bobcat (Ian Reese), Wild turkey and domesticated cat (Rowland
Williams), Opossum (Elizabeth Sufit, DVM).
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Adams, Clark E. (Clark Edward), 1942-
Urban wildlife management / Clark E. Adams and Kieran J. Lindsey. -- 2nd ed.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-1-4398-0460-5
1. Urban wildlife management. 2. Urban ecology (Biology) I. Lindsey, Kieran J. (Kieran Jane) II.
Title.
QH541.5.C6A33 2010
639.909173’2--dc22 2009020584
Visit the Taylor & Francis Web site at
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Dedication
We dedicate this book to all those individuals, organizations, and agencies
on the front lines, addressing urban wildlife management problems. They
represent the unsung heroes of wildlife management who receive little
recognition or peer acceptance for their attempts to confront a growing
wildlife management phenomenon. They are the futurists, involved in the
cutting-edge aspects of human-wildlife interactions in urban environments.
In other words, we dedicate this book to all those who realize that urban
wildlife management goes far beyond controlling raccoons in garbage cans.

Contents
Preface..............................................................................................................................................xv
The Authors ...................................................................................................................................xvii
Introduction: A New Wildlife Management Paradigm...................................................................xix
Part I
Urban Landscapes
Chapter 1
Wildlife Management: Past and Present ............................................................................................3
Key Concepts ................................................................................................................................3
A Brief History of Wildlife Management in North America .......................................................3
Rise of the American Conservation Movement ............................................................................4
Changing Wildlife Values .............................................................................................................6
A New Kind of Wildlife ................................................................................................................8
Categorizing Wildlife ...............................................................................................................8
The Unique Ecology and Behavior of Urban Wildlife .............................................................9
Special Challenges for Wildlife Management within Urban Settings ........................................10
Urban Ecosystems ..................................................................................................................11
Urban Habitats ........................................................................................................................11
Sociopolitical Factors .............................................................................................................11
Special Management Considerations .....................................................................................13
An Urban Species of Special Interest: The Raccoon (Procyon lotor) ........................................13
Pet Raccoons ..........................................................................................................................14
Raccoon Economics ...............................................................................................................14
Raccoons as Disease Vectors .................................................................................................15
The Urban Raccoon................................................................................................................16
Diet ....................................................................................................................................16
Denning .............................................................................................................................17
Population Densities ..........................................................................................................20
Species Profile: Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) ........................................................................23
Chapter Activities ........................................................................................................................25
Literature Cited ...........................................................................................................................25
Chapter 2
The Changing Landscape of Wildlife Management ........................................................................29
Key Concepts ..............................................................................................................................29
Demographic Factors That Set the Stage for Urban Wildlife Management ...............................29
The Separation of People and Nature .........................................................................................31
The Need for Wildlife Management in Urban Areas .................................................................31
The Need for Public Education Programs about Urban Wildlife ...............................................32
Outcomes of Human-Wildlife Encounters ..................................................................................34
Urbanites Need to Reconnect with the Natural World ...............................................................35
Urban Wildlife Species Are Increasing, Sometimes to Nuisance Levels ...................................36
Some Insights into the Magnitude of Urban Wildlife Problems .................................................36
Urban Species of Most Concern: National Analysis 1994 to 2003 ........................................38
Urban Species of Most Concern: Regional Analysis 1994 to 2003 .......................................39
vii
viii Contents
Economic Impact of Damage to Resources by Urban Wildlife: National Overview ............39
Economic Impact of Damage to Resources by Urban Wildlife: Regional Overview ............39
Urban Habitats as a Dominant Focus of Wildlife Professionals .................................................40
The Infrastructure for Urban Wildlife Management Is Missing ............................................41
Case Study 2.1: Neighborhood Moose Killed by Kindness ........................................................44
Species Profile: Bobcat (Lynx rufus) ...........................................................................................45
Chapter Activities ........................................................................................................................46
Literature Cited ...........................................................................................................................47
Part II
Urban Ecosystems
Chapter 3
Ecological Principles in the Urban Context .....................................................................................51
Key Concepts ..............................................................................................................................51
Ecological Principles ...................................................................................................................51
Diversity .................................................................................................................................51
Interrelationships ....................................................................................................................53
Cycles .....................................................................................................................................53
Energy ....................................................................................................................................54
Ecosystem Structure ...................................................................................................................54
Abiotic Structure ....................................................................................................................54
Biotic Structure ......................................................................................................................56
Food Chains and Webs ......................................................................................................57
Symbiotic Relationships ....................................................................................................58
Biotic Communities ...........................................................................................................59
Urban Flora ........................................................................................................................59
Urban Fauna ......................................................................................................................60
Ecosystem Function ....................................................................................................................62
Biogeochemical Cycles ..........................................................................................................62
Energy ....................................................................................................................................64
Thermodynamics and Conservation of Matter ......................................................................64
Ecological Succession .................................................................................................................65
Ecosystem Services .....................................................................................................................66
Species Profile: Chimney Swift (Chaetura pelagica) .................................................................71
Chapter Activities ........................................................................................................................72
Literature Cited ...........................................................................................................................73
Chapter 4
Urban Soils .......................................................................................................................................75
Key Concepts ..............................................................................................................................75
Introduction .................................................................................................................................75
Soil Formation .............................................................................................................................76
Soil Structure ..............................................................................................................................76
Soil Horizons...............................................................................................................................77
Soil Functions..............................................................................................................................79
Soil Biota and Their Functions ...................................................................................................79
Impacts of Urbanization on Soil Structure and Function ...........................................................83
Vertical and Spatial Variability ..............................................................................................84
Contents ix
Structure Modification: Compaction and Surface Crusting ...................................................84
Modified Soil Reaction ...........................................................................................................85
Anthropogenic Materials .......................................................................................................86
Increased Soil Temperatures ..................................................................................................86
Taking Better Care of Urban Soil ...............................................................................................86
Urban Wildlife Management Implications .................................................................................87
Species Profile: Moles (Talpidae spp.) ........................................................................................91
Chapter Activities ........................................................................................................................92
Literature Cited ...........................................................................................................................93
Chapter 5
Urban Waters ...................................................................................................................................95
Key Concepts ..............................................................................................................................95
Introduction .................................................................................................................................95
The Flow of Water through an Urban Community .....................................................................96
Sources ...................................................................................................................................96
Uses ........................................................................................................................................98
Discharge ................................................................................................................................98
Recycle .................................................................................................................................102
The Water Cycle—Nature’s Filter.............................................................................................102
The Transpiration Loop ........................................................................................................103
The Groundwater Loop ........................................................................................................103
The Evaporation Loop ..........................................................................................................103
Caring for the Water Cycle .......................................................................................................104
Riparian Corridors: Streams and Rivers ...................................................................................104
Abiotic Effects of Urbanization on Riparian Ecology ..............................................................106
Pollutants ..............................................................................................................................106
Stream Channelization .........................................................................................................107
Biotic Effects of Urbanization on Stream Ecology ...................................................................109
The Aquatic Food Chain ...........................................................................................................109
Fish as Indicator Species ...........................................................................................................110
Restoration of Riparian Habitats ...............................................................................................113
Urban Wetlands .........................................................................................................................115
Water Gardens ......................................................................................................................116
Constructed Wetlands ..........................................................................................................117
Urban (Community) Fisheries Programs .............................................................................118
Summary ...................................................................................................................................119
Species Profile: American Beaver (Castor canadensis) ...........................................................120
Chapter Activities ......................................................................................................................122
Literature Cited .........................................................................................................................122
Chapter 6
Principles of Population Dynamics ...............................................................................................125
Key Concepts ............................................................................................................................125
Introduction ...............................................................................................................................125
Survival .....................................................................................................................................126
Adaptations ...............................................................................................................................127
Density ......................................................................................................................................129
Factors Affecting Population Densities ................................................................................130