Showing papers on "Occupancy published in 2005"

Occupancy Estimation and Modeling: Inferring Patterns and Dynamics of Species Occurrence

Abstract: Ch 1: Introduction Ch 2: Occupancy in Ecological Investigations Ch 3: Fundamental Principles of Statistical Inference Ch 4: Single-species, Single-season Occupancy Models Ch 5: Single-species, Single-season Models with Heterogeneous Detection Probabilities Ch 6: Design Issues for Single-species, Single-season Occupancy Models Ch 7: Single-species, Multiple-seasons Occupancy Models Ch 8: Examining the Local Species Pool Ch 9: Interspecific Relationships Between Species Ch10: Extensions and Future Work

Designing occupancy studies: general advice and allocating survey effort

Abstract: Summary 1 The fraction of sampling units in a landscape where a target species is present (occupancy) is an extensively used concept in ecology Yet in many applications the species will not always be detected in a sampling unit even when present, resulting in biased estimates of occupancy Given that sampling units are surveyed repeatedly within a relatively short timeframe, a number of similar methods have now been developed to provide unbiased occupancy estimates However, practical guidance on the efficient design of occupancy studies has been lacking 2 In this paper we comment on a number of general issues related to designing occupancy studies, including the need for clear objectives that are explicitly linked to science or management, selection of sampling units, timing of repeat surveys and allocation of survey effort Advice on the number of repeat surveys per sampling unit is considered in terms of the variance of the occupancy estimator, for three possible study designs 3 We recommend that sampling units should be surveyed a minimum of three times when detection probability is high (> 0·5 survey−1), unless a removal design is used 4 We found that an optimal removal design will generally be the most efficient, but we suggest it may be less robust to assumption violations than a standard design 5 Our results suggest that for a rare species it is more efficient to survey more sampling units less intensively, while for a common species fewer sampling units should be surveyed more intensively 6 Synthesis and applications Reliable inferences can only result from quality data To make the best use of logistical resources, study objectives must be clearly defined; sampling units must be selected, and repeated surveys timed appropriately; and a sufficient number of repeated surveys must be conducted Failure to do so may compromise the integrity of the study The guidance given here on study design issues is particularly applicable to studies of species occurrence and distribution, habitat selection and modelling, metapopulation studies and monitoring programmes

Modelling occurrence and abundance of species when detection is imperfect

Abstract: Relationships between species abundance and occupancy are of considerable interest in metapopulation biology and in macroecology. Such relationships may be described concisely using probability models that characterize variation in abundance of a species. However, estimation of the parameters of these models in most ecological problems is impaired by imperfect detection. When organisms are detected imperfectly, observed counts are biased estimates of true abundance, and this induces bias in stated occupancy or occurrence probability. In this paper we consider a class of models that enable estimation of abundance/occupancy relationships from counts of organisms that result from surveys in which detection is imperfect. Under such models, parameter estimation and inference are based on conventional likelihood methods. We provide an application of these models to geographically extensive breeding bird survey data in which alternative models of abundance are considered that include factors that influence variation in abundance and detectability. Using these models, we produce estimates of abundance and occupancy maps that honor important sources of spatial variation in avian abundance and provide clearly interpretable characterizations of abundance and occupancy adjusted for imperfect detection.

Habitat selection by yellowhammers Emberiza citrinella on lowland farmland at two spatial scales: implications for conservation management

Abstract: Summary 1. Yellowhammer Emberiza citrinella populations have declined rapidly in the UK over recent decades, and a clear understanding of their habitat requirements is important to help inform conservation schemes. We aimed to disentangle and rank the effects of winter versus breeding season habitat characteristics. 2. We used information theoretic methods to analyse the factors determining yellowhammer distribution across 26 sites in England and Wales. We did this at two spatial levels: individual field boundaries and individual territories, the latter consisting of spatial clusters of boundaries. 3. We considered the role of nine predictor variables, all of which have been suggested in the literature as potentially important. These comprised boundary height and width, and the presence of hedges, trees, ditches, boundary strips, tillage crops, winter set-aside and winter stubbles. 4. The results of the statistical modelling showed that winter habitats play an important role in determining where birds locate territories in summer. In particular, the presence of rotational set-aside fields in winter showed the strongest association with summer territories. 5. There were minor differences between the territory- and boundary-based models. Most notably, the territory data demonstrated a strong preference for territories containing trees, but this was not observed in the boundary data set. We suggest that the differences between the models may reflect different scales of habitat selection. Boundary occupancy reflects broad distributions of habitat suitability; territory occupancy patterns better reveal detailed habitat requirements. 6. Regional densities were more closely correlated with the predictions of the boundarybased model than those of the territory-based model, and we discuss the implications of this for interpreting habitat association models. 7. Synthesis and applications. Provision of winter set-aside fields for summer territory selection by yellowhammers is an important consideration for farm management where conservation is a priority. We show that models based on occupancy of individual boundary units (e.g. hedgerows) correlate with the density of territories at the farm scale; thus farm management practices link directly to population sizes through effects on the quality of breeding habitat.

Modeling of site occupancy dynamics for northern spotted owls, with emphasis on the effects of barred owls

Abstract: Northern spotted owls (Strix occidentalis caurina) have been studied intensively since their listing as a threatened species by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 1990. Studies of spotted owl site occupancy have used various binary response measures, but most of these studies have made the assumption that detectability is perfect, or at least high and not variable. Further, previous studies did not consider temporal variation in site occupancy. We used relatively new methods for open population modeling of site occupancy that incorporated imperfect and variable detectability of spotted owls and allowed modeling of temporal variation in site occupancy, extinction, and colonization probabilities. We also examined the effects of barred owl (S. varia) presence on these parameters. We used spotted owl survey data from 1990 to 2002 for 3 study areas in Oregon, USA, and we used program MARK to develop and analyze site occupancy models. We found per visit detection probabilities averaged <0.70 and were highly variable among study years and study areas. Site occupancy probabilities for owl pairs declined greatly on 1 study area and slightly on the other 2 areas. For all owls, including singles and pairs, site occupancy was mostly stable through time. Barred owl presence had a negative effect on spotted owl detection probabilities, and it had either a positive effect on local-extinction probabilities or a negative effect on colonization probabilities. We conclude that further analyses of spotted owls must account for imperfect and variable detectability and barred owl presence to properly interpret results. Further, because barred owl presence is increasing within the range of northern spotted owls, we expect to see further declines in the proportion of sites occupied by spotted owls.

Large‐scale population dynamics, abundance–occupancy relationships and the scaling from local to regional population size

Abstract: Summary 1 We explore the relationship between patch occupancy and local abundance in a general model for regional population dynamics. We vary colonization ability and key demographic and habitat characteristics in order to explore the effects on abundance–occupancy relationships. 2 In populations in which colonization rates are very high, new habitat is rapidly colonized and there is a simple asymptotic relationship between occupancy and abundance, assuming that habitat quality and abundance are linked. 3 If colonization rates are moderate to low, as in metapopulations, there is similarly a positive relationship between occupancy and abundance, but there is a minimum abundance below which the metapopulation becomes extinct. 4 These responses are modulated by the occurrence of Allee effects, demographic stochasticity or depensatory effects: when such effects are significant, the metapopulation rescue effect becomes important, and regional occupancy becomes more sensitive to changes in local density. 5 Finally, in populations in which colonization rates are very low, there is no relationship between occupancy and abundance. 6 Our results emphasize two aspects of large-scale ecology as being key in generating positive abundance-occupancy relationships: (i) a relationship between average habitat quality and the proportion of habitat that is habitable; and (ii) the nature of colonization. It is important to note that colonization is a function of dispersal, fecundity, and local processes such as Allee effects, as well as the availability and isolation of habitat patches. 7 When an abundance–occupancy relationship exists there is typically a non-linear scaling from local to total population sizes at low population densities, and we discuss how this may be detected in real data, as well as its implications.

Modelling variability in hospital bed occupancy.

Abstract: A stochastic version of the Harrison—Millard multistage model of the flow of patients through a hospital division is developed in order to model correctly not only the average but also the variability in occupancy levels, since it is the variability that makes planning difficult and high percent occupancy levels increase the risk of frequent overflows. The model is fit to one year of data from the medical division of an acute care hospital in Adelaide, Australia. Admissions can be modeled as a Poisson process with rates varying by day of the week and by season. Methods are developed to use the entire annual occupancy profile to estimate transition rate parameters when admission rates are not constant and to estimate rate parameters that vary by day of the week and by season, which are necessary for the model variability to be as large as in the data. The final model matches well the mean, standard deviation and autocorrelation function of the occupancy data and also six months of data not used to estimate the parameters. Repeated simulations are used to construct percentiles of the daily occupancy distributions and thus identify ranges of normal fluctuations and those that are substantive deviations from the past, and also to investigate the trade-offs between frequency of overflows and the percent occupancy for both fixed and flexible bed allocations. Larger divisions can achieve more efficient occupancy levels than smaller ones with the same frequency of overflows. Seasonal variations are more significant than day-of-the-week variations and variable discharge rates are more significant than variable admission rates in contributing to overflows.

Modelling epiphyte metapopulation dynamics in a dynamic forest landscape

Abstract: 222.We combine simulations with spatial statistics to estimate the parameters of ametapopulation model for the epiphytic lichen Lobaria pulmonaria specializing onaspen (Populus tremula) and goat willow (Salix caprea) in Fennoscandian boreal old-growth forests. We estimated the parameters of a forest landscape model (FIN-LANDIS) by repeatedly running simulations and selecting the set of parameters fortree ecology and fire regime that reproduced empirical host tree density and spatialpatterns. Second, we tested which variables were important in epiphyte colonizationand estimated the dispersal kernel. Third, we run a metapopulation model for thelichen across the estimated landscape scenarios and selected values for the remainingparameters that reproduced the empirical patterns of epiphyte occurrence. There waslittle variation in predicted dynamics, occupancy and spatial patterns between replicatemetapopulation simulations. However, more data would be required for accuratelyestimating the parameters of FIN-LANDIS, primarily because of the inherentstochasticity in large scale forest fires. Following the beginning of fire suppression inthe study area 150 years ago, the model predicts that lichen occupancy first increasesbut subsequently declines. The lower occupancy in the past than at present is explainedby high rate of tree destruction by fires, which increases local extinction rate in patch-tracking metapopulations. In the absence of fires, the occupancy increases because oflower extinction rate, but without forest fires or alternative means of host treeregeneration, the lichen is predicted to go ultimately extinct because of severely reduceddensity of aspen and goat willow.T. Sna¨ll, Dept of Mathematics and Statistics, P.O. Box 68, FI-00014, Univ. of Helsinki,Finland (tord.snall@helsinki.fi).

Relationships between local population persistence, local abundance and regional occupancy of species: distribution patterns of diatoms in boreal streams

Abstract: Aims We have two aims: (1) to examine the relationship between local population persistence, local abundance and regional occupancy of stream diatoms and (2) to characterize the form of the species–occupancy frequency distribution of stream diatoms. Location Boreal streams in Finland. There were three spatial extents: (1) across ecoregions in Finland, (2) within ecoregions in Finland, and (3) within a single drainage system in southern Finland. Methods Diatoms were sampled from stones (epilithon), sediment (epipelon) and aquatic plants (epiphyton) in streams using standardized sampling methods. To assess population persistence, diatom sampling was conducted monthly at four stream sites from June to October. The relationships between local population persistence, local abundance and regional occupancy were examined using correlation analyses. Results There was a significant positive relationship between local persistence and abundance of diatoms in epilithon, epipelon and epiphyton. Furthermore, local abundance and regional occupancy showed a significant positive relationship at multiple spatial extents; that is, across ecoregions, within ecoregions and within a drainage system. The relationships between occupancy and abundance did not differ appreciably among impacted and near pristine-reference sites. The occupancy–frequency distribution was characterized by a large number of satellite species which occurred at only a few sites, whereas core species that occurred at most sites were virtually absent. Main conclusions The positive relationship between local population persistence and abundance suggested that a high local abundance may prevent local extinction or that high persistence is facilitated by a high local cell density. High local persistence and local abundance may also positively affect the degree of regional occupancy in stream diatoms. The results further showed that anthropogenic effects were probably too weak to bias the relationship between occupancy and abundance, or that the effects have already modified the distribution patterns of stream diatoms. The small number of core species in the species–occupancy frequency distribution suggested that the regional distribution patterns of stream diatoms, or perhaps unicellular microbial organisms in general, may not be fundamentally different from those described previously for multicellular organisms, mainly in terrestrial environments, although average global range sizes may differ sharply between these two broad groups of organisms.

Public Safety in the Urban–Wildland Interface: Should Fire-Prone Communities Have a Maximum Occupancy?

Abstract: Residential development in fire-prone wildlands is a growing problem for land-use and emergency planners. In many areas housing is increasing without commensurate improvement in the primary road network. This compromises public safety, as minimum evacuation times are climbing in tandem with vegetation and structural fuels. Current evacuation codes for fire-prone communities require a minimum number of exits regardless of the number of households. This is not as sophisticated as building egress codes which link the maximum occupancy in an enclosed space with the required number, capacity, and arrangement of exits. This paper applies concepts from building codes to fire-prone areas to highlight limitations in existing community egress systems. Preliminary recommendations for improved community evacuation codes are also presented.

Detailed occupancy prediction, occupancy-sensing control and advanced behavioural modelling within whole-building energy simulation

Abstract: This study sets out to bridge the gap between building energy simulation and empirical evidence on occupant behaviour. The major output is a self-contained simulation module that aims to control all occupant-related phenomena which can affect energy use in buildings. It provides high resolution and high frequency occupancy prediction (i.e. when occupants as individual agents occupy a modelled environment), occupant-sensing control (i.e. as driven by the mere presence of one or more occupants, such as occupancy-sensing lighting controls), as well as advanced behavioural models (i.e. active personal control, such as manual switching of lights, manual adjustments to window blinds, operable windows, personalized air-conditioning units). The module is integrated within the ESP-r free software, a whole-building energy simulation program. Simulation results clearly show that occupants-based phenomena exert a strong influence on simulated energy use, revealing a number of limitations in key assumptions in current energy simulation practice. Key behavioural traits, commonly associated to lighting behavioural patterns, also appear to be associated to personal control of operable windows, as demonstrated in a pilot field study in a Université Laval pavilion in Québec. This may suggest an abstract quality to certain behavioural concepts regarding different environmental controls. The study then focuses on the use of the developed work to investigate the energy saving potential of novel yet untried strategies: adaptive comfort control algorithms in hybrid environments, based on the use of operable windows as switching mechanisms between natural and artificial modes of environmental control. Results suggest that for both heatingand coolingdominant climates, adaptive comfort control effectively reduces cooling requirements, yet operable window use during cooler conditions appear to increase heating requirements. The usefulness of the original method is here illustrated by providing a more complete view on energy use attributed to occupant behaviour. 2 http://www.gnu.org/

An occupancy modeling approach to evaluating a palm springs ground squirrel habitat model

Abstract: Conservation efforts often use habitat models as surrogates for empirical data on the distribution or population size of target species as well as to predict the efficacy of proposed conservation and management actions. Such a model was used to evaluate preserves for the Palm Springs ground squirrel (Spermophilus tereticaudus chlorus) under a proposed Habitat Conservation Plan in the Sonoran Desert of southern California. The habitat model was developed from expert opinion and data from nonprobability-based sample surveys for ground squirrels. We evaluated the model and tested the underlying assumptions about the ground squirrel's habitat affinities, estimated the occupancy rates and detection probabilities of ground squirrels in modeled habitat, quantified the total area of the proposed preserves occupied by ground squirrels, and tested a priori hypotheses about how occupancy differed among vegetation and substrate types. Occupancy rate varied with vegetation and substrate types and, by repeated...

The Economic Impact of Professional Teams on Monthly Hotel Occupancy Rates of Canadian Cities: A Box-Jenkins Approach

Abstract: This article presents another attempt at finding the favorable economic effects claimed by sports team owners and boosters. The article has four peculiarities. First, no attempt is made to build a model explaining the targeted dependent variable; rather, a modified Box-Jenkins procedure is used. Second, the targeted variable, the hotel occupancy rates, is specific to the tourism industry. Third, our estimations are based on monthly data over a period of 10 years. Last, the study deals with Canadian rather than American cities. Overall results are somewhat ambiguous, but there does seem to be some evidence that the hockey lock-out of 1994-1995 did have a negative impact on hotel occupancy rates.

People in place : a configuration of physical form and the dynamic patterns of spatial occupancy in urban open public space

Abstract: This thesis is a critical inquiry about the spatial relationships between occupancy and the physical structure of squares and parks in city centres. It focuses on usability and the spatial capacity of places, from two different angles. Firstly, it discusses the actual uses mapped in places, using repeated observation on different days, times and weather conditions. This results in empirical knowledge about dimensions and spatial requirements, especially for some long -stay active uses, such as ball games in parks and skateboarding in squares, and how long -stay passive uses, such as sitting, might relate to them, as well as how transitory activities relate to both long -stay engagements. In addition, it illustrates how some activities can be contiguous, while some others require `buffer' zones between them for effective use. Secondly, this thesis addresses uses imagined in parks and squares by urban landscape designers, using two approaches: mapping out likely uses in detailed maps of selected places, and revealing a physical structure of a particular place by knowing its behavioural patterns. On this basis, this thesis examines designers' tacit knowledge about the usage -spatial relationship and, highlights potential applicability, the role and value of empirically gained knowledge in the design of parks and squares. It shows that designers' beliefs and awareness about uses in places, in some aspects, differ from actual use. From this point of view, it reveals a need for effective designresearch integration and stresses the importance of empirical knowledge and its incorporation in design. The thesis promotes GIS as a successful practical tool to build, develop and maintain a body of empirical knowledge using interactive GIS maps as its scripts. Concerning the implementation of such knowledge in urban public open space design, operationally, a visualisation of research findings and its related concerns to decision -making, evaluation and management, is of key importance.

Thermal mass, insulation and ventilation in sustainable housing - An investigation across climate and occupancy

Abstract: Sustainable housing standards are reviewed including the UK 2005 building regulations, the UK Advanced Standard and EU Passive-house Standard. Conflicts between the standards are highlighted. The significance of insulation, orientation, ventilation, thermal mass, occupancy, gains, shading and climate on predicted energy performance is illustrated. An ESP-r model is then used to investigate these factors across a range of climates and occupancy / gains scenarios. The investigation covers both heating and cooling energy requirements. The relative importance of key factors is quantified and a matrix of results presented with conclusions. The role of simulation in informing design decisions is demonstrated as well as the importance of considering climate and occupancy/ gains patterns.

Occupancy models to study wildlife

Abstract: Many wildlife studies seek to understand changes or differences in the proportion of sites occupied by a species of interest. These studies are hampered by imperfect detection of these species, which can result in some sites appearing to be unoccupied that are actually occupied. Occupancy models solve this problem and produce unbiased estimates of occupancy and related parameters. Required data (detection/non-detection information) are relatively simple and inexpensive to collect. Software is available free of charge to aid investigators in occupancy estimation.

Use of group-selection and seed-tree cuts by three early-successional migratory species in arkansas

Abstract: Silviculture in the Ouachita National Forest in Arkansas and Oklahoma has shifted in recent years from mostly even-aged management to a mix of even- and uneven-aged regeneration systems, including group-selection. Researchers have described presence/absence of early-successional bird species in forest openings created by even- and uneven-aged silviculture, but few have examined nest success. We examined occupancy and nest success of three early-successional species—Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea), Yellow-breasted Chat (Icteria virens), and Prairie Warbler (Dendroica discolor)—within 6- and 7-year-old openings created by group-selection (uneven-aged, ≤0.8 ha) and seed-tree (even-aged, 11–16 ha) cuts in Arkansas. We found 54 Indigo Bunting nests in openings created by seed-tree cuts and 28 in openings created by group-selection cuts (hereafter “seed-tree stands” and “group-selection stands,” respectively). We found 50 Yellow-breasted Chat nests in seed-tree stands, but only 2 were found in group-...

Temporal patterns of Northern Goshawk nest area occupancy and habitat: A retrospective analysis

Abstract: --We studied occupancy and habitat associations of Northern Goshawks (Accipiter gentilis) at nest areas in south-central Oregon in 1992-94. We surveyed 51 pre-1992 nest areas (i.e., historical breeding areas first discovered uring 1973-91) for goshawks and used aerial-photograph interpretation to document forest cover conditions and changes over time between areas that were occupied by goshawks and those where we did not detect goshawks (no-response sites). We also surveyed for new nests during 1992-94. Of 38 occupied nests first found in 1992-94 (i.e., post-1992 nest areas), 86% (33/38) were in mid-aged (mean stand DBH 23-53 cm, <15 trees/ha >53 cm DBH) or late (-->15 trees/ha >53 cm DBH; mean stand DBH >53 cm) closed (>50% canopy closure) structural-stage forest. Occupancy of historical (pre-1992) nest areas by goshawks was 29% (15/51). Of 46 pre-1992 nest areas that we examined for habitat change, 15 were occupied by goshawks in 1994 and had more mid-aged closed and late closed forest in 12-, 24-, 52-, 120-, and 170-ha circular areas centered on nest locations than did 31 no-response areas. There was no difference in the amount of late closed and mid-aged closed forest in pre-1992 nest areas compared with occupied pre-1992 nest areas. A logistic regression model for all occupied nest areas confirmed that late closed and mid-aged closed forest variables were important indicators of forest conditions that supported breeding pairs. Goshawks were more likely to persist in the historical nest areas that had about 50% of mature and older closed-canopy forest within the 52ha scale. We recommend retaining existing late closed, late open, and mid closed structure within 52ha scale of the nest site. Moreover, late closed and mid closed structure combined should not fall below 50% within the 52-ha scale and should exceed 40% within the 170-ha scale surrounding the nest site. To optimize conditions for breeding goshawks, we recommend retaining large trees (>53 cm DBH) to help preserve stand integrity, maintain closed canopies, and provide connectivity to alternative nest sites

A Post-Occupancy Evaluation of a Low Energy School (City Academy) in the UK

Abstract: The UK construction industry is beginning to take notice of Post Occupancy Evaluations (POE) of completed buildings. POE studies have found that actual energy consumption in buildings often bears n...

Vehicle Occupancy Data Collection Methods

Abstract: As congestion management strategies begin to emphasize more person movements than vehicle movements, vehicle occupancy data are becoming increasingly important. With this increasing need for occupancy data comes the need to examine and reexamine the ways in which these data have been, and will be, collected. This project reviews the existing methods of vehicle occupancy data collection; examines issues related to geographic, temporal, and vehicle coverage design of occupancy data collection; and develops guidelines for performing occupancy data collection as well as analyzing occupancy data. Appropriate sampling plans for site-specific, corridor, and regional studies are presented. Potential new methods for collecting occupancy data are discussed. A user-friendly software system that can estimate occupancy rates from multiple years of crash records on the Florida state roadway system was developed as part of this study. The system can estimate occupancy rates for select roadway segment, corridor, or regional level for specific time periods for different types of vehicles. The system also includes a stand-alone geographic information system (GIS) interface to facilitate the selection of geographic features and display of occupancy rate estimates. Also developed is a Pocket PC application that can facilitate field data collection based on the commonly used windshield method. A companion program for this Pocket PC application was also developed to compute the average vehicle occupancy rates and related statistics from the field data.

Survey Techniques for Determining Occupancy of Isolated Wetlands by Round-tailed Muskrats

Abstract: Neofiber alleni (round-tailed muskrat) is a wetland-associated species of conservation concern restricted to the southeastern United States. This species is relatively unstudied and no standardized procedures exist for determining its distri- bution. We evaluated a survey technique for assessing presence-absence of round- tailed muskrats in small, isolated, freshwater marshes in central Florida. We con- clude that ≥ 2 trained persons searching adjacent belt transects on foot for ≤ 30 min during fall-early winter can reliably determine occupancy for muskrats based on presence of their distinctive lodges. Resurveys of unoccupied wetlands did not reveal any false absences from our initial survey, and an investigation of lodge persistence indicated that false presences were unlikely. Broad-scale studies of distributional patterns and temporal trends in occupancy of the round-tailed muskrat are needed to assess its conservation status and threats.

Full scale testing and computer simulation of a double skin façade building

Abstract: Environmental design goals Environmental conditions within the laboratories and their support spaces demand high volumes of treated air to maintain safe and comfortable working conditions for research staff and their students. The overall design team environmental conditions objectives were to design a building with a DSF to the offices, which reduces the annual energy consumption. The design goals are to significantly improve the total building environmental performance in terms of energy reduction. This new design responds to individual office occupancy's demands including the ability to naturally ventilate, and the building environmental systems for the outdoors that can be tuned to suit occupancy, and the external climate including the option of natural ventilation of the space during the spring and autumn seasons. This paper deals specifically with analysis of the thermal, airflow and daylighting performance of the facade elements and in particular with the Double Skin Facade (DSF) applied to the south and southeast facing office spine of a laboratory building. DSF have been applied successfully in Europe for a number of years with the desire to create a more natural internal climate, good daylight quality and access to outdoor air. The focus of this new study is not just on energy reduction and a design of a better work environment but also show building performance simulations support the design process directly.

Confluence of Building Information for Design, Construction and Management of Buildings

Abstract: Professionals who are involved in design, construction and occupancy phases of a building not only generate information that must eventually be used by other building professionals, but also they themselves must use data and informationprovided by others such as product manufacturers, planning departments, etc. The integration of information and data through all phases of the life cycle of a building is important as it impacts the work done by a large number of constituents in the building industry. Seamless integration of such information has been a bigger concern for those who are downstream users of the data generated by the architect as he/she designs a building. Such downstream users can range from structural engineers to construction managers, from facility managers to building asset managers. More recently, the considerable increase in the design and operationof intelligent buildings that incorporate a very wide range of technologies has rendered this coordination more important than ever.

Seasonal bird traffic between Grand Teton National Park and western Mexico

Abstract: This paper presents data on variations in the breeding densities of birds in Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, and evaluates these variations among years, habitats, and as functions of the migratory status of the breeding birds. Breeding opportunities certainly vary with the extremely variable weather conditions in the park year-to-year, and part of the variation in breeding density must be attributable to unpredictable on-site resources. A minority of the breeding birds is resident, but many species are long-distance migrants, and others make more limited winter movements of various distances. Most but not all of the migrants overwinter in habitats that are very dissimilar to those in which they breed. In some migrants the habitat range appears greater in wintering than in breeding habitats, and in others not. Some migrants winter syntopically with close relatives and others occupy winter habitats that lack resident relatives. I bring some perspective to these variations using winter and early spring observations of the same species (though not necessarily members of the same Teton populations) in western Mexico. In some instances in which Mexican wintering habitat similar to northern breeding habitat is available, wintering birds may be relegated to different habitats because of prior occupancy by resident species, often related species such as congenerics or even conspecifics. Overwintering habitats are almost certainly at least as variable in survival opportunities as are the breeding habitats for reproduction. They also vary year-to-year in weather conditions that affect food supplies, and are co-occupied by resident species, some of which are close relatives to the winter visitors and have similar ecologies. The vagaries of overwinter survivorship and the transitions of the birds between breeding and wintering grounds constitute a broad and poorly understood category of off-site factors for conservationists and resource managers whose chief source of information is the breeding populations. A much closer integration of research on breeding and wintering populations will be required before useful conservation strategies for migrant bird opulations can be devised. This integration, through organizations like Partners in Flight, must become a research priority in the future.