EVALUATING SPATIAL PATTERN OF WILDLIFE HABITAT - A CASE-STUDY OF THE WILD TURKEY (MELEAGRIS-GALLOPAVO)

The evaluation of the spatial configuration of habitat is often diffic ult due to large geographic areas to be evaluated and the subjective n ature of spatial pattern assessment. Habitat quality for wild turkey p opulations has a spatial component related to the arrangement of habit at elements across large geographic areas. Indices of habitat fragment ation were used to quantitatively describe the components of habitat a ssessment now evaluated subjectively by experienced wild turkey biolog ists, including a proximity index that distinguishes isolated forest p atches from those that are part of a cluster of forest patches. These indices were used to mathematically classify landscapes into discrete quality categories and the classifications were compared to subjective assessments made by experienced turkey biologists. Mathematical class ifications of landscapes agreed with expert judgment when the proximit y index and proportion of forest were used to characterize the spatial pattern of forest habitat. None of the indices alone were adequate to correctly classify all test landscape samples. Mean values of the ind ices were compared between study areas of different quality as wild tu rkey habitat. Study areas of optimal and suboptimal quality were more different from each other than were suboptimal and poor study sites. T he proximity index is a valuable quantitative measure of habitat spati al pattern that provides information related to subjective, expert ass essment of landscape suitability for use by wild turkeys. These quanti tative measures add objectivity to the assessment of the spatial compo nents of wild turkey habitat, and provide additional information that can be used to help identify the best potential turkey release sites. These methods can be extended to the evaluation of the spatial distrib ution of habitat for other wildlife species, and can provide quantitat ive spatial information for hypothesis testing.