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1 Key Findings

· There are 132 terrestrial vertebrate species that are considered to be of conservation concern in the South by State Natural Heritage agencies. Of the species that warrant conservation focus, 3 percent are classed as critically imperiled, 3 percent as imperiled, and 6 percent as vulnerable. Eighty-six percent of terrestrial vertebrate species are designated as relatively secure. The remaining 2 percent are either known or presumed to be extinct, or have questionable status.

· Species of conservation concern are dominated by amphibians and reptiles. Fifty-four amphibians, 40 reptiles, 20 birds, and 18 mammals are classed as imperiled.

· Increasing population trends are reported for wild turkey, white-tailed deer, and black bear. Populations of northern bobwhite quail and gray, fox, and red squirrels have declined for several years. There have also been declines in mourning dove and American woodcock populations. Cottontail rabbit and ruffed grouse populations have demonstrated cyclical patterns. Among the migratory game birds, record harvests of ducks and geese have occurred in recent years.

· Groups of nongame birds with more than 50 percent of their species showing significant declining trends include grassland-nesting birds (70 percent), ground-nesting birds (57 percent), and shrubland-nesting birds (53 percent).

· Since presettlement, there have been significant losses of community biodiversity in the South (Noss and others 1995). Fourteen communities are critically endangered (>98 percent decline), 25 are endangered (85-98 percent decline), and 11 are threatened (70-84 percent decline). Common factors contributing to the loss of these communities include urban development, fire suppression, exotic species invasion, and recreational activity.

· The term "fragmentation" references the insularization of habitat on a landscape. The change in arrangement of remaining habitats can be accompanied by a loss of habitat area. Habitat fragmentation can result in the decline of interior-dwelling birds; the decline of some large, wide-ranging species; and the loss of other specialized species. Habitat fragmentation affects the patch, connectivity, and edge characteristics of a landscape.

· Connectivity within a landscape may facilitate movement and fecundity for some species, while the size and shape of landscape patches influences the integrity of both biotic and abiotic processes. Edge characteristics also have important implications for the persistence of an array of terrestrial species with very different habitat requirements.

· The availability of hard and soft mast can influence some terrestrial vertebrate species. Mast is an essential component in the diet of many birds and mammals. Disease, insect infestation, advanced age, climatic processes, and disturbance influence mast yields.

· The ranges of many species cross both public and private land ownerships. The numbers of imperiled and endangered species inhabiting private land indicate its critical importance for conservation.

The significance of land ownership in the South for the provision of species habitat cannot be overstated. Each major landowner has an important role to play in the conservation of species and their habitats.