Life History and Ecology Study Techniques

Werner, H

Several principle study sites were established. The first was established at Ochopee, Florida, in 1970. Because of an abundance of natural ground reference points the site was not grid marked. The site was mapped using the 1964 black and white aerial photography ( RF 1: 28000) coupled with ground-truthing (Figure 2) the site included 154 hectares of which about 35 hectares in the center of the site were utilized by the sparrow colony. The location was west of Ochopee and south of U.S. 41, which bordered the north edge of the site. At the northwest and northeast corner of the site were large landfills from which canals extend south-southwest. The south edge of the site was nearly adjacent to the mangrove fringe. Between April 1971 and May 1972 a canal was extended through the northwest corner of the site bisecting the site. An airboat trail extended through the site from the southeast to the northwest corner of the site. Several residences and a motel were nearly adjacent to the study site.