Lesser Yellowlegs (Tringa flavipes) abundance has declined by approximately 75% across North America since 1970. Despite this dramatic decline, Lesser Yellowlegs are infrequently studied on their breeding grounds and have rarely been studied in the boreal forest of Alaska where population size is uncertain. We used a spatially balanced sampling design and surveyed 400 by 400 m plots in 2016 and 2017 to (1) estimate abundance and habitat use of Lesser Yellowlegs breeding on military lands in interior Alaska, and (2) test hypotheses about which habitat covariates best explain variation in plot abundances and habitat use. We predicted that boreal forest habitats on military lands in central Alaska supported a large percent of breeding Lesser Yellowlegs and that plots containing water and situated closer to wetlands would have the highest abundances compared to other habitat variables tested. We also predicted that increased presence of lowland habitat and associated vegetation covariates (e.g., percent low scrub canopy) increased probability of habitat use. In 2017, Lesser Yellowlegs abundance at the study site was 12,478 individuals, and habitat use was negatively associated with increasing elevation and percent canopy cover on plot. We estimate that military lands in interior Alaska support 8% of all Lesser Yellowlegs breeding in Alaska. Therefore, studies identifying important Lesser Yellowlegs breeding habitat and addressing conservation priorities in the boreal forest should be continued.

中文翻译：

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丰富度和栖息地利用估计显示小黄腿（Tringa flavipes）在阿拉斯加内陆大量繁殖

自 1970 年以来，北美小黄腿 (Tringa flavipes) 的丰度下降了约 75%。尽管出现了这种急剧下降，但小黄腿在其繁殖地的研究很少，而且很少在人口规模不确定的阿拉斯加北方森林中进行研究。我们使用空间平衡抽样设计，并在 2016 年和 2017 年调查了 400 x 400 m 的地块，以 (1) 估计在阿拉斯加内陆军事土地上繁殖的小黄腿鱼的丰度和栖息地利用情况，以及 (2) 检验关于哪些栖息地协变量最能解释的假设地块丰度和栖息地利用的变化。我们预测，阿拉斯加中部军事土地上的北方森林栖息地支持大部分繁殖的小黄腿，与测试的其他栖息地变量相比，含水且靠近湿地的地块将具有最高的丰度。我们还预测，低地栖息地和相关植被协变量（例如，低灌丛树冠百分比）的增加会增加栖息地使用的可能性。2017 年，研究地点的小黄腿鱼丰度为 12,478 只，栖息地利用与海拔升高和地块冠层覆盖百分比呈负相关。我们估计阿拉斯加内陆的军事土地支持阿拉斯加所有小黄腿鱼繁殖的 8%。所以，