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Abstract
Longleaf pine savannas (Pinus palustris) are currently being restored throughout the southeastern United States due to their economic and ecological importance. However, little information exists on Eastern wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris) ecology in pine savannas. Therefore, I evaluated nest site selection, nest and brood survival, habitat selection, and survival of adult, female wild turkeys. I conducted my research on the 11,735-ha Joseph W. Jones Ecological Research Center at Ichauway (Jones Center) located in Baker County, Georgia and the 3,900-ha Silver Lake Wildlife Management Area owned by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources located in Decatur County, Georgia (Silver Lake WMA). Nest site (15-m scale) habitat metrics (mean visual obstruction [cm], total ground cover [%], and canopy closure [%]) had the greatest influence on nest site selection. Nest survival was not influenced by habitat characteristics at the nest-site and patch-level, which suggests that once a nest site is chosen nest predation occurs randomly with respect to habitat characteristics. Annual survival was 0.53 (95% CI: 0.42-0.65). Seasonal survival estimates varied from a high during fall (S = 0.92; 95% CI: 0.77-0.97) to a low during spring (S = 0.77; 95% CI: 0.66-0.85). Nesting status (incubating a nest or not) did not influence survival during the spring nesting season. Predation was the leading cause of mortality with 35.1% of mortalities attributed to mesocarnivore predation (bobcat [Lynx rufus], coyote [Canis latrans], and gray fox [Urocyon cinereoargenteus]) and 18.9% to great-horned owl (Bubo virginianus) predation. Females used mature pine stands less than available, instead selecting for hardwoods, shrub/scrub, and young pine habitats. Time-since-fire did not influence female turkey use of pine-dominated stands, suggesting they can coexist with frequent fire regimes in pine savannas. I recommend biologists and land managers balance objectives of wild turkey habitat management with those of threatened and endangered species (e.g., gopher tortoise [Gopherus polyphemus]) in pine savannas by creating early-successional habitat for nesting and brood-rearing cover as well as . Additionally, I recommend the promotion of habitat diversity through the retention of hardwoods and recognize the importance of openings to management of wild turkey populations in pine savannas