Avian Impacts of White Satin Moth Defoliation in Tahoe Aspen

This is a three-year study on the effects of white satin moth infestations on bird communities at Lake Tahoe. This invasive moth species has caused significant aspen defoliation and mortality in Lake Tahoe Nevada State Park since the early 2010s, and this project will be the first to document impacts to bird communities that rely on aspen habitats at Lake Tahoe. Point-count bird surveys and nest monitoring will be conducted during the breeding season, and aspen habitat assessments will be conducted each year in order to quantify whether major structural changes in aspen communities caused by white satin moths have any effects on bird abundance, diversity, and nesting success.