Atmospheric and spatial drivers of egg abundance in beach nesting shorebirds across an urban-coastal gradient of the Rockaway Peninsula, New York

Author

• Rolando A. Gutierrez, CUNY City CollegeFollow

Date of Award

2026

Document Type

Thesis

Department

Earth and Atmospheric Sciences

First Advisor

Mark Hauber

Second Advisor

Ivana Novcic

Third Advisor

Diomaris Padilla

Keywords

Shorebird reproductive ecology, Urban–coastal gradient, Nest-site selection, Coastal geomorphology (elevation, tidal exposure), Thermal effects on reproduction (temperature–clutch dynamics), Poisson GLM and spatial habitat modeling

Abstract

Understanding the drivers of reproductive patterns in beach-nesting shorebirds is essential for conservation in dynamic coastal systems. This study evaluated the influence of atmospheric, geomorphological, and anthropogenic factors on egg abundance and nesting patterns across four distinct areas of the Rockaway Peninsula, New York. Descriptive analyses revealed clear spatial structuring of nesting communities. Colonial species (Common Tern and Least Tern) formed dense aggregations, whereas territorial species (Piping Plover and American Oystercatcher) maintained greater spacing among nests. Nest placement relative to the high tide line, vegetation, and human infrastructure reflected trade-offs among flooding risk, predator detection, habitat availability, and disturbance. A Poisson generalized linear model identified maximum temperature as the dominant factor associated with egg abundance, showing a consistent negative relationship. Elevation had a significant and positive but secondary effect, likely related to reduced flooding risk and higher nesting locations. These patterns were consistent across complementary modeling approaches, including Random Forest analysis. Overall, thermal conditions and coastal microtopography emerged as key determinants of reproductive patterns, highlighting the sensitivity of shorebirds to warming and the importance of maintaining suitable nesting habitat in urbanized coastal systems.

Recommended Citation

Gutierrez, Rolando A., "Atmospheric and spatial drivers of egg abundance in beach nesting shorebirds across an urban-coastal gradient of the Rockaway Peninsula, New York" (2026). CUNY Academic Works.
https://academicworks.cuny.edu/cc_etds_theses/1307