Why Some Species Recover More Easily

Recovery of imperiled species is the primary goal of the Endangered Species Act, but biologists know little about why recovery efforts are successful for some species but not others. Fisheries and wildlife scientists at Virginia Tech’s College of Natural Resources researched this question by testing how biological traits predict species recovery in Virginia and the southeastern United States. Statistical analyses reveal that species migration patterns were the most important predictor of recovery success. This information will be helpful for the state’s natural resources agencies in their arrangement efforts.

For more information, contact  than@vt.edu

10/31/08