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� <br />rN <br />Scrub Habitat Loss and Florida SCrUb-Jay—Po� <br />� <br />[.Scrub ha�Km�� associated with Florida'shon�,�aoUo mainland oouym Ter) N1Uo <br />\� �n . ' <br />Ridge, and Lake Wales Ridge are some ofthe most imperiled natural communities in <br />the United States, with estimates nfhabitat loss �noopru�eo|mnvn¢ tin es <br />from 7096 to more than 85Y6 (Bo,0on 1994; Fitzpatrick e/ a/ 1994a}. The most <br />important and ommasho nuumen of scrub habitat |oau are oommeroio|/rea{deoho| <br />~~ <br />development and agricultural conversion (Fernald 1988; Fitzpatrick etaL 1991' <br />�^ 1994a). Much of the remaining pamo|a of oomb are fragmented and in various <br />states cfdegradation due primarily mwidespread fire (Fernald 1889; <br />- <br />Fitzpatrick e/ o/ 1994a; Brein|pqo/ et X 1996a, 1098b; Brm|ningor and Oddy <br />1e98; BroininUor 1998). Statewide Florida scrub -jay population tmndu have closely <br />mirrored scrub habitat loss; the present-day popu|a\ion is no more than 15% of the <br />pre -settlement population estimate (Fitzpatrick exal. l894e). <br />. <br />The Most precipitous scrub -jay population decline occurred during the 1880'o and <br />1990's with an estimated 25% to 50Y6 reduction in ^oruh'ny numbers (Fitzpatrick <br />-~ <br />el al, 1894a' 1984h;To|undunpoW.data; Broininge/and Oddy 1988; FVVG 1839). <br />Roridauombiayo are presently funohonoUy urcompletely extirpated fnvn 10 of 39 <br />.� 000n,ioo hivoudnoUy occupied by aorvh'|ayu. including Alachua, Urvmmrd, C|ay, <br />Dade, Dvvm|, Gi|ohhut, Hendry, Hernando, Pinellas, and 8t. Johns Counties <br />^ <br />(Fitzpatrick et o/ 1994n, 1894b>. As of 1894, half of all remaining Florida scrub - <br />jays occurred in Brmen| County <1.232 families) and Highlands County <880 <br />families) (Fitzpatrick et al. 1894o>. A total of 19 nnonbux contained 30 o/ fewer <br />'* hmed|oV pairs | of which the majority of !haaoouvnbaS would have <br />^� <br />historically supported hundreds to thousands of scrub -jay families (Fitzpatrick of ol <br />1994a, 19941)). <br />~ The Florida oomh-)ay was oeoaoaed across its emho moUo during l,992'93 in an <br />effort to determine its statewide distribution and population status (Fitzpatrick et al. <br />1894b). This study documented about 4`0O0breeding pairs of Florida uu/ub-juyx' <br />~~ <br />with approximately 2/3 Of the Population inhabiting Lion-FedmgLliandv (Fitzpatrick of <br />al. 1834b). Evuepn|m|vg kmn average scrub -jay group Size <2.8) eau!md in an <br />� <br />estimate of about 11.OU0Rodd� ac�vbiayxauo| 1393 <nunotr�k/xa( 19840)� <br />� <br />� <br />Cox <19O7>estimated that 15,4D0(o22.800jays comprised the statewide Florida <br />scrub -jay population as o/ 1984, This estimate is thought to be conservative as <br />^° Cox is suspected of mbsinO a aoUmonba| numho, Of umaxo, armhiuv <br />svhpovv|atiunsand isolated fa,ni|vgroups (Fitzpatrick c/mL 1394W. <br />[~ The statewide oonouo documented 62 breeding pairs of oorub1oyo in Indian River <br />County(Tniond 1983; Fitzpatrick e/al. 1984W. Subyopu|oions within the Atlantic <br />� Couup| Subregion were muoitwmn from 1388 ,hmwgk the present at 8ohomioo <br /><Tn|ondunpuh|,doto>^ Merritt Island (B,uin1vQore/al. 1995), Ya}ko/|o (To|and <br />onpub| data; ominio0mand UUdv 1990, the momhono Brevard Cuvnty nminiana <br />(BreininOorarid Oddv 1992) arid ouvumm nmvan1 County barrier island <Breminger <br />` lo <br />