JCSET | Watershed Studies Institute Research Symposium
Assessing spatio-temporal patterns of habitat quality and availability for interior mid-continental shorebird stopover sites
Academic Level at Time of Presentation
Freshmen
Major
Wildlife & Conservation Biology/Wildlife, Biology
List all Project Mentors & Advisor(s)
James Matthew Carroll
Presentation Format
Oral Presentation
Abstract/Description
Despite that many shorebirds are considered species of conservation concern, little research has been conducted on mid-continental interior migrants. This poses a major barrier to shorebird management in the interior portion of North America, which provides critical stopover sites during migration. To address this knowledge gap, our objectives were to, 1) estimate shorebird habitat use, 2) investigate forage availability, and 3) assess potential forage depletion by shorebirds during fall migration. We conducted shorebird surveys (i.e., point counts, activity budgets) and benthic macro-invertebrate sampling on Kentucky Lake, Kentucky, USA, in Autumn 2023. Invertebrate sampling consisted of sediment core samples collected at varying distances from the waterline (n = 260), as well as inside and outside of shorebird exclosures (n = 192). Of the 995 shorebirds detected, the four most common species were Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) (n = 437), Pectoral Sandpiper (Calidris melanotos) (n = 187), Least Sandpiper (Calidris minutilla) (n = 142), and Greater Yellowlegs (Tringa melanoleuca) (n = 75). Species occurrence and abundance varied temporally with most (~42%) detections occurring in September, particularly from 16-September through 30-September 2023. We found no significant difference between invertebrate abundance inside or outside of shorebird exclosures (p > 0.05; paired t-test), suggesting that forage depletion was not detected at the spatial and temporal scales that we assessed. Our analysis of shorebird site use and invertebrate availability is ongoing, and we plan to conduct a second field season during Autumn 2024. This work will help to determine how shorebird habitat quality changes across space and time, thus creating a framework for future management initiatives and research.
Spring Scholars Week 2024 Event
Watershed Studies Institute Symposium
Assessing spatio-temporal patterns of habitat quality and availability for interior mid-continental shorebird stopover sites
Despite that many shorebirds are considered species of conservation concern, little research has been conducted on mid-continental interior migrants. This poses a major barrier to shorebird management in the interior portion of North America, which provides critical stopover sites during migration. To address this knowledge gap, our objectives were to, 1) estimate shorebird habitat use, 2) investigate forage availability, and 3) assess potential forage depletion by shorebirds during fall migration. We conducted shorebird surveys (i.e., point counts, activity budgets) and benthic macro-invertebrate sampling on Kentucky Lake, Kentucky, USA, in Autumn 2023. Invertebrate sampling consisted of sediment core samples collected at varying distances from the waterline (n = 260), as well as inside and outside of shorebird exclosures (n = 192). Of the 995 shorebirds detected, the four most common species were Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) (n = 437), Pectoral Sandpiper (Calidris melanotos) (n = 187), Least Sandpiper (Calidris minutilla) (n = 142), and Greater Yellowlegs (Tringa melanoleuca) (n = 75). Species occurrence and abundance varied temporally with most (~42%) detections occurring in September, particularly from 16-September through 30-September 2023. We found no significant difference between invertebrate abundance inside or outside of shorebird exclosures (p > 0.05; paired t-test), suggesting that forage depletion was not detected at the spatial and temporal scales that we assessed. Our analysis of shorebird site use and invertebrate availability is ongoing, and we plan to conduct a second field season during Autumn 2024. This work will help to determine how shorebird habitat quality changes across space and time, thus creating a framework for future management initiatives and research.