JCSET | Watershed Studies Institute Research Symposium
Baseline Assessment of Shorebird Use and Habitat Quality at Interior Mid-Continental Stopover Sites
Academic Level at Time of Presentation
Senior
Major
Wildlife & Conservation Biology
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James Matthew Carroll
Presentation Format
Oral Presentation
Abstract/Description
Shorebirds migrating through interior North America must navigate across fragmented agroecosystems that are subject to unpredictable variation in environmental conditions (e.g., drought, floods). While often overlooked, permanent wetlands (e.g., lakes, rivers, etc.,) offer comparatively stable hydrological conditions that provide consistent stopover habitat. We studied the capacity of permanent waterbodies to support migrating shorebird populations during autumn migration on seasonally exposed mudflats associated with Kentucky Lake (Kentucky, USA). Our objectives were to: 1) assess shorebird abundance and migration phenology, 2) estimate the effects of shorebird foraging activity on invertebrate resources, and 3) assess factors influencing the spatial variation of invertebrate abundance. We observed that shorebirds routinely used mudflats (n = 2,122 detections) but that abundance was subject to substantial temporal variation (i.e., 79% and 93.5% of detections made during August and September in 2023 and 2024, respectively). Interestingly, shorebirds were observed within hours/days of initial mudflat exposure in late summer, suggesting earlier drawdown would provide additional foraging habitat especially for early long-distance migrants. Foraging was the most commonly observed shorebird behavior (>73% in both years), yet we found no difference in invertebrate abundance or size class inside or outside of foraging exclosures (n = 343 core samples) during 2023 and 2024. While we did not observe depletion of prey resource by migrating shorebirds, invertebrates were patchily distributed with the greatest and least densities observed 10 m downslope and 10 m upslope from the waterline (n = 253 core samples), respectively. Overall, these findings provide baseline information on how wetlands associated with permanent waterbodies can provide stable and consistent habitat for shorebirds. More research attention should therefore be focused on understanding the degree to which permanent waterbodies may mitigate the effects of temporary (i.e., drought) or permanent (i.e., landscape fragmentation) habitat loss across agroecosystem landscapes.
Other Scholars Week Event
WSI Watershed Research Symposium
Baseline Assessment of Shorebird Use and Habitat Quality at Interior Mid-Continental Stopover Sites
Shorebirds migrating through interior North America must navigate across fragmented agroecosystems that are subject to unpredictable variation in environmental conditions (e.g., drought, floods). While often overlooked, permanent wetlands (e.g., lakes, rivers, etc.,) offer comparatively stable hydrological conditions that provide consistent stopover habitat. We studied the capacity of permanent waterbodies to support migrating shorebird populations during autumn migration on seasonally exposed mudflats associated with Kentucky Lake (Kentucky, USA). Our objectives were to: 1) assess shorebird abundance and migration phenology, 2) estimate the effects of shorebird foraging activity on invertebrate resources, and 3) assess factors influencing the spatial variation of invertebrate abundance. We observed that shorebirds routinely used mudflats (n = 2,122 detections) but that abundance was subject to substantial temporal variation (i.e., 79% and 93.5% of detections made during August and September in 2023 and 2024, respectively). Interestingly, shorebirds were observed within hours/days of initial mudflat exposure in late summer, suggesting earlier drawdown would provide additional foraging habitat especially for early long-distance migrants. Foraging was the most commonly observed shorebird behavior (>73% in both years), yet we found no difference in invertebrate abundance or size class inside or outside of foraging exclosures (n = 343 core samples) during 2023 and 2024. While we did not observe depletion of prey resource by migrating shorebirds, invertebrates were patchily distributed with the greatest and least densities observed 10 m downslope and 10 m upslope from the waterline (n = 253 core samples), respectively. Overall, these findings provide baseline information on how wetlands associated with permanent waterbodies can provide stable and consistent habitat for shorebirds. More research attention should therefore be focused on understanding the degree to which permanent waterbodies may mitigate the effects of temporary (i.e., drought) or permanent (i.e., landscape fragmentation) habitat loss across agroecosystem landscapes.
