Flooding mortality and habitat renewal for least terns and piping plovers
Colonial Waterbirds
By: John G. Sidle, D.E. Carlson, E.M. Kirsch, and J.J. Dinan
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Abstract
We observed extensive mortality (eggs and chicks) of the endangered interior population of the Least Tern (Sterna antillarum) and threatened Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus) caused by natural flooding during the 1990 breeding season along the Platte River, Nebraska USA. Aerial videography of the Platte River before and after the flood revealed a 78% reduction of perennial vegetation on sandbars. The flood scoured vegetation from sandbars and greatly increased the amount of barren sandbar habitat that nesting Least Terns and Piping Plovers use. A review of river gauging station data indicated that flooding of the 1990 magnitude or greater can be expected to occur about once every nine years. We recommend a review of the annual operating plans of managed rivers to account for the effects of dam discharges on Least Terns and Piping Plovers.
Suggested Citation
Sidle, J.G., Carlson, D., Kirsch, E., and Dinan, J., 1992, Flooding mortality and habitat renewal for least terns and piping plovers: Colonial Waterbirds, v. 15, no. 1, p. 132-136, https://doi.org/10.2307/1521363.
| Publication type | Article |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
| Title | Flooding mortality and habitat renewal for least terns and piping plovers |
| Series title | Colonial Waterbirds |
| DOI | 10.2307/1521363 |
| Volume | 15 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Year Published | 1992 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Waterbird Society |
| Contributing office(s) | Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center |
| Description | 5 p. |
| First page | 132 |
| Last page | 136 |