Relationships between wintering waterbirds and invertebrates, sediments and hydrology of coastal marsh ponds

Waterbirds
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Abstract

We studied relationships among sediment variables (carbon content, C:N, hardness, oxygen penetration, silt-clay fraction), hydrologic variables (dissolved oxygen, salinity, temperature, transparency, water depth), sizes and biomass of common invertebrate classes, and densities of 15 common waterbird species in ponds of impounded freshwater, oligohaline, mesohaline, and unimpounded mesohaline marshes during winters 1997-98 to 1999-2000 on Rockefeller State Wildlife Refuge, Louisiana, USA. Canonical correspondence analysis and forward selection was used to analyze the above variables. Water depth and oxygen penetration were the variables that best segregated habitat characteristics that resulted in maximum densities of common waterbird species. Most common waterbird species were associated with specific marsh types, except Green-winged Teal (Anas crecca) and Northern Shoveler (Anas clypeata). We concluded that hydrologic manipulation of marsh ponds is the best way to manage habitats for these birds, if the hydrology can be controlled adequately.

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Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Relationships between wintering waterbirds and invertebrates, sediments and hydrology of coastal marsh ponds
Series title Waterbirds
DOI 10.1675/1524-4695(2004)027[0333:RBWWAI]2.0.CO;2
Volume 27
Issue 3
Year Published 2004
Language English
Publisher BioOne Complete
Contributing office(s) Louisiana Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit
Description 9 p.
First page 333
Last page 341
Country United States
State Louisiana
Other Geospatial Rockefeller State Wildlife Refuge
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