The relationship of blue crab abundance to winter mortality of Whooping Cranes
Wilson Journal of Ornithology
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Abstract
We sampled blue crab (Callinectes sapidus) numbers in marshes on the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge, Texas from 1998-2006, while simultaneously censusing the wintering population of Whooping Cranes (Grus americana) on the refuge and surrounding habitats. This was done to determine whether mortality of wintering Whooping Cranes was related to the availability of this food source. Yearly variation in crab numbers was high, ranging from a low of 0.1 crabs to a high of 3.4 crabs per 100-m transect section. Significant non-linear increases in both juvenile and adult mortality in relation to decreasing crab abundance was observed. Results suggest that some threshold of crab abundance exists in which Whooping Cranes have higher survival on their wintering grounds.
Suggested Citation
Pugesek, B.H., Baldwin, M., Stehn, T., 2013, The relationship of blue crab abundance to winter mortality of Whooping Cranes: Wilson Journal of Ornithology, v. 125, no. 3, p. 658-661, https://doi.org/10.1676/12-159.1.
Study Area
| Publication type | Article |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
| Title | The relationship of blue crab abundance to winter mortality of Whooping Cranes |
| Series title | Wilson Journal of Ornithology |
| DOI | 10.1676/12-159.1 |
| Volume | 125 |
| Issue | 3 |
| Year Published | 2013 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | The Wilson Ornithological Society |
| Contributing office(s) | National Wetlands Research Center |
| Description | 4 p. |
| Larger Work Type | Article |
| Larger Work Subtype | Journal Article |
| Larger Work Title | Wilson Journal of Ornithology |
| First page | 658 |
| Last page | 661 |
| Time Range Start | 1998-01-01 |
| Time Range End | 2006-12-31 |
| Country | United States |
| State | Texas |
| Other Geospatial | Aransas National Wildlife Refuge |