Living on the edge: Multi-scale analyses of bird habitat use in coastal marshes of Barataria Basin, Louisiana, USA

Wetlands
By: , and 

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Abstract

Coastal marsh loss, combined with expected sea-level rise, will cause inundation and extensive shifts to vegetation and salinity regimes that may affect the bird species dependent on coastal ecosystems worldwide. Within coastal marsh habitats, birds provide key targets for coastal management goals. However, limited information on bird-habitat relationships within coastal marshes inhibits the development of restoration projects targeted to bird species. We surveyed birds bi-monthly within Barataria Basin, LA from July 2014 to December 2015 to compare their use between fresh and saline coastal marshes. Additionally, we examined habitat use at finer spatial scales to assess preference for marsh edge microhabitats. Edge habitat supported 1.8 times more bird species (guild) richness than emergent and open water habitat. We concluded that future modelling efforts would be improved if models incorporate edge effects for birds in coastal marshes that extend 20 m from emergent vegetation into open water, with a reduced effect if marsh types convert from fresh to saline. Our data will be useful to simulate the effects of changes in marsh type, area, and edge on habitat quality for birds in coastal Louisiana and will inform habitat restoration and management decisions aimed at optimizing bird use.

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Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Living on the edge: Multi-scale analyses of bird habitat use in coastal marshes of Barataria Basin, Louisiana, USA
Series title Wetlands
DOI 10.1007/s13157-020-01324-2
Volume 40
Year Published 2020
Language English
Publisher Springer
Contributing office(s) Coop Res Unit Atlanta
Description 14 p.
First page 2041
Last page 2054
Country United States
State Louisiana
Other Geospatial Barataria Basin
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