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At least 145 records · Page 8Linked to original sources
USGS1998

Brood sizes of sympatric American black ducks and mallards in Maine

The long-term decline of the American black duck (Anas rubripes) population has been attributed to lower productivity of black ducks that might have been excluded from fertile agricultural wetlands by mallards (Anas platyrhynchos). We monitored broods on 53 wetlands in 1993 and on 58 wetlands in 1994 to determine mean brood sizes of black ducks and mallards in forested and agricultural landscapes. Study wetlands were moderately to highly fertile. We monitored 94 black duck broods each year and 46 (1993) and 52 (1994) mallard broods until they reached Class IIc-III (near fledging). No differences existed (P = 0.71) in mean brood size between black ducks (1993: 3.95 ± 0.23; 1994: 4.59 ± 0.24) and mallards (1993: 3.96 ± 0.35; 1994: 5.00 ± 0.43) either year. Brood size for species, however, was different between years (P = 0.014) and among wetland sites (P = 0.001). Mean sizes of broods were larger (P < 0.05) on 2 large impoundment complexes (Lake Josephine and Lake Christina) compared with brood sizes on other wetlands in forested or agricultural landscapes. No differences (P ≥ 0.41) existed between mean Class IIc-III brood sizes of black ducks and mallards, whether species were alone or together on wetlands. Our data document that mallard productivity is similar to that of black ducks where they breed sympatrically in Maine.

Journal of Wildlife Management↗
USGS1982

Movements and wetland selection by brood-rearing black ducks

Movements and wetland selection by brood-rearing black ducks ( Anas rubripes ) were studied in Maine during 1977-80. Eight radio-marked hens moved their broods an average of 1.2 km from the nest to rearing pond, but only 1 hen initiated secondary brood movements. Half of the 85 broods reared in the study area used only 3 wetlands, and most rearing ponds contained active beaver ( Castor canadensis ) colonies. Brood-rearing hens preferred Emergent ponds over lakes and Evergreen Scrub-Shrub wetlands, and did not occupy Dead Scrub-Shrub, Unconsolidated Bottom, or Aquatic Bed wetlands. Rearing ponds were large and possessed extensive areas of flooded mountain alder ( Alnus incana ), willow ( Salix spp.), and herbaceous vegetation. Wetlands avoided by brood-rearing hens were those with large areas of open water, submergent aquatics, or ericaceous shrub vegetation.

Maine↗
USGS2017

No evidence of infection or exposure to Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenzas in peridomestic wildlife on an affected poultry facility

We evaluated the potential transmission of avian influenza viruses (AIV) in wildlife species in three settings in association with an outbreak at a poultry facility: 1) small birds and small mammals on a poultry facility that was affected with highly pathogenic AIV (HPAIV) in April 2015; 2) small birds and small mammals on a nearby poultry facility that was unaffected by HPAIV; and 3) small birds, small mammals, and waterfowl in a nearby natural area. We live-captured small birds and small mammals and collected samples from hunter-harvested waterfowl to test for active viral shedding and evidence of exposure (serum antibody) to AIV and the H5N2 HPAIV that affected the poultry facility. We detected no evidence of shedding or specific antibody to AIV in small mammals and small birds 5 mo after depopulation of the poultry. We detected viral shedding and exposure to AIV in waterfowl and estimated approximately 15% viral shedding and 60% antibody prevalence. In waterfowl, we did not detect shedding or exposure to the HPAIV that affected the poultry facility. We also conducted camera trapping around poultry carcass depopulation composting barns and found regular visitation by four species of medium-sized mammals. We provide preliminary data suggesting that peridomestic wildlife were not an important factor in the transmission of AIV during the poultry outbreak, nor did small birds and mammals in natural wetland settings show wide evidence of AIV shedding or exposure, despite the opportunity for exposure.

Journal of Wildlife Diseases↗
USGS1997

Wetland losses related to fault movement and hydrocarbon production, southeastern Texas coast

Time series analyses of surface fault activity and nearby hydrocarbon production from the southeastern Texas coast show a high correlation among volume of produced fluids, timing of fault activation, rates of subsidence, and rates of wetland loss. Greater subsidence on the downthrown sides of faults contributes to more frequent flooding and generally wetter conditions, which are commonly reflected by changes in plant communities {e.g., Spartina patens to Spartina alterniflora) or progressive transformation of emergent vegetation to open water. Since the 1930s and 1950s, approximately 5,000 hectares of marsh habitat has been lost as a result of subsidence associated with faulting. Marsh- es have expanded locally along faults where hydrophytic vegetation has spread into former upland areas. Fault traces are linear to curvilinear and are visible because elevation differences across faults alter soil hydrology and vegetation. Fault lengths range from 1 to 13.4 km and average 3.8 km. Seventy-five percent of the faults visible on recent aerial photographs are not visible on photographs taken in the 1930's, indicating relatively recent fault movement. At least 80% of the surface faults correlate with extrapolated subsurface faults; the correlation increases to more than 90% when certain assumptions are made to compensate for mismatches in direction of displacement. Coastal wetlands loss in Texas associated with hydrocarbon extraction will likely increase where production in mature fields is prolonged without fiuid reinjection.

Texas↗
USGS1995

Wind shear stress measurements in a coastal marsh during Hurricane Andrew

Hurricane Andrew produced changes to the Louisiana wetlands not normally observed after lesser, more common storms. For example, the <25 m/s wind speeds generated by cold fronts and winter storms, and any accompanying storm surge, do not cause substantial, wide-spread alteration of marsh vegetation. During Hurricane Andrew, however, the wind, the wind-driven storm surge, or both produced severe, wide-spread wetland alteration, especially in areas that primarily consisted of densely vegetated floating mats. In a few hours, vegetated brackish marsh was severely torn and large areas were converted to open water, a process that takes decades when driven by geologic subsidence, human intervention, and lesser storms. During the passage of Hurricane Andrew, wind measurements were taken inside an impoundment within a brackish part of Louisiana's coastal wetlands system. At its closest point, the site lay 50 km to the right of the north-trending storm track, placing it in or near the zone of maximum wind (the eye wall). As the hurricane approached, the wind blew from the north; after it passed, the wind direction swung around to the southeast. Several hours after the eye passed, the southeasterly wind drove a 1.5-m storm surge through the area, causing the collapse of the meteorology tower. Wind shear stress calculations, based on data from two vertically stacked sensors, showed a direct correlation between wind shear stress and wind speed. The greatest increase in wind shear stress occurred when wind speed exceeded 20 m/s. Overall, wind shear stress increased more than three orders of magnitude — from approximately 0.01 N/m² at a wind speed of 6 m/s through 1 N/m² at 20 m/s to 18 N/m² at the maximum sustained speed of 43 m/s. Drag-coefficient calculations show that the open-ocean CD formulations, such as the popular WAMDI model, cannot be employed for wetland use because it overestimates CD for velocities less than approximately 20 m/s and underestimates it for higher velocities.

Louisiana↗
USGS2013

Inferring tidal wetland stability from channel sediment fluxes: observations and a conceptual model

Anthropogenic and climatic forces have modified the geomorphology of tidal wetlands over a range of timescales. Changes in land use, sediment supply, river flow, storminess, and sea level alter the layout of tidal channels, intertidal flats, and marsh plains; these elements define wetland complexes. Diagnostically, measurements of net sediment fluxes through tidal channels are high-temporal resolution, spatially integrated quantities that indicate (1) whether a complex is stable over seasonal timescales and (2) what mechanisms are leading to that state. We estimated sediment fluxes through tidal channels draining wetland complexes on the Blackwater and Transquaking Rivers, Maryland, USA. While the Blackwater complex has experienced decades of degradation and been largely converted to open water, the Transquaking complex has persisted as an expansive, vegetated marsh. The measured net export at the Blackwater complex (1.0 kg/s or 0.56 kg/m 2 /yr over the landward marsh area) was caused by northwesterly winds, which exported water and sediment on the subtidal timescale; tidally forced net fluxes were weak and precluded landward transport of suspended sediment from potential seaward sources. Though wind forcing also exported sediment at the Transquaking complex, strong tidal forcing and proximity to a turbidity maximum led to an import of sediment (0.031 kg/s or 0.70 kg/m 2 /yr). This resulted in a spatially averaged accretion of 3.9 mm/yr, equaling the regional relative sea level rise. Our results suggest that in areas where seaward sediment supply is dominant, seaward wetlands may be more capable of withstanding sea level rise over the short term than landward wetlands. We propose a conceptual model to determine a complex's tendency toward stability or instability based on sediment source, wetland channel location, and transport mechanisms. Wetlands with a reliable portfolio of sources and transport mechanisms appear better suited to offset natural and anthropogenic loss.

Maryl↗
USGS2017

Strengthening links between waterfowl research and management

Waterfowl monitoring, research, regulation, and adaptive planning are leading the way in supporting science-informed wildlife management. However, increasing societal demands on natural resources have created a greater need for adaptable and successful linkages between waterfowl science and management. We presented a special session at the 2016 North American Duck Symposium, Annapolis, Maryland, USA on the successes and challenges of linking research and management in waterfowl conservation, and we summarize those thoughts in this commentary. North American waterfowl management includes a diversity of actions including management of harvest and habitat. Decisions for waterfowl management are structured using decision analysis by incorporating stakeholder values into formal objectives, identifying research relevant to objectives, integrating scientific knowledge, and choosing an optimal strategy with respect to objectives. Recently, the consideration of the value of information has been proposed as a means to evaluate the utility of research designed to meet objectives. Despite these advances, the ability to conduct waterfowl research with direct management application may be increasingly difficult in research institutions for several reasons including reduced funding for applied research and the lower perceived value of applied versus theoretical research by some university academics. In addition, coordination between researchers and managers may be logistically constrained, and communication may be ineffective between the 2 groups. Strengthening these links would help develop stronger and more coordinated approaches for the conservation of waterfowl and the wetlands upon which they depend.

Journal of Wildlife Management↗
USGS2022

Secretive marsh bird habitat relationships at mid-continent spring migration stopover sites

Despite several secretive marsh bird (SMB) species being listed as critically imperiled throughout the mid-continent of North America, limited information on SMB distribution and habitat use within primary migratory corridors results in uncertainty on contributions of wetlands in mid-latitude states toward their annual cycle needs. Our objectives were to quantify temporal patterns of SMB wetland occupancy during spring migration at a mid-latitude state and evaluate the relationships between SMB colonization probability and water-level management practices, and the resulting habitat conditions during spring migration. We conducted a 2-year, dynamic occupancy study (2013–2014) that included 6 rounds of repeated call-back surveys to detect the presence of 5 SMB species (i.e., Virginia rail [ Rallus limicola ], sora [ Porzana carolina ], king rail [ R. elegans ], least bittern [ Ixobrychus exilis ], and American bittern [ Botaurus lentiginosus ]) during spring (Apr–Jun) on 107 wetlands across 8 conservation areas and 4 national wildlife refuges throughout Missouri, USA. We detected sora most frequently, followed by least bittern, American bittern, Virginia rail, and king rail. Coefficient estimates indicated colonization probability for all species was positively associated with emergent vegetation cover and negatively associated with amount of open water. Open water was the only variable in the best supported model explaining American bittern site colonization, to which they were negatively associated. Virginia rail colonization had a strong positive association with vegetation height, whereas least bittern and sora site colonization were influenced positively by water depth and agriculture, respectively. Based on the habitat associations within and among SMB species identified in this study, wetland managers can tailor management strategies to optimize spring migration habitat for single- or multi-species objectives.

Missouri↗
USGS2018

Drought-induced recharge promotes long-term storage of porewater salinity beneath a prairie wetland

Subsurface storage of sulfate salts allows closed-basin wetlands in the semiarid Prairie Pothole Region (PPR) of North America to maintain moderate surface water salinity (total dissolved solids [TDS] from 1 to 10 g L −1 ), which provides critical habitat for communities of aquatic biota. However, it is unclear how the salinity of wetland ponds will respond to a recent shift in mid-continental climate to wetter conditions. To understand better the mechanisms that control surface-subsurface salinity exchanges during regional dry-wet climate cycles, we made a detailed geoelectrical study of a closed-basin prairie wetland (P1 in the Cottonwood Lake Study Area, North Dakota) that is currently experiencing record wet conditions. We found saline lenses of sulfate-rich porewater (TDS > 10 g L −1 ) contained in fine-grained wetland sediments 2–4 m beneath the bathymetric low of the wetland and within the currently ponded area along the shoreline of a prior pond stand ( c . 1983). During the most recent drought (1988–1993), the wetland switched from a groundwater discharge to recharge function, allowing salts dissolved in surface runoff to move into wetland sediments beneath the bathymetric low of the basin. However, groundwater levels during this time did not decline to the elevation of the saline lenses, suggesting these features formed during more extended paleo-droughts and are stable in the subsurface on at least centennial timescales. We hypothesize a “drought-induced recharge” mechanism that allows wetland ponds to maintain moderate salinity under semiarid climate. Discharge of drought-derived saline groundwater has the potential to increase the salinity of wetland ponds during wet climate.

North Dakota↗
USGS2022

Assessment of cropland inundation due to the operation of the Reelfoot Lake spillway in West Tennessee

Running Reelfoot Bayou (RRB) is the outlet canal of Reelfoot Lake, the largest natural lake in Tennessee. RRB is not able to contain discharge from Reelfoot Lake greater than the bankfull discharge of 28 m 3 /s (1000 ft 3 /s), which typically occurs at the beginning of the growing season (April–June). Historically, the planting of crops has been delayed until flooding subsides and cropland has drained. The objective of this study is a preliminary quantification of cropland inundation to determine its spatial distribution in the RRB floodplain. Inundated croplands in the RRB floodplain were delineated over a range of spillway discharges from 2 to 57 m 3 /s (70–2000 ft 3 /s), using one-dimensional–two-dimensional hydrodynamic modeling and multispectral satellite images (Landsat 8 and Sentinel-2). The composite maps made by combining the simulated and image-derived flood maps were overlaid on the United States Department of Agriculture CropScape layer to determine the inundation of individual summer crops during the growing season. About 25% of the inundated croplands are flooded at discharges of RRB less than 28 m 3 /s, implying wetland hydrology. The results of this analysis can be used to inform operational management of the Reelfoot Lake spillway.

Tennessee↗
USGS2017

Timing of autumn migration of Sora (Porzana carolina) in Missouri

Monitoring and conserving waterbirds, including Sora ( Porzana carolina ), in Missouri, is constrained by the lack of information on migration phenology. We performed nocturnal distance sampling surveys by ATV across 11 state and federal managed wetlands in Missouri, USA from 2012–2015 to compare the timing of Sora' autumn migration among years. Migration of Sora in Missouri began in the first week of August, on average it peaked on 25 September, and continued through the last week of October. We detected migration of Sora earlier in autumn than did previous work. We found the start and end of migration did not vary annually in 3 of 4 years. With our results, wetland managers should be able to better time their management for rails in Missouri.

Missouri↗
USGS2021

Genetics as a tool for conservation and management of West Indian manatee populations in Brazil

A study conducted by the National Center for Research and Conservation of Aquatic Mammals (CMA), United States Geological Survey Wetland and Aquatic Research Center, and partner researchers found that the marine Antillean manatee ( Trichechus manatus manatus ) has low genetic diversity in regions where there are territorial interfaces with the Amazonian manatee ( Trichechus inunguis ). The study was published as an article in the journal, Frontiers in Marine Science.

Sirenews↗
USGS2016

Increased body mass of ducks wintering in California's Central Valley

Waterfowl managers lack the information needed to fully evaluate the biological effects of their habitat conservation programs. We studied body condition of dabbling ducks shot by hunters at public hunting areas throughout the Central Valley of California during 2006&ndash;2008 compared with condition of ducks from 1979 to 1993. These time periods coincide with habitat increases due to Central Valley Joint Venture conservation programs and changing agricultural practices; we modeled to ascertain whether body condition differed among waterfowl during these periods. Three dataset comparisons indicate that dabbling duck body mass was greater in 2006&ndash;2008 than earlier years and the increase was greater in the Sacramento Valley and Suisun Marsh than in the San Joaquin Valley, differed among species (mallard [ Anas platyrhynchos ], northern pintail [ Anas acuta ], America wigeon [ Anas americana ], green-winged teal [ Anas crecca ], and northern shoveler [ Anas clypeata ]), and was greater in ducks harvested late in the season. Change in body mass also varied by age&ndash;sex cohort and month for all 5 species and by September&ndash;January rainfall for all except green-winged teal. The random effect of year nested in period, and sometimes interacting with other factors, improved models in many cases. Results indicate that improved habitat conditions in the Central Valley have resulted in increased winter body mass of dabbling ducks, especially those that feed primarily on seeds, and this increase was greater in regions where area of post-harvest flooding of rice and other crops, and wetland area, has increased. Conservation programs that continue to promote post-harvest flooding and other agricultural practices that benefit wintering waterfowl and continue to restore and conserve wetlands would likely help maintain body condition of wintering dabbling ducks in the Central Valley of California.

California↗
USGS1999

Water and sediment characteristics associated with avian botulism outbreaks in wetlands

Avian botulism kills thousands of waterbirds annually throughout North America, but management efforts to reduce its effects have been hindered because environmental conditions that promote outbreaks are poorly understood. We measured sediment and water variables in 32 pairs of wetlands with and without a current outbreak of avian botulism. Wetlands with botulism outbreaks had greater percent organic matter (POM) in the sediment (P = 0.088) and lower redox potential in the water (P = 0.096) than paired control wetlands. We also found that pH, redox potential, temperature, and salinity measured just above the sediment-water interface were associated (P ≤ 0.05) with the risk of botulism outbreaks in wetlands, but relations were complex, involving nonlinear and multivariate associations. Regression models indicated that the risk of botulism outbreaks increased when water pH was between 7.5 and 9.0, redox potential was negative, and water temperature was >20°C. Risk declined when redox potential increased (>100), water temperature decreased (10-15°C), pH was <7.5 or >9.0, or salinity was low (<2.0 ppt). Our predictive models could allow managers to assess potential effects of wetland management practices on the risk of botulism outbreaks and to develop and evaluate alternative management strategies to reduce losses from avian botulism.

Journal of Wildlife Management↗
USGS2020

Development of a novel framework for modeling field-scale conservation effects of depressional wetlands in agricultural landscapes

The intermixed cropland, grassland, and wetland ecosystems of the upper mid-western United States combine to provide a suite of valuable ecological services. Grassland and wetland losses in the upper midwestern United States have been extensive, but government-funded conservation programs have protected and restored hundreds of thousands of acres of wetland and grassland habitat in the region. The value of restored wetlands in agricultural fields is complex, and the USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service, Conservation Effects Assessment Project (CEAP) has been lacking the methodology to include these conservation practices in their analyses. Our aim is to develop a reproducible methodology for simulating wetlands within the CEAP cropland modeling framework used to evaluate other agricultural conservation practices. Furthermore, we evaluate the effect of using upland conservation practices on the functioning of restored wetlands. By simulating the addition of a depressional wetland that effectively removes 6% of the field from crop production, we obtained a 15% reduction in annual runoff and a 29% and 28% reduction in mean annual nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) losses, respectively. The presence of the depressional wetland in the field is estimated to also reduce edge-of-field losses of sediments by 20% and sediment-bound N and P by 19% and 23%, respectively. Additionally, adding a grass filter strip around the wetland greatly decreased sediment inputs to the wetland, increasing the effective life of the wetland, in terms of its ability to perform valued services, by decades to centuries. Our method for modeling depressional wetlands embedded in cropped fields provides a means to quantify the effects of wetland conservation practices on field-level losses for regional assessments, such as the CEAP.

Journal of Soil and Water Conservation↗
USGS2007

DIN retention-transport through four hydrologically connected zones in a headwater catchment of the Upper Mississippi River

Dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) retention-transport through a headwater catchment was synthesized from studies encompassing four distinct hydrologic zones of the Shingobee River Headwaters near the origin of the Mississippi River. The hydrologic zones included: (1) hillslope ground water (ridge to bankside riparian); (2) alluvial riparian ground water; (3) ground water discharged through subchannel sediments (hyporheic zone); and (4) channel surface water. During subsurface hillslope transport through Zone 1, DIN, primarily nitrate, decreased from ∼3 mg-N/l to <0.1 mg-N/l. Ambient seasonal nitrate:chloride ratios in hillslope flow paths indicated both dilution and biotic processing caused nitrate loss. Biologically available organic carbon controlled biotic nitrate retention during hillslope transport. In the alluvial riparian zone (Zone 2) biologically available organic carbon controlled nitrate depletion although processing of both ambient and amended nitrate was faster during the summer than winter. In the hyporheic zone (Zone 3) and stream surface water (Zone 4) DIN retention was primarily controlled by temperature. Perfusion core studies using hyporheic sediment indicated sufficient organic carbon in bed sediments to retain ground water DIN via coupled nitrification-denitrification. Numerical simulations of seasonal hyporheic sediment nitrification-denitrification rates from perfusion cores adequately predicted surface water ammonium but not nitrate when compared to 5 years of monthly field data (1989-93). Mass balance studies in stream surface water indicated proportionally higher summer than winter N retention. Watershed DIN retention was effective during summer under the current land use of intermittently grazed pasture. However, more intensive land use such as row crop agriculture would decrease nitrate retention efficiency and increase loads to surface water. Understanding DIN retention capacity throughout the system, including special channel features such as sloughs, wetlands and floodplains that provide surface water-ground water connectivity, will be required to develop effective nitrate management strategies.

Minnesota↗
USGS2007

Year-class formation of upper St. Lawrence River northern pike

Variables associated with year-class formation in upper St. Lawrence River northern pike Esox lucius were examined to explore population trends. A partial least-squares (PLS) regression model (PLS 1) was used to relate a year-class strength index (YCSI; 1974-1997) to explanatory variables associated with spawning and nursery areas (seasonal water level and temperature and their variability, number of ice days, and last day of ice presence). A second model (PLS 2) incorporated four additional ecological variables: potential predators (abundance of double-crested cormorants Phalacrocorax auritus and yellow perch Perca flavescens), female northern pike biomass (as a measure of stock-recruitment effects), and total phosphorus (productivity). Trends in adult northern pike catch revealed a decline (1981-2005), and year-class strength was positively related to catch per unit effort (CPUE; R2 = 0.58). The YCSI exceeded the 23-year mean in only 2 of the last 10 years. Cyclic patterns in the YCSI time series (along with strong year-classes every 4-6 years) were apparent, as was a dampening effect of amplitude beginning around 1990. The PLS 1 model explained over 50% of variation in both explanatory variables and the dependent variable, YCSI first-order moving-average residuals. Variables retained (N = 10; Wold's statistic ??? 0.8) included negative YCSI associations with high summer water levels, high variability in spring and fall water levels, and variability in fall water temperature. The YCSI exhibited positive associations with high spring, summer, and fall water temperature, variability in spring temperature, and high winter and spring water level. The PLS 2 model led to positive YCSI associations with phosphorus and yellow perch CPUE and a negative correlation with double-crested cormorant abundance. Environmental variables (water level and temperature) are hypothesized to regulate northern pike YCSI cycles, and dampening in YCSI magnitude may be related to a combination of factors, including wetland habitat changes, reduced nutrient loading, and increased predation by double-crested cormorants. ?? Copyright by the American Fisheries Society 2007.

North American Journal of Fisheries Management↗