鸿雁迁徙对停歇地的选择特征

建立合理的湿地水鸟保护地是缓解水鸟栖息地丧失和种群下降的重要手段。以往的保护地设计中,由于越冬地和和繁殖地水鸟停留时间长、种群数量大,受到较多的关注。分析湿地水鸟对停歇地的选择偏好,掌握停歇地的自然条件和人类活动特征可为水鸟保护网络优化和保护地管理提供决策依据。而在水鸟迁徙过程中,停歇地作为保护网络的重要节点也发挥了重要作用。因此选择鸿雁为伞护种,获取了29只鸿雁项圈追踪数据,分析蒙古国Khukh湖-中国东北鸭绿江口秋季迁徙路线对停歇地生境选择偏好,识别了鸿雁在湿地周边不同距离梯度下的活动频率变化。根据鸿雁停歇数据共识别停歇地63处,以此为基础分析停歇的自然条件和人类活动因素特征。结果表明,鸿雁除选择湖泊和沼泽为停歇地外,周边250m内的裸地和草地也是重要栖息地;当鸿雁停歇地人类活动较少时,鸿雁倾向于选择土壤肥沃、食物丰富区,而人类活动强度加大时,栖息地植被条件提高能够为鸿雁提供遮避条件,也吸引了更多鸿雁停歇。研究建议,在水鸟迁徙重要廊道区应增加水鸟停歇地保护区,保护区的设计应根据关键保护对象活动频率加强对湿地周边的栖息地保护,减少水滨人类活动对鸿雁停歇的负面影响;在人类活动强度较大的地区设立水鸟保护地,还应加强对植被的保护,在水鸟利用频率较高的停歇地周边进行植被修复。     

围填海对湿地水鸟种群、行为和栖息地的影响

湿地水鸟是湿地生态系统的重要组成部分。由于水鸟对湿地环境的变化较为敏感,所以被认为是监测湿地环境质量的指示生物。围填海严重破坏了湿地生态环境,对水鸟的种群、行为和栖息地利用产生了重大影响。本文从种群生态方面分析围填海对鸟类种群数量和多样性的影响;从水鸟行为方面归纳围填海对鸟类取食行为、繁殖行为、迁徙行为、社群行为的影响;从水鸟栖息地利用方面探讨围填海对水鸟栖息地利用和适宜生境选择的影响。围填海通常会降低生境专性鸟类种群数量,但对生境泛性鸟类的种群数量影响较小。围垦强度决定着鸟类多样性大小。适度的围垦使得生境多样化,有利于鸟类多样性的增加;过度的围垦则使得水鸟生境破碎化,从而导致多样性下降。围填海后的生境状况影响着水鸟的取食、繁殖、迁徙、社群行为及栖息地的选择。滩涂面积的减少以及植被群落的改变不利于涉禽的觅食栖息,而养殖塘等人工湿地则为游禽提供了丰富的食物来源以及良好的栖息环境。扩大研究的时空尺度可全面分析围填海对鸟类的影响机制;将多种水鸟结合在一起并分析其对围填海的响应机制应是未来研究的热点。     

黄渤海濒危水鸟栖息地动态变化研究

中国滨海湿地是东亚-澳大利西亚迁徙路线上候鸟重要的停歇地、繁殖地和越冬地,土地利用变化所引发的滨海湿地退化导致水鸟栖息地类别和面积发生了很大转变,影响迁徙水鸟种群数量的稳定性。然而,土地利用变化在哪些区域和多大程度上影响了迁徙水鸟的栖息地分布尚不清晰。以土地围垦典型区域黄渤海滨海湿地为研究区,以受胁濒危水鸟物种勺嘴鹬、大滨鹬、大杓鹬、小青脚鹬、黑脸琵鹭、黄嘴白鹭、遗鸥、黑嘴鸥为研究对象,结合物种分布模型MaxEnt和GIS空间分析,模拟2000、2015、2020年水鸟栖息地时空分布,探索过去20年栖息地分布的时空变化,分析水鸟种群变化趋势,识别水鸟栖息地保护优先区域,提出水鸟栖息地保护管理建议。结果显示：2000—2020年,8个水鸟物种栖息地主要分布在渤海湾、莱州湾、江苏盐城沿岸、如东-东台沿岸区域。所有物种的栖息地面积均呈不同程度的下降趋势,其中7个物种栖息地下降比例超过50%,下降的区域主要分布在渤海湾、江苏盐城沿岸、东台条子泥、小洋口沿岸,滨海湿地丧失是导致水鸟栖息地面积下降的直接因素。7个物种种群数量呈下降趋势。研究所确定的水鸟保护优先区面积达240.32 km^2...     

东亚-澳大利亚迁徙路线上鸻形目水鸟适宜生境变化:以崇明东滩迁徙停歇地为例

崇明东滩湿地是鸻形目水鸟东亚-澳大利亚迁徙路线上的重要迁徙停歇地。本文借助Landsat ETM+遥感影像对研究地区2000—2010年鸻形目水鸟适宜生境(海三棱藨草和滩涂湿地)的变化进行动态监测,并借助FRAGSTATS景观指数对适宜生境的景观特征进行分析。结果表明,鸻形目水鸟的适宜生境的总面积为10305.52 hm2,仅次于深水区湿地(15918.66 hm2)。海三棱藨草和滩涂湿地的总面积在2000—2006年缓慢增加(从10448.2hm2增加到10696.5 hm2)。海三棱藨草和滩涂湿地面积的增加主要由深水区湿地转化而来,而其面积的减少主要被芦苇和互花米草湿地所取代。与2000年相比,海三棱藨草和滩涂湿地的景观异质性和破碎程度在2010年趋于增加(2000—2006年趋于增加,2006—2010年趋于下降)。在整个景观尺度上,所有湿地的异质性和破碎程度在2000—2006年趋于增加,而在2006—2010年趋于下降。从景观特征来看,研究地区鸻形目水鸟适宜生境的质量(生境组成/要素配置、复杂性、连接性和异质性等)在2000—2006年趋于下降,而在2006—2010年趋于增加。本文结果有助于指导湿地修复与营造策略的制定,以更好地实现在长江河口湿地保护迁徙鸻形目水鸟。     

盐地碱蓬盐沼与相邻泥质滩涂湿地迁徙期鸻鹬类的群落组成及行为差异

盐地碱蓬(Suaeda salsa)盐沼湿地是黄渤海地区河口区域的重要湿地类型, 是水鸟迁徙停歇期的重要栖息地。本研究以辽河口国家级自然保护区为研究地点, 通过对盐地碱蓬盐沼湿地和相邻泥质滩涂两个固定样区连续三年的水鸟组成调查和行为观察, 分析盐地碱蓬盐沼湿地在鸻鹬类多样性维持和栖息地利用中的作用。共记录到鸻鹬类水鸟28种6,348只次, 其中盐地碱蓬湿地记录到4科13种, 泥质滩涂记录到4科27种, 泥质滩涂的物种多样性显著高于盐地碱蓬盐沼湿地。此外, 盐地碱蓬盐沼湿地与相邻的泥质滩涂的鸻鹬类鸟类群落组成存在较大差异, 盐地碱蓬盐沼湿地的鸟类群落组成以体型较大的大杓鹬(Numenius madagascariensis)、白腰杓鹬(N. arquata)、灰鸻(Pluvialis squatarola)等为主, 而泥质滩涂以环颈鸻(Charadrius alexandrinus)、黑腹滨鹬(Calidris alpina)等小型鸻鹬类为主, 这说明两种生境在鸟类多样性维持中具有不同的功能。行为分析发现, 泥质滩涂中栖息鸟类的主要行为为取食(58.71%-93.26%), 而盐地碱蓬盐沼湿地鸟类的行为既包括较大比例的取食, 也包括休息, 特别是在春季迁徙期。这进一步说明, 两种生境在水鸟的栖息地利用中具有一定的生态功能差异。尽管盐地碱蓬盐沼湿地记录到的鸟类物种数和数量均低于泥质滩涂, 但是, 两种生境中存在较大比例的共同分布物种, 这说明其生态功能具有较强的生态互补性, 二者作为一种独特的湿地景观组合, 在鸻鹬类迁徙停歇期的栖息地利用和物种多样性维持中发挥着不可替代的作用。     

吉林长岭龙凤湖保护区东方白鹳种群迁徙动态初步观察

水鸟的迁徙停歇是其生活史中极为重要的一个过程.迁徙停歇地的水文因子和人为活动的变化直接影响水鸟对迁徙停歇地的持续利用.本文统计了 2015至2020年吉林长岭龙凤湖湿地省级自然保护区东方白鹳(Ciconia boyciana)迁徙季节的停歇种群数量和停歇期,并记录东方白鹳停歇地的水位和人为干扰类型,利用相关分析、差异性...     

请给水鸟留下最后的空间

我国沿海各省区都有重要的滨海湿地需要加强保护。人类要生存,工业要发展,在开发和保护中间应该能找到一个平衡点。我认为有几个重要的区域尤其应该加强保护,例如珠江的入海口、深圳湾以及香港的米埔湿地是我国华南十分重要的水鸟越冬地和迁徙中途停歇地,是黑脸琵鹭等水鸟的重要越冬区,闽江口是中华凤头燕鸥、卷羽鹈鹕的主要栖息地之一;江苏盐城的沿海滩涂几乎集中了中国境内90%以上的丹顶鹤越冬群体,上海的崇明岛为鸻鹬类极其重要的迁徙     

多尺度结合的西安市浐灞河湿地水鸟生境保护规划

城市湿地及其物种多样性的保护是城市生态建设的重要内容.结合西安市浐灞河湿地,对城市湿地水鸟生境的保护规划问题进行了探讨.经调查,西安市浐灞河段共发现水鸟20种,分属8目12科,孕育了丰富的水鸟多样性资源.同时保留有本地湿地植物种类,生境类型多样,具有很高的保护价值.浐灞河湿地水鸟生境的保护规划应以景观生态学、保护生物学、复合种群等相关理论为指导,区域/景观-局地-群落多尺度结合,保护与开发结合进行规划,具体从以下方面着手:生境网络的构建;小生境的设计,滨水地带土地利用格局优化及生境水深的控制;生境植物群落的构建.     

基于遥感反演预测“引江济淮”工程对菜子湖越冬水鸟栖息地的影响

菜子湖位于“东亚-澳大利西亚”候鸟迁徙路线上, 为越冬水鸟提供重要的栖息地。“引江济淮”工程拟通过菜子湖调引长江水, 向巢湖和淮河输送水资源。工程实施后, 菜子湖冬季水位将明显抬升, 改变原有自然节律, 导致湿地景观格局发生重大变化, 可能对在此越冬的水鸟产生重要影响。结合遥感影像、水位季节动态及野外水鸟调查, 分析不同水位时各类湿地景观斑块的分布及面积, 预测工程实施后湖泊水位变化对越冬水鸟栖息地的影响。2016年和2017年两次同步调查共记录到水鸟49450只, 隶属于6目12科42种。菜子湖水位和湿地景观格局具有明显的季节动态, 10月份水位开始下降, 暴露多种湿地景观斑块, 泥滩和草滩面积随水位下降而增加, 为多种越冬水鸟提供觅食地。泥滩和草滩的分布具有空间异质性, 越冬水鸟的空间分布与此相适应。“引江济淮”工程实施后, 菜子湖冬季水位较高, 导致大量泥滩和草滩不能暴露, 越冬水鸟栖息地丧失严重, 如东方白鹳(Ciconia boyciana)(EN)、白鹤(Grus leucogeranus) (CR)、白头鹤(Grus monacha)(UV)和鸿雁(Anser cygnoides)(UV)等濒危物种。为降低工程对越冬水鸟栖息地的影响, 建议工程实施后菜子湖越冬期水位应不超过11.5米。     

多类群水鸟共存栖息地网络结构稳定性及其优化方案——以盐城滨海湿地为例

作为新设立的世界自然遗产地,盐城滨海湿地水鸟栖息地保护受到广泛关注。鉴于该区域在全球生物多样性与水鸟栖息地保护中重要性,针对具有空间隔离特征的水鸟栖息地开展网络稳定性研究,对提高遗产地栖息地保护质量具有重要的示范意义。基于此,利用复杂网络理论、生态踏脚石原理和电流模型,分析了盐城滨海湿地多类群水鸟栖息地网络结构现状及不同情景下网络鲁棒性。研究结果显示,三类水鸟重要生境区主要分布在各栖息地内部以及大丰至条子泥栖息地一带,其中,北部生境区数量为18个,南部生境区6个。北部生境区总面积相当于南部生境区的1/2,而平均面积仅相当于1/6。从踏脚石分布来看,其主要分布在重要生境区附近,不同栖息地存在差异。研究区踏脚石网络由35个重要节点和153个一般节点组成,南北部网络结构要素存在差异。最佳保护情景下,网络鲁棒性表现较好,中心度值大的节点对整个网络连通性的支撑作用良好。提出了栖息地网络优化方案。     

Effect of habitat and landscape structure on waterbird abundance in wetlands of central Argentina

Determining the response of birds to local habitat characteristics and landscape structure is essential to understanding habitat selection and its consequences for the distribution of species. This study identified the influence of environmental factors as determinants of the waterbird assemblage composition in 39 wetlands in the Pampas of central Argentina. Multivariate analysis allowed the identification of environmental factors affecting the use of habitat by waterbird species, whose variable numbers were explained by local and landscape environmental factors. Interspecific variation in responses to changes in environmental factors shows that habitat selection occurs at a species-specific level, although species with similar ecological requirements tend to respond similarly to environmental heterogeneity. Plovers and flamingos were mostly associated with high salinity and the presence of a muddy shoreline and temporary ponds; ducks, herons and ibises were associated with vegetation abundance and decrease in salinity; piscivores and carnivorous species were associated with water depth. The small degree of overlap of habitat requirements between some species suggests a high level of specialization within waterbird assemblages. This knowledge can be used for the design of appropriate conservation and management strategies in central Argentina, where the alarming loss of wetlands requires management strategies that ensure the permanence of the greatest diversity of waterbirds.     

合肥市小微湿地鸟类多样性的时空格局及其影响因素

小微湿地是城市生态系统的重要组成部分, 也是生物多样性的重要庇护场所。鸟类作为城市小微湿地生态系统的指示类群, 其多样性时空格局受多种环境因子影响。本研究于2020年8月至2021年7月采用样点法对合肥市45个小微湿地鸟类的种类、数量分布和生境因子进行了调查, 并获取湿地面积、湿地形状、建筑面积比例、植被面积比例、环境噪声、人为干扰和城市化指数等生境变量。通过α多样性和β多样性分析, 研究城市小微湿地鸟类多样性的时空特征及其决定因素。采用信息论模型选择和模型平均法以及基于距离矩阵的多重回归模型进行计算, 确定影响鸟类群落α多样性和β多样性及其组分的主要环境因子。结果显示, 研究区域共有鸟类13目39科102种, 其中水鸟31种, 国家二级重点保护鸟类2种, 安徽省重点保护鸟类17种, IUCN濒危物种红色名录中的易危(VU)物种1种。湿地面积和城市化指数对小微湿地陆地鸟类和水鸟的α多样性、β多样性及其组分均具有显著影响, 其中陆地鸟类物种丰富度在中度和低度城市化之间的小微湿地中达到最高值, 面积超过4 ha的小微湿地能维持较多的水鸟物种。植被面积比例对陆地鸟类多样性具有重要的影响, 而建筑面积比例对水鸟多样性具有显著影响。此外, 总体β多样性及其组分计算结果显示物种周转组分占明显优势, 表明城市小微湿地群作为城市复合生态系统的重要组成部分, 加强整体保护更为必要。研究结果对于加强城市鸟类保护和提高城市生态环境质量具有指导意义。     

Effects of flyway‐wide weather conditions and breeding habitat on the breeding abundance of migratory boreal waterbirds

Anthropogenic habitat loss and climate change are among the major threats to biodiversity. Bioclimatic zones such as the boreal and arctic regions are undergoing rapid environmental change, which will likely trigger changes in wildlife communities. Disentangling the effects of different drivers of environmental change on species is fundamental to better understand population dynamics under changing conditions. Therefore, in this study we investigate the synergistic effect of winter and summer weather conditions and habitat type on the abundance of 17 migratory boreal waterbird species breeding in Finland using three decades (1986–2015) of count data. We found that above‐average temperatures and precipitations across the western and northern range of the wintering grounds have a positive impact on breeding numbers in the following season, particularly for waterbirds breeding in eutrophic wetlands. Conversely, summer temperatures did not seem to affect waterbird abundance. Moreover, waterbird abundance was higher in eutrophic than in oligotrophic wetlands, but long term trends indicated that populations are decreasing faster in eutrophic than in oligotrophic wetlands. Our results suggest that global warming may apparently benefit waterbirds, e.g. by increased winter survival due to more favourable winter weather conditions. However, the observed population declines, particularly in eutrophic wetlands, may also indicate that the quality of breeding habitat is rapidly deteriorating through increased eutrophication in Finland which override the climatic effects. The findings of this study highlight the importance of embracing a holistic approach, from the level of a single catchment up to the whole flyway, in order to effectively address the threats that waterbirds face on their breeding as well as wintering grounds.     

Biotic wetland connectivity—supporting a new approach for wetland policy

Wetlands are key habitats connected physically and socially with processes occurring over a much wider territory. The biotic connection through dispersal mechanisms among wetlands is of primary importance to wetland management and policies. However, traditional wetland conservation approaches are based on the preservation of isolated sites considered to be of special importance (typically owing to their importance for concentrations of migratory waterbirds). Research linking local species richness and bird migration suggests that the effect of wetland loss on regional diversity might be much larger than what would be expected from direct habitat loss. Since the biotic connection among wetlands serviced by waterbirds appears to be more efficient within a limited range, the distribution of wetlands in space is a key aspect determining wetland connectedness even in the absence of direct hydrologic links. Protected areas should thus be defined with regard to waterfowl movements and waterbird migration as functional processes contributing to aquatic species migration and local species richness. This calls for a regional approach to wetland management within a continental context. This paper aims at defining an operational view of the dispersion function of wetlands and its implication for conservation policies. For this purpose, we examined the conservation policies of the Ramsar Convention (the international treaty that protects wetlands) and the European Union (as an example of relevant continental level policy-making) from the viewpoint of bird-mediated dispersal of aquatic organisms. We propose nine specific avenues for the inclusion of bird-mediated dispersal in the policy documents examined. Non-governmental organisations and other organisations working in waterbird conservation should also recognise the importance of their policies for aquatic biodiversity at broader levels and avoid compartmentalising their conservation activities.     

Changes in distribution of waterbirds following prolonged drought reflect habitat availability in coastal and inland regions

Provision of suitable habitat for waterbirds is a major challenge for environmental managers in arid and semiarid regions with high spatial and temporal variability in rainfall. It is understood in broad terms that to survive waterbirds must move according to phases of wet–dry cycles, with coastal habitats providing drought refugia and inland wetlands used during the wet phase. However, both inland and coastal wetlands are subject to major anthropogenic pressures, and the various species of waterbird may have particular habitat requirements and respond individualistically to spatiotemporal variations in resource distribution. A better understanding of the relationships between occurrence of waterbirds and habitat condition under changing climatic conditions and anthropogenic pressures will help clarify patterns of habitat use and the targeting of investments in conservation. We provide the first predictive models of habitat availability between wet and dry phases for six widely distributed waterbird species at a large spatial scale. We first test the broad hypothesis that waterbirds are largely confined to coastal regions during a dry phase. We then examine the contrasting results among the six species, which support other hypotheses erected on the basis of their ecological characteristics. There were large increases in area of suitable habitat in inland regions in the wet year compared with the dry year for all species, ranging from 4.14% for Australian White Ibis to 31.73% for Eurasian Coot. With over half of the suitable habitat for three of the six species was located in coastal zones during drought, our study highlights the need to identify and conserve coastal drought refuges. Monitoring of changes in extent and condition of wetlands, combined with distribution modeling of waterbirds, will help support improvements in the conservation and management of waterbirds into the future.     

Nestedness theory suggests wetland fragments with large areas and macrophyte diversity benefit waterbirds

Many artificial wetland constructions are currently underway worldwide to compensate for the degradation of natural wetland systems. Researchers face the responsibility of proposing wetland management and species protection strategies to ensure that constructed wetlands positively impact waterbird diversity. Nestedness is a commonly occurring pattern for biotas in fragmented habitats with important implications for conservation; however, only a few studies have focused on seasonal waterbird communities in current artificial wetlands. In this study, we used the nestedness theory for analyzing the annual and seasonal community structures of waterbirds in artificial wetlands at Lake Dianchi (China) to suggest artificial wetland management and waterbird conservation strategies. We carried out three waterbird surveys per month for one year to observe the annual, spring, summer, autumn, and winter waterbird assemblages in 27 lakeside artificial wetland fragments. We used the NeD program to quantify nestedness patterns of waterbirds at the annual and seasonal levels. We also determined Spearman partial correlations to examine the associations of nestedness rank and habitat variables to explore the factors underlying nestedness patterns. We found that annual and all four seasonal waterbird compositions were nested, and selective extinction and habitat nestedness were the main factors governing nestedness. Further, selective colonization was the key driver of nestedness in autumn and winter waterbirds. We suggest that the area of wetland fragments should be as large as possible and that habitat heterogeneity should be maximized to fulfill the conservation needs of different seasonal waterbirds. Furthermore, we suggest that future studies should focus on the least area criterion and that vegetation management of artificial wetland construction should be based on the notion of sustainable development for humans and wildlife.     

Importance of gravel pits for the conservation of waterbirds in the Garonne river floodplain (southwest France)

The loss of natural wetlands throughout the World has made created habitats such as gravel pits, reservoirs or rice fields potentially important for waterbird conservation. In southwest France, the increasing abundance of gravel pits has allowed several bird species to colonize the region. The avian community was studied from 1996 to 1998 in six gravel pits in the Garonne floodplain. A total of 39 species of waterbirds were recorded, with higher abundance during the winter and post-breeding periods. We analyzed habitat use to identify key environmental factors determining the temporal and spatial distribution of the avian community. The presence of submerged macrophytes was found to be the most important factor influencing the distribution of waterbirds. The presence of paths in the vicinity of the areas reduced both the total number of birds and species richness owing to human disturbance. Gravel pits have an increasingly important role in the conservation of bird biodiversity. By controlling disturbance and management of vegetation, managers can enhance this role.     

Are artificial wetlands good alternatives to natural wetlands for waterbirds? – A case study on Chongming Island, China

Loss of natural wetlands is a global phenomenon that has been a serious threat to the wildlife. A common practice is to construct artificial wetlands to compensate for the loss of natural wetlands. To test whether artificial wetlands as habitats for waterbirds are good alternatives to natural wetlands, we compared species richness, abundance, and seasonal dynamics of waterbird communities of natural (here tidelands) and artificial wetlands (here aquacultural ponds) on Chongming Island, China. Our results indicate that habitat preference of waterbirds showed seasonal difference: most of the shorebirds were found on tidelands in spring, whereas most of the natatorial birds were recorded in aquacultural ponds in winter. Waterbirds preferred the tidelands rather than aquacultural ponds in both spring and autumn, whereas they showed no preference for either the tidelands or the ponds in summer and winter. It is concluded that natural wetlands are better habitats for waterbirds than artificial wetlands on Chongming Island, while the artificial ones are also suitable habitats for waterbirds in winter. The waterbirds might use artificial wetlands only when natural wetlands are unavailable or of poor quality. An over-emphasis that artificial wetlands are suitable habitats for waterbirds might encourage land managers to convert natural wetlands into the artificial ones, resulting in considerable loss of bird diversity. Therefore, for the purpose of bird conservation, it would be a better practice to conserve natural wetlands rather than to construct artificial ones after destruction of natural wetlands.     

Fine scale waterbody data improve prediction of waterbird occurrence despite coarse species data

While modelling habitat suitability and species distribution, ecologists must deal with issues related to the spatial resolution of species occurrence and environmental data. Indeed, given that the spatial resolution of species and environmental datasets range from centimeters to hundreds of kilometers, it underlines the importance of choosing the optimal combination of resolutions to achieve the highest possible modelling prediction accuracy. We evaluated how the spatial resolution of land cover/waterbody datasets (meters to 1 km) affect waterbird habitat suitability models based on atlas data (grid cell of 12 × 11 km). We hypothesized that the area, perimeter and number of waterbodies computed from high resolution datasets would explain distributions of waterbirds better because coarse resolution datasets omit small waterbodies affecting species occurrence. Specifically, we investigated which spatial resolution of waterbodies better explain the distribution of seven waterbirds nesting on ponds/lakes with areas ranging from 0.1 ha to hundreds of hectares. Our results show that the area and perimeter of waterbodies derived from high resolution datasets (raster data with 30 m resolution, vector data corresponding with map scale 1:10 000) explain the distribution of the waterbirds better than those calculated using less accurate datasets despite the coarse grain of the species data. Taking into account the spatial extent (global vs regional) of the datasets, we found the Global Inland Waterbody Dataset to be the most suitable for modelling distribution of waterbirds. In general, we recommend using land cover data of a resolution sufficient to capture the smallest patches of the habitat suitable for a given species’ presence for both fine and coarse grain habitat suitability and distribution modelling.     

Waterbird Response to Wetlands Restored Through the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program

Abstract: Conservation programs that facilitate restoration of natural areas on private land are one of the best strategies for recovery of valuable wetland acreage in critical ecoregions of the United States. Wetlands enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) provide many ecological functions but may be particularly important as habitat for migrant and resident waterbirds; however, use of, and factors associated with use of, CREP wetlands as stopover and breeding sites have not been evaluated. We surveyed a random sample of CREP wetlands in the Illinois River watershed in 2004 and 2005 to quantify use of restored wetlands by spring migrating and breeding waterbirds. Waterbirds used 75% of wetlands during spring migration. Total use-day abundance for the entire spring migration ranged from 0 to 49,633 per wetland and averaged 6,437 ± 1,887 (SE). Semipermanent wetlands supported the greatest total number of use-days and the greatest number of use-days relative to wetland area. Species richness ranged from 0 to 42 (x̄ = 10.0 ± 1.5 [SE]), and 5 of these species were classified as endangered in Illinois. Density of waterfowl breeding pairs ranged from 0.0 pairs/ha to 16.6 pairs/ha (x̄ = 1.9 ± 0.5 [SE] pairs/ha), and 16 species of wetland birds were identified as local breeders. Density of waterfowl broods ranged from 0.0 broods/ha to 3.6 broods/ha and averaged 0.5 ± 0.1 (SE) broods/ha. We also modeled spring stopover use, waterbird species richness, and waterfowl reproduction in relation to spatial, physical, and floristic characteristics of CREP wetlands. The best approximating models to explain variation in all 3 dependent variables included only the covariate accounting for level of hydrologic management (i.e., none, passive, or active). Active management was associated with 858% greater use-days during spring than sites with only passive water management. Sites where hydrology was passively managed also averaged 402% greater species richness than sites where no hydrologic management was possible. Density of waterfowl broods was 120% greater on passively managed sites than on sites without water management but was 29% less on sites with active compared to passive hydrologic management. Densities of waterfowl broods also were greatest when ratios of open water to cover were 70:30. Models that accounted for vegetation quality and landscape variables ranked lower than models based solely on hydrologic management or vegetation cover in all candidate sets. Although placement and clustering of sites may be critical for maintaining populations of some wetland bird species, these factors appeared to be less important for attracting migrant waterbirds in our study area. In the context of restored CREP wetlands, we suggest the greatest gains in waterbird use and reproduction may be accomplished by emphasizing site-specific restoration efforts related to hydrology and floristic structure. (JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT 72(3):654–664; 2008)