Graduate Project
 

Is Cover Type Use by Dabbling Ducks at Bald Knob National Wildlife Refuge, Arkansas, Related to Energy Availability?

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https://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/concern/graduate_projects/8s45qh53q

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  • Managers of U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Bald Knob National Wildlife Refuge (Refuge) in central Arkansas want to provide sufficient habitat resources to meet its population objectives for wintering waterfowl. Nutrient reserves acquired during the wintering period appear to support spring migration and subsequent reproductive success for some species, and Refuge managers have prioritized habitat provision for three species of dabbling ducks (mallards, northern pintails, and green-winged teal). Dabbling duck use of a flooded parcel is hypothesized to relate to the energetic value of food provided by each cover type, but such comparative use has not previously been evaluated for the Refuge. Primary and secondary literature were reviewed to describe waterfowl management and the application of bioenergetics in habitat modeling.. The case study used survey data from fourteen wintering seasons from 2006-07 to 2019-20. Duck use days (DUDs) and duck energy days (DEDs) were analyzed for correlation in ten cover types. The study found a strong correlation in rice and a weak correlation in moist-soil; DEDs in all other cover types appeared to be unrelated to duck use. Duck use was highest in wooded wetlands, despite a low DED/acre value. Based on these results, duck use may not be an effective tool for the Refuge to estimate energy availability, except perhaps in rice and moist-soil. Variation in migration, disturbance, population size, and life history strategies related to habitat resources other than food density likely affect duck use of the Refuge. Limitations to this study were identified which may have affected the results (e.g., decision to exclude hunting areas, daytime surveys, etc.). Recommendations for the Refuge include provision of wooded wetlands, rice, and moist-soil vegetation, limiting water depths to that of optimal foraging depth for dabbling ducks, and adjusting the timing of surveys to more closely coincide with when ducks are actively foraging. Varieties of habitat resources are likely ideal to support species diversity.
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  • Pending Publication
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  • 2021-03-24 to 2022-04-25

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