Use of Shrub Habitats by Fall Birds at Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge, Alabama, New York

Many studies have suggested that early successional habitats are important for fall migrants and resident birds. In light of this, I studied birds at Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge, Alabama NY, to determine habitat relationships, fruit consumption, and utility of transects and mist nets for counting birds in early successional habitats during the fall. I used transects to count birds in 18 sites (12 shrub and six forest) during the fall in 2008 and 2009, and collected habitat data to construct habitat models. I examined frugivory of fall birds by employing a paired open/enclosed fruit branch method and by analyzing fecal samples. I also sampled birds using mist nets and transects simultaneously to determine if the two methods yield similar estimates of bird abundance. More birds were detected in shrub lands than in forests across the two years. Total bird abundance was affected positively by fruiting species richness and negatively by small stem abundance. American Robin (Turdus migratorius) abundance was positively related to total shrub cover and common buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica) fruit abundance, and negatively related to both small and large stem abundance. Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis) abundance was positively related to fruiting shrub species richness. Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) abundance was positively related to gray dogwood (Cornus racemosa) fruit abundance, and negatively related to small stem abundance and bella honeysuckle (Lonicera X bella) fruit abundance. Birds as a whole consumed fruit disproportionately relative to availability, consuming more bella honeysuckle and common buckthorn than gray dogwood. Fruits disappeared from open shrub branches significantly faster than netted branches, suggesting frugivory occurred. Mist nets detected a greater species richness than transects in all fields and years. Correlations between mist net and transect bird abundances were mixed, with significant positive relationships for larger, noisy species such as Gray Catbirds, American Robins, and Song Sparrows, but not for small, cryptic species. My results suggest shrublands that contain fall fruiting shrub species are the best habitats to manage for fall birds. Also, transects are an adequate method of sampling fall birds in early successional habitats given several important qualifiers related to detectability

Use of Shrub Habitats by Fall Birds at Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge, Alabama, New York

Many studies have suggested that early successional habitats are important for fall migrants and resident birds. In light of this, I studied birds at Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge, Alabama NY, to determine habitat relationships, fruit consumption, and utility of transects and mist nets for counting birds in early successional habitats during the fall. I used transects to count birds in 18 sites (12 shrub and six forest) during the fall in 2008 and 2009, and collected habitat data to construct habitat models. I examined frugivory of fall birds by employing a paired open/enclosed fruit branch method and by analyzing fecal samples. I also sampled birds using mist nets and transects simultaneously to determine if the two methods yield similar estimates of bird abundance. More birds were detected in shrub lands than in forests across the two years. Total bird abundance was affected positively by fruiting species richness and negatively by small stem abundance. American Robin (Turdus migratorius) abundance was positively related to total shrub cover and common buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica) fruit abundance, and negatively related to both small and large stem abundance. Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis) abundance was positively related to fruiting shrub species richness. Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) abundance was positively related to gray dogwood (Cornus racemosa) fruit abundance, and negatively related to small stem abundance and bella honeysuckle (Lonicera X bella) fruit abundance. Birds as a whole consumed fruit disproportionately relative to availability, consuming more bella honeysuckle and common buckthorn than gray dogwood. Fruits disappeared from open shrub branches significantly faster than netted branches, suggesting frugivory occurred. Mist nets detected a greater species richness than transects in all fields and years. Correlations between mist net and transect bird abundances were mixed, with significant positive relationships for larger, noisy species such as Gray Catbirds, American Robins, and Song Sparrows, but not for small, cryptic species. My results suggest shrublands that contain fall fruiting shrub species are the best habitats to manage for fall birds. Also, transects are an adequate method of sampling fall birds in early successional habitats given several important qualifiers related to detectability.SUNY BrockportEnvironmental Science and BiologyMaster of Science (MS)Environmental Science and Ecology These

Restoration of a Lake Ontario-connected fen through invasive \u3ci\u3eTypha\u3c/i\u3e removal

Lake-level regulation that began in 1960 eliminated large fluctuations of Lake Ontario water levels, altering coastal wetland plant communities. More than a half century later, the altered hydroperiod supports dense, monotypic stands of invasive cattail (Typha angustifolia and Typha × glauca), which have diminished overall plant community diversity. As a result, Lake Ontario coastal wetlands are less capable of providing many of their traditional ecological functions. One such wetland is Buttonwood Fen, a floating, lake-connected peatland on Lake Ontario’s southern shore near Rochester, NY. We implemented cattailcontrol measures from 2016 to 2018 with the goal of decreasing live and dead cattail biomass and increasing cover of native fen taxa. Site manipulation included removal of dead cattail biomass, cutting new cattail growth when rhizome carbohydrate reserves were at their lowest, and hand-wicking regrowth with herbicide in early fall. Results showed a decrease in live cattail stem density and cover and dead biomass cover, as well as an increase in cover of fen taxa. Although not a replicated study, our results suggest that removing dead cattail biomass and targeted treatment of live cattail stems via cutting and hand-wicking with glyphosate can reduce cattail and improve site quality

Restoration of a Lake Ontario-connected fen through invasive Typha removal

Lake-level regulation that began in 1960 eliminated large fluctuations of Lake Ontario water levels, altering coastal wetland plant communities. More than a half century later, the altered hydroperiod supports dense, monotypic stands of invasive cattail (Typha angustifolia and Typha glauca), which have diminished overall plant community diversity. As a result, Lake Ontario coastal wetlands are less capable of providing many of their traditional ecological functions. One such wetland is Buttonwood Fen, a floating, lake-connected peatland on Lake Ontario’s southern shore near Rochester, NY. We implemented cattailcontrol measures from 2016 to 2018 with the goal of decreasing live and dead cattail biomass and increasing cover of native fen taxa. Site manipulation included removal of dead cattail biomass, cutting new cattail growth when rhizome carbohydrate reserves were at their lowest, and hand-wicking regrowth with herbicide in early fall. Results showed a decrease in live cattail stem density and cover and dead biomass cover, as well as an increase in cover of fen taxa. Although not a replicated study, our results suggest that removing dead cattail biomass and targeted treatment of live cattail stems via cutting and hand-wicking with glyphosate can reduce cattail and improve site quality.VoRSUNY BrockportDepartment of Environmental Science and EcologyN/

Fen development along the southern shore of Lake Ontario

Fen development along a drowned-river-mouth tributary to Braddock Bay, Lake Ontario was studied to address its formation. Nested piezometers were installed to assess groundwater contributions and obtain water chemistry samples. Soil and geology information came from existing sources. We converted paleo lake levels from published reports to IGLD1985 and calendar years BP for use in analyzing vegetation changes over time using a combination of peat-core plant macrofossils and modern surveys. Piezometer data showed upward discharge, water at 3-m depth had pH 6.9, specific conductivity of 508 lS/cm, and alkalinity 206 mg/L as CaCO3. Hydraulic head and mineralized water chemistry decreased at shallower depths. Vegetative development began 1790 cal yr BP with sedges and brown moss when land surface was 0.135 m above lake level. Lake levels increased, and by 1590 cal yr BP, water was 0.17 m deep and sedges were joined by shoreline emergent species. Water depth then increased to 0.525 m but began decreasing as lake levels fell. Peatland species appeared around 810 cal yr BP when water depth was reduced to 0.225 m. About 585 cal yr BP, additional peatland species appeared when land surface was 0.075 m above lake level. Sphagnum became prominent 80 cal yr BP (0.81 m above lake level), representing 67 % mean cover in modern vegetation. Isolation of the surface from calcareous groundwater resulted in transition from rich fen to poor fen. These wetlands are rare in the lower Great Lakes and deserve protection of their characteristic hydrology, water chemistry, and vegetation structure.NASUNY BrockportDepartment of Environmental Science and EcologyN/

Scale-dependent spatial match between fruits and fruit-eating birds during the breeding season in Yungas Andean forests

The multi-scale spatial match between bird and food abundances is a main driver of the structure of fruit-eating bird assemblages. We explored how the activity of fruit-eating birds was influenced by the abundance of fruits at the local and landscape scales in Andean mountain forests during the breeding season, when most birds forage close to their nest. We measured: (1) the spatial scale of variation in the abundance of fruits, (2) the spatial scale of variation in the activity of fruit-eating birds, and (3) the spatial match between both variables. The sampling design consisted of eleven 1.2-ha sites, each subdivided into 30 cells of 20 × 20 m, where we sampled fruits and fruit-eating birds. We found that fruit consumption, and to a lesser extent bird abundance, were associated with local spatial variation in abundance of selected fruit species. However, fruit-eating birds did not modify their spatial distribution in the landscape following changes in availability of these fruits. Our study shows that fruit-eating birds detect local spatial variation in fruit availability in their home breeding ranges, and exploit patches with large clusters of selected fruits. However, it may be unprofitable for breeding birds to stray too far from their nests to exploit fruit-rich patches, accounting for the absence of fruit tracking at larger spatial scales.El ajuste espacial a escalas múltiples entre las abundancias de aves y sus recursos alimenticios es un importante proceso estructurador de los ensamblajes de aves frugívoras. Exploramos si la actividad de las aves frugívoras estuvo influenciada por la abundancia de frutos a las escalas local y de paisaje en bosques de montaña andinos. Hicimos el estudio durante la época de cría, cuando la mayoría de las aves frugívoras deben moverse cerca del nido. Para ello, evaluamos la escala de variación en la abundancia de frutos, en la actividad de las aves frugívoras, y la escala del ajuste espacial entre ambas variables. Estudiamos once sitios de 1.2 ha, cada uno dividido en una cuadrícula de 30 celdas de 20 × 20 m en las que muestreamos frutos y aves frugívoras. Los resultados muestran que la variación espacial en la abundancia de frutos fue menor a escala de paisaje que a escala local. Varias especies de frutos fueron más consumidas de lo esperado por su oferta. El consumo de frutos, y en menor medida la abundancia de frugívoros, estuvo asociada a la variación espacial local en la abundancia de estos frutos seleccionados. Los frugívoros no modificaron su distribución espacial en el paisaje en función de la disponibilidad de frutos durante la temporada de cría. Nuestro estudio demuestra que durante la estación reproductiva, las aves frugívoras son capaces de detectar la variación espacial local en la disponibilidad de frutos seleccionados, a fin de explotar, dentro de sus áreas de acción, los parches ricos en dichos frutos. A escalas espaciales mayores, la ausencia de rastreo de frutos puede deberse a la incapacidad de las aves reproductoras de responder a los marcados cambios a corto plazo en la abundancia local de frutos, sumado a que el rastreo y la explotación de frutos a escala de paisaje dejaría de ser rentable para las aves reproductoras si es que deben alejarse demasiado del nido.Fil: Blendinger, Pedro Gerardo. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo. Instituto de Ecología Regional; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Jiménez, Julieta. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo. Instituto de Ecología Regional; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Macchi, Leandro. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo. Instituto de Ecología Regional; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Martín, Eduardo. Fundación Miguel Lillo; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Sanchez, Mariano Sebastian. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo; ArgentinaFil: Ayup, Marta. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo. Instituto de Ecología Regional; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin