The conversion of wetland systems to aquaculture provides alternate aquatic habitats for a variety of waterbirds. In response to the 2010 British Petroleum oil spill, the National Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) enacted the Migratory Bird Habitat Initiative (MBHI) through which NRCS partnered with landowners to provide additional wetlands and associated foraging habitat for migrating waterbirds. During winters 2011–2013, I estimated abundances of waterbirds, seeds, and invertebrates in six production and idled aquaculture facilities in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley. Wintering waterbirds exhibited similar densities on production (i.e., ~22 birds/ha) and idled (i.e., ~20 birds/ha) MBHI sites. My results suggest production and idled MBHI aquaculture impoundments produced suitable conditions for waterbirds in terms of food and habitat. I recommend future programs strive to enroll properties that promote an increased diversity of habitats in terms of vegetation structure, available forage, and varying water depth, with the aim of maximizing waterbird diversity.

No evaluations of plant and wildlife communities in Wetlands Reserve Program wetlands have been conducted in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley. Therefore, I evaluated active and passive moist-soil management (MTYPE) and early and late draw-down on plant communities, waterbird use, and water quality on 18 WRP lands, Mississippi, 2007-2009. Active-early sites had greater waterfowl Vegetative Forage Quality (VFQI), percentage occurrence of grass, plant diversity, and structural composition than passively managed sites (P < 0.10). I modeled variation in densities of wintering waterbirds; the best model included VFQI*MTYPE and decreased % woody vegetation (wi ≥ 0.79). Additionally, waterbird densities varied positively with active-late management (R2 ≤ 0.27), as did duck species richness with flooded area (R2 = 0.66). I compared water quality parameters among managed wetlands and drainage ditches but did not detect differences due to variability. Therefore, wetland restoration on WRP lands should focus on active management and maximizing wetland area.

I estimated yield, population metrics, production costs, and evaluated consumer acceptability and nutritive content of crayfish (Procambarus clarkii, P. zonangulus) harvested from moist-soil wetlands in the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley (MAV) during springs 2009-2011. I also compared nutrient and sediment concentrations and loads exported from moist-soil wetlands and nearest agriculture fields in the MAV during winters 2010-2012. Daily yield of crayfish from moist-soil wetlands was 2.4 kg (wet) ha-1 (SE = 0.50; 95% CI = 1.3-3.4). When graded by size, yield of large crayfish (> 30 g) from wetlands dominated by P. clarkii was four times greater (P < 0.05) than yield of large crayfish from wetlands dominated by P. zonangulus. Crayfish harvesting costs (2013 US dollars [$]) ranged from $405.69 ha-1 to $917.88 ha-1 and breakeven selling prices ranged from $3.74 kg-1 to $8.49 kg-1. Consumer acceptability, proximate composition, and total fatty acid content of P. clarkii did not differ (0.73 > P > 0.11) between crayfish harvested from moist-soil wetlands and rice-crayfish culture fields in Louisiana. Although selling prices likely will not compete with prices for crayfish harvested from Louisiana rice fields ($2.75 kg-1; 2012 US$), harvesting crayfish from moist-soil wetlands may enhance recreational opportunities while increasing awareness of ecosystem benefits of these wetlands. Although concentrations (mg L-1) of soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) in runoff from moist-soil wetlands and adjoining croplands did not differ (P = 0.95), concentrations of total and particulate phosphorus, nitrate-nitrogen, and total suspended solids were 42, 52, 86, and 89% lower (P < 0.03) in runoff from moist-soil wetlands. However, the load (kg ha-1) of SRP from moist-soil wetlands was six times (P = 0.08) greater than load from croplands. Estimated loading rate of total phosphorus from moistsoil wetlands (2.36 kg ha-1 year-1) was greater than the rate reported by regulatory agencies in Mississippi (1 kg ha-1 year-1), but field replication is needed to verify these results. Nearly 80% of the total loads exported from moist-soil wetlands occurred during < 30% runoff events. Retention of runoff from storm events may reduce phosphorus loss from moist-soil wetlands while not interfering with conservation objectives.

Waste rice in harvested fields and natural seeds in moist-soil wetlands are important foods for waterfowl in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley (MAV). Waste rice declines significantly between harvest and late autumn. I conducted experiments in 19 rice fields in Arkansas and Mississippi during autumns 2003 and 2004 to evaluate the ability of common post-harvest practices to conserve waste rice between harvest and late autumn. Greatest mean abundance of waste rice in late autumn occurred in standing stubble (x&95 = 105 kg/ha; CL = 72.84, 150.16 kg/ha) followed by burned (x&95 = 72 kg/ha; 49.57, 105.81 kg/ha), mowed (x&95 = 67 kg/ha; 46.65, 97.42 kg/ha), rolled (x&95 = 51 kg/ha; 35.54, 73.076 kg/ha), and disked stubble (x&95 = 48 kg/ha; 33.26, 68.41 kg/ha). I recommend leaving stubble or burning fields to create interspersion of stubble and water after flooding. Additionally, I estimated abundance of moist-soil seed in 72 management units on public lands throughout the MAV for autumns 2002-2004. Mean seed abundance was 496 kg/ha (SE = 62). I recommend increased active management of moist-soil wetlands to mitigate decreased availability of waste rice in the MAV.

The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) implemented the Migratory Bird Habitat Initiative (MBHI) in summer 2010 to provide wetlands for waterbirds inland from the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill. To evaluate MBHI and associated wetland management practices, I estimated seed and waterbird densities in MBHI and non-managed wetlands in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley (MAV) of Mississippi and Louisiana. Although not statistically different, wetlands enrolled in MBHI contained 1.26 and 1.53 times more seed biomass and seeds consumed by waterfowl than non-managed wetlands, respectively. I also detected 3 times more dabbling ducks and all ducks combined on MBHI wetlands. When I combined density data for all waterbird species, MBHI wetlands contained more than 2 times as many birds than control wetlands. Management via MBHI increased waterbird and potential food abundances, suggesting NRCS consider sustaining MBHI and provide financial incentives to landowners for management of wetlands in the MAV and United States.

No description available.

The mid-Atlantic coast region, an area of continental significance to migratory and wintering waterfowl and shorebirds, contains numerous moist-soil impoundments that are managed for waterbirds. Positive relationships between nonbreeding body condition and subsequent survival and reproduction have been documented for waterfowl, yet few evaluations of habitat management consider nutritional value of foods. I assessed 2 types of impoundment manipulation, using nutritional data as a basis for evaluation.Invertebrate and plant seed production were measured in disced and control plots in impoundments at Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Seed production was higher (P = 0.0614) in disced (1052 ± 468 kg / ha) than in control (529 ± 226 kg / ha) plots. Discing produced higher Chironomid larva abundance during spring, and higher abundance of Amphipods and non-Chironomid Diptera during fall. Waterbird predation reduced abundance of Chironomid larvae, non-Chironomid Diptera, and Amphipods. The predation effect on Total Invertebrate dry mass was 2x higher in disced than in control areas.Invertebrate production also was measured in habitats denuded by foraging greater snow geese (Anser caerulescens atlantica) at Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge. Chironomid larvae were 2 -6x more abundant in vegetated habitats than in areas where geese had foraged intensively, but exclosure data showed little effect of shorebird predation on invertebrate abundance. These results suggest that high goose populations can reduce waterbird food availability, and that shorebird use of invertebrates in denuded habitats is low.Mean true metabolizable energy (TME) of moist-soil seeds and invertebrates in blue-winged teal (Anas discors) ranged from -0.18 - 3.47 kcal / g. Correction of means for fiber concentration eliminated negative values, thereby enhancing their practical value.Potential duck use-days predicted using TME and seed production data were about 2x higher for disced than for control areas at Back Bay. Magnitude of the discing effect on duck use-days was largely insensitive to different estimates of seed nutritional value, although substantial variation in absolute measures of potential carrying capacity occurred. Discing positively influenced invertebrate abundance, and quantity and quality of moist-soil seeds produced, and should be considered a viable habitat management approach for both shorebirds and waterfowl. / Ph. D.

Rice not collected by harvesters and natural seeds are important foods for waterfowl. Estimation of abundance of these seeds is necessary for calculating waterfowl habitat conservation needs in the Louisiana Chenier Plain (LCP) and Texas Mid-Coast (TMC). My objectives were to quantify dry mass of rice and other seeds from August-November 2010, and estimate waterbird abundances on farmed and idle ricelands in these regions from December 2010-March 2011. Rice abundance in farmed ricelands ranged from 159.7 kg/ha (CV = 66.6%) to 1,014.0 kg/ha (CV = 8.3%). Natural seed abundance in idle ricelands ranged from 99.7 kg/ha (CV = 32.9%) to 957.4 kg/ha (CV = 17.2%). Greatest waterbird densities occurred in shallowly flooded (i.e., ¡Ü30 cm) disked ricelands (mean = 7.35 waterbirds/ha, 90%; CI = 2.37-19.70). Ratoon, disked, and shallowly flooded ricelands are important habitat for non-breeding waterbirds but variable estimates of seed and waterbird abundances warrant continuation of this study.