Research Task: 8327CNF.1.0
Task Manager: Adrian Farmer
Both quality and distribution of wetland “stopover” habitat are crucial for birds that migrate long distances between wintering and breeding grounds. Stopover sites provide rest, food energy for the next leg of the journey, and nutritional reserves for breeding success. In the Central Flyway states, wetlands have been drastically reduced over time. Climate change threatens further losses, which in turn can have profound effects on migratory bird populations. In this task, FORT scientists are studying how climate change might affect the network of wetland stopover sites and the sensitivity of migratory birds to such changes. This information will help land and resource managers identify priorities on a regional scale to ensure an adequate network of high-quality sites, a central feature of the U.S. Shorebird Conservation Plan. Results to date show that migrating shorebirds may be constrained by migration habitat in dry years in the Great Plains, and climate models show that such dry years are much more likely in a warmer, drier future. Current modeling efforts are focused on a risk assessment, to determine the likelihood of fitness declines due to a higher frequency of dry years in the future in the Great Plains.
For more information contact Adrian Farmer
U.S. Department of the Interior | U.S. Geological Survey
URL: http://www.fort.usgs.gov/Research/research_tasks.asp
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