Influence of lake levels on water extent,interspersion, and marsh birds in Great Lakes coastal wetlands |
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Authors: | Tara R. Hohman Robert W. Howe Douglas C. Tozer Erin E. Gnass Giese Amy T. Wolf Gerald J. Niemi Thomas M. Gehring Greg P. Grabas Christopher J. Norment |
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Affiliation: | 1. University of Wisconsin-Green Bay Cofrin Center of Biodiversity, 2420 Nicolet Drive, MAC 212, Green Bay, WI 54311, USA;2. Long Point Waterfowl and Wetlands Research Program, Birds Canada, PO Box 160 (Courier: 115 Front Road), Port Rowan, ON N0E 1M0, Canada;4. University of Wisconsin-Green Bay Department of Natural and Applied Sciences, 2420 Nicolet Drive, Green Bay, WI 54311, USA;5. University of Minnesota Duluth Natural Resources Research Institute, 5013 Miller Trunk Highway, Duluth, MN 55811, USA;6. Central Michigan University Department of Biology, Institute for Great Lakes Research, Mount Pleasant, MI 48859, USA;8. State University of New York College at Brockport, Department of Environmental Science and Ecology, 350 New Campus Drive, Lennon Hall, Brockport, NY 14420, USA;1. Department of Medical Physics and Applied Radiation Sciences, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4K1, Canada;2. The Greer Galloway Group, 973 Crawford Drive, Peterborough, Ontario K9J 3X1, Canada;3. Medical Sciences Division, Northern Ontario School of Medicine, 935 Ramsey Lake Road, Sudbury, Ontario P3E 2C6, Canada;4. Bruce Power, PO Box 1540, 177 Tie Road, R.R. 2, Tiverton, Ontario N0G 2T0, Canada;5. Department of Biology, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Parkway, Regina, Saskatchewan S4S 0A2, Canada;6. Department of Biology, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4K1, Canada;1. Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Great Lakes Laboratory for Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, 867 Lakeshore Road, Burlington, ON L7R 4A6, Canada;2. Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, 101 Exchange Avenue, Vaughan, ON L4K 5R6, Canada;3. McMaster University, Department of Biology, 1280 Main St. W., Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada;4. Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks, Environmental Monitoring and Reporting Branch, 125 Resources Road, Toronto, Ontario M9P 3V6, Canada;1. Freshwater Fisheries Conservation Lab, Department of Biology, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario K7L 3N6, Canada;2. Lake Ontario Management Unit, Glenora Fisheries Station, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, Picton, Ontario, Canada;3. New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Lake Ontario Unit, Cape Vincent, NY 13618, United States;4. U.S. Geological Survey, Great Lakes Science Center, Lake Ontario Biological Station, Oswego, NY, United States;1. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Lower Great Lakes Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office, 1101 Casey Road, Basom, NY 14013, United States;2. Pennsylvania Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Pennsylvania State University, 413 Forest Resources Building, University Park, PA 16802, United States;3. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Northeast Fishery Center, 308 Washington Ave, Lamar, PA 16848, United States;4. U.S. Geological Survey, Pennsylvania Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, United States;1. Quantitative Fisheries Center, Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, United States;2. Biological Services – Great Lakes Section, Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission, Odanah, WI 54861, United States;1. Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Lake St. Clair Fisheries Research Station, 33135 South River Road, Harrison Township, MI 48045, United States;2. Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Lake Erie Management Unit, 7806 Gale Rd, Waterford, MI 48327, United States;3. Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, Lake Erie Management Unit, 320 Milo Rd, Wheatley, ON, Candada;4. Division of Wildlife, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Sandusky Fisheries Research Station, 305 E. Shoreline Drive, Sandusky, OH 44870, United States;5. U. S. Geological Survey, Great Lakes Science Center, 1451 Green Rd., Ann Arbor, MI 48105, United States |
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Abstract: | Coastal wetlands in the Laurentian Great Lakes undergo frequent, sometimes dramatic, physical changes at varying spatial and temporal scales. Changes in lake levels and the juxtaposition of vegetation and open water greatly influence biota that use coastal wetlands. Several regional studies have shown that changes in vegetation and lake levels lead to predictable changes in the composition of coastal wetland bird communities. We report new findings of wetland bird community changes at a broader scale, covering the entire Great Lakes basin. Our results indicate that water extent and interspersion increased in coastal wetlands across the Great Lakes between low (2013) and high (2018) lake-level years, although variation in the magnitude of change occurred within and among lakes. Increases in water extent and interspersion resulted in a general increase in marsh-obligate and marsh-facultative bird species richness. Species like American bittern (Botaurus lentiginosus), common gallinule (Gallinula galeata), American coot (Fulica americana), sora (Porzana carolina), Virginia rail (Rallus limicola), and pied-billed grebe (Podilymbus podiceps) were significantly more abundant during high water years. Lakes Huron and Michigan showed the greatest increase in water extent and interspersion among the five Great Lakes while Lake Michigan showed the greatest increase in marsh-obligate bird species richness. These results reinforce the idea that effective management, restoration, and assessment of wetlands must account for fluctuations in lake levels. Although high lake levels generally provide the most favorable conditions for wetland bird species, variation in lake levels and bird species assemblages create ecosystems that are both spatially and temporally dynamic. |
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Keywords: | Great Lakes coastal wetlands Birds Water extent Interspersion Remote sensing |
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