Modelling wetland bird response to water level changes in the Lake Ontario - St. Lawrence River hydrosystem

Environmental Monitoring and Assessment
Jean-Luc DesgrangesDaniel Borcard

Abstract

Lake Ontario and St. Lawrence River (LOSL) wetland bird abundance and diversity are greatly influenced by lake and river hydrology. Our study used an interdisciplinary ecosystem approach, blending avian and plant ecology, ecohydraulic, statistical ecology and modelling to evaluate potential impacts of water level fluctuations on indicator species representative of the wetland breeding bird assemblages in the entire LOSL freshwater system. Multi-year (2000-2003) bird surveys captured bird distribution and density in wetland habitats under varying degrees of water inandation, depth and fluctuation. Analyses revealed strong associations between estimated breeding pair densities and plant communities, water depth, and degree of water level fluctuation during the breeding season for a suite of wetland bird species using marsh, wet meadow, shrub swamp and treed swamp habitats. These quantitative associations were used to develop wetland bird performance indicators for use in a LOSL water regulation review study. Several bird species also nest at or near the water surface and are thus vulnerable to nest flooding or stranding. Changes to the seasonal hydrology of Lake Ontario and St. Lawrence River that result in an increased frequency...Continue Reading

References

Oct 23, 2003·Environmental Monitoring and Assessment·Jean-Luc Desgranges, Benoît Jobin
Dec 23, 2003·The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery·Joseph S FriedbergJoseph P Culver

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