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Demographic analysis of waterfowl populations

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By Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center June 21, 2018

Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center (NPWRC) has a long history of conducting broad-scale demographic analyses on available waterfowl. Our current efforts are collaborative with a variety of partners. Current studies include: 1) analysis of banding data for lesser scaup to inform the role of harvest on the continental population; 2) analysis of North American survey information of mallards to identify consistent hot and cold spots of density to inform conservation activities; 3) analysis of mid-continent waterfowl harvest information to identify predictable drivers of recruitment; 4) evaluation of the North American survey for sources of changing bias in survey methods; and (5) evaluation of Conservation Reserve Program plantings for waterfowl nesting. NPWRC recognizes the cultural and socioeconomic importance of waterfowl in North America, and each of these analyses are conducted in order to inform pressing conservation decisions that are made by partners.

Below are publications associated with this project.

Density and success of upland duck nests in native‐ and tame‐seeded conservation fields

The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) generates substantial benefits to continental duck populations by providing grassland nesting habitat in rested cropland. Seeding mixes of CRP grasslands vary among numerous conservation practices, but one contrast of interest in the Prairie Pothole Region is the use of introduced, or “tame” versus native grass. Although the benefits of CRP to duck population
Authors
Mark H. Sherfy, Michael J. Anteau, Terry L. Shaffer, Michael A. Johnson, Ronald E. Reynolds, James K. Ringelman
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center

Temporal variation in survival and recovery rates of lesser scaup: A response

We recently analyzed long-term (1951–2011) continental band-recovery data from lesser scaup (Aythya affinis) and demonstrated that harvest rates declined through time, but annual survival rates exhibited no such trends; moreover, annual harvest and survival rates were uncorrelated for all age-sex classes. We therefore concluded that declining fecundity was most likely responsible for recent popula
Authors
Todd W. Arnold, Alan D. Afton, Michael J. Anteau, David N. Koons, Chris A. Nicolai
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center

A comment on “temporal variation in survival and recovery rates of lesser scaup”

Concerns about declines in the abundance of lesser scaup (Aythya affinis) have promoted a number of analyses to understand reasons for this decline. Unfortunately, most of these analyses, including that of Arnold et al. (2016 Journal of Wildlife Management 80: 850–861), are based on observational studies leading to weak inference. Although we commend the efforts of Arnold et al. (2016 Journal of W
Authors
Mark S. Lindberg, G. Scott Boomer, Joel A. Schmutz, Johann A. Walker
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Alaska Science Center

Long-term spatial heterogeneity in mallard distribution in the Prairie pothole region

The Prairie Pothole Region (PPR) of north-central United States and south-central Canada supports greater than half of all breeding mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) annually counted in North America and is the focus of widespread conservation and research efforts. Allocation of conservation resources for this socioeconomically important population would benefit from an understanding of the nature of
Authors
Adam K. Janke, Michael J. Anteau, Joshua D. Stafford
By
Cooperative Research Units

Temporal variation in survival and recovery rates of lesser scaup

Management of lesser scaup (Aythya affinis) has been hindered by access to reliable data on population trajectories and vital rates. We conducted a Bayesian analysis of historical (1951–2011) band-recovery data throughout North America to estimate annual survival and recovery rates for juvenile and adult male and female lesser scaup to determine if increasing harvest or declining survival rates ha
Authors
Todd W. Arnold, Alan D. Afton, Michael J. Anteau, David N. Koons, Chris Nicolai
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center

Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center (NPWRC) has a long history of conducting broad-scale demographic analyses on available waterfowl. Our current efforts are collaborative with a variety of partners. Current studies include: 1) analysis of banding data for lesser scaup to inform the role of harvest on the continental population; 2) analysis of North American survey information of mallards to identify consistent hot and cold spots of density to inform conservation activities; 3) analysis of mid-continent waterfowl harvest information to identify predictable drivers of recruitment; 4) evaluation of the North American survey for sources of changing bias in survey methods; and (5) evaluation of Conservation Reserve Program plantings for waterfowl nesting. NPWRC recognizes the cultural and socioeconomic importance of waterfowl in North America, and each of these analyses are conducted in order to inform pressing conservation decisions that are made by partners.

Below are publications associated with this project.

Density and success of upland duck nests in native‐ and tame‐seeded conservation fields

The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) generates substantial benefits to continental duck populations by providing grassland nesting habitat in rested cropland. Seeding mixes of CRP grasslands vary among numerous conservation practices, but one contrast of interest in the Prairie Pothole Region is the use of introduced, or “tame” versus native grass. Although the benefits of CRP to duck population
Authors
Mark H. Sherfy, Michael J. Anteau, Terry L. Shaffer, Michael A. Johnson, Ronald E. Reynolds, James K. Ringelman
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center

Temporal variation in survival and recovery rates of lesser scaup: A response

We recently analyzed long-term (1951–2011) continental band-recovery data from lesser scaup (Aythya affinis) and demonstrated that harvest rates declined through time, but annual survival rates exhibited no such trends; moreover, annual harvest and survival rates were uncorrelated for all age-sex classes. We therefore concluded that declining fecundity was most likely responsible for recent popula
Authors
Todd W. Arnold, Alan D. Afton, Michael J. Anteau, David N. Koons, Chris A. Nicolai
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center

A comment on “temporal variation in survival and recovery rates of lesser scaup”

Concerns about declines in the abundance of lesser scaup (Aythya affinis) have promoted a number of analyses to understand reasons for this decline. Unfortunately, most of these analyses, including that of Arnold et al. (2016 Journal of Wildlife Management 80: 850–861), are based on observational studies leading to weak inference. Although we commend the efforts of Arnold et al. (2016 Journal of W
Authors
Mark S. Lindberg, G. Scott Boomer, Joel A. Schmutz, Johann A. Walker
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Alaska Science Center

Long-term spatial heterogeneity in mallard distribution in the Prairie pothole region

The Prairie Pothole Region (PPR) of north-central United States and south-central Canada supports greater than half of all breeding mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) annually counted in North America and is the focus of widespread conservation and research efforts. Allocation of conservation resources for this socioeconomically important population would benefit from an understanding of the nature of
Authors
Adam K. Janke, Michael J. Anteau, Joshua D. Stafford
By
Cooperative Research Units

Temporal variation in survival and recovery rates of lesser scaup

Management of lesser scaup (Aythya affinis) has been hindered by access to reliable data on population trajectories and vital rates. We conducted a Bayesian analysis of historical (1951–2011) band-recovery data throughout North America to estimate annual survival and recovery rates for juvenile and adult male and female lesser scaup to determine if increasing harvest or declining survival rates ha
Authors
Todd W. Arnold, Alan D. Afton, Michael J. Anteau, David N. Koons, Chris Nicolai
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center
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