Waterbird distribution and habitat use are influenced by human activities of agriculture and land-management practices, such as grazing or burning. For many waterbird species, our knowledge of their ecology and factors influencing their abundance and importance of different habitats is very limited. Such information can help direct more effective habitat restoration, management, and conservation programs as well as improve population management activities and modeling. Encompassed within this project are four topics relating avian distribution and habitat use to wetland conditions, land use, and management: 1) habitat selection by post-breeding lesser scaup; 2) re-evaluation of historic distribution and habitat use patterns of whooping cranes to inform conservation actions; 3) role of fire in sedge-shrub systems, affecting plant community and structure and birds of conservation concern; and 4) a global synthesis of information of the crane-agricultural nexus, to serve conservation practitioners, decision-makers, communities, and farmers, for the development of more effective and sustainable conservation programs that address specific local or regional challenges.
Below are publications associated with this project.
Response of vegetation in open and partially wooded fens to prescribed burning at Seney National Wildlife Refuge
Revisiting the historic distribution and habitats of the Whooping Crane
Introduction to "Cranes and Agriculture: A handbook for cranes and humans sharing the landscape"
Interactions and impacts of domesticated animals on cranes in agriculture
Threats to cranes related to agriculture
Methods to reduce conflicts between cranes and farmers
Habitat selection by postbreeding female diving ducks: Influence of habitat attributes and conspecifics
- Overview
Waterbird distribution and habitat use are influenced by human activities of agriculture and land-management practices, such as grazing or burning. For many waterbird species, our knowledge of their ecology and factors influencing their abundance and importance of different habitats is very limited. Such information can help direct more effective habitat restoration, management, and conservation programs as well as improve population management activities and modeling. Encompassed within this project are four topics relating avian distribution and habitat use to wetland conditions, land use, and management: 1) habitat selection by post-breeding lesser scaup; 2) re-evaluation of historic distribution and habitat use patterns of whooping cranes to inform conservation actions; 3) role of fire in sedge-shrub systems, affecting plant community and structure and birds of conservation concern; and 4) a global synthesis of information of the crane-agricultural nexus, to serve conservation practitioners, decision-makers, communities, and farmers, for the development of more effective and sustainable conservation programs that address specific local or regional challenges.
- Publications
Below are publications associated with this project.
Response of vegetation in open and partially wooded fens to prescribed burning at Seney National Wildlife Refuge
The health and function of northern peatlands, particularly for fens, are strongly affected by fire and hydrology. Fens are important to several avian species of conservation interest, notably the yellow rail (Coturnicops noveboracensis). Fire suppression and altered hydrology often result in woody encroachment, altering the plant community and structure. Woody encroachment and its effects on biodAuthorsJane E. Austin, Wesley E. NewtonRevisiting the historic distribution and habitats of the Whooping Crane
The endangered Whooping Crane (Grus americana) historically had a wide distribution that covered diverse ecoregions across North America while retaining consistent habitat preferences within each ecoregion. We reevaluate the historic information compiled by Robert Porter Allen in 1952 and added 74 other records. Based on the ecological features of historic locations relative to crane life history,AuthorsJane E. Austin, Matthew A. Hayes, Jeb A. BarzenIntroduction to "Cranes and Agriculture: A handbook for cranes and humans sharing the landscape"
No abstract available.AuthorsJane E. Austin, Kerryn Morrison, James T. HarrisInteractions and impacts of domesticated animals on cranes in agriculture
Affiliations of most cranes to humans and agriculture means they often interact with a variety of domestic animals. Those interactions can be beneficial or neutral when domestic animal densities and their impact on wetland or grassland systems are low to moderate, as found in more traditional agricultural practices. The most common interaction is with grazers, primarily domestic ungulates such asAuthorsJane E. Austin, Kunikazu Momose, George W. ArchibaldThreats to cranes related to agriculture
The greatest threats to cranes worldwide are related to agricultural activities. They include direct losses of wetlands or grasslands; altered wetland hydrology due to water control systems such as dams or irrigation ditches; fire; direct and indirect impacts from agricultural chemicals; human disturbances; disease risks where cranes congregate in high densities on crops or in association with domAuthorsJane E. AustinMethods to reduce conflicts between cranes and farmers
Alternative methods to reduce conflicts between cranes and farmers range from relatively simple, inexpensive disturbance methods to changes in land use at a landscape scale. Visual and acoustics disturbance methods can be useful for small fields or gardens but require frequent changes to prevent habituation by the cranes. Changes in farming practices can be implemented by individual farmers and maAuthorsJane E. Austin, K. S. Gopi SundarHabitat selection by postbreeding female diving ducks: Influence of habitat attributes and conspecifics
Habitat selection studies of postbreeding waterfowl have rarely focused on within-wetland attributes such as water depth, escape cover, and food availability. Flightless waterfowl must balance habitat selection between avoiding predation risks and feeding. Reproductively successful female ducks face the greatest challenges because they begin the definitive prebasic molt at or near the end of broodAuthorsJane E. Austin, Shawn T. O'Neil, Jeffrey M. Warren