Breeding Populations of the Wood Stork in the Southeastern United States

Ogden, John C.; McCrimmon, Donald A.; Bancroft, G. Thomas; Patty, Barbara W.

doi:10.2307/1368522

Cited by 37 publications

(24 citation statements)

References 9 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…For example, the Roseate Spoonbill population of the state of Florida (US) is considered of special concern for protection, as it underwent a profound bottleneck from 1890 to 1920 (Bjork and Powell, 1996;Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, 2006). The Wood Stork has been listed as an endangered species in the US, after a population decline from 60,000 in the 1930s to about 5,000 in 1978 (Ogden et al, 1987). The Jabiru Stork is classified as an "Appendix I" species under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), and is considered threatened in Central America (Luthin, 1987;Stotz et al, 1996).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Genetic diversity and evidence of recent demographic expansion in waterbird populations from the Brazilian Pantanal

Lopes

Lama

2007

Braz. J. Biol.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The present study determined nuclear and mitochondrial (mtDNA) levels of genetic variability and phylogeographic patterns in breeding populations of Roseate Spoonbill (N = 57), Wood Stork (N = 89), and Jabiru Stork (N = 30), sampled in the Brazilian Pantanal. These species were selected since they are bioindicators of wetlands' health and are threatened in other parts of their distribution. As they are in close association with this ecosystem, they are appropriate for studying the effects of Pleistocene climatic changes on their demographic patterns. Levels of nuclear genetic diversity in Pantanal populations were not significantly different from those of other populations throughout the American continent, where they are considered threatened or of special concern. Reduced levels of mtDNA genetic diversity were observed in the Central American population of Jabiru Stork in comparison to the Pantanal population. Recent demographic expansion in the Pantanal was markedly evidenced by unimodal patterns of mismatch distribution and Fu's Fs neutrality test in these three species. We hypothesize that the average time of population expansion (between 30,843 and 14,233 years before present) is associated to responses of these birds' populations to paleoclimatic changes in these wetlands during the last glaciation period. We recommend special conservation efforts with the Jabiru Stork populations, a genetic monitoring program based on mtDNA, and an ecological characterization of these waterbirds species throughout their distribution range.Keywords: waterbirds, Pantanal, populations, genetic variability. Diversidade genética e evidências de expansão demográfica recente nas populações de aves aquáticas do Pantanal brasileiroResumo O presente estudo determinou níveis de variabilidade nuclear e mitocondrial (DNAmit) e padrões filogeográficos de populações reprodutivas de colhereiro (N = 57), cabeça-seca (N = 89) e tuiuiú (N = 30) do Pantanal brasileiro. Estas espécies foram selecionadas porque são bioindicadoras da integridade das áreas alagáveis e se encontram ameaça-das em outras partes da sua área de distribuição. Devido à sua estreita associação com esse tipo de ecossistema, seu estudo permite verificar os efeitos das mudanças climáticas do Pleistoceno nos seus padrões demográficos. Níveis de diversidade genética nuclear nas populações pantaneiras não diferiram significativamente dos encontrados em outras populações ao longo do continente americano onde são consideradas ameaçadas ou como de especial interesse para conservação. Níveis reduzidos de variabilidade genética DNAmit foram observados nas populações de tuiuiú da América Central, quando comparadas às populações do Pantanal. A expansão demográfica recente das três espécies no Pantanal ficou marcadamente evidenciada pelos padrões unimodais da distribuição das diferenças pareadas e pelo teste de neutralidade de Fs de Fu. Hipotetizamos que o tempo médio de expansão populacional (entre 30.843 e 14.233 anos antes do presente) está associado as respostas destas p...

show abstract

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Genetic diversity and evidence of recent demographic expansion in waterbird populations from the Brazilian Pantanal

Lopes

Lama

2007

Braz. J. Biol.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Like other species in the family Ciconiidae that are threatened by habitat loss, the wood stork US population is endangered because of its sensitivity to environmental disturbances such as anthropogenic water level manipulations (Coulter et al, 1999;Wetlands International, 2002). In the US, wood stork has been listed as an endangered species after declining from an estimated population of 60,000 in the 1930s to about 5,000 in 1978 (USFWS, 1984;Ogden et al, 1987). The species also occurs in the Brazilian Pantanal, a region characterized by wet/dry cycles which result in large fluctuations in the availability of prey that limits the presence of wood stork during the dry season.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Demographic history of wood stork (Mycteria americana) Brazilian Pantanal colonies revealed by mitochondrial DNA analysis

et al. 2006

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

We used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequences to investigate the demographic history of the wood stork (Mycteria americana) populations in the Brazilian Pantanal. Sequences of 390/460 bp fragment of the mtDNA control region were analyzed in 62 wood stork specimens from 8 colonies using neutrality tests, phylogeographic, and coalescent analyses. Population expansion was supported by the significantly negative values of Tajima's (D = -2.071) and Fu's (Fs = -14.544) statistics and the unimodal pattern of mismatch distribution. Nested clade analyses indicated a historic range expansion event and recurrent gene flow that was restricted by isolation by distance as explanations for the haplotype distribution among the sampled colonies. High genetic diversity and the strictly unidirectional gene flow pattern emphasized the conservation importance of preserving the southern Pantanal colonies. Coalescence analyses suggested that northern and southern colonies diverged approximately 6,250 years before the present (YBP), and that their most recent common ancestor was approximately 18,900 YBP. Our results suggest that the contemporary wood stork Pantanal population originated from a more geographically limited founder population. Potential source populations may have occurred in the southern Pantanal or ancestry may reside in populations inhabiting the Brazilian central plateau or areas closer to the equatorial region.

show abstract

“…The largest breeding colonies in the United States have historically been found in southern Florida (Ogden and Nesbitt 1979), although over the last 15 years breeding colonies have expanded north into east-central Georgia and southern South Carolina (Ogden et al 1987;Harris 1994;Murphy 1994). This expansion has occurred mainly along the coastlines of both states.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…While wood storks were once prevalent in all coastal states between Texas and South Carolina, the species has declined in number from an estimated 20,000 breeding pairs in the 1930s to a low of 2,800 pairs in 1978 (Ogden et al 1987). Because of this long-term population decline, the wood stork was declared an endangered species in 1984.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Foraging ecology of the endangered wood stork recorded in the stable isotope signature of feathers

et al. 2000

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Down feathers and regurgitant were collected from nestling wood storks (Mycteria americana) from two inland and two coastal breeding colonies in Georgia. The stable isotopic ratios of carbon ( 13 C/ 12 C) and nitrogen ( 15 N/ 14 N) in these materials were analyzed to gain insights into the natal origins of juvenile storks and the foraging activities of adults. Down feathers differed in δ 13 C between inland and coastal colonies, having average isotopic values that reflected the sources of carbon fixed in biomass at the base of the food web. Feathers from the inland colonies differed between colonies in δ 15 N, while those from the coastal colonies did not. These patterns primarily reflected the foraging activities of parent storks, with individuals capturing differing percentages of prey of distinct trophic status at each colony. Collectively, the carbon and nitrogen isotopic signatures of feather keratin were used to distinguish nestlings from each colony, except for instances where storks from different colonies foraged in common wetlands. The stable isotopic composition of food items in regurgitant was used to reconstruct the trophic structure of the ecosystems in which wood storks foraged. Predicted foraging activities based on the isotopic composition of keratin were generally consistent with the percentage of prey types (freshwater vs. saltwater and lower trophic level vs. upper trophic level consumer) observed in regurgitant, except for the coastal colony at St. Simons Island, where the δ 13 C of feathers strongly suggested that freshwater prey were a significant component of the diet. This inconsistency was resolved by aerial tracking of adults during foraging excursions using a fixed-wing aircraft. Observed foraging activities supported interpretations based on the stable isotope content of feathers, suggesting that the latter provided a better record of overall foraging activity than regurgitant analysis alone. Observed foraging patterns were compared to the predictions of a statistical model that determined habitat utilization based on habitat availability using a geographic information system (GIS) database. Observed foraging activities and those predicted from feathers both suggested that some adult storks preferred to feed their young freshwater prey, even when saltwater resources were more accessible in the local environment. This conclusion supports the contention that wood stork populations are sensitive to changes in the distribution of freshwater habitats along the southeastern coastal plain of the United States.

show abstract

Breeding Populations of the Wood Stork in the Southeastern United States

Cited by 37 publications

References 9 publications

Genetic diversity and evidence of recent demographic expansion in waterbird populations from the Brazilian Pantanal

Genetic diversity and evidence of recent demographic expansion in waterbird populations from the Brazilian Pantanal

Demographic history of wood stork (Mycteria americana) Brazilian Pantanal colonies revealed by mitochondrial DNA analysis

Foraging ecology of the endangered wood stork recorded in the stable isotope signature of feathers

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About