Inundation of depressional wetlands declines under a changing climate

Londe, David W.; Dvorett, Daniel; Davis, Craig A.; Loss, Scott R.; Robertson, Ellen P.

doi:10.1007/s10584-022-03386-z

Cited by 11 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 63 publications

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“…Wetland ecosystems and the wildlife that depend on them are therefore highly vulnerable to changes in weather patterns associated with climate change, and evaluating how weather variation and climate change will influence wetlands and wetland-dependent wildlife -including migratory shorebirds -is a critical area of needed research. Depressional wetlands, such as those found throughout our study area, are particularly vulnerable to climate-induced changes in precipitation patterns and drought (Mitsch and Gosselink 2015, Uden et al 2015, Londe et al 2022. In fact, seasonal and interannual weather fluctuations have already been shown to dramatically change the extent of shorebird habitat across the landscape between years and migration periods Davis 2012, Steen et al 2018), and these dramatic fluctuations in availability of shorebird habitat will only be exacerbated by climate change due to reduced wetland inundation (Uden et al 2015, Reese and Skagen 2017, Londe et al 2022.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Depressional wetlands, such as those found throughout our study area, are particularly vulnerable to climate-induced changes in precipitation patterns and drought (Mitsch and Gosselink 2015, Uden et al 2015, Londe et al 2022. In fact, seasonal and interannual weather fluctuations have already been shown to dramatically change the extent of shorebird habitat across the landscape between years and migration periods Davis 2012, Steen et al 2018), and these dramatic fluctuations in availability of shorebird habitat will only be exacerbated by climate change due to reduced wetland inundation (Uden et al 2015, Reese and Skagen 2017, Londe et al 2022. This is important to consider in the context of our findings because, given the strong association of most species with broad-scale wetland availability and density, landscapes with sufficient densities of wetlands may become increasingly rare or unpredictable for migrating shorebirds as climate change decreases numbers of inundated wetlands in the future.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Associations with landscape and local‐scale wetland habitat conditions vary among migratory shorebird species during stopovers

Elmore,

Londe,

Davis

et al. 2023

Wildlife Biology

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Wetlands provide many ecosystem services and functions, including critical stopover habitat for numerous migratory bird species. Yet, loss and degradation of wetlands due to land use and land cover changes have greatly reduced wetland extent worldwide, leading to declines of many migratory shorebirds globally. In the Western Hemisphere, wetlands of the North American Great Plains provide important stopover habitat for shorebirds; however, much remains to be learned about shorebird habitat use during stopovers in this region, including species‐specific associations with landscape‐scale wetland availability and characteristics of individual wetlands. To improve understanding of shorebird habitat use during migration, we conducted shorebird surveys at > 14 000 wetlands throughout Oklahoma, USA, from 2007 to 2009. For 16 shorebird species, we analyzed associations between observed abundance and wetland variables, including within‐wetland characteristics and availability of wetlands at multiple spatial scales surrounding survey locations. We found that the scale at which observed abundance of shorebirds was associated with wetland extent varied among species; 10 species responded most strongly to wetland extent at the 500 m scale, but 5 species and 1 species responded most strongly at 1000 and 2000 m scales, respectively. Observed abundance for most species was generally associated with higher wetland density at broad scales, presence of extensive shallow water, more usable area, and limited vegetation within wetlands, yet there was considerable interspecific variation in the strength and in some cases direction of effects of these within‐wetland characteristics. This interspecies variability highlights the importance of conserving a variety of wetland types with differing characteristics that support the entire shorebird community during migration. By informing optimal habitat requirements for shorebirds during a critical stage of their annual cycle, knowledge gained about species‐specific habitat needs from studies like ours can assist with development of conservation and management strategies that contribute to halting and reversing global shorebird declines.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Associations with landscape and local‐scale wetland habitat conditions vary among migratory shorebird species during stopovers

Elmore,

Londe,

Davis

et al. 2023

Wildlife Biology

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“…However, the vulnerability of individual wetlands to climate change is influenced by local hydrology, which varies with regional climate and geomorphological characteristics of individual wetlands (e.g., surface area, soil properties, connections to groundwater; Anteau et al, 2016; Fay et al, 2016). Thus, the expected magnitude and effects of climate change vary widely among seasons and regions, making it difficult to predict overall effects on wetlands (Londe, Dvorett, et al, 2022; Xi et al, 2021).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Climate models for this region predict higher temperatures throughout the year and increased variability in precipitation, including more frequent droughts as well as extreme precipitation events (IPCC, 2021; Kloesel et al, 2018). These changes are predicted to result in fewer inundated wetlands (Londe, Dvorett, et al, 2022; Uden et al, 2015), which could alter the distribution of migratory species across the region (Reese & Skagen, 2017). However, as a result of regional variability in climatic conditions and availability of different wetland types across the south‐central Great Plains, there is considerable uncertainty about how climate change will impact the region as a whole.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…By evaluating both changes in mean numbers of inundated wetlands and variability of inundation patterns, we aimed to develop a more complete assessment of climate change impacts for the region. Finally, we specifically focused on how wetland abundance would be affected by climate change to ensure our work was comparable to other efforts that also evaluated wetland abundance for the Great Plains (Londe, Dvorett, et al, 2022; McKenna, Mushet, et al, 2021; Sofaer et al, 2016; Uden et al, 2015), thereby facilitating the development of climate change adaptation efforts across this broader region.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Climate change causes declines and greater extremes in wetland inundation in a region important for wetland birds

Londe,

Davis,

Loss

et al. 2023

Ecological Applications

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Wetland ecosystems are vital for maintaining global biodiversity, as they provide important stopover sites for many species of migrating wetland‐associated birds. However, because weather determines their hydrologic cycles, wetlands are highly vulnerable to effects of climate change. Although changes in temperature and precipitation resulting from climate change are expected to reduce inundation of wetlands, few efforts have been made to quantify how these changes will influence the availability of stopover sites for migratory wetland birds. Additionally, few studies have evaluated how climate change will influence interannual variability or the frequency of extremes in wetland availability. For spring and fall bird migration in seven ecoregions in the south‐central Great Plains of North America, we developed predictive models associating abundance of inundated wetlands with a suite of weather and land cover variables. We then used these models to generate predictions of wetland inundation at the end of the century (2069–2099) under future climate change scenarios. Climate models predicted the average number of inundated wetlands will likely decline during both spring and fall migration periods, with declines being greatest in the eastern ecoregions of the southern Great Plains. However, the magnitude of predicted declines varied considerably across climate models and ecoregions, with uncertainty among climate models being greatest in the High Plains ecoregion. Most ecoregions also were predicted to experience more‐frequent extremely dry years (i.e., years with extremely low wetland abundances), but the projected change in interannual variability of wetland inundation was relatively small and varied across ecoregions and seasons. Because the south‐central Great Plains represents an important link along the migratory routes of many wetland‐dependent avian species, future declines in wetland inundation and more frequent periods of only a few wetlands being inundated will result in an uncertain future for migratory birds as they experience reduced availability of wetland stopover habitat across their migration pathways.

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Waterfowl and Wetland Birds

Vest,

Haukos,

Niemuth

et al. 2023

Rangeland Wildlife Ecology and Conservation

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The future of wetland bird habitat and populations is intrinsically connected with the conservation of rangelands in North America. Many rangeland watersheds are source drainage for some of the highest functioning extant wetlands. The Central and Pacific Flyways have significant overlap with available rangelands in western North America. Within these flyways, the importance of rangeland management has become increasingly recognized by those involved in wetland bird conservation. Within the array of wetland bird species, seasonal habitat needs are highly variable. During the breeding period, nest survival is one of the most important drivers of population growth for many wetland bird species and rangelands often provide quality nesting cover. Throughout spring and fall, rangeland wetlands provide key forage resources that support energetic demands needed for migration. In some areas, stock ponds developed for livestock water provide migration stopover and wintering habitat, especially in times of water scarcity. In the Intermountain West, drought combined with water demands from agriculture and human population growth are likely headed to an ecological tipping point for wetland birds and their habitat in the region. In the Prairie Pothole Region, conversion of rangeland and draining of wetlands for increased crop production remains a significant conservation issue for wetland birds and other wildlife. In landscapes dominated by agricultural production, rangelands provide some of the highest value ecosystem services, including water quality and wetland function. Recent research has shown livestock grazing, if managed properly, is compatible and at times beneficial to wetland bird habitat needs. Either directly, or indirectly, wetland bird populations and their habitat needs are supported by healthy rangelands. In the future, rangeland and wetland bird managers will benefit from increased collaboration to aid in meeting ultimate conservation objectives.

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Inundation of depressional wetlands declines under a changing climate

Cited by 11 publications

References 63 publications

Associations with landscape and local‐scale wetland habitat conditions vary among migratory shorebird species during stopovers

Associations with landscape and local‐scale wetland habitat conditions vary among migratory shorebird species during stopovers

Climate change causes declines and greater extremes in wetland inundation in a region important for wetland birds

Waterfowl and Wetland Birds

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