Survival of western Gulf Coast Mottled Ducks (<i>Anas fulvigula</i>) in the path of a Category 4 hurricane

Ringelman, Kevin M.; Bonczek, Elizabeth S.; Marty, Joseph; Booth, Ashley R.; Dopkin, Alexandre L.

doi:10.1002/ece3.8276

Cited by 5 publications

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“…Even relatively weak tropical cyclones can result in mortalities, suggesting that the timing and location of a storm were critical mortality factors, not simply storm intensity (Huang, Bass, and Pimm, 2017). A survival analysis of another resident bird species, the Mottled Duck ( Anas fulvigula ), indicated ∼40% of individuals equipped with transmitters in SW Louisiana died during Hurricane Laura (Ringelman et al ., 2021). Johnson (2021) also noted a reduction in Mottled Duck numbers in SW Louisiana by comparing pre- and post-hurricane count data.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Johnson (2021) also noted a reduction in Mottled Duck numbers in SW Louisiana by comparing pre-and post-hurricane count data. Based on the assumption that marked birds were representative of the larger unmarked population, Ringelman et al (2021) speculate that substantial numbers of Mottled Ducks in the region may have died in the storm. Assuming some unmarked Reddish Egrets also died because of tropical cyclone impacts, it is possible that populations in Louisiana may have drastically declined during the study period.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Effects of Tropical Cyclones and Other Severe Weather Events on Reddish Egret (Egretta rufescens) Populations in Louisiana, U.S.A.

Vasseur,

Collins,

Selman

2023

Journal of Coastal Research

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Tropical cyclones (i.e. tropical depressions, tropical storms, and hurricanes) and other extreme weather events directly impacting Louisiana from 2016-21 were examined to determine their effects on adult Reddish Egrets equipped with satellite transmitters in SE (n ¼ 11) and SW (n ¼ 14) Louisiana. Fourteen tropical cyclones (six hurricanes, five tropical storms, one tropical depression, and two extratropical cyclones) impacted Louisiana during the study, and telemetry data were reviewed immediately on and around (61 day) the arrival of each storm to monitor any movements and individual survival. As many as nine of 25 (36%) transmittered Reddish Egrets presumably died from the direct impacts of five tropical cyclones; seven of nine mortalities were associated with three major hurricanes. Mortality was presumed based on stationary GPS fixes for multiple days or the termination of data transmission following a storm. All mortalities were presumed, as no carcasses were recovered. Previous telemetry studies reported Reddish Egrets often survived intense tropical cyclones and direct impacts were not appreciable at the population level. Yet, more than one-third of the transmittered birds in the sample population potentially died from storm-related impacts, and the population may have declined drastically, assuming some unmarked individuals also likely died. Because the Reddish Egret is restricted to coastal habitats, the species appears to be particularly vulnerable to tropical cyclone effects. If predictions of increased frequency and intensity of tropical cyclones by the end of this century are accurate, these storms pose a significant threat to Reddish Egret populations. With accelerated loss and degradation to suitable coastal habitats, protection and restoration of key foraging and nesting sites for sensitive species similar to the Reddish Egret are needed in Louisiana and other disturbance-prone areas along the Gulf Coast.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Effects of Tropical Cyclones and Other Severe Weather Events on Reddish Egret (Egretta rufescens) Populations in Louisiana, U.S.A.

Vasseur,

Collins,

Selman

2023

Journal of Coastal Research

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“…Weekly survival of mottled ducks in southwestern Louisiana during breeding and molt was higher than at other times of the year, despite the increased risk of predation expected to be associated with these events (Cowardin et al 1985, Bielefeld and Cox 2006, Varner et al 2014), corroborating results from a previous study on WGC mottled ducks (Wehland 2012). Environmental conditions, such as drought or direct and carry‐over effects of tropical storms and hurricanes (Ringelman et al 2021), are likely to influence survival. In Florida, drought conditions caused mottled ducks and American alligators to concentrate in the same available wetlands during the flightless period, resulting in lower survival during this period (Bielefeld and Cox 2006).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Temporal variation and landcover influence survival in adult female mottled ducks

et al. 2022

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Adult survival is a key driver of waterfowl population growth and is subject to temporal and spatial variation. Mottled ducks (Anas fulvigula) are native to the Gulf Coast and peninsular Florida, USA, and have suffered population declines over the past decade, especially in Texas and Louisiana, USA. Although the cause of this decline is not well understood, previous research concluded variation in survival contributed to nearly a third of variation in the species' population growth rate.We used global positioning system-groupe spécial mobile (GPS-GSM) transmitters to study temporal and spatial variation in survival of adult female western Gulf Coast mottled ducks in southwestern Louisiana, 2017-2020. We evaluated weekly survival models parameterized with combinations of hunted and non-hunted periods, biological seasons, and landcover types that were used by mottled ducks. There were 3 competitive survival models, and all contained 4 parameters that parsed the annual cycle into the non-hunted period, first part of the general waterfowl season, and second part of the waterfowl season, and included the proportion of GPS locations in agricultural lands. Weekly survival was 0.979 during the first part of the general waterfowl hunting season, and 0.996 during the second part of the general waterfowl season. Daily survival rate increased with an increasing proportion of locations logged in agricultural lands. Annual survival rates were similar to other waterfowl that are not experiencing population declines, which suggests survival is not limiting population growth of mottled ducks along the

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“…Contemporary information suggests that mortality of Mottled Ducks may be significant in some intensive tropical storms. Ringelman et al ( 2021 ) determined that Hurricane Laura, a Category 4 storm, killed 40% of their radiomarked sample of Mottled Ducks in August 2020. Although Mottled Ducks are considered well‐adapted to tropical storms (Stutzenbaker, 1988 ), potential negative impacts of storms on population demography (Ringelman et al, 2021 ) leaves one wondering why individuals over the past four centuries did not disperse to the SACZ, retreating into sometimes less impacted habitats, and ultimately settling as founders.…”

Section: Contemporary Status Of Sacz Mottled Ducksmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mottled Duck introductions to South Carolina: The ugly, the bad, and the good?

Davis

2022

Ecology and Evolution

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Translocations or other movements of wildlife sometimes accomplish their intended objectives, but unforeseen consequences may arise and disrupt locally adapted ecological communities, restructure or dilute genetic integrity of populations or subspecies of the moved organism, and otherwise negatively influences a species’ long‐term fitness. Two historical populations of Mottled Ducks ( Anas fulvigula ) exist and are endemic to (1) Mexico and the West‐Gulf Coast ( A . f . maculosa ) regions of the United States and (2) Florida ( A . f . fulvigula ). From 1975 to 1983, 1285 Mottled Ducks from Florida, Louisiana, and Texas were released to coastal South Carolina, primarily to ultimately establish a legally harvestable population. This movement stirred mixed reactions amid the conservation community. Contemporary information suggests an increasing Mottled Duck population in South Carolina and possibly dispersing into Georgia. Herein, I objectively discuss the potential consequences of this new population per the birds’ evolution, ecology, and management. Ultimately, I suggest that this translocation is a long‐term benefit to the species.

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Survival of western Gulf Coast Mottled Ducks (Anas fulvigula) in the path of a Category 4 hurricane

Abstract: This is an open access article under the terms of the Creat ive Commo ns Attri bution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Cited by 5 publications

References 23 publications

Effects of Tropical Cyclones and Other Severe Weather Events on Reddish Egret (Egretta rufescens) Populations in Louisiana, U.S.A.

Effects of Tropical Cyclones and Other Severe Weather Events on Reddish Egret (Egretta rufescens) Populations in Louisiana, U.S.A.

Temporal variation and landcover influence survival in adult female mottled ducks

Mottled Duck introductions to South Carolina: The ugly, the bad, and the good?

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