Feasibility of Modeling Impacts of Sea Level Rise on Foraging Habitat of the Little Blue Heron in the Great White Heron National Wildlife Refuge, Phase II: Factors Affecting Habitat
MS: Leonardo Calle
This research will contribute to knowledge of the dietary preferences of the Little Blue Heron and Great White Heron. We also intend to identify significant drivers of prey availability, and the most influential variables that contribute to a wading bird's selection of foraging habitat in coastal systems.
Habitat Suitability And Nest Success Of The White Ibis, Snowy Egret And Great Egret At Lake Okeechobee, Florida
MS: Richard Botta
This project is creating a Habitat Suitability Model (HSM) for key wading bird species at Lake Okeechobee. Furthermore, we will look at the effect of available foraging habitat on wading bird nest success.
Modeling Trophic Linkages as a Tool for Wetland Ecosystem Restoration
MS: Bryan Botson
Using empirical data on dry season prey concentrations and wading bird nesting effort in response to a suite of Everglades patch and landscape level metrics, this study aims to identify the key parameters responsible for promoting prey concentrations and quantify the linkage among hydrology, prey availability and wading bird nesting .
Avian Communities in Stormwater Treatment Areas
MS: Tyler Beck
The South Florida Water Management District has constructed over 32,000 acres of wetlands on former agricultural lands, referred to as Stormwater Treatment Areas (STAs). The STAs function to receive stormwater runoff and reduce surface nutrients through bio-chemical processes. This project examines factors influencing the avian use and diversity of the STAs and compares these factors to adjacent agricultural fields and natural marsh.
Factors Affecting Foraging Efficiency of the Scarlet Ibis
MS: Rebecca Stanek
This manipulative study focused on the factors affecting the prey
consumption and foraging efficiency of the scarlet ibis.
Wading Bird Habitat Selection
MS: James Beerens
This project links landscape level prey availability with resource use and movements of adult white ibis and great egrets.
Wading Bird Reproductive Physiology
PhD: Garth Herring
This project developed a computer simulation model of wading bird habitat suitability in south west Florida. It used hydrologic parameters to estimate wading bird foraging and reproductive success.
LILA: Factors Affecting Wading Bird Prey Availability and Foraging Success
MS: Samantha Lantz
This project focused on the way in which habitat features, specifically water depth and vegetation density, affect prey availability for wading birds in the Everglades.
Wading Bird Colonies at Lake Okeechobee
PhD: Damion Marx
This project monitored the timing, size, and location of wading bird colonies at Lake Okeechobee.
Wading Bird Habitat Suitability Index
MS: Philip Heidemann
This project developed a computer simulation model of wading bird habitat suitability in south west Florida. It used hydrologic parameters to estimate wading bird foraging and reproductive success.
Site Characteristics and Seasonal Fauna Concentrations
MS: Brian Garrett
This project works on developing a simulation model that displays the potential effects of different levels of microtopography upon prey concentrations during the annual hydrologic dry down in the Everglades marsh.
Wood Stork Foraging Habitat Selection
MS: Heidi Herring
This project developed a simulation model that displays the potential effects of different levels of microtopography upon prey concentrations during the annual hydrologic dry down in the Everglades marsh.
Prey Vunerability
MS: Rachael Pierce
This project tested prey vulnerability components of the wading bird prey availability model. Treatment variables included vegetation structure and prey density.
