Agent‐based modeling may help to merge research traditions in foraging ecology in Europe and North America

Guillemain, Matthieu; Elmberg, Johan; Pernollet, Claire A.; Arzel, Céline; Eadie, John M.

doi:10.1002/wsb.736

Cited by 3 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 77 publications

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“…By contrast food abundance and other landscape variables were not strong predictors of rice paddy use at night. These results are essential to delineate appropriate management strategies in rice fields that underpin conservation efforts of migratory dabbling ducks [68]. Nevertheless, owing to the relatively small-sample size, our findings should be interpreted with caution.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 96%

Day and night use of habitats by northern pintails during winter in a primary rice-growing region of Iberia

et al. 2019

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Loss of natural wetlands is a global phenomenon that has severe consequences for waterbird populations and their associated ecosystem services. Although agroecosystems can reduce the impact of natural habitat loss, drivers of use of such artificial habitats by waterbirds remain poorly understood. Using the cosmopolitan northern pintail Anas acuta as a model species, we monitored home-range and fine-scale resource selection across the agricultural landscape. Individuals were tracked using GPS-GSM transmitters, and a suite of environmental and landscape features were measured throughout the winter seasons. Spatial patterns of habitat use were analysed using generalized linear mixed effect models by integrating field-observations with GPS telemetry. All birds used rice fields as foraging grounds at night and commuted to an adjacent reservoir to roost during daylight. Home-ranges and maximum foraging distances of nocturnally foraging birds increased with decreasing availability of flooded fields, and were positively correlated with moonlight levels. Birds selected flooded rice paddies (water depth range: 9–21 cm) with standing stubble and substrate with pebbles smaller than 0.5 cm in diameter. Density of rice seeds, rice paddy size, and other environmental and landscape features did not emerge as significant predictors. Our findings indicate that nocturnal foraging of northern pintails within rice fields is driven primarily by straw manipulation, water level and substrate pebble size. Thus, the presence of standing stubble in flooded paddies with soft bottoms should be prioritized to improve foraging areas for dabbling ducks. These management procedures in themselves would not increase economic costs or affect rice production and could be applied for dabbling-duck conservation throughout the world.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 96%

Day and night use of habitats by northern pintails during winter in a primary rice-growing region of Iberia

et al. 2019

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“…More broadly, our study suggests that even an avian generalist, well adapted to anthropogenic landscapes, avoids areas where human access and hunters are allowed. Therefore, we hope these results will serve as a catalyst for reconsideration and discussion of nuanced approaches to energy landscape conservation planning in a landscape of fear (Gallagher et al, 2017; Guillemain et al, 2017).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…Regional conservation strategies for wintering waterfowl, especially in North America, focus on provision of abundant food resources to meet seasonal physiological and energetic requirements, which is assumed to optimize nonbreeding survival and subsequently enhance population‐level reproduction and recruitment (Edwards et al, 2012; Guillemain et al, 2017; Soulliere et al, 2017). Within wetland complexes, federal and state conservation organizations provide spatial and temporal sanctuary for wetland‐dependent species before, during, and after waterfowl hunting seasons.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Human access constrains optimal foraging and habitat availability in an avian generalist

Masto,

Blake‐Bradshaw,

Highway

et al. 2024

Ecological Applications

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Animals balance costs of antipredator behaviors with resource acquisition to minimize hunting and other mortality risks and maximize their physiological condition. This inherent trade‐off between forage abundance, its quality, and mortality risk is intensified in human‐dominated landscapes because fragmentation, habitat loss, and degradation of natural vegetation communities is often coupled with artificially enhanced vegetation (i.e., food plots), creating high‐risk, high‐reward resource selection decisions. Our goal was to evaluate autumn–winter resource selection trade‐offs for an intensively hunted avian generalist. We hypothesized human access was a reliable cue for hunting predation risk. Therefore, we predicted resource selection patterns would be spatiotemporally dependent upon levels of access and associated perceived risk. Specifically, we evaluated resource selection of local‐scale flights between diel periods for 426 mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) relative to wetland type, forage quality, and differing levels of human access across hunting and nonhunting seasons. Mallards selected areas that prohibited human access and generally avoided areas that allowed access diurnally, especially during the hunting season. Mallards compensated by selecting for high‐energy and greater quality foraging patches on allowable human access areas nocturnally when they were devoid of hunters. Postseason selection across human access gradients did not return to prehunting levels immediately, perhaps suggesting a delayed response to reacclimate to nonhunted activities and thus agreeing with the assessment mismatch hypothesis. Last, wetland availability and human access constrained selection for optimal natural forage quality (i.e., seed biomass and forage productivity) diurnally during preseason and hunting season, respectively; however, mallards were freed from these constraints nocturnally during hunting season and postseason periods. Our results suggest risk‐avoidance of human accessible (i.e., hunted) areas is a primary driver of resource selection behaviors by mallards and could be a local to landscape‐level process influencing distributions, instead of forage abundance and quality, which has long‐been assumed by waterfowl conservation planners in North America. Broadly, even an avian generalist, well adapted to anthropogenic landscapes, avoids areas where hunting and human access are allowed. Future conservation planning and implementation must consider management for recreational access (i.e., people) equally important as foraging habitat management for wintering waterfowl.

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Availability of Supplemental Corn for Sandhill Cranes, Light Geese, and Dabbling Ducks Wintering in New Mexico

Collins¹,

Boggie²,

Collins³

et al. 2023

Journal of Fish and Wildlife Management

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The Middle Rio Grande Valley of central New Mexico overwinters the majority of the Rocky Mountain Population of greater sandhill cranes Antigone canadensis tabida as well as numerous Mid-continent Population lesser sandhill cranes A. c. canadensis, light geese (i.e., snow Anser caerulescens and Ross’s geese Anser rossii), and dabbling ducks (i.e, Anas spp.). Stemming from changes in agricultural practices and loss of habitat, these species have become largely dependent on public lands where corn is used to supplement natural foraging resources providing a key dietary component while also discouraging crop depredation on private lands. To evaluate if supplemental corn provides a sufficient resource base, we estimated energy available in corn resources and seasonal energy requirements of the sandhill cranes, which was comprised of Rocky Mountain Population and Mid-continent Population. Additionally, we considered energetic requirements for two other wintering guilds, light geese and dabbling ducks. Depletion rates of post-mowed corn increased throughout winter from 3,673 ± 843 kg/ha/day (mean ± SE) in December to 7,014 ± 1,884 kg/ha/day in February. Estimated seasonal energetic requirements of the Rocky Mountain Population and Mid-continent Population were 1.14 × 109 kcal (95% CI = 1.07 × 109 – 1.21 × 109 kcal). Combined, seasonal energetic demands of the Rocky Mountain Population, Mid-continent Population, light geese, and dabbling ducks was 4.23 × 109 kcal (95% CI = 3.81 × 109 – 4.53 × 109 kcal) or 911,813 kg of corn (95% CI = 820,821-1,006,894 kg). From 2014-2017, corn production on public lands in the Middle Rio Grande Valley was 1,052,006 ± 58,965 kg grown on an average of 76 ha, sufficient for winter energetic requirements of all guilds. Interagency collaboration, effective planning during the growing season and strategic schedules for mowing supplemental corn crops that integrate population abundances and their respective energy demands should further promote success of the supplemental corn program in the Middle Rio Grande Valley.

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Agent‐based modeling may help to merge research traditions in foraging ecology in Europe and North America

Cited by 3 publications

References 77 publications

Day and night use of habitats by northern pintails during winter in a primary rice-growing region of Iberia

Day and night use of habitats by northern pintails during winter in a primary rice-growing region of Iberia

Human access constrains optimal foraging and habitat availability in an avian generalist

Availability of Supplemental Corn for Sandhill Cranes, Light Geese, and Dabbling Ducks Wintering in New Mexico

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