Mixed evidence for effects of stewardship on Least Tern reproductive success in coastal Mississippi

IF 2.6 2区 生物学 Q1 ORNITHOLOGY
Condor Pub Date : 2020-09-25 DOI:10.1093/condor/duaa050
A. Darrah
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引用次数: 5

Abstract

ABSTRACT Disturbance from human activity can cause reduced productivity of coastal birds that nest on sandy beaches. A common method to protect coastal birds from human disturbance is the use of signs and fencing to close off a section of beach used for breeding. This management action requires public compliance and might require enforcement, such as in the use of volunteer stewards stationed at protected colonies that provide education and enforcement. I assessed the effectiveness of active stewardship as a conservation measure to protect nesting Least Terns (Sternula antillarum) in coastal Mississippi by determining if colony-level productivity (fledglings produced per nest) was correlated with stewardship effort (hours that stewards protected each colony), the rate of disturbance from human and natural sources, and additional factors. Observers surveyed 24 Least Tern colonies in Harrison County, Mississippi, twice weekly during the 2017–2019 breeding seasons to record the number of nests present, the fate of marked nests, predator tracks within the colony, and the number of fledglings produced per colony. Concurrently, during their work shifts, stewards recorded all sources and durations of disturbance events that caused the terns to flush or respond with defense. Least Tern daily nest survival increased with colony size and stewardship effort, and was lower during intervals that included weekends and evidence of owl presence. Total productivity was negatively associated with avian predator disturbance rate and the total time adults spent flushed, but was not associated with stewardship effort. The results of this study demonstrate that active stewardship can have a positive effect on Least Tern productivity by increasing nest success, whereas current stewardship practices were not sufficient to increase chick survival, even in a system with a paucity of ground predators. LAY SUMMARY Birds that nest on public sandy beaches benefit from protective fencing and educational signs, but additional benefits may occur if volunteer stewards are stationed at the protected area. I assessed whether the presence of stewards benefited nesting Least Terns by reducing human disturbance and increasing reproductive success at breeding colonies. Audubon Mississippi staff monitored Least Tern colonies in coastal Mississippi from 2017 to 2019 while seasonal stewards observed the extent of disturbance at each colony. Colonies with greater disturbance rates were less productive, and stewardship efforts benefited colonies by increasing nest hatch probability. Posting stewards at breeding colonies is an effective management strategy for conserving Least Terns, although additional management actions are likely needed to increase chick survival.
管理对密西西比沿海地区最小燕鸥繁殖成功的影响的混合证据
摘要人类活动的干扰会导致在沙滩上筑巢的沿海鸟类生产力下降。保护沿海鸟类免受人类干扰的一种常见方法是使用标志和围栏封闭一段用于繁殖的海滩。这种管理行动需要公众遵守,可能需要强制执行,例如使用驻扎在受保护殖民地提供教育和强制执行的志愿者管家。我通过确定群落水平的生产力(每个巢穴产生的雏鸟)是否与管理工作(管理人员保护每个群落的小时数)、来自人类和自然来源的干扰率以及其他因素相关,评估了积极管理作为保护密西西比州沿海筑巢最小燕鸥(Sternula antillarum)的保护措施的有效性。2017年至2019年繁殖季节,观察者每周两次调查密西西比州哈里森县的24个最小燕窝群落,以记录存在的巢穴数量、标记巢穴的命运、群落内捕食者的踪迹以及每个群落产生的雏鸟数量。与此同时,在轮班期间,管理员记录了导致燕鸥冲水或防御的干扰事件的所有来源和持续时间。最少燕窝的日存活率随着群落规模和管理努力的增加而增加,在周末和猫头鹰出现的证据等间隔时间内则较低。总生产力与鸟类捕食者的干扰率和成虫脸红的总时间呈负相关,但与管理工作无关。这项研究的结果表明,积极的管理可以通过提高巢穴的成功率对最小燕窝的生产力产生积极影响,而目前的管理做法不足以提高小鸡的生存率,即使在地面捕食者稀少的系统中也是如此。在公共沙滩上筑巢的鸟类可以从防护围栏和教育标志中受益,但如果志愿者管理员驻扎在保护区,可能会带来额外的好处。我评估了管理员的存在是否有助于减少人类干扰,提高繁殖群体的繁殖成功率。2017年至2019年,奥杜邦密西西比州的工作人员监测了密西西比州沿海的最小燕鸥群落,而季节性管理员则观察了每个群落的干扰程度。干扰率较高的殖民地生产力较低,管理工作通过增加巢穴孵化概率使殖民地受益。在繁殖地派驻管理员是保护最少燕鸥的有效管理策略,尽管可能需要额外的管理措施来提高雏鸡的存活率。
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来源期刊
Condor
Condor ORNITHOLOGY-
CiteScore
6.30
自引率
12.50%
发文量
46
审稿时长
6-12 weeks
期刊介绍: The Condor is the official publication of the Cooper Ornithological Society, a non-profit organization of over 2,000 professional and amateur ornithologists and one of the largest ornithological societies in the world. A quarterly international journal that publishes original research from all fields of avian biology, The Condor has been a highly respected forum in ornithology for more than 100 years. The journal is one of the top ranked ornithology publications. Types of paper published include feature articles (longer manuscripts) Short Communications (generally shorter papers or papers that deal with one primary finding), Commentaries (brief papers that comment on articles published previously in The Condor), and Book Reviews.
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