Breeding waterfowl use of restored wetlands in the Cariboo region of British Columbia
Zondervan, Zane Hunter (author) Ransome, Douglas (thesis advisor) Anderson, Eric Owen, Susan British Columbia Institute of Technology School of Construction and the Environment (Degree granting institution) Simon Fraser University Faculty of Environment (Degree granting institution)
Dissertation/thesis
http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ © Zane Zondervan, 2020. All rights reserved. No part of this work covered by the copyright heron may be reproduced or used in any form or by any means - graphics, electronic, or mechanical including photocopying, taping, or information storage and retrieval systems - without written permission of the author.
British Columbia Institute of Technology
2020-04-14
45 pages
This study investigated effects of wetland size and emergent vegetation cover on breeding waterfowl and young at 12 restored wetlands in the Cariboo region of British Columbia. Repeated ground surveys were conducted throughout summer 2019 to determine total abundance, density and species richness of waterfowl. Surveyed wetlands varied in size and emergent cover. Large (16-19 ha) wetlands had greater breeding total abundance and lower breeding and brood densities than smaller wetlands. Total abundance of breeding waterfowl and young were highest when wetlands had less than 60% emergent cover. Previous studies suggest that high densities of waterfowl decrease young survival. Restorations created to benefit several species of breeding waterfowl may want to restore wetlands that are large (>16 ha) and have less than 30% emergent vegetation cover. These wetlands had higher total abundances and lower densities than other categories studied, however, certain species may depend on smaller wetlands which should be researched further.
Cariboo region wetland restoration breeding waterfowl emergent vegetation
Waterfowl Wetlands
electronic
Master of Science