Model
Digital Document
Publisher
Florida Atlantic University
Description
Anthropogenic hydrologic alterations can affect the quality of lake littoral zone
habitats for wading birds, such as the great egret (Ardea alba), snowy egret (Egretta
thula), and white ibis (Eudocimus albus). One such lake in Florida, Lake Okeechobee,
has experienced a marked decline in wading bird nesting since the 1970’s, concomitant
with changes in lake level management. It’s hypothesized that a reduction in foraging
habitat has led to the nesting decline; however, there is little quantitative evidence of this
link. A habitat suitability model was developed for Lake Okeechobee wading birds that
incorporate the spatial and temporal dynamics of environmental factors that affect
wading bird foraging and tests whether foraging habitat is linked to numbers of nests.
habitats for wading birds, such as the great egret (Ardea alba), snowy egret (Egretta
thula), and white ibis (Eudocimus albus). One such lake in Florida, Lake Okeechobee,
has experienced a marked decline in wading bird nesting since the 1970’s, concomitant
with changes in lake level management. It’s hypothesized that a reduction in foraging
habitat has led to the nesting decline; however, there is little quantitative evidence of this
link. A habitat suitability model was developed for Lake Okeechobee wading birds that
incorporate the spatial and temporal dynamics of environmental factors that affect
wading bird foraging and tests whether foraging habitat is linked to numbers of nests.
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