Over 50% of wetlands in the interior United States have been lost over the last 150 years and, despite legal protections, wetland loss to agricultural conversion and development continues. In landscapes dominated by agriculture, wetlands continue to be removed or altered to increase agricultural production. These wetlands are critical for migratory birds as stopover sites during migration and their loss is likely a major factor in the steep declines of wetland-dependent birds in North America. Nevertheless, although the remaining small wetlands are embedded in what are now vast agricultural lands, they can provide critical habitat for a broad array of species, including many wetland specialists. Most efforts to protect and create wetlands on agricultural lands in order to facilitate biodiversity conservation, however, have focused on permanent, relatively deep-water habitats that are suitable for only a subset of wetland specialists. Shallower, more ephemeral, temporary-seasonal wetlands are also critically important to some wetland specialists, especially migratory shorebirds. But, such wetlands have proven more difficult to identify, study, and protect. We propose a multifaceted study that will develop the analytical tools to accurately identify where temporary-seasonal wetlands occur within agricultural landscapes and then determine the optimal configuration of these wetlands to sustain shorebird migration into the future despite predicted changes in climate and land-use. Our efforts will not only provide needed information to conserve a group of species that has declined precipitously, but also provide benefits to farmers and broader ecosystems via the well-documented positive effects of wetlands on water and nutrient retention. As part of this project we will cultivate a broad coalition of scientists, conservation practitioners, and farmers to achieve our objectives. Over 50% of wetlands in the interior United States have been lost over the last 150 years and, despite legal protections, wetland loss to agricultural conversion and development continues. In landscapes dominated by agriculture, wetlands continue to be removed or altered to increase agricultural production. These wetlands are critical for migratory birds as stopover sites during migration and their loss is likely a major factor in the steep declines of wetland-dependent birds in North America. Nevertheless, although the remaining small wetlands are embedded in what are now vast agricultural lands, they can provide critical habitat for a broad array of species, including many wetland specialists. Most efforts to protect and create wetlands on agricultural lands in order to facilitate biodiversity conservation, however, have focused on permanent, relatively deep-water habitats that are suitable for only a subset of wetland specialists. Shallower, more ephemeral, temporary-seasonal wetlands are also critically important to some wetland specialists, especially migratory shorebirds. But, such wetlands have proven more difficult to identify, study, and protect. We propose a multifaceted study that will develop the analytical tools to accurately identify where temporary-seasonal wetlands occur within agricultural landscapes and then determine the optimal configuration of these wetlands to sustain shorebird migration into the future despite predicted changes in climate and land-use. Our efforts will not only provide needed information to conserve a group of species that has declined precipitously, but also provide benefits to farmers and broader ecosystems via the well-documented positive effects of wetlands on water and nutrient retention. As part of this project we will cultivate a broad coalition of scientists, conservation practitioners, and farmers to achieve our objectives.
Nathan
Senner
