Date of Award

Spring 8-1-2004

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Life Sciences

First Advisor

Steven L. Lima

Second Advisor

Peter E. Scott

Third Advisor

John O. Whitaker Jr.

Abstract

Several marshbird species in the Midwest have suffered population declines linked to the loss and degradation of wetland habitat. As a result, many marshbirds have been listed as species of management concern at the state and federal levels. However, reclaimed surface mines in the Midwest may benefit these marshbirds since most reclaimed mines contain a much greater density and diversity of wetlands than the surrounding agricultural landscape. In 2002 and 2003, point counts were used to survey wetlands on reclaimed mines and at non-mine sites in west-central Indiana for the uccurrence of American bittern, least bittern, green heron, American coot, common moorhen, king rail, black rail, yellow rail, sora, Virginia rail, pied-billed grebe, and marsh wren. Eleven of the target species were recorded at the mine sites, while only 6 species were recorded at the non-mine sites. Seasonal trends in detection indicated substantial use of the mine habitat during migration, although evidence of breeding on the mines was recorded for nearly all species. Habitat assessments with the use of multiple logistic regression models indicated that microhabitat features such as hydrological characteristics and vegetation structure were important in determining species occurrence. Large-scale multiple logistic regression models demonstrated that various aspects of wetland area, landscape connectivity, and landscape composition were also important determinants for all species. The overall results suggest considerable value in the integration of small-scale and landscape-level approaches in conservation of these species. This study also establishes that the mines contain wetland habitat that is unique and undoubtedly of great regional significance.

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