Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA
Date of Award
12-1997
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Department
Biology
First Advisor
Dr. Timothy Brush
Second Advisor
Dr. Robert J. Edwards
Third Advisor
Dr. Robert I. Lonard
Abstract
The breeding biology of Snowy Plovers (Charadrius alexanderinus) was studied at Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge in coastal southern Texas. During 1995 and 1996 nests were found most often in high sand flat habitat and less frequently in low sand flat. Nest sites were dominated by open flat but had more rocks, pebbles and debris than control sites. Only 24% of the clutches hatched, while 67% were eaten by predators and 9% were flooded. Forty-three percent of Snowy Plover nests were within Least Tern (Sterna antillarum) colonies and these nests had a significantly greater chance of hatching than nests placed elsewhere. Radio telemetry and color-banding revealed that broods, like nests, were found only with high and low sand flat habitat. However, broods occurred in areas with significantly more vegetative cover and less open flat than nest sites. No other Snowy Plover study has described this habitat change. The mean brood area was 3.8 ha and broods moved an average of 84 m/day. Chick daily survival rate was estimated to be 0.951 during the brood-rearing (prefledge) period.
Granting Institution
University of Texas-Pan American
Comments
Copyright 1997 Corinna Elizabeth Rupert. All Rights Reserved.
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