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Dry Season Prey ConcentrationThis project monitors the seasonal concentration of aquatic fauna in the Everglades. It is part of the Monitoring and Assessment for the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP).
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Wading Bird Colonies at Lake OkeechobeeThis project monitors the timing, size, and location of wading bird colonies at Lake Okeechobee. It is part of the Monitoring and Assessment for the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP).
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Testing the use of passive acoustic sensing for estimating wading bird provisioning rates and nest densities based on vocal activity rates in colonies on Lake Okeechobee. I am also investigating the use of alternate habitats by wading birds by comparing annual nest abundances between subregions of the Greater Everglades ecosystem. |
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While wading birds are known to depend on hydrologic variation for reproduction, the mechanism by which hydrology affects the species-specific reproductive success of wading birds is poorly understood. To investigate this mechanism I am determining the provisioning rates and physical condition of Tricolored Heron and Snowy Egret nestlings across a gradient of resource availability on Lake Okeechobee. |
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Population-level Impacts of Potential Adaptation by the Wood Stork to the new Everglades This Ph.D. project combines colony monitoring, genetic techniques, and population modeling to understand how behavioral shifts in the Wood Stork (Mycteria americana) may impact the conservation outlook of this federally-protected species. |
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Habitat Selection Models for Wading Birds in Coastal South Florida The goals of this study are to (1) develop a Little Blue Heron (LBHE) habitat model for the Lower Florida Keys and Florida Bay using a hydrologic model and resource selection function framework, and (2) to quantitatively link birds to lower trophic level food resources by identifying LBHE colonies and sampling their diets. These models can be used to better predict how coastal wading bird habitat will be affected by natural and anthropogenic-driven changes and inform efforts promoting wading bird population sustainability and coastal ecosystem health. |
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Wood Stork use of Roadway Corridor Features in South Florida This project is designed to identify the features of roadway corridors and neighboring natural areas that are preferred and avoided by Wood Storks and to determine the biomass and community structure of fish and crayfish associated with the different corridor features. |
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Effects of Alligators on Dry-season Aquatic Fauna Concentration This study will test the hypothesis that juvenile alligators act as a mechanism for increasing microtopography in the Everglades, which would lead to increased aquatic fauna concentration density during the dry season. |
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Wading Bird use of Geographically Isolated Wetlands in the Southeastern United States Coastal Plain This study will determine the characteristics of geographically isolated wetlands that influence the use by wading birds. |
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Quantifying Wading Bird Resource Selection and Nesting Abundance: a Tool for Everglades Restoration This is an ecological modeling study to examine hydrologic factors influencing resource selection and nest abundance of Great Egret, White Ibis, and Wood Stork in the Florida Everglades. |
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Wading Bird Stress Response to Prey Availability in a Managed Lake Ecosystem This study will be the first to illustrate the mechanistic link by which environmental condition and food availability at Lake Okeechobee influences the physiological condition of wading birds during the nesting season. |
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Landscape Prey Production and Predatory Selection in an Unpredictable Environment This study examines landscape parameters that produce high prey production and body condition, as well as the hydrologic patterns that influence wading bird prey selection. |
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Selectivity of the Purple Swamphen in Florida This project investigates the diet of the Purple Swamphen in south Florida and assesses any preference the swamphens may be showing towards certain prey species. |
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Feasibility of modeling impacts of sea-level rise on foraging habitat of the Little Blue Heron This research will contribute to the knowledge of the dietary preferences of the Little Blue Heron and Great White Heron. We also intend to identify significant drivers of prey availability and the most influential variables that contribute to a wading bird's selection of foraging habitat in coastal systems. |
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This project is creating a Habitat Suitability Model (HSM) for key wading bird species at Lake Okeechobee. Additionally, we will look at the effect of available foraging habitat on wading bird nest success. |
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Modeling Trophic Linkages as a Tool for Wetland Ecosystem Restoration Using empirical data on dry season prey concentrations and wading bird nesting effort in response to a suite of Everglades patch and landscape level metrics, this study aims to identify the key parameters responsible for promoting prey concentrations and quantify the linkage among hydrology, prey availability and wading bird nesting. |
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Avian Communities in Stormwater Treatment Areas The South Florida Water Management District has constructed over 32,000 acres of wetlands on former agricultural lands, referred to as Stormwater Treatment Areas (STAs). The STAs function to receive stormwater runoff and reduce surface nutrients through biochemical processes. This project examines factors influencing the avian use and diversity of the STAs and compares these factors to adjacent agricultural fields and natural marsh. |
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Factors Affecting Foraging Efficiency of the Scarlet Ibis This manipulative study focused on the factors affecting the prey consumption and foraging efficiency of the scarlet ibis. |
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Wading Bird Habitat Selection This project links landscape-level prey availability with resource use and movements of adult white ibis and great egrets. |
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Wading Bird Reproductive Physiology This project developed a computer simulation model of wading bird habitat suitability in south west Florida. It used hydrologic parameters to estimate wading bird foraging and reproductive success. |
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LILA: Factors Affecting Wading Bird Prey Availability and Foraging Success This project focused on the way in which habitat features, specifically water depth and vegetation density, affect prey availability for wading birds in the Everglades. |
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Landscape Prey Production and Predatory Selection in an Unpredictable Environment This study examines landscape parameters that produce high prey production and body condition, as well as the hydrologic patterns that influence wading bird prey selection. |
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Wading Bird Habitat Suitability Index This project developed a computer simulation model of wading bird habitat suitability in south west Florida. It used hydrologic parameters to estimate wading bird foraging and reproductive success. |
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Prey Vulnerability
This project tested prey vulnerability components of the wading bird prey availability model. Treatment variables included vegetation structure and prey density.
raphy upon prey concentrations during the annual hydrologic dry down in the Everglades marsh. |
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Wood Stork Foraging Habitat Selection This project developed a simulation model that displays the potential effects of different levels of microtopography upon prey concentrations during the annual hydrologic dry down in the Everglades marsh. |
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Prey Vulnerability This project tested prey vulnerability components of the wading bird prey availability model. Treatment variables included vegetation structure and prey density. |
