Temporally robust models for predicting seed yield of moist‐soil plants

ABSTRACT Rapid assessment of food production and subsequent availability is fundamental to evaluating wetland management practices and general habitat quality for waterfowl. Traditional methods of estimating food biomass (e.g., plot and core sampling) require considerable time, expertise, and cost....

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Main Authors: Joshua M. Osborn, Heath M. Hagy, Matthew D. McClanahan, Matthew J. Gray
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2017-03-01
Series:Wildlife Society Bulletin
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/wsb.735
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author Joshua M. Osborn
Heath M. Hagy
Matthew D. McClanahan
Matthew J. Gray
author_facet Joshua M. Osborn
Heath M. Hagy
Matthew D. McClanahan
Matthew J. Gray
author_sort Joshua M. Osborn
collection DOAJ
description ABSTRACT Rapid assessment of food production and subsequent availability is fundamental to evaluating wetland management practices and general habitat quality for waterfowl. Traditional methods of estimating food biomass (e.g., plot and core sampling) require considerable time, expertise, and cost. Rapid assessment models using plant measurements or scanned seed‐head area have recently been adapted to predict seed production in moist‐soil wetlands. We evaluated existing models of seed production and estimated benthic seed density with data collected during autumn 2011 in western Tennessee, USA, to improve prediction capability of seed availability for waterfowl. Generally, all models explained significant variation (r2 = 0.85–0.98) and accurately predicted seed production in moist‐soil plants (r2 = 0.84–0.97). Belowground proportions of seed biomass and duck energy days differed across species relative to previously reported biomass estimates in moist‐soil wetlands (x¯ = 0.4–9.1%); thus, production estimates from models should be adjusted on a species‐specific basis and the effect of belowground seeds on overall energetic carrying capacity estimates will vary with species composition of wetlands. We recommend use of updated most‐soil rapid‐assessment models incorporating seed bank estimates to predict waterfowl food availability and evaluate management practices. © 2017 The Wildlife Society.
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spelling doaj-art-8a166a03d8c14b4e9d6bab444fe953202025-08-20T02:49:15ZengWileyWildlife Society Bulletin2328-55402017-03-0141115716110.1002/wsb.735Temporally robust models for predicting seed yield of moist‐soil plantsJoshua M. Osborn0Heath M. Hagy1Matthew D. McClanahan2Matthew J. Gray3Illinois Natural History SurveyForbes Biological Station−Bellrose Waterfowl Research CenterUniversity of Illinois at Urbana−ChampaignP.O. Box 590HavanaIL62644USAIllinois Natural History SurveyForbes Biological Station−Bellrose Waterfowl Research CenterUniversity of Illinois at Urbana−ChampaignP.O. Box 590HavanaIL62644USAConservation Districts of IowaLe MarsIA51031USADepartment of Forestry, Wildlife, and FisheriesUniversity of TennesseeKnoxvilleTN37996USAABSTRACT Rapid assessment of food production and subsequent availability is fundamental to evaluating wetland management practices and general habitat quality for waterfowl. Traditional methods of estimating food biomass (e.g., plot and core sampling) require considerable time, expertise, and cost. Rapid assessment models using plant measurements or scanned seed‐head area have recently been adapted to predict seed production in moist‐soil wetlands. We evaluated existing models of seed production and estimated benthic seed density with data collected during autumn 2011 in western Tennessee, USA, to improve prediction capability of seed availability for waterfowl. Generally, all models explained significant variation (r2 = 0.85–0.98) and accurately predicted seed production in moist‐soil plants (r2 = 0.84–0.97). Belowground proportions of seed biomass and duck energy days differed across species relative to previously reported biomass estimates in moist‐soil wetlands (x¯ = 0.4–9.1%); thus, production estimates from models should be adjusted on a species‐specific basis and the effect of belowground seeds on overall energetic carrying capacity estimates will vary with species composition of wetlands. We recommend use of updated most‐soil rapid‐assessment models incorporating seed bank estimates to predict waterfowl food availability and evaluate management practices. © 2017 The Wildlife Society.https://doi.org/10.1002/wsb.735carrying capacitydabbling duckTennessee National Wildlife Refugewaterfowlwetlands
spellingShingle Joshua M. Osborn
Heath M. Hagy
Matthew D. McClanahan
Matthew J. Gray
Temporally robust models for predicting seed yield of moist‐soil plants
Wildlife Society Bulletin
carrying capacity
dabbling duck
Tennessee National Wildlife Refuge
waterfowl
wetlands
title Temporally robust models for predicting seed yield of moist‐soil plants
title_full Temporally robust models for predicting seed yield of moist‐soil plants
title_fullStr Temporally robust models for predicting seed yield of moist‐soil plants
title_full_unstemmed Temporally robust models for predicting seed yield of moist‐soil plants
title_short Temporally robust models for predicting seed yield of moist‐soil plants
title_sort temporally robust models for predicting seed yield of moist soil plants
topic carrying capacity
dabbling duck
Tennessee National Wildlife Refuge
waterfowl
wetlands
url https://doi.org/10.1002/wsb.735
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AT heathmhagy temporallyrobustmodelsforpredictingseedyieldofmoistsoilplants
AT matthewdmcclanahan temporallyrobustmodelsforpredictingseedyieldofmoistsoilplants
AT matthewjgray temporallyrobustmodelsforpredictingseedyieldofmoistsoilplants