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• 1. [Article] Nesting ecology of mallards in the Willamette Valley of Oregon

  Although widely studied in many portions of North America, little is known about the specific habitat requirements of mallard ducks (Anas platyrhynchos) during the breeding season in western Oregon. I ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Nesting ecology of mallards in the Willamette Valley of Oregon Author: Rickerson, Eric V. Although widely studied in many portions of North America, little is known about the specific habitat requirements of mallard ducks (Anas platyrhynchos) during the breeding season in western Oregon. I radio-marked 72 female mallards in the Willamette Valley of Oregon in March-April 1995-96 to document wetland habitat selection during pre-nesting and nesting phases, nesting cover selection, nesting and female success rates, nesting chronology, and survival of females during the pre-nesting and nesting periods. Wetland habitat selection was higher for seasonal riverine and permanent lacustrine habitats during the pre-nesting and nesting periods. Uncultivated upland and wetland habitat nesting sites with a strong cover component had a higher selection ranking compared to agricultural cropland and ash-cottonwood riparian. The reproductive period was 107 days beginning in early-March and concluding in late-June with the peak of nest attempts occurring around May 9. Nesting effort was low with 38.4% of females failing to attempts at least one nest. Nest survival probabilities ranged from 0.106 in 1995 to 0.216 in 1996 with a pooled estimate of 0.186 (95% C.I.=0.122-0.298). Mammalian predation accounted for 84% of nest failures. Overall female success was 40.5% and differed between first year (SY) and second year and older females (ASY). Female survival probabilities ranged from 0.5 11 in 1995 to 0.733 in 1996, with a pooled estimate of 0.668 (95% C.I.=0.5370.842). Title: Nesting ecology of mallards in the Willamette Valley of Oregon Author: Rickerson, Eric V. Although widely studied in many portions of North America, little is known about the specific habitat requirements of mallard ducks (Anas platyrhynchos) during the breeding season in western Oregon. I radio-marked 72 female mallards in the Willamette Valley of Oregon in March-April 1995-96 to document wetland habitat selection during pre-nesting and nesting phases, nesting cover selection, nesting and female success rates, nesting chronology, and survival of females during the pre-nesting and nesting periods. Wetland habitat selection was higher for seasonal riverine and permanent lacustrine habitats during the pre-nesting and nesting periods. Uncultivated upland and wetland habitat nesting sites with a strong cover component had a higher selection ranking compared to agricultural cropland and ash-cottonwood riparian. The reproductive period was 107 days beginning in early-March and concluding in late-June with the peak of nest attempts occurring around May 9. Nesting effort was low with 38.4% of females failing to attempts at least one nest. Nest survival probabilities ranged from 0.106 in 1995 to 0.216 in 1996 with a pooled estimate of 0.186 (95% C.I.=0.122-0.298). Mammalian predation accounted for 84% of nest failures. Overall female success was 40.5% and differed between first year (SY) and second year and older females (ASY). Female survival probabilities ranged from 0.5 11 in 1995 to 0.733 in 1996, with a pooled estimate of 0.668 (95% C.I.=0.5370.842). Close

• 2. [Article] Floodplain emergent wetlands as rearing habitat for fishes and the implications for wetland enhancement

  Seasonal emergent wetlands in the Pacific Northwest have not been regarded traditionally as fish rearing habitat, despite access to such habitat when river flows overtop riverbanks and connect to the floodplain. ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Floodplain emergent wetlands as rearing habitat for fishes and the implications for wetland enhancement Author: Henning, Julie A. Seasonal emergent wetlands in the Pacific Northwest have not been regarded traditionally as fish rearing habitat, despite access to such habitat when river flows overtop riverbanks and connect to the floodplain. As a result, restoration and enhancement projects to remediate for the loss of such wetland habitat are being implemented for waterfowl and other wildlife with little consideration for fishes such as juvenile salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.). The objectives of this study were to examine the degree to which fish utilize emergent wetlands and to determine the influence of wetland enhancement on fish communities in the Chehalis River floodplain. Furthermore, I quantified the influence of enhanced wetlands on juvenile coho salmon. A minimum of 18 fish species utilized floodplain wetlands, and the most abundant were three-spine stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) and Olympic mudminnow (Novumbra hubbsi). Both enhanced and unenhanced emergent wetlands had higher abundances of nongame native fishes than oxbow habitats. Coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) was the dominant salmonid at all sites and enhanced wetlands had significantly higher abundances of yearling coho salmon than unenhanced wetlands. Dissolved oxygen concentrations decreased in emergent wetlands throughout the season and were near lethal limits for juvenile salmon by June each year. Survival of fishes utilizing emergent wetlands was dependent on movement to the river before water quality decreased and/or the wetland became isolated and stranding occurred. Emigration patterns suggested that coho salmon yearling and young-of-the-year emigrated as habitat conditions declined. This was further supported by the results of the experimental release of yearling coho salmon. Yearling coho salmon benefited from rearing in enhanced wetland habitats where their growth and survival were comparable to studies of juvenile coho off-channel habitats. Title: Floodplain emergent wetlands as rearing habitat for fishes and the implications for wetland enhancement Author: Henning, Julie A. Seasonal emergent wetlands in the Pacific Northwest have not been regarded traditionally as fish rearing habitat, despite access to such habitat when river flows overtop riverbanks and connect to the floodplain. As a result, restoration and enhancement projects to remediate for the loss of such wetland habitat are being implemented for waterfowl and other wildlife with little consideration for fishes such as juvenile salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.). The objectives of this study were to examine the degree to which fish utilize emergent wetlands and to determine the influence of wetland enhancement on fish communities in the Chehalis River floodplain. Furthermore, I quantified the influence of enhanced wetlands on juvenile coho salmon. A minimum of 18 fish species utilized floodplain wetlands, and the most abundant were three-spine stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) and Olympic mudminnow (Novumbra hubbsi). Both enhanced and unenhanced emergent wetlands had higher abundances of nongame native fishes than oxbow habitats. Coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) was the dominant salmonid at all sites and enhanced wetlands had significantly higher abundances of yearling coho salmon than unenhanced wetlands. Dissolved oxygen concentrations decreased in emergent wetlands throughout the season and were near lethal limits for juvenile salmon by June each year. Survival of fishes utilizing emergent wetlands was dependent on movement to the river before water quality decreased and/or the wetland became isolated and stranding occurred. Emigration patterns suggested that coho salmon yearling and young-of-the-year emigrated as habitat conditions declined. This was further supported by the results of the experimental release of yearling coho salmon. Yearling coho salmon benefited from rearing in enhanced wetland habitats where their growth and survival were comparable to studies of juvenile coho off-channel habitats. Close

• 3. [Article] Lower Middle Fork Willamette River Watershed Assessment

  Abstract -- This watershed assessment includes the following topics: land forms and geology, land ownership and uses, hydrology, riparian habitat conditions, aquatic habitat and fish populations, wetland ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Lower Middle Fork Willamette River Watershed Assessment Abstract -- This watershed assessment includes the following topics: land forms and geology, land ownership and uses, hydrology, riparian habitat conditions, aquatic habitat and fish populations, wetland habitat conditions, water quality, and sediment sources. Title: Lower Middle Fork Willamette River Watershed Assessment Abstract -- This watershed assessment includes the following topics: land forms and geology, land ownership and uses, hydrology, riparian habitat conditions, aquatic habitat and fish populations, wetland habitat conditions, water quality, and sediment sources. Close

• 4. [Article] Food abundance and energetic carrying capacity for wintering waterfowl in the Great Salt Lake wetlands

  Great Salt Lake (GSL), Utah, is surrounded by 191,884 hectares of wetlands. These wetlands provide critical habitat for hundreds of thousands of breeding, migrating and wintering waterfowl each year. ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Food abundance and energetic carrying capacity for wintering waterfowl in the Great Salt Lake wetlands Author: Johnson, Amber Marie Great Salt Lake (GSL), Utah, is surrounded by 191,884 hectares of wetlands. These wetlands provide critical habitat for hundreds of thousands of breeding, migrating and wintering waterfowl each year. As the human population around GSL increases, government officials have proposed to divert more water from the Jordan, Ogden, and Bear Rivers to meet municipal demands. Freshwater diversions from the rivers that supply the wetlands will likely decrease the amount of wetland habitat available to waterfowl. To justify current and future water allocation for wetlands around the GSL, managers must quantify the value of these habitats to migratory wetland birds, and one measure of habitat quality is food abundance. However, food abundance in the GSL wetlands is unknown. In this study, I quantified food abundance in managed and unmanaged wetland areas along the east side of the GSL. Managed wetlands included state, federal, and private lands contained within levees and actively managed as waterfowl habitat. I defined unmanaged wetlands as those shallow water areas outside levees impacted by freshwater flows from the Jordan, Bear, and Ogden Rivers and from managed wetlands. Unmanaged wetlands are under no specific management regime and are under the greatest threat by proposed water diversions because they are currently not protected under Utah water laws. I used multi-stage and simple random sampling to quantify food abundance in managed and unmanaged wetland. Sampling in managed wetlands occurred during September 2005-2006 (n = 12) and unmanaged wetlands during 2006 (n = 3) before the majority of waterfowl arrive on fall migration. I estimated the biomass of seeds, tubers, invertebrates, and submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV). Mean tuber and invertebrate biomass was similar between managed and unmanaged wetlands in 2006 (ps > 0.09); however, leafy biomass was 37% higher in unmanaged wetlands (t = 2.47, p = 0.015) and seed biomass was 65% higher in managed wetlands (t = 5.06, p <0.001). I then used biomass estimates to calculate energetic carrying capacity of both managed and unmanaged wetland habitats and determine the effects of possible water diversions from unmanaged wetlands on migratory waterfowl. I used information on daily bird energy needs, biomass estimates, and true metabolizable energy of each food type to estimate duck carrying capacity in habitats dominated by submerged aquatic vegetation. I separated ducks into three guilds based on food habits and feeding methods (dabblers, divers and grazers). The unit of comparison for energetic carrying capacity was Duck Use Day (DUD), defined as the amount of energy needed to support one duck for one day. Carrying capacity was higher in managed vs. unmanaged habitats for all three duck foraging guilds. If unmanaged wetlands decline by 80%, I estimated that duck carrying capacity would decrease 34% for grazers, 20% for divers, and 14% for dabblers. Results from this research provide a quantitative value to both managed and unmanaged wetlands surrounding the GSL to wintering waterfowl and provide guidance for the future conservation, restoration and maintenance of hundreds of thousands of hectares of critical wetland habitat. Title: Food abundance and energetic carrying capacity for wintering waterfowl in the Great Salt Lake wetlands Author: Johnson, Amber Marie Great Salt Lake (GSL), Utah, is surrounded by 191,884 hectares of wetlands. These wetlands provide critical habitat for hundreds of thousands of breeding, migrating and wintering waterfowl each year. As the human population around GSL increases, government officials have proposed to divert more water from the Jordan, Ogden, and Bear Rivers to meet municipal demands. Freshwater diversions from the rivers that supply the wetlands will likely decrease the amount of wetland habitat available to waterfowl. To justify current and future water allocation for wetlands around the GSL, managers must quantify the value of these habitats to migratory wetland birds, and one measure of habitat quality is food abundance. However, food abundance in the GSL wetlands is unknown. In this study, I quantified food abundance in managed and unmanaged wetland areas along the east side of the GSL. Managed wetlands included state, federal, and private lands contained within levees and actively managed as waterfowl habitat. I defined unmanaged wetlands as those shallow water areas outside levees impacted by freshwater flows from the Jordan, Bear, and Ogden Rivers and from managed wetlands. Unmanaged wetlands are under no specific management regime and are under the greatest threat by proposed water diversions because they are currently not protected under Utah water laws. I used multi-stage and simple random sampling to quantify food abundance in managed and unmanaged wetland. Sampling in managed wetlands occurred during September 2005-2006 (n = 12) and unmanaged wetlands during 2006 (n = 3) before the majority of waterfowl arrive on fall migration. I estimated the biomass of seeds, tubers, invertebrates, and submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV). Mean tuber and invertebrate biomass was similar between managed and unmanaged wetlands in 2006 (ps > 0.09); however, leafy biomass was 37% higher in unmanaged wetlands (t = 2.47, p = 0.015) and seed biomass was 65% higher in managed wetlands (t = 5.06, p <0.001). I then used biomass estimates to calculate energetic carrying capacity of both managed and unmanaged wetland habitats and determine the effects of possible water diversions from unmanaged wetlands on migratory waterfowl. I used information on daily bird energy needs, biomass estimates, and true metabolizable energy of each food type to estimate duck carrying capacity in habitats dominated by submerged aquatic vegetation. I separated ducks into three guilds based on food habits and feeding methods (dabblers, divers and grazers). The unit of comparison for energetic carrying capacity was Duck Use Day (DUD), defined as the amount of energy needed to support one duck for one day. Carrying capacity was higher in managed vs. unmanaged habitats for all three duck foraging guilds. If unmanaged wetlands decline by 80%, I estimated that duck carrying capacity would decrease 34% for grazers, 20% for divers, and 14% for dabblers. Results from this research provide a quantitative value to both managed and unmanaged wetlands surrounding the GSL to wintering waterfowl and provide guidance for the future conservation, restoration and maintenance of hundreds of thousands of hectares of critical wetland habitat. Close

• 5. [Article] Areal distribution, change, and restoration potential of wetlands within the lower Columbia River riparian zone, 1948-1991

  The lower Columbia River (LCR) riparian zone is rich in habitat diversity. However, the natural beauty and species diversity along the river have increasingly become affected by human activity. This study ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Areal distribution, change, and restoration potential of wetlands within the lower Columbia River riparian zone, 1948-1991 Author: Allen, Tracy Hunter The lower Columbia River (LCR) riparian zone is rich in habitat diversity. However, the natural beauty and species diversity along the river have increasingly become affected by human activity. This study quantifies the areal extent and degree of wetlands change and associated causes along the LCR over the past 44 years. This research examines the distribution of wetland types and their patterns of change, developing regional models which rank areas most conducive to potential wetland recovery or restoration efforts. The length of the study area totals 234 river kilometers, from the mouth of the Columbia River to Bonneville Dam. The width includes the active channel and an approximately three-kilometer swath on either side of the river. Aerial photography was the primary means for interpreting historical extent of wetlands, using five photo dates (1948, 1961, 1973, 1983, and 1991), based upon their time interval, coverage, and photo quality. For each photo throughout the entire study site, land uses and wetland habitats greater than one hectare were identified and classified. Each classified polygon was digitized and spatially analyzed using a Geographic Information System. This study indicates that wetland habitats which were once contiguously draped upon the linear features of the river are decreasing in size and becoming fragmented. There have been both increases and decreases in specific wetland habitat areas which vary by river reach, even though wetlands have diminished overall. The estuarine section of the LCR experienced a 25% net decrease in wetland area between 1948 and 1991, while the riverine tidal section fostered a 1% increase. The riverine lower perennial section sustained the greatest loss of wetlands, which decreased by 37%. Causes for wetland losses in the estuarine section were largely related to in-water activities, such as channelization, while the causes for declines in the riverine lower perennial section were correlated with rapid urbanization. Wetland increases in the riverine tidal section were generally influenced by significant growth in palustrine and forested wetlands associated with the establishment of wildlife refuges and the incremental increase of upstream flood storage capacity. This research provides a template for identifying degraded or displaced wetlands. Through the use of a GIS, each historical wetland was ranked in either low, moderate, or high categories for restoration potential. GIS technology permits focused, sequentially-refined queries to identify potential restoration or recovery sites. In the estuarine section, 74 historical wetland sites were ranked high for restoration potential, while in the riverine tidal and riverine lower perennial sections, there were 178 and 105, respectively. Overall, these sites represent only 25% of the area occupied by wetlands in 1948. While this study advocates restoration potential, restoration is not a surrogate for responsible ecosystem-wide stewardship of the riparian zone. Restoration will not succeed unless degrading factors are mitigated or eliminated. Title: Areal distribution, change, and restoration potential of wetlands within the lower Columbia River riparian zone, 1948-1991 Author: Allen, Tracy Hunter The lower Columbia River (LCR) riparian zone is rich in habitat diversity. However, the natural beauty and species diversity along the river have increasingly become affected by human activity. This study quantifies the areal extent and degree of wetlands change and associated causes along the LCR over the past 44 years. This research examines the distribution of wetland types and their patterns of change, developing regional models which rank areas most conducive to potential wetland recovery or restoration efforts. The length of the study area totals 234 river kilometers, from the mouth of the Columbia River to Bonneville Dam. The width includes the active channel and an approximately three-kilometer swath on either side of the river. Aerial photography was the primary means for interpreting historical extent of wetlands, using five photo dates (1948, 1961, 1973, 1983, and 1991), based upon their time interval, coverage, and photo quality. For each photo throughout the entire study site, land uses and wetland habitats greater than one hectare were identified and classified. Each classified polygon was digitized and spatially analyzed using a Geographic Information System. This study indicates that wetland habitats which were once contiguously draped upon the linear features of the river are decreasing in size and becoming fragmented. There have been both increases and decreases in specific wetland habitat areas which vary by river reach, even though wetlands have diminished overall. The estuarine section of the LCR experienced a 25% net decrease in wetland area between 1948 and 1991, while the riverine tidal section fostered a 1% increase. The riverine lower perennial section sustained the greatest loss of wetlands, which decreased by 37%. Causes for wetland losses in the estuarine section were largely related to in-water activities, such as channelization, while the causes for declines in the riverine lower perennial section were correlated with rapid urbanization. Wetland increases in the riverine tidal section were generally influenced by significant growth in palustrine and forested wetlands associated with the establishment of wildlife refuges and the incremental increase of upstream flood storage capacity. This research provides a template for identifying degraded or displaced wetlands. Through the use of a GIS, each historical wetland was ranked in either low, moderate, or high categories for restoration potential. GIS technology permits focused, sequentially-refined queries to identify potential restoration or recovery sites. In the estuarine section, 74 historical wetland sites were ranked high for restoration potential, while in the riverine tidal and riverine lower perennial sections, there were 178 and 105, respectively. Overall, these sites represent only 25% of the area occupied by wetlands in 1948. While this study advocates restoration potential, restoration is not a surrogate for responsible ecosystem-wide stewardship of the riparian zone. Restoration will not succeed unless degrading factors are mitigated or eliminated. Close

• 6. [Article] Influence of Wetland Landscape Structure on Duck Nest Success at Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, Oregon

  The decline of waterfowl populations and their requisite wetland habitats remains a concern. Because migratory bird refuges are often artificial landscapes of actively managed wetlands, and wildlife populations ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Influence of Wetland Landscape Structure on Duck Nest Success at Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, Oregon Author: Craver, Daniel Robert Year: 2010 The decline of waterfowl populations and their requisite wetland habitats remains a concern. Because migratory bird refuges are often artificial landscapes of actively managed wetlands, and wildlife populations experience their greatest change during the breeding season, refuges should be designed to maximize breeding habitat. While past nest success studies have focused on at-nest variables, new approaches are needed to evaluate the effect of composition and configuration of plant communities at the landscape scale. This study aims to quantify landscape patterns within individual refuge management units to determine influence upon historical nesting success averages of ducks at Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in southeastern Oregon. The Mayfield estimate of nest success for 8 duck species yields a survival rate of 25% for the years 1987-1998 with a range of 0-74% across 48 management units. FRAGSTATS was used to calculate a suite of 9 landscape pattern metrics per unit at the class-level for each of 3 wetland habitat classes, and at the landscape-level using all habitat types. These 36 variables were tested for association with survival rate using Pearson R correlation. Results suggest fragmentation of dry meadow habitat; patch size, complexity, and extensiveness of wet meadow habitat; and diversity of habitats across the landscape positively influence duck nest success at the scale of the individual management unit. Title: Influence of Wetland Landscape Structure on Duck Nest Success at Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, Oregon Author: Craver, Daniel Robert Year: 2010 The decline of waterfowl populations and their requisite wetland habitats remains a concern. Because migratory bird refuges are often artificial landscapes of actively managed wetlands, and wildlife populations experience their greatest change during the breeding season, refuges should be designed to maximize breeding habitat. While past nest success studies have focused on at-nest variables, new approaches are needed to evaluate the effect of composition and configuration of plant communities at the landscape scale. This study aims to quantify landscape patterns within individual refuge management units to determine influence upon historical nesting success averages of ducks at Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in southeastern Oregon. The Mayfield estimate of nest success for 8 duck species yields a survival rate of 25% for the years 1987-1998 with a range of 0-74% across 48 management units. FRAGSTATS was used to calculate a suite of 9 landscape pattern metrics per unit at the class-level for each of 3 wetland habitat classes, and at the landscape-level using all habitat types. These 36 variables were tested for association with survival rate using Pearson R correlation. Results suggest fragmentation of dry meadow habitat; patch size, complexity, and extensiveness of wet meadow habitat; and diversity of habitats across the landscape positively influence duck nest success at the scale of the individual management unit. Close

• 7. [Article] Spruce Reach culvert project environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact

  26 pp. Map, references, illus. T21S., R11W., Sec 33. Date of FONSI is January 9, 2009. Captured January 14, 2009.

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Spruce Reach culvert project environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact Author: United States. Bureau of Land Management. Coos Bay District Year: 2009, 2008 26 pp. Map, references, illus. T21S., R11W., Sec 33. Date of FONSI is January 9, 2009. Captured January 14, 2009. Title: Spruce Reach culvert project environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact Author: United States. Bureau of Land Management. Coos Bay District Year: 2009, 2008 26 pp. Map, references, illus. T21S., R11W., Sec 33. Date of FONSI is January 9, 2009. Captured January 14, 2009. Close

• 8. [Article] Siletz Bay National Fish and Wildlife Refuge : environmental assessment

  "The Service is proposing to establish the Siletz Bay National Fish and Wildlife Refuge by initially accepting a donation of 46 acres of salt marsh, acquiring up to 793 acres of land, and cooperatively ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Siletz Bay National Fish and Wildlife Refuge : environmental assessment Author: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Region 1, Harrison, Ben "The Service is proposing to establish the Siletz Bay National Fish and Wildlife Refuge by initially accepting a donation of 46 acres of salt marsh, acquiring up to 793 acres of land, and cooperatively managing 1,060 acres of tidelands with the State of Oregon... The primary need for the Service acquisition is to preserve diverse coastal wetland habitats and upland buffers for a variety of waterfowl, shorebirds, marine mammals, endangered species, raptors, songbirds, anadromous and resident fish, and other wildlife." (p.2) The report describes the area and discusses potential issues. It includes maps, an aerial photograph, and a species list. Title: Siletz Bay National Fish and Wildlife Refuge : environmental assessment Author: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Region 1, Harrison, Ben "The Service is proposing to establish the Siletz Bay National Fish and Wildlife Refuge by initially accepting a donation of 46 acres of salt marsh, acquiring up to 793 acres of land, and cooperatively managing 1,060 acres of tidelands with the State of Oregon... The primary need for the Service acquisition is to preserve diverse coastal wetland habitats and upland buffers for a variety of waterfowl, shorebirds, marine mammals, endangered species, raptors, songbirds, anadromous and resident fish, and other wildlife." (p.2) The report describes the area and discusses potential issues. It includes maps, an aerial photograph, and a species list. Close

• 9. [Article] Multiscale relationships of wintering birds with riparian and wetland habitat in the Willamette Valley, Oregon

  Relatively little is known about wintering bird communities in lowlands of the Pacific Northwest, yet, the condition of winter habitats potentially can pose a major constraint on bird populations. I initiated ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Multiscale relationships of wintering birds with riparian and wetland habitat in the Willamette Valley, Oregon Author: Adamus, Paul R. Relatively little is known about wintering bird communities in lowlands of the Pacific Northwest, yet, the condition of winter habitats potentially can pose a major constraint on bird populations. I initiated a study to determine: (1) Which avian species use lowland riparian and wetland habitats in the Willamette Valley during winter, and with what intraseasonal regularity? (2) To what extent are these species associated - individually and collectively - with landscape and site-scale habitat variables? (3) To what extent are these species associated - individually and collectively - with particular landscape vs. site-scale variables? (4) How are the apparent associations affected by survey procedures and data analysis methods? Two survey procedures (area counts and point counts) in 1995 and 1996 found 104 species during 10 visits to 142 riparian and wetland sites. Area counts mainly surveyed waterbirds and raptors; point counts surveyed passerines. From area counts, mean richness ranged 0 toll species among sites and 1 to 5 species among weeks at an average site; mean number of individuals ranged 0 to 1016 among sites and from 6 to 199 among weeks at an average site. From point counts, richness ranged 1 to 6 species both among sites and among weeks at an average site. Mean number of individuals ranged 0 to 1016 per site and 6 to 199 among weeks at an average site. I individually examined 64 species to identify relative degree of association with site-scale and landscape variables. Winter Wren, Bewick's Wren, Hutton's Vireo, and Varied Thrush were significantly associated with woody cover at one or more spatial scales. Passerine abundance was greatest at sites with slowflowing water. Richness was associated with soil inundation category, peaking at intermediate frequencies and interacting with canopy cover and wooded patch extent. Richness of non-passerines was greater where standing water occupied >6% of the landscape nearest the site. Conclusions for many species and community metrics were sensitive to choice of survey methods, variables, measurement procedures, and statistical analysis tests. Ratings generated by OFWAM, a general tool for categorizing overall wetland habitat quality, did not significantly parallel measured richness and abundance of wintering birds. Title: Multiscale relationships of wintering birds with riparian and wetland habitat in the Willamette Valley, Oregon Author: Adamus, Paul R. Relatively little is known about wintering bird communities in lowlands of the Pacific Northwest, yet, the condition of winter habitats potentially can pose a major constraint on bird populations. I initiated a study to determine: (1) Which avian species use lowland riparian and wetland habitats in the Willamette Valley during winter, and with what intraseasonal regularity? (2) To what extent are these species associated - individually and collectively - with landscape and site-scale habitat variables? (3) To what extent are these species associated - individually and collectively - with particular landscape vs. site-scale variables? (4) How are the apparent associations affected by survey procedures and data analysis methods? Two survey procedures (area counts and point counts) in 1995 and 1996 found 104 species during 10 visits to 142 riparian and wetland sites. Area counts mainly surveyed waterbirds and raptors; point counts surveyed passerines. From area counts, mean richness ranged 0 toll species among sites and 1 to 5 species among weeks at an average site; mean number of individuals ranged 0 to 1016 among sites and from 6 to 199 among weeks at an average site. From point counts, richness ranged 1 to 6 species both among sites and among weeks at an average site. Mean number of individuals ranged 0 to 1016 per site and 6 to 199 among weeks at an average site. I individually examined 64 species to identify relative degree of association with site-scale and landscape variables. Winter Wren, Bewick's Wren, Hutton's Vireo, and Varied Thrush were significantly associated with woody cover at one or more spatial scales. Passerine abundance was greatest at sites with slowflowing water. Richness was associated with soil inundation category, peaking at intermediate frequencies and interacting with canopy cover and wooded patch extent. Richness of non-passerines was greater where standing water occupied >6% of the landscape nearest the site. Conclusions for many species and community metrics were sensitive to choice of survey methods, variables, measurement procedures, and statistical analysis tests. Ratings generated by OFWAM, a general tool for categorizing overall wetland habitat quality, did not significantly parallel measured richness and abundance of wintering birds. Close

• 10. [Article] The Effects of Tide Gates on Estuarine Habitats and Migratory Fish

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: The Effects of Tide Gates on Estuarine Habitats and Migratory Fish Author: Souder, Jon A., Giannico, Guillermo R. Title: The Effects of Tide Gates on Estuarine Habitats and Migratory Fish Author: Souder, Jon A., Giannico, Guillermo R. Close

• 11. [Article] Hawaiian duck (Anas wyvilliana) behavior and response to wetland habitat management at Hanalei National Wildlife Refuge on Kaua'i

  The endangered Hawaiian Duck (koloa maoli; Anas wyvilliana), a non-migratory and island-endemic species, experienced a significant population decline during the twentieth century due to factors such as ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Hawaiian duck (Anas wyvilliana) behavior and response to wetland habitat management at Hanalei National Wildlife Refuge on Kaua'i Author: Malachowski, Christopher P. The endangered Hawaiian Duck (koloa maoli; Anas wyvilliana), a non-migratory and island-endemic species, experienced a significant population decline during the twentieth century due to factors such as habitat loss, overharvest, introduced mammalian predators, and hybridization with introduced feral Mallards (A. platyrhynchos). A key objective for Hawaiian Duck recovery is to establish a protected and managed network of wetland habitats; however, development of effective habitat management plans is stymied by the lack of information on patterns of habitat use in relation to fundamental resource requirements. Furthermore, many generalizations regarding dabbling duck behavior and resource requirements that guide seasonal wetland management objectives in North America may not apply to tropical regions and island systems. In this thesis, I compare the behavioral repertoire of the Hawaiian Duck with closely related island-endemic waterfowl and migratory North American Anas, I investigate the behavioral response of Hawaiian Ducks to wetland habitat management and taro cultivation, and I examine the effects of environmental, climatic, temporal, and social factors on the activity budgets of Hawaiian Ducks. I conducted instantaneous focal sampling (n = 984 observation sessions; 328.8 hr) throughout the annual cycle from September 2010 to August 2011 at managed wetlands and taro lo'i within Hanalei National Wildlife Refuge (NWR), Kaua'i. I documented 73 specific Hawaiian Duck behaviors in eight broad behavior categories including foraging, maintenance, resting, locomotion, alert, courtship, and intraspecific and interspecific agonistic interactions. I found that the behavioral repertoire of the Hawaiian Duck was similar to that of the Mallard; however, subtle variations in the form and linkage of certain courtship displays, such as nod-swimming, were observed. Additionally, male Hawaiian Ducks were occasionally associated with brood-rearing females (11% of brood observations), and this behavior appeared to be a male strategy whereby females received little perceived benefit , but males may have potentially garnered additional breeding attempts or maintained pair-bonds for subsequent breeding seasons. After accounting for sex, pair status, month, and time of day, the diurnal behavioral activities of Hawaiian Ducks differed between managed wetlands and taro habitats (F₆,₉₆₀ = 30.3, P < 0.001). Hawaiian Ducks utilized taro predominantly for resting (44%), maintenance (21%), and foraging (15%), while birds used managed wetlands for a variety of activities, including foraging (11%), maintenance (28%), resting (27%), and locomotion (22%). Social activities, particularly courtship, occurred more frequently in managed wetlands than in taro (H₁ = 11.9, P < 0.001). In managed wetlands, birds foraged slightly more with increasing cover of Cyperus spp. (r = 0.18, P < 0.001) and Fimbristylis littoralis (r = 0.17, P < 0.01) and decreasing cover of Urochloa mutica (r = -0.15, P < 0.01) and wetland vegetation height (r = -0.22, P < 0.001). Within taro habitat, the behavioral activities of Hawaiian Ducks differed significantly between birds in lo'i and on dikes (F₆,₄₆₈ = 142.8, P < 0.001); birds utilized lo‘i dikes for resting (60%) and maintenance activities (21%), whereas birds entered lo‘i primarily to forage (45%). The activity budget of Hawaiian Ducks was strongly influenced by time of day (F₁₈,₂₇₁₅.₇₈ = 6.4, P < 0.001), and birds spent more time engaged in active behaviors (i.e., foraging, locomotion, and alert) and less time resting during early morning and evening than during late morning and afternoon. While strong seasonal shifts in most behavioral patterns were not detected, males allocated more time to courting (1.1 vs. 0.3%; H1 = 6.92, P = 0.009) and mate-guarding (0.5 vs. <0.1%; H₁ = 9.83, P = 0.002) in managed wetlands between November and March than the remainder of the year. The effects of sex (F₆,₉₆₀ = 6.06, P < 0.001) and social status (F₆,₆₈₂ = 6.69, P < 0.001) on activity budgets were also significant. Females spent more time foraging (18 vs. 12%) and less time in alert, locomotor, and social behaviors than males. Paired birds allocated more time to aggression towards conspecifics, mate-guarding, and courtship, and within taro lo‘i, paired birds foraged more and rested less than unpaired birds. Overall, Hawaiian Duck allocated diurnal activity budgets differently in managed and cultivated wetland habitat at Hanalei NWR, suggesting that both systems may play an important role in fulfilling fundamental daily and seasonal resource requirements. The increased range of activities and foraging tactics used in managed wetlands may indicate the greater habitat diversity (e.g., vegetation structure, patchiness, plant species richness, range of water depths) provided by seasonal wetlands. In general, Hawaiian Duck allocated less time to diurnal foraging than North American Anas, such Mallard and Mottled Duck (A. fulvigula), suggesting that Hawaiian Duck may have lower daily and seasonal energy demands, have access to higher quality diet, or allot more time to nocturnal foraging activities. Also, unlike many North American migratory waterfowl that demonstrate significant behavioral plasticity in adjusting activity budgets to meet seasonal energy demands associated with breeding, molting, wintering, and migration, Hawaiian Duck did not exhibit a strong seasonal shift in most behaviors which may reflect their non-migratory nature and asynchronous life history cycle. Title: Hawaiian duck (Anas wyvilliana) behavior and response to wetland habitat management at Hanalei National Wildlife Refuge on Kaua'i Author: Malachowski, Christopher P. The endangered Hawaiian Duck (koloa maoli; Anas wyvilliana), a non-migratory and island-endemic species, experienced a significant population decline during the twentieth century due to factors such as habitat loss, overharvest, introduced mammalian predators, and hybridization with introduced feral Mallards (A. platyrhynchos). A key objective for Hawaiian Duck recovery is to establish a protected and managed network of wetland habitats; however, development of effective habitat management plans is stymied by the lack of information on patterns of habitat use in relation to fundamental resource requirements. Furthermore, many generalizations regarding dabbling duck behavior and resource requirements that guide seasonal wetland management objectives in North America may not apply to tropical regions and island systems. In this thesis, I compare the behavioral repertoire of the Hawaiian Duck with closely related island-endemic waterfowl and migratory North American Anas, I investigate the behavioral response of Hawaiian Ducks to wetland habitat management and taro cultivation, and I examine the effects of environmental, climatic, temporal, and social factors on the activity budgets of Hawaiian Ducks. I conducted instantaneous focal sampling (n = 984 observation sessions; 328.8 hr) throughout the annual cycle from September 2010 to August 2011 at managed wetlands and taro lo'i within Hanalei National Wildlife Refuge (NWR), Kaua'i. I documented 73 specific Hawaiian Duck behaviors in eight broad behavior categories including foraging, maintenance, resting, locomotion, alert, courtship, and intraspecific and interspecific agonistic interactions. I found that the behavioral repertoire of the Hawaiian Duck was similar to that of the Mallard; however, subtle variations in the form and linkage of certain courtship displays, such as nod-swimming, were observed. Additionally, male Hawaiian Ducks were occasionally associated with brood-rearing females (11% of brood observations), and this behavior appeared to be a male strategy whereby females received little perceived benefit , but males may have potentially garnered additional breeding attempts or maintained pair-bonds for subsequent breeding seasons. After accounting for sex, pair status, month, and time of day, the diurnal behavioral activities of Hawaiian Ducks differed between managed wetlands and taro habitats (F₆,₉₆₀ = 30.3, P < 0.001). Hawaiian Ducks utilized taro predominantly for resting (44%), maintenance (21%), and foraging (15%), while birds used managed wetlands for a variety of activities, including foraging (11%), maintenance (28%), resting (27%), and locomotion (22%). Social activities, particularly courtship, occurred more frequently in managed wetlands than in taro (H₁ = 11.9, P < 0.001). In managed wetlands, birds foraged slightly more with increasing cover of Cyperus spp. (r = 0.18, P < 0.001) and Fimbristylis littoralis (r = 0.17, P < 0.01) and decreasing cover of Urochloa mutica (r = -0.15, P < 0.01) and wetland vegetation height (r = -0.22, P < 0.001). Within taro habitat, the behavioral activities of Hawaiian Ducks differed significantly between birds in lo'i and on dikes (F₆,₄₆₈ = 142.8, P < 0.001); birds utilized lo‘i dikes for resting (60%) and maintenance activities (21%), whereas birds entered lo‘i primarily to forage (45%). The activity budget of Hawaiian Ducks was strongly influenced by time of day (F₁₈,₂₇₁₅.₇₈ = 6.4, P < 0.001), and birds spent more time engaged in active behaviors (i.e., foraging, locomotion, and alert) and less time resting during early morning and evening than during late morning and afternoon. While strong seasonal shifts in most behavioral patterns were not detected, males allocated more time to courting (1.1 vs. 0.3%; H1 = 6.92, P = 0.009) and mate-guarding (0.5 vs. <0.1%; H₁ = 9.83, P = 0.002) in managed wetlands between November and March than the remainder of the year. The effects of sex (F₆,₉₆₀ = 6.06, P < 0.001) and social status (F₆,₆₈₂ = 6.69, P < 0.001) on activity budgets were also significant. Females spent more time foraging (18 vs. 12%) and less time in alert, locomotor, and social behaviors than males. Paired birds allocated more time to aggression towards conspecifics, mate-guarding, and courtship, and within taro lo‘i, paired birds foraged more and rested less than unpaired birds. Overall, Hawaiian Duck allocated diurnal activity budgets differently in managed and cultivated wetland habitat at Hanalei NWR, suggesting that both systems may play an important role in fulfilling fundamental daily and seasonal resource requirements. The increased range of activities and foraging tactics used in managed wetlands may indicate the greater habitat diversity (e.g., vegetation structure, patchiness, plant species richness, range of water depths) provided by seasonal wetlands. In general, Hawaiian Duck allocated less time to diurnal foraging than North American Anas, such Mallard and Mottled Duck (A. fulvigula), suggesting that Hawaiian Duck may have lower daily and seasonal energy demands, have access to higher quality diet, or allot more time to nocturnal foraging activities. Also, unlike many North American migratory waterfowl that demonstrate significant behavioral plasticity in adjusting activity budgets to meet seasonal energy demands associated with breeding, molting, wintering, and migration, Hawaiian Duck did not exhibit a strong seasonal shift in most behaviors which may reflect their non-migratory nature and asynchronous life history cycle. Close

• 12. [Article] Habitat associations and life histories of odonata in riverine wetlands of the Willamette Valley, Oregon

  This thesis explored the distributions and life histories of dragonflies and damselflies (Insecta: Odonata) of the riverine wetlands of the Willamette Valley in western Oregon, USA. Odonate species distributions ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Habitat associations and life histories of odonata in riverine wetlands of the Willamette Valley, Oregon Author: Beatty, Christopher D. This thesis explored the distributions and life histories of dragonflies and damselflies (Insecta: Odonata) of the riverine wetlands of the Willamette Valley in western Oregon, USA. Odonate species distributions were characterized over two seasons in the autumn of 2000 and the spring of 2001-at twenty-seven wetlands located throughout the valley. Distributions of nymphs and adults were compared with wetland habitat conditions that may affect odonate diversity. Odonate nymph and adult distributions were analyzed through Hierarchical Agglomerative cluster analysis (HA). HA identified discrete clusters of sites based on the distributions of species in the genera Aeshna, Erythemis, Lestes, Libellula, Pachydiplax, Sympetrum and Tramea. To identify habitat associations with odonate species, nymph and adult data were analyzed by Non-metric Multidimensional Scaling (NMS). NMS revealed that odonate distributions are associated with site hydrology, water depth and temperature, the presence of large emergent plants (e.g. Typha latifolia), the presence of fish, and surrounding landcover. These data will provide guidance for wetland managers in the use of odonates as indicators of wetland health. To further examine the relationship between odonate species and their wetland habitats, quantitative life history data for the 27 odonate species were analyzed to determine functional associations between species attributes and the environments in which they are found. Oviposition location, presence of a resting egg, over-wintering life stage, nymphal foraging strategy and adult flight season were subjected to NMS, to determine biological similarities between species occupying particular locations. Life history patterns correlated strongly with hydrology. Analysis of sites by odonate species ricimess found a relationship between richness and site hydrology, but failed to explain the distribution of several species associated with wetlands that dry during part of the year. We conclude from our results that species-level life history data are essential for explaining odonate distributions. We determined that the presence of odonate species in a wetland is indicative of habitat condition, that analysis of odonate distributions at the species level is necessary to understand habitat associations, and that analysis of life-history attributes provides a functional understanding of odonate distributions that measurements of species richness or the distributions of generaor families alone cannot explain. Title: Habitat associations and life histories of odonata in riverine wetlands of the Willamette Valley, Oregon Author: Beatty, Christopher D. This thesis explored the distributions and life histories of dragonflies and damselflies (Insecta: Odonata) of the riverine wetlands of the Willamette Valley in western Oregon, USA. Odonate species distributions were characterized over two seasons in the autumn of 2000 and the spring of 2001-at twenty-seven wetlands located throughout the valley. Distributions of nymphs and adults were compared with wetland habitat conditions that may affect odonate diversity. Odonate nymph and adult distributions were analyzed through Hierarchical Agglomerative cluster analysis (HA). HA identified discrete clusters of sites based on the distributions of species in the genera Aeshna, Erythemis, Lestes, Libellula, Pachydiplax, Sympetrum and Tramea. To identify habitat associations with odonate species, nymph and adult data were analyzed by Non-metric Multidimensional Scaling (NMS). NMS revealed that odonate distributions are associated with site hydrology, water depth and temperature, the presence of large emergent plants (e.g. Typha latifolia), the presence of fish, and surrounding landcover. These data will provide guidance for wetland managers in the use of odonates as indicators of wetland health. To further examine the relationship between odonate species and their wetland habitats, quantitative life history data for the 27 odonate species were analyzed to determine functional associations between species attributes and the environments in which they are found. Oviposition location, presence of a resting egg, over-wintering life stage, nymphal foraging strategy and adult flight season were subjected to NMS, to determine biological similarities between species occupying particular locations. Life history patterns correlated strongly with hydrology. Analysis of sites by odonate species ricimess found a relationship between richness and site hydrology, but failed to explain the distribution of several species associated with wetlands that dry during part of the year. We conclude from our results that species-level life history data are essential for explaining odonate distributions. We determined that the presence of odonate species in a wetland is indicative of habitat condition, that analysis of odonate distributions at the species level is necessary to understand habitat associations, and that analysis of life-history attributes provides a functional understanding of odonate distributions that measurements of species richness or the distributions of generaor families alone cannot explain. Close

• 13. [Article] Sauvie Island north unit wetlands project : biological opinion

  The objective of this Biological Opinion (BO) is to determine whether the action to restore emergent vegetation to wetlands on Sauvie Island is likely to jeopardize the continued existence of Upper Willamette ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Sauvie Island north unit wetlands project : biological opinion The objective of this Biological Opinion (BO) is to determine whether the action to restore emergent vegetation to wetlands on Sauvie Island is likely to jeopardize the continued existence of Upper Willamette River chinook salmon and Lower Columbia river chinook salmon or destroy, or adversely modify proposed critical habitat. Title: Sauvie Island north unit wetlands project : biological opinion The objective of this Biological Opinion (BO) is to determine whether the action to restore emergent vegetation to wetlands on Sauvie Island is likely to jeopardize the continued existence of Upper Willamette River chinook salmon and Lower Columbia river chinook salmon or destroy, or adversely modify proposed critical habitat. Close

• 14. [Article] Floodplain user guide.pdf

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Floodplain user guide.pdf Author: Defenders of Wildlife Title: Floodplain user guide.pdf Author: Defenders of Wildlife Close

• 15. [Article] Floodplain_Habitat_Metric_Calculator.Version_1.0.protected.xlsx

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Floodplain_Habitat_Metric_Calculator.Version_1.0.protected.xlsx Author: Defenders of Wildlife Title: Floodplain_Habitat_Metric_Calculator.Version_1.0.protected.xlsx Author: Defenders of Wildlife Close

• 16. [Article] McKenzie River Watershed Conservation Strategy

  Abstract -- Based on a recent watershed assessment, this document details goals and strategies for conservation and restoration within the McKenzie River watershed. It addresses river and stream habitats, ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: McKenzie River Watershed Conservation Strategy Abstract -- Based on a recent watershed assessment, this document details goals and strategies for conservation and restoration within the McKenzie River watershed. It addresses river and stream habitats, floodplain areas and riparian vegetation, wetlands, pond turtle habitat, and rare upland habitats. Title: McKenzie River Watershed Conservation Strategy Abstract -- Based on a recent watershed assessment, this document details goals and strategies for conservation and restoration within the McKenzie River watershed. It addresses river and stream habitats, floodplain areas and riparian vegetation, wetlands, pond turtle habitat, and rare upland habitats. Close

• 17. [Article] The Nehalem Estuary

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: The Nehalem Estuary Title: The Nehalem Estuary Close

• 18. [Article] A Watershed Assessment for the Siuslaw Basin

  Abstract -- This assessments includes information on landscape and Siuslaw cultural history, socioeconomic history, hydrology, riparian vegetation and wetlands, channel habitat types, sediment, water quality, ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: A Watershed Assessment for the Siuslaw Basin Abstract -- This assessments includes information on landscape and Siuslaw cultural history, socioeconomic history, hydrology, riparian vegetation and wetlands, channel habitat types, sediment, water quality, aquatic resources, Siuslaw estuary, watershed conditions, ecological capital, and ongoing efforts to restore the aquatic ecosystem. Title: A Watershed Assessment for the Siuslaw Basin Abstract -- This assessments includes information on landscape and Siuslaw cultural history, socioeconomic history, hydrology, riparian vegetation and wetlands, channel habitat types, sediment, water quality, aquatic resources, Siuslaw estuary, watershed conditions, ecological capital, and ongoing efforts to restore the aquatic ecosystem. Close

• 19. [Article] Determination of Trade-offs between Wetland Ecosystem Services in an Agricultural Landscape

  Wetland restoration mitigates effects of agricultural development on water quality, flooding, and habitat loss. Multi-objective optimization for wetland locations and sizes has not included objective functions ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Determination of Trade-offs between Wetland Ecosystem Services in an Agricultural Landscape Author: Garrison, Stacey L. Wetland restoration mitigates effects of agricultural development on water quality, flooding, and habitat loss. Multi-objective optimization for wetland locations and sizes has not included objective functions for water quality, hydrology, and habitat in unison, limiting analysis of trade-offs among these ecosystem services. This study establishes two methods to improve the accuracy of simulating wetland restoration with an optimization-simulation framework for analysis of trade-offs: identification of wetland type and constraining wetland and drainage area configurations to potential field-scale wetlands in the study area. Determination of a wetland habitat type used characteristics of the Hydrogeomorphic Method, and this type was utilized in a land-use/land-cover simulation linked to a species-habitat model. Multi-objective optimization identified optimal wetlands and drainage areas. These wetlands demonstrated redundancy among treatment ecosystem services. Modifying wetlands and drainage areas from the optimally-identified values caused shifts to the trade-off relationships. The habitat objective function conflicted with the treatment objective functions, but at low levels of confidence, demonstrating the necessity to incorporate all the objective function types together into a multi-objective optimization. The methods to increase accurate representation from this study can be incorporated into future studies to improve understanding of wetland ecosystem service processes for land-use planning. Title: Determination of Trade-offs between Wetland Ecosystem Services in an Agricultural Landscape Author: Garrison, Stacey L. Wetland restoration mitigates effects of agricultural development on water quality, flooding, and habitat loss. Multi-objective optimization for wetland locations and sizes has not included objective functions for water quality, hydrology, and habitat in unison, limiting analysis of trade-offs among these ecosystem services. This study establishes two methods to improve the accuracy of simulating wetland restoration with an optimization-simulation framework for analysis of trade-offs: identification of wetland type and constraining wetland and drainage area configurations to potential field-scale wetlands in the study area. Determination of a wetland habitat type used characteristics of the Hydrogeomorphic Method, and this type was utilized in a land-use/land-cover simulation linked to a species-habitat model. Multi-objective optimization identified optimal wetlands and drainage areas. These wetlands demonstrated redundancy among treatment ecosystem services. Modifying wetlands and drainage areas from the optimally-identified values caused shifts to the trade-off relationships. The habitat objective function conflicted with the treatment objective functions, but at low levels of confidence, demonstrating the necessity to incorporate all the objective function types together into a multi-objective optimization. The methods to increase accurate representation from this study can be incorporated into future studies to improve understanding of wetland ecosystem service processes for land-use planning. Close

• 20. [Article] Recommended NWI revisions and GIS layer development for tidal wetlands of the Yaquina and Alsea River Estuaries

  This project report provides a GIS map to accompany the 1999 tidal wetland prioritization in these estuaries. updates information on major changes at 1999 study sites, and recommends revisions to the NWI ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Recommended NWI revisions and GIS layer development for tidal wetlands of the Yaquina and Alsea River Estuaries Author: Brophy, Laura This project report provides a GIS map to accompany the 1999 tidal wetland prioritization in these estuaries. updates information on major changes at 1999 study sites, and recommends revisions to the NWI wetland classification for tidal wetlands. Study included emergent, scrub-shrub and forested tidal wetlands but excluded other tidal wetland habitat classes. Title: Recommended NWI revisions and GIS layer development for tidal wetlands of the Yaquina and Alsea River Estuaries Author: Brophy, Laura This project report provides a GIS map to accompany the 1999 tidal wetland prioritization in these estuaries. updates information on major changes at 1999 study sites, and recommends revisions to the NWI wetland classification for tidal wetlands. Study included emergent, scrub-shrub and forested tidal wetlands but excluded other tidal wetland habitat classes. Close

• 21. [Article] Landsat-based monitoring of annual wetland change in the Willamette Valley of Oregon, USA from 1972 to 2012

  To the best of our knowledge, one or more authors of this paper were federal employees when contributing to this work. This is the publisher’s final pdf. The published article is copyrighted by Springer. ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Landsat-based monitoring of annual wetland change in the Willamette Valley of Oregon, USA from 1972 to 2012 Author: Fickas, Kate C., Yang, Zhiqiang, Cohen, Warren B. To the best of our knowledge, one or more authors of this paper were federal employees when contributing to this work. This is the publisher’s final pdf. The published article is copyrighted by Springer. The published article can be found at: https://link.springer.com/journal/11273 Title: Landsat-based monitoring of annual wetland change in the Willamette Valley of Oregon, USA from 1972 to 2012 Author: Fickas, Kate C., Yang, Zhiqiang, Cohen, Warren B. To the best of our knowledge, one or more authors of this paper were federal employees when contributing to this work. This is the publisher’s final pdf. The published article is copyrighted by Springer. The published article can be found at: https://link.springer.com/journal/11273 Close

• 22. [Article] Juvenile Salmonid Use of Freshwater Emergent Wetlands in the Floodplain and Its Implications for Conservation Management

  A recent trend of enhancing freshwater emergent wetlands for waterfowl and other wildlife has raised concern about the effects of such measures on juvenile salmonids. We undertook this study to quantify ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Juvenile Salmonid Use of Freshwater Emergent Wetlands in the Floodplain and Its Implications for Conservation Management Author: Gresswell, Robert E., Fleming, Ian A., Henning, Julie A. A recent trend of enhancing freshwater emergent wetlands for waterfowl and other wildlife has raised concern about the effects of such measures on juvenile salmonids. We undertook this study to quantify the degree and extent of juvenile Pacific salmon Oncorhynchus spp. utilization of enhanced and unenhanced emergent wetlands within the floodplain of the lower Chehalis River, Washington, and to determine the fate of the salmon using them. Enhanced emergent wetlands contained water control structures that provided an outlet for fish emigration and a longer hydroperiod for rearing than unenhanced wetlands. Age-0 and age-1 coho salmon O. kisutch were the most common salmonid at all sites, enhanced wetlands having significantly higher age-1 abundance than unenhanced wetlands that were a similar distance from the main-stem river. Yearling coho salmon benefited from rearing in two enhanced wetland habitats, where their specific growth rate and minimum estimates of survival (1.43%/d by weight and 30%; 1.37%/d and 57%) were comparable to those in other side-channel rearing studies. Dissolved oxygen concentrations decreased in emergent wetlands throughout the season and approached the limits lethal to juvenile salmon by May or June each year. Emigration patterns suggested that age-0 and age-1 coho salmon emigrated as habitat conditions declined. This observation was further supported by the results of an experimental release of coho salmon. Survival of fish utilizing emergent wetlands was dependent on movement to the river before water quality decreased or stranding occurred from wetland desiccation. Thus, our results suggest that enhancing freshwater wetlands via water control structures can benefit juvenile salmonids, at least in the short term, by providing conditions for greater growth, survival, and emigration. Title: Juvenile Salmonid Use of Freshwater Emergent Wetlands in the Floodplain and Its Implications for Conservation Management Author: Gresswell, Robert E., Fleming, Ian A., Henning, Julie A. A recent trend of enhancing freshwater emergent wetlands for waterfowl and other wildlife has raised concern about the effects of such measures on juvenile salmonids. We undertook this study to quantify the degree and extent of juvenile Pacific salmon Oncorhynchus spp. utilization of enhanced and unenhanced emergent wetlands within the floodplain of the lower Chehalis River, Washington, and to determine the fate of the salmon using them. Enhanced emergent wetlands contained water control structures that provided an outlet for fish emigration and a longer hydroperiod for rearing than unenhanced wetlands. Age-0 and age-1 coho salmon O. kisutch were the most common salmonid at all sites, enhanced wetlands having significantly higher age-1 abundance than unenhanced wetlands that were a similar distance from the main-stem river. Yearling coho salmon benefited from rearing in two enhanced wetland habitats, where their specific growth rate and minimum estimates of survival (1.43%/d by weight and 30%; 1.37%/d and 57%) were comparable to those in other side-channel rearing studies. Dissolved oxygen concentrations decreased in emergent wetlands throughout the season and approached the limits lethal to juvenile salmon by May or June each year. Emigration patterns suggested that age-0 and age-1 coho salmon emigrated as habitat conditions declined. This observation was further supported by the results of an experimental release of coho salmon. Survival of fish utilizing emergent wetlands was dependent on movement to the river before water quality decreased or stranding occurred from wetland desiccation. Thus, our results suggest that enhancing freshwater wetlands via water control structures can benefit juvenile salmonids, at least in the short term, by providing conditions for greater growth, survival, and emigration. Close

• 23. [Article] Design and construction of demonstration/research wetlands for treatment of dairy farm wastewater

  "EPA 600/R-93/105"

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Design and construction of demonstration/research wetlands for treatment of dairy farm wastewater Author: Gamroth, M. J. (Michael J.), Moore, James A. (James Allan), 1939- "EPA 600/R-93/105" Title: Design and construction of demonstration/research wetlands for treatment of dairy farm wastewater Author: Gamroth, M. J. (Michael J.), Moore, James A. (James Allan), 1939- "EPA 600/R-93/105" Close

• 24. [Article] Grazing management for riparian-wetland areas

  This document presents information from various land managers and researchers to guide livestock management in riparian areas using their unique responsiveness to accomplish management objectives. Riparian ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Grazing management for riparian-wetland areas Author: Swanson, Sherman, Kinch, Gene, United States. Forest Service, National Applied Resource Sciences Center (U.S.), Borman, Michael M., Elsbernd, Van, Leonard, Steve (Stephen G.) This document presents information from various land managers and researchers to guide livestock management in riparian areas using their unique responsiveness to accomplish management objectives. Riparian areas, as interfaces between the aquatic and upland components of the ecosystem comprise mosaics of landforms, communities, and environments within the larger landscape. The structure and processes of riparian areas, more than any other ecosystem, are influenced by their connectivity to adjacent ecosystems. An ecosystem perspective provides an ecological basis for evaluating current grazing practices and other land uses, identifying riparian management objectives, and developing future management alternatives. Title: Grazing management for riparian-wetland areas Author: Swanson, Sherman, Kinch, Gene, United States. Forest Service, National Applied Resource Sciences Center (U.S.), Borman, Michael M., Elsbernd, Van, Leonard, Steve (Stephen G.) This document presents information from various land managers and researchers to guide livestock management in riparian areas using their unique responsiveness to accomplish management objectives. Riparian areas, as interfaces between the aquatic and upland components of the ecosystem comprise mosaics of landforms, communities, and environments within the larger landscape. The structure and processes of riparian areas, more than any other ecosystem, are influenced by their connectivity to adjacent ecosystems. An ecosystem perspective provides an ecological basis for evaluating current grazing practices and other land uses, identifying riparian management objectives, and developing future management alternatives. Close

• 25. [Article] Pacific Northwest Estuarine Wetland Restoration Information Gaps Survey.

  In March 2007, Craig Cornu (South Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve), with the assistance of Laura Brophy (Green Point Consulting/Estuary Technical Group, Institute for Applied Ecology), John ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Pacific Northwest Estuarine Wetland Restoration Information Gaps Survey. Author: South Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve In March 2007, Craig Cornu (South Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve), with the assistance of Laura Brophy (Green Point Consulting/Estuary Technical Group, Institute for Applied Ecology), John Bragg (South Slough NERR) and Derek Sowers (former South Slough NERR), developed the Pacific Northwest Estuarine Wetland Restoration Information Gaps Survey using the on-line format provided by SurveyMonkey.com. The goals of the survey were to: 1) provide an end-user “reality check” with respect to the tidal wetland habitats selected for the development of a reference conditions database for Oregon tidal wetlands (Brophy et al. 2011); and 2) provide the basis for discussions about adaptive approaches to estuarine wetland restoration in the Pacific Northwest at an estuarine wetland restoration advisory group meeting convened at the South Slough NERR in July 2007. The survey was distributed via e-mail on April 3, 2007 to 50 restoration scientists, planners, and practitioners from government agencies, and non-profit, consulting, and academic organizations including watershed associations. The response rate for the survey was 62% (31 respondents). In general, the survey respondents identified priority tidal wetland habitat classes for restoration in Oregon: high and low emergent marsh and scrub shrub and forested swamps. Other survey highlights included: Scrub-shrub and forested tidal wetlands and tidally-influenced freshwater floodplains were the habitats most often mentioned (35% of respondents) when asked which habitat classes are not being restored but should be. Unvegetated tidal flats were the second most commonly mentioned habitat class (10% of respondents). Most respondents undertake effectiveness monitoring as a part of their restoration projects (80%). When asked why they do not conduct effectiveness monitoring (or do not collect as much information as they would like), the overwhelming response was lack of funding. 80% indicated general lack of funding for monitoring, and 52% responded that funders require monitoring but do not provide adequate funding. No respondents (0%) chose administrative constraints or lack of monitoring guidance as obstacles to effectiveness monitoring. Most respondents (70%) report that they conduct monitoring for additional reasons besides evaluation of project effectiveness. The reason given by most respondents (55%) was to contribute to the science of habitat restoration (e.g., evaluate various restoration treatments; answer specific ecological or physical process-based questions). Specific research questions and hypotheses being addressed by respondents are listed in the report. When asked whether they use reference sites as part of project monitoring, most respondents (76%) answered that they did. When asked if they were able to find reference sites from which they could collect useful data, most said they could (70%), but the comments indicated some concern over the appropriateness of the reference sites being used, as well as the need for high quality reference condition datasets. When asked whether and how they would use long term reference condition data sets if such data were made available, an overwhelming number of respondents indicated that they would use them for evaluating restoration projects (93%), designing restoration projects (80%), and evaluating adaptive management options (80%). Finally, the survey asked respondents in four separate questions to articulate their top “burning questions,” which, if answered, would help them improve coastal habitat restoration prioritization, design, implementation, and evaluation. Their responses are listed in the report and became the basis for discussion at the 2007 estuarine wetland restoration advisory group workshop at South Slough NERR. Brophy, L.S., C.E. Cornu, P.R. Adamus, J.A. Christy, A. Gray, L. Huang, M.A. MacClellan, J.A. Doumbia, and R.L. Tully. 2011. New Tools for Tidal Wetland Restoration: Development of a Reference Conditions Database and a Temperature Sensor Method for Detecting Tidal Inundation in Least-disturbed Tidal Wetlands of Oregon, USA. Prepared for the Cooperative Institute for Coastal and Estuarine Environmental Technology (CICEET). 198pp. Title: Pacific Northwest Estuarine Wetland Restoration Information Gaps Survey. Author: South Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve In March 2007, Craig Cornu (South Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve), with the assistance of Laura Brophy (Green Point Consulting/Estuary Technical Group, Institute for Applied Ecology), John Bragg (South Slough NERR) and Derek Sowers (former South Slough NERR), developed the Pacific Northwest Estuarine Wetland Restoration Information Gaps Survey using the on-line format provided by SurveyMonkey.com. The goals of the survey were to: 1) provide an end-user “reality check” with respect to the tidal wetland habitats selected for the development of a reference conditions database for Oregon tidal wetlands (Brophy et al. 2011); and 2) provide the basis for discussions about adaptive approaches to estuarine wetland restoration in the Pacific Northwest at an estuarine wetland restoration advisory group meeting convened at the South Slough NERR in July 2007. The survey was distributed via e-mail on April 3, 2007 to 50 restoration scientists, planners, and practitioners from government agencies, and non-profit, consulting, and academic organizations including watershed associations. The response rate for the survey was 62% (31 respondents). In general, the survey respondents identified priority tidal wetland habitat classes for restoration in Oregon: high and low emergent marsh and scrub shrub and forested swamps. Other survey highlights included: Scrub-shrub and forested tidal wetlands and tidally-influenced freshwater floodplains were the habitats most often mentioned (35% of respondents) when asked which habitat classes are not being restored but should be. Unvegetated tidal flats were the second most commonly mentioned habitat class (10% of respondents). Most respondents undertake effectiveness monitoring as a part of their restoration projects (80%). When asked why they do not conduct effectiveness monitoring (or do not collect as much information as they would like), the overwhelming response was lack of funding. 80% indicated general lack of funding for monitoring, and 52% responded that funders require monitoring but do not provide adequate funding. No respondents (0%) chose administrative constraints or lack of monitoring guidance as obstacles to effectiveness monitoring. Most respondents (70%) report that they conduct monitoring for additional reasons besides evaluation of project effectiveness. The reason given by most respondents (55%) was to contribute to the science of habitat restoration (e.g., evaluate various restoration treatments; answer specific ecological or physical process-based questions). Specific research questions and hypotheses being addressed by respondents are listed in the report. When asked whether they use reference sites as part of project monitoring, most respondents (76%) answered that they did. When asked if they were able to find reference sites from which they could collect useful data, most said they could (70%), but the comments indicated some concern over the appropriateness of the reference sites being used, as well as the need for high quality reference condition datasets. When asked whether and how they would use long term reference condition data sets if such data were made available, an overwhelming number of respondents indicated that they would use them for evaluating restoration projects (93%), designing restoration projects (80%), and evaluating adaptive management options (80%). Finally, the survey asked respondents in four separate questions to articulate their top “burning questions,” which, if answered, would help them improve coastal habitat restoration prioritization, design, implementation, and evaluation. Their responses are listed in the report and became the basis for discussion at the 2007 estuarine wetland restoration advisory group workshop at South Slough NERR. Brophy, L.S., C.E. Cornu, P.R. Adamus, J.A. Christy, A. Gray, L. Huang, M.A. MacClellan, J.A. Doumbia, and R.L. Tully. 2011. New Tools for Tidal Wetland Restoration: Development of a Reference Conditions Database and a Temperature Sensor Method for Detecting Tidal Inundation in Least-disturbed Tidal Wetlands of Oregon, USA. Prepared for the Cooperative Institute for Coastal and Estuarine Environmental Technology (CICEET). 198pp. Close

• 26. [Image] Integrated land management on Tule Lake Wildlife Refuge: an alternative management strategy developed by the Integrated Land Management Working Group: promoting productive wetland habitats and sustainable agriculture on Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge

  	EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This document describes the rationale for and implementation of an Integrated Land Management (ILM) Plan for the Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge (NWR). The proposal is the recommendation ...
  	Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Integrated land management on Tule Lake Wildlife Refuge: an alternative management strategy developed by the Integrated Land Management Working Group: promoting productive wetland habitats and sustainable agriculture on Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge Author: Integrated Land Management Working Group (Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge, Calif.) Year: 2000, 2006, 2005 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This document describes the rationale for and implementation of an Integrated Land Management (ILM) Plan for the Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge (NWR). The proposal is the recommendation of 5 representative stakeholders in the Tule Lake area. During the 1950fs, 1960fs, and early 1970's, Tule Lake NWR was considered the single most important waterfowl refuge in North America when peak populations exceeded 2.5 million ducks and 1.0 million geese. The Kuchel Act of 1964 was enacted to preserve these waterfowl values as well as the local agricultural economy dependent on Refuge lands. However, restrictive management of wetlands and water levels under the Kuchel Act has eliminated the ecological processes critical to the Refuge's sustained wetland diversity and productivity. Currently, Tule Lake NWR supports a fraction of its past waterfowl use, species diversity has declined, and its value to endangered species has diminished. Agricultural sustainability is also thre Title: Integrated land management on Tule Lake Wildlife Refuge: an alternative management strategy developed by the Integrated Land Management Working Group: promoting productive wetland habitats and sustainable agriculture on Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge Author: Integrated Land Management Working Group (Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge, Calif.) Year: 2000, 2006, 2005 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This document describes the rationale for and implementation of an Integrated Land Management (ILM) Plan for the Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge (NWR). The proposal is the recommendation of 5 representative stakeholders in the Tule Lake area. During the 1950fs, 1960fs, and early 1970's, Tule Lake NWR was considered the single most important waterfowl refuge in North America when peak populations exceeded 2.5 million ducks and 1.0 million geese. The Kuchel Act of 1964 was enacted to preserve these waterfowl values as well as the local agricultural economy dependent on Refuge lands. However, restrictive management of wetlands and water levels under the Kuchel Act has eliminated the ecological processes critical to the Refuge's sustained wetland diversity and productivity. Currently, Tule Lake NWR supports a fraction of its past waterfowl use, species diversity has declined, and its value to endangered species has diminished. Agricultural sustainability is also thre Close

• 27. [Article] An edaphic study of the Mt. Pisgah Arboretum water garden, Coast Fork of the Willamette River

  Wetlands are widely identified as providing important and fundamental processes valuable for maintaining ecosystem health and diversity. Located in the southern Willamette Valley, the Mt. Pisgah Arboretum ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: An edaphic study of the Mt. Pisgah Arboretum water garden, Coast Fork of the Willamette River Author: Bergen, Cameron Francis Wetlands are widely identified as providing important and fundamental processes valuable for maintaining ecosystem health and diversity. Located in the southern Willamette Valley, the Mt. Pisgah Arboretum contains some valuable remaining wetland habitat along the Coast Fork of the Willamette River. One goal of the Mt. Pisgah Arboretum is "to promote conservation, research, and awareness of ecology". To reach this goal, the Arboretum has identified the importance of maintenance and enhancement activities for onsite native habitats, including riparian and wetland habitats. Before restoration or enhancement activities can begin, it is essential to develop an understanding of current environmental conditions. The purpose of this research was to document both the characteristics and distribution of hydric soils and the hydrology, and to provide insight into the patterns and processes associated with a floodplain wetland. In this study, transect sampling of edaphic features was used to identify the distribution of hydric soils and the hydrologic nature of the Mt. Pisgah Arboretum Water Garden. Soil morphological data for particle size, matrix colors and redox features were evaluated and compared with observations of ground water hydrology, river hydrology and precipitation. Five stratigraphic units were identified underlying the Water Garden. A basalt Bedrock unit underlies the uplands associated with Mt. Pisgah and extends at least part way beneath the floodplain. The Clay unit was formed above the Bedrock unit, with some degree of encroachment onto the floodplain. Below 153 m are floodplain sediments, cobbles at depth, then a sand layer and silty clay loam at the surface. The Cobble unit overlaps the Bedrock unit at its base and is most likely Pleistocene age alluvium. The Sand unit is of Holocene age and is found only in the abandoned thalweg, tapering off laterally in both directions across the ancient channels. Draped above this all and slightly overlapping the upland Bedrock and Clay units, is the SiCL unit. The SiCL unit represents Holocene age alluvium, fine material deposited by slow moving water and overbank deposition. The Water Garden soils reflect this mosaic of parent materials on a complex slope. Water Garden soils sometimes met saturation requirements for hydric soils, but they did not always meet hydric soil indicator requirements. The hydrological data suggest that the soils in depressional areas of the Water Garden occupy a zone where water is exchanged between saturated sediments surrounding the channel of the Coast Fork and the channel itself. The hydrology of depressional areas with both ponded surface water and near surface saturation was principally the result of hyporheic upwelling. The soils in these depressional areas tended to form redox concentrations that met hydric soil indicator criteria. Hillslope soils in concave footslope positions exhibited hydrology indicating two separate zones of saturation, one near surface, the other at depth, related to infiltration and accumulation of precipitation. Few redoximorphic features were observed in hillslope soils, and the one hydric soil indicator that was used at these locations did not require redox. Accurate and detailed delineation of hydric soils on this landscape and clear determination of dominant sources of saturation provided an improved understanding of the complex nature of the Water Garden wetland. Results of this study show that hydric soils occupy both depressional and hillslope positions within the Water Garden. Delineation of a soil as hydric or non hydric was facilitated by the use of hydric soil indicator criteria, morphology and hydrology. This analysis provides the managers of the Mt. Pisgah Arboretum with an accurate representation of where hydric soils currently exist and the respective sources of saturation. With this information, managers are better equipped to develop restoration and enhancement options that better reflect the current environmental conditions in the Water Garden. Title: An edaphic study of the Mt. Pisgah Arboretum water garden, Coast Fork of the Willamette River Author: Bergen, Cameron Francis Wetlands are widely identified as providing important and fundamental processes valuable for maintaining ecosystem health and diversity. Located in the southern Willamette Valley, the Mt. Pisgah Arboretum contains some valuable remaining wetland habitat along the Coast Fork of the Willamette River. One goal of the Mt. Pisgah Arboretum is "to promote conservation, research, and awareness of ecology". To reach this goal, the Arboretum has identified the importance of maintenance and enhancement activities for onsite native habitats, including riparian and wetland habitats. Before restoration or enhancement activities can begin, it is essential to develop an understanding of current environmental conditions. The purpose of this research was to document both the characteristics and distribution of hydric soils and the hydrology, and to provide insight into the patterns and processes associated with a floodplain wetland. In this study, transect sampling of edaphic features was used to identify the distribution of hydric soils and the hydrologic nature of the Mt. Pisgah Arboretum Water Garden. Soil morphological data for particle size, matrix colors and redox features were evaluated and compared with observations of ground water hydrology, river hydrology and precipitation. Five stratigraphic units were identified underlying the Water Garden. A basalt Bedrock unit underlies the uplands associated with Mt. Pisgah and extends at least part way beneath the floodplain. The Clay unit was formed above the Bedrock unit, with some degree of encroachment onto the floodplain. Below 153 m are floodplain sediments, cobbles at depth, then a sand layer and silty clay loam at the surface. The Cobble unit overlaps the Bedrock unit at its base and is most likely Pleistocene age alluvium. The Sand unit is of Holocene age and is found only in the abandoned thalweg, tapering off laterally in both directions across the ancient channels. Draped above this all and slightly overlapping the upland Bedrock and Clay units, is the SiCL unit. The SiCL unit represents Holocene age alluvium, fine material deposited by slow moving water and overbank deposition. The Water Garden soils reflect this mosaic of parent materials on a complex slope. Water Garden soils sometimes met saturation requirements for hydric soils, but they did not always meet hydric soil indicator requirements. The hydrological data suggest that the soils in depressional areas of the Water Garden occupy a zone where water is exchanged between saturated sediments surrounding the channel of the Coast Fork and the channel itself. The hydrology of depressional areas with both ponded surface water and near surface saturation was principally the result of hyporheic upwelling. The soils in these depressional areas tended to form redox concentrations that met hydric soil indicator criteria. Hillslope soils in concave footslope positions exhibited hydrology indicating two separate zones of saturation, one near surface, the other at depth, related to infiltration and accumulation of precipitation. Few redoximorphic features were observed in hillslope soils, and the one hydric soil indicator that was used at these locations did not require redox. Accurate and detailed delineation of hydric soils on this landscape and clear determination of dominant sources of saturation provided an improved understanding of the complex nature of the Water Garden wetland. Results of this study show that hydric soils occupy both depressional and hillslope positions within the Water Garden. Delineation of a soil as hydric or non hydric was facilitated by the use of hydric soil indicator criteria, morphology and hydrology. This analysis provides the managers of the Mt. Pisgah Arboretum with an accurate representation of where hydric soils currently exist and the respective sources of saturation. With this information, managers are better equipped to develop restoration and enhancement options that better reflect the current environmental conditions in the Water Garden. Close

• 28. [Article] Songbirds as sentinels of mercury in terrestrial habitats of eastern North America

  To the best of our knowledge, one or more authors of this paper were federal employees when contributing to this work. This is the publisher’s final pdf. The published article is copyrighted by Springer ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Songbirds as sentinels of mercury in terrestrial habitats of eastern North America Author: Adams, Evan M., Evers, David C., et al., Jackson, Allyson K. To the best of our knowledge, one or more authors of this paper were federal employees when contributing to this work. This is the publisher’s final pdf. The published article is copyrighted by Springer and can be found at: http://link.springer.com/journal/10646. Title: Songbirds as sentinels of mercury in terrestrial habitats of eastern North America Author: Adams, Evan M., Evers, David C., et al., Jackson, Allyson K. To the best of our knowledge, one or more authors of this paper were federal employees when contributing to this work. This is the publisher’s final pdf. The published article is copyrighted by Springer and can be found at: http://link.springer.com/journal/10646. Close

• 29. [Article] Studies of plant establishment limitations in wetlands of the Willamette Valley, Oregon

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Studies of plant establishment limitations in wetlands of the Willamette Valley, Oregon Author: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Waterways Experiment Station Title: Studies of plant establishment limitations in wetlands of the Willamette Valley, Oregon Author: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Waterways Experiment Station Close

• 30. [Article] Efficacy of Plastic Mesh Tubes in Reducing Herbivory Damage by the Invasive Nutria (Myocastor coypus) in an Urban Restoration Site

  The restoration of stream corridors is becoming an increasingly important component of urban landscape planning, and the high cost of these projects necessitates the need to understand and address potential ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Efficacy of Plastic Mesh Tubes in Reducing Herbivory Damage by the Invasive Nutria (Myocastor coypus) in an Urban Restoration Site Author: Sheffels, Trevor R., Sytsma, Mark D., Carter, Jacoby, Taylor, Jimmy D. Year: 2014 The restoration of stream corridors is becoming an increasingly important component of urban landscape planning, and the high cost of these projects necessitates the need to understand and address potential ecological obstacles to project success. The nutria (Myocastor coypus) is an invasive, semi-aquatic rodent native to South America that causes detrimental ecological impacts in riparian and wetland habitats throughout its introduced range, and techniques are needed to reduce nutria herbivory damage to urban stream restoration projects. We assessed the efficacy of standard Vexar® plastic mesh tubes in reducing nutria herbivory damage to newly established woody plants. The study was conducted in winter-spring 2009 at Delta Ponds, a 60-ha urban waterway in Eugene, Oregon. Woody plants protected by Vexar® tubes demonstrated 100% survival over the 3-month initial establishment period, while only 17% of unprotected plantings survived. Nutria demonstrated a preference for black cottonwood(Populus balsamifera ssp trichocarpa) over red osier dogwood (Cornus sericea) and willow (Salix spp). Camera surveillance showed that nutria were more active in unprotected rather than protected treatments. Our results suggest that Vexar® plastic mesh tubing can be an effective short-term herbivory mitigation tool when habitat use by nutria is low. Additionally, planting functionally equivalent woody plant species that are less preferred by nutria, and other herbivores, may be another method for reducing herbivory and improving revegetation success. This study highlights the need to address potential wildlife damage conflicts in the planning process for stream restoration in urban landscapes. Title: Efficacy of Plastic Mesh Tubes in Reducing Herbivory Damage by the Invasive Nutria (Myocastor coypus) in an Urban Restoration Site Author: Sheffels, Trevor R., Sytsma, Mark D., Carter, Jacoby, Taylor, Jimmy D. Year: 2014 The restoration of stream corridors is becoming an increasingly important component of urban landscape planning, and the high cost of these projects necessitates the need to understand and address potential ecological obstacles to project success. The nutria (Myocastor coypus) is an invasive, semi-aquatic rodent native to South America that causes detrimental ecological impacts in riparian and wetland habitats throughout its introduced range, and techniques are needed to reduce nutria herbivory damage to urban stream restoration projects. We assessed the efficacy of standard Vexar® plastic mesh tubes in reducing nutria herbivory damage to newly established woody plants. The study was conducted in winter-spring 2009 at Delta Ponds, a 60-ha urban waterway in Eugene, Oregon. Woody plants protected by Vexar® tubes demonstrated 100% survival over the 3-month initial establishment period, while only 17% of unprotected plantings survived. Nutria demonstrated a preference for black cottonwood(Populus balsamifera ssp trichocarpa) over red osier dogwood (Cornus sericea) and willow (Salix spp). Camera surveillance showed that nutria were more active in unprotected rather than protected treatments. Our results suggest that Vexar® plastic mesh tubing can be an effective short-term herbivory mitigation tool when habitat use by nutria is low. Additionally, planting functionally equivalent woody plant species that are less preferred by nutria, and other herbivores, may be another method for reducing herbivory and improving revegetation success. This study highlights the need to address potential wildlife damage conflicts in the planning process for stream restoration in urban landscapes. Close

• 31. [Article] Effects of grass seed agriculture on aquatic invertebrate communities in seasonal wetlands of the southern Willamette Valley, Oregon

  An estimated 99% of native wet prairie has been lost in the Willamette Valley, Oregon, but a large number of seasonal wetlands remain on private lands dedicated to grass seed production within the historical ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Effects of grass seed agriculture on aquatic invertebrate communities in seasonal wetlands of the southern Willamette Valley, Oregon Author: Wyss, Lance A. An estimated 99% of native wet prairie has been lost in the Willamette Valley, Oregon, but a large number of seasonal wetlands remain on private lands dedicated to grass seed production within the historical wet prairie landscape. Because agriculture is known to alter physical and chemical wetland conditions, I investigated if aquatic invertebrate communities differed among annual grass seed farmed wetlands, perennial grass seed farmed wetlands, and native wet prairie. I sampled 30 southern Willamette Valley wetlands (n = 10 in each land use category) in spring of 2009 and resampled 28 in spring of 2010 that are hydrogeomorphically classified as Flats. Invertebrate community composition in native wet prairie differed from farmed wetlands (A-stats = 0.37, P < 0.001). Specifically, taxa richness (26.2 ± 1.2 in 2009 and 27.4 ± 1.0 in 2010) and diversity (3.0 ± 0.1 in 2009 and 3.1 ± 0.1 in 2010) were higher. From Indicator Species Analysis, taxa representative of wet prairie included a flightless beetle (Apteraliplus parvulus), a cladoceran (Dumontia oregonensis), an isopod (Caecidotea sp.), Calanoida copepods, and Lymnaeidae snails. Invertebrate density (individuals/m²) did not differ among land-use groups, but biomass (mg/m²) in perennial grass wetlands was greater than annual grass wetlands both years. Biomass in perennial grass farmed wetlands was also higher than native wet prairie in 2009 and similar in 2010. Wetland invertebrate composition was strongly associated with reduced vegetation cover and increases in water turbidity and conductivity with farmed sites having lower cover and higher turbidity and conductivity. These findings suggest grass seed farming practices such as soil tillage and field leveling have affects on invertebrate communities by lowering diversity and richness and altering community composition. However, farmed seasonal wetlands still provide habitat for aquatic invertebrates, contribute to the region's biodiversity, and are substantial food resources for wildlife. This grass seed agricultural landscape is an important seasonal wetland habitat and needs to be incorporated into regional conservation plans. Title: Effects of grass seed agriculture on aquatic invertebrate communities in seasonal wetlands of the southern Willamette Valley, Oregon Author: Wyss, Lance A. An estimated 99% of native wet prairie has been lost in the Willamette Valley, Oregon, but a large number of seasonal wetlands remain on private lands dedicated to grass seed production within the historical wet prairie landscape. Because agriculture is known to alter physical and chemical wetland conditions, I investigated if aquatic invertebrate communities differed among annual grass seed farmed wetlands, perennial grass seed farmed wetlands, and native wet prairie. I sampled 30 southern Willamette Valley wetlands (n = 10 in each land use category) in spring of 2009 and resampled 28 in spring of 2010 that are hydrogeomorphically classified as Flats. Invertebrate community composition in native wet prairie differed from farmed wetlands (A-stats = 0.37, P < 0.001). Specifically, taxa richness (26.2 ± 1.2 in 2009 and 27.4 ± 1.0 in 2010) and diversity (3.0 ± 0.1 in 2009 and 3.1 ± 0.1 in 2010) were higher. From Indicator Species Analysis, taxa representative of wet prairie included a flightless beetle (Apteraliplus parvulus), a cladoceran (Dumontia oregonensis), an isopod (Caecidotea sp.), Calanoida copepods, and Lymnaeidae snails. Invertebrate density (individuals/m²) did not differ among land-use groups, but biomass (mg/m²) in perennial grass wetlands was greater than annual grass wetlands both years. Biomass in perennial grass farmed wetlands was also higher than native wet prairie in 2009 and similar in 2010. Wetland invertebrate composition was strongly associated with reduced vegetation cover and increases in water turbidity and conductivity with farmed sites having lower cover and higher turbidity and conductivity. These findings suggest grass seed farming practices such as soil tillage and field leveling have affects on invertebrate communities by lowering diversity and richness and altering community composition. However, farmed seasonal wetlands still provide habitat for aquatic invertebrates, contribute to the region's biodiversity, and are substantial food resources for wildlife. This grass seed agricultural landscape is an important seasonal wetland habitat and needs to be incorporated into regional conservation plans. Close

• 32. [Article] Floodplain Habitat Metric: User’s Guide

  The metric is encompassed in two documents, this Floodplain Habitat Metric User’s Guide and a Floodplain Habitat Calculator.

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Floodplain Habitat Metric: User’s Guide Author: Defenders of Wildlife The metric is encompassed in two documents, this Floodplain Habitat Metric User’s Guide and a Floodplain Habitat Calculator. Title: Floodplain Habitat Metric: User’s Guide Author: Defenders of Wildlife The metric is encompassed in two documents, this Floodplain Habitat Metric User’s Guide and a Floodplain Habitat Calculator. Close

• 33. [Article] Clover Creek restoration

  This project included 8 miles of fencing, 18 stock water tanks, 10 acres of riparian planting, 1 hardened crossing and 1 culvert crossing. Six landowners participated in the project.

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Clover Creek restoration Author: Partnership for the Umpqua Rivers This project included 8 miles of fencing, 18 stock water tanks, 10 acres of riparian planting, 1 hardened crossing and 1 culvert crossing. Six landowners participated in the project. Title: Clover Creek restoration Author: Partnership for the Umpqua Rivers This project included 8 miles of fencing, 18 stock water tanks, 10 acres of riparian planting, 1 hardened crossing and 1 culvert crossing. Six landowners participated in the project. Close

• 34. [Article] Documentation of land use plan conformance and NEPA adequacy (DNA)

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Documentation of land use plan conformance and NEPA adequacy (DNA) Author: Klamath Falls Resource Area, United States. Bureau of Land Management Title: Documentation of land use plan conformance and NEPA adequacy (DNA) Author: Klamath Falls Resource Area, United States. Bureau of Land Management Close

• 35. [Article] Biennial report--The Oregon Plan for salmon and watersheds 2003-2005 synopsis

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Biennial report--The Oregon Plan for salmon and watersheds 2003-2005 synopsis Author: Oregon Plan for Salmon and Watersheds Title: Biennial report--The Oregon Plan for salmon and watersheds 2003-2005 synopsis Author: Oregon Plan for Salmon and Watersheds Close

• 36. [Article] Documentation of land use plan conformance and NEPA adequacy (DNA)

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Documentation of land use plan conformance and NEPA adequacy (DNA) Author: Klamath Falls Resource Area, United States. Bureau of Land Management Title: Documentation of land use plan conformance and NEPA adequacy (DNA) Author: Klamath Falls Resource Area, United States. Bureau of Land Management Close

• 37. [Image] Micarea peliocarpa

  	Apothecial section; Habitat: Wetlands and dikes with scattered trees and shrubs; Location: Near mouth of Wilson River on Tillamook Bay; Substrate: Trunk, Alnus; Elevation: 4 meters.
  	Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Micarea peliocarpa Author: McCune, Bruce Apothecial section; Habitat: Wetlands and dikes with scattered trees and shrubs; Location: Near mouth of Wilson River on Tillamook Bay; Substrate: Trunk, Alnus; Elevation: 4 meters. Title: Micarea peliocarpa Author: McCune, Bruce Apothecial section; Habitat: Wetlands and dikes with scattered trees and shrubs; Location: Near mouth of Wilson River on Tillamook Bay; Substrate: Trunk, Alnus; Elevation: 4 meters. Close

• 38. [Image] Micarea peliocarpa

  	Apothecia; Habitat: Wetlands and dikes with scattered trees and shrubs; Location: Near mouth of Wilson River on Tillamook Bay; Substrate: Trunk, Alnus; Elevation: 4 meters.
  	Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Micarea peliocarpa Author: McCune, Bruce Apothecia; Habitat: Wetlands and dikes with scattered trees and shrubs; Location: Near mouth of Wilson River on Tillamook Bay; Substrate: Trunk, Alnus; Elevation: 4 meters. Title: Micarea peliocarpa Author: McCune, Bruce Apothecia; Habitat: Wetlands and dikes with scattered trees and shrubs; Location: Near mouth of Wilson River on Tillamook Bay; Substrate: Trunk, Alnus; Elevation: 4 meters. Close

• 39. [Image] Enterographa oregonensis

  	Thallus section; Habitat: Wetlands and dikes with scattered trees and shrubs; Location: Near mouth of Wilson River on Tillamook Bay; Substrate: Picea twig; Elevation: 4 meters.
  	Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Enterographa oregonensis Author: McCune, Bruce Year: 2003 Thallus section; Habitat: Wetlands and dikes with scattered trees and shrubs; Location: Near mouth of Wilson River on Tillamook Bay; Substrate: Picea twig; Elevation: 4 meters. Title: Enterographa oregonensis Author: McCune, Bruce Year: 2003 Thallus section; Habitat: Wetlands and dikes with scattered trees and shrubs; Location: Near mouth of Wilson River on Tillamook Bay; Substrate: Picea twig; Elevation: 4 meters. Close

• 40. [Image] Arthopyrenia plumbaria

  	Spores; Habitat: Wetlands and dikes with scattered trees and shrubs; Location: Near mouth of Wilson River on Tillamook Bay; Substrate: Branch, Alnus; Elevation: 4 meters.
  	Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Arthopyrenia plumbaria Author: McCune, Bruce Spores; Habitat: Wetlands and dikes with scattered trees and shrubs; Location: Near mouth of Wilson River on Tillamook Bay; Substrate: Branch, Alnus; Elevation: 4 meters. Title: Arthopyrenia plumbaria Author: McCune, Bruce Spores; Habitat: Wetlands and dikes with scattered trees and shrubs; Location: Near mouth of Wilson River on Tillamook Bay; Substrate: Branch, Alnus; Elevation: 4 meters. Close

• 41. [Image] Arthopyrenia plumbaria

  	Perithecia; Habitat: Wetlands and dikes with scattered trees and shrubs; Location: Near mouth of Wilson River on Tillamook Bay; Substrate: Branch, Alnus; Elevation: 4 meters.
  	Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Arthopyrenia plumbaria Author: McCune, Bruce Perithecia; Habitat: Wetlands and dikes with scattered trees and shrubs; Location: Near mouth of Wilson River on Tillamook Bay; Substrate: Branch, Alnus; Elevation: 4 meters. Title: Arthopyrenia plumbaria Author: McCune, Bruce Perithecia; Habitat: Wetlands and dikes with scattered trees and shrubs; Location: Near mouth of Wilson River on Tillamook Bay; Substrate: Branch, Alnus; Elevation: 4 meters. Close

• 42. [Image] Arthopyrenia plumbaria

  	Habit; Habitat: Wetlands and dikes with scattered trees and shrubs; Location: Near mouth of Wilson River on Tillamook Bay; Substrate: Branch, Alnus; Elevation: 4 meters.
  	Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Arthopyrenia plumbaria Author: McCune, Bruce Habit; Habitat: Wetlands and dikes with scattered trees and shrubs; Location: Near mouth of Wilson River on Tillamook Bay; Substrate: Branch, Alnus; Elevation: 4 meters. Title: Arthopyrenia plumbaria Author: McCune, Bruce Habit; Habitat: Wetlands and dikes with scattered trees and shrubs; Location: Near mouth of Wilson River on Tillamook Bay; Substrate: Branch, Alnus; Elevation: 4 meters. Close

• 43. [Image] Arthonia ruana

  	Apothecial section; Habitat: Wetlands and dikes with scattered trees and shrubs; Location: Near mouth of Wilson River on Tillamook Bay; Substrate: Shrub, Alnus; Elevation: 4 meters.
  	Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Arthonia ruana Author: McCune, Bruce Apothecial section; Habitat: Wetlands and dikes with scattered trees and shrubs; Location: Near mouth of Wilson River on Tillamook Bay; Substrate: Shrub, Alnus; Elevation: 4 meters. Title: Arthonia ruana Author: McCune, Bruce Apothecial section; Habitat: Wetlands and dikes with scattered trees and shrubs; Location: Near mouth of Wilson River on Tillamook Bay; Substrate: Shrub, Alnus; Elevation: 4 meters. Close

• 44. [Image] Arthonia ruana

  	Apothecia; Habitat: Wetlands and dikes with scattered trees and shrubs; Location: Near mouth of Wilson River on Tillamook Bay; Substrate: Shrub, Alnus; Elevation: 4 meters.
  	Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Arthonia ruana Author: McCune, Bruce Apothecia; Habitat: Wetlands and dikes with scattered trees and shrubs; Location: Near mouth of Wilson River on Tillamook Bay; Substrate: Shrub, Alnus; Elevation: 4 meters. Title: Arthonia ruana Author: McCune, Bruce Apothecia; Habitat: Wetlands and dikes with scattered trees and shrubs; Location: Near mouth of Wilson River on Tillamook Bay; Substrate: Shrub, Alnus; Elevation: 4 meters. Close

• 45. [Image] Lecanora pacifica

  	Apothecial section; Habitat: Wetlands and dikes with scattered trees and shrubs; Location: Near mouth of Wilson River on Tillamook Bay; Substrate: Trunk, Alnus; Elevation: 4 meters.
  	Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Lecanora pacifica Author: McCune, Bruce Apothecial section; Habitat: Wetlands and dikes with scattered trees and shrubs; Location: Near mouth of Wilson River on Tillamook Bay; Substrate: Trunk, Alnus; Elevation: 4 meters. Title: Lecanora pacifica Author: McCune, Bruce Apothecial section; Habitat: Wetlands and dikes with scattered trees and shrubs; Location: Near mouth of Wilson River on Tillamook Bay; Substrate: Trunk, Alnus; Elevation: 4 meters. Close

• 46. [Image] Enterographa oregonensis

  	Paraphyses; Habitat: Wetlands and dikes with scattered trees and shrubs; Location: Near mouth of Wilson River on Tillamook Bay; Substrate: Picea twig; Elevation: 4 meters.
  	Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Enterographa oregonensis Author: McCune, Bruce Paraphyses; Habitat: Wetlands and dikes with scattered trees and shrubs; Location: Near mouth of Wilson River on Tillamook Bay; Substrate: Picea twig; Elevation: 4 meters. Title: Enterographa oregonensis Author: McCune, Bruce Paraphyses; Habitat: Wetlands and dikes with scattered trees and shrubs; Location: Near mouth of Wilson River on Tillamook Bay; Substrate: Picea twig; Elevation: 4 meters. Close

• 47. [Image] Enterographa oregonensis

  	Habit; Habitat: Wetlands and dikes with scattered trees and shrubs; Location: Near mouth of Wilson River on Tillamook Bay; Substrate: Picea twig; Elevation: 4 meters.
  	Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Enterographa oregonensis Author: McCune, Bruce Habit; Habitat: Wetlands and dikes with scattered trees and shrubs; Location: Near mouth of Wilson River on Tillamook Bay; Substrate: Picea twig; Elevation: 4 meters. Title: Enterographa oregonensis Author: McCune, Bruce Habit; Habitat: Wetlands and dikes with scattered trees and shrubs; Location: Near mouth of Wilson River on Tillamook Bay; Substrate: Picea twig; Elevation: 4 meters. Close

• 48. [Image] Enterographa oregonensis

  	Exciple; Habitat: Wetlands and dikes with scattered trees and shrubs; Location: Near mouth of Wilson River on Tillamook Bay; Substrate: Picea twig; Elevation: 4 meters.
  	Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Enterographa oregonensis Author: McCune, Bruce Exciple; Habitat: Wetlands and dikes with scattered trees and shrubs; Location: Near mouth of Wilson River on Tillamook Bay; Substrate: Picea twig; Elevation: 4 meters. Title: Enterographa oregonensis Author: McCune, Bruce Exciple; Habitat: Wetlands and dikes with scattered trees and shrubs; Location: Near mouth of Wilson River on Tillamook Bay; Substrate: Picea twig; Elevation: 4 meters. Close

• 49. [Image] Enterographa oregonensis

  	Apothecial section; Habitat: Wetlands and dikes with scattered trees and shrubs; Location: Near mouth of Wilson River on Tillamook Bay; Substrate: Picea twig; Elevation: 4 meters.
  	Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Enterographa oregonensis Author: McCune, Bruce Apothecial section; Habitat: Wetlands and dikes with scattered trees and shrubs; Location: Near mouth of Wilson River on Tillamook Bay; Substrate: Picea twig; Elevation: 4 meters. Title: Enterographa oregonensis Author: McCune, Bruce Apothecial section; Habitat: Wetlands and dikes with scattered trees and shrubs; Location: Near mouth of Wilson River on Tillamook Bay; Substrate: Picea twig; Elevation: 4 meters. Close

• 50. [Article] Assessing biological values of Wetland Reserve Program wetlands for wintering waterfowl

  The Wetland Reserve Program (WRP) is one conservation tool that mitigates national wetland loss and a primary goal for the program includes optimizing wildlife habitat by restoring wetland functions and ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Assessing biological values of Wetland Reserve Program wetlands for wintering waterfowl Author: Evans-Peters, Graham, R. The Wetland Reserve Program (WRP) is one conservation tool that mitigates national wetland loss and a primary goal for the program includes optimizing wildlife habitat by restoring wetland functions and values. Few studies have evaluated the WRP, which limits our understanding of its impact on wildlife populations. I assessed the biological value of seasonal wetlands on WRP easements in the Willamette Valley (WV) and Lower Columbia River Valley (LCRV) of western Oregon and southwest Washington by comparing plant communities and waterfowl food production (i.e. seed biomass) to publicly managed wetlands that served as reference conditions. Estimating waterfowl food resources is used to evaluate habitat quality, restoration, management, and developing habitat specific conservation plans for wintering waterfowl. The most common technique to estimate the portion of seed in wetland soils is to collect and process soil cores, yet there is variability in the depth of cores collected because it is unknown how deep dabbling ducks can extract food from the substrate. Furthermore, recent food abundance studies have not partitioned food estimates by location within wetlands (i.e. above or below ground), which has implications for understanding food availability for ducks. I sampled 23 wetlands for each wetland type in fall 2008 and 2009. I determined the proportion of seeds above versus below ground and the vertical distribution of seed biomass within the soil profile by partitioning samples in 26 wetlands in 2008. There was significantly more seed biomass above ground (72%, 362 ± 50.8 kg/ha) than below (28%, 141 ± 18.5 kg/ha). Seed biomass also varied by soil depth layer with greater biomass in 0-2 cm than both 2-5 and 5-10 cm layers. The majority of seed biomass within the soil was in was in the top 5 cm of the soil profile (75%). I detected 113 plant genera/species and the total mean percent cover of all plant species was 49% native, 38% introduced, 13% bare ground, and 3% unknown. Plant communities differed between study regions but not by wetland type. Twenty-nine species differed by region with more annuals being indicative of the WV and perennial species in the LCRV. Overall, the mean seed biomass estimate was 505 ± 59 kg/ha. Seed biomass was similar between wetland type and study region; however, WRP wetlands in the WV produced more seed (560 ± 114 kg/ha) than those in the LCRV (188 ± 43 kg/ha). Lower seed production in the LCRV WRP sites was attributed to a dominance of perennial species, predominantly Phalaris arundinacea that produced low seed yields relative to annual plants. My results indicate most seed was near the soil surface with only 36 kg/ha in the 5-10 cm layer, providing evidence that most seed is available to foraging dabbling ducks. Reference sites and WV WRP seasonal wetlands produced seed biomass that was similar to managed wetlands in other major waterfowl wintering areas in the United States. Therefore, WRP is capable of mitigating wetland loss and contributing to the regional goals of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan. However, WRP and reference seasonal wetlands are only providing 10% and 3.5% of dabbling ducks energetic demands in the WV and LCRV respectively due to a lack of habitat. Depending on whether the current landscape is meeting current dabbling duck energetic demands, this suggests either a need for more habitat, which is most feasible through restoration on private lands, or protecting other existing wetland habitats. Title: Assessing biological values of Wetland Reserve Program wetlands for wintering waterfowl Author: Evans-Peters, Graham, R. The Wetland Reserve Program (WRP) is one conservation tool that mitigates national wetland loss and a primary goal for the program includes optimizing wildlife habitat by restoring wetland functions and values. Few studies have evaluated the WRP, which limits our understanding of its impact on wildlife populations. I assessed the biological value of seasonal wetlands on WRP easements in the Willamette Valley (WV) and Lower Columbia River Valley (LCRV) of western Oregon and southwest Washington by comparing plant communities and waterfowl food production (i.e. seed biomass) to publicly managed wetlands that served as reference conditions. Estimating waterfowl food resources is used to evaluate habitat quality, restoration, management, and developing habitat specific conservation plans for wintering waterfowl. The most common technique to estimate the portion of seed in wetland soils is to collect and process soil cores, yet there is variability in the depth of cores collected because it is unknown how deep dabbling ducks can extract food from the substrate. Furthermore, recent food abundance studies have not partitioned food estimates by location within wetlands (i.e. above or below ground), which has implications for understanding food availability for ducks. I sampled 23 wetlands for each wetland type in fall 2008 and 2009. I determined the proportion of seeds above versus below ground and the vertical distribution of seed biomass within the soil profile by partitioning samples in 26 wetlands in 2008. There was significantly more seed biomass above ground (72%, 362 ± 50.8 kg/ha) than below (28%, 141 ± 18.5 kg/ha). Seed biomass also varied by soil depth layer with greater biomass in 0-2 cm than both 2-5 and 5-10 cm layers. The majority of seed biomass within the soil was in was in the top 5 cm of the soil profile (75%). I detected 113 plant genera/species and the total mean percent cover of all plant species was 49% native, 38% introduced, 13% bare ground, and 3% unknown. Plant communities differed between study regions but not by wetland type. Twenty-nine species differed by region with more annuals being indicative of the WV and perennial species in the LCRV. Overall, the mean seed biomass estimate was 505 ± 59 kg/ha. Seed biomass was similar between wetland type and study region; however, WRP wetlands in the WV produced more seed (560 ± 114 kg/ha) than those in the LCRV (188 ± 43 kg/ha). Lower seed production in the LCRV WRP sites was attributed to a dominance of perennial species, predominantly Phalaris arundinacea that produced low seed yields relative to annual plants. My results indicate most seed was near the soil surface with only 36 kg/ha in the 5-10 cm layer, providing evidence that most seed is available to foraging dabbling ducks. Reference sites and WV WRP seasonal wetlands produced seed biomass that was similar to managed wetlands in other major waterfowl wintering areas in the United States. Therefore, WRP is capable of mitigating wetland loss and contributing to the regional goals of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan. However, WRP and reference seasonal wetlands are only providing 10% and 3.5% of dabbling ducks energetic demands in the WV and LCRV respectively due to a lack of habitat. Depending on whether the current landscape is meeting current dabbling duck energetic demands, this suggests either a need for more habitat, which is most feasible through restoration on private lands, or protecting other existing wetland habitats. Close