Geology topics

Malcolm G. Butler

Publications and source records attributed to Malcolm G. Butler.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

USGS2011

King eider foraging effort during the pre-breeding period in Alaska

For reproduction, many arctic-nesting migratory birds rely on nutrients obtained on the breeding grounds, so they devote sufficient time to foraging immediately prior to nesting. However, little is known about the increase in foraging effort necessary to meet the energetic requirements of reproduction. In early June 2006 and 2008, we quantified the proportion of time spent foraging before breeding by a large sea duck, the King Eider ( Somateria spectabilis ), on its breeding grounds in northern Alaska. During >235 hours of behavioral observations, both male and female King Eiders spent >50% of the day loafing (resting, sleeping, comfort behavior, or being alert). Females foraged on average 30% of the time (mean 7.2 hr day -1 ,95% CI 6.0-8.4 hr day -1 ), three times as much as males (9%; 2.3 hr day -1 , 95% CI 1.5–2.8 hr day -1 ). The most common prey in ponds where the eiders foraged were chironomid larvae and worms ranging in length from 1 to 30 mm. If the King Eider's daily energy expenditure on its breeding grounds is similar to values published for related species, it would need to ingest only 0.2–0.6 g dry mass of invertebrates per minute of foraging to meet its energetic requirements. Males did not lose body mass before breeding, and we assume that their foraging effort was sufficient for energy balance. Therefore, female King Eiders appear to triple their foraging effort over maintenance requirements to meet the energetic challenges of egg formation.

Alaska↗

USGS2005

Biotic interactions as determinants of ecosystem structure in prairie wetlands: An example using fish

Wetlands are abundant throughout the prairie pothole region (PPR), an area comprising over 700,000 km2 in central North America. Prairie wetland communities are strongly influenced by regional physiography and climate, resulting in extreme spatial and temporal variability relative to other aquatic ecosystems. Given the strong influence of abiotic factors, PPR wetland communities have been viewed traditionally in the context of their responses to chemical and physical features of landscape and climate. Although useful, this physical-chemical paradigm may fail to account for ecosystem variability due to biotic influences, particularly those associated with presence of fish. Spatial and temporal variability in fish populations, in turn, may reflect anthropogenic activities, landscape characteristics, and climate-mediated effects on water levels, surface connectivity, and hydroperiods. We reviewed studies assessing influences of fish on prairie wetlands and examined precipitation patterns and biological data from PPR wetlands in east-central North Dakota and western Minnesota, USA. Our review and analysis indicated that native fish influence many characteristics of permanently flooded prairie wetlands, including water clarity and abundance of phytoplankton, submerged macrophytes, and aquatic invertebrates. We suggest that ecologists and managers will benefit from conceptual paradigms that better meld biotic interactions associated with fish, and perhaps other organisms, with chemical and physical influences on prairie wetland communities. ?? 2005, The Society of Wetland Scientists.

Wetlands↗

USGS2000

A surface-associated activity trap for capturing water surface and aquatic invertebrates in wetlands

We developed a surface-associated activity trap (SAT) for sampling aquatic invertebrates in wetlands. We compared performance of this trap with that of a conventional activity trap (AT) based on non-detection rates and relative abundance estimates for 13 taxa of common wetland invertebrates and for taxon richness using data from experiments in constructed wetlands. Taxon-specific non-detection rates for ATs generally exceeded those of SATs, and largest improvements using SATs were for Chironomidae and Gastropoda. SATs were efficient at capturing cladocera, Chironomidae, Gastropoda, total Crustacea, and multiple taxa (taxon richness) but were only slightly better than ATs at capturing Dytiscidae. Temporal differences in capture rates were observed only for cladocera, Chironomidae, Dytiscidae, and total Crustacea, with capture efficiencies of SATs usually decreasing from mid-June through mid-July for these taxa. We believe that SATs may be useful for characterizing wetland invertebrate communities and for developing improved measures of prey available to foraging waterfowl and other aquatic birds.

Wetlands↗

USGS1998

Mallard duckling growth and survival in relation to aquatic invertebrates

Identification and assessment of the relative importance of factors affecting duckling growth and survival are essential for effective management of mallards on breeding areas. For each of 3 years (1993-95), we placed F1-generation wild mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) females on experimental wetlands and allowed them to mate, nest, and rear broods for 17 days. We manipulated invertebrate densities by introducing fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) at high densities in half of the wetlands on which broods were confined. Day-17 body mass of surviving ducklings (n = 183) was greater for ducklings that were heavier at hatch; the difference averaged 1.7 g at day 17 for each 1.0 g at hatch (P = 0.047). Growth ratio (the proportion of body mass attained by ducklings when they were last measured relative to that predicted for wild female mallard ducklings) also was positively related to body mass at hatch (P = 0.004). Mean day-17 body mass and mean growth ratio of ducklings per brood (each adjusted for body mass at hatch) were positively related to numbers of aquatic invertebrates (Ps < 0.001) and negatively related to variance in the daily minimum air temperature during the exposure period (Ps < 0.020). Early growth of mallards was more sensitive to variation in numbers of invertebrates than to air temperature or biomass of invertebrates. Duckling survival was positively related to growth ratio (P < 0.001). Our study provides parameter estimates that are essential for modeling growth and survival of mallard ducklings. We emphasize the need for conserving brood-rearing wetlands in the Prairie Pothole Region that are capable of supporting high densities of aquatic invertebrates.

Journal of Wildlife Management↗