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Breeding Ecology of the Seaside Sparrow ( Ammodramus Maritimus ) In

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Breeding Ecology of the Seaside Sparrow ( Ammodramus Maritimus ) In BREEDING ECOLOGY OF THE SEASIDE SPARROW ( AMMODRAMUS MARITIMUS ) IN NORTHERN GULF OF MEXICO TIDAL SALT MARSHES by ANNA JOY JEANETTE LEHMICKE (Under the Direction of Robert J. Cooper) ABSTRACT Tidal salt marshes are critically important habitats that have experienced serious declines in the United States and still face current and future threats. Marsh birds have been proposed as potential indicators of tidal marsh integrity, yet the basic biology of many species remains poorly studied along the coast of the Gulf of Mexico. I examined factors affecting nest-site selection, nest success, density, and extra-pair paternity of a tidal marsh obligate passerine, the Seaside Sparrow ( Ammodramus maritimus ), in two marsh complexes on the Mississippi coast. Nest placement and survival both appear to be strongly influenced by predation. Nests were built in areas with more ground cover than random points and better-concealed nests were more likely to fledge young. These results contrast with those from Atlantic coast tidal marshes, where nest placement and nest survival are both driven by tidal flooding. Survival was higher for nests that had closer active neighbors and successful nests were spatially clustered, while unsuccessful nests were not. More research is needed to determine if Seaside Sparrows are clustering in areas of low predator potential or if higher densities of birds can more effectively drive off or warn one another or predators. Elevation and Seaside Sparrow density were positively related in our study marsh, a result that contrasts with patterns of occupancy at a broader scale. I suggest that because broad- and fine-scale habitat relationships do not always agree, both must be considered when predicting species-level responses to potential future habitat alterations. I found that extra-pair paternity in my study populations did not seem to have any adaptive benefit for females and they may be unwilling extra-pair partners. Further research is needed to confirm and clarify these results, but it is possible that extra-pair paternity represents a case of sexual conflict in our populations. While research across a broader area of the northern Gulf of Mexico is still needed, the results of this study will contribute to a better understanding of the demography and habitat relationships of the Seaside Sparrow and will increase its usefulness as an indicator for tidal marsh integrity. INDEX WORDS: Seaside Sparrow, Ammodramus maritimus , northern Gulf of Mexico, tidal marsh, nest survival, density, habitat selection, extra-pair paternity BREEDING ECOLOGY OF THE SEASIDE SPARROW ( AMMODRAMUS MARITIMUS ) IN NORTHERN GULF OF MEXICO TIDAL SALT MARSHES by ANNA JOY JEANETTE LEHMICKE B.S., University of Delaware, 2008 A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of The University of Georgia in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY ATHENS, GEORGIA 2014 © 2014 Anna Joy Jeanette Lehmicke All Rights Reserved BREEDING ECOLOGY OF THE SEASIDE SPARROW ( AMMODRAMUS MARITIMUS ) IN NORTHERN GULF OF MEXICO TIDAL SALT MARSHES by ANNA JOY JEANETTE LEHMICKE Major Professor: Robert J. Cooper Committee: Mark S. Woodrey C. Joseph Nairn Michael J. Conroy Sonia M. Hernandez Electronic Version Approved: Maureen Grasso Dean of the Graduate School The University of Georgia May 2014 DEDICATION This dissertation is dedicated to my parents, Albert and Lorraine Lehmicke, for their unending interest in and support of whatever I choose to do. iv ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Although the final version of this dissertation will bear only my name, it would never have gotten to this point without the help and support of many other people. Going chronologically, I first need to thank my undergraduate ornithology professor, Greg Shriver, for letting me know about this research opportunity and putting in a good word for me. Thanks to my (in all but name) co-advisers Bob Cooper and Mark Woodrey for agreeing to take me on and mentoring me through every step of the process. Thanks also to my other committee members, Joe Nairn, Sonia Hernandez, and Mike Conroy for their help and suggestions along the way. My dissertation process involved two states with many outstanding people in each. On the Mississippi side, I am completely indebted to the Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve for providing me with housing, a boat, supplies, and logistical support. Special thanks to Tom Stadler for always patiently fixing any mechanical issues with boats and trucks. Much credit is due to my field technicians, Laura Duval, Kelly Morris, Jennifer Jetchev, Amy Densborn, and Claire Randall, for patiently enduring early mornings, endless no-see-ums, and occasionally intolerable weather. Back in Georgia, my fellow Cooperlabbers were an endless source of support, ideas, and feedback. Special thanks to Ali Leggett for being a partner and source of support across state lines. My foray into genetics would not have been possible without the help and patience of the Nairn Lab. Thanks to Denise Lennon, Bonnie Berry, Brian Shamblin, Haley Houke, and Billy Kim for their willingness to walk me through every step of the lab work. The Graduate School, the Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, and the Gulf Coast Joint Venture all funded my assistantship along the way, and the Georgia v Ornithological Society provided critical funding for the genetics aspect of this project. On a personal note, thanks to my parents for their interest in and support of my refusal to enter the real world. Last and foremost, thanks to Clark, without whom I would be lost. Without his sense of humor, support, encouragement, and Normal Mondays, I’m not sure how much of my sanity would still be intact today. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ...............................................................................................................v CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION AND LITERATURE REVIEW .....................................................1 2 NEST-SITE SELECTION AND NEST SUCCESS OF THE SEASIDE SPARROW IN NORTHERN GULF OF MEXICO TIDAL MARSH ............................................13 3 DENSITY OF SEASIDE SPARROWS IN THE GRAND BAY NATIONAL ESTUARINE RESEARCH RESERVE .......................................................................54 4 NEST-LEVEL AND INDIVIDUAL CORRELATES OF EXTRA-PAIR PATERNITY IN THE SEASIDE SPARROW............................................................94 5 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS ........................................................................133 vii CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION AND LITERATURE REVIEW Globally, tidal salt marsh covers approximately 45,000 km 2 (Greenberg et al. 2006b), an area slightly larger than the state of Maryland. The United States contains more salt marsh habitat than any other country, totaling 16,500 km 2, over 95% of which is along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts. Tidal salt marshes are highly productive ecosystems (Adam 1990) and are important both ecologically and economically. Ecologically, they play an important role in filtering pollutants from water (Gersberg et al. 1986), are an essential part of estuarine nutrient cycles (Welsh 1980), and help protect coastlines from erosion (Broome et al. 1988). Economically, they act as nurseries for many commercially important species of fish and shellfish (Knieb 1997), and provide numerous opportunities for those seeking outdoor recreation (Niering and Warren 1980). For centuries, this ecosystem has been threatened in the United States by human activities. Over the 200-year period from 1780 to 1980, the contiguous United States lost 53% of its original wetlands (Dahl 1990). These threats continue even today, with an estimated 1% loss in tidal salt marsh area between 1998 and 2004 (Stedman and Dahl 2008). In the near future, one of the greatest threats to tidal salt marsh is predicted to be sea level rise (McFadden et al. 2007). Because of its limited extent, high economic and ecological importance, and continued threats, tidal salt marsh health must be closely monitored. Since it is often difficult to monitor the overall health of an entire ecosystem, managers and researchers may rely on one or a suite of indicator species as proxies for ecosystem health. For tidal marsh in the United States, the Seaside Sparrow (SESP; Ammodramus maritimus ) is perhaps the strongest candidate for this 1 role. It is one of only five species of terrestrial vertebrates worldwide that is completely restricted to coastal marsh (instead of having only a subspecies so completely restricted; Greenberg and Maldonado 2006). Unlike the Saltmarsh Sparrow (Ammodramus caudacutus) , another such endemic, SESP breeding range includes most of the marsh on the Atlantic and Gulf coasts. They are highly active and visible, making them easy to monitor compared to the other three marsh endemics; Diamondback Terrapins (Malaclemys terrapin), Salt Marsh Harvest Mice (Reithrodontomys raviventris ), and Salt Marsh Snakes ( Nerodia clarkii ). SEASIDE SPARROW LIFE HISTORY AND CONSERVATION STATUS Seaside Sparrows are obligate coastal marsh-dwelling passerines that occur in scattered populations from southern Maine to the northwestern coast of the Gulf of Mexico, in Texas (Post and Greenlaw 2009). They spend their entire life cycle in coastal marshes, staying in the marsh for both the breeding season and the winter. They are socially monogamous breeders, building nests predominately in marsh grass and rushes. They lay between two and five eggs per nest, with the average varying by location, but generally
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