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Western Snowy Plover Macro-Invertebrate Prey Availability at Robert Crown Memorial State Beach

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Western Snowy Plover Macro-Invertebrate Prey Availability at Robert Crown Memorial State Beach Western Snowy Plover Macro-Invertebrate Prey Availability References Anteau, M. J., & Sherfy, M. H. (2010). at Robert Crown Memorial State Beach Diurnal variation in invertebrate catch rates by sticky traps: potential for biased indices of piping plover forage. Wetlands, 30(4), 757-762. Beeler, H. (2009). Community Abstract Introduction Methods succession in macroalgal wrack implications for prey resources of The Western Snowy Plover (Charadrius alexandrinus nivosus) The Western Snowy Plover (Charadrius alexandrinus nivosus) is a small light gray- Invertebrate sampling was performed from breeding Western Snowy Plovers is a federally threatened species and California Species of brown bird with dark legs, an incomplete band around the breast, and a black, December 2016 to February 2017 during daylight (Charadrius alexandrinus nivosus) Special Concern. Habitat choice and prey availability are narrow bill (Figure 1). The Western Snowy Plover is listed as threatened by the (0700 – 1430 PST). A 50-m horizontal transect on northern California beaches vital to wintering Western Snowy Plovers. Since 2014, (Doctoral dissertation, Humboldt United States federal government and as a California Species of Special Concern was placed along the wrackline within, north and State University). they have overwintered at Robert Crown Memorial (Federal Register; 2012, Page et al.; 1986). As of 2012, the Fish and Wildlife Service south of the protection zone (PPZ) (Figure 2). GPS Brindock, K. M., & Colwell, M. State Beach in Alameda, CA. The East Bay Regional Park estimated 2,500 breeding Western Snowy Plovers are dispersed along the Pacific coordinates along the 50-m transects were determined A. (2011). Habitat selection by District, which manages the site, implemented a plover coastline. The number of wintering Western Snowy Plovers varies at different sites with the Garmin GPS eTrex 10. Random numbers were western Snowy Plovers during the protection zone (PPZ), to minimize disturbances to along the California coast (Page et al.; 1986). generated to assign three sampling points for the sticky nonbreeding season. The Journal of roosting and foraging plovers. The purpose of this study Wildlife Management, 75(4), 786-793 Wintering site choice is vital to shorebirds (Brindock and Colwell; 2011). Piping Povers traps and five points for the core sampling locations was to examine the potential prey abundance within the along this transect using integers between 0 and 50. Burger, J. (1994). The effect of human PPZ, and in areas directly north and south. Horizontal are similar in size to the Western Snowy Plover and are found along the Atlantic and disturbance on foraging behavior Gulf coasts of the United States. During wintering months, piping plovers forage near Core Sampling: An aluminum Danielson clam and habitat use in piping plover transects were set up to collect macro-invertebrates in (Charadrius melodus). Estuaries, 17(3), core samples and sticky traps. A total of 71 organisms ponds, on sandflats and along the shore. Foraging efficiency can affect fat reserves needed gun, marked a 10-cm depth, was used for macro- 695-701. (amphipods, beetles, unidentified worms) were found for migration and reproduction (Burger; 1994, Evans; 1976). Disturbances can negatively invertebrate sampling along the horizontal transect Figure 3. Total abundance of Evans, P. R. (1976). Energy balance in the core samples. The percent of organisms found impact plover foraging (Staine and Burger; 1994). Food abundance can also influence within the PPZ, north and south. Five 5-m vertical and optimal foraging strategies in Megalorchestia species (amphipods), within the PPZ and areas north and south were Western Snowy Plover habitat choice (Rose and Nol; 2010). transects were distributed along the horizontal transects. Samples shorebirds: some implications for Coleoptera (beetles) and unidentified their distributions and movements 50.7%, 21.1% and 28.2%, respectively. A total of 533 Food availability is one of the important factors for shorebirds (Brindock and Colwell; were collected in the center, 2.5-m above and below the wrackline. The wrack was moved aside before core sampling. 45 core samples worms from core sediment sampling in the non-breeding season. Ardea, organisms were caught in the sticky traps. Organisms 2011, Evans; 1976). A study in Humboldt County found varying invertebrate taxa in sand 64(1), 117-139. along the north side of the caught within the PPZ and areas north and south were and wrack (Beeler; 2009). Wintering plover invertebrate prey items can be found at were processed and sorted daily. protection zone (PPZ), along the Federal Register ( 2012). Endangered 55.5%, 26.5% and 18.0%, respectively. Using a one- depths ranging from 0.5cm to 20cm (Nicholls and Baldassarre; 1990, Orluck; unpublished Sticky Traps: Sticky traps were placed in horizontal and vertical and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; PPZ and south of the PPZ (All way ANOVA, macro-invertebrate abundance in the Master’s Thesis from Humboldt State University). During the non-breeding season along orientations near the wrack following methods in Anteau and Sherfy (2010). Revised Designation of Critical organisms: F = 0.5829, P = 0.6671 Habitat for the Pacific Coast core samples and in the sticky traps showed Humboldt County, Western Snowy Plovers chose sites that had a higher abundance Setups were left undisturbed for approximately one hour (Pearl; 2015). The α = 0.05 and amphipods only: F Population of the Western Snowy no significant statistical difference. of brown macroalgae with associated invertebrates such as flies and amphipods sticky traps were monitored during core sampling to minimize disturbances. = 1.4274, P = 0.2623 α = 0.05). Plover; final rule. 77: 36728-36869 The fact that the PPZ had greater (Brindock and Colwell; 2011). The amount and type of wrack as well as the After about an hour, we carefully placed the sticky trap setups into a plastic bag Nicholls, J. L., & Baldassarre, G. A. than 50% of organisms shows abundance of invertebrates can possibly change daily due to storms and other for further analysis. (1990). Habitat associations of piping that macro-invertebrate prey influences (Beeler 2009). Reeder (1951) observed that fecal pellets of snowy plovers wintering in the United Photographs and Identification: Macro-invertebrates caught in both sticky availability is one of many plovers in southern California consisted primarily of sand crabs and other States. The Wilson Bulletin, 581-590. traps and core sampling were brought into the lab. Organisms were identified to important factors for invertebrates. Competition from other shorebirds during wintering Nicholls, J. L., & Baldassarre, G. A. their respective taxa under a Nikon SMZ800 microscope. wintering Western Snowy (1990). Winter distribution of piping months may reduce the food abundance for Western Snowy Plovers plovers along the Atlantic and Gulf Plover habitat choice. (Evans 1976). Data Analysis: A one-way ANOVA (IBM SPSS Statistics 23) was done to compare Figure 4. Example Coasts of the United States. The the abundance of organisms within the PPZ and areas to the north and south. Wilson Bulletin, 400-412. The East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD) manages Robert Crown of Megalorchestia Memorial State Beach in Alameda, CA. Western Snowy Plovers were species (amphipod). Orluck, D. (Unpublished). Amphipod Results Distribution in Relation to Western Authors observed to stay in a specific area along the 3.2km (~2 miles) of sandy Snowy Plover (Charadrius nivosus beach. Since 2014, plovers overwinter at this site from August to March Core Sampling: Core samples produced a total of nivosus) Habitat in Coastal Northern David L. Riensche1, or April. The purpose of this study was to examine the potential prey 71 organisms (Figure 3). Amphipods from the genus California. Master’s Thesis. Benson Chow1, 2, Julian availability within the protection zone (PPZ) set up by EBRPD along Megalorchestia were the most abundant in the core Humboldt State University. Geoghegan1, 3 Crown Beach and the areas to the north and south. Food availability in sediment sampling (Figure 4). We found 50.7% of the Page, G. W., Bidstrup, F. C., Ramer, R. J., & Stenzel, L. E. (1986). Distribution Sarah K. Riensche1, 4, the snowy plover habitat can influence the breeding season (Brindock and organisms caught in the core samples were from the 1, 4 of wintering snowy plovers in and Rebekah E. Riensche Colwell; 2011, Evans 1976). Therefore, we tested the hypothesis that there will PPZ. There was no significant difference among the California and adjacent states. 1 East Bay Regional Park District be no significant difference in prey abundance within the protection zone (PPZ) sites along the beach (all organisms: F = 0.5829, p = Western Birds, 17(4), 145-170. 2950 Peralta Oaks Court 0.6671, α = 0.05 and amphipods only: F = 1.4274, p = Oakland, California 94605 than in the areas to the north and south. Pearl, B. G. (2015). Factors Affecting 2 San Francisco State University 0.2623, α = 0.05). Western Snowy Plover Winter Romberg Tiburon Center for Foraging Habitat Selection in San Environmental Studies Study Area Sticky Traps: We caught 533 organisms in Francisco Bay Ponds” Master’s Tiburon, California 94920 The study took place within Robert Crown Beach Memorial the sticky traps (Figure 5). Flies from the order Theses. Paper 4661.scholarworks. 3 California State University East Bay sjsu.edu/etd_theses/4661 25800 Carlos Bee Boulevard State Beach (37.76034N Lat., 122.26661W Long.), located on Diptera were the most abundant organisms Hayward, California 94542 the east side of San Francisco Bay in Alameda. The plover followed by beetles from order Coleoptera. The Reeder, W. G. (1951). Stomach analysis 4 Figure 5. Number of Las Positas College number of organisms caught among the sites was not significantly different of a group of shorebirds. The 3033 Collier Canyon Road protection zone consists of a roped-off rectangle of sandy organisms caught in sticky Condor, 53(1), 43-45 beach adjacent to the bay and tidal areas.
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