Waterfowl Populations and Limnologic Characteristics of Taiga Ponds
Murphy SM, Kessel B, Vining LJ. 1984. Waterfowl Populations and Limnologic Characteristics of Taiga Ponds. The Journal of Wildlife Management. 48(4):1156-1163
A study of duck habitat use patterns and limnology in eastern Alaska revealed that ponds hydrologically connected to a creek system had greater use by ducks and higher levels of most nutrients and ions than those hydrologically isolated from a system. Phosphate level was the best limnologic characteristic for discriminating between connected and isolated ponds. Levels of both phosphate and nitrite were highly correlated with levels of duck use, and both emerged in regression equations as predictors of duck species richness (R² = -.94) and duck density (R² = 0.79). Hydraulic connection with a creek system appeared to be the key link in the nutrient dynamics of the system and was reflected in the patterns of habitat use by ducks.
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Murphy, Stephen; Kessel, Brina; Vining, Leonard
- Units
- CAKN , DENA , WRST , YUCH
- Keywords
- Abundance, Birds, Distribution, Diversity, Ducks, Habitat Use, Hydrology, Limnology, Nutrients, Scottie Creek, Subarctic, Waterfowl