Effects of drought on the abundance and distribution of non-breeding shorebirds in central California, USA.

ABSTRACT: Conservation of migratory species requires anticipating the potential impacts of extreme climatic events, such as extreme drought. During drought, reduced habitat availability for shorebirds creates the potential for changes in their abundance and distribution, in part because many species are highly mobile and rely on networks of interior and coastal habitats. Understanding how shorebirds responded to a recent drought cycle that peaked from 2013 to 2015 in central California, USA, will help optimize management of wetlands and fresh water for wildlife. In the Central Valley, a vast interior region that is characterized by a mosaic of wetlands and agricultural lands, we found 22% and 29% decreases in the annual abundance of shorebirds during periods of 3-year drought (2013-2015) and 2-year

SUBMITTER: Barbaree BA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7577470 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature