Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

A Comparison of Natural and Restored Wetlands as Breeding Bird Habitat Using a Novel Yolk Carotenoid Approach

  • Article
  • Published:
Wetlands Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Restored wetlands are commonly assessed as avian breeding habitat using surveys, but data on reproductive parameters are needed to better understand how restoration affects wetland-dependent bird populations. A novel way to assess differences in breeding habitat quality is to compare the maternal allocation of carotenoids (i.e., biologically active yellow, orange and red pigments) to egg yolks, which is both diet and habitat dependent. We compared yolk carotenoid concentrations of red-winged (Agelaius phoeniceus) and yellow-headed blackbirds (Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus) that bred in natural, recently restored (i.e., restored ≤ 6 yrs ago) and restored (i.e., restored 9–16 yrs ago) wetlands to determine if restored wetlands provided critical reproductive resources at levels similar to natural sites. We also measured emerging insect abundances, water chemistry, and landscape-level parameters for study wetlands and related these variables to yolk carotenoid concentrations. Moreover, to understand the importance of damselflies to the diet of blackbirds, we measured the carotenoid content of damselflies and compared this to the yolk carotenoid content found in blackbird eggs. Bird abundances were also measured at each wetland to compare the traditional method of assessing breeding habitat to our novel yolk-carotenoid approach. In 2008, red-winged blackbirds in natural wetlands had higher carotenoid concentrations than birds in recently restored wetlands, suggesting that natural wetlands provided better breeding habitats. In 2009 there was a severe drought and we found contrasting results, with red-winged blackbirds in restored wetlands having higher carotenoid concentrations. Adult damselflies contained five carotenoids commonly found in avian tissues, suggesting they are likely an important source of carotenoids for wetland-breeding blackbirds. In contrast to yolk carotenoids, neither avian species richness nor abundance was significantly related to wetland type. Based on model selection results for water chemistry parameters, variation in concentrations of yolk carotenoids in red-winged blackbirds was best explained by conductivity, whereas variation in avian abundance was explained by total nitrogen, and avian species richness by chlorophyll-a concentration. Model selection results for landscape-level parameters revealed that variation in concentrations of red-winged blackbird yolk carotenoids was best explained by percent water in a 500 m buffer and variation in both avian abundance and avian species richness by wetland surface area. Our novel yolk carotenoid approach allowed us to identify differences in breeding bird habitat quality across wetland types, which we failed to detect with traditional bird survey data; our results highlight the need for additional studies comparing methods for assessing wetlands as breeding habitat for wetland-dependent birds.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Acorn J (2004) Damselflies of Alberta: Flying Neon Toothpicks of the Grass. University of Alberta Press, Edmonton, Alberta

  • Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (2008) Land cover for agricultural regions of Canada, circa -2000, Edition 1.2. Agri-Environment Services Branch, Government of Canada. [Online] Available at ftp://ftp.agr.gc.ca/pub/outgoing/nlwis-lc/LCV_CA_AAFC_30M_2000_V12

  • Alberta Environment (2005) Provincial wetland restoration/compensation fact sheet. Edmonton,

  • Andersson M, Van Nieuwerburgh L, Snoeijs P (2003) Pigment transfer from phytoplankton to zooplankton with emphasis on astaxanthin production in the Baltic Sea food web. Marine Ecology Progress Series 254:213–224

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Blount JD, Houston DC, Møller AP (2000) Why egg yolk is yellow. Trends in Ecology & Evolution 15:47–49

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brown M, Dinsmore JJ (1986) Implications of marsh size and isolation for marsh bird management. Journal of Wildlife Management 50:392–397

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brown SC, Smith CR (1998) Breeding season use of recently restored versus natural wetlands in New York. Journal of Wildlife Management 62:1480–1491

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brown SC, Smith K, Batzer D (1997) Macroinvertebrate responses to wetland restoration in northern New York. Community and Ecosystem Ecology 26:1016–1024

    Google Scholar 

  • Burnham, KP, Anderson DR (1998) Model Selection and Inference: A Practical Information-Theoretic Approach. Springer-Verlag, New York

  • Burnham, KP, Anderson DR (2001) Kullback-Leibler information as a basis for strong inference in ecological studies. Wildlife Research 28:111–119

    Google Scholar 

  • Card SM, Quideau SA (2010) Microbial community structure in restored riparian soils of the Canadian prairie pothole region. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 42:1463–1471

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Clifford HG (1991) Aquatic insects of Alberta. University of Alberta Press, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

    Google Scholar 

  • Colwell MA, Taft OW (2000) Waterbird communities in managed wetlands of varying water depth. Waterbirds 23:45–55

    Google Scholar 

  • Connor EF, McCoy ED (1979) The statistics and biology of the species-area relationship. American Naturalist 113:791–833

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Czeczuga B, Mironiuk W (1980) Investigations on carotenoids in insects 2. Water insects. Acta Hydrobiologica 22:29–35

    Google Scholar 

  • Dahl TE, Johnson CE, Frayer WE (1991) Wetlands status and trends in the conterminous United States mid-1970s to mid-1980s. U.S. Dept. of Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service, Washington, D.C

    Google Scholar 

  • Delphey PJ, Dinsmore JJ (1993) Breeding bird communities of recently restored and natural prairie potholes. Wetlands 13:200–206

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Edge R, McGarvey DJ, Truscott TG (1997) The carotenoids as anti-oxidants – a review. Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology B 41:189–200

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Eeva T, Helle S, Salminen JP, Hakkarainen H (2010) Carotenoid composition of invertebrates consumed by two insectivorous bird species. Journal of Chemical Ecology 36:608–613

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fletcher RJ, Koford RR (2003) Changes in breeding bird populations with habitat restoration in northern Iowa. American Midland Naturalist 150:83–94

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Galatowitsch SM, van der Valk AG (1996) Vegetation and environmental conditions in recently restored wetlands in the prairie pothole region of the USA. Vegetatio 126:89–99

    Google Scholar 

  • Gray BT, Coley RW, MacFarlan RJ, Puchniak AJ, Sexton DA, Stewart GR (1999) Restoration of prairie wetlands to enhance bird habitat: a Ducks Unlimited Canada perspective. In: Murphy T, Munawar M (eds) Aquatic Restoration in Canada. Backhuys Publishers, Leiden, Netherlands, pp 171–194

    Google Scholar 

  • Hadi MR, Shariati M, Afsharzadeh S (2008) Microalgal biotechnology: carotenoid and glycerol production by the green algae Dunaliella isolated from the Gave-Khooni salt marsh, Iran. Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering 13:540–544

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hõrak P, Surai PF, Møller AP (2002) Fat-soluble antioxidants in the eggs of great tits Parus major in relation to breeding habitat and laying sequence. Avian Science 2:123–130

    Google Scholar 

  • Igl LD, Johnson DH (1997) Changes in breeding bird populations in North Dakota: 1967 to 1992-93. Auk 114:74–92

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Johnson DH (2001) Habitat fragmentation effects on birds in grasslands and wetlands: a critique of our knowledge. Great Plains Research 11:211–231

    Google Scholar 

  • Mabry C, Dettman C (2010) Odonata richness and abundance in relation to vegetation structure in restored and native wetlands of the prairie pothole region, USA. Ecological Restoration 28:475–484

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • MacKenzie RA, Kaster JL (2004) Temporal and spatial patterns of insect emergence from a Lake Michigan costal wetland. Wetlands 24:688–700

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Marchetti MP, Garr M, Smith ANH (2010) Evaluating wetland restoration success using aquatic macroinvertebrate assemblages in the Sacramento Valley, California. Restoration Ecology 18:457–466

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Matsuno T, Ohkubo M, Toriiminami Y, Tsushima M, Sakaguchi S, Minami T, Maska T (1999) Carotenoids in food chain between freshwater fish and aquatic insects. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology B 124:341–345

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McGraw KJ, Adkins-Regan E, Parker RS (2005) Maternally derived carotenoid pigments affect offspring survival, sex ratio, and sexual attractiveness in a colorful songbird. Naturwissenschaften 92:375–380

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Meyer CK, Whiles MR (2008) Macroinvertebrate communities in restored and natural Platte River slough wetlands. Journal of the North American Benthological Society 27:626–639

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Møller AP, Biard C, Blount JD, Houston DC, Ninni P, Saino N, Surai PF (2000) Carotenoid-dependent signals: indicators of foraging efficiency, immunocopentence, or detoxification ability? Avian and Poultry Biology Reviews 11:137–159

    Google Scholar 

  • Muir Hotaling NE, Kuenzel WJ, Douglas LW (2002) Breeding season bird use of restored wetlands in eastern Maryland. Southeastern Naturalist 1:233–252

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Natural Resources Canada (2009) CanVec 1:50,000. Edition 1.1 [digital data]. Government of Canada, Natural Resources Canada, Earth Sciences Sector, Geomatics Canada, Centre for Topographic Information. Available online: ftp://ftp2.cits.rncan.gc.ca/pub/canvec/

  • Nerassen TG, Nelson JW (1999) Landscape planning and management in agrosystems; the Canadian prairie experience. In: Baydack RK, Campa HP, Haufler JB (eds) Practical Approaches to the Conservation of Biological Diversity. Island Press, Washington DC, pp 141–165

    Google Scholar 

  • Newbrey JL, Reed WL (2009) Growth of yellow-headed blackbird nestlings in relation to maternal body condition, egg mass, and yolk carotenoid concentrations. Journal of Avian Biology 40:419–429

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Newbrey JL, Reed WL, Foster SP, Zander GL (2008) Laying sequence variation in yolk carotenoid concentrations in yellow-headed blackbird eggs. Auk 125:124–130

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • O’Neal BJ, Heske EJ, Stafford JD (2008) Waterbird response to wetlands restored through the Conservation Reserve Program. Journal of Wildlife Management 72:654–664

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Panfili G, Fratianni A, Irano M (2004) Improved normal-phase high-performance liquid chromatography procedure for the determination of carotenoids in cereals. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 52:6373–6377

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Peralta AL, Matthews JW, Kent AD (2010) Microbial community structure and denitrification in a wetland mitigation bank. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 76:4207–4215

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Puchniak AJ (2002) Recovery of bird and amphibian assemblages in restored wetlands in prairie Canada. Ph.D. dissertation, University of Alberta

  • Ratti JT, Rocklage AM, Giudice JH, Garton EO, Golner DP (2001) Comparison of avian communities on restored and natural wetlands in North and South Dakota. Journal of Wildlife Management 65:676–684

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Saino N, Ferrari R, Romano M, Martinelli R, Møller AP (2003) Experimental manipulation of egg carotenoids affects immunity of barn swallow nestlings. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, Series B 270:2485–2489

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Savard JPL, Boyd WS, Smith GEJ (1994) Waterfowl-wetland relationships in the Aspen Parkland of British Columbia: comparison of analytical methods. Hyrdobiologia 279/280:309–325

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Seabloom EW, van der Valk AG (2003) The development of vegetative zonation patterns in restored prairie pothole wetlands. Journal of Applied Ecology 40:92–100

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Surai PF, Speake BK, Wood NAR, Blount JD, Bortolotti GR, Sparks NHC (2001) Carotenoid discrimination by the avian embryo: a lesson from wild birds. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology B 128:743–750

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tori GM, McLeod S, McKnight K, Moorman T, Reid FA (2002) Wetland conservation and Ducks Unlimited: real world approaches to multispecies management. Waterbirds 25:115–121

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Török J, Hargitai R, Hegyi G, Matus Z, Michl G, Péczely P, Rosivall B, Tóth G (2007) Carotenoids in the eggs yolks of collared flycatchers (Ficedula albicollis) in relation to parental quality, environmental factors and laying order. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 61:541–550

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tozer DC, Nol E, Abraham KF (2010) Effects of local and landscape-scale habitat variables on abundance and reproductive success of wetland birds. Wetlands Ecology and Management 18:679–693

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Twedt DJ, Crawford RD (1995) Yellow-headed blackbird (Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus). In: Poole A, Gill F (eds) The birds of North America, Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, and American Ornithologists’ Union, Washington, DC, no. 192

  • Vinebrooke RD, Dixit SS, Graham MD, Gunn JM, Chen YW, Belzile N (2002) Whole-lake algal responses to a century of acidic industrial deposition on the Canadian Shield. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 59:483–493

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yasukawa K, Searcy WA (1995) Red-winged blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus). In: Poole A, Gill F (eds) The birds of North America. Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, and American Ornithologists’ Union, Washington, DC, no. 184

Download references

Acknowledgements

We thank J. Lalonde, K. Bourgeois, K. Swedberg, L. Witschi, and M. Newbrey for their assistance with egg collection and preparation. J. Bancescu and C. Nielsen provided help with GIS data acquisition. We thank the landowners who provided access to our field sites, including Ducks Unlimited Canada, G. Bosse, R. Chandler, A. Erga, R. Lueck, E. Nickel, F. Selin, and C. Skaret. We appreciate the helpful comments provided by the reviewers and associate editor. The Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology provided space and equipment to J. Newbrey. Funding was provided by Alberta Sport, Recreation, Parks and Wildlife Foundation and Alberta North American Waterfowl Management Plan.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jennifer L. Newbrey.

Electronic supplementary materials

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

ESM 1

(DOC 60 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Newbrey, J.L., Paszkowski, C.A. & Dumenko, E.D. A Comparison of Natural and Restored Wetlands as Breeding Bird Habitat Using a Novel Yolk Carotenoid Approach. Wetlands 33, 471–482 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13157-013-0404-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13157-013-0404-2

Keywords

Navigation