Wildlife use of Wild Rice Beds and the Impact of Rice Harvesting on Wildlife in East Central Minnesota

This thesis consists of 3 papers written in the style of the Journal of Wildlife Management. The study was conducted on the Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge, Zimmerman Mn. from June 1980 to November 1981. The objectives of the study were to: 1) determine the use of wild rice (Zizania aquatica} beds by wildlife, 2) determine the effect of wildlife use on rice beds, and 3) to assess the impacts of rice harvesting on wildlife using rice beds. Material not intended for publication has been included in the appendices.Funding for this project was provided by the U. S. Department of the Interior - U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service contract no. 14-16-0009-80-028

Wild Rice in East Central Minnesota - I. Water, sediment, and plant nutrient relationships on three wild rice marshes. II. The effects of traditional wild rice harvesting in a wild rice marsh.

This thesis is written in the format of two papers intended for publication in various scientific journals. Each paper deals with different aspects of research on wild rice (Zizania aquatica) marshes in east central Minnesota. The research was conducted in the summer and fall of 1980 and 1981. The primary objectives of the study were to: {1) determine some of the chemical aspects of wild rice marshes; and (2) assess the impacts of traditional wild rice harvesting on a wild rice marsh. Material not intended for publication is found in the Appendix.Funding for this project was provided by the U.S. Department of the Interior - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service contract no. 14-16-0009- 80-028