Wood Duck Investigations W-118-R-4-5-6 Final Report

W-118-R-4-5-6 (Final Report); issued November 20, 1998; Study I: Aerial helicopter surveys of breeding wood ducks in bottomland forest.Report issued on: November 20, 1998INHS Technical Report prepared for Illinois Department of Natural Resource

Illinois Waterfowl Surveys and Investigations W-43-R-47 1 July 1998 through 30 June 1999 Annual Federal Aid Performance Report

Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act W-43-R-47unpublishednot peer reviewedOpe

Aerial Inventories of Waterfowl in Illinois and Estimation of Moist-soil Plant Seed Abundance for Waterfowl on Lands Managed by Illinois Department of Natural Resources

Grant/Contract No: W-43-R 53-54-55Reports on progress and results of inventories of waterfowl along the Illinois and central Mississippi rivers during fall and winter and estimation of moist-soil plant seed abundance for waterfowl on lands managed by Illinois Department of Natural ResourcesINHS Technical Report Prepared for U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Illinois Department of Natural Resource

Waterbird and wetland monitoring at the Emiquon Preserve: Annual Report 2014

The Nature Conservancy (TNC) identified key ecological attributes (hereafter, KEAs) of specific biological characteristics or ecological processes that could indicate restoration success and trajectory at the Emiquon Preserve (hereafter Emiquon; The Nature Conservancy 2006). Because of the historic importance of the Illinois River valley to waterfowl and other waterbirds, several conservation targets and associated KEAs at Emiquon were related to waterbird communities and their habitats(Appendix A). Indeed, use of wetlands by waterbirds may serve as an indicator of landscape condition or a measure of restoration success (Austin et al. 2001,Gawlik 2006). Therefore, we monitored the response of wetland vegetation and waterbirds to restoration efforts at Emiquon during 2014to evaluate restoration success relative to desired conditions under the relevant KEAs. Our primary efforts included evaluating: 1) abundance, diversity, and behavior of waterfowl and other waterbirds through autumn aerial counts and spring ground counts; 2) productivity by waterfowl and other waterbirds through brood counts; 3) plant seed and invertebrate biomass to estimate energetic carrying capacity for waterfowl during migration and breeding periods;and 4) composition and arrangement of wetland vegetation communities and associated cover types through geospatial cover mapping.Herein, we report results of our monitoring efforts and interpret them as a means of evaluating restoration activities at Emiquon with respect to desired conditions under the KEAs.The Nature Conservancyunpublishednot peer reviewe

Waterbird and Wetland Monitoring at The Emiquon Preserve: Final Report 2007–2015

Historically, the wetlands of the Illinois River valley (IRV) provided extensive and valuable habitat to migrating waterbirds and other wetland-dependent wildlife in the Upper Midwest (Havera 1999). The Nature Conservancy’s Emiquon Preserve (2,700 ha) is a portion of a former floodplain of the Illinois River that was farmed for >80 years, isolated behind river levees, and has been undergoing restoration to a complex of wetlands and uplands since 2007. Since hydrology returned in 2007, we have monitored key ecological attributes (hereafter, KEAs) of specific biological characteristics or ecological processes related to waterbird communities and their habitats. Wetland vegetation communities and associated cover types have increased almost 800% since 2007, expanding from 255 ha to 2017 ha in autumn 2015. Aquatic bed vegetation has comprised >50% of Emiquon Preserve since 2009, but important emergent plant communities have declined in recent years as the complex has reached the lake marsh stage due to elevated and stabilized water levels. Waterfowl and other waterbirds visit Emiquon Preserve in great numbers each autumn and spring migration, with species such as American coot, northern pintail, green-winged teal, and gadwall selecting Emiquon compared to other wetlands and lakes in the IRV. The abundant aquatic bed and hemi-marsh plant communities collectively provide more food for waterbirds than do other nearby wetlands, such as the south pool of Chautauqua National Wildlife Refuge. Consistent with the >30 million energetic use days provided annually at Emiquon Preserve, dabbling and diving ducks behaviors are dominated by feeding indicating the importance of the aquatic plant communities as foraging habitat. Emiquon also provides breeding habitat for species of conservation concern, such as common gallinule and pied bill grebe, as well as several species of ducks, geese, and other waterbirds. However, we have noted recent declines in persistent emergent vegetation, moist- 3 soil vegetation, brood counts which act as an index of waterbird productivity, duck use days during autumn migration, and invertebrate abundance during brood-rearing periods which we assume is related to the transition of Emiquon Preserve into the lake marsh stage. While we acknowledge that different succession phases benefit different guilds of wildlife, we suggest that a drawdown will be necessary to restore some of the emergent vegetation communities and with it the response of wildlife in the system.The Nature Conservancy’s (TNC) Illinois River Project Office, contract number C07-032unpublishednot peer reviewedOpe

Short-term Effects of Initial Flood Disturbance on Restoration Projects: Waterbirds and Wetland Vegetation Final Report Period: 1 September 2013 – 31 August 2015

During spring 2013, record flooding occurred on the Illinois River. Emiquon and Merwin Preserves, two restored but hydrologically-isolated floodplains, were reconnected to the Illinois River for the first time in >80 years. Both Preserves are owned and managed by The Nature Conservancy and have been the focus of monitoring efforts since restoration began. Moreover, flooding intensity was not equal at these locations. Levees at Merwin Preserve breached, establishing a two-way hydrologic connection between the floodplain and the Illinois River at moderate river stages (i.e., partial connection). Conversely, levees held at Emiquon Preserve, facilitating a one-way input of water into this floodplain over top of levees (i.e., limited connection). These conditions created two case studies under which a natural experiment unfolded. Our objective was to document and assess site-specific post-flood changes in biotic communities from pre-flood states and trajectories. We hypothesized that waterbird communities would remain unchanged at Emiquon Preserve, but these communities would be negatively affected by the partial river connection at Merwin Preserve. Consequently, we anticipated less overall waterbird use, lower species diversity, and a shift in dominant species from herbivorous and granivorous waterbirds to piscivorous birds at Merwin Preserve. Likewise, we hypothesized that vegetation communities would be negatively affected by the partial river connection at Merwin Preserve resulting in decreased submersed and emergent aquatic macrophyte coverage, but vegetation communities would remain resilient to the limited connection at Emiquon Preserve and change minimally.University of Illinois at Springfield & National Science Foundation Federal Award Number: 1347077Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Division of WildlifeThe Nature ConservancyU.S. Fish and Wildlife Serviceunpublishednot peer reviewedOpe

Waterbird and Wetland Monitoring at The Emiquon Preserve Final Report 2007-2009

We monitored the response of wetland habitats and waterbirds to restoration efforts at Emiquon during 2007–2010 to evaluate restoration success relative to desired conditions under the relevant key ecological attributes (KEAs). Our primary efforts included evaluating: 1) abundance, diversity, and behavior of waterfowl and other waterbirds through counts and observations; 2) productivity by waterfowl and other waterbirds through brood counts; 3) plant seed and invertebrate biomass to understand foraging carrying capacity for waterfowl during migration and breeding, and; 4) composition and arrangement of the vegetation community through geospatial wetland covermapping. Herein, we report results of our monitoring efforts and interpret them as a means of evaluating restoration activities at Emiquon with respect to desired conditions under the KEAs.The Nature Conservancy, Illinois River Project Office, contract number C07-032unpublishednot peer reviewedOpe

Seed Abundance for Waterfowl in Wetlands Managed by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources

Managed wetlands on public lands in Illinois, United States, provide foraging habitats for migrating and wintering waterfowl. However, few studies have estimated abundances of waterfowl foods in mid-migration regions of North America, yet such information is needed to inform management and conservation decision-making. During 2005– 2007, we used a multistage sampling design to estimate moist-soil plant seed production (kg/ha, dry mass) and energetic carrying capacity at sites managed by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and modeled variation in seed biomass. Average seed biomass among all sites ranged from 1,030.0 6 64.1 (SE) kg/ha in 2005 to 501.5 6 124.1 kg/ha in 2007. Our overall estimate (2005–2007) of moist-soil plant seed biomass was precise (691.3 6 56.4 kg/ ha; CV: 8.2%), equaling 5,128 energetic use-days/ha. This value was similar to or slightly greater than previous estimates from other regions of North America and exceeded the estimate used the Upper Mississippi River and Great Lakes Region Joint Venture for waterfowl conservation planning (514 kg/ha). We formulated eight models to predict abundance of moist-soil plant seeds within sampled wetlands. The best approximating model included the number of desirable plant species within wetlands and study year. The second best model included the categorical effect of management intensity and indicated that, although variable, actively managed wetlands produced about 240 kg/ha more seed than those that were passively managed. As with other regions, wetland management practices that encourage diverse plant communities over monotypes and growth of early successional plants should yield substantial increases in waterfowl food abundances at Illinois Department of Natural Resources sites, especially given that only 27% of our study wetlands were actively managed. Such efforts would also help reduce deficits in energetic carrying capacity identified by the Upper Mississippi River and Great Lakes Region Joint Venture

Foraging Ecology of Fall-Migrating Shorebirds in the Illinois River Valley

Populations of many shorebird species appear to be declining in North America, and food resources at stopover habitats may limit migratory bird populations. We investigated body condition of, and foraging habitat and diet selection by 4 species of shorebirds in the central Illinois River valley during fall migrations 2007 and 2008 (Killdeer [Charadrius vociferus], Least Sandpiper [Calidris minutilla], Pectoral Sandpiper [Calidris melanotos], and Lesser Yellowlegs [Tringa flavipes]). All species except Killdeer were in good to excellent condition, based on size-corrected body mass and fat scores. Shorebird diets were dominated by invertebrate taxa from Orders Diptera and Coleoptera. Additionally, Isopoda, Hemiptera, Hirudinea, Nematoda, and Cyprinodontiformes contribution to diets varied by shorebird species and year. We evaluated diet and foraging habitat selection by comparing aggregate percent dry mass of food items in shorebird diets and core samples from foraging substrates. Invertebrate abundances at shorebird collection sites and random sites were generally similar, indicating that birds did not select foraging patches within wetlands based on invertebrate abundance. Conversely, we found considerable evidence for selection of some diet items within particular foraging sites, and consistent avoidance of Oligochaeta. We suspect the diet selectivity we observed was a function of overall invertebrate biomass (51.264.4 [SE] kg/ha; dry mass) at our study sites, which was greater than estimates reported in most other food selection studies. Diet selectivity in shorebirds may follow tenants of optimal foraging theory; that is, at low food abundances shorebirds forage opportunistically, with the likelihood of selectivity increasing as food availability increases. Nonetheless, relationships between the abundance, availability, and consumption of Oligochaetes for and by waterbirds should be the focus of future research, because estimates of foraging carrying capacity would need to be revised downward if Oligochaetes are truly avoided or unavailable for consumption

Waterbird and wetland monitoring at the Emiquon Preserve. Annual Report 2013.

We monitored the response of wetland vegetation and waterbirds to restoration efforts at Emiquon during 2013to evaluate restoration success relative to desired conditions under the relevant KEAs. Our primary efforts included evaluating: 1) abundance, diversity, and behavior of waterfowl and other waterbirds through counts and observations; 2) productivity by waterfowl and other waterbirds through brood counts; 3) plant seed and invertebrate biomass to understand energetic carrying capacity for waterfowl during migration and breeding;and 4) composition and arrangement of wetland vegetation communities through geospatial cover mapping.Herein, we report results of our monitoring efforts and interpret them as a means of evaluating restoration activities at Emiquon with respect to desired conditions under the KEAs.The Nature Conservancyunpublishednot peer reviewe