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Ecological Assessment and Management Planfor the Humacao Wildlife Refuge, Puerto Rico
Matthew J. Gray and Francisco J. Vilella
Mississippi Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research UnitProject FW-10
Geographic Location ofHumacao Wildlife Refuge
Puerto Rico
San Juan
HumacaoMiami, FL
San Juan, PR
1000 miles
N
Creation of Humacao Wildlife Refuge
Caribbean Sea
Route #925 Route #3
Caribbean SeaCaribbean
Sea
Port
Pre-Hurricane Post-Hurricane
August 1979
Sugar Cane Farming
Coconut Palm Plantations
Effects of Hurricane David and Tropical Storm Frederick (Humacao Wildlife Refuge)
Pre-Hurricane Post-Hurricane
Acquisition and Boundaries of Humacao Wildlife Refuge
Property Delineations
Caribbean Sea Caribbean
Sea
Management JurisdictionDNER
PR LandAuthority
PR LandAdminstration DNER
1100 ha
Conservation Trust
Habitat Types atHumacao Wildlife Refuge
Estuarine LagoonsBeach Scrub Coastal Forest
Herbaceous Wetlands
Forested Wetlands
Mangrove Pterocarpus
DNER Objectives and Research at Humacao Wildlife Refuge
Designated as a Natural Reserve in 1984 (Waterfowl Management Emphasis)
CurrentInitial
Preservation
Descriptive Research
Applied Wetland Management
Quantitative Research
Mississippi Cooperative Fish andWildlife Research Unit Objectives
1. Quantify current abiotic and biotic conditions atHumacao Wildlife Refuge
2. Develop a management plan to maximizewetland productivity and waterbird use.
3. Train local biologists in wetland management.
Ecological Assessment
Wetland Management Plan
2 Training Workshops
Ecological Assessment
Habitat Categories Investigated during Ecological Assessment
Aquatic Herbaceous Forested Mandri 1 Mandri Beach Scrub Mandri 2 Santa Teresa Coastal Forest Mandri 3 MangroveSanta Teresa 1 PterocarpusSanta Teresa 2 Palmas
Parameters Measured in Aquatic Habitats
Water:
Communities:
Dissolved oxygen, salinity, transparency,temperature, and depth.
Abundance and diversity of Fish and Birds.
Water Sampling
10 Random Locations/Lagoon/MonthChemistry: ! Pre-sunrise (0400-0700 hrs)
! Surface and Bottom Sampled/Location
! Mid-afternoon (1400-1700 hrs) on Cloudless Days! Water Depth Measured Concurrently
Transparency:
Secchi Disk
YSIMeters
Fish Sampling1 Fixed Location/Lagoon/Month
! Sampling Time (0800 & 1000 hrs) ! Set Time = 1 Hour! Capture Fish Identified, Measured, Weighed! Dead Fish Donated to Local Fisherman
80-m Graduated Gill Net
DNER Personnel
Bird Sampling
Vegetation/WaterInterface
Edge Zone
(2 m Width)
Open-WaterZone
InteriorZone
Direction ofKayak Travel
150-m
Variable-Distance Segmented Line Transects! Line = Vegetation/Water Edge ! Segment = 150-m Distance along Line! Replication = Segments Sampled Alternately/Month (n > 6/lagoon)! Species and Approximate Perpendicular Distance Recorded! Micro-habitat Categories (Edge, Open Water, Interior Wetland)
Parameters Measured in Herbaceous Habitats
Vegetation:
Communities:
Plant height and diversity, seed yield, litterdepth, and percent composition of grasses,forbs, vines, litter, and bareground.
Abundance and diversity of Insects, Birds,and Rodents.
Sampling in Herbaceous Habitats
Vegetation 1-m2 Randomly Located Plots
Insects 9-in2 Flourescent Pans Systematically Placed
VertebratesVictor® Rat & Mouse Traps Systematically Placed 35 Trap Nights
Bird Sampling in Herbaceous and Forested Habitats
10-25 m 25-50 m >50 m50m
Parameters Measured in Forested Habitats
Vegetation:
Communities:
Plant density, diversity, and height, DBH, percentcomposition of grasses, forbs, vines, woody stems,litter, and bareground, and visual obscurity, andpercent canopy cover.
Abundance and diversity of Insects, Birds,and Terrestrial Vertebrates.
1-m2 10-m2 100-m2
Sampling Stations in Terrestrial Habitats
Caribbean Sea
Caribbean Sea
84o
Purple = Beach Scrub Brown = Pterocarpus
Gray = Coastal Forest Red = Mangrove
Vegetation Measuring in Forested Sites
ClinometerDensiometer
DBH Tape
Modified Nudds (1977) Board
Ancillary Sampling
! Night (2000 - 0200 hrs) and Morning (0600 - 0800 hrs) ! Turtle Visits (i.e., tracks) Recorded! Encountered Turtles were Tagged, Morphological
Measurements Taken, and Clutch Size Recorded
Sea Turtle Patrols:
! Weekly Searches in Kayaks ! Confined to Nesting Platforms and
Vegetation/Water Edge ! Clutch Size and Species Recorded
Waterfowl Nest Searches:
! Precipitation Receptacle! Measured Daily at 0700 hours
Rainfall:
Statistical Analysis
Vegetation, Water, and Animal Community Data:
Percent Coverage of Vegetative Life Forms:
Capture Frequency of Vertebrates:
A) ParametricRepeated measures, Multivariate, and Univariate ANOVA’s, 2-Sampleand Paired t-tests, and Least-squares means multiple comparison test
B) Non-parametricKruskal-wallis, Cox-Cochron, and Wilcoxon Rank-Sum tests
216 Analyses Conducted
Logit Categorical Data Analysis
Compositional Data Analysis Xi = ln%i
(%1 * %2 * . . . * %D)1D
lnJ0*ij
J1*ij= " + $i B + $i T
Generalized Results in Aquatic Habitats
Water! Salinity and Depth were GREATEST in
Mandri 1 and LEAST in Santa Teresa 2Distance from Sea
! Transparency typically GREATER in SantaTeresa than in Mandri lagoons.
Turbidity and Phytoplankton
! Dissolved Oxygen was GREATEST in Mandrilagoons during April, but Oxygen in Mandriwas SIMILAR or LOWER than Santa Teresalagoons during June.
Rainfall, Phytoplankton, and Temperature
Generalized Results in Aquatic Habitats
Birds and Fish! Bird Abundance and Diversity were GREATEST in Mandri 1
Landscape Heterogeneity! Bird Abundance in Edge and Interior Zones was GREATEST
in Mandri 1.
Micro-habitat Characteristics and Diversity
! GREATEST Abundance of Brown Pelicans was in Mandri 3
Fish Diversity and Water Depth
! Bird Abundance in the Open Water Zone was GREATEST inMandri 2.
Fish Abundance and Poor Adjacent Habitat
Generalized Results in Herbaceous Habitats
! Insect Abundance was GREATEST in Mandri wetlandsMean plant diversity and height, percentlitter and depth were Greater in Mandri
! Seed yield was GREATER in Santa Teresa than inMandri wetlands
Occurrence of Paspalum vaginatum wasgreater in Santa Teresa than in Mandri
Typically, NO Differences (P > 0.05) Detected
Duck-use-days Calculations
Mandri 292 kcalday2500kcal kg
150 kgha138 ha 178K
Santa Teresa 73 ha 600
kgha
2500kcal kg 292kcalday 377K
SeedYieldWetland Area MTE DER DUD
½ MillionDuck-use-Days
6 Months
Oct -March
3083Ducks/Day
Generalized Results in Forested Areas
! Bird Abundance and Diversity and Vertebrate Species Richnesswere GREATEST in Mangrove
Landscape Heterogeneity, Ecotones,and Micro-habitat Complexity
! Insect Species Diversity was GREATEST in Pterocarpus
Forest-Age Hypothesis, Resource Partitioning,Niche Diversification
! Vertebrate and Insect Abundance was GREATEST inCoastal Forest
Forest-Age Hypothesis, Generalists, HighReproductive Rates Years10 20 40 60 80 100 120
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1
1.2
Foilage Height Diversity0.1 0.3 0.5 0.75 0.9 1 1.1
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
Management Implications
Preservation of Mangrove and Pterocarpus Forests
Preservation of Regenerating Coastal Forest andBeach Scrub (Selectively Cut Coconut Palms)
Management Techniques (e.g., water levelmanipulations, disking, burning) in HerbaceousWetlands
A) Mandri 2 (Wintering Waterfowl)B) Santa Teresa 1 (Breeding Waterfowl)
Research Needs
Limonological and Fish Population Dynamics
Pterocarpus Restoration and Community Dynamics
Evaluatory Research in Concert with Management Practices
Management Plan
Management Plan Goals
Explain Breeding and Wintering Waterfowl Management
Identify Limiting Factors toManagement and Propose Methods to Alleviate Shortcomings
Identify Costs for Implementation
Propose Time Schedule for Implementation
Biological Knowledge
Breeding Waterfowl Management (West Indian Whistling Duck, White-cheeked Pintail, Ruddy Duck, Caribbean Coot)
Time: March through August
Events: Nesting, Egg Laying, Brood Rearing, Pre-basic Molt
Physiological Demand: Protein
Management: Hemi-marsh
Breeding Waterfowl Management
Natural Marsh Cycle (Dry, Regenerating, Degenerating, Lake)
8 Year Cycle (Random and Unpredictable)
Emulate via Hydrologic and Vegetative Manipulations
Hemi-Marsh
MarshCycle
50:50
Biological KnowledgeMigrating/Winter Waterfowl Management
(Blue-winged Teal, American Wigeon, Lesser Scaup)
Time: September through February
Events: Migration, Pre-Alternate Molt, Courtship
Physiological Needs: Carbohydrates
Management: Moist-soil and Flooded Agricultural Fields
Moist-soil Management
Wetlands Dominated with Early Successional Plants
Natural Hydrology is Often Altered
Emulate via Annual Spring Drawdowns and Summer/Autumn Vegetation Manipulations
Maximize Wetland Productivity and Use
Assessing CurrentManagement Infrastructure
Water Control Capabilities(Levees and Water Control Structures)
Management Equipment(Tractors, Disks, Rotary Mowers, Pumps)
Work Load and Skill Level of Staff
Headquarters and Public Use
Identifying Inhibiting Factors to Management
Biological/Physical Factors Hydrology Uncontrolled Grazing Uncontrolled Burning Dumping
Socio-economic Factors Office and Storage Facilities Too Small Need Additional Management Equipment Biologist Has Too Many ObligationsBiologist Lacks Wetland Management Skills Research Commitments Public and DNER Interaction is Limited
Suggested Alterations to Infrastructure
Wildlife Management(Excavation, Equipment Purchasing, Personnel Training)
Public Relations(Grazing Contract, Visitor Center, Informational Brochures, Educational Signs)
Regulation of Potentially Hazardous Activities (Controlled Burning and Restricted Dumping)
DNER Public
Wetland Regulations and Permits
Clean Water Act of 1977: Section 404
Regulates Dredging and Filling of Wetlands
Permits Issued by Army Corps of Engineers
Environmental Impact Statement and/or Mitigation may be Required
Waterfowl Management Zones
Moist-soil Mangement
Hemi-marsh
Hemi-marsh
Upland Nesting
Mandri (Winter)
Santa Teresa (Breeding)
Engineering and Design
24 m
10.5 m
3 m
3 m
! Topographic Survey! Levee Design and Survey! Water Control Structure Design! Pump Station Design
Dennis L. McDonough, R.P.E.
Infrastructure Modifications
LegendContour
Existing
Excavated
Electricity
PumpWaterControlStructure
Mandri 1
SantaTeresa 1
SantaTeresa
2
Equipment to be Purchased
! Permanent and Portable Pump ! Inline Water Control Structures ! 120 hp Tractor ! Malsam Terrace Machine ! Backhoe Loader! 4 x 4 Truck! Agricultural Disk ! Rotary Mower! Seed Spreader! Drip Torches
Personnel TrainingWorkshops:
Literature:
Consulting:
! Waterfowl Ecology and Wetland Systematics (April 1996)< University of Puerto Rico-Humacao< Drs. Guy A. Baldassarre and Richard M. Kaminski
! Wetland Management (December 1996)< Mississippi and Louisiana< MSU, Noxubee NWR, Delta NF, Rockefeller Refuge
! Limnological Processes (December 1997)
! Prescribed Burning (April 1998)
! Classic Waterfowl Ecology and Wetland Management Texts< Bellrose 1976, Weller 1988, Batt et al. 1992 < Mitch and Grosselink 1986, Smith et al. 1989, Baldassarre and
Bolen 1994
! MS Coop Unit, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, DucksUnlimited, Inc.
Implementation Schedule and Costs
Fiscal Year 1997-98: $240,000! Topographic survey! Design and excavate contour levees! Design Electric Pump Station! Purchase 5 water control structures and a portable cristae-folie
pump! Purchase 120-hp tractor, Malsam terrace machine, offset disk,
and rotary mower! Purchase materials for controlled grazing project
! Purchase wetland publications ! Limnological workshop sponsored by Coop Unit in PR! Refuge manager attend burning short course
! Purchase and erect approximately 100 refuge boundary signs
WildlifeManagement
PersonnelTraining
PublicRelations
Implementation Schedule and Costs
Fiscal Year 1998-99: $140,000
! Purchase 1 water control structure for Mandri 3 arm! Design and build levee near Mandri 3! Install electricity ! Purchase and construct pump station! Design levee between levee between Mandri 1 and 2
WildlifeManagement
PublicRelations ! Purchase and erect educational signs for ongoingmanagement and excavation projects
Implementation Schedule and Costs
Fiscal Year 1999-2000: $200,000! Purchase 3 water control structures! Excavate levee between Mandri 1 and 2! Drain Mandri 2 after construction! Design and excavate additional contour levees in
Mandri 2! Design levees for Santa Teresa 1 and 2! Purchase front-loader backhoe ! Purchase tractor-mounted seed spreader
WildlifeManagement
PublicRelations
! Design visitor center and additional storage facilities! Purchase and erect educational signs for ongoing
management and excavation projects
Implementation Schedule and Costs
Fiscal Year 2000-01: $230,000! Purchase 2 water control structures! Excavate levees in Santa Teresa 1 and 2! Begin wetland management experiments in Mandri
unit ! Purchase drip torches
WildlifeManagement
PublicRelations
! Construct visitor center and additional storagefacilities
! Purchase and erect educational signs for ongoingmanagement and research projects
! Begin a human dimensions study of refuge users
Effects of Moist-soil Management onWintering Waterfowl at Humacao Wildlife Refuge
ExistingMandriMoist-soil
292 kcalday2500kcal kg
450 kgha138 ha 535K
Mandri 2 100 ha 450 kgha2500kcal kg 292
kcalday 385K
SeedYieldWetland Area MTE DER DUD
½ MillionDuck-use-Days 6 Months
Oct -March 3083Ducks/Day
1 MillionDuck-use-Days
5105Ducks/Day
Effects of Hemi-marsh Management on Breeding Waterfowl
= ?No Carrying Capacity Equations
Research
Current150 Females
Speculated Future 2x to 3x Nesting Density
Holistic Effects of Management at Humacao Wildlife Refuge
Number of Waterbirds Success Rate
Number of Visitors Attitudes Money toCommunity and DNER
Number of Fish
Acknowledgments
DNER USFWS UPR MSUM. Corbet
J. DiazA. Mojica
R. PimentelJ. ReyesI. Rosa
R. MatosJ. ChabertJ. Berrios
J. OlandF. Lopez
S. SilanderB.Yoshioka
C. Diaz
C. BaergaE. Hernandez
R. Perez
R. KaminskiJ. Hargreaves
J. BowmanJ. B. DavisR. Minnis
J. D. TaylorR. Brown
J. MacGownS. McDaniel
G. Baldassarre
SUNY
DUR. Melinchuk
VolunteersN. Ayala, D. Castillo, J. Cruz, Y. Cruz, E. Esquilin, U. Feliciano, M. Lopez, N.Lopez, R. Lopez, A. Martinez, J. Martinez, D. Miller, N. Perez, A. Puente, I.Ramon, F. Rios, M. Rivera, O. Rivera, H. Torres, W. Velez, and J. Wade
Funding and Support
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Project FW-10
Puerto Rico Department of Natural ResourcesDivision of Reserves and Refuges
Mississippi State UniversityCooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit
Department of Wildlife and Fisheries
Preguntas?