Assessing the effectiveness of predator exclosures for plovers
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Published source details
Mabee T.J. & Estelle V.B. (2000) Assessing the effectiveness of predator exclosures for plovers. The Wilson Bulletin, 112, 14-20.
Published source details Mabee T.J. & Estelle V.B. (2000) Assessing the effectiveness of predator exclosures for plovers. The Wilson Bulletin, 112, 14-20.
Actions
This study is summarised as evidence for the following.
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Physically protect nests with individual exclosures/barriers or provide shelters for chicks of waders Action Link |
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Physically protect nests with individual exclosures/barriers or provide shelters for chicks of waders
A small replicated, controlled study from 1994-95 on beaches and alkaline flats in Colorado, USA (Mabee & Estelle 2000) found that daily survival rates of 27 snowy plover Charadrius alexandrinus, 16 killdeer C. vociferous and 9 piping plover C. melodus nests (in 1994) and 28 snowy plover nests (in 1995) were no higher for nests protected by predator exclosures (61 cm tall, 122 cm in diameter cylinders of 5 x 5 cm or 5 x 10 cm wire mesh, for snowy and piping plover or killdeer respectively) than for unprotected nests (daily survival rates in 1994: 0.98 vs. 0.98 for snowy plovers; 0.97 vs. 0.99 for killdeer; 0.98 vs. 0.98 for piping plovers; in 1995: 0.98 vs. 0.97 for snowy plovers). Five protected nests (20%) were predated in 1994 and three (21%) in 1995, by snakes, rodents or skinks. The authors cite small sample sizes, unbalanced experimental design and ‘inappropriate statistical analyses’ as possible reasons for the lack of a significant result.
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