PhD Project: Piping Plover Population Dynamics on the Missouri River in
Relation to Natural and Engineered Sandbars
Ph.D. project available in an active and collegial shorebird ecology/management
lab in Virginia Tech's Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation. Currently
3 faculty and 3 graduate students are focusing of coast/riverine bird species,
including piping plovers, Wilson's plovers, snowy plovers, least terns, common
terns, skimmers and red knots. This project is the fourth in a series of
projects in a long term study of the ecology and conservation of piping plovers
on the Missouri River (Le Fer et al.
2007http://fishwild.vt.edu/faculty/fraser/publications/le%20fer%20et%20al%202007%20chick%20foraging%20growth%20and%20survival%20on%20MO%20river.pdf,
Le Fer et al.
2008http://fishwild.vt.edu/faculty/fraser/publications/Le%20Fer%20et%20al%20%20foraging%20site%20selection.4.pdf,
Catlin
2009http://fishwild.vt.edu/faculty/fraser/publications/Catlin_Final_Population_Dynamics_of_Piping_Plovers_on_the_Missouri_River_draft2.pdf,
Catlin et al.
2010http://fishwild.vt.edu/faculty/fraser/publications/catlin%20et%20al%202010%20discussion%20of%20natural%20hydrograph.pdf,
Catlin et al.
2011ahttp://fishwild.vt.edu/faculty/fraser/publications/Catlin%20et%20al.%202011a%20pipl%20habitat%20selectuion%20nest%20success.pdf,
catlin et al.
2011bhttp://fishwild.vt.edu/faculty/fraser/publications/Catlin%20et%20al.%202011b%20effect%20of%20owl%20trapping%20on%20chick%20survival.pdf)
and one of many previous studies on various shorebird/coastal species Eg.
Cohen et al.
2009ahttp://fishwild.vt.edu/faculty/fraser/publications/CohenetalPIPLmonograph.pdf,
Cohen et al.
2009bhttp://fishwild.vt.edu/faculty/fraser/publications/cohen%20et%20al%202009%20the%20effect%20of%20benthic%20prey%20on%20red%20knot%20j.%20of%20ornithology.pdf).
This will be an excellent project for a student wishing to hone skills in
population dynamics, avian ecology, large project management and scientific
writing.
The problem
The Missouri River is the longest river in North America. Prehistorically,
piping plovers likely nested in abundance on sandbars deposited during periods
of high flows. However, in the Mid-20th Century, a series of dams were built
that reduced the number of high flows. This reduced the rate of sandbar
deposition, and this, plus sandbar erosion has resulted in reduced nesting
habitat. Other changes in flood plain habitat likely increased rates of
predation which have reduced chick survival on the sandbars.
Starting in 2004, the Corps of Engineers began building sandbars to mitigate
for the loss of naturally occurring habitat. These sandbars attracted many
plovers, and initially the daily survival rate of plover chicks was higher on
engineered sandbars than on natural sandbars. However, chick survival showed a
density dependent decrease over time, perhaps due to density dependent
predation, especially by great horned owls.
In the summer of 2011, extensive flooding occurred in the Missouri River Flood
Plain. This flooding resulted in extensive new sandbar deposits.
Project Goal
Evaluate the population dynamical response of piping plovers to this change in
habitat availability and, especially, to compare population dynamics on new,
naturally formed sandbars, with the dynamics recorded by Catlin (2009) on
engineered and old natural sandbars.
Duties
All duties will be conducted in close collaboration with project P.I.s. Write
a working proposal to conduct this research. Implement work on the ground,
including supervision of circa 14 crew/crew leaders. Interact with U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service with respect to endangered species permits. Interact with
the funding agency (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers) on all aspects of the
project, including on the ground coordination of crew activities. Write annual
reports and other interim reports. Give papers at scientific meetings about
this research. Other activities as needed to make the project run smoothly and
efficiently and to provide high quality science. The successful candidate will
be expected to publish results as senior author with project PI's as junior
authors.
Qualifications
M.S. in Wildlife Science, Biology, Conservation Biology or similar.
Significant fieldwork. Demonstrated quantitative skills. Demonstrated
leadership and management skills. Excellent academic record and GRE's.
Significant interaction with resource management and/or other public agencies,
experience in population analysis, program MARK, and publication of M.S. or
other science helpful.
Salary: $21,000.00 + tuition
To apply
Send C.V., publication list, and list of references to Jim Fraser and Dan
Catlin (fra...@vt.edumailto:fra...@vt.edu ,
dcat...@vt.edumailto:dcat...@vt.edu ).
Fraser and Catlin will be at the TWS meeting if you wish to make an appointment
with us. Co-PI Sarah Karpanty will be at the Waterbirds meeting.
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