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Florida Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit U.S. Geological Survey

Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences P.O. Box 110485

University of Florida Gainesville, FL 32611-0485

Phone: (352) 392-1861 Fax: (352) 846-0841

Website: http://www.wec.ufl.edu/coop/ Email: Percivalf@wec.ufl.edu

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INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................................... 5 COORDINATING COMMITTEE ................................................................................................... 8 BIOGRAPHICAL PROFILES OF UNIT PERSONNEL............................................................... 8 COOPERATORS.............................................................................................................................. 10

UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA ..................................................................................................... 10 ST. JOHNS RIVER WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICT................................................... 10 FLORIDA FISH AND WILDLIFE CONSERVATION COMMISSION............................... 10 U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY ................................................................................................... 11 U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE ..................................................................................... 11 WOFFORD COLLEGE............................................................................................................... 11 U.S. AIR FORCE .......................................................................................................................... 11 UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA................................................................................. 11 UNIVERSITY OF WEST FLORIDA......................................................................................... 11 HIDDEN HARBOR MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECT ........................................... 12 FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION................................. 12 TALL TIMBERS RESEARCH STATION................................................................................ 12 OTHER .......................................................................................................................................... 12

RESEARCH PERSONNEL............................................................................................................. 12 POST-DOC ASSOCIATE............................................................................................................ 12 PH.D. STUDENT .......................................................................................................................... 12 M.S. STUDENT............................................................................................................................. 12 RESEARCH ASSISTANT, TEMPORARY AND PART-TIME PERSONNEL.................... 13

ECOSYSTEM IMPACT ASSESSMENT....................................................................................... 15 HABITAT ANALYSES.................................................................................................................... 25 MODELING TECHNIQUES & HUMAN DIMENSIONS .......................................................... 33 POPULATION ECOLOGY & ENDANGERED SPECIES......................................................... 41 SNAIL KITE. .................................................................................................................................... 67 2004 THESES AND DISSERTATIONS......................................................................................... 73 2004 PUBLICATIONS ..................................................................................................................... 75 2004 TECHNICAL REPORTS ....................................................................................................... 77 2004 PRESENTATIONS.................................................................................................................. 79 COMPLETED PROJECTS............................................................................................................. 81

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FLORIDA COOPERATIVE FISH AND WILDLIFE RESEARCH UNIT

INTRODUCTION The Florida Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit was established in 1979 as one of the first combined units. The purpose of the Florida Unit is to provide for active cooperation in the advancement, organization, and conduct of scholarly research and training in the field of fish and wildlife sciences, principally through graduate education and research at the University of Florida. The Florida Unit has the mission to study wetland ecosystems within the state. Florida is a low relief, sub-tropical peninsula that is ecologically fragile. Though abundant, Florida's water resources are under increasing pressure from a burgeoning human population. Domestic, recreational, and development needs threaten Florida's water/wetland resources. In following its program directive, the Florida Unit has developed a research program that addresses management issues with approaches spanning species to ecosystem perspectives. Specifically, this Unit conducts detailed investigations of aquatic-terrestrial ecosystem interfaces and their component fish and wildlife resources. Between 1979 and 2004, over 297 projects totaling more than $32.3 million were funded through the Unit. These projects covered a wide variety of fish, wildlife, and ecosystem subjects and have involved 48 line, affiliate, and adjunct faculty members as principal and co-principal investigators. Unit staff have their own research projects which accounted for about 1/3 of the total effort. Projects associated with the Unit have resulted in 356 publications, 95 technical reports, 79 theses and dissertations, and 123 presentations. Cooperation has been the Florida Unit's strength. Now, in its new capacity as a cooperative unit of the U.S. Geological Survey, it serves as a bridge between the principal cooperators (the University of Florida, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FFWCC), and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the community of state and federal conservation agencies and non-governmental organizations. Evidence of this role is the Unit's funding which has included contributions from FGFWFC, 12 BRD research labs and centers, 12 offices within the USFWS Southeast Region, the University of Florida, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Navy, U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Air Force, U.S. National Park Service, Environmental Protection Agency, St. Johns River Water Management District, South Florida Water Management District, U.S. AID, World Wildlife Fund, The Nature Conservancy, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, BRD, Florida Wildlife Federation, National Audubon Society, Florida Alligator Farmers' Association, American Alligator Farmers' Association, Florida Fur Trappers' Association, and other private contributions. Many Unit projects involve multiple investigators from several agencies. This cooperative interaction stimulates continuing involvement of funding sources, provides for student contacts with potential employers and agency perspectives, and directs transfer and application of research results.

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RESEARCH MISSION STATEMENT

The mission of the Florida Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit is to conduct detailed investigations of wetlands and their component fish and wildlife resources, emphasizing the linkages with both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. This charge will include research at a range of

levels including population, community, and ecosystem, and will emphasize the interaction of biological populations with features of their

habitats, both natural and those impacted by human activities.

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COORDINATING COMMITTEE Jimmy Cheek Vice President for Agriculture and Natural

Resources - Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL.

Ken Haddad Executive Director – Florida Fish and Wildlife

Conservation Commission, Tallahassee, FL. Michael J. Van Den Avyle Southern Supervisor - Cooperative Research Units, U.S.

Geological Survey, Biological Resources Division, Atlanta, GA.

BIOGRAPHICAL PROFILES OF UNIT PERSONNEL

H. Franklin Percival - Unit Leader, Courtesy Professor-Departments of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation and College of Natural Resources and the Environment. His research interests lie in wetland wildlife, particularly waterfowl and alligators. He is conducting long term cooperative projects on various aspects of alligator biology. He also is involved in research on development of an unmanned aerial vehicle for wildlife and habitat surveys and adaptive avian habitat management. He has a special interest in wildlife administration and champions multidisciplinary and interagency research programs.

Wiley M. Kitchens - Research Ecologist, Courtesy Professor- Departments of Wildlife Ecology

and Conservation, Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, and College of Natural Resources and the Environment, Adjunct Professor-Biology Department, University of Miami. His research centers on restoration and conservation of wetland ecosystems. The focus involves resolving complex gradients of community structure and function in perturbed wetland ecosystems. He currently is examining habitat relationships and hydrology induced changes in a variety of wetland ecosystems in Georgia and Florida. Simulation modeling in conjunction with GIS techniques form the basic approach of his current studies.

Raymond R. Carthy - Assistant Unit Leader-Wildlife, Courtesy Professor-Departments of

Wildlife Ecology and Conservation and College of Natural Resources and the Environment. His research centers on ecology of endangered species. His research interests involve reproductive

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ecology and physiology of coastal and wetland herpetofauna, with a current focus on marine and freshwater turtles. He is also involved in research on waterfowl and invertebrate ecology, and conservation management oriented studies.

Damian B. Borrelli – Unit Office Manager, University of Florida, Florida Cooperative Fish and

Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation. He assists in transforming research proposals into Research Work Orders, and orchestrates the contractual obligations between the University of Florida and the Biological Resources Division necessary for the implementation of Research Work Orders. He supervises the Coop Unit's clerical personnel and coordinates the daily operations of the Coop Unit.

Debra L. Hatfield - Senior Secretary, University of Florida, Florida Cooperative Fish and

Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation. She handles telephone calls, incoming and outgoing mail, appointments for Dr.’s Percival, Kitchens, and Carthy, Coop Unit reports (to include state and federal), travel, purchase orders, manuscripts, publications, technical reports, and thesis and dissertation files.

AGENCY PERSONNEL CO-LOCATED WITHIN THE

FLORIDA UNIT Elizabeth Martin – NBII Bird Conservation Node Manager, National Biological Information

Infrastructure, U.S. Geological Survey, and Ph.D. student, Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, University of Florida. Her principal responsibility with NBII is management of the NBII Bird Conservation Node and coordination with partners to develop web-based information products that support bird conservation activities in North America. Her research interests include avian habitat use in wetland ecosystems, and the application of landscape ecology and GIS approaches to habitat assessment.

Fred A. Johnson - Senior Wildlife Biologist, Division of Migratory Bird Management, U.S. Fish

and Wildlife Service, and the Florida Caribbean Science Center. His interests include modeling the dynamics of wildlife populations, the design of wildlife monitoring programs, and the application of decision theory to conservation practices. His principal responsibility is to develop and implement an inter-agency program to promote an adaptive approach to natural resource management, particularly for wetlands and associated avifauna.

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COOPERATORS

UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA

Michael S. Allen Karen A. Bjorndal

Alan B. Bolten Robert M. Cubert

Bon A. Dewitt Peter C. Frederick

Bill Guiliano Jeff Hostetler Peter G. Ifju

Elliott R. Jacobson Susan Jacobson

Paul A. Klein Ramon Littel

Frank Mazzotti Martha C. Monroe

Madan Oli Leonard Pearlstine Carlos H. Romero

J. Perran Ross Scot E. Smith

Marilyn G. Spalding William R. Wise

ST. JOHNS RIVER WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICT

Roxanne Conrow

Mike Coveney Steve J. Miller

FLORIDA FISH AND WILDLIFE CONSERVATION COMMISSION

Joe Benedict

Larry Campbell Dwayne A. Carbonneau

Harry J. Dutton Dennis “Duke” Hammond

Tommy C. Hines Richard Kiltie Paul Kubilis

Tim O’Meara Frank Montalbono

Stephen Nesbitt Stephen W. Rockwood

Scott Sanders Lawson Snyder

Nick Wiley Allan R. Woodward

U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

Beverly Arnold G. Ronnie Best

Jaime A. Collazo Paul Conrads

Michael Conroy Donald L. DeAngelis Robert M. Dorazio

Russell J. Hall Tara Y. Henrichon

James Hines William Kendall Suzette Kimball

Cathy Langtimm Lynn W. Lefebvre Cynthia S. Loftin Kelly McDonald Elizabeth Martin James D. Nichols Kenneth G. Rice Michael Runge

John Sauer James Williams

Kenneth Williams

U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE

Jon Andrew Robert Blohm Laura Brandt

Ed Eudaly Chuck Hunter

Mark D. Koneff Fred Martin

Mark Musaus Lorna Patrick

John Robinette

WOFFORD COLLEGE

Clarence L. Abercrombie

U.S. AIR FORCE

Bruce Hagedorn Bob Miller

Jack Mobley

UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA

Llewellyn M. Ehrhart

UNIVERSITY OF WEST FLORIDA

Philip C. Darby

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HIDDEN HARBOR MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECT

Ritchie H. Moretti

Sue A. Schaf

FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

William E. Caton

TALL TIMBERS RESEARCH STATION

William Palmer

OTHER

Lovett E. Williams John Wooding

RESEARCH PERSONNEL

POST-DOC ASSOCIATE

Paul Wetzel Mark Miller

PH.D. STUDENT

Sadie S. Coberley Sara R. Gonzalez

Julie A. Heath Holly J. Johnson

Taewoo Kim Elizabeth Martin

Julien Martin Joyce L. Merritt

Mario Mota Francesco C. Origgi Pamela Pannozzo

Eric D. Stolen J. Hardin Waddle

Zachariah C. Welch Christa Zweig

M.S. STUDENT

Gregory A. Babbitt

William J. Barichivich James J. Berg Janell Brush

Christopher Bugbee Kristen Candelora Cameron Carter

Melanie A. Craig Linda K. Dance

Jamie A. Duberstein Christopher J. Gregory

Rachel Hirschman Rebecca Hylton Brian M. Jeffery

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Kristianna Lindgren Martha L. Maglothin (Pridgeon)

Kate J. Malloy Erin McMichael

Ann Marie Muench Aletris Neils

April Norem Erik Powers

Amanda Rice Russell Scarpino John D. Semones

RESEARCH ASSISTANT, TEMPORARY AND PART-TIME PERSONNEL

Scott D. Berryman Andrea Bowling Stephen Brooks James Buehler

Christopher Cattau Melissa Desa

Marquette Crockett Susan J. Elliott Daniel Grant

Fred Guillermety Irene Guillermety

Derith Hiers Andrew Jegerlehner

Ebenezer Laing Joseph Largay

Andrew Maskell

Brittanian Medina Cynthia Mendoza

Julie K. Morris Samantha Musgrave Gridhar Palaniappan

Allison Pevler Laura Pfenninger Derek Piotrowicz

Christina Rich Martin K. Ruane

Christopher L. Tonsmeire Slyvia J. Tucker Marcia Yeguez

Gina Zimmerman

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ECOSYSTEM IMPACT ASSESSMENT

“The care of the Earth is our most ancient and most worthy, and after all our most pleasing responsibility. To cherish what remains of it and to foster its renewal is our only hope.”

W. Berry

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Continued Vegetation Monitoring of the Savannah River Tidally Influenced Marshes

Principal Investigator: Wiley M. Kitchens Graduate Students: Kristianna Lindgren Zachariah C. Welch Field Technicians: Steven Brooks Melissa Desa Joey Largay Funding: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Expected Completion: 12/31/05

A combination of natural and anthropogenic factors has altered interstitial salinity levels and vegetation composition of the lower Savannah River delta since the construction of a tide gate in 1977. During tide gate operation, massive conversions from freshwater to brackish marshes occurred up-river from the gate. After removal of the gate in 1991, restored freshwater flows began the return of marsh types representative of the pre-tide gate era. Subsequent modifications, however, may have mitigated that restoration. In addition, in late 1999, a severe drought began throughout the southeastern U.S. Vegetation and environmental data were collected at seven sites across an interstitial salinity gradient ranging from tidal freshwater to brackish. Agglomerative cluster analysis and nonmetric multidimensional scaling (NMS) were used to examine the relationship between vegetation classes and environmental gradients. Intra-site distribution was most affected by substrate gradients corresponding to distance from primary canals, with lower diversity generally occurring in areas of low organic content, and high bulk density. Vegetative composition among sites was significantly different and corresponded to location along the salinity gradient. A high degree of overlap and transition was documented across the sites. Compositional change was assessed on multiple scales. Sequential monthly vegetation data indicated that short-term, seasonal scale changes took place with differential peaks of importance by sub-dominant species. During November 1999 – December 2001, extreme drought affected interstitial salinities and species composition throughout the study area. Increases of Scirpus-dominated vegetation classes occurred at many of the sites with the replacement of the Eleocharis-dominated class by classes with co-dominance between Eleocharis montevidensis and Zizaniopsis miliacea. Comparisons with previous studies indicated that the strongly defined salinity gradient extant in 1994 had been replaced by a compressed gradient with less defined demarcations by November 1999. Increasing importance of E. montevidensis at upriver sites indicated restoration was continuing; however, increases of Spartina alterniflora downriver indicated a reversed trend. Transitional sites were probably most indicative of the system with fluctuating values of dominant species

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occurring over the course of the three studies. Proportions of sub-dominant species changed significantly between the three studies indicating a high degree of interspecific competition within the sites. The effect of long-term drought on restoration is unknown. Continued monitoring efforts will provide the opportunity to add to our knowledge base and aid in modeling efforts currently underway of system dynamics. Objectives: ● Document current vegetation community distributions in the marshes of the Savannah National Wildlife Refuge. ● Compare current marsh vegetation distributions to those documented by Latham (1990) and Pearlstine et al. (1990) prior to tide gate removal. ● Document response of marsh vegetation communities for future assessment of response of marsh vegetation communities and dominant species to fire disturbance.

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Geomorphic Assessment of Channel Changes along a Modified Floodplain: Pascagoula Basin, Mississippi

Principal Investigator: Joann Mossa Investigators: Jim Williams Personnel: Justin Ahern Ellen Bozarth David Coley Steve Engle Ursula Garfield Robert Godfrey Glenn Hermansen Steven Hrabovsky Robert Lange Coleman McCormick Marilyn Ogbugwo Jim Rasmussen Adam Smith Justin Smith Kevin Stover Fay Walker Michael Wheeler Andy Wildes Funding: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

The ramifications of channel changes associated with floodplain disturbances are numerous. This study proposes to examine connections between mining and other major disturbances on floodplains to channel changes in portions of the Pascagoula Basin, Mississippi. Geomorphic changes will be evaluated from a cross-sectional and planform perspective using historic USGS data, historic maps and GIS, and field comparisons of cross sections in both disturbed and undisturbed portions of the floodplain. Cross sections at about 20 locations throughout the basin will be assessed and normalized for comparability and a subset of about 12 stations will be evaluated for aggradation and degradation using gage data. Planform changes will be examined in portions of the Leaf River, Chickasawhay River, Bowie River, Thompson Creek, and Pascagoula River and possibly other tributaries, with reaches selected to assess how channel instability varies with different land uses such as mining, urbanization, agriculture, commercial forestry and natural forests. Spatial patterns and temporal relationships of floodplain changes and channel instability will be used to evaluate which locations are most unstable, whether modified portions are experiencing more instability than less modified portions, and evaluate cause and effect interactions. Such research is important because channel instability has numerous ramifications to the environment and private and public properties. Elucidating and quantifying these relationships is important in defining and refining state regulations regarding floodplain activities, including those associated with deforestation, agriculture, mining and development. Objectives: YEAR 1: Evaluate spatial and temporal character of floodplain disturbances, evaluate the character and significant events in the basin, analyze historic changes in cross sections, compare spatial variations and timing of long-term changes in channel cross-sections to disturbances TASKS: Literature review (southeastern rivers, Pascagoula River basin, channel change) Data collection ● collect and photocopy historic cross sections and discharge

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Expected Completion: 6/15/2005

summary data from the USGS in MS ● compile statistics on historic mining in Mississippi/Pascagoula River basin ● compile maps and aerial photographs to evaluate floodplain disturbances Data input and analysis ● plot and analyze long-term hydrographs ● plot comparison flood cross-sections early and late in the period of record ● analyze aggradation and degradation using various methods ● produce graphs of temporal variations in extraction from mining statistics Field observation in study area ● examination of bridges with cross-sectional measurements YEAR 2: Evaluate spatial and temporal character of floodplain disturbances and channel planform changes in a GIS, and compare spatial variations and timing of long-term changes in channel planform character to floodplain disturbances and significant hydrogeomorphic events TASKS: Data input and analysis ● digitize channel positions of selected portions of the Pascagoula River floodplain as areal features ● digitize channel centerlines of this area as line features ● transform data to common projection to analyze changes in areas and lengths of target features Data interpretation and analysis ● transfer and integrate data into spreadsheets to compile variables by reach blocks of various sizes ● relate various measures of channel instability (areal and linear changes between time periods) to various floodplain disturbances (measured quantitatively) using appropriate statistics YEAR 3: Measure and analyze cross-sectional data in the field, comparing disturbed and undisturbed portions of the Pascagoula River floodplain. Also, synthesize findings of historic cross-sections, GIS analysis, and field measurements. TASKS: Measurement and analysis of field cross sections ● Measure several cross sections, comparing disturbed and undisturbed portions of the floodplain ● Input, plot and analyze field cross sections in spreadsheets ● Extract various numerical measures from these plots ● Evaluate similarities and differences of cross-sectional measurements of disturbed and undisturbed portions of the

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floodplain statistically ● Synthesis of various project elements

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The effect of beach nourishment sands on gas exchange, embryonic development and hatching success of Loggerhead (Caretta caretta) clutches in Florida. Investigators: Mario J. Mota, Raymond Carthy Funding: KSC/Dynamac Expected Completion: December 2006

Marine turtles deposit their clutches in nests excavated in sandy beaches. These clutches undergo embryonic development for nearly two months, after which time the hatchlings emerge and crawl to the sea. In order for this successful reproductive cycle to occur, marine turtles must find suitable nesting habitats. With the constant threat of nesting habitat loss throughout the world’s beaches, this task is becoming increasingly difficult. In Florida, beaches are naturally eroding and accreting. Erosion is exacerbated during the tropical hurricane season and beaches are often artificially nourished to protect coastal properties. Beach nourishment involves the replacement of native beach sands with sand usually dredged from an offshore location. This sand is often spread and shaped to mimic native beach slopes. However, nourished beaches differ from native in a multitude of properties. Some of these differences are in topography, compactness and hardness of sand, shear resistance, grain size, temperature, moisture content, and gas concentrations. These differences can affect the microenvironment of developing sea turtle clutches, and can have a positive or negative influence on hatching success. A review of recent literature shows that much research has been done on the physical properties of a nourished beach and how they affect sea turtle nesting ecology. However, very little research exists on incubating clutch gas concentrations, particularly in relation to the different physical properties of native and nourished beaches. The purpose of this project is to investigate differences in the gas concentrations of oxygen, carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfides, and volatile organics in clutches deposited in native and nourished beaches. Particularly, it looks at the physical properties inherent to these two very different types of beaches and correlates them to gas concentrations, embryonic development and hatching success. We hope that the results will inform a model that will forecast the effectiveness of

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different nourishing sand as it pertains to sea turtle nesting.

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HABITAT ANALYSES

“The idea of wilderness needs no defense, it only needs defenders.” E. Abbey

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DEVELOPMENT OF UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES FOR ASSESSMENT OF WILDLIFE POPULATIONS AND HABITATS: PHASE 1 & PHASE 2 Principal Investigator: H. Franklin Percival Investigators: Raymond Carthy Bon Dewitt Peter Ifju Fred A. Johnson Leonard G. Pearlstine Personnel: Jamie Duberstein Amr Abd-Elrahman Daniel Grant Leslie Hicks Dave Jones George P. Jones, IV Kyu Ho Lee Funding: U.S. Geological Survey Expected Completion: 12/31/2005

Aerial surveys have developed into valuable tools for scientific research, especially wildlife management. However, problems with safety, cost, statistical integrity, and logistics plague aerial surveys taken from single-engine, manned aircraft. Small, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) offer promise for addressing these problems and developing into a useful tool for many wildlife research applications. For this study, a 1.5-m-wingspan UAV equipped with autonomous control and sophisticated video equipment was purchased for US $35,000. This UAV was used to test the potential usefulness of such an aircraft for certain wildlife research applications in Florida. The UAV completed in excess of 30 missions over the course of two years before finally crashing into salt water due to engine failure. On these missions, the UAV captured high quality, progressive-scan video of a number of habitat types and wildlife species (white ibis (Eudocimus albus), other white wading birds, American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis), and Florida manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostris). The autonomous control system worked satisfactorily, but the UAV system was unable to collect geo-referenced imagery and was extremely difficult to deploy in unimproved areas. The performance of the autonomous control system and the quality of the progressive scan imagery indicated strong promise for future UAVs as useful research tools. Different research applications will call for different UAV systems according to the sensors required (autonomous control, video, still photos, radio telemetry, etc.) and the distance required to reach/cover the area of interest. Larger UAVs can fly longer and carry more payload but are more expensive and difficult to operate. UAVs with a 1-2 m wingspan offer promise for a variety of wildlife research applications, having the ability to fly for 45-60 minutes and carry up to 3 kg of payload (sensors, autonomous control equipment, batteries). Recommendations for wildlife UAVs are that they be extremely durable (carbon fiber, Kevlar construction), modular (replaceable wing, tail, fuselage, engine, etc.), powered by an electric engine with lithium batteries, able to launch and land in vegetated areas (15 m by 50 m clearing), autonomously controlled, and operable by a minimally trained (two months) wildlife biologist. Objectives:

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● Develop techniques to discern and estimate populations of white ibises, egrets, wood storks, manatees and alligators using geo-coded videography in an UAV. ● Develop techniques to define vegetation by species and extent in aquatic and terrestrial habitats using geo-coded videography in an UAV.

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A proposal to document floral and faunal succession following alternative habitat restoration techniques in a large central Florida lake Principal Investigator: Wiley M. Kitchens Personnel: Janell Brush Ann Marie Muench Zachariah Welch Scott Berryman Brenda Calzada Melissa Desa Samantha Musgrave Derek Piotrivich Funding: Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission Expected Completion: 6/1/2005

The goal of this research is to provide assessments of usage and habitat quality of the littoral habitats for selected wildlife species and/or guilds along with intensive studies of vegetation dynamics of a targeted major lake before, during, and post-enhancement activity. The study is being conducted in association with the planning and implementation of the FY 2003/2004 habitat enhancement project on Lake Tohopekaliga (Toho). This project involves the removal and redistribution of approximately 10 million cubic yards of tussock/muck from the lake’s littoral zone to be re-deposited in 40+ in-lake sites and approximately 20 upland sites. In order to monitor the effects of these management practices on littoral vegetation, avian and herpetofaunal communities, sampling efforts have been designed to determine responses at two separate levels. One level involves monitoring protocols designed to characterize the community structure before and after lake enhancement, i.e. to detect changes in distributions or trends for the undeveloped shorelines of the entire lake. The other level is designed to detect differences in the responses of these communities following specific treatments with experimental design. A small fraction of the targeted muck removal areas are set aside for experimental analyses of FFWCC lake bottom scraping and selective herbicide management techniques. Measurements of wildlife community structure for the will be taken for each treatment plot, and comparisons will be made between each of the specific treatment sites and the control (non-treated) sites. Objectives: • Data gathering and synthesis of pre-existing information • Pre- and post-enhancement community sampling and analyses for vegetation and aquatic vertebrate guilds Creation of an open-ended monitoring program designed to provide long-term assessments and feedback to the enhancement process much in the manner of adaptive management, and will be collaboratively conducted with FWC staff.

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Vegetative Habitat Responses to Hydrologic Regimes in Everglades Water Conservation Area 3A

Principal Investigator: Wiley M. Kitchens Investigators: Erik Powers Paul Wetzel Christa Zweig Personnel: Andy Jegerlehner Alison Pevler Funding: US Army Corps of Engineers Expected Completion: 09/30/06

This project is intended to address concerns expressed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service regarding the proposed action of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) to implement Alternative 7R (IOP-Alt.7R) under the Interim Operational Plan for Protection of the Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow, Everglades National Park. Specifically, it addresses the concern that IOP-Alt.7R could adversely affect snail kites and designated habitat in WCA-3A, portions of which are designated critical habitat of the endangered snail kite (Rostrhamus sociabilis). The principal concern is that the carrying capacity (habitat quality) of WCA 3A, the largest and most consistently utilized (as measured by numbers of birds observed during 1970-1994 during annual surveys) of the designated critical habitat is currently seriously degraded. ). Bennetts and Kitchens (1997) documented that snail kites have increasingly moved their nesting activity to areas of higher elevations in WCA 3A over the past two decades presumably as the traditional nesting regions have been degraded by high water levels sustained by current water management practices. Zaffke (1983), Wood and Tanner (1990), and David (1996) all have documented the conversion of wet prairies (preferred foraging habitat, Kitchens et al. (2002)) to aquatic sloughs in that area along with losses of interspersed herbaceous and woody species essential for nesting habitat. Analysis of hydrological predictions for IOP-Alt.7R indicate that implementing the project could result in excessive ponding and extended hydroperiods of the type that could further degrade nesting and foraging habitat as described by Kitchens et al. (2002). The principal objective and challenge is to separate plant community responses due to typical seasonal and year-to-year variances from effects due to new and /or predicted hydrologic regimes. The vegetative community structure of these sites is an expression of the both the recent past and current hydrological conditions. Therefore, it is critically important to determine how the species associations within these communities respond differentially to changes in hydrology through time and over space.

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We intend to generate hydroperiods and depth duration data for twenty plots within the study site for the measured (as well as predicted) period of record. The products generated by this task are the pseudotopographic database and site specific hydrologic history or characterization for the plant community types comprising each plot. The latter information is vital to determining the differential rate responses for the individual species comprising each plant community type when used in conjunction with species association data through monitoring the current vegetative structure in Indicator Areas. The vegetative monitoring effort is designed to detect mesoscale to small scale annual/interannual changes, and small scale within-year (seasonal) variations in response to hydrology. Additionally, we shall determine the relationships between plant species distributions and the associated environment variables regulating distributions. OBJECTIVES: To design and implement a vegetation monitoring protocol for detecting vegetation responses to altered hydrologic regimes in WCA 3A, in areas of traditional kite nesting and foraging. To develop a pseudo-topographic spatial database for selected sites within Indicator Regions for determining spatially explicit hydropatterns from stage information, both measured and predicted at gauged sites. To develop multivariate and multiple regression response models (Structural Equation Models) for determining hydrologic Asuitability@ for the species associations comprising these habitats for use in predicting vegetation responses to altered hydrologies.

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MODELING TECHNIQUES & HUMAN DIMENSIONS

“We end, I think, at what might be called the standard paradox of the 20th century: our tools are better than we are, and grow faster than we do. They suffice to crack the atom, to command the

tides. But they do not suffice for the oldest task in human history: to live on a piece of land without spoiling it.”

A. Leopold

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Understanding, measuring, and breaking down barriers to implementation of a broad scale adaptive management program

Principal Investigator: Susan Jacobson Investigator: H. Franklin Percival Personnel: Jessica Archer Julie Morris Funding: US Geological Survey Expected Completion: 12/31/05

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) manages over 650,000 ha of land, including 26 tracts of land designated as wildlife management or environmental areas. In 2001, FWC began developing an Objective-based Vegetation Management (OBVM) process that integrates desired conditions in an adaptive management framework. The goals of this study were to identify potential barriers to implementation of OBVM and to design a communication strategy to effectively introduce OBVM to area managers and field biologists. We used three methods to identify potential barriers: a literature review, case studies of four introductory OBVM workshops, and a bureau-wide survey of OBVM participants. The literature review indicated 47 potential barriers to implementing adaptive management, in six broad categories: logistical, communication, attitudinal, institutional, conceptual, and educational barriers. Case studies of OBVM planning workshops revealed that logistical and communication barriers were the greatest concerns of land managers and biologists. Results of the bureau-wide survey confirmed that logistics and communications were the largest barriers to implementing OBVM. Few respondents felt they had received adequate information about OBVM. The survey incorporated an Organizational Culture Assessment Instrument to gauge how institutional factors might influence implementation of OBVM. Staff reported that current FWC culture was hierarchical, but showed a preference for a culture that would provide more flexibility for adaptive management. Results from the study informed the development of a communication strategy encompassing introductory communications (brochure, fact sheet, case study booklet), interpersonal communications (workshops, meetings), and ongoing interactive communications (website, intranet, newsletters). This multifaceted strategy should enhance implementation of OBVM and facilitate learning and continuous improvement. The end result will be more effective adaptive management of FWC-managed lands. This study provides a model of a comprehensive method for measuring individual and organizational barriers to adoption of adaptive land management programs and suggests communication

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solutions. Objectives: ● To identify the barriers to implementation of the OBVM and other adaptive management programs. ● To propose and test communication solutions to these problems through iterative trials. ● As a result of the above, to minimize the disparity between planning (e.g., research) and local area managers.

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Parameter Estimation and Population-Based Simulation Modeling of American Alligator Populations in Support of ATLSS

Principal Investigator: H. Franklin Percival Investigators: Kenneth G. Rice Jon C. Allen Daniel H. Slone Personnel: Jon C. Allen Daniel H. Slone Funding: U.S. Geological Survey Expected Completion: 4/30/2004

Under Objective 1 (below) we will construct Lefkovitch projection matrix models of alligator population growth in the Everglades area of South Florida. These will differ from the standard constant parameter version in two important ways. (1) Fecundity, survival and development time will be made density-dependent to allow for cannibalism and defense of nesting sites. The exact ways in which we do this are yet to be determined, but they will probably involve negative exponentials of density. (2) These same parameters will also become functions of location via map-based information provided by ATLSS as input (or by independent maps for testing purposes). Under Objective 2 (below) we will couple the local age-structured models into a matrix map of densities which can be viewed as a density map of the alligator population through time. The spatial resolution of this population map will depend on the resolution of the spatial information on the habitat provided by ATLSS, but it can be on the order of 1000 x 1000 grid cells (local populations). We may use convolution with a dispersal kernel to accomplish dispersal, but other methods and modifications will be investigated (i.e., spatially and temporally-varying dispersal). Under Objective 3 (below) we will use vectorized functions of parameter maps to drive the density map model through time. For example, a carrying capacity map (probably based on potential nesting sites) would be incorporated explicitly into the density-dependent parameters in each local model to calculate its response at each time step. Temporally-varying hydrology maps based on historical weather data will be used to describe the annual rainfall cycle. Canal maps will be used to drive dispersal and movement of alligators to investigate the impact that these man-made obstacles have had on the spatial and temporal dynamics of the alligator. Under Objective 4 (below) we will return our finished product as a spatially driven alligator population model to the ATLSS Project for incorporation into the overall model. In this regard

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we will assist in compatibility issues with the existing code and input-output technical details as needed. Objectives: ● To build an age-structured local alligator population model using the MATLAB simulation package. ● To couple local models into a spatial structure incorporating alligator movement. ● To use spatial parameter maps from the Florida Everglades as driving functions on the spatially structured model. • ● Finally to return the model as MATLAB code to the ATLSS project for incorporation into the overall model.

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Southeastern Adaptive Management Group

Investigators: H. Franklin Percival Robert E. Bennetts Robert M. Dorazio Fred A. Johnson Funding: U.S. Geological Survey Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Expected Completion: Continued Annual Funding

The Southeastern Adaptive Management Group (SEAMG) was created in 2001 for the purpose of achieving a better science-based approach to wildlife conservation and management. The principle mission of the group is “To better integrate research and management for the purpose of improving how natural resource management decisions are made.” As part of this mission, the SEAMG is responsible for exploring and developing quantitative tools that improve and facilitate the integration of research and management. A distinguishing feature of the SEAMG is that it seeks ways to achieve a heightened level of integration between researchers and managers. At this level of integration, management actions themselves are viewed as opportunities for learning through experimentation, and the selection of management actions generally includes compromises between the (possibly) long-term value of learning and the short-term value of achieving more immediate management objectives. However, practical considerations also are expected to constrain the selection of management actions in most, if not all, resource management problems. A truly integrated program of research and management potentially offers great rewards; however, it is far more difficult and more costly to achieve than the more common situation where research is conducted in support of management without any direct involvement in the selection of alternative management actions. The SEAMG is interested in finding ways to achieve higher levels of integration in the activities researchers and managers for the purpose of improving the decisions that are made in problems of natural resource management and conservation. Institutional arrangements for establishment and operation of the SEAMG are described in a formal Cooperative Agreement among signatories of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). The SEAMG is located at the Florida Caribbean Science Center and interacts closely with scientists and managers of cooperating organizations to solve problems of natural resource management.

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Tracking and Enhancing Outreach Activities and Outcomes

Principal Investigator: Martha C. Monroe Personnel: Kristy Bender Holly Shiralapour Funding: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Expected Completion: 12/30/2004

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) recently adopted a National Outreach Strategy to create a more unified, strategic communications program that will ultimately help the Service accomplish its conservation mission for fish and wildlife. Recognizing that the public often has a key role to play in supporting policies or adopting positive behaviors, this outreach strategy is a guide to increased and more effective communications between the Service and the citizens. As important as outreach is, it will always be just one of several tools the agency can use to achieve its mission. Partnerships, legislation, regulation, biological techniques, and land conservation also help protect and maintain wildlife populations. As USFWS evolves from a primarily biological unit to one that engages local communities and the broader public in conservation activities, the agency is working to understand how much information should be offered to the public, how should it be designed to achieve various conservation goals, and how to work successfully in partnership with other agencies and organizations. The Service is using several strategies to help staff carry out the new National Outreach Strategy. The new National Conservation Training Center (NCTC) has a variety of production services (video, graphic arts, computer programs, etc.) to assist regional projects and targeted programs in refuges and hatcheries across the country. Successful examples of outreach are being highlighted in newsletters and memos to encourage others to use similar methods. Courses are offered through NCTC to help personnel learn to design and evaluate outreach efforts. This project will help answer a variety of questions about how effective outreach is designed, how it should be designed, what key questions should be answered in the development stages, exactly what effective outreach can hope to accomplish, what skills are most useful in successful partnerships, what is lacking in failed partnerships, and what perspectives of partnerships

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predominate across the Service. Some aspects of the literature in communication, education, sociology, and psychology can lend a structure to both the questions and the techniques being used. The results of this project will directly support NCTC’s courses. The objectives of this research project are to:

● explore how USFWS employees have developed and implemented outreach activities ● analyze the potential difference between the model(s) and reality ● discover perceptions of partnerships for resource conservation ● identify skills used in successful partnerships

This proposal will tap the literature to explore a variety of practical questions about outreach and complete the following tasks:

● develop 50 story-like case studies of outreach efforts within USFWS ● conduct an in-depth evaluation of no more than 4 of these cases ● attend the Outreach Training overview course ● develop training materials for the NCTC course based on these assessments of practitioners’ outcomes ● design and implement a survey for Service staff on partnerships

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POPULATION ECOLOGY & ENDANGERED SPECIES

“Every creature is better alive than dead, men and moose and pine trees, and he who

understands it aright will rather preserve its life than destroy it.” H.D. Thoreau

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Factors affecting population density and harvest of northern bobwhites (Colinus virginianus) on Babcock/Webb Wildlife Management Area, Charlotte County, Florida Principal Investigator: H. Franklin Percival Investigators: Ralph W. Dimmick Tommy Hines James D. Nichols Madan Oli Personnel: Steven Brinkley Gerald Coker Susan L. Dimmick Douglas Holt Jeffery Hostetler Bradley Richardson Jason Scott Jeff Sloane Funding: Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission Expected Completion: 1/31/2006

Babcock/Webb WMA has been an important recreational resource in south Florida since at least the early 1940's, with quail hunting being a particularly significant activity on the area for more than a half-century. Bobwhite populations have varied widely over time, as have the annual harvest and hunting pressure. Since 1981, the annual harvest has declined to a persistently low level, and the population has not produced summer gains comparable to those experienced prior to 1981. Hunting effort remained relatively constant at less than 2000 hunter-days until 1988. Following that season hunting pressure increased markedly, peaking at 4000 hunter-days in 1992. A decline in harvest and productivity preceded the increase in hunting pressure by 7 or 8 years. Available data suggest that neither harvest nor hunting pressure may be the dominant factor suppressing population recovery, but neither do the data imply that hunting pressure and/or harvest may not be contributing factors. Other environmental and demographic factors may be interacting to influence population behavior. Such factors may include non-hunting mortality of adults and chicks, nesting effort and success rates, habitat quality and availability, and catastrophic events such as hurricanes or extended drought. The basic hypotheses to be tested are that neither harvest nor hunting pressure influence bobwhite population demographics significantly on Babcock/Webb WMA. Three levels of hunting pressure and harvest have been established by regulation on the WMA. Zones A-D permit hunting 4 days per week for 6 consecutive weeks beginning in November. Zones A and B each admit 10 hunters per day, providing a hunting opportunity for 240 hunter-days and a potential seasonal harvest of 1440 birds in each zone. Zones C and D allow unlimited hunter access with equivalent daily bag limits, but a potential harvest limited only by the total number of hunters who choose to hunt there. The Field Trial Course permits 2 days hunting for 25 hunters in January with a potential harvest of 600 bobwhites. Other data to be obtained and evaluated will include spring call counts of territorial males and survival rates, nest success

rates, home range size, and habitat use as determined by radio-telemetry techniques. Weather information from regional weather stations will be evaluated to detect patterns of unusual events that may impact elements of bobwhite survival or ecology on the WMA. Objectives: ● determine if annual survival rates of bobwhites on the three experimental hunt units are related to hunting pressure. ● determine if survival rates are related to annual harvest. ● determine if productivity is influenced by harvest and /or hunting pressure. ● delineate nest success rates and factors influencing nest success including predation and weather. ● identify and quantify non-hunting mortality factors affecting bobwhite survival. ● identify habitats utilized and preferred by bobwhites seasonally. ● delineate home range size and movement patterns related to habitat, disturbance, and weather events. ● chronicle hunter perceptions and behavior related to hunter access and harvest regulations.

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American Alligator Distribution, Size, and Hole Occupancy and American Crocodile Juvenile Growth & Survival

Principal Investigator: H. Franklin Percival Investigators: Frank Mazzotti Personnel: Christopher Bugbee Cameron Carter Michelle Casler Micheal Cherkiss Jocie Graham Brian Jeffrey Gareth Mann Mark Miller Mark Parry Amanda Rice Jeremy Spire Funding: US Army Corps of Engineers Expected Completion: 4/30/2007

The Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2000 authorized the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) as a framework for modifications and operational changes to the Central and Southern Florida Project needed to restore the south Florida ecosystem. Provisions within WRDA 2000 provide for specific authorization of an adaptive assessment and monitoring program. A Monitoring and Assessment Plan (MAP) has been developed as the primary tool to assess the system-wide performance of the CERP by the REstoration, COordination and VERification (RECOVER) program. The MAP presents the monitoring and supporting enhancement of scientific information and technology needed to measure the responses of the South Florida ecosystem. This project proposes to: 1) design and develop a monitoring program for relative distribution, size (condition), nesting and hole occupancy rates of the American alligator in response to CERP projects as specified in the MAP; 2) monitor changes in alligator populations throughout Greater Everglades ecosystems due to restoration over short (body condition), medium (distribution, hole occupancy) and long (nesting) temporal scales; 3) design and develop a monitoring program for growth and survival of crocodiles in areas that will be affected by CERP projects; and 4) conduct surveys crocodile surveys as expressed in the MAP based on geographic area and including nesting effort and success and juvenile growth and survival. Objectives: (Note - The four objectives listed below have been separated into Alligators and Crocodiles). Alligators 1. Design and develop a monitoring program for relative distribution, size (condition), nesting and hole occupancy rates of the American alligator in response to CERP projects as specified in the MAP. The monitoring program and procedures developed will provide the baseline for future comparisons and an effective means for evaluating restoration success for the American alligator in the Greater Everglades ecosystem.

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2. Monitor changes in alligator populations due to restoration over short (body condition), medium (distribution, hole occupancy) and long (nesting) temporal and spatial scales. Crocodiles 3. Design and develop a monitoring program for growth and survival of crocodiles in areas that will be affected by CERP projects. 4. Surveys for crocodiles will be conducted as expressed in the RECOVER MAP Monitoring surveys will be separated into subtasks based on geographic area. In all areas, crocodile surveys and monitoring will include nesting effort and success and will focus on growth and survival of juvenile crocodiles.

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Quantitative analyses supporting reptile and amphibian research in Florida’s Everglades

Principal Investigator: H. Franklin Percival Investigators: Frank J. Mazzotti Mark Miller Project Officer: Kenneth G Rice Funding: US Geological Survey Expected Completion: 8/31/2006

Many important questions concerning the effects of Everglades restoration on alligator populations remain unanswered such as the impacts of decompartmentalization, the role of alligator holes as aquatic refugia, and the effects of hydrology on population growth and condition. Further, the methods for monitoring and evaluating restoration success are not clear or have not been adapted for use during CERP. Also, we need to continue to update and validate restoration tools such as population models for use in alternative selection, performance measure development, and prediction. This project will directly address the questions outlined above. All project tasks have been requested by management agencies in South Florida (NPS, USFWS), listed as critical CERP priority research needs (see DOI Everglades Restoration Science Prioritization Strategy), highlighted as science objectives for CESI (see Science Objectives for CESI FY02), and fit within the USGS Science Plan for the Everglades. The American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) is not only a top consumer and a keystone species in the Everglades, but also physically influences the system through construction and maintenance of gator holes and trails. The existence of this species is important to the faunal and floral character of the Everglades as it has evolved. Despite its prominence biologically and publicly in the system, many important questions about basic behavioral and population parameters of alligators remain unanswered. Through Research Work Orders 154C and 199, the Florida Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit has made progress in better defining movements, production and survival of varying size classes of alligators under varying water levels in several habitat types including canals. In cooperation with the USGS’s Florida Integrated Science Center, RWO 205 provides estimation of population parameters and modeling frameworks for the simulation process required by ATLSS. An American Alligator Production Index within ATLSS was generated for use in the restoration process but is also undergoing further calibration, validation, and updating with new data. The population model has been completed and is beginning initial expert review, calibration, and validation. Both models are fully functional and available for use in comparison of restoration alternatives.

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Amphibians also are an important part of the assemblage of vertebrates in natural areas, including the Everglades. They represent a large portion of the animal biomass, and are an important part of local food webs. The ecology and status of most of the amphibian species in south Florida and in the U.S. Virgin Islands are poorly known. RWO 208 and allied studies by the FISC seek to create a geo-referenced inventory of all of the amphibian species in Everglades National Park (ENP) and Virgin Islands National Park (VINP). This will provide information on the status and distribution of the species of amphibians on these lands. In addition, we are testing new methods of sampling and data analysis that will be applicable for resource managers at these and other parks. One new analytical method being tested is the application of site occupancy rate estimation models for predicting the effect of changes in water management on reptile and amphibian populations. These models can be used to estimate the site occupancy rate of a species occurring in sites with a certain characteristic such as hydroperiod. This rate is then set as a target for populations that are to be managed to have the same hydroperiod. A two-species extension of the site occupancy model is also being tested to examine the impacts of non-native species on ecologically similar native species. Other research on non-native species examines the direct and indirect effects of a predatory introduced treefrog species, the Cuban treefrog (Osteopilus septentrionalis), on the two native treefrog species (Hyla spp.) in the Everglades. This project has involved intensive mark-recapture work at five sites and experimental removal of the introduced species. Data from this project will be used to model the populations of both native and introduced species and to attempt to explain the invasion biology of the Cuban treefrog in Florida’s protected natural areas. The collection of these studies and cooperative ecological research of reptiles and amphibians at Davie, FL (USGS, University of Florida, US Fish and Wildlife Service) have generated large datasets. The need exists for dedicated quantitative/statistical support to analyze these data, experiment with advanced quantitative methods, and assist with model parameter development. Objectives:

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The primary objective of this study is to use innovative quantitative techniques to answer questions necessary to the restoration of the Everglades. We will use existing datasets from the USGS, University of Florida, National Park Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to examine hypotheses concerning population ecology of reptiles and amphibians in South Florida. Specific hypotheses will be defined in the first project status report after a list of target projects and priorities for quantitative analyses have been identified. The processes of project identification and recruitment of a postdoctoral associate have been initiated and will be carried out simultaneously through April 30, 2004. The specific objectives also are necessarily ambiguous because the skill sets of applicants are likely to be quite variable.

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Monitoring of Wading Bird Nesting Activity in WCAs I, II, and III of the Everglades and a Study of Wood Stork Survival and Movements

Principal Investigator: Peter C. Frederick Personnel: Greg A. Babbitt Matthew Bokach Julie A. Heath Rebecca A. Hylton John David Semones Funding: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Expected Completion: 3/30/2005

The proposed work is to continue a long-term monitoring project that annually monitors responses of breeding wading birds to hydrological conditions in the water conservation areas of the Everglades, and to initiate a project designed to reduce uncertainty in predicting population responses of endangered Wood Storks to restoration activities. Wood Storks (Mycteria americana) are of special interest with regard to the restoration of the South Florida Ecosystem, both because wetlands of south Florida are considered prime habitat for this federally endangered species, and because the storks’ reproductive responses are thought to be an indicator of several aspects of normal ecosystem function. Although considerable reproductive information exists (e.g. fecundity, long term record of nesting numbers, behavior, reproductive parameters) there is almost no information about juvenile or adult survival. The lack of this information means that it is impossible to construct justifiable demographic models for this species. This lack also means that it is impossible to calculate the level or periodicity of reproduction needed to maintain a stable population, or to predict population responses to habitat loss or improvement. In addition, genetic information indicates that storks nesting in south Florida are simply a fluid subset of the larger southeastern U.S. population, yet the movements of these birds, and the specific habitats used are poorly known. The importance of wetlands outside the Everglades, to storks nesting inside the Everglades is a key uncertainty in predicting responses of storks to south Florida restoration. We propose to fill these important gaps in information by studying the survival and movements of storks using satellite telemetry. Satellite tags allow remote tracking of animals anywhere on the globe, without costly and logistically difficult ground or aerial surveys. The recent development of solar powered tags also allows monitoring of survival for indefinite periods (not limited to battery life). Thirty fledgling storks will be fitted with backpack mounted satellite transmitters in each of two years, and their movements and survival will be documented. Satellite tags will be collected from dead birds for refurbishing and later use. The resulting information will be used in several ways: 1) the development of a basic demographic response model, incorporating existing fecundity,

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life history, and survival information; 2) a summary of the wetlands frequented by birds in various parts of the year and stages of life; 3) an interactive web site, showing up to date movements of the birds which will be actively marketed to educational institutions (K – college) with the sponsoring agency as an obvious part of the website. Objectives: This work is to continue a long-term monitoring project that annually documents responses of breeding wading birds to hydrological conditions and restoration efforts in the water conservation areas of the Everglades, and to initiate a project designed to reduce uncertainty in predicting population responses of endangered Wood Storks to restoration activities.

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Chelonian Serodiagnostics

Principal Investigator: Daniel R. Brown Investigators: Paul A. Klein Personnel: Scott Gavaletz Jennifer Long Joyce L. Merritt Courtney Riley Laurie Zacher Funding: The Nature Conservancy U.S. Army Expected Completion: 6/30/2004

Infectious disease has affected plans for management and conservation of chelonians in the United States. Tortoise conservation and recovery plans now formally include testing for mycoplasmal URTD [U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 1994. Desert tortoise (Mojave population) Recovery Plan. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Portland, Oregon. 73 pp. Plus appendices]. Detection of specific antibodies may be used to diagnose infection and immune status of chelonians for management decision making, especially with regard to conservation of legally protected species. We propose to evaluate the feasibility of a qualitative membrane-type immunosorbent field test for specific antibodies against mycoplasma in chelonian plasma, which would provide nearly instant information for management decision making. In addition, the test may be easily modifiable to detect specific antibodies against herpesvirus, an emerging infectious agent with implications as significant as those of URTD for management and conservation of several chelonian species. Our long term goals are to improve the diagnosis of infectious diseases in chelonians, and to understand the impact of infectious diseases on the sustainability of chelonian populations. Objectives: ● develop a prototype qualitative test for the presence of antibodies against mycoplasmal agents of URTD in chelonian blood samples. ● optimize test materials and reagents. ● validate test by using banked plasma samples and/or new samples document sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of the test develop a standard protocol for using the test materials and interpreting the test results under field conditionsexplore, in a preliminary way, the possibility of modifying the test to detect the presence in chelonian blood samples of antibodies against herpesvirus

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Cost and Accuracy Analysis of Gopher Tortoise Population Estimation Techniques

Principal Investigator: Raymond R. Carthy Investigator: John Wooding Madan Oli Funding: U.S. Army Expected Completion: 05/31/06

The U.S. Army Construction Engineering Research Laboratory (USA CERL) in Champaign, IL, is engaged in research to examine threatened and endangered species population estimation techniques for accuracy and cost. Estimating TES population trends is essential to be able to remove a species from being listed as threatened and endangered. Yet for many TES species this continues to be a difficult problem due to the wide variety of survey and monitoring methods employed for this purpose with little knowledge toward their cost and accuracy. This is especially true on military installations. The varying degrees of expertise at different installations can lead installation personnel to select techniques that fit best within their knowledge framework when there may be better techniques that the individual is just unaware of. Human and equipment resources vary according to the installation, as do available funds for studies. In order for installations to be able to make an informed choice about which technique to best apply they need information regarding the accuracy and cost of population estimation techniques. To develop this information the gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) was selected as the test case species. The gopher tortoise is a terrestrial reptile that was once found throughout the Southeastern United States from North Carolina into Texas. However, due to numerous factors including human and animal predation and habitat loss they have been in decline for the past several decades. In addition to population decline throughout its range, the tortoise has been extirpated from Texas to North Carolina, and has a limited, precarious existence in South Carolina and Louisiana. Populations often occur on military bases, where they have largely been protected from disturbance. Tortoises prefer open-canopied habitats with ample herbaceous ground vegetation for forage. Clearing trees to make openings at tank firing points and understory removal to facilitate maneuver training has created good habitat, and the tortoises have moved in, which presents a conflict with the training mission and makes the gopher tortoise an important mitigation priority. The first objective of this research was to present data about gopher tortoise population estimation techniques as it relates to cost and accuracy. From an exhaustive literature review we prepared an analysis of current population estimation methods,

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John Wooding

identifying the cost and accuracy attainable at incremental levels of effort and resource deployment. We found that the versatility of the quadrat (plot) sampling method recommends it as a default technique that can be used in many sampling circumstances with reasonable expectations of accuracy when carried out properly. Strip transects with reasonable estimates of detectability can offer similar utility when habitat conditions make them appropriate. These may not actually be the most cost-effective or provide the best information in all situations: the literature review clearly illustrated the voids in our knowledge about the accuracy of current gopher tortoise abundance estimation techniques. Conceivable worst-case scenarios could be acceptance of surveys with un-challenged assumptions of total observability of burrows, followed by conversion of those survey results to tortoise numbers utilizing published correction factors that may not be applicable to the survey site. Previous studies comparing burrow survey methodologies have not adequately addressed the issue of detectability, which presents a weakness in current population estimation and total count techniques. In the next phase of the project we will undertake a rigorous field test of these techniques to remove the detectability weakness. This validation would involve first applying the sampling methodologies (quadrats, strip transects and line transects) on an appropriately sized area where burrows have been undisturbed and not visibly marked, utilizing an experienced team of technicians. The sampling would be followed by total counts; this will allow rigorous estimates of detectability. The critical final step would be estimation of burrow occupancy rates using a burrow camera. Using an “undisturbed” area and progressing from the sampling techniques through the total counts to burrow occupancy will: ● eliminate many of the potential sources of bias that would arise if total counts were performed first ● provide method-specific estimates of detectability, including evaluation of the hitherto uncontested assumption of 100% detectability in total count ● allow assessment of the relative accuracy of the sampling methods when carried out in a similar time and area ● allow evaluation and comparison of the time and cost of the different methods when carried out in a similar time and area. ● provide site-specific information on occupancy to assist in deriving estimated tortoise abundance from burrow counts.

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This systematic field validation of abundance estimation techniques will be highly useful in providing natural resource managers with defensible information and criteria upon which to base decisions on efficient modes of action. Additionally, systematic validation of abundance estimation techniques would lead to realization of increased accuracy and cost savings for surveys on installations, while also making a valuable contribution to gopher tortoise population abundance estimation.

John Wooding John Wooding

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Coastal Habitat use by Juvenile and Adult Sea Turtles in Northwest Florida

Principal Investigator: Raymond R. Carthy Personnel: Erin McMichael Russell Scarpino Funding: U.S. Air Force Expected Completion: 8/31/2004

Marine turtles have three developmental stages included in their life history: pelagic, nektonic and adulthood (Mrosovsky 1983, Wibbels et al. 1991). The pelagic stage begins when hatchlings crawl to the sea. Once thought to last only one year, scientists now know this stage lasts from 5-20 years, depending on species (Musick and Limpus 1996). After being carried by ocean currents and surviving in sargassum, sea turtles enter the nektonic stage in which they occupy shallow coastal waters until they reach adulthood (Musick and Limpus 1996). As adults, they typically migrate long distances from foraging to mating grounds and then to nesting beaches. Throughout the life of a sea turtle, it will occupy numerous habitats and rely on a multitude of resources. How they utilize these resources will vary depending on their developmental stage. Similar to adults, juvenile turtles also exhibit migratory movements. Juveniles migrate to forage in northern coastal bays and migrate south to avoid cold winter temperatures. The Gulf of Mexico may be unique, however. The oceanographic patterns and more southerly location of the Gulf of Mexico may prevent water temperatures from decreasing as significantly as those in the Atlantic, thereby allowing habitats within the Gulf to support a year round population of juvenile sea turtles (Ogren 1989, Rudloe et al. 1989). Adult turtles also utilize coastal waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Although several studies have been conducted on the long-term migration patterns of adult sea turtles, little is known about their movements within a nesting season. The greatest density of loggerhead nests in Northwest Florida occurs along St. Joseph Peninsula (Meylan et al. 1995). This peninsula is bordered on the west by the Gulf of Mexico and along the east by St. Joseph Bay. Adult sea turtles nest along gulf beaches, while the bay provides suitable demersal habitat for juvenile sea turtles. A recent stranding event along the Florida Panhandle supports this theory. Approximately 400 juvenile turtle were stranded when water temperatures in St. Joseph Bay dropped below normal (Foley pers. comm.). The presence of juvenile and adult turtles in Northwestern Florida waters suggests that this area is important to the survival of these

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threatened and endangered species. Objectives: We are studying the use of coastal waters by both juvenile and adult sea turtles along St. Joseph Peninsula. We are examining the internesting movements and habitats used by adult loggerhead turtles along the Northwestern coast of Florida and how juvenile turtles are using coastal bay habitats in this same area. Adult Use of Coastal Waters 1. Determine nearshore internesting movement patterns 2. Locate nearshore internesting aggregations 3. Determine offshore habitat use Juvenile Use of Coastal Waters 1. Determine juvenile species assemblage and population size 2. Identify juvenile size-classes 3. Identify seasonal migration movements 4. Determine habitats used by juveniles 5. Collect growth data 6. Determine presence/lack of fibropapiloma 7. Identify genetics of juveniles

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Hibernation vs. Migration – Overwintering Strategies of Juvenile Sea Turtles in the Florida Panhandle

Principal Investigator: Raymond R. Carthy Investigator: Erin McMichael Personnel: Russell Scarpino Funding: Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission Marine Turtle Grant (Through Caribbean Conservation Corporation) Completion: 09/30/04

Most reptiles are highly dependent on environmental conditions to regulate physiological functions. Reptiles have responded to this dependence on temperature with physiological and behavioral adaptations, which include basking, hibernation and migration (McNab 2002). These adaptations have allowed reptiles to survive in a variety of habitats and climates in which they would otherwise perish. Sea turtles are among the reptilian species that utilize these strategies in habitats with seasonal changes in temperature. In temperate climates, juvenile sea turtles may migrate to over-winter in warmer waters (Meylan 1995). They have been found to utilize northern coastal bays during warm summer months and move south to avoid cold temperatures during the winter, allowing additional access to foraging areas during the summer months (Keinath et al. 1987, Morreale and Standora 1992, Musick 1988, Ogren 1989). However, juvenile turtles occupying near-shore waters during the winter are more susceptible to rapid changes in water temperature, especially in semi-enclosed areas, such as bays and lagoons (Witherington and Ehrhart 1989). When a sea turtle’s temperature and metabolic rate drop to the point where it loses the ability to carry out normal functions, it is said to be 'cold stunned' (Spotila et al. 1997). One of the largest, cold stunning events ever documented in the United States occurred recently in northwest Florida, USA (Blackwelder 2001). In January 2001, when water temperatures in the St. Joseph Bay (29° latitude) dropped below 6°, 401 juvenile marine turtles were found stranded and cold-stunned within the Bay. After rehabilitation (4-7 days), turtles were released into warmer waters of the Gulf of Mexico, immediately south of St. Joseph Bay. Within the next two years, 41 of the rehabilitated turtles were recaptured in St. Joe Bay. Although the return of many turtles to St. Joe Bay following cold-stunning and displacement is evidenced by recapture data, the migratory mechanisms used by these turtles is largely unknown. Limited data suggest that juvenile loggerheads exhibit site fidelity within preferred areas and that turtles sometime return to specific sites after having completed seasonal migrations or after being displaced (Carr

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and Caldwell 1956, Ireland 1980, Mendonca et al. 1982). The principal purpose of the present study was to use satellite telemetry to determine the movements of recently cold-stunned juvenile green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas) following displacement into the Gulf of Mexico and analyze the possible navigational cues used during homing. The broader goal of this research is to increase scientific knowledge regarding overwintering behavior of juvenile sea turtles in northwest Florida and to determine if different size classes of sea turtles respond differently to colder water temperatures. This research involves the green turtle. The research focused on: 1. seasonal distribution of turtles in St. Joseph Bay, 2. population size throughout the year, 3. species assemblage throughout the year, 4. residency patterns throughout the year. To accomplish these goals we: 1. utilized standard mark/recapture protocols (Ehrhart and Ogren 1999) to assess sea turtles abundance throughout the year within St. Joseph Bay, Florida, 2. tagged captured juvenile turtles for individual identification, 3. collected morphological data from juveniles, 4. assessed seasonal movements using satellite and sonic telemetry. To examine overwintering behaviors, satellite transmitters were deployed on both cold-stunned and non-stunned juvenile green turtles in 2004. On 11 January 2004, four juvenile green turtles were stranded due to cold stunning. After rehabilitation at nearby Gulf World (as per STSSN recommendations) these turtles were released into the warmer waters of the Gulf of Mexico on 15 January 2004, equipped with both sonic and satellite transmitters. Attempts were made at various dates to track the turtles via sonic telemetry, to no avail, however an adult leatherback was sighted during one of these nearshore trips. The satellite tracking, however, was much more successful. We were able to track the turtles in the Gulf of Mexico and their subsequent return to St. Joseph Bay in the coming months. This data was presented in poster form at the Sea Turtle Symposium in Costa Rica. Transmissions from these platforms stopped this spring. In October 2004, we net-captured additional turtles and deployed three satellite transmitters on three of the juvenile greens. We are currently

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tracking all three turtles still in St. Joseph Bay. Tracks are available at seaturtle.org and cccturtle.org.

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Sea turtle habitat use and interactions with humans in the coastal zone

Principal Investigator: Raymond Carthy Investigators: Russell Scarpino Personnel: Howell Batts Rachael Hallman Sheila Madrak Rachel Patty Ashley Plumley Funding: U.S. Air Force Expected Completion: 8/31/2006

Initial data suggest that St. Joseph Bay may be one of the most important developmental grounds for juvenile turtles utilizing the northeastern Gulf of Mexico. Netting in St. Joseph Bay has allowed us to gather information regarding population assemblage, population abundance, size classes, growth data, seasonal movements, and overwintering behaviors. This project has also allowed for the collection of important data regarding the growth rates of cold stunned turtles vs. non-stunned turtles. Initial results indicate that cold stunning may have a cumulative effect in slowing growth rates of stunned turtles. Future captures will allow for further analysis of this phenomenon so that proper management techniques can be applied when turtles strand during cold stunning events in this region, Furthermore, we are using data collected during this project to address the theory of developmental migration in turtles in the Gulf of Mexico. Initial data also indicate that both green and Kemp’s ridley sea turtles display habitat preferences during their developmental stages. In-water captures during 2004 totaled 26 turtles, including one loggerhead, three Kemp’s ridley and 22 green turtles. All turtles captured were juvenile turtles and all were captured in the southern portion of the Bay. Six were recaptures, three of which were originally tagged during previous cold-stunning events in St. Joseph Bay. Green turtles ranged in size from 29.0 cm to 54.9 cm Straight Carapace Length (SCL). The two Kemp’s ridley turtles measured 31.2 and 50.2 cm SCL, while the one loggerhead had an SCL of 71.6 cm. Netting was conducted monthly from January 2001 through April 2004. From May through December 2004, netting was conducted sporadically. Total mean Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) for 2004 was 4.11 turtles/ km net/soak hour. Analysis of species composition and assemblage indicates that the majority of sea turtle in St. Joseph Bay are juvenile green turtles with a mean SCL of 40.2 cm. All turtles were flipper and PIT tagged, weighed, measured, photographed and released. Most turtles captured were found in sea grass habitats within the Bay. Water depth ranged from 0.3 m to 2.2 m.

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A total of 45 turtles have been recaptured from the 2001 Cold Stun Event in St. Joseph Bay, some of which were recaptured in the minor cold-stunning event in January 2003. During January of 2004, we found four cold-stunned stranded juvenile green turtles in the southern portion of St. Joseph Bay. All turtles were taken to a rehabilitation facility in Panama City, FL and released into the Gulf of Mexico several days later. We were able to deploy satellite and sonic transmitters on all four turtles, and tracked their movements until spring when they returned to St. Joseph Bay. In October 2004, we also deployed four satellite transmitters to three juvenile green turtle to compare their overwintering behavior to the previous year’s cold stunned and displaced turtles. Tracks can be observed on the web at seaturtle.org and cccturtle.org.

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Evaluation of Sea Turtle Hatchling Disorientation and Assessment of Techniques for Minimizing Lighting Impacts at Tyndall AFB, Bay County, FL Principal Investigator: Raymond R. Carthy Personnel: Russell Scarpino Funding: U.S. Air Force Expected Completion: 12/31/2005

Tyndall Air Force Base (TAFB) supports a large number of nesting sea turtles per year. These turtles are threatened by artificial lighting from the bordering metropolitan areas of Panama City and Panama City Beach. In addition, security within the Air Force Base requires street lights and spot lights that are visible from the beach. The number of lights and their applications precludes changing them all to low pressure sodium or the use of red filters. Development of methods for decreasing sea turtle disorientation within this area would help increase survival rate of turtles nesting along TAFB. Further research on methods used to decrease hatchling disorientation from artificial lighting is an obvious necessity. Objectives: ● assess the extent of hatchling disorientation on TAFB beaches ● evaluate effectiveness of existing disorientation reduction techniques ● develop and test new screening and attraction methods for reducing disorientation ● prepare management recommendations for TAFB Natural Resources. Sea turtle nests, located on TAFB’s beaches, were surveyed for signs of impending emergence during the 2004 hatching season, from 29 July – 11 September. A total of 30 nests were reported to have been laid at TAFB, and approximately one-third were destroyed by Hurricane Ivan in mid-September. A total of 188 hatchlings were gathered from 7 different nests during the 2004 hatching season. Of the hatchlings gathered, 147 were used in experimental release trials at 4 different sites across TAFB’s beaches. The remaining hatchlings were released the same night they were gathered, without being subject to experimental trials. The majority of hatchlings (170 out of 188) were gathered during initial natural emergences. At these nests, a tarp was placed over both the nest and surveyor, and hatchlings were gathered as they emerged. The rest of the hatchlings were gathered during a nest’s second emergence, or were found just beneath the sand surface. Turtles were gathered during the evening and released at experimental sites the same night. Depending on the number

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gathered, hatchlings were released in circular arenas in groups of 1-3, in the presence or absence of an artificially constructed nest shield. Hatchling exit angles, lunar phase and position, and cloud cover were documented. Light intensity measurements (watts/cm2) were recorded after each experimental trial at 15o intervals from the arena center using an International Light IL1700 radiometer. Light intensity was measured for two spectral bandwidths between 300-500nm and 545-700nm. All hatchlings collected for the experiments were returned to the beach, no problems were incurred in holding or handling, and no project-related mortality was observed. Due to the low nesting and subsequent nest destruction by the hurricanes last year, we attained less than 1/3 of the target sample size for the study (576 hatchlings). While the individual experiments revealed interesting responses and trends, the deficient sample severely limited any statistical inference from the data. As such, we are requesting permission to repeat the study this year at a higher density nesting beach on the east coast of Florida. Canaveral Air Force Station (CAFS) and Boca Raton are both areas that experience lighting problems similar to TAFB (point-sources of light pollution in addition to skyglow). We are currently attempting to obtain permission to work at the former, with Boca Raton as a secondary target if work at CAFS is not possible. Repeating the entire experiment (estimated sample size of 576: 4 sites, 8 treatments, 3 hatchlings/release, 6 replicates) will bring our total hatchling use in the project to 764 animals. The additional 576 hatchlings will be collected from a larger sub-population in a high-density nesting area, and with no planned mortality should have little negative impact. Additionally, analysis of results from the east coast beach will allow inferences to be made about the previous experiments at TAFB, rendering those into useful data points rather than interesting observations.

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Quantum Resources, Inc.

Quantum Resources, Inc.

Quantum Resources, Inc.

Injury Assessment in five sea turtle species (Caretta caretta, Chelonia mydas, Dermochelys coriacea, Eretmochelys imbricata, and Lepidochelys kempii) found in the coastal waters of the western Atlantic Ocean. Investigators: April D. Norem Raymond R. Carthy Expected Completion: December 2005

This research project exploits a unique opportunity for identification of the biotic and abiotic threats that impact the five sea turtles species found within the coastal waters of the western Atlantic Ocean. Since 1976, the St. Lucie Nuclear Power Plant has maintained a database of all sea turtles entrained in the cooling intakes and captured at the facility. This includes detailed records on presence/absence of injuries, types and locations. This project will utilize both new and historical data (May 2000-December 2004) collected at the St. Lucie Power Plant to quantify primary types and causes of injuries (e.g., shark-related, boat-prop, fishing, social interactions etc.), and to further identify regions of the body that may sustain significantly higher rates of injury (e.g., posterior versus the anterior ends of the carapace, fore/hindflippers, and the head region). Foremost, the results of the this project will provide baseline information on the primary risks each species may be facing, and elucidate whether certain regions of the body are more susceptible to injury within size classes, leading to detrimental impacts throughout their life history. This project will provide also basic biological and ecological information to agencies working to develop conservation and management plans, particularly within near-shore systems. Numerous gaps remain within sea turtle life histories that are limiting the development of sound long-term management plans, and this work is an attempt to bridge one of those gaps.

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SNAIL KITE Population Studies: Demography, Population Trends, and Dispersal Relative to Environmental Correlates, and Habitat Studies. Overview: The snail kite (Rostrhamus sociabilis) is an endangered raptor whose distribution in the United States is restricted to the South Florida Ecosystem including watersheds of the Everglades, Lake Okeechobee, Kissimmee River, and Upper St. Johns River. Because snail kites feed almost exclusively on one species of aquatic snail, their survival depends directly on the hydrologic functioning of the wetlands associated with these watersheds. Although other endangered species occur within this ecosystem, snail kites probably are the only species whose range both encompasses and is exclusively restricted to this ecosystem. Its population viability is therefore directly dependent the hydrological/ecological condition and functioning of the entire network of wetlands within this ecosystem. Current data indicate the population is again in a steep decline. Estimates indicate the population has decreased by one -half (3400 to 1700 birds) in the past 4 years (since 1999). Aside from the studies that follow, there currently are no other systematic monitoring of snail kites in Florida. Most researchers suggest declines in kite populations in the past several decades are correlated with changes in hydrology directly or indirectly. These include loss of habitat, both in terms of quality and spatial extent. These include changes in foraging and nesting habitat; effects on reproduction parameters; and adult and juvenile survival of snail kites. Population and survival responses to restoration activities will reflect the success of recovering the quality and spatial extent of the wetland ecosystem to the conditions required to support a viable snail kite population.

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The current and future efforts will remain based on mark-re-sighting techniques. In contrast to the annual survey previously used, this technique has a long and solid statistical foundation for estimating survival and population size. However, given the declining numbers of birds banded, it has become critical to augment the mark-resight with radio-telemetry approaches to maintain integrity and robustness of statistical analyses. Given the very low reproductive rate observed in the recent years, the sample size of young birds marked is largely decreasing which is weakening our capacity to provide precise survival estimates. It is consequently essential to increase the probability of detection (by using radio telemetry), in order to compensate for this loss in precision.

Demographic, movement, and habitat studies of the endangered snail kite in response to hydrological changes Principal Investigator: Wiley M. Kitchens Personnel: Graduate students: Julien Martin Field technicians: Andrea Bowling Chris Cattau Dan Huser Andrew Jegerlehner Allison Pevler Derek S. Piotrowicz Christina Rich Funding: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Expected Completion: 3/1/2006

This report presents data on the demography of snail kites throughout central and southern Florida using the data of the 2004 breeding season. Recent demographic analyses indicate alarming trends in the snail kite population in Florida. Kite abundance has drastically and steadily declined between 1999 and 2003, declining by approximately one-half (3400 to 1700 birds). The population size estimate for 2004 does not indicate any significant rebound. The reasons for this severe decline are still unclear. The number of young fledged also exhibits a negative trend. Again, the factors responsible for the trend are not known with certainty. Speculation ranges from habitat alterations, both natural and anthropogenic, to disease. There was a major drought in the study area (Water Year 00/01) that clearly had a pronounced effect on both adult and juvenile survival. In addition, there are numerous hydrological management activities in the system that may well be affecting kite reproduction. Lake Okeechobee, one of the productive breeding sites of the system between 1985 and 1995, has undergone radical changes in it hydrological schedule since 1996 and almost no fledging birds have been produced from this site since 1996. In addition, there have been a major lake enhancement (draw downs) and extensive aquatic weed control activities in the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes and water level schedule changes in the in Water Conservation Area 3A (the prime reproductive unit for kites). Adult survival has been persistently high and stable throughout the study period except for the drought, rebounding immediately post drought. This would tend to negate arguments of disease being a major causative factor for the declines. Given adult survival is high and stable, reproduction and recruitment become particularly important to stemming the perceived declines. Initial runs of preliminary PVA models indicate that the lack of recruitment is critical both stemming of this decline and achieving a more sustainable population growth rate. OBJECTIVES: To monitor the population of endangered snail kite in Florida. Provide information about demographic and movement parameters, and identify critical factors affecting the population

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Radio Telemetry and Mark–Recapture Studies of Demographic, Movement and Population Dynamics of the Endangered Snail Kite.

Principal Investigator: Wiley Kitchens Co-Principal Investigator: Julien Martin Field Technicians: Chris Cattau Derek S. Piotrowicz Andrea Bowling Funding: US Army Corps of Engineers FL Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission US Geological Society Expected Completion: 9/30/2006

This study is complementary to the demographic study entitled “Demographic, movement, and habitat studies of the endangered snail kite in response to hydrological changes”. . Our radio telemetry study conducted in 1992 to 1995 helped identify the critical kite habitat. However given the dynamics of those habitats (changes in hydrology, plant communities), it is reasonable to expect some spatial shifts in the use of those habitats after more than 8 years (for instance large number of kites used Lake Okeechobee between 1992 and 1994, but stop using this area after 1995). Radio telemetry is the most efficient if not only way to track those changes. Very little is known about the extent of a numerical versus behavioral response of the snail kite to a disturbance event (such as a drought). Radio telemetry is the only way to assess the ability for the bird to resist a regional drying event. Further, it enables determination of the factors which are generating movement patterns such as patch size, distance between patches, and the carrying capacity of a specific wetland. This is particularly interesting when considering the effect of fragmentation on the dispersal abilities of the kites, as fragmentation typically reduce patch size and increases the linear distance between patches. The critical demographic parameters and movement information resulting from this study will be added to the spatially explicit individual based model developed by Mooij et al. 2002. This next step in the modeling effort is essential for optimizing management decision. Additionally, data generated from this study will be used in a population viability analysis to (1) estimate the growth and extinction parameters, to evaluate the risk of extinction of the Snail kite in Florida under a range of hydrological scenarios; and (2) to evaluate the relative influence of various environmental factors on the dynamics and persistence of the kite population. Information generated from PVA will contribute substantially to

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an adaptive management strategy. Finally, mark-recapture models provide a powerful framework for estimating critical demographic (survival, population growth rate) and movement parameters. The recent advances in modeling allow for the combination of mark recapture and radio telemetry information, providing better estimates of survival and movement rates, and increasing power of statistical inferences (Williams et al 2002, Nasution et al. 2001).

Preliminary findings:

In contrast with previous studies (early nineties), snail kite movement appears to be more restricted.

Preliminary aircraft radio surveys have also enabled us to obtain more precise survival estimates during dry wetland conditions.

Our analyses of radiotelemetry, using multistate models, indicate that snail kite movements are not as extensive as previously thought especially between habitats that have been altered by fragmentation.

Our study also highlights the importance of taking into consideration the fact that kites movement are both distance dependent and affected by fragmentation, when managing the hydrology of wetlands used by this species.

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Snail Kite Breeding Activities and Habitat Use in Upper Saint Johns River Basin

Principal Investigator: Wiley M. Kitchens Funding: St Johns River Water Management District Personnel: Julien Martin Expected Completion: 2/24/2006

This study monitors snail kite use of the Blue Cypress Marsh Complex (BCMC) of St. Johns River water Management District. The following reports the results of the 2004 study season. The number of birds observed on each survey was reported as well at its GPS location when available. In summary, twenty-two nests were observed, but only 5 young were fledged in 2004.

Because the Floridian snail kite population is best viewed as a single population, it is essential to also report the demographic results at the scale of the whole population. Consequently besides reporting on kite usage of the BCMC, this study reports information on the demography of snail kites throughout central and southern Florida using the data of the 2004 breeding season. See the Abstract for the demographic study.

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2004 THESES AND DISSERTATIONS

Bender, Kristy, 2004. Evaluating Agency Perceptions of Partnerships: Lessons Learned from the

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. University of Florida Bokach, M. 2004. The relative influences of prey availability and predation on ardeid breeding

colony site selection. Unpublished MS Thesis, University of Florida, Gainesville FL. Duberstein, J. 2004. Freshwater tidal forest communities sampled in the lower Savannah River

floodplain. Masters Thesis, School of Natural Resources and Environment, University of Florida.

Hylton, B.A. 2004. Survival, movement patterns and habitat use of juvenile Wood Storks

(Mycteria americana). Unpublished MS Thesis, University of Florida, Gainesville FL. Lee, K. 2004. Development of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) for Wildlife Surveillance.

Thesis, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA. Malloy, K. 2004. Nekton Community Composition and Use of Tidal Marshes in the Lower

Savannah River Delta. Masters Thesis, need dept, University of Florida. Muench, A.M. 2004. Aquatic vertebrate usage of littoral habitat prior to extreme habitat

modification in Lake Tohopekaliga, Florida. Masters Thesis, Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, University of Florida.

Welch, Z.C. 2004. Littoral vegetation of Lake Tohopekaliga: community descriptions prior to a

large-scale fisheries habitat-enhancement project. Masters Thesis, Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, University of Florida.

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2004 PUBLICATIONS

Abercrombie, C. L., S. R. Howarter, H. F. Percival, K. G. Rice, and C. R. Morea. 2004. Everglades alligator thermoregulation: Unanswered questions. Proceedings of the IUCN Crocodile Specialist Group Meeting.

Bock, J. L., A. R. Woodward, S.L. Linda, and H. F. Percival. 2004. Hatching success on

American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) eggs when subjected to simulated collection trauma. Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (In Press).

Carthy, R. R., A. M. Foley, and Y. Matsuzawa. 2004. Incubation environment of loggerhead

turtle nests: Effects of hatching success and hatchling characteristics. Chapter in “Loggerhead Sea Turtles” (In Press).

Chopp, M. D., H. F. Percival, and K. G. Rice. 2004. Everglades alligator production differences

between marsh interior and marsh canal habitats at A.R.M. Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge. Proceedings of the IUCN Crocodile Specialist Group Meeting (In Press).

Darby, P. C., P. L. Valentine-Darby, H. F. Percival and W. M. Kitchens. 2004. Florida apple

snail (Pomacea paludosa Say) responses to lake habitat restoration activity. Archiv Für Hydrobiologie.

Darby, P. C., R. E. Bennetts, S. J. Miller, and H. F. Percival. 2004. Movements of Florida apple

snails in relation to water levels and drying. Wetlands (In Press).

Dreitz, V. J., W. M. Kitchens, and D. L. DeAngelis. 2004. Effects of natal departure and water level on survival of juvenile snail kites (Rostrhamus sociabilis) in Florida. The AUK.

Garmestani, A. S. and H. F. Percival. 2004. Control of the Ten Thousand Islands raccoon

Procyon lotor marinus (L,) reduces sea turtle nest depredation in the Ten Thousand Islands of Florida. Southeastern Naturalist (In Press).

Loftin C.S., J.T. McCloskey, W. M. Kitchens, and M. L. Dusek. 2004. Changes in vegetation

distributions in the Lower Savannah River tidal marsh following removal of a tidal flap gate. Wetlands (accepted)

Nico, L.G. and A.M. Muench. 2004. Nests and nest habitats of the invasive catfish

Hoplosternum littorale in Lake Tohopekaliga, Florida: a novel association with non-native Hydrilla verticillata. Southeastern Naturalist 3(3): 451-466.

Schmid, J. R., A. B. Bolten, K. A. Bjorndal, W. J. Lindberg, H. F. Percival, and P. D. Zwick.

2004. Home range and habitat use by Kemp’s ridley turtles in west-central Florida. Journal of Wildlife Management (In Press).

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Tiwari, M., R. R. Carthy, A. Silveria, and K. A. Bjorndal. 2004. A comparison of nest

architecture in loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) nesting in Florida and Brazil. Herpetological Review (In Press).

Wetzel, P. R, W. M. Kitchens, J. M. Brush, and M. L. Dusek. 2004. Use of a reciprocal transplant study to measure the rate of plant community change in a tidal marsh along a salinity gradient. Wetlands.

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2004 TECHNICAL REPORTS

Mossa, J. and D. Coley. 2004. Planform Changes of Pascagoula River Tributaries, Mississippi: Year 2 Draft Interim Repor. Submitted to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Pat Harrison Waterway District, 288 pp.

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2004 PRESENTATIONS

Bender K. 2004. North American Association for Environmental Education, Biloxi, MS Brush, J. M. and W. M. Kitchens. 2004. Monitoring avifauna littoral communities and their

response to a fisheries habitat enhancement project. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Conference. Tallahassee, FL.

Frederick, P. C. 2004. Effects of mercury on wading birds in the Everglades. 2003 Annual

Meeting of the Waterbird Society, Cuiaba, Brasil. Jacobson, S.K., J.K. Morris, J.S Sanders, E.N. Wiley, H.F Percival, and R.E. Bennetts. 2004.

Understanding, measuring, and overcoming barriers to the implementation of an adaptive land management program. Society for Conservation Biology Conference, New York, NY.

Kitchens, W.M. 2004. Overview of issues and studies in tidal wetlands of the Savannah River

Estuary. The Nature Conservancy Sponsored Workshop. Savannah, GA. Loftin, C.L., W.M. Kitchens, M.L. Dusek, J.T. McCloskey, P.R. Wetzel, J.M. Brush, Z.C.

Welch, J.M. Duberstein, P. Latham, and L. Pearlstine. 2004. Responses of tidal marsh vegetation to hydrological change. Bangor, ME

Mossa, J., D. Coley, and C. Bowen. 2004. Planform Changes in Pascagoula River Tributaries,

Mississippi. Mississippi Water Resources Association Conference, Poster. Mossa, J. and D. Coley. 2004. Planform Changes in Pascagoula River Tributaries, Mississippi.

Florida Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit Annual Meeting. Poster. Mossa, J. and D. Coley. 2004. Planform Changes in Pascagoula River Tributaries. Florida

Society of Geographers, Pensacola Beach, FL. Program and Abstracts. Muench, A.M. and W.M. Kitchens. 2004. Littoral zone habitat usage of herpetofaunal and fish

assemblages in Lake Tohopekaliga, Florida. Wildlife Ecology and Conservation Masters Symposium. University of Florida, Gainesville, FL.

Muench, A.M. and W.M. Kitchens. 2004. Documenting littoral herpetofaunal and fish

assemblages and their response to a fisheries habitat enhancement project. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Conference. Tallahassee, FL.

Shiralapour, H. J. 2004. North American Association for Environmental Education, Biloxi MS Waddle, J. H., K. G. Rice, F. J. Mazzotti, and H. F. Percival. 2004. Threats to amphibian

populations in south Florida. First National Conference on Ecosystem Restoration. Orlando, FL.

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Welch, Z.C. and W.M. Kitchens. 2004. Monitoring littoral vegetation succession on a central Florida lake following fisheries habitat restoration. Wildlife Ecology and Conservation Masters Symposium. University of Florida, Gainesville, FL.

Welch, Z.C. and W.M. Kitchens. 2004. Monitoring vegetation succession on Lake

Tohopekaliga following a fisheries habitat enhancement project. The Florida Chapter of the Wildlife Society Annual Conference. Mt. Dora, FL

Welch, Z.C. and W.M. Kitchens. 2004. Community composition and distribution of littoral

vegetation on Lake Tohopekaliga. Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Graduate Symposium. University of Florida, Gainesville, FL.

Zweig, C.L. and W.M. Kitchens. 2004. Tracking and predicting vegetation response to

hydrologic alternatives across an Everglades landscape using artificial neural networks. National Conference on Ecosystem Restoration.

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COMPLETED PROJECTS WINTERING FEEDING ECOLOGY OF BLACK SKIMMERS ON THE FLORIDA GULF COAST Investigator: L. D. Harris Personnel: B. Black Completion Date: 1981 ASPECTS OF THE THERMAL BIOLOGY AND ECOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS OF THE BLUE TILAPIA Investigator: J. A. McCann Personnel: A. V. Zale Completion Date: December 1984 WINTER FOOD HABITS AND FACTORS INFLUENCING THE WINTER DIET OF RIVER OTTERS IN NORTH FLORIDA Investigator: H.F. Percival Personnel: L.S. Cooley HABITAT PREFERENCE OF EARLY LIFE STAGES OF FISHES IN ORANGE LAKE, FLORIDA WITH AN EVALUATION OF SAMPLING METHODS Investigator: W. Gregory Personnel: R. Conrow Completion Date: December 1984 NEST SITE SELECTION AND HABITAT USE BY LARGEMOUTH BASS Investigator: R. W. Gregory Personnel: N. A. Bruno Completion Date: December 1984 SITE-SPECIFIC REDUCTION OF MANATEE BOAT/BARGE MORTALITIES IN FLORIDA Investigators: H. F. Percival R. W. Gregory Personnel: M. F. Kinnaird Completion Date: May 1984

MITIGATION OF FISH AND WILDLIFE VALUES IN ROCK-MINED AREAS OF SOUTH FLORIDA Investigators: R. W. Gregory H. F. Percival Personnel: R. W. Repenning Completion Date: August 1984 WILDLIFE VALUES OF SOUTHEASTERN BOTTOMLAND FORESTS Investigator: L. D. Harris Completion Date: September 1984 THE STATE OF KNOWLEDGE OF GRAY FOX HARVEST MANAGEMENT Investigators: R. F. Labisky S. R. Humphrey H. F. Percival Personnel: J. A. Hovis Completion Date: January 1984 WINTER ECOLOGY OF RING-NECKED DUCKS IN NORTH-CENTRAL FLORIDA Investigators: H. F. Percival J. Thul Personnel: C. W. Jeske Completion Date: August 1985 EVALUATION OF ALLIGATOR HATCHLING REMOVAL FROM WILD POPULATIONS IN FLORIDA Investigator: H. F. Percival Personnel: M. L. Jennings Completion Date: March 1986 BIOMETRICAL SUPPORT FOR GFC'S GAINESVILLE RESEARCH LABORATORY Investigator: H. F. Percival Personnel: C. L Abercrombie T. O'Brien

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Completion Date: June 1985 EVALUATION OF CAPTIVE BREEDING AND REINTRODUCTION OF THE FLORIDA PANTHER Investigator: J. F. Eisenberg Completion Date: December 1985 MOVEMENT AND SURVIVAL OF CAPTIVE-REARED GHARIALS IN THE NARAYANI RIVER, NEPAL Investigator: H. F. Percival Personnel: T. M. Maskey Completion Date: December 1988 BLACK BEAR HABITAT VARIABL E S Investigators: L. H. Harris D. Maehr Personnel: C. W. Jeske Completion Date: July 1985 EVALUATION OF ALLIGATOR EGG VIABILITY FROM FOUR WETLANDS IN FLORIDA Investigators: H. F. Percival A. R. Woodward Personnel: M. L. Jennings Completion Date: April 1988 HABITAT USE, MOVEMENTS, MIGRATION PATTERNS, AND SURVIVAL RATES OF SUBADULT BALD EAGLES IN NORTH FLORIDA Investigator: M. W. Collopy Personnel: P. B. Wood Completion Date: December 1991 EFFECTIVENESS OF WILDLIFE CROSSING STRUCTURES ON ALLIGATOR ALLEY (I-75) FOR REDUCING ANIMAL/AUTO COLLISIONS Investigator: S. R. Humphrey Personnel: M. L. Foster Completion Date: December 1991

USE OF CORTICAL BONE STRATIFICATION TO DETERMINE AGE IN AMERICAN ALLIGATORS Investigators: A. R. Woodward C. Woodard Completion Date: June 1991 RESEARCH/MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR THE CRYSTAL RIVER WEST INDIAN MANATEE POPULATION, LEVY AND CITRUS COUNTIES, FLORIDA (RWO 1) Investigators: R. W. Gregory H. F. Percival Personnel: J. M. Packard Completion Date: December 1983 POPULATION INDEX AND MARK/RECAPTURE METHODOLOGY FOR THE WEST INDIAN MANATEE IN FLORIDA (RWO 2) Investigators: H. F. Percival R.W. Gregory Personnel: J. M. Packard Completion Date: August 1985 FORAGING HABITAT REQUIREMENTS OF THE RED-COCKADED WOODPECKER IN PINE HABITATS OF NORTH FLORIDA (RWO 4) Investigator: R. F. Labisky Personnel: M. L. Porter Completion Date: September 1984 EFFECTS OF LOW ALTITUDE TRAINING FLIGHTS ON FLORIDA'S BROWN PELICAN AND WADING BIRD COLONIES (RWO 5) Investigator: M. W. Collopy Personnel: B. B. Black P. G. Bohall T. C. Edwards Completion Date: January 1985

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HABITAT SUITABILITY INDEX MODELS FOR GULF OF MEXICO COASTAL HABITATS (RWO 7) Investigators: R. W. Gregory H. F. Percival Personnel: R. Mulholland Completion Date: November 1984 HABITAT USE AND MANAGEMENT OF SHERMAN'S FOX SQUIRREL (Sciurus niger shermani ) (RWO 9) Investigator: S. R. Humphrey Personnel: A. T. Kantola Completion Date: 1986 EFFECT OF NUTRIENT LEACHING ON FISH SPAWNING AND NURSERY HABITAT IN GREAT LAKES NEARSHORE WATER (RWO 11) Investigator: R. W. Gregory H. F. Percival Personnel: L. C. Brasel Completion Date: November 1984 DEVELOPMENT OF HYBRID GRASS CARP PRODUCTION TECHNIQUES (RWO 12) Investigator: J. V. Shireman Completion Date: September 1984 STUDIES OF GRASS CARP IN AQUATIC WEED CONTROL (RWO 13) Investigator: J. V. Shireman Completion Date: October 1984 STATUS SURVEY OF THE FLORIDA GRASSHOPPER SPARROW (RWO 14) Investigators: M. L. Delany H. F. Percival Personnel: J. Cox Completion Date: March 1985 CONCEPTUAL MODEL OF SALT MARSH MANAGEMENT ON

MERRITT ISLAND, FLORIDA (RWO 15) Investigators: C. L. Montague H. F. Percival Personnel: A. V. Zale Completion Date: December 1984 STATUS SURVEY OF FIVE MAMMALS: SHERMAN'S SHORT-TAILED SHREW, PINE ISLAND RICE RAT, SANIBEL ISLAND RICE RAT, CHADWICK BEACH COTTON MOUSE, AND HOMOSASSA SHREW (RWO 16) Investigator: S. R. Humphrey Personnel: R. W. Repenning Completion Date: January 1986 PANCREATIC NECROSIS VIRUS AS A PATHOGEN OF STRIPED BASS (RWO 17) Investigators: R. W. Gregory W. M. Kitchens J. V. Shireman Personnel: S. Wechsler Completion Date: May 1987 STATUS SURVEY OF THE SCHAUS' SWALLOWTAIL IN FLORIDA (RWO 18) Investigator: T. C. Emmel Completion Date: March 1985 ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT OF IMPOUNDED COASTAL WETLANDS OF THE GEORGIA BIGHT (RWO 19) Investigators: C. L. Montague H. F. Percival Personnel: A. V. Zale Completion Date: June 1985 FACTORS AFFECTING REPRODUCTIVE SUCCESS OF SEA TURTLES ON CAPE CANAVERAL AIR FORCE BASE (RWO 20 AND 25) Investigator: R. F. Labisky

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Completion: September 1984 STATUS SURVEY OF THE ROSEMARY WOLF SPIDER IN FLORIDA (RWO 21) Investigator: J. Reiskind Completion Date: April 1985 DETERMINATION OF THE FOOD HABITS OF MANATEES (RWO 22) Investigators: G. B. Rathbun H. F. Percival Personnel: L. A. Hurst Completion Date: August 1985 POPULATION ANALYSIS AND ROOSTING AND FEEDING FLOCK BEHAVIOR OF BLACKBIRDS DAMAGING SPROUTING RICE IN SOUTHWESTERN LOUISIANA (RWO 23) Investigators: R. F. Labisky N. R. Holler Personnel: K. Brugger Completion Date: September 1989 THE ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT OF HYDRIC HAMMOCKS (RWO 24) Investigator: S. R. Humphrey Personnel: S. Vince Completion Date: July 1988 PRODUCTION, STERILITY AND FOOD HABITS OF BIGHEAD CARP (RWO 26) Investigators: J. V. Shireman J. R. Clugston Completion Date: July 1987 EVALUATION OF POPULATION PARAMETERS OF THE BLACK DUCK (RWO 27) Investigators: H. F. Percival M. J. Conroy M. Haramis Personnel: D. G. Krementz

B. R. Charest M. L. Jennings Completion Date: July 1987 STATUS OF THE CAPE SABLE SEASIDE SPARROW IN EAST EVERGLADES (RWO 28) Investigator: W. R. Marion Personnel: T. O'Meara Completion Date: September 1987 EVALUATION OF ELECTROFISHING SYSTEMS FOR QUANTITATIVE SAMPLING OF BLUE TILAPIA (RWO 29) Investigator: H. Schramm Completion Date: May 1986 A COMPARISON OF PASSERINE FEEDING HABITS IN TWO TIDAL MARSH COMMUNITIES (RWO 30) Investigators: G. W. Tanner W. M. Kitchens Personnel: L. Peterson Completion Date: January 1989 EVALUATION AND CONTROL OF BIRD DAMAGE TO RICE (RWO 31) Investigators: M. Avery H. F. Percival P. Lefebvre Personnel: D. Daneke Completion Date: December 1987 THE ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT OF IMPOUNDED COASTAL WETLANDS OF THE GEORGIA BIGHT: A WORKSHOP (RWO 33) Investigators: C. L. Montague H. F. Percival Personnel: A. V. Zale Completion Date: September 1987 IMPACT ASSESSMENT OF GRASS CARP (RWO 34) Investigators: J. V. Shireman

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W. M. Kitchens Completion Date: September 1989 STATUS SURVEY OF THREE FLORIDA LIZARDS (RWO 35) Investigators: P. Moler H. F. Percival R. F. Labisky Personnel: K. Enge Completion Date: October 1986 VEGETATION MANAGEMENT FOR THE KEY DEER (RWO 36) Investigators: S. R. Humphrey G. W. Tanner D. Holle Personnel: J. Wood P. Carlson Completion Date: December 1989 STATUS SURVEY OF SEVEN FLORIDA MAMMALS: MICRO COTTONTAIL RABBIT, MICRO COTTON RAT, SOUTHEASTERN BEACH MOUSE, GOFF'S POCKET GOPHER, ANASTASIA ISLAND COTTON MOUSE, ANASTASIA ISLAND BEACH MOUSE (RWO 37) Investigators: S. R. Humphrey M. Bentzien Completion Date: July 1987 RELATIVE ABUNDANCE, SIZE CLASS COMPOSITION, AND GROWTH PATTERNS OF WILD GREEN TURTLES AT THE CULEBRA ARCHIPELAGO, PUERTO RICO (RWO 38) Investigators: J. A. Collazo H. F. Percival Personnel: T. Tallevast Completion Date: December 1989 EFFECTS OF THE MODIFIED WATER DELIVERY PROGRAM ON WADING BIRD NESTING SUCCESS

AND FORAGING DISPERSION IN WATER CONSERVATION AREA 3A AND EVERGLADES NATIONAL PARK (RWO 39) Investigator: M. W. Collopy Personnel: P. C. Frederick Completion Date: April 1988 EFFECTS OF THE MODIFIED WATER DELIVERY PROGRAM ON THE NEST SITE SELECTION AND NESTING SUCCESS OF SNAIL KITES IN WATER CONSERVATION AREA 3A (RWO 40) Investigators: M. W. Collopy S. Beissinger Personnel: R. Bennetts Completion Date: February 1988 COMPARATIVE GRAMINOID COMMUNITY COMPOSITION AND STRUCTURE WITHIN THE NORTHERN PORTION OF EVERGLADES NATIONAL PARK, NORTHEAST SHARK RIVER SLOUGH, WATER CONSERVATION AREA 3A AND WATER CONSERVATION AREA 3B (RWO 41) Investigator: G. W. Tanner Personnel: J. M. Wood Completion Date: November 1986 HUMAN/WILDLIFE INTERACTION ON J. N. "DING" DARLING NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE (RWO 42) Investigator: S. R. Humphrey H. F. Percival Personnel: M. V. Klein Completion Date: June 1989 STATUS SURVEY OF TWO FLORIDA SEASIDE SPARROWS (RWO 43) Investigator: K. McNab V. MacDonald Completion Date: October 1988

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REPRODUCTIVE CYCLES IN STRIPED BASS MAINTAINED IN RECIRCULATION SILOS: HISTOLOGICAL ANALYSIS (RWO 44) Investigator: L. J. Guillette, Jr. Personnel: C. A. Goudie Completion Date: October 1986 SOIL/PLANT CORRELATION STUDIES IN FLORIDA (RWO 46) Investigator: G. R. Best W. M. Kitchens Completion Date: March 1987 AQUATIC PLANT MANAGEMENT TECHNOLOGY IMPROVEMENT (RWO 47) Investigators: J. C. Joyce W. T. Haller Personnel: V. Ramey T. Willard A. Stoddard Completion Date: April 1988 FACTORS AFFECTING PRODUCTIVITY AND HABITAT USE OF FLORIDA SANDHILL CRANES: AN EVALUATION OF THREE AREAS IN CENTRAL FLORIDA AS POTENTIAL REINTRODUCTION SITES FOR A NONMIGRATORY POPULATION OF WHOOPING CRANES (RWO 49) Investigator: M. W. Collopy Personnel: M. Bishop Completion Date: October 1988 EFFECTS OF GROUND WATER LEVELS UPON REPRODUCTION SUCCESS OF AMERICAN CROCODILES IN EVERGLADES NATIONAL PARK (RWO 50) Investigator: F. J. Mazzotti Completion Date: April 1989

MANATEE PROTECTION PROJECT: SURVEY OF BOAT USAGE PATTERNS (RWO 51) Investigators: J. W. Hutchinson J. W. Alba Completion Date: September 1988 AN EVALUATION OF MANATEE DISTRIBUTION PATTERNS IN RESPONSE TO PUBLIC USE ACTIVITIES, CRYSTAL RIVER, FLORIDA (RWO 52) Investigator: W. M. Kitchens Personnel: C. Buckingham L. G. Pearlstine Completion Date: December 1989 AN EVALUATION OF CUMULATIVE IMPACTS TO THE HABITAT OF THE WEST INDIAN MANATEE, CRYSTAL RIVER NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE (RWO 53) Investigator: W. M. Kitchens Personnel: L. G. Pearlstine C. Buckingham Completion Date: December 1989 STATUS SURVEY OF THE FLORIDA SALTMARSH VOLE (RWO 54) Investigator: C. A. Woods Personnel: L. Hay-Smith Completion Date: September 1988 IMPACT OF MOSQUITO CONTROL PESTICIDES ON THE ENDANGERED SCHAUS SWALLOWTAIL AND RELATED INSECTS IN THE FLORIDA KEYS (RWO 56) Investigator: T. C. Emmel Personnel: P. Eliazar J. Mation Completion Date: January 1989 THE EFFECTS OF MOSQUITO CONTROL PESTICIDES ON NON-

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TARGET ORGANISMS IN THE FLORIDA KEYS (RWO 57) Investigator: D. H. Habeck Personnel: M. Hennessey Completion Date: October 1989 DEVELOPMENT OF GUIDANCE MANUAL FOR MONITORING WATER QUALITY AND VEGETATIVE CHANGES ON NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGES (RWO 58) Investigator: W. M. Kitchens Completion Date: December 1988 APPLICABILITY AND COMPARISON OF SATELLITE IMAGE DATA TO DELINEATION OF COVER TYPE IN THE LOWER SUWANNEE RIVER REGION (RWO 60) Investigator: W. M. Kitchens Personnel: L. G. Pearlstine Completion Date: December 1988 DISTRIBUTION AND POPULATION STRUCTURE OF SEA TURTLES INHABITING THE CAPE CANAVERAL ENTRANCE CHANNEL (RWO 62) Investigators: A. B. Bolten K. A. Bjorndal Completion Date: December 1991 DETERMINATION OF THE CAUSES OF LOW RESPONSE WITH THE WATERFOWL HUNTER QUESTIONNAIRE AND ESTIMATION OF THE RESULTANT BIASES (RWO 76) Investigator: H. F. Percival Personnel: R. J. Barker P. H. Geissler B. A. Hoover Completion Date: September 1990

THE ECOLOGY OF MANATEES IN GEORGIA WITH EMPHASIS ON CUMBERLAND SOUND (RWO 65) Investigator: H. F. Percival Personnel: B. J. Zoodsma L. W. Lefebvre Completion Date: December 1990 SCIENTIFIC REVIEW OF ALLIGATOR EXPORT PROPOSALS TO USFWS (RWO 69) Investigator: H. F. Percival Personnel: P. N. Gray F. Nunez-Garcia Completion Date: July 1990 FISH COMMUNITY STRUCTURE IN NATURALLY ACID FLORIDA LAKES (RWO 73) Investigator: W. M. Kitchens Personnel: C A. Jennings D. E. Canfield, Jr. D. E. Colle Completion Date: July 1990 DEVELOPMENT AND APPLICATION OF A HABITAT SUCCESSION MODEL FOR THE WETLAND COMPLEX OF THE SAVANNAH RIVER NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE (RWO 30) Investigator: W. M. Kitchens Personnel: L. G. Pearlstine P. Latham L. Peterson G. Tanner Completion Date: December 1990 PLANT SPECIES ASSOCIATION CHANGES AND INTERACTIONS ACROSS A GRADIENT OF FRESH, OLIGOHALINE, AND MESOHALINE TIDAL MARSHES OF THE LOWER SAVANNAH RIVER (RWO 30) Investigator: W. M. Kitchens Personnel: P. J. Latham

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Completion Date: December 1990 BIOLOGY OF FLORIDA'S MOTTLED DUCK Investigator: H. F. Percival Personnel: P. N. Gray Completion Date: May 1992 MODELING WATERFOWL HARVEST AND THE EFFECTS OF QUESTIONNAIRE NONRESPONSE ON HARVEST ESTIMATES (RWO 83) Investigator: H. F. Percival Personnel: R. J. Barker J. D. Nichols Completion Date: May 1992 ENVIRONMENTAL INFLUENCES ON REPRODUCTIVE POTENTIAL AND CLUTCH VIABILITY OF THE AMERICAN ALLIGATOR FROM SEVEN STUDY SITES IN FLORIDA Investigator: H. F. Percival Personnel: G. R. Masson K. G. Rice Completion Date: July 1992 NESTING BIOLOGY OF THE AMERICAN ALLIGATOR IN FLORIDA Investigator: H. F. Percival Personnel: K. G. Rice G. R. Masson Completion Date: September 1992 ALLIGATOR EGG VIABILITY AND POPULATION TRENDS ON LAKE APOPKA, FLORIDA Investigator: H. F. Percival L. J. Guillette, Jr. Personnel: G. R. Masson K. G. Rice Completion Date: June 1993 ALLIGATOR NEST PRODUCTION ESTIMATION IN FLORIDA

Investigator: H. F. Percival Personnel: K. G. Rice A. R. Woodward Completion Date: August 1992 HABITAT USE BY MIGRATORY SHOREBIRDS AT THE CABO ROJO SALT FLATS, PUERTO RICO (RWO 78) Investigator: J. A. Collazo H. F. Percival Personnel: J. S. Grear Completion Date: August 1992 WADING BIRD USE OF WASTEWATER TREATMENT WETLANDS IN CENTRAL FLORIDA (RWO 85) Investigator: P. C. Frederick Completion Date: December 1992 EVALUATING THE REGIONAL EFFECTS OF CITRUS DEVELOPMENT ON THE ECOLOGICAL INTEGRITY OF SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Investigator: F. J. Mazzotti W. M. Kitchens Personnel: L. A. Brandt L. G. Pearlstine T. A. Obreza C. E. Arnold C. N. Huegel Completion Date: May 1992 WORKSHOP ON FLORIDA MANATEE (TRICHECHUS MANATUS) POPULATION BIOLOGY (RWO 88) Investigator: T. J. O’Shea H. F. Percival Personnel: B. B. Ackerman Completion Date: October 1993 ISSUES AND OPTIONS RELATED TO MANAGEMENT OF SILVER SPRINGS RHESUS MACAQUES

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Investigator: C. L. Montague S. V. Colwell H. F. Percival Personnel: J. F. Gottgens Completion Date: December 1993 SEA TURTLES INHABITATING THE KINGS BAY - ST. MARY’S ENTRANCE CHANNEL: DISTRIBUTION AND POPULATION STRUCTURE (RWO 72) Investigator: K. A. Bjorndal A. B. Bolten Completion Date: September 1993 WADING BIRD NESTING SUCCESS STUDIES IN THE EVERGLADES (RWO 110) Investigator: P. C. Frederick Completion Date: December 1993 CAPTIVE PROPAGATION AND RESTORATION ECOLOGY OF THE ENDANGERED STOCK ISLAND TREE SNAIL (RWO 94) Investigator: T. C. Emmel Completion Date: October 1993 STATUS MONITORING AND EXPERIMENTAL REINTRODUCTION OF THE ENDANGERED SCHAUS SWALLOWTAIL (RWO 84) Investigator: T. C. Emmel Personnel: P. J. Eliazar M. C. Minno J. C. Daniels S. D. Larson J. A. Sarvis Completion Date: September 1993 CONSERVATION STATUS OF THE FRESHWATER MUSSELS OF THE APALACHICOLA RIVER BASIN (RWO 86) Investigator: J. D. Williiams Personnel: J. C. Brim-Box

Completion Date: October 1993 STATISTICAL ASPECTS OF LINE TRANSECT SAMPLING (RWO 68) Investigator: K. M. Portier Completion Date: June 1993 A GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEM MODEL OF FIRE DAMAGE AND VEGETATION RECOVERY IN THE LOXAHATCHEE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE Investigator: W. M. Kitchens Personnel: J. E. Silveira J. R. Richardson Completion Date: December 1993 MERCURY CONCENTRATIONS IN BLOOD AND FEATHERS OF NESTLING BALD EAGLES (RWO 108) Investigator: P. B. Wood Personnel: J. H. White A. Steffer J. M. Wood H. F. Percival Completion Date: December 1994 EFFECTS OF ARTIFICIAL LIGHTING ON NESTING ADULT AND HATCHLING SEA TURTLES (RWO 75) Investigator: K. A. Bjorndal A. B. Bolten Personnel: B. E. Witherington Completion Date: September 1994 SUMMARY REPORT OF AIR QUALITY STUDIES DONE AT CHASSAHOWITZKA NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE (RWO 102) Investigator: E. R. Allen Personnel: R. Venuto Completion Date: June 1994 EVALUATONS OF THE EFFICACY OF EXOTICS AS AQUACULTURE

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AND MANAGEMENT SPECIES IN FLORIDA (RWO 109) Investigator: J. V. Shireman Personnel: J. E. Weaver K. Opusbynski Completion Date: February 1994 ASSESSING THE IMPACT OF VEHICULAR TRAFFIC ON BEACH HABITAT AND WILDLIFE, CAPE SAN BLAS (RWO 121) Investigator: H. F. Percival Personnel: J. H. Cox, Jr. S. V. Colwell Completion Date: June 1994 EFFECTS OF EXPLOITATION ON PIG FROG POPULATION DYNAMICS: AN EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH (RWO 79) Investigator: H. F. Percival Personnel: K. V. Wood Completion Date: August 1994 EARLY LIFE HISTORY AND RELATIVE ABUNDANCE OF STURGEON IN THE SUWANNEE RIVER (RWO 61) Investigator: J. V. Shireman Personnel: J. P. Clugston A.M. Foster Completion Date: October 1994 DISTRIBUTION, POPULATION STRUCTURE AND EXPLOITATION OF SEA TURTLES IN THE BAHAMAS (RWO 67) Investigator: K. A. Bjorndal A. B. Bolten Completion Date: September 1994 SEA TURTLE POPULATIONS IN THE EASTERN GULF OF MEXICO: BIOLOGY, DISTRIBUTION AND POPULATION STRUCTURE (RWO 77) Investigator: K. A. Bjorndal

A. B. Bolten Personnel: J. R. Schmid Completion Date: September 1994 DISTRIBUTION AND STATUS OF THE RED-COCKADED WOODPECKER ON EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, FLORIDA (RWO 80) Investigator: H. F. Percival Personnel: Ruthe J. Smith Jeffrey L. Hardesty Completion Date: March 1994 FACTORS AFFECTING ABUNDANCE OF SPOTTED SEATROUT AND YEAR-CLASS STRENGTH (RWO 81) Investigator: N. A. Funicelli Personnel: J. V. Shireman J. P. Clugston S. A. Zengel Completion Date: June 1994 RE-ESTABLISHMENT OF THE ANASTASIA ISLAND BEACH MOUSE (PEROMYSCUS POLIONOTUS PHASMA) (RWO 100) Investigator: S. Humphrey Personnel: P. A. Frank Completion Date: January 1994 CAPTIVE PROPAGATION AND HABITAT REINTRODUCTION FOR THE SCHAUS SWALLOWTAIL FOLLOWING HURRICANE ANDREW (RWO 113) Investigator: T. C. Emmel Personnel: J. C. Daniels A. Sourakov P. J. Eliazar M. C. Minno S. D. Larson L. L. Groce J. A. Fletcher J. L. Nation, Jr. R. A. Worth K. A. Schwarz

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Completion Date: September 1994 DEVELOPMENT ABNORMALITIES OF THE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM OF ALLIGATORS (ALLIGATOR MISSISSIPPIENSIS) FROM CONTAMINATED AND CONTROL LAKES IN FLORIDA Investigator: H. F. Percival Completion Date: May 1994 LAND MANAGEMENT PRACTICES IN THE MOUNTAIN REGION OF PUERTO RICO: MONITORING BIRD REPRODUCTIVITY IN CARITE STATE FOREST 1993 (RWO 71) Investigator: H. F. Percival J. A. Collazo Personnel: F. Nu nez-Garcia Completion Date: December 1995 METHODS FOR DETERMINING CHANGE IN WETLAND HABITATS IN FLORIDA (RWO 95) Investigator: W. M. Kitchens Personnel: J. Silviera W. Bryant Completion Date: September 1995 POPULATION ECOLOGY OF BARTRAM’S IXIA (Calydorea coelestina) (Bartr.) (RWO 101) Investigator: G. W. Tanner Personnel: A. Miller Completion Date: October 1995 MAINTENANCE, PROPAGATION, AND RESTORATION OF THE ENDANGERED STOCK ISLAND TREE SNAIL, FOLLOWING HURRICANE ANDREW (RWO 106) Investigator: T. C. Emmel Personnel: P. J. Eliazer J. C. Daniels N. D. Eliazer

R. A. Worth K. A. Schwarz Completion Date: October 1995 CHANGES IN SALINITY AND VEGETATION FOLLOWING RE-ESTABLISHMENT OF NATURAL HYDROLOGY ON THE LOWER SAVANNAH RIVER (RWO 117) Investigator: W. M. Kitchens Personnel: P. J. Latham L. P. Peterson B. Mace Completion Date: March 1995 FOLLOW-UP OF A 14 YEAR OLD CRESTED WETLAND/UPLAND LANDSCAPE ON PHOSPHATE-MINED LAND IN CENTRAL FLORIDA (RWO 120) Investigator: G. R. Best W. M. Kitchens Completion Date: March 1995 TRENDS, STATUS AND ASPECTS OF DEMOGRAPHY OF THE RED-COCKADED WOODPECKER IN THE SANDHILLS OF FLORIDA’S PANHANDLE (RWO 124) Investigator: H. F. Percival Personnel: J. L. Hardesty R. J. Smith K. E. Gault M. E. Gatlin L. F. Phillips Completion Date: March 1995 STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION OF THE FLORIDA SCRUB JAY (Aphelocoma coerulescens) ON CAPE CANAVERAL, FLORIDA (RWO 127) Investigator: H. F. Percival Personnel: J. L. Hardesty D. B. McDonald Completion Date: May 1995

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MERCURY CONTAMINATION IN GREAT EGRETS (Casmerodius albus) IN SOUTHERN FLORIDA (RWO 132) Investigator: P. C. Frederick Personnel: M. G. Spaulding M. S. Sepulveda G. E. Williams K. Golden C. Gill Completion Date: September 1995 THE ACUTE TOXICITY OF MALATHION TO GLOCHIDIA AND FRESHWATER MUSSELS (RWO 133) Investigator: E. J. Phlips Personnel: A. E. Keller Completion Date: March 1995 THE ROLE OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINANTS IN THE PREVALENCE OF FISH INFECTED WITH A WADING BIRD PARASITE (Eustrongylides ignotus) (RWO 134) Investigator: D. J. Forrester M. G. Spaulding Personnel: D. Morrison D. F. Coyner T. M. Miller Completion Date: September 1995 DEVELOPMENT OF AN ECOLOGICALLY STABLE COST EFFICIENT BIOLOGICAL WATER TREATMENT SYSTEM AND TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER SYSTEM (RWO 135) Investigator: J. V. Shireman Personnel: N. A. Funicelli Completion Date: September 1995 STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION OF THE FLORIDA SCRUB JAY (Aphelocoma coerulescens) ON CAPE CANAVERAL, FLORIDA (RWO 136) Investigator: H. F. Percival Personnel: D. B. McDonald

J. L. Hardesty Completion Date: October 1995

DISRUPTION OF ENDOCRINE FUNCTION AND REPRODUCTIVE POTENTIAL BY ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINANTS ON LAKE APOPKA’S ALLIGATORS AND OTHER TAXA (RWO 137) Investigator: H. F. Percival Personnel: L. J. Guillette T. S. Gross K. G. Rice C. L. Abercrombie A. R. Woodward Completion Date: October 1995 THE EPIDEMIOLOGY OF UPPER RESPIRATORY TRACT DISEASE (Mycoplasma agassizii) IN DESERT TORTOISES AT THREE SITES IN THE CALIFORNIA DESERTS (RWO 138) Investigator: M. Brown Personnel: I. M. Schumacher P. A. Klein D. Dukes B. Crenshaw K. Berry Completion Date: April 1995 THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN HOST PLANT AND HABITAT FOR THE DISTRIBUTION OF THREE POTENTIALLY ENDANGERED SOUTH FLORIDA BUTTERFLY SPECIES (RWO 145) Investigator: T. C. Emmel Personnel: R. A. Worth K. A. Schwarz Completion Date: September 1995 SNAIL KITE CENSUS Investigator: W. M. Kitchens R. E. Bennetts Completion Date: December 1995

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EGG VIABILITY, SEXUAL DEVELOPMENT, HATCHLING VIABILITY, AND GROWTH IN ALLIGATORS FROM LAKE APOPKA AND LAKE BEAUCLAIR Investigator: H. F. Percival Personnel: L. J. Guillette T. S. Gross K. G. Rice A. R. Woodward C. L Abercrombie Completion Date: July 1995 REFINEMENT OF POPULATION ESTIMATION TECHNIQUES FOR WILD TURKEYS-YEAR 3 Investigator: G. W. Tanner Personnel: J. L. Kalso Completion Date: June 1995 MINERAL INTERACTIONS BETWEEN EMBRYO, EGGSHELL, AND SUBTRATE IN DEVELOPING SEA TURTLES (RWO 92) Investigator: K. A. Bjorndal Personnel: A. B. Bolten R. R. Carthy Completion Date: August 1996 ECOLOGICAL CORRELATES OF RED-COCKADED WOODPECKER FORAGING PREFERENCE, HABITAT USE, AND HOME RANGE AREA ON EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, FLORIDA (RWO 99) Investigator: H. F. Percival Personnel: J. L. Hardesty R. J. Smith K. E. Lucas J. B. Jensen P. R. Gault J. Cartwright Completion Date: March 1996

UNDERSTORY RESPONSE TO LONGLEAF PINE-SANDHILL RESTORATION TECHNIQUES (RWO 111) Investigator: G. W. Tanner Personnel: J.L. Hardesty S. J. Berish Completion Date: March 1996 HABITAT ASSOCIATIONS, REPRODUCTION, AND FORAGING ECOLOGY OF AUDUBON’S CRESTED CARACARA IN SOUTH-CENTRAL FLORIDA (RWO 114) Investigator: S. R. Humphrey Personnel: J. L. Morrison S. M. McGehee L. D. Todd Completion Date: May 1996 LANDSCAPE DYNAMICS OF SCRUB LIZARDS ON AVON PARK AIR FORCE RANGE (RWO 122) Investigator: Lyn C. Branch Personnel: D. G. Hokit B. M. Stith Completion Date: September 1996 POST HURRICANE DENSITY AND RECOVERY STATUS OF THE KEY LARGO WOODRAT AND COTTON MOUSE (RWO 123) Investigator: H. F. Percival Personnel: K. Miller B. W. Keith Completion Date: August 1996 EVALUATION OF SAMPLING AND ANALYTICAL PROTOCOLS FOR MANATEE CAPTURE-RECAPTURE AND TELEMETRY DATA (RWO 125) Investigator: H. F. Percival Personnel: L. W. Lefebvre C. J. Deutsch Completion Date: July 1996

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COMMUNITY RESPONSE TO RESTORATION TECHNIQUES IN DEGRADED FLORIDA SANDHILL SYSTEMS (RWO 128, 147, 162)

Investigator: J. D. Harris

Investigator: G. W. Tanner Personnel: D. R. Gordon H. F. Percival Completion Date: March 1996 MARINE TURTLE NESTING BIOLOGY AND ASSESSMENT OF ANTHROPOGENIC DISTURBANCES TO HATCHLING ORIENTATION AT EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE ON SANTA ROSA ISLAND AND CAPE SAN BLAS (RWO 129) Investigator: H. F. Percival Personnel: L. G. Pearlstine S. V. Colwell Completion Date: April 1996 NECROPSIES OF ILL AND DYING DESERT TORTOISES FROM CALIFORNIA AND ELSEWHERE IN THE SOUTHWESTERN UNITED STATES (RWO 131) Investigator: B. L. Homer Personnel: E. R. Jacobson K. H. Berry Completion Date: March 1996 POTENTIAL EFFECTS OF ENDOCRINE-DISRUPTING CONTAMINANTS (RWO 140) Investigator: T. S. Gross Personnel: H. F. Percival K. G. Rice A. R. Woodward C. L Abercrombie Completion Date: June 1996 INTERACTIONS AMONG CAVITY-DEPENDENT SPECIES IN LONGLEAF PINE FORESTS: THE ROLES OF SNAGS AND RED-COCKADED WOODPECKER CAVITIES (RWO 143)

Personnel: R. Costa J. J. Kappes, Jr. Completion Date: August 1996 HABITAT ASSESSMENT IN A LANDSCAPE CONTEXT: ANALYSIS OF THE FACTORS AFFECTING THE DISTRIBUTION AND ABUNDANCE OF THE FLORIDA SCRUB LIZARD (RWO 156) Investigator: L. C. Branch Personnel: D. G. Hokit Completion Date: April 1996 ESTIMATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL CORRELATES OF SURVIVAL AND DISPERSAL OF SNAIL KITES IN FLORIDA Investigator: W. M. Kitchens Personnel: P. C. Darby P. V. Darby Completion Date: February 1996 EGG VIABILITY AND POPULATION TRENDS OF LAKE APOPKA ALLIGATORS: RELATIONSHIPS AMONG POPULATIONS AND BIOGRAPHICAL PARAMETERS Investigator: H. F. Percival Personnel: K. G. Rice Completion Date: July 1996 EVALUATION OF S.R. 46 WILDLIFE CROSSING Investigator: H. F. Percival Personnel: J. C. Roof J. B. Wooding Completion Date: May 1996 AN ECOSYSTEM APPROACH TO PUBLIC EDUCATION AND INFORMATION AT EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE (RWO 107) Investigator: S. K. Jacobson Personnel: S. B.Marynowski

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Completion Date: September 1997 GENETIC ANALYSIS OF SEA TURTLE POPULATIONS IN THE WESTERN ATLANTIC OCEAN WITH EMPHASIS ON THE SOUTHEAST UNITED STATES (RWO 115) Investigator: B. W. Bowen A. B. Bolten K. A. Bjorndal Completion Date: June 1997 CAPE SAN BLAS ECOLOGICAL STUDY (RWO 126) Investigator: W. M. Kitchens H. F. Percival R. R. Carthy L. G. Pearlstine Personnel: S. V. Colwell M. M. Lamont Completion Date: August 1997 ENHANCEMENT AND EVALUATION OF A DESIGNATED WATCHABLE WILDLIFE SITE (RWO 130) Investigator: J. M. Schaefer S. K. Jacobson Completion Date: January 1997 RESEARCH OBJECTIVES TO SUPPORT THE SOUTH FLORIDA ECOSYSTEM INITIATIVE - WATER CONSERVATION AREAS, LAKE OKEECHOBEE AND THE EAST-WEST WATERWAYS (RWO 139) Investigator: W. M. Kitchens Completion Date: September 1997 TRENDS, STATUS, AND ASPECTS OF DEMOGRAPHY OF THE RED-COCKADED WOODPECKER IN THE SANDHILLS OF FLORIDA’S PANHANDLE, PART II (RWO 146) Investigator: H. F. Percival J. L. Hardesty Personnel: K. E. Gault

L. F. Phillips J. B. Jensen J. Tomcho Completion Date: March 1997 USE OF UNIONID MUSSELS AS BIOINDICATORS OF WATER QUALITY IN ESCAMBIA CONECUH RIVER SYSTEM (RWO 149) Investigator: E. Phlips Personnel: A. Keller Completion Date: June 1997 CAPTIVE PROPAGATION AND EXPERIMENTAL REINTRODUCTION OF FLORIDA’S SCHAUS SWALLOWTAIL (RWO 151) Investigator: T. C. Emmel Personnel: J. C. Daniels A. Sourakov P. J. Eliazar V. Kroutov J. P. Hall K. M. Wilmott S. D. Schlachta J. B. Schlachta N. D. Eliazar Completion Date: December 1997 TESTING AND IMPLEMENTATION OF SELECTED AQUATIC ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS IN THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER SYSTEM, 1995: POTENTIAL EFFECTS OF ENDOCRINE-DISRUPTING CONTAMINANTS (RWO 153) Investigator: T. S. Gross Completion Date: September 1997 WADING BIRD POPULATION MONITORING, ENVIRONMENTAL CORRELATES OF ADULT FORAGING SUCCESS, AND MEASUREMENT OF NESTLING ENERGETIC NEEDS IN THE EVERGLADES: PART I (RWO 158)

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Investigator: P. C. Frederick Personnel: J. Surkick J. Salatas J. Burm C. Schaadt Completion Date: April 1997 MARINE TURTLE CONSERVATION ON THE CARIBBEAN COAST OF NICARAGUA (RWO 171) Investigator: L. J. Guillette, Jr. Personnel: C. L. Campbell C. J. Lagueux Completion Date: December 1997 EVALUATING THE ECOLOGICAL ROLE OF ALLIGATOR HOLES IN THE EVERGLADES LANDSCAPE Investigator: F. J. Mazzotti H. F. Percival Personnel: L. A. Brandt Completion Date: December 1997 TWO GIS AND LAND USE ANALYSIS OF FRESHWATER MUSSELS IN THE APALACHICOLA RIVER DRAINAGE (RWO 164) Investigator: J. Mossa Personnel: J. Howard Completion Date: July 1997 EGG VIABILITY AND POPULATION TRENDS OF LAKE APOPKA ALLIGATORS Investigator: H. F. Percival Personnel: K. G. Rice G. Davidson Completion Date: July 1997 EFFECT OF MARINE POLLUTION ON JUVENILE PELAGIC SEA TURTLES (RWO 66) AND BIOLOGY OF PELAGIC SEA TURTLES: EFFECTS IF MARINE DEBRIS (RWO

118) (RWO 118 is a continuation of RWO 66) Investigator(s): K. A. Bjorndal A. B. Bolten Completion Date: June 1995 (RWO 66) June 1998 (RWO 118) ENHANCEMENT OF NATURAL DUNE BUILDING AND REVEGETATION PROCESSES ON SANTA ROSA ISLAND (RWO 159) Investigator(s): D. L. Miller Mack Thetford Completion Date: August 1998 PATHOGENIC, MOLECULAR AND IMMUNOLOGICAL PROPERTIES OF A HERPESVIRUS ASSOCIATED WITH GREEN TURTLE FIBROPAPILLOMATOSIS. PHASE I. VIRUS ISOLATION AND TRANSMISSION (RWO 161) Investigator(s): P. A. Klein E. Jacobson Completion Date: June 1998 MIGRATIONS AND HABITAT USE OF SEA TURTLES IN THE BAHAMAS (RWO 166) Investigator(s): K. A. Bjorndal A. A. Bolten Completion Date: September 1998 POPULATION GENETIC STRUCTURE OF MARINE TURTLES, Eretmochelys imbricata AND Caretta caretta, IN THE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES AND ADJACENT CARIBBEAN REGION (RWO 167) Investigator(s): B. W. Bowen A. L. Bass Completion Date: June 1998

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DISTRIBUTION AND ABUNDANCE OF SENSITIVE WILDLIFE AT AVON PARK AIR FORCE RANGE (RWO 169) Investigator: R. Franz Completion Date: December 1998 RED-COCKADED WOODPECKER CAVITIES AND SNAGS IN LONGLEAF PINE FORESTS: CAVITY NESTER USE AND NESTING SUCCESS (RWO 170) Investigator: K. E. Sieving Completion Date: September 1998 PLANT AND INVERTEBRATE COMMUNITY RESPONSES TO RESTORATION TECHNIQUES IN DEGRADED FLORIDA SANDHILLS: THIRD YEAR POSTTREATMENT (RWO 174) Investigator(s): G. W. Tanner D. R. Gordon Completion Date: July 1998 DEMOGRAPHICS, GENETIC RELATIONSHIPS, AND IMPACTS FROM RED IMPORTED FIRE ANTS ON THE FLORIDA GRASSHOPPER SPARROW (RWO 175a) Investigator: H. F. Percival Completion Date: March 1998 RED IMPORTED FIRE ANT IMPACTS ON THE ENDANGERED FLORIDA GRASSHOPPER SPARROW (RWO 175b) Investigator: H. F. Percival Completion Date: June 1998 WADING BIRD POPULATION MONITORING, ENVIRONMENTAL, CORRELATES OF ADULT FORAGING SUCCESS, AND MEASUREMENTS OF NESTLING ENERGETIC NEEDS IN THE EVERGLADES - PHASE II (RWO 176)

Investigator: P. C. Frederick Completion Date: April 1998 POPULATION CHARACTERIZATION OF KEMP’S RIDLEY SEA TURTLES IN THE BIG BEND AREA, GULF OF MEXICO, FLORIDA (MONITOR, ASSESS, AND PREDICT STATUS OF AND IMPACTS TO PROTECTED SPECIES AND THEIR ECOSYSTEMS) (RWO 177) Investigator: R. R. Carthy Completion Date: September 1998 BREEDING AND REINTRODUCTION OF THE ENDANGERED SCHAUS SWALLOWTAIL (RWO 179) Investigator: T. C. Emmel Completion Date: March 1998 ESTIMATING SURVIVAL AND MOVEMENTS IN SNAIL KITE POPULATION (RWO 183) Investigator(s): W. M. Kitchens R. E. Bennetts Completion Date: July 1998 TREE ISLAND BIOLOGICAL INVENTORY: LANDSCAPE LEVEL ASSESSMENT AND DETERMINATION OF TREE ISLAND AREA, SHAPE, AND VEGETATION ZONES (RWO 184) Investigator(s): W. M. Kitchens L. A. Brandt Completion Date: September 1998 BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY IN FLORIDA: AN EVALUATION OF POTENTIAL SPECIES IN RELATION TO HABITAT AND EXISTING RESERVES (RWO 98) Investigator(s): W. M. Kitchens L. G. Pearlstine S. E. Smith J. L. Hardesty

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Completion Date: September 1998 IMPROVING SURVEY METHODS AND ASSESSING IMPOUNDMENT EFFECTS ON WATERFOWL ECOLOGY AT THE MERRITT ISLAND NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE (RWO 186) Investigator: R. R. Carthy Completion Date: June 1999 FACTORS AFFECTING BREEDING STATUS OF WADING BIRDS IN THE EVERGLADES (RWO 188) Investigator(s): P. C. Frederick M. G. Spalding Completion Date: January 1999 EFFECTS OF PRESCRIBED FIRE ON SOIL NUTRIENTS, FORAGE QUALITY, AND PLANT COMMUNITY COMPOSITION, AND ON BREEDING BIRD COMMUNITIES ON THE FLORIDA PANTHER NWR (RWO 168) Investigator: Martin B. Main Completion Date: July 1999 FLORIDA GAP ANALYSIS (RWO 187) Investigator(s): L. G. Pearlstine Scot E. Smith Completion Date: December 1999 MODELING AND SIMULATION SUPPORT FOR ATLSS (RWO 154a) Investigator: Paul A. Fishwick Completion Date: December 1999 THE EFFECT OF EVERGLADES FOOD ITEMS (PREY) ON CROCODILIAN GROWTH DEVELOPMENT, AND FERTILITY (RWO 154b) Investigator: P. T. Cardielhac Completion Date: December 1999

AMERICAN ALLIGATOR DISTRIBUTION, THERMOREGULATION, AND BIOTIC POTENTIAL RELATIVE TO HYDROPERIOD IN THE EVERGLADES NATIONAL PARK (RWO 154c) Investigator(s): H. F. Percival Kenneth G. Rice Completion Date: December 1999 NESTING, GROWTH, AND SURVIVAL OF AMERICAN CROCODILES IN NORTHEASTERN FLORIDA BAY, EVERGLADES NATIONAL PARK: PHASE I (RWO 178) Investigator(s): Frank J. Mazzotti Laura A. Brandt Completion Date: April 2000 CREATION OF UPDATED LAND COVER MAP OF FLORIDA Investigator(s): L. G. Pearlstine W. M. Kitchens Completion Date: August 1999 ORIENTATION OF DIGITAL AERIAL IMAGES AND PROTOCOL DEVELOPMENT Investigator(s): L. G. Pearlstine Scot E. Smith Completion Date: April 1999 PRODUCE A MANUAL OF SEA TURTLE RESEARCH AND CONSERVATION TECHNIQUES (RWO 172) Investigator(s): Karen A. Bjorndal Alan B. Bolten Completion Date: July 1999 WILDLIFE REFUGE WATERFOWL SURVEY DATABASE (RWO 202) Investigator(s): R.. R. Carthy Erin McMichael R. Subramaniya

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Completion Date: December 2000 MOVEMENTS, SPATIAL USE PATTERNS, AND HABITAT UTILIZATION OF RADIO-TAGGED WEST INDIAN MANATEES (TRICHECHUS MANATUS) ALONG THE ATLANTIC COAST OF FLORIDA AND GEORGIA (RWO 163) Investigator(s): H. F. Percival C. J. Deutsch Lynn W. Lefebvre Completion Date: July 2000 PATHOGENIC, MOLECULAR, AND IMMUNOLOGICAL PROPERTIES OF A VIRUS ASSOCIATED WITH SEA TURTLE FIBROPAPILLOMATOSIS. PHASE II: VIRAL PATHOGENESIS AND DEVELOPMENT OF DIAGNOSTIC ASSAYS (RWO 180) Investigator(s): Paul A. Klein E.R. Jacobson Daniel R. Brown S. S. Coberley Dean Bagley Completion Date: June 2000 DRY DOWN TOLERANCE OF FLORIDA APPLE SNAIL (POMACEA PALUDOSA): EFFECTS OF AGE AND SEASON (RWO 182) Investigator(s): H. Franklin Percival Philip C. Darby Z. C. Welch Completion Date: August 2000 EFFECTS OF COASTAL EROSION ON NESTING SEA TURTLES ALONG THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE (RWO 185) Investigator(s): R. R. Carthy M. M. Lamont Completion Date: May 2000

A COMPARISON BETWEEN THE POPULATION OF THE POTENTIAL TUMOR-PROMOTING DINOFLAGELLATE, PROROCENTRUM SPP. AND THE INCIDENCE OF FIBROPAPILLOMATOSIS IN GREEN TURTLES (CHELONIA MYDAS) IN FLORIDA AND HAWAII (RWO 192) Investigator(s): R.R. Carthy Y.C. Anderson Completion Date: June 2000 INCUBATION TEMPERATURES AND SEX RATIOS OF LOGGERHEAD SEA TURTLES (CARETTA CARETTA) HATCHED ON NORTHWEST FLORIDA BEACHES (RWO 197a) Investigator(s): R. R. Carthy M. L. Maglothin Completion Date: August 2000 BIOLOGY OF NESTING SEA TURTLES ALONG THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE (RWO 197b) Investigator(s): R. R. Carthy M. M. Lamont Completion Date: August 2000 A COMPARISON BETWEEN HAWAII AND FLORIDA: THE POTENTIAL LINK BETWEEN THE TUMOR-PROMOTING DINOFLAGELLATE, PROROCENTRUM SPP, AND THE PREVALENCE OF FIBROPAPILLOMATOSIS IN GREEN TURTLES (RWO 210) Investigator(s): R. R. Carthy Y.C. Anderson Completion Date: December 2000 FEEDING ECOLOGY AND HABITAT AND HABITAT AFFINITIES OF KEMP’S RIDLEY SEA TURTLES IN THE BIG BEND, FLORIDA (RWO 189)

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Investigator: R.R. Carthy Personnel: J.S. Staiger Completion Date: August 2001 TIME LAPSE LANDSCAPE ECOLOGY: MERRITT ISLAND NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE (MINWR) (RWO 198) Investigator: R.R. Carthy J.B. Wooding Personnel: W.J. Barichivich Completion Date: December 2001 APPLICATION OF THE SPECIES AT RISK CONSERVATION FOR THE FLORIDA ARMY NATIONAL GUARD AT CAMP BLANDING TRAINING SITE, CLAY COUNTY, FLORIDA (RWO 201) Investigator: R.R. Carthy Personnel: C.J. Gregory A.J. Gruschke L.G. Pearlstine Completion Date: August 2001 HYDROLOGICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF THE WHITE RIVER BASIN (RWO 203) Investigator: W.M. Kitchens Personnel: M.A. Craig W.R. Wise Completion Date: September 2001 A MULTIMODEL IMPLEMENTATION SUPPORTING ATLSS: ACROSS TROPHIC LEVEL SYSTEM SIMULATION (RWO 204) Investigator: P.A. Fishwick Personnel: R.M. Cubert L.K. Dance J.F. Hopkins T. Kim Completion Date: December 2001

RELATIONS OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINANTS, ALGAL TOXINS, AND DIET WITH THE REPRODUCTIVE SUCCESS OF AMERICAN ALLIGATORS ON FLORIDA LAKES (RWO 193) Investigator: H.F. Percival T.S. Gross Personnel: B. Bradford Completion Date: August 2001 FURTHER STRATEGIES FOR EVALUATING THE ETIOLOGICAL ROLE OF A TUMOR-ASSOCIATED HERPESVIRUS IN MARINE TURTLE FIBROPAPILLOMATOSIS (RWO 194) Investigators: E.R. Jacobson P.A. Klein Personnel: D.A. Bagley S.S. Coberly R. Hirschman Completion Date: September 2001 EVALUATION OF DESERT TORTOISES IN AND AROUND FORT IRWIN FOR EXPOSURE TO A TORTOISEE HERPESVIRUS (RWO 196) Investigators: E.R. Jacobson P.A. Klein Personnel: F.C. Origgi S. Tucker Completion Date: April 2001 RESPONSE OF NESTING SEA TURTLES AND FORAGING SHOREBIRDS TO BARRIER ISLAND DYNAMICS (RWO 206) Investigator: R.R. Carthy Personnel: M.M. Lamont Completion Date: August 2001 FACTORS AFFECTING BREEDING STATUS OF WADING BIRDS IN THE EVERGLADES (RWO 191) Investigator: P.C. Frederick Personnel: J.D. Semones

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R.A. Hylton G.A. Babbitt R. Ruane J.A. Heath Completion Date: April 2002 Ecological inventory of Moody Air Force Base and surrounding properties (Z-038) Investigator: Wiley M. Kitchens Personnel: C. J. Gregory M.t M. Lamont Completion Date: March 2003 Ecological inventory of Moody Air Force Base and surrounding properties II (Z-039) Investigator: Raymond Carthy Personnel: C. J. Gregory Brittany Bird Completion Date: March 2003 Large Scale Habitat Monitoring for Migratory Birds: Digital Video Mosaics in Multi-Level Images (RWO 215) Investigator(s): Bon A. Dewitt L. G. Pearlstine Personnel: Grady Trull Sara R. Gonzales Leslie Hicks G. P. Jones, IV Completion Date: August 2003 Inventory and Monitoring of the Amphibians of Everglades National Park, Big Cypress National Preserve and Virgin Islands National Park (RWO 208) Investigator(s): H. Franklin Percival Kenneth G. Rice Raymond R. Carthy James D. Nichols Personnel: C. D. Bugbee M. E. Crockett Amber D. Dove Brian Jeffery Andrew J. Maskell J.Hardin Waddle Completion Date: December 2003

American Alligator Distribution, Thermoregulations, and Biotic Potential Relative to Hydroperiod in the Everglades (RWO 199) Investigator(s): H. F. Percival Kenneth G. Rice Personnel: Matthew D. Chopp Adam G. Finger Phillip George Brian Jeffery Michael T. Tuten Completion Date: December 2003 Seroepidemiological Studies of Herpesvirus-associated Diseases of Marine Turtles: Fibropapillomatosis and Lung-Eye-Trachea Disease (RWO 213) Investigator: Raymond Carthy Paul A. Klein Elliot R. Jacobson Personnel: Dean A. Bagley S S Coberly (Curry) Rachel Hirschman Completion Date: December 2003 An Estimate of Population and Age Structure for Gulf of Mexico Sturgeon, Acipenser O. desotoi, on the Yellow River (RWO 214) Investigator(s): Michael S. Allen Personnel: James Berg Completion Date: December 2003 Contaminant Screening to Investigate Wildlife Mortality on Lakes in Central Florida (RWO-195) Investigator(s): H. Franklin Percival J. Perran Ross Personnel: Y. Temsiripong Completion Date: April 2003

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