Multiple factor analysis of piping plovers and other beach-dependent species habitat use and population dynamics following storm and human created changes to barrier island habitats within the Fire Island National Seashore (Report)

The goal of this project is to provide a broader ecological understanding of the ways in which the breaches and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) breach-fill projects affect piping plover populations, their red fox predators and their invertebrate prey communities. Virginia Tech (VT) compared the dynamics of bird use and invertebrate densities in an open breach area, two filled breach areas, two restoration areas, overwash areas, and other areas. Ultimately VT results will help refine their understanding of the time frame and manner in which piping plover habitat develops and persists.The work described in this report was funded under the Breach Contingency Plan (BCP; USACE 1996), the Fire Island Inlet to Moriches...

Categories: Data; Tags: Charadrius melodus, Fire Island, LCC Network Science Catalog, North Atlantic Landscape Conservation Cooperative Data.gov, Piping Plover, All tags... Report, barrier islands, beach restoration, beaches, coastal bay, coastal change, coastal ecosystems, completed, red fox, shorebirds, Fewer tags