Effectiveness of stewardship and management strategies to conserve coastal bird populations in the northern Gulf of Mexico: a literature review
Shorebirds, seabirds, and wading birds (hereafter coastal birds) have experienced considerable losses over the last century and require proactive conservation management to stabilize or grow populations. Habitat loss and/or degradation and human disturbance are among the most urgent threats faced by...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Resilience Alliance
2025-03-01
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| Series: | Journal of Field Ornithology |
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| Online Access: | https://journal.afonet.org/vol96/iss1/art7 |
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| author | Jennifer L Fuller Nicole L Michel Evan M Adams Abigail J Darrah Auriel M. V. Fournier Jacquelyn K Grace Lianne Koczur Bethany A. C. Kraft Terri J Maness Sarah P Saunders Caz M Taylor Kiara L Valentine Theodore J. Zenzal, Jr. |
| author_facet | Jennifer L Fuller Nicole L Michel Evan M Adams Abigail J Darrah Auriel M. V. Fournier Jacquelyn K Grace Lianne Koczur Bethany A. C. Kraft Terri J Maness Sarah P Saunders Caz M Taylor Kiara L Valentine Theodore J. Zenzal, Jr. |
| author_sort | Jennifer L Fuller |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Shorebirds, seabirds, and wading birds (hereafter coastal birds) have experienced considerable losses over the last century and require proactive conservation management to stabilize or grow populations. Habitat loss and/or degradation and human disturbance are among the most urgent threats faced by coastal bird populations. Identifying effective conservation management techniques to mitigate these threats is of great interest in the northern Gulf of Mexico (nGoM), a region that provides important habitat during the entire life cycle of resident birds and an essential breeding, wintering, and stopover site for migratory birds. A suite of 35 coastal birds have been identified as priority species for multi-scale conservation monitoring in this region by the Gulf of Mexico Avian Monitoring Network (GoMAMN). This review focuses on impacts of human disturbance and anthropogenic habitat loss and/or degradation on coastal birds and effectiveness of the management strategies implemented to mitigate them, with the goal of informing nGoM management. Our review found that human disturbance was best alleviated by simultaneously deploying complementary stewardship techniques (e.g., signs, fencing, steward patrols, education and community involvement, and beach closures to humans, dogs, and vehicles). However, the relative efficacy of each individual technique is unclear given that only 13% of human disturbance management studies and 38% of habitat management studies have been conducted in the nGoM region. Given the nature of coastal bird habitat and associated risks from sea level rise and human development, most habitat management studies encouraged strategic applications of beach renourishment, limitations on beach raking, as well as site- and species-specific restoration strategies. Studies demonstrated that successful management of coastal birds in the nGoM combined these approaches, employing complementary and adaptive strategies over extended periods. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-dee2e399f36d4ecea7663b93dabb964b |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 1557-9263 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
| publisher | Resilience Alliance |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Field Ornithology |
| spelling | doaj-art-dee2e399f36d4ecea7663b93dabb964b2025-08-20T01:50:38ZengResilience AllianceJournal of Field Ornithology1557-92632025-03-01961710.5751/JFO-00612-960107612Effectiveness of stewardship and management strategies to conserve coastal bird populations in the northern Gulf of Mexico: a literature reviewJennifer L Fuller0Nicole L Michel1Evan M Adams2Abigail J Darrah3Auriel M. V. Fournier4Jacquelyn K Grace5Lianne Koczur6Bethany A. C. Kraft7Terri J Maness8Sarah P Saunders9Caz M Taylor10Kiara L Valentine11Theodore J. Zenzal, Jr.12National Audubon SocietyNational Audubon SocietyBiodiversity Research InstituteAudubon DeltaForbes Biological Station-Bellrose Waterfowl Research Center, Illinois Natural History Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana-ChampaignDepartment of Ecology and Conservation Biology, Texas A&M UniversityAlabama AudubonNational Audubon SocietySchool of Biological Sciences, Louisiana Tech UniversityNational Audubon SocietyDepartment of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Tulane University, New Orleans, LouisianaDepartment of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Tulane University, New Orleans, LouisianaUS Geological Survey Wetland and Aquatic Research CenterShorebirds, seabirds, and wading birds (hereafter coastal birds) have experienced considerable losses over the last century and require proactive conservation management to stabilize or grow populations. Habitat loss and/or degradation and human disturbance are among the most urgent threats faced by coastal bird populations. Identifying effective conservation management techniques to mitigate these threats is of great interest in the northern Gulf of Mexico (nGoM), a region that provides important habitat during the entire life cycle of resident birds and an essential breeding, wintering, and stopover site for migratory birds. A suite of 35 coastal birds have been identified as priority species for multi-scale conservation monitoring in this region by the Gulf of Mexico Avian Monitoring Network (GoMAMN). This review focuses on impacts of human disturbance and anthropogenic habitat loss and/or degradation on coastal birds and effectiveness of the management strategies implemented to mitigate them, with the goal of informing nGoM management. Our review found that human disturbance was best alleviated by simultaneously deploying complementary stewardship techniques (e.g., signs, fencing, steward patrols, education and community involvement, and beach closures to humans, dogs, and vehicles). However, the relative efficacy of each individual technique is unclear given that only 13% of human disturbance management studies and 38% of habitat management studies have been conducted in the nGoM region. Given the nature of coastal bird habitat and associated risks from sea level rise and human development, most habitat management studies encouraged strategic applications of beach renourishment, limitations on beach raking, as well as site- and species-specific restoration strategies. Studies demonstrated that successful management of coastal birds in the nGoM combined these approaches, employing complementary and adaptive strategies over extended periods.https://journal.afonet.org/vol96/iss1/art7coastal birdsgulf of mexicohabitat managementstewardship |
| spellingShingle | Jennifer L Fuller Nicole L Michel Evan M Adams Abigail J Darrah Auriel M. V. Fournier Jacquelyn K Grace Lianne Koczur Bethany A. C. Kraft Terri J Maness Sarah P Saunders Caz M Taylor Kiara L Valentine Theodore J. Zenzal, Jr. Effectiveness of stewardship and management strategies to conserve coastal bird populations in the northern Gulf of Mexico: a literature review Journal of Field Ornithology coastal birds gulf of mexico habitat management stewardship |
| title | Effectiveness of stewardship and management strategies to conserve coastal bird populations in the northern Gulf of Mexico: a literature review |
| title_full | Effectiveness of stewardship and management strategies to conserve coastal bird populations in the northern Gulf of Mexico: a literature review |
| title_fullStr | Effectiveness of stewardship and management strategies to conserve coastal bird populations in the northern Gulf of Mexico: a literature review |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effectiveness of stewardship and management strategies to conserve coastal bird populations in the northern Gulf of Mexico: a literature review |
| title_short | Effectiveness of stewardship and management strategies to conserve coastal bird populations in the northern Gulf of Mexico: a literature review |
| title_sort | effectiveness of stewardship and management strategies to conserve coastal bird populations in the northern gulf of mexico a literature review |
| topic | coastal birds gulf of mexico habitat management stewardship |
| url | https://journal.afonet.org/vol96/iss1/art7 |
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