Long range ecological restoration plan for the Lake of the Woods using waterbird guilds as indicator species

Abstract

This thesis explores a long-term ecological restoration plan for the Lake of the Woods area using waterbird guilds as indicator species to plan, adjust and minimize climatic affects in the future. In a time of rapid global climate change, it is important to develop conservation strategies that will adjust to critical habitats that are essential for the persistence of species with diverse and dispersed requirements. Lake of the Woods is a unique location as it is an inland island composed of a variety of ecosystems with rare and threatened species, including the piping plover (Charadrius melodus), black tern (Chlidonias niger), yellow rail (Coturnicops noveboracensis), and yellow-headed blackbird (Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus). In this paper, I briefly review historic data on Lake of the Woods and predicted population trends of indicator waterbird species to show evidence of how recent climate change has already affected populations. This will assist with the consideration of areas on Lake of the Woods that can be used to mitigate effects with ecological restoration.