US Fish and Wildlife Service Grant for University of Delaware’s Entomology & Wildlife Ecology Department to Continue Chickaloon Flats Waterfowl Study

PURPOSE:
The purpose of this agreement is to continue support of graduate research at the University of Delaware that was initiated under a Challenge Cost-Share agreement (FWS Agreement #: 70181-8-J527) in FY08.

OBJECTIVES:
Dr. Chris Williams (University of Delaware) and Dr. John Morton (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service) are collaboratively supporting a graduate student to complete an ongoing study of Chickaloon Flats use by migratory shorebirds and waterfowl. As part of this graduate student’s work towards an M.S. degree from the Department of Entomology & Wildlife Ecology, she is responsible for completing a graduate thesis that addresses the study objectives identified below. The student will be supported as a graduate teaching and/or research assistant at the University of Delaware, and by KENWR as a biological intern or STEP employee.

BACKGROUND
The purpose of this graduate research is to study the use of Chickaloon Flats by waterfowl and shorebird populations during spring and fall migrations. This 17,000-acre mud flat and tidal marsh complex, located on the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge (hereinafter referred to as “KENWR”) is a major waterfowl and shorebird staging area used by up to 25,000 birds a day during spring and fall migration including trumpeter and tundra swans, Canada, white-fronted and snow geese, Sandhill crane, northern pintail, mallard, green-winged teal, whimbrel, northern phalarope, and pectoral sandpipers. However, the potential for disturbance of waterfowl and shorebird populations is great due to development adjacent to the Flats and proposals for increased aircraft access for recreational activities. Yet, aside from a 1972 graduate thesis, little is known about the significance of Chickaloon Flats as a staging area. In a regional context, it may be one of the largest tidal flats to be ice-free in early spring along the coast of south-central Alaska. This project will quantify the importance of Chickaloon Flats to waterfowl and shorebird populations during spring and fall migrations. To achieve this goal, KENWR will work collaboratively with Dr. Chris Williams at the University of Delaware to support a graduate student to 1) conduct spring and fall aerial surveys of waterfowl and shorebird populations, 2) collect invertebrate and seed biomass on mudflats to estimate food availability for staging birds, and 3) conduct stable isotope analyses on feathers from migrating birds to determine their origin.

REASON FOR SINGLE SOURCE:

(1) Continuation – The activity for which this agreement will support is necessary to the continuation of an activity presently being funded, and for which competition would have a significant adverse effect on the continuity or completion of the activity. The purpose of this agreement is to continue support of graduate research at the University of Delaware that was initiated under a Challenge Cost-Share agreement (FWS Agreement #: 70181-8-J527) in FY08. In addition, this agreement supports a collaborative arrangement between KENWR, the University of Delaware, and the Wildlife Nutrient Analysis Center at the University of Rhode Island.

(2) Unique Qualifications – The applicant is uniquely qualified to perform the activity based upon a variety of demonstrable factors such as location, property ownership, voluntary support capacity, cost-sharing ability, if applicable, technical expertise, or other such unique qualifications. Indeed, KENWR is cost-sharing the support of a graduate student to work with Dr. Chris Williams at the University of Delaware. In addition, the Wildlife Nutrient Analysis Center at the University of Rhode Island will analyze feather and tissue samples for stable isotopes from four species of shorebirds collected as part of this study. No other contract laboratories conduct similar analysis on other biological materials, but Wildlife Nutrient Analysis Center is the only that specializes in analyses of samples from migratory waterbirds.