Waterbird monitoring as a tool for estuarine conservation: A case study from Laguna La Cruz, Sonora, Mexico
McKenna'Hanson1*'Lorayne'Meltzer1,'Abram'Fleishman2','Lindsay'Adrean1,'Emily'Clark1'' '1Presco@'College'Kino'Bay'Center'for'Cultural'and'Ecological'Studies,'151'Calle'Cadiz'y'Puerto'Vallarta,'Bahía'de'Kino,'Sonora,'Mexico' ''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''2 ConservaKon'Metrics,'Inc.,'100'Shaffer'Rd.,'Santa'Cruz,'CA'95060,'*Contact:'mckenna.hanson@
[email protected]'
Introduc)on*
''''IBA/Ramsar*Designa)on*
Progress*in*Conserva)on*Goals*
The' Presco@' College' Kino' Bay' Center' for' Cultural' and' Ecological' Studies' (The' Center)' conducts' and' supports' monitoring' and' research' to' increase' scienKfic' knowledge' of' regional' ecosystems' and' biodiversity,' idenKfy' conservaKon' prioriKes' and' facilitate' inter`insKtuKonal' and' mulK`cultural' collaboraKon' toward' resource' management' based' on' sound' science' and' community' parKcipaKon' (Figures' 1' &' 2).' ' Ongoing' waterbird' projects' focus' on' the' protecKon' of' nesKng' and' migratory' birds' (Figure'3)'and'their'habitats'on'islands,'in'estuaries,'and'at`sea'in'the'Midriff'Islands'Region'of'the'Gulf' of'California'through'monitoring,'research,'outreach'and'collaboraKve'management'efforts.''
Waterbird'monitoring'data'collected'from'2009`2011'were'used'to'secure'designaKon'for'both'Important'Bird'Area'(IBA)' and'a'Wetland'of'InternaKonal'Importance'(Ramsar)'for'Laguna'La'Cruz'by'meeKng'applicaKon'requirements'regarding' avian' use' of' the' estuary.' Table' 1' shows' each' requirement' met' by' the' Center’s' data' for' both' the' IBA' and' Ramsar' applicaKons.'
As' co`responsible' parKes' for' the' management' of' the' Laguna' La' Cruz' Ramsar' site,' ' The' Center,' the' Comisión' Nacional' de' Áreas' Naturales' Protegidas' (CONANP)' and' the' Universidad' de' Sonora' are' facilitaKng' a' unique' collaboraKve' process' with' a' council' composed' of' diverse' stakeholders' to' develop' a' community`based' management' program' for' Laguna' La' Cruz.' The' program' includes' increased' community' parKcipaKon' in' conservaKon' (Figure' 11),' funding' and' training' for' economic' alternaKves' to' fishing,' legal' protecKon' of' coastal' habitat'and'increased'research'(Figures'13'&'14)'and'educaKonal'opportuniKes'(Figure'12)'in'the'region.'''
Application Criteria ! Assemblage!of!biome-restricted!species.! ! ! ! Contains!species!listed!as!a!protected,!threatened! or!in!danger!of!extinction!on!NOM-059SEMARNAT-2001!(the!ofNicial!rule!designating! protected!species!in!Mexico).! ! ! Species!present!in!>1%!of!their!regional! population.! ! ! Species!present!during!a!critical!stage!of!their! biological!cycle.!
Figure# 2:# Center# fellows# conducFng# waterbird# producFvity# monitoring#(Photographer#unknown).#
Figure# 1:# A# fellow# from# the# Center’s# Waterbird# Monitoring# Program# counts# DoubleGcrested# Cormorant#nests#(Photographer#Irene#Espinosa).#
Figure# 3:# Marbled# Godwits# (Limosa# fedoa)# winter# in# the# lagoon,# and# use# the# lagoon# as# a# stopover# site# during# migraFon#(Photographer#Emily#Clark).#
2017'
1990'
' ' ' '
! 9!species:!ELTE,!AMOY,!BLSK,!SNPL,!ROTE,!WIPL,!FOTE,!WILL,!MAGO! ! Nesting!Species:!GBHE,!SNEG,!LBHE,!TRHE,!REEG,!GREG,!WHIB,!GRHE,! BCNH,!YCNH,!CAEG,!ROSP,!OSPR,!CLRA,!WIPL,!KILL,!AMOY,!LETE,!LEBI! ! ! ! 84!species!of!recorded!waterbirds!using!the!estuary.!
! Contains!populations!of!species!important!for! maintaining!the!biodiversity!of!a!speciNic! biogeographical!region.! ! ! ! ! Laguna!La!Cruz!makes!up!part!of!the!PaciNic!migration!route!and!is!an! Wetland!contains!a!representative,!rare!or!unique! important!stopover!point!for!migratory!waterbirds,!speciNically! example!of!a!natural!or!near!natural!wetland!in!a! shorebirds,!gulls!and!terns!(Fleishner!&!Gates,!2009).!! speciNic!region.!! ! ! ! ! Wetland!sustains!a!signiNicant!portion!of! 96!species!of!Nish!have!been!registered!to!correspond!to!34!families!and! subspecies,!species!or!families!of!autocthonous! 63!genus!types!(Grijalva-Chon!et.$al.,$1996).! Nish.! ! ! ! !Wetland!is!an!important!feeding!source!for!Nish,!is! The!96!species!of!Nish!found!in!the!estuary!indicates!high!species!richness! a!spawning!zone,!and!area!of!development!and/or! and!is!a!greater!number!of!species!registered!in!other!lagoons!found!in! a!migratory!route!that!the!existence!of!Nish!depend! the!state!of!Sonora!(Grijalva-Chon!et.$al.,$1996).!! on.!! ! ! *************IBA* *******Ramsar* **Both*Applica)ons* Table#1#
Figure# 11:# Bahia# de# Kino# community# members# work# on# an# acFvity# during# a# wetlands# conservaFon# workshop# at# the# Center#(Photographer#Kayla#Sargent).'
Figure#12:#An#informaFonal#sign#about#the#Ramsar#site# painted#by#local#ecology#club#members#hangs#at#Laguna# La#Cruz'(Photographer#Emily#Wi]man).'
Figure# 13:# Wilson’s# Plovers# (Charadrius# wilsonia)# nest# in# the# salt#scrub#surrounding#the#lagoon#(Photographer#Emily#Clark).#
Figure#14:#Large#numbers#of#Elegant#Terns#(Thalassius# elegans)# # are# seen# in# the# spring# roosFng# on# the# mud# flats#or#on#the#estero.#They#gather#in#coastal#wetlands# before#heading#to#their#breeding#grounds#on#Isla#Rasa# in#April#and#May#(unknown#photographer).#
Data*Summary*
Conclusions''
'Literature*Cited*
Waterbird' monitoring' is' an' effecKve' tool' that' can' be' used' to' increase' community' awareness' about' the' importance' to' protect' threatened' coastal' estuaries' in' the' region' and' how' to' protect' them.' Waterbird' monitoring' combined' with' internaKonal' conservaKon' programs' are' first' steps' in' expanding' protecKons' for' waterbirds' (Figure' 15)' and' estuaries' and' creaKng' economic' and' social' development' opportuniKes' for' neighboring'communiKes.'In'the'case'of'Laguna'La'Cruz,' internaKonal' protecKons' of' wetlands' enabled' and' compelled' naKonal' agencies' and' private' funders' to' allocate' resources' for' environmental' conservaKon' and' promoted' local' pride' and' acKon,' facilitaKng' truly' collaboraKve' conservaKon' processes' for' important' and' unique'estuarine'habitats.'
Aburto`Oropeza'O,'Ezcurra'E,'Danemann'G,'Valdez'V,' Murray' J,' Sala' E.' 2008.' ' Mangroves' in' the' Gulf' of' California' Increase' Fishery' Yields.' Proceedings' of' the' NaKonal'Academy'of'Sciences,'105(30):10456`10459.' '' “Audubon:'Birds'&'Science”'.'Web4.audubon.org.'N.p.' 2017.'Web.'29'Nov.'2016.' ' Barraza`Guardado'RH,'Marwnez`Córdova'LR,' Enríquez`Ocaña'LF,'Marwnez`Porchas'M,'Miranda` Baeza'A,'Porchas`Cornejo'MA.'Effect'of'shrimp'farm' effluent'on'water'and'sediment'quality'parameters' off'the'coast'of'Sonora,'Mexico.'Ciencias'Marinas.' 2014;40(4):221–235.' ''' Brusca' R,' Finley' LT,' HasKngs' P,' Van' der' Heiden' AM.' 2005.' Macrofaunal' Diversity' in' the' Gulf' of' California.' In:' ' Biodiversity,' Ecosystems' and' ConservaKon' in' Northern' Mexico.' 1st' ed.' New' York,' NY;' Oxford' University'Press,'p.'179`203.' '' Clark'EW,'Fleishman'AB,'Riegner'MF.'2015.'Diversity,' Abundance' and' NesKng' Phenology' of' the' Wading' Birds' of' Bahia' de' Kino,' Sonora,' Mexico.' Waterbirds,' 38(4):355`363.' '' Fleischner' TL,' &' Gates,' HR.' 2009.' Shorebird' Use' of' Estero' Santa' Cruz,' Sonora,' México:' Abundance,' Diversity' and' ConservaKon' ImplicaKons.' Waterbirds,' 32(1),'36`43.'' '' Grijalva`Chon' J,' Nunez`Quevedo' S,' and' Castro` Longoria' R.' 1996.' Ichthyofauna' of' La' Cruz' coastal' lagoon','Sonora,'México.'Ciencias'Marinas,'22,'129'.' '' SEMARNAT' (Secretaría' de' Medio' Ambiente' y' Recursos' Naturales).' 2010.' Norma' Oficial' Mexicana' NOM`059`SEMARNAT`2010' (antes' NOM`059` ECOL`2001)' Que' Establece' Las' Especificaciones' de' Protección' Ambiental' de' Las' Especies' NaKvas' de' México' de' Flora' y' Fauna' Silvestres' en' Categorías' de' Riesgo' y' Especificaciones' Para' su' Inclusión,' Exclusión' o' Cambio`Lista' de' Especies' En' Riesgo.' ' Diario' Oficial' de'la'Federación'[6'December'2016].' '' Wetlands' InternaKonal' .' Waterbird' PopulaKon' EsKmates' 5# [Internet].' Horapark,' Netherlands:' Wetlands' InternaKonal;' [Accessed' 25' January' 2017].' Available'from'h@p://wpe.wetlands.org/Imaps.' '' ''
Study*Area*and*Impacts*of*Aquaculture* Humedales'de'la'Laguna'La'Cruz'(Laguna'La'Cruz)'is'a'6,665'hectare'negaKve'estuary'located'directly' south' of' the' town' of' Bahia' de' Kino' in' Sonora,' Mexico' (Figure' 4).' NegaKve' estuaries' (or' esteros)' are' hypersaline'lagoons'that'occur'on'many'desert'coastlines'(Brusca'et#al.,'2005).'This'estero'is'composed' of' salt' marsh' vegetaKon,' mangroves' and' sand/mud' flats,' and' acts' as' an' important' stopover' site' for' migratory'birds'in'the'region.'The'estero'is'also'an'important'nursery'ground'for'fish'and'invertebrates' providing' criKcal' support' for' marine' ecosystems' and' local' economies' (Grijalva`Chon' et# al.,' 1996,' Aburto`Orapeza' et# al.,# 2008).' These' refuges' are' increasingly' threatened' by' development' for' shrimp' aquaculture'(Figure'5).'As'of'2014,'20'faciliKes'for'shrimp'aquaculture'were'culKvaKng'shrimp'in'over' 4,063' hectares' of' ponds' located' in' the' land' adjacent' to' the' estuary' ' (Clark' et# al.,# 2015).' Effluent' discharged'from'these'farms'has'led'to'increased'levels'of'sedimentaKon,'salinity,'bacteria'and'organic' parKculates,'and'decreased'levels'of'oxygen'(Barraza'et#al.,#2012).''
The Center’s Data ! Between!846!and!31,018!birds!recorded!using!the!estuary!to!feed,!rest! and!nest.! ! ! ! ! 8!species:!REEG,!SNPL,!LETE,!ELTE,!HEEG,!YFGU,!BLBR,!AMOY!
Figure#6:#mean#species#richness#by#year.
Figure#7:#total#abundance#by#month.#
Figure#8:#mean#species#richness#by#month.#
Since'regular'surveys'began'in'2009,'a'total'of'361,094'waterbirds'of'89'species'have'been'recorded,'19'of'which'nest'in'
the' estero' (Figure' 10).' Overall' annual' species' richness' averaged' 59' ±' 8.8' (n=8).' Average' species' richness' for' a' single' survey'was'35.3'±'3.3'(range:'Figure'6).'Seasonal'trends'show'increases'in'species'richness'and'total'abundance'during' the'spring'and'fall'migraKon'periods'and'decreases'during'the'hot'summer'months'(Figures'7'&'8).'Nine'species'have' been'recorded'with'>1%'of'their'regional'populaKons'(Figure'9).'To'increase'protecKon'of'this'important'estuary,'we' used' this' data' to' apply' for' and' receive' Important' Bird' Area' and' Ramsar' Wetland' of' InternaKonal' Importance' designaKons.'
' !
'
Figure#4:#An#aerial#photo#from# 1990# shows# the# lack# of# development# surrounding# Laguna# La# Cruz# prior# to# the# c o n s t r u c F o n# o f# s h r i m p# aquaculture.' Shrimp'farms' Ramsar'Site'Humedales'de'la'Laguna'La'Cruz'
Figure#5:#The#14,000#hectares#of#shrimp#farms#pictured#here#have#been#developed#since#1990.#The#4,063#hectares# of#farms#immediately#surrounding#Laguna#La#Cruz#pose#a#direct#threat#the#estuarine#habitat#and#species.#The#total# area#of#the#Ramsar#site#covers#6,665#hectares#around#the#mouth#of#the#lagoon#(Map#by#Horacio#Cabrera,#2017).#
Figure# 15:# Reddish# Egrets# (Egre]a# rufescens)# nesFng# within# the#estero#and#on#Isla#Alcatraz#(4#km#away)#make#up#one#of# the# largest# breeding# congregaFons# in# Northwest# Mexico# (Photographer#Naomi#Blinick).## Figure# 10:# The# estero# is# an# important# overG wintering# site# for# American# Oystercatchers# (Haematopus# palliatus).# AddiFonally,# up# to# 5# nests# have# been# found# in# March# through# June' Figure#9:#Maximum#monthly#abundance#of#9#species#of#waterbirds#that#have#been# (Photographer#Naomi#Blinick).'' recorded# with# >1%# of# their# regional# populaFon# between# 2009G2016.# # Red# lines# indicate#1%#regional#populaFon#threshold#per#species.#
Acknowledgments*
This' project' was' done' as' part' of' the' Research' and' ConservaKon' Program' of' the' Presco@' College' Kino' Bay' Center' in' collaboraKon'with'Presco@'College,'U.S.'Fish'&'Wildlife'Service'and'The'David'&'Lucile'Packard'FoundaKon.'All'photos'are' from'the'Kino'Bay'Center'Photo'Database.'
