Theses and Dissertations

Advisor

Davis, J. Brian

Committee Member

Baker, Beth

Committee Member

Ayers, Christopher R.

Date of Degree

12-12-2025

Original embargo terms

Immediate Worldwide Access

Document Type

Graduate Thesis - Open Access

Major

Wildlife, Fisheries, and Aquaculture

Degree Name

Master of Science (M.S.)

College

College of Forest Resources

Department

Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Aquaculture

Abstract

During the 19th and 20th centuries, nearly 80% of historic bottomland hardwood forests (BLHFs) in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley (MAV) was converted to cropland. Efforts to enhance and restore wetlands on marginal farmland have occurred since the early 1990s through the Wetland Reserve Easement (WRE) and other programs, yet few studies have evaluated ecological impacts of WREs. I conducted avian and aquatic macroinvertebrate surveys across WREs, croplands, and historic minimally disturbed wetlands to index abundance, richness, and diversity. I found WREs had less overall avian abundance, richness, and diversity than reference wetlands, whereas WREs exceeded crop sites in total richness and diversity, respectively. Abundance, richness, and diversity of macroinvertebrates were similar to reference wetlands and exceeded crop sites. Overall, avian and macroinvertebrate diversity exceeded that for crop sites, thus suggesting WREs ability to support biodiversity and purports future wetland restoration.

Sponsorship (Optional)

This work was funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Award No. NR213A750009C001-5.

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