Fish and Wildlife Service

Description

This award is part of an investigation into the occurrence, availability, and ecosystem-related stress of lead on National Wildlife Refuges (NWRs) of the Texas Gulf Coast. During the past two decades, lead exposure has remained constantly high for mottled ducks, a nonmigratory waterfowl species dependent on coastal marsh for its entire life cycle, despite the elimination of lead shot for waterfowl harvest since the early 1980s. It is suspected that effects of lead exposure are contributing to the declining population trends of mottled ducks in Texas since the mid 1990s. This award will support 1) determination of the role of environmental lead present on National Wildlife Refuges (NWRs) of the Texas Midcoast NWR Complex and Aransas NWR; and 2) assessment of the use of moist-soil management on the Texas Chenier Plain NWR Complex to reduce waterfowl use of areas with potential hazardous lead concentrations. Information from this project will support management decisions for mottled ducks on NWRs of the Texas Gulf Coast.

Who can apply

• Others

Contact

Greg Esslinger <br/>Migratory Birds Mngmt Ops Spec <br/>Phone 505-248-6876
Greg_Esslinger@fws.gov