Semester of Graduation

Summer 2026

Degree

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Renewable Natural Resources

Document Type

Thesis

Abstract

Southwest Louisiana is an important overwintering region for waterfowl, which provides a mosaic of habitat types supporting diverse species annually. Following agricultural intensification, coastal prairies of southwest Louisiana were reshaped into a landscape dominated by agricultural production, which wintering waterfowl now partially rely on to satisfy energetic demands. However, recent changes in agricultural management practices related to rice (Oryza sativa) and crawfish (Procambarus clarkii) production may influence waterfowl field use. Namely, coarse pubescence from hybrid rice cultivars, along with distinct crawfish management practices, may limit waterfowl use of flooded rice fields. Understanding how differences in field management impact waterfowl habitat use and selection is necessary to evaluate their conservation value. Using data from GPS-GSM transmitters deployed on 108 adult female northern pintails (Anas acuta) in southwest Louisiana across 2023─2025, I evaluated use and selection at field and landscape scales. To assess field-level use and selection, I collected >3,000 ground-truthed agricultural field surveys in 2024 and 2025, classifying field-level management using focal sampling and scan sampling to evaluate use and selection, respectively. I analyzed focal survey data using generalized linear mixed models (GLMMs) and scan survey data using random parameters logistic regression models to quantify differences across model variables. Importantly, actively crawfished fields were avoided, but this avoidance was ameliorated in fields with dense vegetation. Additionally, fields planted in hybrid rice were positively selected relative to fields planted in glabrous rice. I also evaluated landscape-level selection in 2023 and 2024 using integrated step selection analyses (iSSA) to quantify differences in selection of agricultural surface-water management in the non-growing season. Importantly, relative to non-crawfished fields flooded prior to rice planting, nocturnal selection of crawfishing was no different in January, but became negative in February, which may be caused by increases in active crawfishing. Crawfishing comprised the largest proportion of flooded agriculture across the landscape, while non-crawfished flooded rice fields occurred less frequently, suggesting reduced landscape carrying capacity for pintails during some portions of the overwintering period. Nonetheless, this study aids in clarifying the heterogeneous responses pintails have to agricultural management decisions, which can be used to inform regional conservation planning initiatives.

Date

6-15-2026

Committee Chair

Fowler, Drew N.

LSU Acknowledgement

1

LSU Accessibility Acknowledgment

1

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Available for download on Tuesday, June 15, 2027

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