Trappings of Success: Predator Removal for Duck Nest Survival in Alberta Parklands

摘要: Nest survival is most limited by nest predation, which often increased anthropogenic causes including habitat fragmentation, mesopredator release and predator subsidies. In mallards other upland-nesting duck species in the North American prairies, rate of vital influential to population dynamics, with 15%–20% required for maintenance stable populations. Predator removal during nesting season has on township-sized (9324 ha) areas agricultural ecosystems eastern locations prairie pothole region (PPR). However, not been evaluated western parkland habitats PPR where three-dimensional structure vegetation considerably greater. During 2015–2017, we control predator-removal plots at two study parklands central Alberta, Canada. second year study, transposed effects. Estimates 34-day did significantly differ between trapped ( x ¯ = 20.9%, 95% CI 13.2%–33.7%) 17.8%, 10.5%–30.0%) any year. We do recommend be continued Alberta due its ineffectiveness improving local scale.