Moist-Soil Seed Biomass and Species Richness on Wetland Reserve Program Easements in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley

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To better understand the contribution of private lands enrolled in conservation easement programs to wintering waterfowl habitat and energetics, we evaluated effects of management strategies on seed biomass, species richness, and presence of beneficial (i.e., considered to have nutritional value to waterfowl) and introduced species on 32 Wetland Reserve Program easements in Arkansas and Mississippi. We collected soil core samples from seasonal wetlands with active and passive management strategies in 2008–2009. Overall mean (±SE) biomass for all seeds was 527.8 (±28.5) kg/ha, whereas mean biomass of beneficial seeds was 263.5 (±18.5) kg/ha. Actively managed sites in Mississippi had greater beneficial seed mass compared to passively managed sites, whereas management had no effect on beneficial seed mass in Arkansas in fall 2008 and in fall 2009, passive sites had greater beneficial seed mass than active sites. Our estimate of beneficial seed biomass on WRP easements represents a 47 % reduction in estimated food availability for waterfowl on privately owned wetlands. Lower estimates of food availability on privately owned, seasonal wetlands in the lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley may warrant increased conservation efforts for seasonal wetlands or additional emphasis on management techniques to increase moist-soil seed biomass on privately owned seasonal wetlands.