Cheyenne Bottoms Research Articles

Flexible migration and habitat use strategies of an endangered waterbird during hydrological drought

AbstractWildlife species confront threats from climate and land use change, exacerbating the influence of extreme climatic events on populations and biodiversity. Migratory waterbirds are especially vulnerable to hydrological drought via reduced availability of surface water habitats. We assessed how whooping cranes (Grus americana) modified habitat use and migration strategies during drought to evaluate their resilience to changing conditions and adaptive capacity. We categorized >8000 night‐roost sites used by 146 cranes from 2010 to 2022 and examined relative use during non‐drought, moderate drought, and extreme drought conditions. We found cultivated and uncultivated palustrine and lacustrine wetlands were generally used less during droughts than non‐drought conditions. Conversely, impounded palustrine and lacustrine systems and rivers served more frequently as drought refugia (i.e., used more during drought than non‐drought conditions). Night roosts occurred primarily on private lands (86% overall); public land use decreased with latitude and increased with drought severity, with greatest use (56%) occurring during severe autumn drought in the southern Great Plains. Quantifying use of identified critical habitats in the United States indicated that Cheyenne Bottoms State Waterfowl Management Area and Quivira National Wildlife Refuge were used less during drought, and the Central Platte River and Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge received similar use during drought compared to non‐drought conditions. Our findings provide insights into compensatory use of habitats, where impounded surface water may function in a complementary fashion with natural wetlands. Collectively, these and other types of wetlands distributed across the migration corridor provided a reliable network of habitat available across the Great Plains. A diversity of wetlands available during variable environmental conditions would be useful in supporting continued recovery of whooping cranes and likely have benefits for a wide array of migratory birds.

Using Remote Sensing to Monitor Cattail Invasion, Cheyenne Bottoms Preserve, Kansas

Cattail (Typha sp.) has become invasive since the mid-twentieth century in the central Great Plains region. Our long-term study site is the Cheyenne Bottoms Preserve marsh-pool complex, which is owned and managed by The Nature Conservancy (TNC). We employed various types of remote sensing and made ground observations, which we have conducted during the growing season every year since 2002. The goal has been to assist TNC management for cattail monitoring and control based on a pictorial and qualitative approach. During the past two decades, TNC was successful on two occasions in slowing or turning back cattail invasion of its marsh-pool complex. Both involved favorable combinations of climatic events and human actions. Surviving cattail is able to revive quickly and expand rapidly by clonal growth during wet periods, although prolonged high water of floods may arrest cattail growth. Under such variable and dynamic conditions, cattail expansion may regain or surpass previous limits in less than a decade. The long sequence of annual and multi-seasonal small-format aerial photography has proven invaluable for planning habitat work at Cheyenne Bottoms Preserve.

Rapid Environmental Changes in the Nature Conservancy Wetland at Cheyenne Bottoms, Kansas: A Review 2002–2015

Cheyenne Bottoms is the premier wetland of Kansas; it consists of marshes, meadows, mud flats, channels, and pools within an oval-shaped closed depression. Cheyenne Bottoms has suffered a series of droughts and floods during the past century. During extended droughts, the bottoms may dry up completely. Conversely flooding may fill much of the basin with shallow, ephemeral lakes. Since 2002, we have conducted annual surveys during the growing season using various forms of remote sensing and ground observations. In particular, we have utilized low-height kite and blimp aerial photography to document changing conditions in The Nature Conservancy (TNC) marsh-complex environments. During the early twenty-first century, a series of drought-flood cycles took place; dry intervals culminated in late 2006 and early 2013 and were followed soon after by major floods. Wet intervals are characterized by abundant surface water, influx of sediment and nutrients, numerous migrating shorebirds and waterfowl, expansion of e...

Tallgrass prairie pollen assemblages in mid-continental North America

The mid-continent of North America has experienced dramatic and abrupt climate change during the Holocene, but the response of grassland vegetation to past climate change has been difficult to quantify. To improve interpretation of tallgrass prairie vegetation from pollen assemblages, we acquired and analysed a surface sample set collected from 25 small ponds (less than 10 ha surface area) in the largest contiguous remnant of tallgrass prairie in the USA. We compared these tallgrass prairie assemblages to 476 modern pollen samples classified as “prairie” in the North American Surface Sample database. We then compared the surface pollen assemblages with fossil pollen assemblages from sediment cores at two sites in Kansas—Cheyenne Bottoms and Muscotah Marsh—using the modern analog technique. Pollen assemblages in the Flint Hills surface samples were very similar to each other, with an average squared chord distance of 0.19. They were different than other modern grassland pollen assemblages mainly due to higher percentages of pollen from six woody taxa: Carya, Cornus, Juniperus, Juglans, Maclura, and Platanus. Arboreal pollen percentages ranged from 17 to 62 % and did not correlate with woody cover among sites. Cheyenne Bottoms was open grassland for the past 25,000 years, but it did not have many tallgrass prairie analogs. Muscotah Marsh did not have many grassland analogs over the past 30,000 years, possibly due to its position on the prairie-forest border or its surrounding wetland vegetation.

Snowy plover nest survival in Kansas and effective management to counter negative effects of precipitation

AbstractSnowy plovers (Charadrius nivosus) are a species of conservation concern throughout North America and listed as a threatened species in Kansas. Management to minimize the effects of flooding and predation were implemented at Kansas breeding sites in the 1980s to encourage reproductive success. However, the effectiveness of those strategies and the effect of other variables that may influence nest survival have not been formally assessed. We used Program MARK to model the daily survival rate (DSR) of 317 snowy plover nests with 14 habitat‐ and management‐related covariates to identify factors that influence nest survival and examine the efficacy of current management practices. In 2005 and 2006, we monitored nests and collected habitat data at the 2 known breeding sites in Kansas, Quivira National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) and Cheyenne Bottoms Wildlife Area (WA). Overall DSR was greater at Quivira NWR in 2006 (0.954) than at Cheyenne Bottoms WA (0.917) and Quivira NWR (0.942) in 2005. We developed 88 candidate models of which 4 competing models (ΔAICc < 2) were identified. We selected the most parsimonious model (K = 14, wi = 0.23) as the remaining 3 included covariates deemed biologically uninformative. This model included the effect of study site and year on a quadratic time trend, and included covariates quantifying nest age; precipitation; the proportion of gravel, rock, and vegetation at nests; occurrence within an electric fence and within 20 m of a road; occurrence on a human‐constructed nest mound; and adult capture during incubation. We found a strong positive relationship between the use of nest mounds and DSR, and a strong negative relationship between precipitation and DSR. We also found a strong positive relationship between DSR and the proportion of vegetation at nest sites, the occurrence of a nest within an electric fence, and adult capture at a nest. We noted a strong negative relationship between DSR and occurrence within 20 m of a road. However, we found that DSR was not sensitive to the proportion of vegetation at a nest, occurrence within an electric fence or within 20 m of a road, and to adult capture at a nest in light of covariates quantifying precipitation and the use of nest mounds. We found weak support for a positive relationship between DSR, nest age, and the proportion of gravel and rock at nests. Our results indicate that large rainfall events are a major source of snowy plover nest loss in Kansas that can be mitigated by the construction of nest mounds. Limited influence of environmental variables found to influence nest survival at other breeding sites suggests that threats to snowy plover nest survival are site specific and managers should assess local sources of nest loss prior to implementing management strategies to improve reproductive success. © 2012 The Wildlife Society.

Details of the Paranephridial System of a Species of Prohyptiasmus (Cyclocoelidae: Hyptiasminae) From an American Coot, Fulica americana (Rallidae) in Oklahoma

During a study of the endohelminths of aquatic birds from the central flyway of North America, the details of the paranephridial systems of 3 immature specimens of Prohyptiasmus sp. were examined; the worms had been collected by the late Dr. J. Teague Self, former Professor, Department of Zoology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma from an American coot, Fulica americana (Raillidae), from the Cheyenne Bottoms, Roger Mills County, Oklahoma and deposited in the Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology. The excretory vesicle was Y-shaped and had a reduced stem. There were 3 main excretory canals on each side that, in the case of the most lateral 2 pairs, reached anteriorly to the level of the oral sucker. The most lateral canals entered the excretory vesicle about halfway down the stem on each side; the middle canals entered the vesicle at the tips of the branches of the vesicle; and the most medial canals entered the vesicle on the anterior edge about halfway between the branch point and the tips of the branches. There were numerous smaller secondary canals that interconnected with each other and with the 6 main paranephridial canals, forming a net-like system.

RecentAzollaBloom at Cheyenne Bottoms, Kansas

In October 2009, low-height aerial photographs taken from a helium blimp revealed the presence of Azolla sp. over substantial portions of The Nature Conservancy (TNC) marsh complex at Cheyenne Bottoms in central Kansas. Azolla is a small, aquatic fern that has worldwide distribution; the mostly likely species for the central Great Plains is A. cristata. Although recorded previously in central Kansas, Azolla had not been seen in TNC marshes before, so its sudden appearance is remarkable. Widespread flooding in 2007 is considered the most likely means for transporting Azolla spores or plant fragments into TNC marshes; however, several other mechanisms are possible. The long-term significance of Azolla in TNC marshes is difficult to gauge at this point; both positive and negative consequences may happen in future years.

Challenge of Infrared Kite Aerial Photography: A Digital Update

Kite aerial photography (KAP) is a means to acquire large-scale, highly detailed imagery for various environmental applications. Previous color-infrared KAP was developed for film-based cameras, but is now effectively obsolete. The authors have built a KAP rig and field tested a digital color-infrared camera, the Tetracam ADC, which produces results that are generally comparable with color-infrared film photography. Field testing was conducted at the Cheyenne Bottoms Preserve of The Nature Conservancy in central Kansas. The resulting images are high-contrast photographs that depict emergent vegetation in bright red-pink colors and show water bodies nearly black, as would be expected in color-infrared imagery. Color-visible digital cameras produce better apparent spatial resolution, whereas the Tetracam ADC camera provides an extended spectral range into the near-infrared. For detailed environmental field investigations involving kite aerial photography, a combination of color-visible and color-infrared ca...

Topographic ellipses in Finney and Sedgwick counties, Kansas may signal deep structures in Precambrian basement

Hillshade maps based on digitized topography and capable of detecting subtle changes in slope that are otherwise imperceptible, reveal two large and heretofore unrecognized topographic ellipses in Kansas here designated the Garden City ellipse (10 by 14 km dimensions) in Finney County and the Goddard ellipse (11 by 13 km) in Sedgwick County. Cheyenne Bottoms in Barton County, although long known, is a larger ellipse (22 by 32 km). All three are bounded by outlines that are remarkably elliptical, suggesting that they may represent the surface expressions of deeply buried bodies in the Precambrian basement perhaps the result of meteorite impact. Cheyenne Bottoms is controversial because it has been ascribed to subsidence caused by solution of the underlying Permian Hutchinson Salt. The Garden City and Goddard ellipses are not known to involve faulting, but it is hypothesized that fractures that bound deeply buried elliptical bodies that lie beneath them are propagated to the surface and perceptibly affect the topography. Support for the hypothesis that deep-seated fractures affect the landscape in the region also is provided by the pervasive influence of a “fine-scale fracture system” that may extend through the crust and influence the development of reticulate linear drainage patterns. Recurrent small up and down movements, perhaps in response to tectonic movements elsewhere and maintained by earth tides, may be responsible for the fine-scale fracture system. Paradoxically the fractures of the fine-scale system seem to be distinct from those that bound the ellipses, but they strengthen the hypothesis that deep-seated fractures of various configurations are basic aspects of the crust and are capable of revealing deep-seated features heretofore unrecognized.

Shorebird (Charadriiformes) migration at selected sites throughout Kansas during 2002–2006

Shorebirds were counted at selected sites throughout Kansas during 2002–2006. At least 75% of the shorebirds counted during spring and summer-fall were counted at either Cheyenne Bottoms Wildlife Area or Quivira National Wildlife Refuge. Thirty-nine species of shorebirds were reported and species composition varied among regions and seasons. Shorebird numbers peaked during the first two weeks of May in spring and mid-August through September during summer-fall, but varied among regions and species. Recommendations pertaining to habitat management and future surveys are provided based on the results.

Effect of controlled fire frequency on grassland bird abundance during the breeding season at Cheyenne Bottoms Wildlife Area, Kansas

Abstract Cheyenne Bottoms Wildlife Area (CBWA) is an internationally recognized wetland surrounded by mixed-grass prairie. Because habitat management historically has been focused on the marsh, this study was initiated to determine the effects of spring burning on abundance and species richness of grassland-nesting birds. The effects of years since last burn and location on abundance and species richness were inconsistent among years. Unless additional bird surveys show consistent patterns in bird response to burning, frequency of burns will be determined based on vegetation characteristics rather than abundance of nesting birds.

Plant species on salt-affected soil at Cheyenne Bottoms, Kansas

Abstract Soil salinity and vegetative cover were investigated at Cheyenne Bottoms Preserve, Kansas in an effort to identify and document the plant species present on naturally occurring salt- and sodium-affected soil. Soil salinity (as indicated by electrical and sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) were measured from nine soil conductivity, ECe) samples collected to a depth of 20 cm in June 1998. Vegetative cover was visually estimated in June and September 1998. A total of 20 plant species were encountered at five soil sampling locations on soils classified as saline, saline-sodic, or sodic. Dominant species observed include Agropyron smithii, Distichlis spicata, Euphorbia geyeri, Poa arida, and Sporobolus airoides. While most species encountered during this study exhibited greater vegetative cover on non-saline soils, all of the dominant species, except A. smithii, exhibited greater cover on salt-affected soil compared to non-saline soil. Comparable salinity levels and species found in areas that have been de...

Small-format aerial photography for assessing change in wetland vegetation, Cheyenne Bottoms, Kansas

Abstract Cheyenne Bottoms is a Ramsar wetland site in central Kansas, where the Nature Conservancy (NC) has undertaken an effort since the mid-1990s to maintain and restore marsh and wet-meadow habitats for migrating shorebirds and waterfowl. Small-format aerial photography was conducted using kites and a helium blimp in order to document changing water and vegetation conditions during the years 2002–2005. Pictures were taken repeatedly throughout the growing seasons with various film and digital cameras from heights of 100–150 m. Invasive cattails (Typha sp.) are a major concern; the spread of cattail thickets during the 1990s reduced the open marshes on which migrating shorebirds depend for feeding. The NC adopted a strategy in which drought episodes are exploited for control of cattails. During our study, a drought cycle took place. Both color-visible and color-infrared images depict the impact of changing water level on cattails, which over the course of two years (2002 to 2004) were largely eliminate...

Haematotrephus limnodromi n. sp. (Digenea: Cyclocoelidae) from the Long-billed dowitcher, Limnodromus scolopaceus (Scolopacidae) from the central flyway of North America

During a study of the endohelminths of wading birds from the Texas Gulf coast, 5 specimens of an undescribed species of Haematotrephus (Cyclocoelidae) were studied and described. These specimens were collected by Dr. J. Teague Self, former professor, Department of Zoology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma from the air sacs of a long-billed dowitcher, Limnodromus scolopaceus, that was collected from the Cheyenne Bottoms, Roger Mills County, Oklahoma on August 3, 1963 and deposited in the Manter Laboratory of Parasitology. Haematotrephus limnodromi n. sp. can be distinguished from all the other species in the genus that lack an oral sucker (H. capellae, H. chengi, H. dollfusi, H. fasciatum, H. kossacki, H. lanceolatum, H. longisacculatum, H. nebularium, H. nigropunctatum, and H. phaneropsolus) by having intertesticular uterine loops. Corpopyrum brazilianum (originally described as Cyclocoelum brazilianum) is transferred as the second species in Selfcoelum, Corpopyrum dendrei is transferred to Neohaematotrephus, and Haematotrephus facioi is transferred to Wardianum. This is the first report of a species of Haematotrephus from a species of Limnodromus.

Selfcoelum limnodromi n. gen., n. sp. (Digenea: Cyclocoelidae: Cyclocoelinae) from the long-billed dowitcher, Limnodromus scolopaceus (Charadriiformes: Scolopacidae) from Oklahoma, U.S.A.

Eleven specimens of a new genus of cyclocoelid, Selfcoelum limnodromi n. gen., n. sp. (Digenea: Cyclocoelidae: Cyclocoelinae) from the air sacs of a long-billed dowitcher, Limnodromus scolopaceus, collected from the Cheyenne bottoms in Oklahoma and deposited at the Howard W. Manter Laboratory, University of Nebraska by Dr. Teague Self, former professor, Department of Zoology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma were examined. The new genus has an intertesticular ovary placing it in Cyclocoeolinae. It is most similar to species of Morishitium and Neohyptiasmus in having a postpharyngeal genital pore and vitelline fields that are not confluent posteriorly. However, unlike species of either of these 2 genera, the ovary of S. limnodromi n. gen., n. sp. forms a triangle with the testes as is found in species of Cyclocoelum where the genital pore is prepharyngeal rather than postpharyngeal. Selfcoelum n. gen. further differs from Morishitium by having uterine loops that surpass the ceca and vitelline fields laterally approaching the body wall instead of being intercecal, and from Neohyptiasmus by having testes that are rounded and entire instead of being lobed. A revised key to the Cyclocoelinae is provided to include the 2 additional genera that have been recently described from North America, Neoallopyge and Selfcoelum.

Variation in Growth Rates under Saline Conditions of Pascopyrum smithii (Western Wheatgrass) and Distichlis spicata (Inland Saltgrass) from Different Source Populations in Kansas and Nebraska: Implications for the Restoration of Salt‐Affected Plant Communities

Abstract Soil salinization resulting from agricultural and oil‐ and gas‐production activities can impact habitats of native flora and fauna and reduce production on agricultural lands. Restoration of saline areas with salt‐tolerant vegetation may alleviate impacts. However, differences in how the growth rate under saline conditions varies between species and source populations must first be evaluated before recommending species for restoration. Plant material of Western wheatgrass (Pascopyrum smithii) and Inland saltgrass (Distichlis spicata) collected from Cheyenne Bottoms Preserve, Kansas and Little Salt Fork Marsh, Nebraska was propagated to evaluate variation in growth rates between these species under saline conditions and determine if differences exist between populations within these species. Ten transplants of each species from each location were grown in sand culture in a greenhouse for 51 days and watered with one of five different saltwater solutions (0.86 dS/m, 9.85 dS/m, 17.85 dS/m, 32.5 dS/m, and 57.7 dS/m). Results indicate that P. smithii grew faster than D. spicata at all comparable salinity levels. Only D. spicata exhibited significant differences in growth rate under saline conditions between populations. Results suggest that P. smithii is equivalent to D. spicata in salt tolerance and should be regarded as an appropriate halophyte for restoration of salt‐affected plant environments. Results for D. spicata suggest that differences between source populations should be considered when evaluating plant material for plant community restoration.

Macroinvertebrate response to cattail management at Cheyenne Bottoms, Kansas, USA

Abstract Cheyenne Bottoms, Kansas, USA has been designated by the Ramsar convention as a Wetland of International Importance. However, since that 1988 designation, cattail (Typha spp.) has become the dominant plant within the basin, and migratory bird use has decreased. We examined the effects of different cattail-management treatments (burned, disked, and grazed by 5 and 20 head of cattle) on macroinvertebrates used as food resources by migratory birds. We found few differences in diversity, biomass, or density of macroinvertebrates among treatments. When differences existed, diversity, biomass, and density were greater within the control or more heavily vegetated treatments (e.g., burned) than within less vegetated treatments (e.g., disked). Macroinvertebrate densities, particularly Chironomidae, ranged from 154 to 681/m2; however, they were up to seven times lower than historic densities and well below the 5000/m2 that has been suggested for supporting large numbers (0.5 million) of migratory waterbird...

Wetland Vegetation Response to the Restoration of Sheet Flow at Cheyenne Bottoms, Kansas

Abstract The restoration of inland salt‐affected plant communities, including saltflat mixed prairie and playa lakes wetlands, has received little attention despite the importance of these communities for critical wildlife habitat. The salt‐affected communities of Cheyenne Bottoms, located in central Kansas, are a crucial stopover site for migratory waterfowl and shorebirds. In 1998, The Nature Conservancy attempted to restore native plant communities to grazed and former cropland at Cheyenne Bottoms by reestablishing sheet flow across these disturbed areas. We collected vegetation cover data along permanent transects established in rangeland, former cropland, and in a shallow basin 3 years (1996–1998) before the hydrological changes and continued to collect vegetation data for 3 years (1999–2001) after the hydrological changes. Vegetation composition changes in response to the restored hydrology were subtle, but the average wetland index along the transects in the basin and the rangeland significantly declined. Significant decreases occurred in the cover of perennials and graminoids in both spring and fall species assemblages of the rangeland area. Changes in the former cropped areas were mixed, indicating the difficulty of restoring these disturbed plant communities to native plant assemblages within a few years.

Characterizing Wetland Landscapes: A Spatiotemporal Analysis of Remotely Sensed Data at Cheyenne Bottoms, Kansas

Generalized wetland landscape characterization efforts using remotely sensed satellite data have typically employed land-use and cover-classification routines with mixed results. This study argues that such classification routines are, at times, limited in their ability to capture the fluctuating spatial configuration of water and terrestrial features unique to wetland environments. Rather, we recommend the use of a multitemporal imaging approach, which records land-cover variability based directly on land-surface feature reflectivity signals. Using Landsat Thematic Mapper data and small-format aerial photography, this study monitors wetland change over a period of 15 yrs. at the internationally recognized Cheyenne Bottoms wetland site in central Kansas. Noticeable fluctuations in wetland cover resulting from both variable precipitation patterns and changing stewardship activities are observed. In addition to documenting generalized spatial trends, the multitemporal method effectively monitors plant vigor, while high spatial resolution small format aerial photography aids in monitoring cattail growth trends and is used to coordinate targeted management efforts at controlling this invasive plant. Our results suggest that multitemporal remote sensing methods are well suited to capturing qualitative information on change in wetland and other similar environments observing fuzzy and often shifting transitions between land and water.

Development and application of a comprehensive simulation model to evaluate impacts of watershed structures and irrigation water use on streamflow and groundwater: the case of Wet Walnut Creek Watershed, Kansas, USA

This paper presents the results of a comprehensive modeling study of surface and groundwater systems, including stream–aquifer interactions, for the Wet Walnut Creek Watershed in west-central Kansas. The main objective of this study was to assess the impacts of watershed structures and irrigation water use on streamflow and groundwater levels, which in turn affect availability of water for the Cheyenne Bottoms Wildlife Refuge Management area. The surface-water flow model, POTYLDR, and the groundwater flow model, MODFLOW, were combined into an integrated, watershed-scale, continuous simulation model. Major revisions and enhancements were made to the POTYLDR and MODFLOW models for simulating the detailed hydrologic budget for the Wet Walnut Creek Watershed. The computer simulation model was calibrated and verified using historical streamflow records (at Albert and Nekoma gaging stations), reported irrigation water use, observed water-level elevations in watershed structure pools, and groundwater levels in the alluvial aquifer system. To assess the impact of watershed structures and irrigation water use on streamflow and groundwater levels, a number of hypothetical management scenarios were simulated under various operational criteria for watershed structures and different annual limits on water use for irrigation. A standard “base case” was defined to allow comparative analysis of the results of different scenarios. The simulated streamflows showed that watershed structures decrease both streamflows and groundwater levels in the watershed. The amount of water used for irrigation has a substantial effect on the total simulated streamflow and groundwater levels, indicating that irrigation is a major budget item for managing water resources in the watershed.