Ames Plantation

• Forestry
  • Crop Tree Enhancement
  • Shackelford Seed Orchard
  • Precision Forestry
• Wildlife
  • Quail Research
  • Deer Research
  • Small Mammal Research
  • Wetland Ecology
• Education Programs
• Fire Ants

Evaluation of Aquatic Macro Invertebrates Available to Wintering Waterfowl in
Managed and Natural Wetlands in West Tennessee

Aquatic and wetland invertebrates are important protein sources for wintering waterfowl in the Lower Mississippi River Alluvial Valley (LMAV). Few studies have evaluated winter invertebrate abundance patterns in the LMAV, particularly in Western Tennessee. I examined aquatic macro invertebrate biomass, density, and diversity in beaver ponds, moist soil units and flooded, harvested soybean fields in Western Tennessee. Moist soil units and flooded soybean fields are common wetland practices on public lands in Western Tennessee. Beaver ponds offer natural habitat that is greatly increasing in the southeastern United States (Arner and Hepp1989). The objective of this study was to compare invertebrate abundance and biomass of selected invertebrate groups in wetlands important to wintering waterfowl in west Tennessee. Three beaver ponds at Ames Plantation, three moist soil units and three flooded soybean fields at Chickasaw and Lower Hatchie National Wildlife Refuges were randomly chosen for intensive study. Monthly samples were collected from January to March in 2003 and 2004 with a benthos core sampler (8.8 cm diameter x 10 cm depth). Invertebrates were counted and identified to family or lowest practical taxa and the density, diversity, and biomass of invertebrates were compared among months and habitat types. A total of 1,077 (2003) and 1,0796 (2004) invertebrates were identified from 19 higher taxa and 34 families. Oligochaeta and Diptera were most common in all three habitats, however Bivalvia were also prominent in beaver pond while Nematoda were also highly prevalent in moist soil units and soybean fields. Mean invertebrate biomass in this study ranged from approximately 0.9 g/m2 in soybean fields to 4.7 g/m2 in beaver ponds. Density of invertebrates ranged from 464/m2 in moist soil units to 883/m2 in beaver ponds. No differences were detected for density or biomass among the three habitats or treatment types. Generally diversity showed little difference, however for the month of March, diversity was slightly lower in soybean fields than in beaver ponds or moist soil units. With the great degree of variability it is very difficult to identify one of the site as having more invertebrate resources than either of the other treatments.

A $500,00 National Research Initiative proposal has been submitted to study sand deposition in the bottomlands of Ames Plantation. This work would provide models to help understand a phenomena that is greatly impacting the south’s bottomlands. Bottomlands are where some of the best timber is grown and sand kills not only the timber, but also displaces wetland habitats.

Another grant is now being developed to include Ames as part of a study to establish a hydrologic observatory in west Tennessee. The grant would total 25 million dollars. The grant is coordinated by the University of Memphis and has many other Universities cooperating.