Remote sensing and GPS tracking reveal temporal shifts in habitat use in nonbreeding Black-tailed Godwits

Journal:Applied Ecology

Species(bat): Black-tailed Godwits

Abstract:

1. Knowledge of the habitat requirements for migratory species throughout their full annual cycle is necessary for comprehensive species protection plans. By describing seasonal shifts of space-use patterns in a key nonbreeding area, the Senegal Delta (Mauritania, Senegal), this study addresses a significant knowledge gap in the annual cycle of the rapidly declining continental Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa limosa.
2. We fitted continuous-time stochastic-process movement models with GPS location data to describe the core areas used by 22 GPS-tagged godwits over the 2022–2023 nonbreeding period. We mapped key habitat types, such as floodplain wetlands and rice fields, via supervised classification of satellite imagery.
3. Godwits in the Senegal Delta show a distinct shift in habitat use over the nonbreeding period. The core areas of godwits in the early stages of the nonbreeding period (the wet season) were primarily in natural wetlands and fields with newly planted rice. As the rice crop matured and became too dense, godwits moved towards more recently sown rice fields. Later, as floodwaters receded and rice fields dried out, godwits abandoned rice fields and shifted towards natural wetlands with fewer invasive plants, particularly within the marshes and shallow floodplains of nature-protected areas in the lower Delta.
4. Synthesis and applications: Our findings illustrate the shifting importance of natural and agricultural wetlands for godwits at different stages of the nonbreeding season. Protected areas in the Senegal Delta, particularly the Djoudj National Bird Sanctuary (Senegal) and Diawling National Park (Mauritania), are crucial habitats during the dry season as godwits prepare for their northward migration, whilst rice fields take a key role during the wet season. Conservation efforts should prioritize eradicating invasive plants from the Djoudj and Diawling, as well as promote agroecological management in specific rice production complexes indicated in this study.

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