A bioenergetic model from the Department of the Interior evaluates habitat management strategies for wintering waterfowl at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma. The model calculates energetic carrying capacity for mallard, gadwall, and snow geese, comparing on-refuge agriculture to native wetlands. It assesses impacts of crop changes, mowing timing, and hypothetical yield reductions to guide land management and conservation plans.
Use Cases
- Evaluate energetic carrying capacity for wintering waterfowl based on habitat and food availability.
- Model the energetic effects of reductions in on-refuge agricultural production.
- Simulate energetic gains from wetland creation to offset changes in agricultural management.
- Guide land management decisions by comparing contributions of refuge agriculture and native wetland habitats.
- Assess impacts of policy changes, such as eliminating certain seed types, on waterfowl energy resources.
Strengths
- Model focuses on three focal species: mallard, gadwall, and snow geese.
- Analysis considers foraging flight distance and contributions from both refuge and surrounding landscape.
- Model outcomes are intended for incorporation into official Habitat Management and Comprehensive Conservation Plans.
Limitations
- Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
- Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
- Freshness should be verified; last update metadata indicates a future date (2026-03-06).
Provenance
- Source
- Department of the Interior
- Collection Method
- Bioenergetic modeling based on habitat and agricultural data.
- Freshness
- Last updated 2026-03-06 08:20:07.587611
- Geography
- Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge, Vian, Oklahoma, and surrounding foraging flight distance.