Publications

quantifying hydrologic controls on local- and landscape-scale indicators of coastal wetland loss.	coastal wetlands have evolved to withstand stressful abiotic conditions through the maintenance of hydrologic feedbacks between vegetation production and flooding. however, disruption of these feedbacks can lead to ecosystem collapse, or a regime shift from vegetated wetland to open water. to prevent the loss of critical coastal wetland habitat, we must improve understanding of the abiotic-biotic linkages among flooding and wetland stability. the aim of this research was to identify characterist ...	2020	31532484
distribution of contaminants in the environment and wildlife habitat use: a case study with lead and waterfowl on the upper texas coast.	the magnitude and distribution of lead contamination remain unknown in wetland systems. anthropogenic deposition of lead may be contributing to negative population-level effects in waterfowl and other organisms that depend on dynamic wetland habitats, particularly if they are unable to detect and differentiate levels of environmental contamination by lead. detection of lead and behavioral response to elevated lead levels by waterfowl is poorly understood, but necessary to characterize the risk o ...	2019	31325005
decision support tool: mottled duck habitat management and conservation in the western gulf coast.	the western gulf coast provides important habitat for migratory and resident waterfowl. the mottled duck (anas fulvigula) relies on this region for all of its life-cycle events. its relatively small population, limited worldwide range, and generally declining population trajectory has earned it a "red" status on the audubon watchlist and is a species of concern among state and federal agencies. the western gulf coast (wgc) mottled duck population decline is believed to be primarily caused by the ...	2019	30265915
venous blood gas, electrolyte, and hematologic analytes of the mottled duck, anas fulvigula.	we collected venous blood samples from 83 apparently healthy mottled ducks ( anas fulvigula ) july 2012-august 2013 on the texas, us, gulf coast and measured blood gas, electrolyte, biochemical, and hematologic parameters. age, sex, body condition score, capture year, capture type, and time of day had significant statistical, but not clinically relevant, effects on several analytes. ducks caught by rocket net had findings consistent with greater stress compared with hand-caught ducks. these anal ...	2017	27749193
baseline blood pb concentrations in black-necked stilts on the upper texas coast.	there are no known biological requirements for lead (pb), and elevated pb levels in birds can cause a variety of sub-lethal effects and mortality. historic and current levels of pb in mottled ducks (anas fulvigula) suggest that environmental sources of pb remain available on the upper texas coast. because of potential risks of pb exposure among coexisting marsh birds, black-necked stilt (himantopus mexicanus) blood pb concentrations were measured during the breeding season. almost 80 % (n = 120) ...	2015	26253841
the epizootiology of anatid herpesvirus 1 infection in free-flying waterfowl: a comparison of latent and active infections among native waterfowl, captive-reared released ducks, and peridomestic or feral ducks.	the epizootiology of anatid herpesvirus 1 (ahv-1) infection in waterfowl is poorly understood but apparently involves persistence of the virus in latently infected birds. epornitics have often occurred in captive waterfowl or semiwild ducks in parklike settings, and many wildlife professionals conclude that such ducks may be the source of infection for wild waterfowl. we assessed the prevalence of latent infection and viral shedding from four groups of waterfowl: naturally occurring populations ...	2013	23778596
role of nonmigratory mottled ducks (anas fulvigula) as sentinels for avian influenza surveillance.	the objective of this study was to evaluate the mottled duck (anas fulvigula), a nonmigratory dabbling duck, as a sentinel species for avian influenza virus (aiv) surveillance. a total of 235 cloacal swabs from 147 live-captured and 88 hunter-harvested mottled ducks during summer (june-august 2007) and winter (november 2007 to january 2008), respectively, were collected along the upper texas coast. samples were screened for aiv using real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (rrt ...	2012	22448526
avian influenza surveillance in hunter-harvested waterfowl from the gulf coast of texas (november 2005-january 2006).	the objectives of our study were to determine prevalence of avian influenza viruses (aiv) on wintering grounds on the texas gulf coast, usa, and to compare real-time reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (rrt-pcr) and virus isolation for detection of aiv in cloacal swabs from wild waterfowl. cloacal swabs were collected from hunter-harvested waterfowl from november 2005 to january 2006 at four wildlife management areas. seven aiv were isolated from four species of ducks: green-winged t ...	2008	18436675
avian influenza viruses and paramyxoviruses in wintering and resident ducks in texas.	cloacal swabs were collected from teal (anas crecca, anas cyanoptera, anas discors), mottled duck (anas fulvigula) and northern pintail (anas acuta) in brazoria county, texas, usa, during february 2001, mottled ducks during august 2001, and blue-winged teal (a. discors) during february 2002. prevalence of avian influenza virus (aiv) infections during each sampling period were 11, 0, and 15%, respectively. the hemagglutinin (h) subtypes h2 and h7 were detected in both years, while the h8 subtype ...	2005	16244076
tetrameres (petrowimeres) striata in ducks.	tetrameres (petrowimeres) striata is an uncommon and incompletely described nematode from north american and eurasian waterfowl. specimens collected from mallards (anas platyrhynchos) from the playa lakes region (plr) in western texas (usa), the mottled duck (a. platyrhynchos fulvigula) in florida (usa), the mallard in the amur river basin of eastern russia and the blue-winged teal (anas discors) from western texas (usa) provide the basis for redescription of t. (p.) striata. this species is dif ...	1994	7933277
gastrointestinal helminths of the mexican duck, anas platyrhynchos diazi ridgway, from north central mexico and southwestern united states.	twenty-five species of helminths, recovered from the gastrointestinal tracts of 129 mexican ducks from mexico and the united states, were all new host records. the species included: echinoparyphium recurvatum, echinostoma revolutum, hypoderaeum conoideum, notocotylus attenuatus, prosthogonimus cuneatus, zygocotyle lunata, anomotaenia ciliata, cloacotaenia megalops, diorchis bulbodes, diorchis sp., drepanidotaenia lanceolata, echinocotyle rosseteri, fimbriaria fasciolaris, fimbriarioides sp., hym ...	1986	3951061
avian influenza viruses from migratory and resident ducks of coastal louisiana.	cloacal and tracheal swabs were collected from 1389 hunter-killed ducks in cameron parish, louisiana, during the 1986 and 1987 waterfowl seasons. twenty-eight avian influenza viruses (aivs) were isolated from 605 blue-winged teal (anas discors), 75 mottled ducks (a. fulvigula), 375 gadwalls (a. stepera) and 334 green-winged teal (a. crecca). prevalence estimates of aiv in ducks sampled during september, november, and december through january were 3.1%, 2.0%, and 0.4%, respectively. differences i ...	1990	2369380
effects of ph, temperature, and salinity on persistence of avian influenza viruses in water.	the combined effects of water temperature, salinity, and ph on persistence of avian influenza virus (aiv) were evaluated in a model distilled-water system using three isolates from ducks sampled in cameron parish, louisiana. variables were tested within the ranges normally associated with surface water. differences were detected between temperature (17 c and 28 c), ph (6.2, 7.2, 8.2), and salinity (0 ppt and 20 ppt), with a strong interactive effect observed between ph and salinity. estimated pe ...	1990	2142421
avian paramyxoviruses from migrating and resident ducks in coastal louisiana.	cloacal and tracheal swabs were collected from 1,409 hunter-killed ducks in cameron parish, louisiana, during the 1986 and 1987 waterfowl seasons. thirty avian paramyxoviruses (pmv's) were isolated from 605 blue-winged teal (anas discors), 75 mottled ducks (a. fulvigula), 375 gadwalls (a. strepera), 334 green-winged teal (a. crecca), and 20 mallards (a. platyrhynchos). prevalence of pmv decreased (p = 0.042) from september (4%) through november (2%) to december and january (1%). juveniles had a ...	1991	2023311
the frequency of sarcocystis spp. and its effect on winter carcass composition of mottled ducks.	macrocysts of the protozoan parasite sarcocystis spp. occurred in 34 of 241 (14%) adult and 6 of 70 (8.6%) immature mottled ducks (anas fulvigula) that were collected in southwestern louisiana from 1987 to 1989. the prevalence of sarcocystis spp. among immature ducks was higher than previously reported, possibly because of a longer exposure period. no differences in carcass composition variables were found between heavily infected and uninfected adult mottled ducks during the winter period of th ...	1991	1920672