Abstract

CARMONA-LSLAS, Cynthia; BELLO-PINEDA, Javier; CARMONA, Roberto  and  VELARDE, Enriqueta. Spatial modelling to detect potential feeding grounds for migratory shorebirds in northwestern Mexico. Huitzil [online]. 2013, vol.14, n.1, pp.22-36. ISSN 1870-7459.

Most migratory shorebird species use wetlands as primary feeding grounds. Lhese ecosystems have been recognized to be some of the most threatened worldwide, due to the convergence of multiple human uses. Lhe northwestern Mexico (NWM) supports significant numbers of shorebirds and is part of the Pacific migratory corridor; however, still lack systematic information that would allow us to identify and prioritize suitable habitats used by shorebirds as feeding grounds and give some elements to develop management strategies. Owing to the extension and complexity of these habitats, the use of satellite imagery is a useful tool to identify and characterize them. In this study we describe a methodological approach to develop spatial models as tools for detecting suitable feeding grounds for migratory shorebirds based on the analysis of Landsat LM imagery, GIS and landscape metrics. Our results showed that feeding peninsular sites are consistently small and isolated while those in the continent are large and highly connected. We discuss that the factors that contribute to the relevance of feeding grounds for migratory shorebirds are their extension, the grouping of wet soil patches, and the distance between sites.

Keywords : Landsat imagery; GIS; wetlands; landscape metrics; wetness index.

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