Title
Potential food availability and flamingo use of commercial salt impoundments in the Ria Lagartos Biosphere Reserve, Mexico
Author(s)
Arengo, F.; Baldassarre, G.A.
Published
1998
Publisher
Colonial Waterbirds
Abstract
American Flamingos (Phoenicopterus, ruber ruber) occur along the Ria Lagartos Lagoon on the northern coast of the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico, where they use the artificial ponds of a major commercial salt operation. The salina is located within the Ria Lagartos Biosphere Reserve. To assess the effect of the salina on flamingos, we sampled potential food resources available to flamingos and monitored flamingo use and behavior in the ponds during the "norte," rainy and dry seasons, 1994 and 1995. Most potential items were invertebrates (> 99% by number). Most food was found in the low- (45-77 ppt) and high-salinity (145-210 ppt) ponds. no food was found in intermediate-salinity (85-135 ppt) ponds Taxa in low-salinity ponds also occurred in the lagoon, whereas those in the high-salinity pond were specific to hypersaline conditions. Food fluctuated more in time and space in the low-salinity ponds than in high-salinity ponds. Flamingos used the high- and low-salinity ponds and the lagoon extensively during the rainy and "norte" season, but mainly used the high-salinity ponds and the lagoon during the dry season. Different feeding behaviors were observed in the different habitat types, and behaviors shifted seasonally. Although some areas of the salina offer feeding opportunities that complement those of the natural habitat, more than 60 % of the total area covered by the salina is not suitable for feeding flamingos.
Keywords
feeding behavior; food availability; habitat use; salt; wader; wetland; Mexico; Phoenicopterus ruber

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PUB11639