Ross Couvillon
Texas A&M University - Kingsville
Graduate Research Assistant/ Wildlife Science
Northern bobwhite response to habitat irrigation and Texas tortoise habitat use on a landscape managed for recreational hunting.
Numerous studies have established a strong relationship between productivity of bobwhites (Colinus virginianus) in southern Texas and rainfall, leading to the idea of supplemental water as a management tool. Necessity of supplemental water by bobwhites has been a debated topic with some empirical investigations, but these discussions have always concerned free standing water available to drink. This was the first study to investigate bobwhite response to irrigation of habitat. I studied hen and nest survival on two areas to determine the population response of bobwhites. Furthermore, I assessed arthropod and vegetation response to irrigation and how that compares with what is available on the landscape and used by bobwhite broods. This will shed light on how effective irrigation is as a management practice and if it provides suitable conditions for chicks and reproductively active hens during the characteristically driest portions of the year. To compliment this project, I also studied Texas tortoises (Gopherus berlandieri) to assess habitat use by a non-game species on a landscape managed for recreational hunting. It is important to determine how our land use practices impact other wildlife and understand how current management practices also benefit other species of wildlife.
