Theoretical Perspectives

Urban wetland parks are more than just green oases; they are vibrant ecosystems that host diverse wildlife. As part of my ongoing research, I have been investigating the factors that influence duck populations in these parks. My primary hypothesis is that parks with larger ponds will have the greatest abundance of ducks. Additionally, I hypothesize that ducks will prefer to reside in the pond rather than other parts of the park, such as the brush, embankments, creeks, or adjacent fields. The larger ponds can provide the space for a larger community of ducks than the smaller ponds. Larger ponds are likely to have more abundance and diversity of food sources. The larger surface area may contribute to more aquatic plants growing thereby hosting more small invertebrates for ducks to eat. The open space of the larger pond may not provide adequate hiding spots from predators; however, it does allow for space and distance from land predators. Nesting sites are important for reproduction, the pond may not be the nesting site, but their proximity to the nesting sites may contribute to successful rearing of ducklings. Large ponds will have a larger carrying capacity leading to duck success and abundance.

The underlying idea of my study is to investigate how the size of ponds in these urban wetland parks influence the abundance and distribution of ducks and to understand the habitat preferences of ducks within these parks. This involves exploring the relationship between habitat characteristic such as pond size, and the ecological and behaviour response of the ducks, such as their abundance and preferred habitat zones. By doing so, the research aims to provide insight to these ecological processes.

Three keywords I could use to describe my research project are

Habitat selection, Duck Abundance, Duck behaviour