How does habitat degradation such as lead reduce Eastern Mallard populations?
● Discuss the importance of lead in the health of Mallards and their habitats. How might that change how you think about species conservation and its corresponding costs?
● Assigned Tasks:
1) Lead poisoning in waterfowl:
https://www.wetlands.org/news/lead-poisoning-in-waterfowl-30-years-of-progress-but-still-an-unresolved-problem/
2) Lead Poisoning
https://www.pgc.pa.gov/Wildlife/Wildlife-RelatedDiseases/Pages/LeadToxicosis.aspx
3) Raptors and Lead Poisoning
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-ZeM2fdI2c
4) Costs of restoring wetlands https://www.ers.usda.gov/amber-waves/2015/may/wetlands-benefits-and-costs-vary-with-location/#:~:text=The%20study%20found%20that%20the,in%20major%20corn%2Dproducing%20areas.
5) Lead pollution from waterfowl hunting in wetlands and rice fields in Argentina https://whc.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/sites/g/files/dgvnsk5261/files/local_resources/pdfs/lead-hunting-wetlands.pdf
○ Deliverables: 1) Research how much it would cost to restore wetlands in the northeastern United States https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northeastern_United_States. Put together a report that describes the cost of restoring 5,000 acres for Eastern Mallard Habitat throughout these states. Your report should be 2-3 pages and have at least two figures.