CONTENTS (Continued) 



Page 



4.10 NEARSHORE GULF HABITAT 205 



4.10.1 Producers 208 



4.10.2 Consumers 209 



4.11 BEACH AND RIDGE HABITATS 213 



4.1 1 .1 A Functional Overview of Beach and Ridge Habitats 213 



4.12 BEACH HABITAT 213 



4.12.1 Physical Processes 213 



4.12.2 Producers 213 



4.12.3 Consumers 216 



4.13 RIDGE HABITAT 216 



4.13.1 Producers 216 



4.13.2 Consumers 217 



4.14 UPLAND FOREST HABITAT 218 



4.14.1 A Functional Overview of the Upland Forest Habitat 218 



4.14.2 Producers 220 



4.14.3 Consumers 221 



4.14.4 Impacts of Forestry Practices 221 



4.15 AGRICULTURAL HABITATS 221 



4.15.1 Functional Overview of Agricultural Habitats 221 



4.16 PASTURE HABITAT 224 



4.16.1 Producers 224 



4.16.2 Consumers 224 



4.17 RICE FIELD HABITAT 224 



4.17.1 Consumers 224 



5.0 CHENIER PLAIN ANIMAL SPECIES 227 



5T INTRODUCTION 227 



5.2 MAMMALS 227 



5.2.1 Swamp Rabbit (Sylvitagus aquaticus) 227 



5.2.2 Cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus) 227 



5.2.3 Muskrat {Ondatra zibethicus) 227 



5.2.4 Nutria {Myocastor coy pus) 228 



5.2.5 Coyote (Canis latrans) 229 



5.2.6 Northern Raccoon (Procyon lotor) 229 



5.2.7 Nearctic River Otter (Lutra canadensis) 229 



5.2.8 White-Tailed Deer (Odocoilcus virginianus) 230 



5.3 BIRDS 23 1 



5.3.1 American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) 231 



5.3.2 Olivaceous Cormorant {Phalacrocorax olivaceus) 231 



5.3.3 Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) 231 



5.3.4 Green Heron (Butorides virescens) 232 



5.3.5 Little Blue Heron (Florida caerulea) 232 



5.3.6 Cattle Egret (Bulbulcus ibis) 232 



5.3.7 Reddish Egret (Dichromanassa rufescens) 233 



5.3.8 Great Egret (Casmerodius albus) 233 



5.3.9 Snowy Egret {Egretta thula) 233 



5.3.10 Louisiana Heron (Hydranassa tricolor) 233 



5.3.11 Black-Crowned Night HeTon(Nycticorax nycticorax) 234 



5.3.12 Yellow-Crowned Night Heron (Nyctanassa violacea) 234 



5.3.13 Least Bittern (Ixobrychus exilis) 234 



5.3.14 American Bittern (Botaurus lentiginosus) 234 



5.3.15 Wood Stork {Mycteria americana) 235 



5.3.16 White-Faced Ibis (Plegadis chihi) 235 



5.3.17 White Vo'\s.{Eudocimus albus) 235 



5.3.18 Roseate Spoonbill (Ajaia ajaja) 235 



5.3.19 Red-Tailed Hawk {Buteo jamaicensis) 236 



5.3.20 Marsh Hawk {Circus cyaneus) 236 



5.3.21 King Rail {Rallus elegans) and Clapper Rail (R. longirostris) 236 



5.3.22 Purple Gallinule {Porphyrula martinica) and Common Gallinule {Galinula chlorpus) 237 



5.3.23 American Coot {Fulica americana) 237 



5.3.24 American Woodcock {Philohela minor) 237 



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