4.16 PASTURE HABITAT 



Pasturelands constitute almost 10%, 901 km^ 

 (348 mi^), of the Chenier Plain region. Much of the 

 pasture habitat was created by impoundment and 

 drainage of natural wetlands. Artificial cattle walks 

 have additionally allowed cattle access to natural wet- 

 land areas. These cattle walks permanently destroy 

 the marsh area over which they are constructed and 

 result in the loss of additional marsh areas from 

 which construction materials are dredged. More 

 importantly, they disturb natural water flow and 

 allow cattle to graze and trample adjacent marsh 

 areas, contributing to further wetland deterioration. 



4.16.1 PRODUCERS 



Plants characteristic of unimproved pasture- 

 lands in the Chenier Plain include butterweed, swamp 

 and curly dock, cranesbill, chickweed, goldenrod, 

 and wood sorrel (Bonck and Penfound 1945). These 

 same species are also present in pasture areas that 

 have been improved by planting and fertilizing forage 

 crops. Improved pasture areas are generally planted in 

 fescue grass, vasey grass, rye grass, DaUis grass, and 

 smut grass (Robert Murry, Per. Comm). 



4.16.2 CONSUMERS. 



Cattle are the dominant herbivores in the pasture 

 habitat and consume the bulk of net primary produc- 

 tion. However, a diverse natural fauna is also found 

 here (appendix 6.3). The pasture habitat includes 

 enough small ponds and low areas to support 1 1 spe- 

 cies of amphibians. 



On drier sites, reptiles such as the ornate box 

 turtle, six-lined racerunner, prairie kingsnake, rough 

 earth snake, and pygmy rattlesnake may be found. 

 Noteworthy is the lack of water snakes, although the 

 cottonmouth may be abundant here. Among water- 

 fowl, the white-fronted goose and Canada goose 

 probably reach peak abundance in this habitat type. 

 Most of the other birds found in the pasture habitat 

 are those typical of open country, such as the eastern 

 meadowlark and American kestrel. The endangered 

 red wolf, the coyote, the spotted and striped skunks, 

 and the house mouse are examples of mammals found 

 in Chenier Plain pasturelands. 



The rice field habitat is underlain by poorly 

 drained depressional soils with sUty clay loam to clay 

 surface layers and clay subsoils. Poor drainage limits 

 profitable production of row crops (Woolf and 

 Vidrine 1976). 



4.17.1 CONSUMERS 



In spite of intense cultivation, many wild consu- 

 mer species Uve or feed in rice fields. Amphibian spe- 

 cies richness is high, exceeded only by the swamp 

 forest habitat where arboreal niches are available. 

 Water snakes and the prairie kingsnake, a species 

 characteristic of more elevated areas, reflect the 

 aquatic-terrestrial nature of the rice field habitat. In a 

 partially flooded or drained state during fall, winter, 

 and spring, rice fields provide ideal habitat for many 

 species of shorebirds and wading birds, as well as 

 geese and ducks. During the summer, rice fields 

 provide nesting habitat for species such as the fulvous 

 tree-duck, mottled duck, purple gallinule, and 

 common gallinule. Birds, such as the house sparrow, 

 red-winged blackbird, and European starling, feed on 

 waste grain. Winter populations of the red-tailed 

 hawk are also found here. Mammals are similar to 

 those found in the fresh marsh and/or pasture habi- 

 tats. Introduced rodents such as the Norway rat and 

 house mouse are also present and are usually asso- 

 ciated with human dwellings. 



Several studies on waterfowl feeding habits have 

 demonstrated the importance of rice to the wetland 

 areas. Singleton (1951) found that rice made up 

 almost 40% by volume of all foods eaten by waterfowl 

 on the eastern Texas coast. Dillon (1958) found 

 mostly rice and plants associated with rice culture 

 among the stomach contents of ducks taken in the 

 fresh marshes of Cameron and Vermilion Parishes. 

 Chamberlain (1959) reported that rice fields north of 

 Rockefeller Refuge supported large numbers of 

 maOards and pintails throughout the wintering period. 

 Valentine's (1961) report on the feeding habits of 

 ducks in theareaof Lacassine National WUdlife Refuge 

 suggests that seed-producing marsh annual grasses are 

 preferred over rice. During wet years, when marsh 

 annuals are not abundant, rice becomes the important 

 food resource for these waterfowl. 



Appendix 6.3 hsts vertebrate consumers that 

 utilize rice fields and includes available infomiation 

 on their food habits. 



4.17 RICE FIELD HABITAT 



Rice fanns occupy sites that were formerly tall 

 grass prairie or fresh marsh areas. Prairie rice became 

 commercially important in Louisiana in the late nine- 

 teenth century (Kniffin 1968). Presently, rice cultiva- 

 tion occurs in about 6.4% of the total area, or 603 

 km^ (233 mi^) of the Chenier Plain. Since it is 

 rotated with cattle grazing, the exact acreages of land 

 devoted to rice production change each year. Other 

 crops grown in the Chenier Plain, including soybeans 

 and corn, occupy less than 1% of the total area, about 

 81 km^ (31 mi^). 



224 



