USGS National Wetlands Research Center: Thomas C. Michot profile

Thomas C. Michot, Ph.D.

Tommy Michot picture Thomas C. Michot, Ph.D. 1981. Zoology and physiology, Louisiana State University. Avian ecology, behavior, foraging, coastal wetland vegetation, contaminants, waterfowl, reptilian ecology.

Michot's current research focus is on the ecology and management of coastal marshes and seagrass beds in the Gulf of Mexico and how wintering waterfowl and other birds use them. His current efforts deal with wintering waterfowl responses to vegetation community changes in the chenier plain region of coastal Louisiana.

Recent studies have been conducted on diving ducks wintering in the seagrass beds of the northern and western coasts of the Gulf of Mexico, with emphasis on foraging ecology, body condition, weather effects, flock behavior, annual cycle, blood parasites, contaminants, osmoregulation, molt, habitat selection, and carrying capacity.

Michot's NWRC Publications

The following list of publications is current only through 2001. For an update, please go to the online NWRC publications data base (http://librrefmgr.cr.usgs.gov?func=advSearch) to search for the bibliographic citations of individual staff members.

Refereed

Michot, T.C. 1996. Marsh loss in coastal Louisiana: implications for management of North American Anatidae. Gibier Faune Sauvage, Game Wildlife 13(2):941-957.

Michot, T.C., and P.C. Chadwick. 1995. Winter biomass and nutrient values of three seagrass species as potential foods for redheads (Aythya americana Eyton) in Chandeleur Sound, Louisiana. Wetlands 14(4):276-283.

Michot, T.C., T.W. Custer, A.J. Nault, and C.A. Mitchell. 1994. Environmental contaminants in redheads wintering in coastal Louisiana. Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 26:425-434.

Michot, T.C., M.C. Garvin, and E.H. Weidner. 1995. Survey for blood parasites in redheads (Aythya americana) wintering at the Chandeleur Islands, Louisiana. Journal of Wildlife Diseases 31(1):90-92.

Michot, T.C., E.B. Moser, and W. Norling. 1993. Effects of weather and tides on feeding and flock positions of wintering redheads in the Chandeleur Sound, Louisiana. Hydrobiologia 279/280:263-278.

Michot, T.C., and A.J. Nault. 1993. Diet differences in redheads from nearshore and offshore zones in Louisiana. Journal of Wildlife Management 57:238-244.

Murden, B., M.C. Woodin, T.C. Michot, M.W. Weller, J.L. Moore, S.E. Adair, and K. Risenhoover. 1997. Feather mineral content of redheads (Aythya americana) wintering along the Gulf of Mexico. Wetlands International, Publication No. 43:65-80.

Books and Book Chapters

Michot, T.C., 2000, Comparison of wintering redhead populations in four Gulf of Mexico seagrass beds, in Comin, F.A., Herrera, J.A., and Ramirez, J., eds. Limnology and Aquatic Birds: Monitoring, Modelling, and Management: Universidad Autonoma de Yucatan, Merida, Mexico, p. 243-260.

Other Peer Reviewed Publications

Doyle, T.W., Michot, T.C., Day, R.H., and Wells, C.J., 2001, Mangrove and frigatebird colonization in the Dry Tortugas, Florida: Park Science, v. 21, no. 1, p. 20-24.

Michot, T.C. 2000. Comparison of wintering redhead populations in four Gulf of Mexico seagrass beds. Pages 243-260 in F.A. Comin, J.A. Herrera, and J. Ramirez, editors. Limnology and Aquatic Birds: Monitoring, Modelling, and Management. Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida (Mexico).

Michot, T.C. 1997. Carrying capacity of seagrass beds predicted for redheads wintering in Chandeleur Sound, Louisiana, USA. Pages 93-102 in J. Goss-Custard, R. Rufino, and A. Luis, eds. Effect of habitat loss and change on waterbirds. Institute of Terrestrial Ecology Symposium No. 30, Wetlands International Publication No. 42.

Michot, T.C., and P.C. Chadwick. 1991. Fat content of Louisiana redheads increases through winter. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Research Information Bulletin 91-44. 2 pp.

Michot, T., T. Doyle, C. Wells, T. Hargis, G. Girod, and B. Handley. 2000. Mapping and modeling the hydrology and habitat relations of Catahoula Lake, Louisiana for wetland and waterfowl management. Page 468 in A. Crowe and L. Rochefort, editors. Quebec 2000: Millennium Wetland Event Program with Abstracts, Quebec, Canada, August 6-12, 2000.

Michot, T.C., and A.J. Nault. 1991. Plant and animal foods of redheads wintering at Chandeleur Islands, Louisiana. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Research Information Bulletin 91-45. 2 pp.

Michot, T.C., A.J. Nault, T.W. Custer, and C.A. Mitchell. 1992. Contaminant levels determined for redheads wintering in Louisiana and Texas. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Research Information Bulletin 92-84. 2 pp.

Michot, T.C., A.J. Nault, and M.C. Woodin. 1994. Intestinal morphology differs between gulf coast redhead populations. National Biological Survey Research Information Bulletin 74. 3 pp.

Michot, T.C., A.J. Nault, and M.C. Woodin. 1996. Redheads wintering in Louisiana and Texas have similar diets. National Biological Service Information Bulletin 10. 3 pp.

Michot, T.C., and W. Norling. 1994. Low incidence of pairing and courtship behavior in redheads wintering in Louisiana. National Biological Survey Research Information Bulletin 75. 2 pp.

Michot, T.C., K. Roy, and M.C. Woodin. 1991. Different time-activity budgets in two wintering redhead populations on the Gulf Coast. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Research Information Bulletin 91-43. 2 pp.

Neckles, H.A., G.R. Guntenspergen, W.M. Rizzo, and T.C. Michot. 1997. Global change and submerged aquatic vegetation research. USGS Biological Resources Division USGS FS-090-97. 2 pp.

Neckles, H.A., and T.C. Michot. 1992. Water depth and island overwash disturbance influence seagrass community structure in coastal Louisiana. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Research Information Bulletin 92-101. 2 pp.

Woodin, M.C., M.C. Lee, and T.C. Michot. 1993. Variation in salt gland weights of redheads from breeding and wintering ranges. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Research Information Bulletin 93-45. 2 pp.

Woodin, M.C., and T.C. Michot. 1990. Disjunct wintering populations of redheads do not differ morphometrically. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Research Information Bulletin 90-03. 2 pp.

Woodin, M.C., and T.C. Michot. 1991. Redheads in winter: when diving ducks dabble. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Research Information Bulletin 91-75. 2 pp.

Woodin, M.C., and T.C. Michot. 1994. Redheads in winter: is there enough food to go around? National Biological Survey Research Information Bulletin 101. 2 pp.

Woodin, M.C., M.K. Skoruppa, and T.C. Michot. 1992. Molt intensity in two gulf coast populations of redheads. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Research Information Bulletin 92-46. 2 pp.

Woodin, M.C., M.K. Skoruppa, and T.C. Michot. 1993. Comparison of body masses in two wintering populations of redheads. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Research Information Bulletin 93-21. 2 pp.

Woodin, M.C., M.K. Skoruppa, and T.C. Michot. 1996. Nutrient reserve dynamics in wintering redheads. National Biological Service Information Bulletin 8. 4 pp.

Management Reports

Boustany, R.G., Michot, T.C., Moss, R., and Lawton, L., 2001, Effects of variable nutrient loadings on biomass and growth of Vallisneria americana in the lower St. Johns River, Florida, USA: U.S. Geological Survey, National Wetlands Research Center, Phase II Final Report to St. Johns Water Management District, 110 p.

Michot, T.C., Boustany, R.G., Arrivillaga, A., and Perez, B., 2001, Impacts of Hurricane Mitch on Lake Izabal, Guatemala, nutrients: U.S. Geological Survey, National Wetlands Research Center, Final Report to USAID on Hurricane Mitch Impacts.

Michot, T.C., Burch, J.N., Arrivillaga, A., Rafferty, P.S., Doyle, T.W., and Kemmerer, R.S., 2001, Hurricane Mitch: seagrass beds and associated shallow reef communities on teh Caribbean Coast of Honduras and Guatemala: U.S. Geological Survey, National Wetlands Research Center, Final Report to USAID on Hurricane Mitch Impacts.

Michot, T.C., Jeske, C.W., Vermillion, W., Mazourek, J., and Leberg, P., 2001, Distribution, species composition, and numbers of wading bird and seabird colonies in Louisiana, as determined from aerial surveys, Spring 2001: U.S. Geological Survey, National Wetlands Research Center, Final Report to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Abstracts

Ford, M.A., Michot, T.C., Kemmerer, S., Olney, T., and Rafferty, P.S., 2001, Plant and soil characterizations in a Spartina alterniflora saltmarsh experiencing dieback in Terrebone Parish, Louisiana, USA [abs.]: ERF 2001: the 16th Biennial Conference of the Estuarine Research Federation, November 4-8, 2001, St. Petersburg, Fla., p. 46.

Ford, M.A., Michot, T.C., and Rafferty, P.S., 2001, Plant and soil characterizations in a Spartina alterniflora saltmarsh experiencing dieback in Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana, USA [abs.]: 22nd Annual Society of Wetland Scientists Conference, May 27-June 1, 2001, Chicago, Ill.

Lawton, L.L., Boustany, R.G., Michot, T.C., and Moss, R., 2001, Effect of salinity and light on biomass and growth of Vallisneria americana in lower St., Johns River, FL, USA [abs.]: ERF 2001: the 16th Biennial Conference of the Estuarine Research Federation, November 4-8, 2001, St. Petersburg, Fla., p. 77.

Michot, T.C., Burch, J.N., Arrivillaga, A., Rafferty, P.S., Doyle, T.W., 2001, Impacts of Hurricane Mitch on seagrass communities of Honduras and Guatemala [abs.]: ERF 2001: the 16th Biennial Conference of the Estuarine Research Federation, November 4-8, 2001, St. Petersburg, Fla., p. 92.

Michot, T.C., Ford, M.A., Rafferty, P.S., Kemmerer, S., and Olney, T., 2001, Characterization of plants and soils in a Spartina alterniflora salt marsh experiencing "brown marsh" dieback in Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana, USA [abs.]: Abstracts from "Coastal Marsh Dieback in the Northern Gulf of Mexico: Extent, Causes, Consequences, and Remedies," USGS Information and Technology Report, USGS/BRD/ITR-2001-0003, 31 p.

Michot, T.C., Wells, C., Linscombe, G., 2001, Statewide distribution of brown marsh as determined from aerial surveys [abs.]: Abstracts from "Coastal Marsh Dieback in the Northern Gulf of Mexico: Extent, Causes, Consequences, and Remedies," USGS Information and Technology Report, USGS/BRD/ITR-2001-0003, 31 p.

Nyman, J.A., Burcham, A.K., Foret, J.D., Melancon, G., Michot, T.C., and Schmidhauser, T.J., 2001, Preliminary studies of brown marsh in a chenier plain, Spartina patens marsh [abs.]: Abstracts from "Coastal Marsh Dieback in the Northern Gulf of Mexico: Extent, Causes, Consequences, and Remedies," USGS Information and Technology Report, USGS/BRD/ITR-2001-0003, 31 p.

Wells, C.J., and Michot, T.C., 2001, Statewide geographical and temporal distribution of brown marsh in Louisiana and Texas as determined from aerial surveys [abs.]: ERF 2001: the 16th Biennial Conference of the Estuarine Research Federation, November 4-8, 2001, St. Petersburg, Fla., p. 147.

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