Categories:
- Wildlife Research and Management
- Wildlife Research and Management -- Non-Game Management and Conservation
Published: 2008
Revised: 2009
Pages: 4
The OSF is a key indicator or “umbrella” species for emergent warmwater marsh, a habitat representing the wetland type in the Pacific Northwest that has undergone the greatest loss in area since European settlement. The OSF requires relatively large areas of complex habitat to complete its seasonal life history and maintain large-enough populations to survive. Presence of a viable population of OSF in these emergent and widespread warmwater marshes likely guarantees the presence of other native species associated with this habitat. The protection, restoration or enhancement of the OSF will help ensure that a number of species associated with warmwater marsh will also benefit.