Trophic Interactions Between Birds and Aquatic Prey at North Campus Open Space

Understanding trophic interactions helps reveal how energy and nutrients move through ecosystems and provides insight into the ecological effects of habitat restoration. This study examined potential feeding relationships between birds and aquatic prey at North Campus Open Space (NCOS), a restored wetland. I constructed two trophic networks representing bird interactions with aquatic prey: one for aquatic invertebrates and one for aquatic vertebrates. I based these networks on bird and prey species recorded in monitoring datasets at NCOS and compiled trophic links through a literature review of documented avian diets. Highly connected prey groups included Chironomidae (midges) and small fish, suggesting that these two prey groups may function as key shared resources for birds at NCOS. Although these networks represent potential rather than directly observed interactions, they provide insight into the structure of avian-aquatic food webs and support future restoration efforts at NCOS.