Many coastal-dependent species have undergone large-scale population declines due to impacts from habitat loss, including American oystercatchers (Haematopus palliatus). Islands along the Big Bend region of Florida’s Gulf Coast provide important nesting habitat for oystercatchers, but reproductive success here is low and habitat degradation and loss are a major concern. To determine rates and characteristics of habitat loss, we quantified changes in island sizes within two major breeding areas of the Big Bend: the Barge Canal spoil islands and natural islands at Cedar Key. We digitized aerial photographs from the past ~ 40 years, measured area and shoreline retreat of nesting islands, and identified trends over time by fitting linear mixed effects models. The total area of the ten Barge Canal spoil islands decreased by 55% between 1979 and 2016. At Cedar Key, the total area of the six islands measured decreased by 39% between 1974 and 2016, 85% of which occurred after 1995, indicating an increase in erosion rates correlated with oyster reef declines. Changes in available nesting habitat varied between the Barge Canal and Cedar Key islands due to differences in physical attributes; however, all islands significantly decreased in size over time. Given the long life and high site fidelity of American oystercatchers, these islands may currently be acting as an ecological trap for this species. Climate change, sea-level rise, and loss of oyster reefs are likely to continue to drive oystercatcher habitat loss throughout their range; thus, creation and restoration of oyster reefs and nesting islands will become increasingly important.

由于栖息地丧失的影响，许多沿海依赖性物种经历了大规模的种群减少，其中包括美洲牡蛎（Haematopus palliatus）。佛罗里达州墨西哥湾沿岸大弯地区的岛屿为牡蛎捕捞者提供了重要的筑巢栖息地，但这里的繁殖成功率很低，栖息地退化和丧失是一个主要问题。为了确定栖息地丧失的速度和特征，我们量化了大弯的两个主要繁殖区域内的岛屿大小变化：驳船运河的弃土岛和锡达礁的自然岛。我们将过去40年来的航拍照片数字化，测量了嵌套岛的面积和海岸线撤退，并通过拟合线性混合效应模型确定了随时间的趋势。在1979年至2016年期间，十个驳船运河的弃岛总面积减少了55％。在锡达礁，在1974年至2016年期间，六个被测岛屿的总面积减少了39％，其中85％发生在1995年之后，表明侵蚀率的增加与牡蛎礁的减少有关。由于物理属性的差异，驳船运河和锡达礁岛之间的可用筑巢生境的变化也有所不同；但是，随着时间的推移，所有岛屿的大小都显着减少。鉴于美国牡蛎捕捞者的寿命长和高保真度，这些岛屿目前可能正在成为该物种的生态陷阱。气候变化，海平面上升和牡蛎礁丧失可能会继续在整个范围内驱赶牡蛎栖息地的丧失；因此，牡蛎礁和筑巢岛的建立和恢复将变得越来越重要。随着时间的流逝，所有岛屿的大小都显着减少。鉴于美国牡蛎捕捞者的寿命长和高保真度，这些岛屿目前可能正在成为该物种的生态陷阱。气候变化，海平面上升和牡蛎礁丧失可能会继续在整个范围内驱赶牡蛎栖息地的丧失；因此，牡蛎礁和筑巢岛的建立和恢复将变得越来越重要。随着时间的流逝，所有岛屿的大小都显着减少。鉴于美国牡蛎捕捞者的寿命长和高保真度，这些岛屿目前可能正在成为该物种的生态陷阱。气候变化，海平面上升和牡蛎礁丧失可能会继续在整个范围内驱赶牡蛎栖息地的丧失；因此，牡蛎礁和筑巢岛的建立和恢复将变得越来越重要。