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Are birdwatchers willing to participate in local goose management? A case study from Sweden. EUR J WILDLIFE RES 2023. [DOI: 10.1007/s10344-023-01649-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/18/2023]
Abstract
AbstractStakeholder involvement in wildlife management is important and requires knowledge about factors motivating such participation. With several goose populations increasing in Europe and goose management incorporating multiple objectives, involvement of stakeholder groups with diverse interests is needed. In this study, we examined how evaluations of geese (attitude and acceptance capacity), but also experiences of birdwatching and birdwatcher identity, were associated with willingness to participate in local goose management. A survey among members of Sweden’s largest birdwatching organization was conducted (n = 5010). The majority of respondents, 64%, displayed a divided evaluation of geese, most frequently in terms of an overall positive attitude towards geese but a low acceptance for current goose population levels (i.e. acceptance capacity). Birdwatchers’ willingness to participate in goose management was generally low. Whereas they were more willing to take part in goose counts (i.e. monitoring) than to participate in local goose management groups, they were least willing to contribute to mitigating crop damage through scaring geese. Results further revealed that birdwatchers with a divided evaluation of geese and an entirely positive evaluation displayed the highest willingness to participate in goose management. However, a stronger distinct birdwatcher identity as a result of more birdwatching experiences was even more strongly associated with higher willingness to take part in goose management. The results highlight a need to intensify efforts to engage stakeholder groups with an interest in conservation issues in the participatory goose management system in Europe.
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Sharing habitat: effects of migratory barnacle geese density on meadow breeding waders. J Nat Conserv 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jnc.2023.126355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
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Månsson J, Eriksson L, Hodgson I, Elmberg J, Bunnefeld N, Hessel R, Johansson M, Liljebäck N, Nilsson L, Olsson C, Pärt T, Sandström C, Tombre I, Redpath SM. Understanding and overcoming obstacles in adaptive management. Trends Ecol Evol 2023; 38:55-71. [PMID: 36202636 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2022.08.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2022] [Revised: 08/26/2022] [Accepted: 08/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Adaptive management (AM) is widely promoted to improve management of natural resources, yet its implementation is challenging. We show that obstacles to the implementation of AM are related not only to the AM process per se but also to external factors such as ecosystem properties and governance systems. To overcome obstacles, there is a need to build capacities within the AM process by ensuring adequate resources, management tools, collaboration, and learning. Additionally, building capacities in the legal and institutional frames can enable the necessary flexibility in the governance system. Furthermore, in systems experiencing profound changes in wildlife populations, building such capacities may be even more critical as more flexibility will be needed to cope with increased uncertainty and changed environmental conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johan Månsson
- Grimsö Wildlife Research Station, Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Riddarhyttan, Sweden.
| | | | - Isla Hodgson
- Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling, UK
| | - Johan Elmberg
- Department of Environmental Science, Kristianstad University, Kristianstad, Sweden
| | - Nils Bunnefeld
- Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling, UK
| | - Rebecca Hessel
- Department of Environmental Science, Kristianstad University, Kristianstad, Sweden
| | - Maria Johansson
- Environmental Psychology, Department of Architecture and Built Environment, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Niklas Liljebäck
- Grimsö Wildlife Research Station, Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Riddarhyttan, Sweden
| | - Lovisa Nilsson
- Grimsö Wildlife Research Station, Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Riddarhyttan, Sweden
| | - Camilla Olsson
- Department of Environmental Science, Kristianstad University, Kristianstad, Sweden
| | - Tomas Pärt
- Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | | | - Ingunn Tombre
- Department of Arctic Ecology, The Fram Centre, Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Steve M Redpath
- School of Biological Sciences, Zoology Building, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
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Migration patterns of Swedish Greylag geese Anser anser—implications for flyway management in a changing world. EUR J WILDLIFE RES 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s10344-022-01561-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
AbstractSignificant population growth of some European goose populations has led to initiatives to implement management at the flyway level. Understanding migration routes and spatiotemporal distribution is crucial for the successful and coordinated management of migratory species such as geese. In this study, we describe movements across the entire annual cycle in 76 Greylag geese (Anser anser) fitted with GPS tracking devices at five catch sites in Sweden. We show that Greylag geese breeding in Sweden still use a NE-SW migration path. However, the wintering range has undergone a northward shift during the last decades. Compared to previous studies, our data suggest a continued reduction in migration distance, being most pronounced in birds in southernmost Sweden. Greylag geese tagged in southernmost Sweden spent almost the entire annual cycle in Sweden and Denmark (97 and 100% of all GPS locations). In contrast, the flyway of Greylag geese from the northern catch sites still covers countries from Sweden to Spain, but presently, only a small fraction of the population migrates to Spain. Instead, most of the annual cycle is spent in Sweden, Denmark, the Netherlands, or Germany. The contrasting spatiotemporal distribution in geese of different geographical origin indicates that management initiatives for the NW/SW European Greylag Goose population need to consider that different migration strategies occur within previously defined management units. As a consequence, coordination of management actions (e.g. monitoring, harvest quotas, reserves) may need to consider different spatial scales, i.e. from the regional to the international scale depending on the origin of the Greylag geese.
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Climate-related drivers of nutrient inputs and food web structure in shallow Arctic lake ecosystems. Sci Rep 2022; 12:2125. [PMID: 35136177 PMCID: PMC8825857 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-06136-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2021] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
In order to predict the effects of climate change on polar ecosystems, disentangling mechanisms of nutrient transfer in food webs is crucial. We investigated sources of nutrients in tundra lakes, tracing their transfer through the food web and relating the observed patterns to runoff, snow coverage, and the presence of migratory geese in lake catchments. C and N content (elemental and isotopic) of several food web components including Lepidurus arcticus (Notostraca, at the top of the lake food webs) in 18 shallow Arctic lakes was compared. Terrestrial productivity and geese abundance were key biotic factors that interacted with abiotic variables (snow coverage, lake and catchment size) in determining the amount and origin of nutrient inputs, affecting the trophic interactions among aquatic species, food chain length and nutrient flow in Arctic lake food webs. Decreasing snow coverage, increasing abundance and expansion of the geese's range are expected across the Arctic due to climate warming. By relating nutrient inputs and food web structure to snow coverage, vegetation and geese, this study contributes to our mechanistic understanding of the cascade effects of climate change in tundra ecosystems, and may help predict the response of lakes to changes in nutrient inputs at lower latitudes.
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Johnson FA, Heldbjerg H, Nagy S, Madsen J. Setting population-size targets for geese causing socio-economic conflicts. AMBIO 2022; 51:209-225. [PMID: 33782852 PMCID: PMC8651891 DOI: 10.1007/s13280-021-01539-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2020] [Revised: 02/03/2021] [Accepted: 02/05/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Most European goose populations have increased exponentially, and this has increasingly brought them into conflict with human activities. To manage this conflict, we used multi-criteria decision analysis to help set population targets for a super-abundant population of greylag geese (Anser anser). We relied on expert elicitation to assess the consequences of varying goose abundance on nine ecological, economic, and societal objectives. Representatives from national governments and from non-governmental organizations then weighted the objectives based on their perceived relative importance, and we used a consensus-convergence model to reach stakeholder agreement on the tradeoffs among objectives. The preferred population targets for two management units represent about a 20% reduction from current abundances, which from a management perspective would require considerable effort above and beyond current population-control measures. We believe that multi-criteria decision analysis can provide a systematic and transparent framework for building consensus among diverse stakeholders in a wide array of human-wildlife conflicts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fred A. Johnson
- Department of Bioscience – Kalø, Aarhus University, Grenåvej 14, 8410 Rønde, Denmark
| | - Henning Heldbjerg
- Department of Bioscience – Kalø, Aarhus University, Grenåvej 14, 8410 Rønde, Denmark
| | - Szabolcs Nagy
- Wetlands International, P.O. Box 471, 6700AL Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Jesper Madsen
- Department of Bioscience – Kalø, Aarhus University, Grenåvej 14, 8410 Rønde, Denmark
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Johnson FA, Koffijberg K. Biased monitoring data and an info-gap model for regulating the offtake of greylag geese in Europe. WILDLIFE BIOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.2981/wlb.00803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Fred A. Johnson
- F. A. Johnson (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5854-3695) ✉ , Aarhus Univ., Dept of Bioscience – Kalø, Rønde, Denmark
| | - Kees Koffijberg
- K. Koffijberg (https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0146-2269), Savon, Dutch Centre for Field Ornithology, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
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Liljebäck N, Bergqvist G, Elmberg J, Haas F, Nilsson L, Lindström Å, Månsson J. Learning from long time series of harvest and population data: Swedish lessons for European goose management. WILDLIFE BIOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.2981/wlb.00733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Niklas Liljebäck
- N. Liljebäck (https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9063-6405) ✉ and J. Månsson, Grimsö Wildlife Research Station, Dept of Ecology, Swedish Univ. of Agricultural Sciences, Sweden
| | - Göran Bergqvist
- G. Bergqvist, Swedish Association for Hunting and Wildlife Management, Öster Malma, Nyköping, Sweden, and: Southern Swedish Forest Research Centre, Swedish Univ. of Agricultural Sciences, Alnarp, Sweden
| | - Johan Elmberg
- J. Elmberg, Dept of Environmental Science and Bioscience, Kristianstad Univ., Kristianstad, Sweden
| | - Fredrik Haas
- F. Haas, L. Nilsson and Å. Lindström, Dept of Biology, Lund Univ., Lund, Sweden
| | - Leif Nilsson
- F. Haas, L. Nilsson and Å. Lindström, Dept of Biology, Lund Univ., Lund, Sweden
| | - Åke Lindström
- F. Haas, L. Nilsson and Å. Lindström, Dept of Biology, Lund Univ., Lund, Sweden
| | - Johan Månsson
- N. Liljebäck (https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9063-6405) ✉ and J. Månsson, Grimsö Wildlife Research Station, Dept of Ecology, Swedish Univ. of Agricultural Sciences, Sweden
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Sheremetev IS, Rosenfeld SB, Baranyuk VV. Herbivore Diet Selectivity and Its Influence over Ecosystem Recycling in Wrangel Island. CONTEMP PROBL ECOL+ 2021. [DOI: 10.1134/s1995425521020104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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10
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Luukkonen BZ, Jones OE, Klaver RW. Canada Goose Survival and Recovery Rates in Urban and Rural Areas of Iowa, USA. J Wildl Manage 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.21987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Z. Luukkonen
- Iowa Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit Iowa State University 2310 Pammel Drive Ames IA 50011 USA
| | - Orrin E. Jones
- Iowa Department of Natural Resources 1203 N Shore Drive Clear Lake IA 50428 USA
| | - Robert W. Klaver
- U.S. Geological Survey, Iowa Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit 2310 Pammel Drive Ames IA 50011 USA
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Groom QJ, Adriaens T, Colsoulle C, Delhez P, Van der Beeten I. Site selection by geese in a suburban landscape. PeerJ 2020; 8:e9846. [PMID: 33024625 PMCID: PMC7518184 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.9846] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2020] [Accepted: 08/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background In European and North American cities geese are among the most common and most visible large herbivores. As such, their presence and behaviour often conflict with the desires of the human residents. Fouling, noise, aggression and health concerns are all cited as reasons that there are “too many”. Lethal control is often used for population management; however, this raises questions about whether this is a sustainable strategy to resolve the conflict between humans and geese when, paradoxically, it is humans that are responsible for creating the habitat and often providing the food and protection of geese at other times. We hypothesise that the landscaping of suburban parks can be improved to decrease its attractiveness to geese and to reduce the opportunity for conflict between geese and humans. Methods Using observations collected over five years from a botanic garden situated in suburban Belgium and data from the whole of Flanders in Belgium, we examined landscape features that attract geese. These included the presence of islands in lakes, the distance from water, barriers to level flight and the size of exploited areas. The birds studied were the tadornine goose Alopochen aegyptiaca (L. 1766) (Egyptian goose) and the anserine geese, Branta canadensis (L. 1758) (Canada goose), Anser anser (L. 1758) (greylag goose) and Branta leucopsis (Bechstein, 1803) (barnacle goose). Landscape modification is a known method for altering goose behaviour, but there is little information on the power of such methods with which to inform managers and planners. Results Our results demonstrate that lakes with islands attract more than twice as many anserine geese than lakes without islands, but make little difference to Egyptian geese. Furthermore, flight barriers between grazing areas and lakes are an effective deterrent to geese using an area for feeding. Keeping grazing areas small and surrounded by trees reduces their attractiveness to geese. Conclusion The results suggest that landscape design can be used successfully to reduce the number of geese and their conflict with humans. However, this approach has its limitations and would require humans to compromise on what they expect from their landscaped parks, such as open vistas, lakes, islands and closely cropped lawns.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Tim Adriaens
- Research Institute for Nature and Forest (INBO), Brussels, Belgium
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Sample C, Bieri JA, Allen B, Dementieva Y, Carson A, Higgins C, Piatt S, Qiu S, Stafford S, Mattsson BJ, Semmens DJ, Diffendorfer JE, Thogmartin WE. Quantifying the Contribution of Habitats and Pathways to a Spatially Structured Population Facing Environmental Change. Am Nat 2020; 196:157-168. [PMID: 32673098 DOI: 10.1086/709009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
The consequences of environmental disturbance and management are difficult to quantify for spatially structured populations because changes in one location carry through to other areas as a result of species movement. We develop a metric, G, for measuring the contribution of a habitat or pathway to network-wide population growth rate in the face of environmental change. This metric is different from other contribution metrics, as it quantifies effects of modifying vital rates for habitats and pathways in perturbation experiments. Perturbation treatments may range from small degradation or enhancement to complete habitat or pathway removal. We demonstrate the metric using a simple metapopulation example and a case study of eastern monarch butterflies. For the monarch case study, the magnitude of environmental change influences the ordering of node contribution. We find that habitats within which all individuals reside during one season are the most important to short-term network growth under complete removal scenarios, whereas the central breeding region contributes most to population growth over all but the strongest disturbances. The metric G provides for more efficient management interventions that proactively mitigate impacts of expected disturbances to spatially structured populations.
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Saunders ME. Conceptual ambiguity hinders measurement and management of ecosystem disservices. J Appl Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.13665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Manu E. Saunders
- School of Environmental and Rural Sciences University of New England Armidale NSW Australia
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Clausen KK, Marcussen LK, Knudsen N, Balsby TJS, Madsen J. Effectiveness of lasers to reduce goose grazing on agricultural grassland. WILDLIFE BIOLOGY 2019. [DOI: 10.2981/wlb.00560] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Luna K. Marcussen
- L. K. Marcussen, T. J. S. Balsby and J. Madsen, Dept of Bioscience, Aarhus Univ., Grenåvej 14, DK-8410 Rønde, Denmark
| | | | - Thorsten J. S. Balsby
- L. K. Marcussen, T. J. S. Balsby and J. Madsen, Dept of Bioscience, Aarhus Univ., Grenåvej 14, DK-8410 Rønde, Denmark
| | - Jesper Madsen
- L. K. Marcussen, T. J. S. Balsby and J. Madsen, Dept of Bioscience, Aarhus Univ., Grenåvej 14, DK-8410 Rønde, Denmark
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Madsen J, Marcussen LK, Knudsen N, Balsby TJS, Clausen KK. Does intensive goose grazing affect breeding waders? Ecol Evol 2019; 9:14512-14522. [PMID: 31938537 PMCID: PMC6953592 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.5923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2019] [Revised: 10/29/2019] [Accepted: 11/18/2019] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Increasing goose population sizes gives rise to conflicts with human socioeconomic interests and in some circumstances conservation interests. Grazing by high abundances of geese in grasslands is postulated to lead to a very short and homogeneous sward height negatively affecting cover for breeding meadow birds and impacting survival of nests and chicks. We studied the effects of spring grazing barnacle geese Branta leucopsis and brent geese Branta bernicla on occupancy of extensively farmed freshwater grasslands by nesting and brood-rearing waders on the island Mandø in the Danish Wadden Sea. We hypothesized that goose grazing would lead to a shorter grass sward, negatively affecting the field occupancy by territorial/nesting and chick-rearing waders, particularly species preferring taller vegetation. Goose grazing led to a short grass sward (<5 cm height) over most of the island. To achieve a variation in sward height, we kept geese off certain fields using laser light. We analyzed effects of field size, sward height, mosaic structure of the vegetation, proximity to shrub as cover for potential predators, and elevation above ground water level as a measure of wetness on field occupancy by nesting and chick-rearing waders. The analysis indicated that the most important factor explaining field occupancy by nesting redshank Tringa totanus, black-tailed godwit Limosa limosa, oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus and lapwing Vanellus vanellus as well as by chick-rearing black-tailed godwit and lapwing was short vegetation height. Distance to shrub cover and elevation were less important. Hence, despite very intensive goose grazing, we could not detect any negative effect on the field occupancy by nesting nor chick-rearing waders, including redshank and black-tailed godwit, which are known to favor longer vegetation to conceal their nests and hide their chicks. Possible negative effects may be buffered by mosaic structures in fields and proximity to taller vegetation along fences and ditches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesper Madsen
- Department of BioscienceAarhus UniversityRøndeDenmark
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16
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Gordon IJ, Prins HHT, Mallon J, Puk LD, Miranda EBP, Starling-Manne C, van der Wal R, Moore B, Foley W, Lush L, Maestri R, Matsuda I, Clauss M. The Ecology of Browsing and Grazing in Other Vertebrate Taxa. THE ECOLOGY OF BROWSING AND GRAZING II 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-25865-8_15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
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17
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Bakker ES, Veen CGF, Ter Heerdt GJN, Huig N, Sarneel JM. High Grazing Pressure of Geese Threatens Conservation and Restoration of Reed Belts. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2018; 9:1649. [PMID: 30483297 PMCID: PMC6240796 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2018.01649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2017] [Accepted: 10/24/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Reed (Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin. ex Steud.) beds are important habitat for marsh birds, but are declining throughout Europe. Increasing numbers of the native marsh bird, the Greylag goose (Anser anser L.), are hypothesized to cause reed bed decline and inhibit restoration of reed beds, but data are largely lacking. In this study, we experimentally tested the effect of grazing by Greylag geese on the growth and expansion of reed growing in belts along lake shorelines. After 5 years of protecting reed from grazing with exclosures, reed stems were over 4-fold denser and taller than in the grazed plots. Grazing pressure was intense with 50-100% of the stems being grazed among years in the control plots open to grazing. After 5 years of protection we opened half of the exclosures and the geese immediately grazed almost 100% of the reed stems. Whereas this did not affect the reed stem density, the stem height was strongly reduced and similar to permanently grazed reed. The next year geese were actively chased away by management from mid-March to mid-June, which changed the maximum amount of geese from over 2300 to less than 50. As a result, reed stem density and height increased and the reed belt had recovered over the full 6 m length of the experimental plots. Lastly, we introduced reed plants in an adjacent lake where no reed was growing and geese did visit this area. After two years, the density of the planted reed was six to nine-fold higher and significantly taller in exclosures compared to control plots where geese had access to the reed plants. We conclude that there is a conservation dilemma regarding how to preserve and restore reed belts in the presence of high densities of Greylag geese as conservation of both reed belts and high goose numbers seems infeasible. We suggest that there are three possible solutions for this dilemma: (1) effects of the geese can be mediated by goose population management, (2) the robustness of the reed marshes can be increased, and (3) at the landscape level, spatial planning can be used to configure landscapes with large reed bed reserves surrounded by unmown, unfertilized meadows.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabeth S. Bakker
- Department of Aquatic Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Ciska G. F. Veen
- Department of Terrestrial Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | | | - Naomi Huig
- Department of Aquatic Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Judith M. Sarneel
- Department of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
- Ecology and Biodiversity Group, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
- Plant Ecophysiology Group, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
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Pejchar L, Clough Y, Ekroos J, Nicholas KA, Olsson O, Ram D, Tschumi M, Smith HG. Net Effects of Birds in Agroecosystems. Bioscience 2018. [DOI: 10.1093/biosci/biy104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Liba Pejchar
- Associate professor of conservation biology at Colorado State University, in Fort Collins
| | - Yann Clough
- Professor of environmental sciences at Lund University, in Lund, Sweden
| | - Johan Ekroos
- Research scientist at the Centre for Environmental and Climate Research, at Lund University, in Lund, Sweden
| | - Kimberly A Nicholas
- Associate professor of sustainability science at the Lund University Centre for Sustainability Studies, in Lund, Sweden
| | - Ola Olsson
- Associate professor and the head of the Biodiversity Unit, Department of Biology at Lund University
| | - Dafne Ram
- Department of Biology at Lund University
| | | | - Henrik G Smith
- Professor of animal ecology and director of the Centre for Environmental and Climate Research at Lund University
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Abstract
Increasing abundance of geese in North America and Europe constitutes a major conservation success, but has caused increasing conflicts with economic, health and safety interests, as well as ecosystem impacts. Potential conflict resolution through a single, 'one size fits all' policy is hindered by differences in species' ecology, behaviour, abundance and population status, and in contrasting political and socio-economic environments across the flyways. Effective goose management requires coordinated application of a suite of tools from the local level to strategic flyway management actions. The European Goose Management Platform, established under the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds, aims to harmonise and prioritise management, monitoring and conservation efforts, sharing best practice internationally by facilitating agreed policies, coordinating flyway efforts, and sharing and exchanging experiences and information. This depends crucially upon adequate government financing, the collection of necessary monitoring data (e.g., on distribution, abundance, hunting bags, demography, ecosystem and agricultural damage), the collation and effective use of such data and information, as well as the evaluation of outcomes of existing management measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- David A. Stroud
- Joint Nature Conservation Committee, Monkstone House, City Road, Peterborough, PE1 1JY UK
| | - Jesper Madsen
- Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Kalø, Grenåvej, 8410 Denmark
| | - Anthony D. Fox
- Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Kalø, Grenåvej, 8410 Denmark
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Simonsen CE, Tombre IM, Madsen J. Scaring as a tool to alleviate crop damage by geese: Revealing differences between farmers' perceptions and the scale of the problem. AMBIO 2017; 46:319-327. [PMID: 28215017 PMCID: PMC5316329 DOI: 10.1007/s13280-016-0891-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Expanding populations of farmland foraging geese are causing escalating conflict with agriculture. We used questionnaires to investigate farmers´ perceptions in mid-Norway of spring staging geese and the extent to which they attempt to reduce pasture damage by goose scaring. We predicted farmers' scaring effort (a measure of dissatisfaction) to increase on fields closer to goose roosting sites where goose grazing intensity was highest (measured by dropping counts). Results showed no such relationship, suggesting that farmers' perception of goose use was not linked to actual goose use, but influenced by sociological factors and individual opinion. These results confirm the need to distribute subsidies/compensation to affected farmers based upon quantifiable measures of goose use rather than complaint levels. To avoid further conflict escalation, it is equally important that managers are aware of farmers´ perceptions and their causes, to effectively target communication about policies and measures to mitigate goose-agriculture problems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline E. Simonsen
- Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Kalø, Grenåvej 14, 8410 Rønde, Denmark
| | - Ingunn M. Tombre
- Department of Arctic Ecology, The Fram Centre, Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, P.O. Box 6606, 9296 Tromsø, Norway
| | - Jesper Madsen
- Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Kalø, Grenåvej 14, 8410 Rønde, Denmark
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Madsen J, Williams JH, Johnson FA, Tombre IM, Dereliev S, Kuijken E. Implementation of the first adaptive management plan for a European migratory waterbird population: The case of the Svalbard pink-footed goose Anser brachyrhynchus. AMBIO 2017; 46:275-289. [PMID: 28215011 PMCID: PMC5316328 DOI: 10.1007/s13280-016-0888-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
An International Species Management Plan for the Svalbard population of the pink-footed goose was adopted under the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds in 2012, the first case of adaptive management of a migratory waterbird population in Europe. An international working group (including statutory agencies, NGO representatives and experts) agreed on objectives and actions to maintain the population in favourable conservation status, while accounting for biodiversity, economic and recreational interests. Agreements include setting a population target to reduce agricultural conflicts and avoid tundra degradation, and using hunting in some range states to maintain stable population size. As part of the adaptive management procedures, adjustment to harvest is made annually subject to population status. This has required streamlining of monitoring and assessment activities. Three years after implementation, indicators suggest the attainment of management results. Dialogue, consensus-building and engagement among stakeholders represent the major process achievements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesper Madsen
- Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Kalø, Grenåvej 14, 8410 Rønde, Denmark
| | - James Henty Williams
- Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Kalø, Grenåvej 14, 8410 Rønde, Denmark
| | - Fred A. Johnson
- Wetland and Aquatic Research Center, U.S. Geological Survey, 7920 NW 71 Street, Gainsville, FL 32653 USA
| | - Ingunn M. Tombre
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, Arctic Ecology Department, The Fram Centre, P.O. Box 6606, N-9296 Tromsø, Norway
| | - Sergey Dereliev
- UNEP/AEWA Secretariat, African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbird Agreement, UN Campus, Platz Der Vereinten Nationen 1, 53113 Bonn, Germany
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Fox AD, Madsen J. Threatened species to super-abundance: The unexpected international implications of successful goose conservation. AMBIO 2017; 46:179-187. [PMID: 28215012 PMCID: PMC5316321 DOI: 10.1007/s13280-016-0878-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Wild geese wintering in western Europe were declining by the 1930s probably due to loss of natural habitat and over exploitation through hunting, although the causes will never be known. Refuge provision and hunting restrictions from the 1950s enabled numbers to recover. Improved monitoring systems enabled the description of progressive increases and extensions of wintering range since that time, especially amongst those goose populations that increasingly exploited agricultural landscapes. This introductory article sets the scene for the special issue on the increasing interactions and conflicts created by recent increases in the range and abundance of wild geese throughout the northern hemisphere, especially with regard to agricultural damage, but including issues associated with air flight safety, human and animal health, ecosystem effects and conflicts with other biodiversity objectives. It also provides the context for finding common solutions to problems, presenting experiences from regional-, national- and flyway-coordinated management to find solutions to conflict.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony D. Fox
- Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Kalø, Grenåvej 14, 8410 Rønde, Denmark
| | - Jesper Madsen
- Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Kalø, Grenåvej 14, 8410 Rønde, Denmark
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