Do hyperabundant Arctic-nesting geese pose a problem for sympatric species?
Arctic-breeding geese are at record high population levels and are causing significant changes to some of their breeding and staging habitats. These changes could influence sympatric wildlife, but the nature and strength of these effects are unknown. Here, we review the interactions between geese an...
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2016
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Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/er-2016-0007 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/full-xml/10.1139/er-2016-0007 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/er-2016-0007 |
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crcansciencepubl:10.1139/er-2016-0007 2024-09-09T19:17:06+00:00 Do hyperabundant Arctic-nesting geese pose a problem for sympatric species? Flemming, Scott A. Calvert, Anna Nol, Erica Smith, Paul A. 2016 http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/er-2016-0007 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/full-xml/10.1139/er-2016-0007 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/er-2016-0007 en eng Canadian Science Publishing http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/page/about/CorporateTextAndDataMining Environmental Reviews volume 24, issue 4, page 393-402 ISSN 1181-8700 1208-6053 journal-article 2016 crcansciencepubl https://doi.org/10.1139/er-2016-0007 2024-06-20T04:11:57Z Arctic-breeding geese are at record high population levels and are causing significant changes to some of their breeding and staging habitats. These changes could influence sympatric wildlife, but the nature and strength of these effects are unknown. Here, we review the interactions between geese and sympatric species and propose future research that could help to fill important knowledge gaps. We suggest that geese may be indirectly affecting other species through changes to nesting habitat, prey availability, and predator–prey interactions. Many ground-nesting Arctic birds prefer vegetated wet tundra habitats that offer concealed nest sites; areas also heavily used by breeding and staging geese. Where goose foraging exceeds the capacity of the plants to regenerate, habitats have shorter graminoids and more exposed substrate, potentially reducing the availability of concealed nest sites for other birds. Studies have documented local reductions in the abundance of these concealed-nesting species, such as shorebirds. Despite the nutrient enrichment contributed by goose feces, habitats heavily altered by geese have also been shown to host a reduced diversity and abundance of some invertebrate groups. In contrast, generalist predators show positive functional and numerical responses to the presence of breeding geese. Therefore, the risk of predation for alternative or incidental prey (e.g., lemmings or small bird nests) is likely elevated within or near breeding colonies. Studies have demonstrated a reduced abundance of small mammals in areas heavily used by geese, but it is unknown whether this is related to shared predators or habitat alteration. Sympatric wildlife could be further affected through higher stress-levels, altered body condition, or other physiological effects, but there is currently no evidence to demonstrate such impacts. Few studies have explored the potential effects of geese at larger spatial scales, but we suggest that hyperabundant geese could result in regional declines in the abundance and ... Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic birds Arctic Tundra Canadian Science Publishing Arctic Environmental Reviews 24 4 393 402 |
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Open Polar |
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Canadian Science Publishing |
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crcansciencepubl |
language |
English |
description |
Arctic-breeding geese are at record high population levels and are causing significant changes to some of their breeding and staging habitats. These changes could influence sympatric wildlife, but the nature and strength of these effects are unknown. Here, we review the interactions between geese and sympatric species and propose future research that could help to fill important knowledge gaps. We suggest that geese may be indirectly affecting other species through changes to nesting habitat, prey availability, and predator–prey interactions. Many ground-nesting Arctic birds prefer vegetated wet tundra habitats that offer concealed nest sites; areas also heavily used by breeding and staging geese. Where goose foraging exceeds the capacity of the plants to regenerate, habitats have shorter graminoids and more exposed substrate, potentially reducing the availability of concealed nest sites for other birds. Studies have documented local reductions in the abundance of these concealed-nesting species, such as shorebirds. Despite the nutrient enrichment contributed by goose feces, habitats heavily altered by geese have also been shown to host a reduced diversity and abundance of some invertebrate groups. In contrast, generalist predators show positive functional and numerical responses to the presence of breeding geese. Therefore, the risk of predation for alternative or incidental prey (e.g., lemmings or small bird nests) is likely elevated within or near breeding colonies. Studies have demonstrated a reduced abundance of small mammals in areas heavily used by geese, but it is unknown whether this is related to shared predators or habitat alteration. Sympatric wildlife could be further affected through higher stress-levels, altered body condition, or other physiological effects, but there is currently no evidence to demonstrate such impacts. Few studies have explored the potential effects of geese at larger spatial scales, but we suggest that hyperabundant geese could result in regional declines in the abundance and ... |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Flemming, Scott A. Calvert, Anna Nol, Erica Smith, Paul A. |
spellingShingle |
Flemming, Scott A. Calvert, Anna Nol, Erica Smith, Paul A. Do hyperabundant Arctic-nesting geese pose a problem for sympatric species? |
author_facet |
Flemming, Scott A. Calvert, Anna Nol, Erica Smith, Paul A. |
author_sort |
Flemming, Scott A. |
title |
Do hyperabundant Arctic-nesting geese pose a problem for sympatric species? |
title_short |
Do hyperabundant Arctic-nesting geese pose a problem for sympatric species? |
title_full |
Do hyperabundant Arctic-nesting geese pose a problem for sympatric species? |
title_fullStr |
Do hyperabundant Arctic-nesting geese pose a problem for sympatric species? |
title_full_unstemmed |
Do hyperabundant Arctic-nesting geese pose a problem for sympatric species? |
title_sort |
do hyperabundant arctic-nesting geese pose a problem for sympatric species? |
publisher |
Canadian Science Publishing |
publishDate |
2016 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/er-2016-0007 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/full-xml/10.1139/er-2016-0007 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/er-2016-0007 |
geographic |
Arctic |
geographic_facet |
Arctic |
genre |
Arctic birds Arctic Tundra |
genre_facet |
Arctic birds Arctic Tundra |
op_source |
Environmental Reviews volume 24, issue 4, page 393-402 ISSN 1181-8700 1208-6053 |
op_rights |
http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/page/about/CorporateTextAndDataMining |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1139/er-2016-0007 |
container_title |
Environmental Reviews |
container_volume |
24 |
container_issue |
4 |
container_start_page |
393 |
op_container_end_page |
402 |
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1809757188007133184 |