Effects of snow cover on the timing and success of reproduction in high-Arctic pink-footed geese Anser brachyrhynchus

• Main Authors: J Madsen, M Tamstorf, Marcel Klaassen, N Eide, C Glahder, F Rigét, H Nyegaard, F Cottaar
• Format: Other Non-Article Part of Journal/Newspaper
• Language: unknown
• Published: 2007
• Subjects: Uncategorized; annual variation; breeding success; migratory birds; MODIS; nest-site availability; satellite images; Science & Technology; Life Sciences & Biomedicine; Biodiversity Conservation; Ecology; Biodiversity & Conservation; Environmental Sciences & Ecology; BARNACLE GEESE; BRANTA-LEUCOPSIS; MIGRATION; PERFORMANCE; BREEDERS; BERNICLA; SVALBARD; HABITAT; GOOSE; SITE; Arctic; Svalbard; Anser brachyrhynchus; Branta leucopsis
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10536/DRO/DU:30035100; https://figshare.com/articles/journal_contribution/Effects_of_snow_cover_on_the_timing_and_success_of_reproduction_in_high-Arctic_pink-footed_geese_Anser_brachyrhynchus/21007459

During four breeding seasons, 2003–2006, we studied the relationship between snow cover and nesting performance in pink-footed geese ( Anser brachyrhynchus ) in a key breeding site on Svalbard. Snow cover in late May, i.e., at the time of egg laying of geese, was derived from MODIS satellite images. Snow cover had a profound cascading effect on reproductive output via the number of nesting pairs and timing of nesting, which affected nest success, while there was only a tendency for a negative effect on clutch size. Hence, we estimated a five-fold difference in the number of young produced (to post-hatching) between years with little snow and years with high snow cover. The results from the study area correlated with whole-population productivity estimates recorded in autumn. Thus, snow cover derived from MODIS satellite images appears to provide a useful indicator of the breeding conditions in the Arctic.