Use of foster parents in species conservation may cause conflicting objectives: hybridization between Lesser White-fronted Goose Anser erythropus and Barnacle Goose Branta leucopsis

Following the use of Barnacle Geese Branta leucopsis as foster parents in a conservation program for the endangered Lesser White-fronted Goose Anser erythropus in Sweden 1981–1999, mixed breeding pairs of the two species were established in the wild. We find indications that this was related to shared moulting habits of the two species in the Bothnian Sea during late 1990s. Starting in 2003, five mixed pairs produced at least 49 free-flying hybrid offspring until 2013, when the last breeding was confirmed. Reported numbers of hybrids did not increase in parallel to the production of young hybrids over time. After 2013, the number of hybrids started to decrease in Sweden and the Netherlands. Lower numbers of hybrids than expected can partly be explained by management actions taken, but may also be associated with low survival due to genetic outbreeding. Mixed pairs and their offspring entirely adopted the migratory habits of Barnacle Geese, overlapping very little with sites used by Lesser White-fronted Geese. We find no evidence that the hybrids ever posed a serious threat to Lesser White-fronted Geese breeding in Fennoscandia.

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Mechanics Of Flight Feathers: Effects Of Captivity?

10.1101/2020.04.14.038877 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Steven J. Portugal ◽

Robert L. Nudds ◽

Jonathan A. Green ◽

R. McNeil Alexander ◽

Patrick J. Butler ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Round Trip ◽

Flight Feather ◽

In The Wild ◽

Cyclical Loading ◽

Barnacle Geese ◽

Branta Leucopsis

ABSTRACTFeathers act as aerodynamic cantilevers, and to withstand the prolonged cyclical loading that occurs during flight, feathers must be stiff, lightweight and strong. We experimentally tested the differences in feather structure, primarily stiffness and size, between (a) wild and captive Barnacle Geese Branta leucopsis, and (b) primary feathers dropped during the annual flight feather moult, and those feathers freshly regrown during the moult process. We found that, despite having undergone a 5,000km round-trip migration, flight feathers dropped during moult in the wild geese were stiffer than those measured in the captive geese, both for those dropped during moult and those re-grown. We propose that this may be related to diet or stress in the captive geese.

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Nesting of Barnacle Goose (Branta leucopsis) in the Russian Part of the Gulf of Finland

ARCTIC ◽

10.14430/arctic4703 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 71 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Sergei Kouzov ◽

Elmira Zaynagutdinova ◽

Rustam Sagitov ◽

Anna Rychkova

Keyword(s):

Population Growth ◽

Breeding Population ◽

Gulf Of Finland ◽

Barnacle Goose ◽

Russian Part ◽

Ladoga Lake ◽

Limited Food ◽

Barnacle Geese ◽

Branta Leucopsis ◽

The Gulf Of Finland

Until the end of the 1980s, the Barnacle Goose (Branta leucopsis) was an extremely rare migrating species in the Russian part of the Gulf of Finland, but in recent years it has become one of the mass migrants there. The first nest of a Barnacle Goose in the region was found on Dolgy Reef Island close to the Russian-Finnish border in 1995. Barnacle Geese then started expanding onto the islands in the eastern part of the Gulf of Finland. They occupied islands mostly in the northern part of the gulf, but nests were found in its central parts and close to the southwest coast as well. Barnacle Geese nested mostly on small, rocky, forest-free islands. By 2006, the size of the breeding population of this species had increased to 31 pairs. Forty nests were found in 2014, and an explosive population growth to 76 nests was observed in 2015. In 2010, Barnacle Geese started to breed on Ladoga Lake, and in 2015 the first nest was found on Onega Lake. Until 2010 Barnacle Geese had nested in the eastern part of the Gulf of Finland almost exclusively on the islands lying at a distance of 2.4 – 10.1 km from the coast. The population growth that occurred in subsequent years was due primarily to the birds’ breeding on islands closest to the coast, no farther than 2 km away from the shore. After hatching, broods from inshore islets moved to feed on coastal meadows, but nonbreeding birds and failed breeders generally remained on offshore islands for the molting period. Further expansion of the Barnacle Goose in the eastern part of the Gulf of Finland is expected. However, expansion could ultimately be restricted by the limited food resources for broods and molting birds.

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Management of the Barnacle Goose (Branta leucopsis) in Finland: Conservation Versus Hunting

10.5772/intechopen.96863 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Heimo Mikkola

Keyword(s):

Scientific Basis ◽

Monitoring Programme ◽

Population Increase ◽

Barnacle Goose ◽

Crop Losses ◽

Management Actions ◽

The World ◽

Long Time ◽

Branta Leucopsis ◽

Goose Species

The Barnacle Goose (Branta leucopsis) has had recent uncontrolled population increase in all of its northern distribution areas and is now one of the three most abundant goose species in the world. Not many birds, other than this have had such a naming mystery and a long time it was not known if the Barnacle Goose was a bird or a fish. So no wonder that also its conservation or possible hunting divides the opinions of people and authorities. This chapter is suggesting well regulated, sustainable, springtime hunting of these geese in such agriculture fields they will cause most serious crop losses. To be effective and meet public social approval, management actions must have a strong scientific basis and include an efficient monitoring programme. Necessary decisions to reach a consensus among stakeholders are discussed.

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First finding of Tyzzeria parvula (Kotlán, 1933) Klimeš, 1963 (Protozoa: Coccidiida) in Barnacle Geese (Branta leucopsis Bechstein, 1803) on Spitsbergen

Zoosystematica Rossica ◽

10.31610/zsr/2006.15.2.214 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 15 (2) ◽

pp. 214-214

Author(s):

O.V. Dolnik ◽

M.J.J.E. Loonen

Keyword(s):

The Arctic ◽

First Finding ◽

Breeding Grounds ◽

Barnacle Geese ◽

Branta Leucopsis

This is the first finding of Tyzzeria sp. in Barnacle Geese, as well as the first documentation of Tyzzeria parasites on Spitsbergen. Since goslings were highly infected, it can be concluded that transmission of Tyzzeria parasites takes place on the arctic breeding grounds.

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ASSESSMENT OF A 5-YEAR-OLD REHABILITATED RIPARIAN FOREST: IS IT ALREADY SUSTAINABLE?

Revista Árvore ◽

10.1590/0100-67622015000400002 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 39 (4) ◽

pp. 603-610

Author(s):

Vinícius Londe ◽

Hildeberto Caldas de Sousa ◽

Alessandra Rodrigues Kozovits

Keyword(s):

Invasive Species ◽

Invasive Plants ◽

Riparian Forest ◽

Canopy Openness ◽

Management Actions ◽

Minas Gerais State ◽

Hemispherical Photographs ◽

Exotic Invasive ◽

Exotic Invasive Plants ◽

Over Time

ABSTRACTAs important as the establishment of projects of ecological restoration is its assessment post-implementation to know whether the area is becoming self-sustainable or need to be redirected. In this way, this study aimed to know the current situation of a 5-year-old rehabilitated riparian forest,inserted in an anthropogenic impacted region,at the das Velhas River, Minas Gerais State, studying the canopy openness and recruitment of seedlings as plant indicators. 15 plots were allocated in the forest, where hemispherical photographs were taken to analyze the canopy openness and evaluate all seedlings from 0.30 m to 1.30 m height.Canopy openness ranged from 23.7% to 38.8% between seasons and only 192 seedlings were found,from 13 species, five of them exotic and aggressive. Although canopy openness was low, it seems that lateral penetration of light has been favoring the development and dominancy of plants from invasive species, whereas few native ones have been recruited. The exotic/invasive plants may compromise the success of restoration mainly by competition with native planted species. The outcomes evidenced an unsustainability of the riparian forest and the requirement of some management actions to control exotic and invasive plants and ensure the preservation of the area and its ecological roles over time.

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