Field selection of greylag geese (Anser anser)
Implications for management of set-aside fields to alleviate crop damage
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.51812/of.115136Keywords:
birds, preventive measures, sacrificial crop, crop protection, agriculturalAbstract
Greylag geese (Anser anser) have been increasing in numbers in Europe during the last decades. They forage and roost in agricultural landscapes and may cause damage to sensitive crops. We studied field selection of greylag geese around lake Sörfjärden in south central Sweden where geese aggregate during the growing season. In this area a set-aside field was established in 2010, i.e., a field where geese can graze undisturbed, with the aim to reduce damage in surrounding conventional fields. The goal of our study was to investigate the general selection of the different field types as well as the specific set-aside field. We used a point survey count to estimate goose numbers and regression analyses to evaluate the relationship between presence or absence of greylag geese and field characteristics such as crop type, distance to roost site and field size. According to the top-ranked model, the probability of presence of foraging greylag geese was higher in spring and in grass fields, while the probability decreased with distance to roost site. Our results also show that the set-aside field in general was used more than other fields in the area during spring and summer but not during autumn. We conclude that it is important to consider variables affecting the probability of field selection by geese, such as season, crop type and distance to roosts to understand the behaviour of geese when establishing set-aside fields.
References
Aerts, B. A., P. Esselink, & G. J. F. Helder. 1996: Habitat Selection and Diet Composition of Greylag Geese Anser Anser and Barnacle Geese Branta leucopsis during Fall and Spring Staging in Relation to Management in the Tidal Marshes of the Dollard. — Zeitschrift Für Ökologie Und Naturschutz 5(2): 65–75.
Amano, T., Ushiyama, K., Fujita, G. O. & Higuchi, H. 2007: Predicting Grazing Damage by White-Fronted Geese under Different Regimes of Agricultural Management and the Physiological Consequences for the Geese. —Journal of Applied Ecology 44(3): 506–15. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2664.2007.01314.x
Amano, T., Ushiyama, K. & Higuchi, H. 2008: Methods of Predicting Risks of Wheat Damage by White-Fronted Geese. — Journal of Wildlife Management 72(8): 1845–52. https://doi.org/10.2193/2007-463
Barton, K. 2022: MuMIn: Multi-Model Inference. R Package Version 1.43.6. See https://cran.r-project. org/package=MuMIn
Baveco, J. M., Kuipers, H & Nolet, B. A. 2011: A Large-Scale Multi-Species Spatial Depletion Model for Overwintering Waterfowl. — Ecological Modelling 222(20-22): 3773–84. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2011.09.012
Bolker, B. 2019: Getting Started with the GlmmTMB Package. Cran.R-Project Vignette 9.
Clausen, K. K., Madsen, J., Nolet, B. A. & Haugaard, L. 2018: Maize Stubble as Foraging Habitat for Wintering Geese and Swans in Northern Europe. — Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment 259(1): 72–76. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2018.03.002
EC (European Comission) 2009: Nature, factsheet, June 2009. https://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/info/pubs/docs/nat2000/factsheet_en.pdf
Eythórsson, E., Tombre, I. M. & Madsen, J. 2017: Goose Management Schemes to Resolve Conflicts with Agriculture: Theory, Practice and Effects. — Ambio 46: 231–40. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13280-016-0884-4
Fox, A. D., Ebbinge, B. S., Mitchell, C., Heinicke, T., Aarvak, T., Colhoun, K., Clausen, P., Dereliev, S., Faragö, S., Koffijberg, K., Kruckenberg, H., Loonen, M. J. J. E., Madsen, J., Mooij, J., Musil, P., Nilsson, L., Pihl, S. & Van Der Jeugd, H. 2010: Current Estimates of Goose Population Sizes in Western Europe, a Gap Analysis and an Assessment of Trends. — Ornis Svecica 20(3–4):115–27. https://doi.org/10.34080/os.v20.19922
Fox, A. D., Elmberg, J., Tombre, I. M. & Hessel, R. 2017: Agriculture and Herbivorous Waterfowl: A Review of the Scientific Basis for Improved Management. — Biological Reviews 92: 854–77. https://doi.org/10.1111/brv.12258
Fox, A. D. & Madsen, J. 2017: Threatened Species to Super-Abundance: The Unexpected International Implications of Successful Goose Conservation. — Ambio 46(s2): 179–87. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13280-016-0878-2
Frank, J., Levin, M., Månsson, J., Höglund, L. & Hensel, H. 2021: Viltskadestatistik 2020 — Skador Av Fredat Vilt På Tamdjur, Hundar Och Gröda. Grimsö. (In Swedish)
Gill, J. A. 1996: Habitat Choice in Pink-Footed Geese: Quantifying the Constraints Determining Winter Site Use. — The Journal of Applied Ecology 33(4): 884. https://doi.org/10.2307/2404959
Hake, M., Månsson, J. & Wiberg, A. 2010: A Working Model for Preventing Crop Damage Caused by Increasing Goose Populations in Sweden. — Ornis Svecica 20(3): 225–33.
Jensen, R.A., Wisz, M.S. & Madsen, J. 2008: Prioritizing Refuge Sites for Migratory Geese to Alleviate Conflicts with Agriculture. — Biological Conservation 141(7): 1806–18. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2008.04.027
Johnson, F.A., Madsen, J. & Jensen, G.H. 2014: Adaptive Harvest Management for the Svalbard Population of Pink-Footed Geese — Progress Summary. DCE Technical Report No. 40. Available at https://www.unep-aewa.org/sites/default/files/document/SPfG%20IWG%202.3_AHM_Annual%20Report_2014_DCE_TR40.pdf
Koffijberg, K., Schekkerman, H., van der Jeugd, H., Hornman, M. & van Winden, E. 2017: Responses of Wintering Geese to the Designation of Goose for Aging Areas in The Netherlands. — Ambio 46(s2): 241–50. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13280-016-0885-3
Liljebäck, N., Bergqvist, B., Elmberg, J., Haas, F., Nilsson, L., Lindström, Å. & Månsson, J. 2021: Learning from Long Time Series of Harvest and Population Data: Swedish Lessons for European Goose Management. — Wildlife Biology 2021: 1–10. https://doi.org/10.2981/wlb.00733
McKay, H.V., Langton, S.D., Milsom, T.P. & Feare, C.J. 1996: Prediction of Field Use by Brent Geese; an Aid to Management. — Crop Protection 15(3): 259–68. https://doi.org/10.1016/0261-2194(95)00130-1
McKay, H.V., Milsom, T.P., Feare, C.J., Ennis, D.C., O’Connell, D.P. & Harskell, D.J. 2001: Selection of forage species and the creation of alternative feeding areas for dark-bellied brent geese Branta bernicla bernicla in southern UK coastal areas. — Agriculture, Ecosystems and Enviroment 84: 99–113. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0167-8809(00)00207-3
McKay, H.V., Watola, G.V., Langton, S.D. & Langton, S.A. 2006: The Use of Agricultural Fields by Re-Established Greylag Geese (Anser Anser) in England: A Risk Assessment. — Crop Protection 25(9): 996–1003. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cropro.2006.01.010
McKenzie, R. 2014: Islay Sustainable Goose Management Strategy 2014-–2024. — Available at https://www.nature.scot/doc/islay-sustainable-goose-management-strategy-2014-2024
Merkens, M., Bradbeer, D.R. & Bishop, C.A. 2012: Landscape and Field Characteristics Affecting Winter Waterfowl Grazing Damage to Agricultural Perennial Forage Crops on the Lower Fraser River Delta, BC, Canada. — Crop Protection 37: 51–58. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cropro.2012.02.014
Montràs-Janer, T., Knape, J., Nilsson, L., Tombre, I., Pärt, T. & Månsson, J. 2019: Relating National Levels of Crop Damage to the Abundance of Large Grazing Birds: Implications for Management. — Journal of Applied Ecology 56(10): 2286–97. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.13457.
Montràs-Janer, T., Knape, J., M., Nilsson, L., Tombre, I., Pärt, T. & Månsson, J. 2020: Spatio-Temporal Patterns of Crop Damage Caused by Geese, Swans and Cranes – Implications for Crop Damage Prevention. — Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment 300: 107001. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2020.107001
Nakagawa, S., Johnson, P.C.D. & Schielzeth, H. 2017:The Coefficient of Determination R2 and Intra-Class Correlation Coefficient from Generalized Linear Mixed-Effects Models Revisited and Expanded. — Journal of the Royal Society Interface 14(134). https://doi.org/10.1098/rsif.2017.0213
Newton, I. & Campbell, C.R.G. 1973: Feeding of Geese on Farmland in East-Central Scotland. — British Ecological Society 10(3):781–801
Nilsson, I. & Persson H. 1991: Selection and Exploitation of Feeding Areas by Staging and Wintering Geese in Southernmost Sweden. —Ornis Svecica 1(2): 81–92.
Nilsson, L. & Haas, F. 2019: International Counts of Staging and Wintering Waterbirds and Geese in Sweden. (In Swedish with English summary)
Nilsson, L. & Persson, H. 1992: Feeding Areas and Local Movement Patterns of Post-Breeding Greylag Geese Anser Anser in South Sweden. — Ornis Svecica 2(2): 77–90.
Nilsson, L., Bunnefeld, N., Persson, J. & Månsson, J. 2016: Large Grazing Birds and Agriculture-Predicting Field Use of Common Cranes and Implications for Crop Damage Prevention. — Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment 219: 163–70. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2015.12.021
Ödman, L., Månsson, J. & Nilsson, L. 2012: Grågäss Vid Sörfjärden - 2011, Resultat Av Inventering Och Försök Med Gåsbetesåker. (In Swedish)
Ödman, L., Månsson, J. & Nilsson, L. 2013: Grågäss Vid Sörfjärden - 2010–2012, Resultat Av Inventering Och Försök Med Gåsbetesåker. (In Swedish)
Ödman, L., Månsson, J., Nilsson, L. & Wiberg, A. 2011: Grågäss Vid Sörfjärden, Resultat Av Inventering Och Försök Med Gåsbetesåker 2010. (In Swedish)
R Core Team 2021: R: A Language and Environment for Statistical Computing. R Foundation for Statistical Computing. Available online at https://www.R-project.org
Strong, E.A., Redpath, S.M., Montràs-Janer, T., Elmberg, J. & Månsson, M. 2021: Seeking Greener Pastures: Crop Selection by Greylag Geese (Anser Anser) during the Moulting Season. — Ornis Fennica 98: 16–32.
Tombre, I.M., Eythórsson, E. & Madsen, J. 2013: Stakeholder Involvement in Adaptive Goose Management; Case Studies and Experiences from Norway. — Ornis Norvegica 36: 17–24. https://doi.org/10.15845/on.v36i0.430
Vickery, J.A. & Gill, J.A. 1999: Managing Grassland for Wild Geese in Britain: A Review. — Biological Conservation 89(1): 93–106. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0006-3207(98)00134-7
Wisz, M., Dendoncker, N., Madsen, J., Rounsevell, M., Jespersen, M., Kuijken, E., Courtens, W., Verscheure, C. & Cottaar, F. 2008: Modelling Pink-Footed Goose (Anser brachyrhynchus) Wintering Distributions for the Year 2050: Potential Effects of Land-Use Change in Europe. — Diversity and Distributions 14(5): 721–31. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1472-4642.2008.00476.x
Zuur, A.F., Leno, E.N. & Elphick, C.S. 2010: A Protocol for Data Exploration to Avoid Common Statistical Problems. — Methods in Ecology and Evolution 1(1): 3–14. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2041-210x.2009.00001.x
Downloads
Additional Files
Published
Versions
- 2022-10-07 (2)
- 2022-09-20 (1)
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2022 Malin Teräväinen, Johan Elmberg, Carina Tennfors, Olivier Devineau, Karen-Marie Mathisen, Johan Månsson
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
