Biding time before breeding: flexible use of the Arctic landscape by migratory geese during spring

Polar research

Jesper Madsen¹  Christiaane E. Hübner²  René van der Wal³  Helen B. Anderson⁴  James D.M. Speed⁵ 

[1] Department of Bioscience KaløAarhus University, Grenåvej 14, DK-8410 Rønde, Denmark;Norwegian Polar InstituteSverdrup Research Station, Ny-Ålesund, NO-9173 Svalbard, Norway;School of Biological SciencesUniversity of Aberdeen, AB24 3UU Aberdeen, UK;School of Biological SciencesUniversity of Aberdeen, AB24 3UU Aberdeen, UKCorrespondence;University MuseumNorwegian University of Science and Technology, NO-7491 Trondheim, Norway

关键词: Migratory geese;    snowmelt timing;    remote sensing satellite imagery;    pre-breeding sites;    nesting area.;   

DOI  :  10.3402/polar.v34.26372

学科分类：自然科学（综合）

来源: Co-Action Publishing

【 摘 要 】

Many millions of long-distance migrants use pre-breeding staging sites located adjacent to breeding grounds immediately prior to nesting, presumably to improve body condition and thus reproductive success. However, in highly seasonal landscapes such as the High Arctic, early spring feeding opportunities are limited and time to complete the breeding cycle is short. Hence, a more productive strategy may be to initiate breeding as soon as local conditions allow. We used remote sensing satellite imagery combined with field-based methods to demonstrate flexible responses to local environmental conditions by Svalbard pink-footed geese (Anser brachyrhynchus), an abundant long-distance migratory herbivore. Satellite imagery revealed greater snow cover at the main nesting area in central Svalbard than at the adjacent pre-breeding staging site when snowmelt was late, with greater numbers of geese using the pre-breeding site. When snowmelt was early, however, snow cover at the main nesting area was lower than in yea...

【 授权许可】

CC BY-NC