Flyway structure in the circumpolar greater white‐fronted goose

Wilson, R. E.; Ely, Craig R.; Talbot, Sandra L.

doi:10.1002/ece3.4345

Cited by 14 publications

(18 citation statements)

References 99 publications

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“…Such extensive moult migrations are a well-known phenomenon in waterfowl [35–40], but have not been recognized before as a key factor in flyway population exchange. In support of our findings, recently a mixed moult site of two Northern American populations of greater white-fronted geese has been detected by ringing data [41].…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

Flyway connectivity and exchange primarily driven by moult migration in geese

et al. 2019

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BackgroundFor the conservation and management of migratory species that strongly decrease or increase due to anthropological impacts, a clear delineation of populations and quantification of possible mixing (migratory connectivity) is crucial. Usually, population exchange in migratory species is only studied in breeding or wintering sites, but we considered the whole annual cycle in order to determine important stages and sites for population mixing in an Arctic migrant.MethodsWe used 91 high resolution GPS tracks of Western Palearctic greater white-fronted geese (Anser A. albifrons) from the North Sea and Pannonic populations to extract details of where and when populations overlapped and exchange was possible. Overlap areas were calculated as dynamic Brownian bridges of stopover, nest and moulting sites.ResultsUtilisation areas of the two populations overlapped only somewhat during spring and autumn migration stopovers, but much during moult. During this stage, non-breeders and failed breeders of the North Sea population intermixed with geese from the Pannonic population in the Pyasina delta on Taimyr peninsula. The timing of use of overlap areas was highly consistent between populations, making exchange possible. Two of our tracked geese switched from the North Sea population flyway to the Pannonic flyway during moult on Taimyr peninsula or early during the subsequent autumn migration. Because we could follow one of them during the next year, where it stayed in the Pannonic flyway, we suggest that the exchange was long-term or permanent.ConclusionsWe have identified long-distance moult migration of failed or non-breeders as a key phenomenon creating overlap between two flyway populations of geese. This supports the notion of previously suggested population exchange and migratory connectivity, but outside of classically suggested wintering or breeding sites. Our results call for consideration of moult migration and population exchange in conservation and management of our greater white-fronted geese as well as other waterfowl populations.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

Flyway connectivity and exchange primarily driven by moult migration in geese

et al. 2019

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“…The general pattern of high genetic structure at nuclear loci between North American and European forms in sea ducks is unique in waterfowl. Among other waterfowl species, intercontinental estimates of genetic structure ( F ST ) were below 0.090 with incomplete lineage sorting posited for lack of partitioning observed (exception Anas acuta : inference was high gene flow, Flint et al, ; see table S1 in Peters et al, for A. acuta , Mareca strepera , formally Anas , and Spatula cyanoptera , formally Anas ; A. platyrhynchos , Kraus et al, ; Anser albifrons , Wilson et al, ). As most sea duck species have a Holarctic distribution (or closely related conspecifics which together form a Holarctic distribution), isolation in Arctic refugia may have promoted the formation of North American and European varieties.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The lack of phylogeographic structure within white‐winged scoters is particularly interesting because this species pairs during spring migration or summer, and therefore, we would expect some evidence of structure among regions as evident in other waterfowl species that share this characteristic (e.g., greater white‐fronted goose, Wilson et al, ). Summer pairing would also be conducive of multiyear pairing and has been proposed (although not confirmed) for white‐winged and surf scoters (Anderson et al, ; Brown & Fredrickson, ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Coast to coast: High genomic connectivity in North American scoters

Sonsthagen

Wilson

Lavretsky

et al. 2019

Ecology and Evolution

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Dispersal shapes demographic processes and therefore is fundamental to understanding biological, ecological, and evolutionary processes acting within populations. However, assessing population connectivity in scoters (Melanitta sp.) is challenging as these species have large spatial distributions that span remote landscapes, have varying nesting distributions (disjunct vs. continuous), exhibit unknown levels of dispersal, and vary in the timing of the formation of pair bonds (winter vs. fall/spring migration) that may influence the distribution of genetic diversity. Here, we used double‐digest restriction‐associated DNA sequence (ddRAD) and microsatellite genotype data to assess population structure within the three North American species of scoter (black scoter, M. americana; white‐winged scoter, M. deglandi; surf scoter, M. perspicillata), and between their European congeners (common scoter, M. nigra; velvet scoter, M. fusca). We uncovered no or weak genomic structure (ddRAD ΦST < 0.019; microsatellite FST < 0.004) within North America but high levels of structure among European congeners (ddRAD ΦST > 0.155, microsatellite FST > 0.086). The pattern of limited genomic structure within North America is shared with other sea duck species and is often attributed to male‐biased dispersal. Further, migratory tendencies (east vs. west) of female surf and white‐winged scoters in central Canada are known to vary across years, providing additional opportunities for intracontinental dispersal and a mechanism for the maintenance of genomic connectivity across North America. In contrast, the black scoter had relatively elevated levels of divergence between Alaska and Atlantic sites and a second genetic cluster found in Alaska at ddRAD loci was concordant with its disjunct breeding distribution suggestive of a dispersal barrier (behavioral or physical). Although scoter populations appear to be connected through a dispersal network, a small percentage (<4%) of ddRAD loci had elevated divergence which may be useful in linking areas (nesting, molting, staging, and wintering) throughout the annual cycle.

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“…We also predicted that individuals would have higher probability of within-season movements to contemporary wintering regions (e.g., MAV, Chenier Plain), as opposed to historical regions (e.g., Lower Texas Coast, Texas Mid-coast). Also, because we predict considerable movement among regions, white-fronts should exhibit admixture of breeding populations where breeding affiliations are not spatially segregated among wintering regions [ 74 ]. Additionally, we hypothesized that energy expenditure would be lower in the contemporary wintering regions than in historic wintering regions, reflective of an energetic benefit to the winter distribution shift.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Winter fidelity, movements, and energy expenditure of Midcontinent Greater White-fronted Geese

et al. 2021

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Background Animal movement patterns are the result of both environmental and physiological effects, and the rates of movement and energy expenditure of given movement strategies are influenced by the physical environment an animal inhabits. Greater white-fronted geese in North America winter in ecologically distinct regions and have undergone a large-scale shift in wintering distribution over the past 20 years. White-fronts continue to winter in historical wintering areas in addition to contemporary areas, but the rates of movement among regions, and energetic consequences of those decisions, are unknown. Additionally, linkages between wintering and breeding regions are generally unknown, and may influence within-winter movement rates. Methods We used Global Positioning System and acceleration data from 97 white-fronts during two winters to elucidate movement characteristics, model regional transition probabilities using a multistate model in a Bayesian framework, estimate regional energy expenditure, and determine behavior time-allocation influences on energy expenditure using overall dynamic body acceleration and linear mixed-effects models. We assess the linkages between wintering and breeding regions by evaluating the winter distributions for each breeding region. Results White-fronts exhibited greater daily movement early in the winter period, and decreased movements as winter progressed. Transition probabilities were greatest towards contemporary winter regions and away from historical wintering regions. Energy expenditure was up to 55% greater, and white-fronts spent more time feeding and flying, in contemporary wintering regions compared to historical regions. White-fronts subsequently summered across their entire previously known breeding distribution, indicating substantial mixing of individuals of varying breeding provenance during winter. Conclusions White-fronts revealed extreme plasticity in their wintering strategy, including high immigration probability to contemporary wintering regions, high emigration from historical wintering regions, and high regional fidelity to western regions, but frequent movements among eastern regions. Given that movements of white-fronts trended toward contemporary wintering regions, we anticipate that a wintering distribution shift eastward will continue. Unexpectedly, greater energy expenditure in contemporary wintering regions revealed variable energetic consequences of choice in wintering region and shifting distribution. Because geese spent more time feeding in contemporary regions than historical regions, increased energy expenditure is likely balanced by increased energy acquisition in contemporary wintering areas.

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Flyway structure in the circumpolar greater white‐fronted goose

Cited by 14 publications

References 99 publications

Flyway connectivity and exchange primarily driven by moult migration in geese

Flyway connectivity and exchange primarily driven by moult migration in geese

Coast to coast: High genomic connectivity in North American scoters

Winter fidelity, movements, and energy expenditure of Midcontinent Greater White-fronted Geese

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