Rapid Growth of a Nesting Colony of Lesser Snow Geese (<i>Chen caerulescens caerulescens</i>) on the Ikpikpuk River Delta, North Slope, Alaska, USA

Burgess, Robert M.; Ritchie, Robert J.; Person, Brian T.; Suydam, Robert; Shook, John E.; Prichard, Alexander K.; Obritschkewitsch, Tim

doi:10.1675/063.040.0103

Cited by 6 publications

(20 citation statements)

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“…These wetlands contain plants that are high in nitrogen, a critical nutrient for the rapid growth of goslings during the short arctic summers. Populations of all three goose species have increased on the ACP over the last 30 years [9][10][11]. The halophytic graminoid wetlands on the ACP are widely distributed, and to date, grazing by geese has had little effect on productivity of these wetlands, indicating that they can likely support further increases in goose populations [8].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Normalized Difference Vegetation Index as an Estimator for Abundance and Quality of Avian Herbivore Forage in Arctic Alaska

et al. 2017

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Tools that can monitor biomass and nutritional quality of forage plants are needed to understand how arctic herbivores may respond to the rapidly changing environment at high latitudes. The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) has been widely used to assess changes in abundance and distribution of terrestrial vegetative communities. However, the efficacy of NDVI to measure seasonal changes in biomass and nutritional quality of forage plants in the Arctic remains largely un-evaluated at landscape and fine-scale levels. We modeled the relationships between NDVI and seasonal changes in aboveground biomass and nitrogen concentration in halophytic graminoids, a key food source for arctic-nesting geese. The model was calibrated based on data collected at one site and validated using data from another site. Effects of spatial scale on model accuracy were determined by comparing model predictions between NDVI derived from moderate resolution (250 × 250 m pixels) satellite data and high resolution (20 cm diameter area) handheld spectrometer data. NDVI derived from the handheld spectrometer was a superior estimator (R 2 ≥ 0.67) of seasonal changes in aboveground biomass compared to satellite-derived NDVI (R 2 ≤ 0.40). The addition of temperature and precipitation variables to the model for biomass improved fit, but provided minor gains in predictive power beyond that of the NDVI-only model. This model, however, was only a moderately accurate estimator of biomass in an ecologically-similar halophytic graminoid wetland located 100 km away, indicating the necessity for site-specific validation. In contrast to assessments of biomass, satellite-derived NDVI was a better estimator for the timing of peak percent of nitrogen than NDVI derived from the handheld spectrometer. We confirmed that the date when NDVI reached 50% of its seasonal maximum was a reasonable approximation of the period of peak spring vegetative green-up and peak percent nitrogen. This study demonstrates the importance of matching the scale of NDVI measurements to the vegetation properties of biomass and nitrogen phenology.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Normalized Difference Vegetation Index as an Estimator for Abundance and Quality of Avian Herbivore Forage in Arctic Alaska

et al. 2017

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“…Included in the Western Arctic population are lesser snow geese (snow geese) that nest on the Arctic Coastal Plain (ACP) of northern Alaska, USA. Counts at known nesting colonies (Pacific Flyway Council , Burgess et al , J. W. Hupp, U.S. Geological Survey, unpublished data) indicate that the number of snow geese that nest in northern Alaska increased from approximately 550 individuals (Johnson and Herter ) to >30,000 birds in the last 26 years. Based on aerial surveys conducted since 1986, Stehn et al () estimated that the population index for nesting snow geese on the ACP increased at a rate of 26%/year.…”

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confidence: 99%

Growth of black brant and lesser snow goose goslings in northern alaska

et al. 2017

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Gosling body mass can affect first year survival, recruitment, adult body size, and future fecundity of geese, and can serve as an indicator of forage availability and quality on brood-rearing areas. From 2012-2014 we measured body mass of 76 black brant (Branta bernicla nigricans) and 268 lesser snow goose (Chen caerulescens caerulescens) goslings of known age on the Colville River Delta (CRD) of northern Alaska to determine if there was evidence of density-dependent declines in gosling growth following recent population increases of those species and sympatric greater white-fronted geese (Anser albifrons frontalis). We contrasted contemporary body mass of brant goslings and forage biomass in brood-rearing habitats that were shared by all species, with measures obtained on, and near the CRD in the 1990s, prior to the establishment of snow goose nesting colonies in the area. Body mass of brant goslings recaptured between 25 and 32 days of age had not changed over the past 2 decades, despite an influx of snow geese, and increases in populations of brant and white-fronted geese. At 30 days of age, body mass of brant goslings on the CRD was 100-400 g heavier than for brant goslings of the same age on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta (YKD), Alaska. Contemporary biomass of grazed Carex subspathacea on CRD brood-rearing areas was comparable to the 1990s and was 2-4 times greater than for the same plant community on the YKD. Historical data on growth of snow goose goslings were not available for the CRD. However, average body mass of 34-day-old snow goose goslings was >230 g heavier than for conspecifics of the same age in the Hudson Bay region. We conclude that the establishment of nesting snow geese on the CRD has not negatively affected brant gosling growth, and that recent population increases of all species have likely not been constrained by forage availability on brood-rearing areas. Barring demographic changes elsewhere in their annual cycles, we predict that goose populations will continue to increase in northern Alaska. However, snow geese are increasing more rapidly than brant in the region. Because the black brant population has periodically been below conservation objectives, the effects of the increasing number of snow geese on forage biomass and growth of brant goslings in northern Alaska should be monitored. Ó 2017 The Wildlife Society.

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“…19 2,522.73 21,987.91 24,864.69 26,531.45 28,223.94 31,933.22 N.sum2[3] 30,705. 37 2,563.40 25,876.06 28,934.59 30,589.41 32,393.78 35,967.73 N.sum2 [4] 33,737. 13 2,891.19 28,607.81 31,632.46 33,608.95 35,641.06 39,688.74 N.sum2 [5] 38,763.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…See Table A4. 4 [11] -0.029 0.085 -0.211 -0.080 -0.022 0.023 0.130 S.eff [12] 0.013 0.085 -0.159 -0.037 0.009 0.062 0.190 S.eff [13] -0.070 0.094 -0.280 -0.127 -0.058 -0.004 0.092 S.eff [14] 0 27,380.102 218.923 26,963.061 27,232.155 27,374.916 27,523.178 27,818.065 Tables A4.10. Bayesian generalized linear mixed model output for Northern Pintail observed during aerial surveys 1992-2016 on the Arctic Coastal Plain, Alaska.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For example, an observation of birds may have been recorded as a flock of eight or four pairs, only the latter of which would have been included in our analysis. Because we only included individuals or pairs, our indices of abundance may be lower than similar studies and trends conservative for some colonial species like Lesser Snow Geese (see Burgess et al 2017. We recommend observers create standardized protocol to ensure breeding status of groups > 2 are consistently recorded.…”

Section: Study Considerationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Spatio-temporal population change of Arctic-breeding waterbirds on the Arctic Coastal Plain of Alaska

Amundson¹,

Flint²,

Stehn³

et al. 2019

ACE

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Rapid physical changes that are occurring in the Arctic are primary drivers of landscape change and thus may drive population dynamics of Arctic-breeding birds. Despite the importance of this region to breeding and molting waterbirds, lack of a comprehensive analysis of historic data has hindered quantifying avian population change. We estimated distribution, abundance, and spatially explicit population trend of 20 breeding waterbird species using 25 years (1992-2016) of aerial survey data collected on the Arctic Coastal Plain (ACP), Alaska. The ACP is an extensive wetland complex on Alaska's North Slope that supports millions of breeding waterbirds and includes portions of the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska and the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. We summarized annual counts into approximately 6-km by 6-km grid cells and analyzed data with generalized linear mixed models that accounted for survey timing and spatio-temporal autocorrelation. Geese and swans were most abundant along the coast between Admiralty Bay and Prudhoe Bay. Sea ducks, generalist predators (i.e., jaeger, gulls, terns), and loons were most abundant between Utqiaġvik and Point Lay, Alaska. Important areas for most species included the coastal fringe near Teshekpuk Lake, the Colville River Delta, and Admiralty Bay. The National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska was an important area for all species examined. Conversely, density on the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge was greater than average for 20% of species. Annual population growth rates over the 25-year survey period were variable: 13 increased (range: 1.4%-13.8%), one decreased (-3.4%), and six were stable. However, even species with no overall population trend had areas of changing population size, suggesting localized conditions affected waterbird distributions on the ACP. Our results can be used to better inform land use decisions, improve monitoring of waterbird populations, and increase understanding of avian response to ecological change in the Arctic. Changements spatio-temporels chez des populations d'oiseaux aquatiques nichant dans la Plaine côtière arctique de l'Alaska RÉSUMÉ. Les changements physiques rapides qui se produisent dans l'Arctique figurent parmi les premiers facteurs responsables des changements qui surviennent dans le paysage, et pourraient donc déterminer la dynamique des populations d'oiseaux nichant dans l'Arctique. Malgré l'importance de cette région pour la nidification et la mue des oiseaux aquatiques, l'absence d'une analyse complète des données historiques a freiné la quantification des changements advenus dans les populations d'oiseaux. Nous avons estimé la répartition, l'abondance et la tendance des populations de façon explicite spatialement chez 20 espèces d'oiseaux aquatiques au moyen de 25 années (1992-2016) de données issues de relevés aériens menés sur la Plaine côtière arctique (PCA), en Alaska. La PCA est un vaste complexe de milieux humides dans la région de North Slope en Alaska et supporte des millions d'oiseaux aquatiques nicheurs...

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Rapid Growth of a Nesting Colony of Lesser Snow Geese (Chen caerulescens caerulescens) on the Ikpikpuk River Delta, North Slope, Alaska, USA

Cited by 6 publications

References 20 publications

Normalized Difference Vegetation Index as an Estimator for Abundance and Quality of Avian Herbivore Forage in Arctic Alaska

Normalized Difference Vegetation Index as an Estimator for Abundance and Quality of Avian Herbivore Forage in Arctic Alaska

Growth of black brant and lesser snow goose goslings in northern alaska

Spatio-temporal population change of Arctic-breeding waterbirds on the Arctic Coastal Plain of Alaska

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