Portal to the Lesser White-fronted Goose

Literature type: Scientific

Journal: Wildfowl

Volume: SpecIs 6 , Pages: 206–243.

Language: English

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Full reference: Ao, P., Wang, X., Solovyeva, D., Meng, F., Ikeuchi, T., Shimada, T., Park, J., Gao, D., Liu, G., Hu, B., Natsagdorj, T., Zheng, B., Vartanyan, S., Davaasuren, B., Zhang, J., Cao, L. & Fox, A. 2021. Rapid decline of the geographically restricted and globally threatened Eastern Palearctic Lesser White-fronted Goose Anser erythropus. Wildfowl SpecIs 6: 206–243.

Keywords: abundance, key sites, migration routes, population trends, telemetry tracking, China, Asia

Abstract:

The Lesser White-fronted Goose Anser erythropus, which breeds across northern Eurasia from Norway to Chukotka, is globally threatened and is currently classified as Vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. The Eastern Palearctic population of the species was thought to breed in arctic Russia, from east of the Taimyr Peninsula to Chukotka, and to winter in East Asia, but its precise status, abundance, breeding and wintering ranges, and migration routes were largely unknown, reducing the effectiveness of conservation efforts. In this paper, we combined results from satellite tracking, field surveys, a literature review and expert knowledge, to present an updated overview of the winter distribution and abundance of Lesser White-fronted Geese in the Eastern Palearctic, highlighting their migration corridors, habitat use and the conservation status of the key sites used throughout the annual cycle. Improved count coverage puts the Eastern Palearctic Lesser White-fronted Geese population at c. 6,800 birds in 2020, which represents a rapid and worrying decline since the estimate of 16,000 in 2015, as it suggests at least a halving of numbers in just five years. East Dongting Lake (Hunan Province) in China is the most important wintering site for the species in East Asia, followed by Poyang Lake (Jiangxi Province) and Caizi Lake (Anhui Province), with one key wintering site in Miyagi County in Japan. Satellite tracking showed that eight individuals captured during summer on the Rauchua River, Chukotka, Russia wintered in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River floodplain in China. Their migration speed was slower in spring than in autumn, mainly because of longer stopover duration at staging sites in spring. The tracked geese mainly used cultivated land on migration stopovers (52% in spring; 45% in autumn), tundra habitat in summer (63%), and wetlands (66%) in winter. Overall, 87% of the GPS fixes were in protected areas during the winter, far greater than in spring (37%), autumn (28%) and summer (7%). We urge more tracking of birds of differing wintering and breeding provenance to provide a fuller understanding of the migration routes, staging sites and breeding areas used by the geese, including for the birds wintering in Japan. The most urgent requirement is to enhance effective conservation and long-term monitoring of Lesser White-fronted Geese across sites within China, and particularly to improve our understanding of the management actions needed to maintain the species. Collaboration between East Asian countries also is essential, to coordinate monitoring and to formulate effective protection measures for safeguarding this population in the future.

Literature type: Rep.article

Language: English

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Full reference: Cao, L., Fox, A.D., Morozov, V.V., Syroechkovskiy jr., E.E.. & Solovieva, D. 2018. , Pp. 38-39 in Fox, A.D. & Leafloor, J.O. (eds.). A Global Audit of the Status and Trends of Arctic and Northern Hemisphere Goose Populations (Component 2: Population accounts). CAFF: Akureyri, Iceland. ISBN 978-9935-431-74-5.

Keywords: population status, China, Easter Palearctic, East Russia, Japan

Literature type: Rep.article

Language: English

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Full reference: Martin, K. 2009. The international single species action plan for the conservation of the Western Palearctic population of the Lesser White-fronted Goose. , In: Tolvanen, P., Øien, I.J. & Ruokolainen, K. (eds.). Conservation of Lesser White-fronted Goose on the European migration route. Final report of the EU LIFE-Nature project 2005–2009. WWF Finland Report 27 & NOF Rapportserie Report No 1-2009: pp. 76-80.

Keywords: monitoring, EU-Life, annual report, Fennoscandian

Literature type: General

Journal: Vogelwelt

Volume: 129 , Pages: 269-280.

Language: English

Comments: A review of this publication will soon appear here.

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Full reference: Mooij, J.H., Hansson, P., Kampe-Persson, H. & Nilsson, L. 2008. Analysis of historical observations of Fennoscandian Lesser White-fronted Geese Anser erythropus in Sweden and the West Palearctic. Vogelwelt: 129, 269-280.

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A review of this publication will soon appear here.

Literature type: Action Plan

Language: English

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Full reference: Jones, T., Martin, K., Barov, B., Nagy, S. 2008. International Single Species Action Plan for the Conservation of the Western Palearctic Population of the Lesser White-fronted Goose Anser erythropus. , AEWA Technical Series No.36. Bonn, Germany.

Keywords: Action plan, status, Western Palearctic

Literature type: Scientific

Journal: Conservation Genetics

Volume: 5 , Pages: 501-512.

DOI: 10.1023/B:COGE.0000041019.27119.b4

Language: English

Full reference: Ruokonen, M., Kvist, L., Aarvak, T., Markkola, J., Morozov, V.V., Øien, I.J., Syroechkovsky Jr., E.E., Tolvanen, P. & Lumme, J. 2004. Population genetic structure and conservation of the lesser white-fronted goose (Anser erythropus). Conservation Genetics 5: 501-512. https://www.dx.doi.org/10.1023/B:COGE.0000041019.27119.b4

Keywords: Anser erythropus, lesser white-fronted goose, Palearctic, management unit, population genetic Structure

Abstract:

The lesser white-fronted goose is a sub-Arctic species with a currently fragmented breeding range, which extends from Fennoscandia to easternmost Siberia. The population started to decline at the beginning of the last century and, with a current world population estimate of 25,000 individuals, it is the most threatened of the Palearctic goose species. Of these, only 30–50 pairs breed in Fennoscandia. A fragment of the control region of mtDNA was sequenced from 110 individuals from four breeding, one staging and two wintering areas to study geographic subdivisions and gene flow. Sequences defined 15 mtDNA haplotypes that were assigned to two mtDNA lineages. Both the mtDNA lineages were found from all sampled localities indicating a common ancestry and/or some level of gene flow. Analyses of molecular variance showed significant structuring among populations (φ ST 0.220, P < 0.001). The results presented here together with ecological data indicate that the lesser white-fronted goose is fragmented into three distinctive subpopulations, and thus, the conservation status of the species should be reconsidered.

Literature type: General

Journal: Bulletin of the Sendai Science Museum

Volume: no.7 1997 , Pages: 96-102.

Language: English

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Full reference: Iwabuchi, S. 1997. Distribution and status of Lesser White-frronted Goose (Anser erythropus). Bulletin of the Sendai Science Museum: no.7 1997, 96-102.

Keywords: Japan, world, West Palearctic, East Palearctic, distrribution, negative factors

Literature type: Action Plan

Language: English

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Full reference: Madsen, J. 1996. International Action Plan for the Lesser White-fronted Goose (Anser erythropus). , BirdLife International, Cambridge, UK, on behalf of the European Commission.

Keywords: Action Plan, Western Palearctic

Literature type: Report

Language: English

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Full reference: Rose, P.M. & Taylor, V. 1993. Western Palearctic and South West Asia waterfowl census 1993. , IWRB, Slimbridge, U.K. 215pp.

Keywords: monitoring, survey

Literature type: Proceedings

Language: English

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Full reference: Timmerman, A. 1991. On the occurence of geese in the Western Palearctic. , Proc. Symp. on the Mapping of Waterfowl Distributions, Migrations and Habitats. Alushta. Pp.73-106.