Literature type: Scientific
Journal: Bird Conservation International
Volume: 26 , Pages: 397-417.
DOI: 10.1017/S0959270915000386
Language:
English
Full reference: Jia, Q., Koyama, K., Choi, C.-Y., Kim, H.-J., Cao, L., Liu, G. & Fox, A. 2016. Population estimates and geographical distributions of swans and geese in East Asia based on counts during the non-breeding season. Bird Conservation International 26: 397-417. https://www.dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0959270915000386
Keywords: Population size, survey, South Korea, Japan, China,
Abstract:
For the first time, we estimated the population sizes of two swan species and four goose species from observations during the non-breeding period in East Asia. Based on combined counts from South Korea, Japan and China, we estimated the total abundance of these species as follows: 42,000–47,000 Whooper Swans Cygnus cygnus; 99,000–141,000 Tundra Swans C. columbianus bewickii; 56,000–98,000 Swan Geese Anser cygnoides; 157,000–194,000 Bean Geese A. fabalis; 231,000–283,000 Greater White-fronted Geese A. albifrons; and 14,000–19,000 Lesser White-fronted Geese A. erythropus. While the count data from Korea and Japan provide a good reflection of numbers present, there remain gaps in the coverage in China, which particularly affect the precision of the estimates for Bean, Greater and Lesser White-fronted Geese as well as Tundra Swans. Lack of subspecies distinction of Bean Geese in China until recently also limits our ability to determine the true status of A. f. middendorffii there, but all indications suggest this population numbers around 18,000 individuals and is in need of urgent attention. The small, highly concentrated and declining numbers of Lesser White-fronted Geese give concern for this species, as do the major declines in Greater White-fronted Geese in China (in contrast to numbers in Japan and Korea, considered to be a separate flyway). In the absence of any demographic data, it is impossible to interpret the causes of these changes in abundance. Improved monitoring, including demographic and tracking studies are required to provide the necessary information to retain populations in favourable conservation status.
Literature type: Report
DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.31858.30404
Language:
English
Full reference: Aarvak, T., Øien, I.J. & Shimmings, P. 2016. A critical review of Lesser White-fronted Goose release projects. , NOF-report 2016-6. 218 pp.
Keywords: release project, reintroduction, translocation, illegal, genetic, distribution, population, court case, hybrid, barnacle goose, carrier species
Literature type: Book
Language:
English
Full reference: Reeber, S. 2015. Wildfowl of Europe, Asia and North America. , Christopher Helm, London
Keywords: Occurrence, status, biology, population
Literature type: Proceedings
Language:
Finnish
(In Finnish)
Full reference: WWF Finland 2014. WWF:n kiljuhanhityöryhmä 30 vuotta. Juhlaseminaari 1.11.2014. Ohjelma ja esitelmien tiivistelmät. [The Lesser White-fronted Goose conservation project of WWF Finland. 30th anniversary seminar, 1 November 2014. Programme and abstracts.] , WWF Finland. 20 pp.
Keywords: population development, conservation, Finland, anniversary
Literature type: Report
Language:
English
External Link:
Full reference: Koffijberg, K. & van Winden, E. 2013. Lesser White-fronted Geese in The Netherlands: a review of trends, phenology, distribtuion patterns and origin. , Sovon-rapport 2013/48. Sovon Vogelonderzoek Nederland, Nijmegen.
Keywords: Reintroduction, wintering, The Netherlands, population trend, occurrence
Literature type: Scientific
Journal: Wildfowl
Volume: 61 , Pages: 110-120.
Language:
English
Full reference: Solovieva, D. & Vartanyan, S. 2011. Lesser White-fronted Goose Anser erythropus: good news about the breeding population in west Chukotka, Russia. Wildfowl 61: 110-120.
Literature type: General
Journal: Bulletin of the goose, swan and duck study group of northern Eurasia (Casarca)
Volume: 14 , Pages: 29-53.
Language:
Russian
(In English with Russian summary)
Full reference: Mooji, J. 2011. Goose populations in Europe: past, present and future. Bulletin of the goose, swan and duck study group of northern Eurasia (Casarca): 14, 29-53.
Keywords: Russian, hunting, population development
Literature type: Scientific
Journal: Chinese Birds
Volume: 2 , Pages: 1-17.
Language:
English
Full reference: Cao, L., Barter, M., Zhao, M., Meng, H. & Zhang, Y. 2011. A systematic scheme for monitoring waterbird populations at Shengjin Lake, China: methodology and preliminary results. Chinese Birds 2: 1-17. https://www.dx.doi.org/10.5122/cbirds.2011.0001
Keywords: monitoring, methodology, China
Literature type: General
Journal: Podoces
Volume: 5 , Pages: 11-28.
Language:
English
Full reference: Scott, D.A. 2010. Results of Mid-winter Waterbird Counts in Iran in the Early 1970s. Podoces: 5, 11-28.
Keywords: mid-winter, waterbird counts, Iran, population estimation, wetland
Abstract:
The mid-winter waterbird counts in Iran were initiated by the Department of the Environment in January 1967. The counts focused on pelicans, flamingos, swans, geese, ducks, cranes and coots, but some counts were also made of other species of waterbirds. By the early 1970s, the counts were sufficiently comprehensive to enable estimations to be made of the total numbers of many species of waterbirds present in Iran in the mid-winter period. The overall results of the counts and these population estimates are presented in a series of tables. It was estimated that in an ‘average’ year in the early 1970s, there were approximately 2,000–2,200 pelicans, 48,000–51,000 flamingos, 380–460 swans, 27,000–32,000 geese, 2.0–2.4 million ducks, 2,300–2,800 cranes and 370,000–410,000 coots wintering in Iran. The number of birds reaching Iran in autumn and remaining throughout the winter was greatly affected by weather conditions both in Iran and in the north Caspian region. In mild winters, large numbers of the hardier species, notably the swans Cygnus spp., remained throughout the winter in the north Caspian, while in extremely severe winters, a large part of the Russian wintering populations moved south into northern Iran. In dry years, when many of the wetlands in Khuzestan, central Fars and Seistan remained dry throughout the winter, large numbers of waterbirds continued on south to winter in the Indian subcontinent or Mesopotamia. In the winter of 1969/70, when conditions were unusually mild in northwestern Iran, large numbers of birds overwintered in the wetlands of the Urumiyeh basin in Azarbaijan, but in most years these wetlands froze over in December, and most birds had left the area by the time of the mid-winter counts.
Literature type: Scientific
Journal: Molecular Ecology
Volume: 19 , Pages: 2408-2417.
DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-294X.2010.04653.x
Language:
English
Full reference: Ruokonen, M., Aarvak, T., Chesser, R.K., Lundqvist, A.-C. & Merilä, J. 2010. Temporal increase in mtDNA diversity in a declining population. Molecular Ecology 19: 2408-2417. https://www.dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-294X.2010.04653.x
Keywords: genetics
Abstract:
In small and declining populations levels of genetic variability are expected to be reduced due to effects of inbreeding and random genetic drift. As a result, both individual fitness and populations’ adaptability can be compromised, and the probability of extinction increased. Therefore, maintenance of genetic variability is a crucial goal in conservation biology. Here we show that although the level of genetic variability in mtDNA of the endangered Fennoscandian lesser white-fronted goose Anser erythropus population is currently lower than in the neigbouring populations, it has increased six-fold during the past 140 years despite the precipitously declining population. The explanation for increased genetic diversity in Fennoscandia appears to be recent spontaneous increase in male immigration rate equalling 0.56 per generation. This inference is supported by data on nuclear microsatellite markers, the latter of which show that the current and the historical Fennoscandian populations are significantly differentiated (FST = 0.046, P = 0) due to changes in allele frequencies. The effect of male-mediated gene flow is potentially dichotomous. On the one hand it may rescue the Fennoscandian lesser white-fronted goose from loss of genetic variability, but on the other hand, it eradicates the original genetic characteristics of this population.
Number of results: 59