Optimizing the timing of water level recession for conservation of wintering geese in Dongting Lake, China

Guan, Ling; Lei, Jialin; Zuo, Aojie; Zhang, Hong; Lei, Guangchun; Wen, Lei

doi:10.1016/j.ecoleng.2015.12.009

Cited by 64 publications

(61 citation statements)

References 43 publications

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“…early September to late October) as it coincides with the arrival of wintering waterfowl (Guan et al, 2016). In the 6 years since the start of the project, we have never observed the geese foraging on old mature grass (Guan et al, 2016;Jing et al, 2017). The species often forms a monocultural wet meadow (cover excesses 95%, Guan et al, 2016;Zou et al, 2017) and is the primary food resource of wintering herbivorous geese.…”

Section: Habitat Condition In the Early Wintersmentioning

confidence: 87%

“…The hydrological regime in EDLNNR is well represented by the daily water level recorded at Chenglingji Hydro-station at the outlet of the lake (Guan et al, 2016). To investigate the difference in the hy- …”

Section: Hydrological Datamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…early September to late October) as it coincides with the arrival of wintering waterfowl (Guan et al, 2016). We selected this period (i.e.…”

Section: Habitat Condition In the Early Wintersmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…We selected this period (i.e. The geese feed primarily on the short, newly grown grass shoots, which are highest in protein and lowest in structural carbohydrates (Guan et al, 2016). The 10-day global NDVI images In EDLNNR and other seasonal lakes in the region, the vegetation communities developed on the newly exposed lake bed are predominantly Carex spp.…”

Section: Habitat Condition In the Early Wintersmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…disease and predation), and because migratory birds use part of the nutrient reserves acquired on wintering areas for reproduction (Faaborg et al, 2010). Our previous paper has modelled the effects of remotely sensed habitat variables on geese habitat selection and suggested that the timing of optimal water drawdown should be early to mid-October to ensure quality food sources (Guan et al, 2016). Wintering geese in the Yangtze region, the endangered LWFG in particular, rely on specific wet meadow developed within a narrow time window.…”

Section: Implications For Migratory Waterbird Conservationmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Behavioural plasticity and trophic niche shift: How wintering geese respond to habitat alteration

et al. 2019

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The accelerated rate of human‐induced environmental change poses a significant challenge for wildlife. The ability of wild animals to adapt to environmental changes has important consequences for their fitness, survival, and reproduction. Behavioural flexibility, an immediate adjustment of behaviour in response to environmental variability, may be particularly important for coping with anthropogenic change. The main aim of this study was to quantify the response of two wintering goose species (bean goose Anser fabalis and lesser white‐fronted goose Anser erythropus) to poor habitat condition at population level by studying foraging behaviour. In addition, we tested whether behavioural plasticity could alter trophic niche. We characterised foraging behaviours and calculated daily home range (HR) of the geese using global positioning system tracking data. We calculated standard ellipse areas to quantify niche width using the δ13C and δ15N values of individual geese. We linked behavioural plasticity with habitat quality using ANCOVA (analysis of covariance) models. We also tested the correlation between standard ellipse areas and HR using ANCOVA model. We found significant differences in geese foraging behaviours between years in their daily foraging area, travel distance and speed, and turning angle. Specifically, the birds increased their foraging area to satisfy their daily energy intake requirement in response to poor habitat conditions. They flew more sinuously and travelled faster and longer distances on a daily basis. For the endangered lesser white‐fronted goose, all behaviour variables were associated with habitat quality. For bean goose, only HR and turning angle were correlated with habitat quality. The birds, especially the lesser white‐fronted goose, may have had a higher trophic position under poor conditions. Our findings indicate that wintering geese showed a high degree of behavioural plasticity. However, more active foraging behaviours under poor habitat condition did not lead to a broader trophic niche. Habitat availability could be responsible to the divergent responses of foraging HR and isotopic niche to human‐induced environmental change. Therefore, maintaining natural hydrological regimes during the critical period (i.e. September–November) to ensure that quality food resources are available is central to the future of populations of geese within the East Asian–Australasian Flyway.

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Section: Habitat Condition In the Early Wintersmentioning

confidence: 87%

Section: Hydrological Datamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…early September to late October) as it coincides with the arrival of wintering waterfowl (Guan et al, 2016). We selected this period (i.e.…”

Section: Habitat Condition In the Early Wintersmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Habitat Condition In the Early Wintersmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Implications For Migratory Waterbird Conservationmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Behavioural plasticity and trophic niche shift: How wintering geese respond to habitat alteration

et al. 2019

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Hydrology‐driven responses of herbivorous geese in relation to changes in food quantity and quality

Zhang

Zou

Xie

et al. 2020

Ecology and Evolution

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East Dongting Lake is a Ramsar site and a particularly important wintering ground for herbivorous geese along the East Asian‐Australasian Flyway. The operation of the Three Gorges Dam has changed the water regime and has a significant impact on wetland ecosystems downstream. We studied the responses of two sympatric herbivorous goose species, the Lesser white‐fronted goose Anser erythropus and Bean goose Anser fabalis, to habitat change by investigating their food conditions, habitat selection, and diet composition in the wintering periods of 2016/2017 and 2017/2018, which had early and late water recession, respectively. It was expected that the contrasting water regimes would result in different food conditions and geese responses. The results showed that the food quality and quantity differed significantly between winters. As responses to the high‐quantity/low‐quality food during 2016/2017, more geese switched to feeding on mudflat and exploited plants such as dicotyledons and moss. The tall swards of Carex spp. (dominant plants in the meadow) that developed during the first growing season decreased the food accessibility during the second growing season and hindered the exploitation of newly generated shoots by the geese, which was further confirmed by our clipping control experiment. Nearly all the geese chose to feed on meadow, and Carex spp. made up the majority of their diet in 2017/2018 when there was more low‐quantity/high‐quality food. Compared with the globally vulnerable Lesser white‐fronted geese, the larger‐sized Bean geese seemed to be less susceptible to winter food shortages and exhibited more stable responses. We concluded that the food quality–quantity condition was the external factor influencing the geese responses, while morphological and physiological traits could be the internal factors causing different responses between the two species. This study enhanced the understanding of the influence that habitat change exerts on herbivorous geese in their wintering site in the context of the Three Gorges Dam operation. We suggested that regulating hydrological regime was important in terms of wetland management and species conservation.

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Dyke demolition led to a sharp decline in waterbird diversity due to habitat quality reduction: A case study of Dongting Lake, China

Zhu

Zou

Zhang

et al. 2022

Ecology and Evolution

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Dongting Lake, an important wintering habitat for migratory waterbirds in the East Asian–Australasian Flyway, has suffered serious degradation in recent decades. To restore habitats for biodiversity conservation and flood control, 459 dykes were demolished and 14 were preserved in 2017. However, the direct impact of dyke demolition on wintering waterbirds was not comprehensively assessed. In this study, based on annual waterbird census and habitat data (2013/14–2020/21), we compared the differences in habitat areas and species composition of waterbirds in the dyke‐demolished and preserved areas, and explored whether habitat changes caused by the dyke demolition were responsible for the changes in the number of species and percentages of waterbird individuals. The results indicate that the areas of water (including shallow water) and mudflat habitats significantly decreased, but the vegetation area significantly increased in the dyke‐demolished areas. The species numbers and percentages of waterbird individuals at the community and foraging guilds levels, and the percentages of nine species, were higher in the dyke‐preserved areas than those in the dyke‐demolished areas. Changes in the numbers of species and percentages of individuals of fish eaters, insectivores, and omnivores positively correlated with drastic changes in the percentages of water habitats (including shallow water) after dyke demolition. Effective measures should be carried out to restore hydrological regimes, providing waterbirds sufficient suitable habitats with different water depths. These findings improve our understanding of the influence of dyke demolition on waterbirds and provide insights for wetland management and waterbird conservation.

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Optimizing the timing of water level recession for conservation of wintering geese in Dongting Lake, China

Cited by 64 publications

References 43 publications

Behavioural plasticity and trophic niche shift: How wintering geese respond to habitat alteration

Behavioural plasticity and trophic niche shift: How wintering geese respond to habitat alteration

Hydrology‐driven responses of herbivorous geese in relation to changes in food quantity and quality

Dyke demolition led to a sharp decline in waterbird diversity due to habitat quality reduction: A case study of Dongting Lake, China

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