La Tour du Valat

Institut de recherche pour la conservation des zones humides méditerranéennes

Titre :	Cessation of grazing in the Leybucht: Influence on habitat choice of wild geese Branta leucopsis and Branta bernicla.
Auteurs :	Heike Weigt, Auteur ; M. Strickert, Auteur ; Johannes Borbach-Jaene, Auteur
Type de document :	Article
Dans :	Vogelwelt (Die) (123(6) 2002)
Article en page(s) :	311-317
Résumé :	We studied the influence of vegetation structure and livestock grazing pressure on habitat use of Brent and Barnacle Geese in the Leybucht (Lower Saxonia, Germany) on a 150 hectares mainland salt marsh in spring 1999. Salt marsh areas under different grazing pressures (cattle, extensive) and a young ungrazed salt marsh were compared. Data were analysed using GIS and Neuronal Networks. The most attractive factors for habitat selection by the geese were the grazing pressure and the grass cover, followed by the densities of sprouts of Aster tripolium, Plantago maritima and Triglochin maritimum which are preferred food plants. There was a weak preference for the least heavily grazed salt marsh. In response to the planned termination of livestock grazing, geese might follow several possible strategies: (a) At least some geese will be able to keep on using the area; (b) others will move into nearby areas they are familiar with or (c) into previously unused salt marshes; or (d) geese will convert to a different food supply; or (e) geese will decline in population size.

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