Spitzen, J. (1999) Disturbance as a factor influencing behaviour and body condition of Greylag Geese Anser anser. Master's Thesis / Essay, Biology.
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Abstract
In this study the effect of the management plan of the Vega community on Greylag Geese (Anser anser) were studied. Conclusions are based on how disturbance influences behaviour and body condition of Greylag Geese Anser anser. Additional data collected in the same project about terrain distribution can be found in: Tulner, P., (1999) Disturbance as a factor influencing terrain distribution of Greylag Geese Anser anser, student report Van Hall Institute. The Abdominal Profile Index (API) for non-breeding Greylags is expected to be higher than for breeding birds. Due to intra specific competition Greylags with a better body condition are expected to be found more on protected areas. The percentage of alert geese is expected to be higher on scared and agricultural areas in general. Expected is that the time for 10 pecks will be shorter on "scared" areas. On non-agricultural areas is the time that geese show their head down while foraging probably longer. Non-breeding Greylags showed a relative higher API compared to adult Greylags belonging to families. Most likely because geese are loosing part of their body reserves during incubation and non-breeding Greylags are less restricted in their optimal foraging strategy. There was no relation between body condition and habitat use. Probably because the distribution of geese is spread over the whole study area and intra specific competition was low when there was a high availability of food due to the good summer. The percentage alert is generally higher for agricultural areas. On areas where it was allowed to scare the geese was the percentage of alert geese much higher compared to the protected areas. Geese were sensitive for disturbance and needed in average more time for ten pecks on disturbed areas. Analysing the head down time there was no clear difference found between different managed habitats. This unexpected result has probably something to do with lack of sufficient data.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Master's Thesis / Essay) |
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| Degree programme: | Biology |
| Thesis type: | Master's Thesis / Essay |
| Language: | English |
| Date Deposited: | 15 Feb 2018 07:44 |
| Last Modified: | 15 Feb 2018 07:44 |
| URI: | https://fse.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/9418 |
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