Data from: More grazing, more damage? Assessed yield loss on agricultural grassland relates non-linearly to goose grazing pressure

Buitendijk NH, de Jager M, Kruckenberg H, Kölzsch A, Moonen S, Müskens GJDM, Nolet BA. 2023. Data from: More grazing, more damage? Assessed yield loss on agricultural grassland relates non-linearly to goose grazing pressure. Movebank Data Repository. https://doi.org/10.5441/001/1.fk899541

Abstract

1. In recent decades, conflict between geese and agriculture has increased. Management practices to limit this conflict include concentrating geese in protected areas, derogation shooting or population reduction. To justify such management, we need to understand their effects on goose-related damages, which requires an understanding of how yield loss is influenced by goose abundance and species interactions. 2. We combined data from monthly goose counts and GPS-tracked geese to estimate grazing pressures by barnacle, white-fronted and greylag geese on agricultural grassland in Fryslân, the Netherlands. Using linear mixed models, we related this to damages assessed by professional inspectors. 3. Our results show a positive nonlinear relationship between yield loss and barnacle goose grazing pressure, where assessed damage increases with a decelerating rate as grazing pressure increases. For white-fronted geese, we find a negative relationship, while for greylag geese both positive and negative relationships occur. For each species, the relationship is influenced by the abundance of the other two. 4. For barnacle geese, the relationship can be explained by selection of fields offering the best balance between food intake and energy expenditure, and by grass regrowth, with highest grazing pressures occurring over a longer time period. The results for the other species are likely due to spatial and temporal differences in foraging preferences compared to barnacle geese, where larger species avoid areas with highest damages. 5. Synthesis and applications. Our results suggest that decreasing herbivore abundance may not translate directly to decreased yield loss, and management tools such as population reduction or derogation shooting should be used with care. Management aimed at concentrating geese in refuges could help to alleviate farmer–goose conflict, although further studies are required to determine if it would lead to damage reduction. We also find that not all species contribute equally to agricultural damage; care should be taken to ensure wildlife management targets the right species.

Keywords

Branta leucopsis, Anser albifrons, Anser anser, agriculture, animal movement, animal tracking, barnacle goose, GPS, greater white-fronted goose, greylag goose, wildlife management

Sensors

Sensor

GPS

DOIs of related Publications

https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.14306

URI

https://datarepository.movebank.org/handle/10255/move.241

BibTex

@misc{001/1_fk899541,
  title = {Data from: More grazing, more damage? Assessed yield loss on agricultural grassland relates non-linearly to goose grazing pressure},
  author = {Buitendijk, NH and de, Jager, M and Kruckenberg, H and Kölzsch, A and Moonen, S and Müskens, GJDM and Nolet, BA},
  year = {2023},
  URL = {http://dx.doi.org/10.5441/001/1.fk899541},
  doi = {doi:10.5441/001/1.fk899541},
  publisher = {Movebank data repository}
}

RIS

TY  - DATA
ID  - doi:10.5441/001/1.fk899541
T1  - Data from: More grazing, more damage? Assessed yield loss on agricultural grassland relates non-linearly to goose grazing pressure
AU  - Buitendijk, Nelleke H.
AU  - de Jager, Monique
AU  - Kruckenberg, Helmut
AU  - Kölzsch, Andrea
AU  - Moonen, Sander
AU  - Müskens, Gerhard J.D.M.
AU  - Nolet, Bart A.
Y1  - 2023/11/29
KW  - Branta leucopsis
KW  - Anser albifrons
KW  - Anser anser
KW  - agriculture
KW  - animal movement
KW  - animal tracking
KW  - barnacle goose
KW  - GPS
KW  - greater white-fronted goose
KW  - greylag goose
KW  - wildlife management
KW  - Branta leucopsis
KW  - Anser albifrons
KW  - Anser anser
PB  - Movebank data repository
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.5441/001/1.fk899541
DO  - doi:10.5441/001/1.fk899541
ER  -

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