Spring migration duration exceeds that of autumn migration in Far East Asian Greater White-fronted Geese (Anser albifrons)
Abstract Background Migration theory suggests, and some empirical studies show, that in order to compete for the best breeding sites and increase reproductive success, long-distance avian migrants tend to adopt a time minimization strategy during spring migration, resulting in shorter duration sprin...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
KeAi Communications Co., Ltd.
2019-05-01
|
| Series: | Avian Research |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40657-019-0157-6 |
| _version_ | 1797970270074437632 |
|---|---|
| author | Xueqin Deng Qingshan Zhao Lei Fang Zhenggang Xu Xin Wang Haoren He Lei Cao Anthony David Fox |
| author_facet | Xueqin Deng Qingshan Zhao Lei Fang Zhenggang Xu Xin Wang Haoren He Lei Cao Anthony David Fox |
| author_sort | Xueqin Deng |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Migration theory suggests, and some empirical studies show, that in order to compete for the best breeding sites and increase reproductive success, long-distance avian migrants tend to adopt a time minimization strategy during spring migration, resulting in shorter duration spring migration compared to that in autumn. Methods Using GPS/GSM transmitters, we tracked the full migrations of 11 Greater White-fronted Geese (Anser albifrons) between southeast China and the Russian Arctic, to reveal the migration timing and routes of the East Asian population, and compare the difference in duration between spring and autumn migration of this population. Results We found that migration in spring (79 ± 12 days) took more than twice as long to cover the same distance as in autumn (35 ± 7 days). This difference in migration duration was mainly determined by significantly more time spent in spring (59 ± 16 days) than in autumn (23 ± 6 days) at significantly more stopover sites. Conclusions We suggest that these geese, thought to be partial capital breeders, spent almost three quarters of total migration time at spring stopover sites to acquire energy stores for ultimate investment in reproduction, although we cannot reject the hypothesis that timing of the spring thaw also contributed to stopover duration. In autumn, they acquired necessary energy stores on the breeding grounds sufficient to reach Northeast China staging areas almost without stop, which reduced stopover times in autumn and resulted in the faster autumn migration than spring. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T03:15:19Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c4410cbd3d73433cb84df79d7c609480 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2053-7166 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T03:15:19Z |
| publishDate | 2019-05-01 |
| publisher | KeAi Communications Co., Ltd. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Avian Research |
| spelling | doaj.art-c4410cbd3d73433cb84df79d7c6094802023-01-02T10:38:20ZengKeAi Communications Co., Ltd.Avian Research2053-71662019-05-0110111110.1186/s40657-019-0157-6Spring migration duration exceeds that of autumn migration in Far East Asian Greater White-fronted Geese (Anser albifrons)Xueqin Deng0Qingshan Zhao1Lei Fang2Zhenggang Xu3Xin Wang4Haoren He5Lei Cao6Anthony David Fox7State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of SciencesState Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of SciencesSchool of Life Science, University of Science and Technology of ChinaKey Laboratory of Forestry Remote Sensing Based Big Data and Ecological Security for Hunan Province, Central South University of Forestry and TechnologyState Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of SciencesInformation Management and System Department, IBSS, Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool UniversityState Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of SciencesDepartment of Bioscience, Aarhus UniversityAbstract Background Migration theory suggests, and some empirical studies show, that in order to compete for the best breeding sites and increase reproductive success, long-distance avian migrants tend to adopt a time minimization strategy during spring migration, resulting in shorter duration spring migration compared to that in autumn. Methods Using GPS/GSM transmitters, we tracked the full migrations of 11 Greater White-fronted Geese (Anser albifrons) between southeast China and the Russian Arctic, to reveal the migration timing and routes of the East Asian population, and compare the difference in duration between spring and autumn migration of this population. Results We found that migration in spring (79 ± 12 days) took more than twice as long to cover the same distance as in autumn (35 ± 7 days). This difference in migration duration was mainly determined by significantly more time spent in spring (59 ± 16 days) than in autumn (23 ± 6 days) at significantly more stopover sites. Conclusions We suggest that these geese, thought to be partial capital breeders, spent almost three quarters of total migration time at spring stopover sites to acquire energy stores for ultimate investment in reproduction, although we cannot reject the hypothesis that timing of the spring thaw also contributed to stopover duration. In autumn, they acquired necessary energy stores on the breeding grounds sufficient to reach Northeast China staging areas almost without stop, which reduced stopover times in autumn and resulted in the faster autumn migration than spring.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40657-019-0157-6Greater White-fronted GooseGPS/GSM trackingMigrationSpring stagingStopover duration |
| spellingShingle | Xueqin Deng Qingshan Zhao Lei Fang Zhenggang Xu Xin Wang Haoren He Lei Cao Anthony David Fox Spring migration duration exceeds that of autumn migration in Far East Asian Greater White-fronted Geese (Anser albifrons) Avian Research Greater White-fronted Goose GPS/GSM tracking Migration Spring staging Stopover duration |
| title | Spring migration duration exceeds that of autumn migration in Far East Asian Greater White-fronted Geese (Anser albifrons) |
| title_full | Spring migration duration exceeds that of autumn migration in Far East Asian Greater White-fronted Geese (Anser albifrons) |
| title_fullStr | Spring migration duration exceeds that of autumn migration in Far East Asian Greater White-fronted Geese (Anser albifrons) |
| title_full_unstemmed | Spring migration duration exceeds that of autumn migration in Far East Asian Greater White-fronted Geese (Anser albifrons) |
| title_short | Spring migration duration exceeds that of autumn migration in Far East Asian Greater White-fronted Geese (Anser albifrons) |
| title_sort | spring migration duration exceeds that of autumn migration in far east asian greater white fronted geese anser albifrons |
| topic | Greater White-fronted Goose GPS/GSM tracking Migration Spring staging Stopover duration |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40657-019-0157-6 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT xueqindeng springmigrationdurationexceedsthatofautumnmigrationinfareastasiangreaterwhitefrontedgeeseanseralbifrons AT qingshanzhao springmigrationdurationexceedsthatofautumnmigrationinfareastasiangreaterwhitefrontedgeeseanseralbifrons AT leifang springmigrationdurationexceedsthatofautumnmigrationinfareastasiangreaterwhitefrontedgeeseanseralbifrons AT zhenggangxu springmigrationdurationexceedsthatofautumnmigrationinfareastasiangreaterwhitefrontedgeeseanseralbifrons AT xinwang springmigrationdurationexceedsthatofautumnmigrationinfareastasiangreaterwhitefrontedgeeseanseralbifrons AT haorenhe springmigrationdurationexceedsthatofautumnmigrationinfareastasiangreaterwhitefrontedgeeseanseralbifrons AT leicao springmigrationdurationexceedsthatofautumnmigrationinfareastasiangreaterwhitefrontedgeeseanseralbifrons AT anthonydavidfox springmigrationdurationexceedsthatofautumnmigrationinfareastasiangreaterwhitefrontedgeeseanseralbifrons |