Establishment from leaves and other plant fragments produced by the foraging activities of geese
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Authors: R. Chou, C. Vardy, and R. L. Jefferies
Date: 1992
Journal: Functional Ecology
Volume: 6
Number: 3
Pages: 297-301
Summary of Methods: Lesser snow geese (Chen caerulescens caerulescens) disturb aquatic and semi-aquatic plant species while foraging in the saltmarsh regions of La Perouse Bay, on the Hudson Bay coast. The production of vegetative propagules is enhanced by the foraging activities of geese. Large numbers of leaves, shoots, and rooted tillers are released into the environment; some of these establish in soft sediment. Experimental studies show that these different types of plant fragments are capable of developing into mature plants when planted in pots filled with coastal sediment and when planted directly in saltmarsh sediments. The activities of the herbivore result in both the destruction of existing swards and the production of propagules capable of recolonizing disturbed areas affected by the geese.
Article Summary / Main Points: None
Vegetation Types:
MLRA Ecoregions:
Agrovoc Control Words: Riparian zones Rangelands Wildlife
Article Review Type: Refereed
Article Type: Experimental Research
Keywords: lesser snow geese, chen caerulescens caerulescens, clonal reproduction, disturbance, saltmarsh graminoids, vegetative propagules, foraging
Annotation: Intense grazing is defined as peck rates averaging between 80 and 110 pecks per minute, with birds grazing up to 18 hours per day.
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