Conservation management conflict in the Greenland Barnacle goose

人与动物之间的冲突是有效保护受威胁物种的最大障碍之一。管理这些问题非常复杂，但随着农业、娱乐和保护利益之间的冲突增加，解决这些问题的重要性越来越大，特别是在发达国家。格陵兰藤壶(GBG)就是这种情况，这是一种重要的保护物种(欧盟鸟类指令附件1)，通过暂停狩猎和指定栖息地来保护。然而，近年来，它的种群数量大幅增加，作为一种食草动物，它现在被视为一些地区的农业“有害生物”。在GBG的大本营艾莱岛，保护和农业利益之间存在着长期的冲突，苏格兰其他地区也出现了类似的冲突。Islay目前的管理包括故意恐吓、致命控制和向农民支付损害补偿。然而，这些措施的效果尚不清楚，评估影响具有挑战性，原因如下：GBG生态(如迁徙行为、集合种群动态等)使管理结果难以预测；种群增长可能已经趋于平稳，使预测更加不确定，并可能增加保护的必要性；它与全球濒危的格陵兰白额雁有共同之处，可能受到GBG管理活动的影响。运用最新的研究思维和分析方法，再加上由熟练的研究团队、政府机构和自然资源保护者组成的强有力的合作伙伴关系，将为案例学生提供一个独特的机会，让他们在学术上蓬勃发展，并为解决这一冲突做出贡献。学生将研究GBG在多个层面上对管理层的反应：个人层面的管理方法可能会产生许多间接影响：破坏配对纽带、非致命性伤害、喂食区铅暴露(从枪击中)增加、能量摄入减少和能源消耗增加。到目前为止，这些都没有出现在任何人口模型中，但都可以直接或通过延展效应影响人口结构。学生将通过对单独标记的禽类进行广泛的测量(粪便、血铅和压力测量；植入疫苗的X光；遥测和时间-能量预算、条件指数、肠道寄生虫等)来研究这一点，以估计管理对健康的间接影响。在地点层面，鹅对惊吓和致命控制的反应方式尚不清楚。迁出和流离失所的个体可能只是被栖息地较差的其他个体取代；鹅在取食时可能会发生变化(例如在夜间)；流离失所的鹅可能最终集中在较小的区域。学生将使用长期数据集(分布、栖息地和干扰)、遥测和粪便计数来评估当前管理制度的有效性。集合种群水平高干扰可能会导致高移民率，从而将问题转移到其他地方。或者，移走鸟类可能会创造机会(如上所述)。这种反应将受到种群中密度依赖和补偿模式的强烈影响。学生将使用基于个体的模型和综合预测模型的组合来分析重现数据集以估计集合人口框架内的关键人口参数。

Conflicts between people and animals are amongst the most formidable impediments to effective conservation of threatened species. Managing such issues is highly complex, but resolving them is growing in importance, particularly in the developed world, as conflicts between agricultural, recreational and conservation interests increase. Such is the case with the Greenland Barnacle Goose (GBG), a species of conservation importance (Annex 1 of the EC Birds Directive) protected via hunting moratoria and roost site designation. However, in recent years the population has increased considerably, and as a grazer, it is now viewed as an agricultural 'pest' in some areas. On Islay, a stronghold for GBG, there is a long standing conflict between conservation and agricultural interests, and similar conflicts are emerging in other parts of Scotland. Current management on Islay involves deliberate scaring, lethal control and damage-offset payments to farmers. However, the efficacy of these measures is not clear and assessing impact is challenging for a number of reasons: GBG ecology (e.g. migratory behaviour, metapopulation dynamics, etc) makes it difficult to predict management outcomes; the population increase may have levelled off, making projections more uncertain and potentially increasing the conservation imperative; it is sympatric with the globally Endangered Greenland White-fronted Goose, which can be impacted by GBG management activity. Applying the latest research thinking and analytical approaches combined with a strong partnership involving a skilled research team, government agency and conservationists, would provide a unique opportunity for a CASE student to flourish academically and contribute to the resolution of this conflict. The student would investigate GBG responses to management at multiple levels:Individual-level Management approaches can have a number of indirect effects: disrupting pair bonds, non-lethal injuries, increased lead exposure (from shot) in feeding areas, reduced energy intake and increased energy consumption. None of these have featured in any population modelling thus far but all can influence demography either directly or via carry over effects. The student would investigate this using a broad range of measurements (faecal and blood lead and stress measurements; x-rays for embedded shot; telemetry and time-energy budgets, condition indices, gut parasites, etc) from individually marked birds to estimate the indirect impact of management on fitness.Site-level The manner in which geese respond to scaring and lethal control is unclear. Removed and displaced individuals may simply be replaced by others from poorer habitat; geese may change when they feed (e.g. nocturnally); displaced geese may end up concentrated in smaller areas. The student would use long-term data sets (distribution, habitat and disturbance), telemetry and faecal counts to assess the efficacy of the current management regime.Metapopulation-level High levels of disturbance may drive high emigration rates, thereby moving the problem elsewhere. Alternatively, removal of birds may create opportunities (as above). Such responses will be strongly influenced by the patterns of density-dependence and compensation operating in the population. The student will analyse resighting datasets to estimate the key demographic parameters within a metapopulation framework using a combination of Individual-Based Models and Integrated Projection Models.