Barnacle Goose (Branta leucopsis) feeding ecology and trophic relationships on Kolguev Island: The usage patterns of nutritional resources in tundra and seashore habitats

Abstract

Insight into colonization of new areas by invasive species and their relationships with aboriginal species is a major challenge in ecology, allowing for prediction of the outcome of biological invasions. In this context, the current expansion of the Barnacle Goose (Branta leucopsis) is of great interest. The seasonal dynamics of Barnacle Goose feeding and the structure of its diet on Kolguev Island during the nesting and postnesting periods (May 27–July 29) have been examined. The diet structures of the invasive Barnacle Goose and the aboriginal species White-fronted goose (Anser albifrons) and Bean goose (A. fabalis) have been compared. The probability of interspecific competition and the ecological advantages in the diet patterns of these species have been estimated. If the Barnacle Goose population on Kolguev Island continues to increase, this may led to a decline in the population of aboriginal species of geese on the island.