Branta Leucopsis Research Articles

Contrasting effects of shooting disturbance on the movement and behavior of sympatric wildfowl species.

Human-wildlife conflict is a global conservation issue, necessitating effective mitigation strategies. Hunting is a common management approach to reduce conflict, but the indirect consequences are often overlooked. Chronic hunting-related disturbance can reduce fitness and redistribute species. In recent decades, goose-agricultural conflict has intensified due to increasing abundance and shifts towards agricultural foraging. On Islay, Scotland, escalating conflict culminated in shooting Greenland barnacle geese Branta leucopsis to reduce damage to agricultural grassland. In this study, we contrast the impact of shooting disturbance on the movement, behavior, energy expenditure and habitat selection of the target species (Greenland barnacle goose) and a vulnerable nontarget species (Greenland white-fronted goose, Anser albifrons flavirostris) using biologging devices (target species: n = 33; nontarget species: n = 94). Both species were displaced by shooting, and greater distances were subsequently traveled by the target species (1.71 km when directly targeted). When disturbed at any distance, total daily movement increased significantly by 1.18 km for the target species but not for the nontarget species. The target species exhibited no accompanying change in diurnal energy expenditure (measured via accelerometery) but foraged in improved grasslands further from roads after shooting disturbance, where disturbance from all sources was likely lower. The significant increases in movement and changes in foraging site selection of the target species could reduce fitness but given the infrequency of shooting disturbances (0.09 per day) there is likely capacity for compensatory feeding to recoup energetic losses. The nontarget species expectedly showed no significant change in energy expenditure, behavior or habitat selection following shooting disturbance, suggesting mitigation strategies have been effective at minimizing fitness impacts. Refuge areas with a 3.5 km diameter (three times the maximum distance from shooting that displacement was detectable) could provide undisturbed foraging for the target species, minimizing compensatory feeding and further agricultural damage. Wildlife managers should, where possible, consider the fitness implications of shooting disturbance, and whether compensatory feeding and redistribution could hamper conflict mitigation. Management strategies should also include species-specific monitoring and mitigation as we have demonstrated differing responses potentially due to imposed mitigation but also differing species ecology and "landscapes of fear."

The role of indirect interspecific effects in the stochastic dynamics of a simple trophic system.

Indirect interspecific effects (IIEs) occur when one species affects another through a third intermediary species. Understanding the role of IIEs in population dynamics is key for predicting community-level impacts of environmental change. Yet, empirically teasing apart IIEs from other interactions and population drivers has proven challenging and data-demanding, particularly in species-rich communities. We used stochastic population models parameterized with long-term time series of individual data to simulate population trajectories and examine IIEs in a simple high-arctic vertebrate food chain consisting of the wild Svalbard reindeer, its scavenger (the Arctic fox) and the barnacle goose, a migratory prey of the fox. We used the simulated population trajectories to explore co-fluctuations between the species within the food chain. Additionally, we adjusted the model in two ways: first, to isolate the impact of fluctuations in the abundance of a species by keeping its abundance constant; and second, to isolate the impact of a trophic interaction on the dynamics of other species by setting the abundance of the influencing species to zero. We found that fluctuations in reindeer carcasses shaped fox abundance fluctuations, which subsequently affected goose population dynamics. Reindeer and goose population growth rates were nevertheless only weakly correlated, probably in part due to demographic and environmental stochasticity, density dependence and lagged dynamics in the geese. However, removing the fluctuations in reindeer abundance or setting reindeer abundance to zero indeed demonstrated strong underlying IIEs on goose population dynamics and extinction probability. This study thus highlights the importance of species interactions, including IIEs, on species coexistence and communities in the long-term, that is beyond immediate effects and covariation in short-term fluctuations.

Flying without fear: Shooting disturbance has little effect on site preferences in a conflict goose species

Abstract Human‐modified landscapes have created opportunities for numerous taxa. Agricultural expansion has proven advantageous for several Arctic‐breeding goose species, leading to increased abundance and intensified conflict with farmers. Shooting is frequently implemented as a mitigation strategy to control population and via scaring to alter the spatial distribution of conflict species. However, the efficacy of such regimes in manipulating the fear landscape is not always investigated. We developed resource selection functions using GPS‐tracking data for Greenland barnacle geese (Branta leucopsis) wintering on Islay, Scotland to assess foraging site choice. We assessed overall foraging site preference and evaluated the influence of shooting management on foraging site selection of key habitats. Barnacle geese selected for improved grassland areas and the likelihood of utilisation varied between these fields according to field‐specific management. Protected areas were strongly selected for along with newly reseeded grassland. Field‐level exposure to shooting disturbance did not cause a notable change in site selection. Synthesis and Applications: Our results demonstrate the importance of providing refuges within managed agricultural landscapes to encourage site use and minimise conflict. We highlight how low‐intensity shooting disturbance may be ineffective in altering winter habitat selection of high‐value foraging sites (especially near roosts). If future management aimed to stimulate redistribution, higher intensity shooting disturbance along with the spatial and temporal coordination of shooting effort would likely be required to create a stronger perceived gradient of disturbance risk.

Making better use of tracking data can reveal the spatiotemporal and intraspecific variability of species distributions

Understanding geographic ranges and species distributions is crucial for effective conservation, especially in the light of climate and land use change. However, the spatial, temporal and intraspecific resolution of digital accessible information on species distributions is often limited. Here, we suggest to make better use of high‐resolution tracking data to address existing limitations of occurrence records such as spatial biases (e.g. lack of observations in parts of the geographic range), temporal biases (e.g. lack of observations during a certain period of the year), and insufficient information on intraspecific variability (e.g. lack of population‐ or individual‐level variation). Addressing these gaps can improve our knowledge on geographic ranges, intra‐annual changes in species distributions, and population‐level differences in habitat and space use. We demonstrate this with tracking data and species distribution models (SDMs) of the barnacle goose, a migratory bird species wintering in western Europe and breeding in the Arctic. Our analyses show that tracking data can 1) supplement occurrence records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) in remote areas such as the European and Russian Arctic, 2) improve information on the temporal use of wintering, staging and breeding areas of migratory species and 3) be used to reveal distribution patterns at the population level. We recommend a broader use of tracking data to address the Wallacean shortfall (i.e. the incomplete knowledge on the geographic distribution of species) and to improve forecasts of biodiversity responses to climate and land use change (e.g. species vulnerability assessments). To avoid common pitfalls, we provide six recommendations for consideration during the research cycle when using tracking data in species distribution modelling, including steps to assess biases and integrate information on intraspecific variability in modelling approaches.

Optimised PCR assays for detecting elusive waterfowl from environmental DNA.

For many aquatic and semiaquatic mammal, amphibian and fish species, environmental DNA (eDNA) methods are employed to detect species distribution and to monitor their presence, but eDNA is much less employed for avian species. Here, we developed primers for the detection of true geese and swan species using eDNA and optimised a PCR protocol for eDNA. We selected taiga bean goose (Anser fabalis fabalis) as our focal (sub)species and sampled water from lakes, from which the presence of taiga bean goose was visually confirmed. To test, if taiga bean goose DNA could be detected among DNA of other goose species, we similarly sampled eDNA from a zoo pond housing several Anatidae species. We were able to detect taiga bean goose DNA in all but one of the tested lakes, including the zoo pond. The primers developed are not species-specific, but rather specific to the genus Anser, due to the close relatedness of Anser species, which prevented the development of species-specific primers and the use of, for example, quantitative PCR. We also developed eDNA primers for Branta species and Cygnus species and tested these primers using the same samples. Canada goose (B. canadensis) and barnacle goose (B. leucopsis) DNA were only detected in the zoo pond (in which they were present), as the sampled natural lakes fall outside the range of these species. We detected whooper swan (C. cygnus) DNA in three lakes and the zoo pond (in which the species was present). The eDNA method presented here provides a potential means to monitor elusive goose species and to study the co-occurrence of large waterfowl.

Genetic Analysis of H5N1 High-Pathogenicity Avian Influenza Virus following a Mass Mortality Event in Wild Geese on the Solway Firth.

The United Kingdom (UK) and Europe have seen successive outbreaks of H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b high-pathogenicity avian influenza virus (HPAIV) since 2020 peaking in the autumn/winter periods. During the 2021/22 season, a mass die-off event of Svalbard Barnacle Geese (Branta leucopsis) was observed on the Solway Firth, a body of water on the west coast border between England and Scotland. This area is used annually by Barnacle Geese to over-winter, before returning to Svalbard to breed. Following initial identification of HPAIV in a Barnacle Goose on 8 November 2021, up to 32% of the total Barnacle Goose population may have succumbed to disease by the end of March 2022, along with other wild bird species in the area. Potential adaptation of the HPAIV to the Barnacle Goose population within this event was evaluated. Whole-genome sequencing of thirty-three HPAIV isolates from wild bird species demonstrated that there had been two distinct incursions of the virus, but the two viruses had remained genetically stable within the population, whilst viruses from infected wild birds were closely related to those from poultry cases occurring in the same region. Analysis of sera from the following year demonstrated that a high percentage (76%) of returning birds had developed antibodies to H5 AIV. This study demonstrates genetic stability of this strain of HPAIV in wild Anseriformes, and that, at the population scale, whilst there is a significant impact on survival, a high proportion of birds recover following infection.

More management, less damage? With increasing population size, economic costs of managing geese to minimize yield losses may outweigh benefits

Conflicts between farmers and geese are intensifying; yet, it remains unclear how interactions between goose population size and management regimes affect yield loss and economic costs. We investigate the cost-effectiveness of accommodation and scaring areas in relation to barnacle goose (Branta leucopsis) population size. We use an existing individual-based model of barnacle geese foraging in nature, accommodation, and scaring areas in Friesland, the Netherlands, to study the most cost-effective management under varying population sizes (i.e., between 20 and 200% of the current size). Our study shows that population size non-linearly affects yield loss costs and total costs per goose. The most cost-effective management scenario for intermediate to large populations is to avoid scaring of geese. For small populations, intensive scaring resulted in minimized yield loss costs and total costs, but also substantially lower goose body mass. Our results strongly suggest that scaring becomes a less effective management measure as goose populations increase.

Effect of 2020-21 and 2021-22 Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza H5 Epidemics on Wild Birds, the Netherlands.

The number of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5-related infections and deaths of wild birds in Europe was high during October 1, 2020-September 30, 2022. To quantify deaths among wild species groups with known susceptibility for HPAI H5 during those epidemics, we collected and recorded mortality data of wild birds in the Netherlands. HPAI virus infection was reported in 51 bird species. The species with the highest numbers of reported dead and infected birds varied per epidemic year; in 2020-21, they were within the Anatidae family, in particular barnacle geese (Branta leucopsis) and in 2021-22, they were within the sea bird group, particularly Sandwich terns (Thalasseus sandvicensis) and northern gannet (Morus bassanus). Because of the difficulty of anticipating and modeling the future trends of HPAI among wild birds, we recommend monitoring live and dead wild birds as a tool for surveillance of the changing dynamics of HPAI.

Low spatial habitat overlap of herbivores in the High Arctic tundra

Herbivores play a crucial role in shaping tundra ecosystems through their effects on vegetation, nutrient cycling, and soil abiotic factors. Understanding their habitat use, co-occurrence, and overlap is therefore essential for informing ecosystem-based management and conservation. In the High Arctic, only a marginal proportion of the land area is vegetated, and climate change is impacting herbivore population sizes and their habitats. In this study, we assessed the spatial habitat overlap of a vertebrate herbivore community based on: 1) regional predictive summer habitat suitability models for the resident Svalbard reindeer (Rangifer tarandus platyrhynchus), resident Svalbard rock ptarmigan (Lagopus muta hyperborea), and the migratory pink-footed goose (Anser brachyrhynchus), and 2) presence of fecal pellets, reflecting the annual habitat use of reindeer, ptarmigan, and geese, including the pink-footed goose and barnacle goose (Branta leucopsis). Our findings revealed that only small proportions of the available land cover (∼ 12,516 km2; all land area excluding glaciers and freshwater) are suitable for each of the species (habitat suitability [HS] > 0.5): reindeer (22 %), ptarmigan (11 %), and pink-footed goose (4 %). Overlapping suitable habitat [HS > 0.5] for reindeer and goose accounted for only 3 % of the total vegetated area (∼ 8848 km2) and was primarily found in heath and moist habitats dominated by mosses, graminoids, and herbaceous plants. The overlapping suitable habitat for reindeer and ptarmigan covered 8 % of the vegetated area, in higher elevation ridges with vegetation on drier substrates. The shared habitat for ptarmigan and goose, and all three species of herbivores, was less than 1 % of the vegetated area. Additionally, an assessment of fecal pellets suggested that the highest overlap in habitat use among reindeer and goose occurred in bird cliff moss tundra, followed by moss tundra and heath habitats. The small proportion of the vegetated area suitable for all three herbivores indicates a high degree of habitat differentiation. Therefore, different habitats need to be considered for the management and conservation of resident and migratory herbivore species in this High Arctic Archipelago. Moreover, our results underscore the importance of the small but productive parts of the landscape that were used by all herbivores.

Reducing the number of grazing geese on agricultural fields - Effectiveness of different scaring techniques

Scaring is a widely used damage mitigation tool to make agricultural fields less attractive to wildlife and by that reduce crop damage. However, few experimental studies exist where the numerical response of different scaring devices has been compared. We tested experimentally the effect of three different scaring devices (kite, scarecrow, inflatable man) on the number of geese in fields with cereals, ley, rapeseed, potatoes, and carrots in Sweden. Geese were counted by camera traps and two approaches were used; in a first (model 1) only geese within 50–150m of the scaring devices were counted, and in a second (model 2) all geese in the field were included. A total of 42,281 geese were counted: Greylag goose Anser anser was the most common species (87%), followed by bean goose Anser fabalis (6%), greater white-fronted goose Anser albifrons (3%), barnacle goose Branta leucopsis (2%), and Canada goose Branta canadensis (2%). During scaring the number of geese significantly decreased for all three devices in model 2. The inflatable man decreased goose numbers by 90.0 %, scarecrow 64.6%, and kite 60.5%. A similar pattern was found in model 1, but the decrease was not significant. Our study shows that the scaring devices studied can reduce goose grazing pressure for some time and locally. However, since geese continue to graze during scaring, we conclude that scaring alone is not a final solution to mitigate crop damage. Future work to develop more effective control measures should address the efficiency of other management tools and scaring techniques in combination.

Baltic Population of the Barnacle Goose (Branta leucopsis (Bechstein 1803)) in the Boreal Zone of Northwestern Russia

Baltic Population of the Barnacle Goose (Branta leucopsis (Bechstein 1803)) in the Boreal Zone of Northwestern Russia

An explosive landscape: Arranging the barnacle goose on the Solway Firth

By the end of the Second World War, the Svalbard barnacle goose population had dwindled to a couple of hundred birds. Flying in from the Arctic to spend the winters on the Solway Firth (the estuary that separates England from Scotland), they were a favourite target of wildfowlers in the area. Since then, a ban on shooting and the Solway goose management scheme that pays farmers to maintain a goose friendly habitat has seen the barnacle goose numbers increase. Today, an uneasy truce has formed between conservationists, farmers and wildfowlers who have different and often conflicting interests in the goose. Adding to that is the Solway's rich military history: once host to huge munitions factories during the First and Second World Wars, this now derelict military infrastructure curates the tidal landscape through awkward access zones, barbed wire fences and secretive burial sites. In this article I argue that the military infrastructure of the Solway, particularly that of the explosive propellants produced in the factories, have left resonances that not only inflect the land itself, but also the trajectory of the barnacle goose. Explosive propellants are used in different ways by the goose's stakeholders: cannon nets by conservationists, bird bangers by farmers, and explosive shot by wildfowlers. Yet this is a dynamic situation that must account for goose agencies and complex entanglements of human, nonhuman, and technology: an explosive landscape that arranges goose life along the flyway.

Trophic Selectivity of the Barnacle Goose (Branta Leucopsis) and Greater White-Fronted Goose (Anser Albifrons) in Their Reproductive Concentration Area

Trophic Selectivity of the Barnacle Goose (Branta Leucopsis) and Greater White-Fronted Goose (Anser Albifrons) in Their Reproductive Concentration Area

Long‐term herbivore removal experiments reveal how geese and reindeer shape vegetation and ecosystem CO2‐fluxes in high‐Arctic tundra

Abstract Given the current rates of climate change, with associated shifts in herbivore population densities, understanding the role of different herbivores in ecosystem functioning is critical for predicting ecosystem responses. Here, we examined how migratory geese and resident, non‐migratory reindeer—two dominating yet functionally contrasting herbivores—control vegetation and ecosystem processes in rapidly warming Arctic tundra. We collected vegetation and ecosystem carbon (C) flux data at peak plant growing season in the two longest running, fully replicated herbivore removal experiments found in high‐Arctic Svalbard. Experiments had been set up independently in wet habitat utilised by barnacle geese Branta leucopsis in summer and in moist‐to‐dry habitat utilised by wild reindeer Rangifer tarandus platyrhynchus year‐round. Excluding geese induced vegetation state transitions from heavily grazed, moss‐dominated (only 4 g m−2 of live above‐ground vascular plant biomass) to ungrazed, graminoid‐dominated (60 g m−2 after 4‐year exclusion) and horsetail‐dominated (150 g m−2 after 15‐year exclusion) tundra. This caused large increases in vegetation C and nitrogen (N) pools, dead biomass and moss‐layer depth. Alterations in plant N concentration and CN ratio suggest overall slower plant community nutrient dynamics in the short‐term (4‐year) absence of geese. Long‐term (15‐year) goose removal quadrupled net ecosystem C sequestration (NEE) by increasing ecosystem photosynthesis more than ecosystem respiration (ER). Excluding reindeer for 21 years also produced detectable increases in live above‐ground vascular plant biomass (from 50 to 80 g m−2; without promoting vegetation state shifts), as well as in vegetation C and N pools, dead biomass, moss‐layer depth and ER. Yet, reindeer removal did not alter the chemistry of plants and soil or NEE. Synthesis. Although both herbivores were key drivers of ecosystem structure and function, the control exerted by geese in their main habitat (wet tundra) was much more pronounced than that exerted by reindeer in their main habitat (moist‐to‐dry tundra). Importantly, these herbivore effects are scale dependent, because geese are more spatially concentrated and thereby affect a smaller portion of the tundra landscape compared to reindeer. Our results highlight the substantial heterogeneity in how herbivores shape tundra vegetation and ecosystem processes, with implications for ongoing environmental change.

EDNA Metabarcoding- and Microscopic Analysis for Diet Determination in Waterfowl, a Comparative Study in Vejlerne, Denmark.

Understanding diets and structural food webs are keys to the apprehension of ecological communities, upon which conservation and management biology are based. The understanding of grazing and habitat choice for waterfowl is one of the most important topics for avian ecologists today and can, to some degree, be answered by dietary analysis. Droppings collected from four waterfowl, the Eurasian wigeon (Anas penelope), Greylag goose (Anser anser), pink-footed goose (Anser brachyrhynchus) and Barnacle goose (Branta leucopsis) in Vejlerne (Denmark), were analysed microscopically and through eDNA metabarcoding with the use of next generation sequencing (NGS) to accumulate knowledge about the diet of these waterfowl. In total, 120 dropping samples were microscopically analysed, of which the eDNA metabarcoding analysis was done on 79 samples. The prey items were identified according to the taxonomic level of species, and a qualitative method, frequency of occurrence (FO) and FO calculated as a percentage, was used in order to compare the results from the two methods. As neither of the methods was able to encompass all species discovered when combining the two methods, it was concluded in this study that the two methods can support each other in a dietary analysis of waterfowl, but not replace one another.

Extreme events, trophic chain reactions, and shifts in phenotypic selection

Demographic consequences of rapid environmental change and extreme climatic events (ECEs) can cascade across trophic levels with evolutionary implications that have rarely been explored. Here, we show how an ECE in high Arctic Svalbard triggered a trophic chain reaction, directly or indirectly affecting the demography of both overwintering and migratory vertebrates, ultimately inducing a shift in density-dependent phenotypic selection in migratory geese. A record-breaking rain-on-snow event and ice-locked pastures led to reindeer mass starvation and a population crash, followed by a period of low mortality and population recovery. This caused lagged, long-lasting reductions in reindeer carrion numbers and resultant low abundances of Arctic foxes, a scavenger on reindeer and predator of migratory birds. The associated decrease in Arctic fox predation of goose offspring allowed for a rapid increase in barnacle goose densities. As expected according to r- and K-selection theory, the goose body condition (affecting reproduction and post-fledging survival) maximising Malthusian fitness increased with this shift in population density. Thus, the winter ECE acting on reindeer and their scavenger, the Arctic fox, indirectly selected for higher body condition in migratory geese. This high Arctic study provides rare empirical evidence of links between ECEs, community dynamics and evolution, with implications for our understanding of indirect eco-evolutionary impacts of global change.

Spatiotemporal distribution of Arctic herbivores in spring: Potential for competition?

Biotic interactions are important to the structure and dynamics of food webs and may affect the spatial and temporal distribution of species. In the Arctic, spring snow-cover limits food availability at a critical time for herbivores, potentially leading to resource competition. This study investigates the potential for competition over forage resources during spring in a high-Arctic herbivore community comprising the resident, endemic Svalbard reindeer (Rangifer tarandus platyrhynchus) and Svalbard rock ptarmigan (Lagopus muta hyperborea), and the migratory pink-footed goose (Anser brachyrhynchus) and barnacle goose (Branta leucopsis). First, we investigated herbivore behaviour that could indicate the potential for competition by conducting a field study, and second, we quantified the effects of snow-cover extent, vegetation type and presence of potential herbivore competitors on the spatiotemporal distributions of herbivores using camera-traps in one early and one late snow melt year. Only reindeer and geese appeared with sufficient sample sizes for analysis. The field study revealed that reindeer and geese foraged in the same areas, particularly moss tundra habitats. Although geese were regularly alerted by reindeer, no direct aggressive interactions were observed. The camera-trap study showed that neither of the herbivores significantly affected the spatiotemporal distribution of its potential competitor, but reindeer and goose distribution was instead driven by snow-cover extent and vegetation type. However, the shared space use by these species may lead to different types of interactions, such as facilitation or exploitative competition, which require further assessment, including dietary overlap studies, particularly in the context of climate change-induced shifts in snow melt timing and herbivore abundances.

Trophic selectivity of the barnacle goose and the white-fronted goose in the area of reproductive concentration

Against the backdrop of intense transformation of the Arctic environment and biota, differences in population trends of massive and widespread herbivores in the Arctic are of great interest. In this regard, the main goal of our work was a comparative assessment of the trophic selectivity of the barnacle goose and the white-fronted goose under conditions of the largest reproductive concentration, characterizing the role of competition in the dynamics of their populations. It has been shown that the differences in the quantitative ratio of plants eaten by these species are not sufficient to avoid competition, and that the most selective, i.e. The food of the barnacle goose is sensitive to quality and energy-consuming. However, its status as a relatively weak competitor belies the exponential growth of its population in the study area and the entire Arctic population. We believe that differences in the population dynamics of the barnacle goose and the white-fronted goose are currently not due to competition during reproductive concentrations, but to the influence of anthropogenic and climatic factors far beyond the breeding range.

Timing and intensity of goose grazing: Implications for grass height and first harvest

Grazing birds like geese can have a big impact on agricultural land, potentially causing damage to crops. Their exploitation of agricultural land varies within and between seasons, and these temporal grazing patterns can be influenced by management. Furthermore, management practices using scaring and accommodation aim to influence local grazing pressures. To achieve efficient goose management we need a good understanding of the effects of timing and intensity of grazing on grass development and subsequent yield loss. We performed an exclosure study on twelve fields in Friesland (Fryslân), the Netherlands to study the effect of grazing on grass development and potential yield loss. Grazing was prevented either from November or from early April until farmers anticipated their first harvest. Every two weeks we measured grass height and calculated growth in exclosures and in ungrazed plots, and performed dropping counts. The results show that the difference in grass height between grazed and ungrazed plots increases with grazing pressure, but less so for higher grazing pressures. We also find that both winter and spring grazing can result in a larger difference in grass height between grazed and ungrazed plots, and grazing into the growing season delays the start of grass growth. This appears due to the relationship between grass height and growth rate. Because the optimal height for growth increases over the season, spring grazing has a much larger impact on grassland yields than winter grazing. Overall these results show that the amount of yield loss depends on different aspects of grazing, most prominently the recovery time, duration and grazing intensity. We hypothesize that barnacle geese may select fields with denser swards and may stimulate sward density by frequent grazing throughout winter and early spring as well as across consecutive years. Future studies should look into the effect of harvest delays and sward density on the size and quality of yield across the season and especially at the last cut. Management with scaring and accommodation may be able to reduce overall yield losses, but the effect may depend on the timing and location of scaring.

Molecular characterization and phylogenetic analysis of avian influenza H3N8 virus isolated from imported waterfowl in Malaysia.

Wild aquatic birds are natural reservoirs of influenza A viruses and H3 subtype is one of the most prevalent subtypes in waterfowl. Two H3N8 viruses of low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) were isolated via egg inoculation technique from the fecal swab specimens from imported barnacle goose and paradise shelduck in Veterinary Research Institute Ipoh, Malaysia. The full length of eight gene segments of the two viruses were amplified and sequenced with specific primers. The sequences were molecularly characterized, and the sequence identity were assessed with other published sequences. The two viruses are identical and they possess the same amino acid sequences for all the eight gene segments. The viruses were highly similar to the H3 virus from Netherlands and N8 virus from Belgium respectively. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that all the eight gene segments were grouped in the Eurasian lineage, and genetic reassortment may occur between the internal genes of the H3 viruses and other AI subtypes. Though four amino acid substitutions were identified in the hemagglutinin gene, the viruses retained most of the avian-type receptor binding preference. Few amino acid substitutions were observed in all internal genes. Most of the neuraminidase inhibitors and adamantine resistance related mutation were not seen in the viruses. The replicative capacity, cross species transmissibility, and potential zoonotic risk of the viruses are worth further investigation. As H3 virus poses potential threats to both human and animals, and with the increase in the international trade of birds; strict quarantine practice at the entry point and good laboratory diagnostic capabilities is crucial to prevent the introduction of new AI virus into our country.