The Lesser Snow Goose on Wrangel Island: Trophic Interactions with Ruminants and Breeding Habitat Selection

Research on Wrangel Island reveals that the lesser snow goose (Anser caerulescens caerulescens), the only major nesting colony of its kind in Eurasia, faces significant competition for trophic resources from ruminants. Despite this, the geese's habitat selection is not driven by resource availability or competitive pressure but rather by microclimate and potentially other factors. The study analyzed trophic niche overlap and competitive dynamics between geese and ruminants, finding that while ruminants are stronger competitors, resource shortages do not hinder the geese's potential to restore or form new colonies. This insight challenges the assumption that resource competition alone determines breeding habitat selection in this species.

Rozenfeld, S. B., Sheremetyev, I. S., & Baranyuk, V. V. (2017). The Lesser Snow Goose on Wrangel Island: Trophic Interactions with Ruminants and Breeding Habitat Selection. Biology Bulletin, 44(9), 1035–1045. https://doi.org/10.1134/s1062359017090102