VATTENLEVANDE FÅGLARS PÅVERKAN PÅ VEGETATIONEN I GRUNDA HAVSMILJÖER : FJÄRRANALYS SOM VERKTYG FÖR ATT IDENTIFIERA BETNINGSMÖNSTER | The effect of waterfowl on submerged aquatic vegetation in shallow bays : Remote sensing as a tool to identify grazing patterns
2023
Gerland Fontana, Vanessa
Submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) is an important source of food for waterfowl. Effects of waterfowl grazing on SAV has foremost been studied in freshwater and agricultural ecosystems. This study used drone-based remote sensing to identify waterfowl grazing patterns and quantify the effect their grazing has on SAV in shallow coastal areas in Västerbotten County. Six subareas containing a total of 27 bays were studied in detail. Grazed areas were delimited by polygons in GIS. Using GIS, layers containing water depth, wave exposure and biotope were added to polygons and mean-values were calculated. Field data containing types of SAV were noted in grazed areas and compiled by number of observations. Data was tested in a regression analysis and a X2-test. Results revealed no connection between water depth and wave exposure in regard to the proportion of grazed area. Grazing was identified in 20 out 27 bays and in 41 out of 126 drone images. Field data containing charophytes often overlapped with polygons for grazed areas, but a more systematic collection of data is needed to conclude whether the presence of charophytes is crucial for the choice of grazing area. Shallow coastal areas can have a great variance in SAV species composition from year to year due to ice scraping during winter and yearly land raise. Continuous studies of these areas are therefore needed in order to conclude if changes in SAV species composition is due to abiotic factors or grazing from waterfowl.
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