Re-Evaluation of the Role of Landfills and Culling in the Historic Changes in the Herring Gull (Larus argentatus) Population in Great Britain

Autor:	John C. Coulson
Rok vydání:	2015
Předmět:	education.field_of_study biology Ecology Fishing Population Culling biology.organism_classification Fishery Herring Agricultural land biology.animal Herring gull Animal Science and Zoology Flock Larus education
Zdroj:	Waterbirds. 38:339-354
ISSN:	1938-5390 1524-4695
Popis:	This paper examines the reasons behind the large population explosion of the Herring Gull (Larus argentatus) in Great Britain, which started about 1900, continued for 60–70 years and was then followed by a decline in numbers. The increase has often been associated with food obtained at landfills, but it is better explained by other causes because such sites were not used for feeding until the increase had been in progress for 50 years and for less than 20 years before gull numbers started to decline. Further, the flock and frenzy method of feeding used by Herring Gulls at landfills is not well adapted for the successful exploitation of this food source, and the frequency of use has often been exaggerated. The historic increase in Herring Gulls starting in about 1900 should be attributed to protection and then food acquired from the marine environment, including fishing offal, and increased feeding on agricultural land. Culling has contributed more to the recent decline of the population than has...
Databáze:	OpenAIRE
Externí odkaz:	https://explore.openaire.eu/search/publication?articleId=doi_________::c11ccac663efc6ee8732b6fba75fe915 https://doi.org/10.1675/063.038.0411 Zobrazit plný text záznamu