Status of Wintering Populations of the Baikal Teal
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JAPB15_proof ■ 29 April 2014 ■ 1/5 Journal of Asia-Pacific Biodiversity xxx (2014) e1ee5 55 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect 56 57 Journal of Asia-Pacific Biodiversity 58 59 journal homepage: http://www.elsevier.com/journals/journal-of-asia-pacific- 60 biodiversity/2287-884x 61 62 63 Original article 64 65 1 Status of wintering populations of the baikal teal (Anas formosa) 66 2 67 3 in Geumgang River, Korea 68 4 69 a b a a a,* 5 Q4 Jae-Pyoung Yu , Sung-Woo Han , In-Hwan Paik , Seon-Deok Jin , Woon Kee Paek 70 6 a 71 7 National Science Museum, Daejeon, Republic of Korea Q1 b Geum Gang Migratory Bird Observatory, Gunsan, Jeollabuk-do, Republic of Korea 72 8 73 9 74 10 article info abstract 75 11 76 12 Article history: This study investigated the daily changes of individual numbers of the baikal teal migrating in Geumgang 77 13 Received 19 March 2014 River from November in 2008 to March in 2009 and from November, 2011 to February, 2012. The finding 78 14 Received in revised form from 2008 to 2009 showed that the highest number of 500,000 individuals (November, 2008) with an 79 27 March 2014 15 average of 146,582 Æ 123,705 individuals were recorded. The finding from 2011 to 2012 indicated that 80 Accepted 1 April 2014 16 the highest number of 250,000 individuals (January, 2012) with an average of 61,696 Æ 63,407 in- Available online xxx 81 17 dividuals. The baikal teal’s population was increased in the early wintering period was not observed in 82 the mid-wintering period when the Geumgang River became frozen. On the other hand, the population 18 Keywords: 83 tended to increase again in the late wintering period when the river began to thaw. As the baikal teals 19 Number of individuals 84 prefer flat water areas without currents, they were mainly observed in the upper stream of Geumgang 20 Freezing 85 21 Geumgang estuary barrage estuary barrage but not in the downstream. Copyright Ó 2014, National Science Museum of Korea (NSMK) and Korea National Arboretum (KNA). 86 22 Flat water Production and hosting by ELSEVIER. All rights reserved. 87 23 88 24 89 25 90 26 91 27 92 28 Introduction individuals increased to 20,000w40,000 in 1986, the baikal teal 93 29 had constantly wintered until the early 1990s (Yu and Hahm, 1994). 94 30 The Baikal Teal (Anas formosa) is a common migratory bird Since the mid-1990s, however, the wintering groups had been 95 31 wintering in Korea. More than about 95% of its total population decreased in Junam Reservoir. On the other hand, the wintering 96 32 around the world winters (Won and Kim, 2012). Since the early groups increased in the reclaimed lands and reservoirs in the west 97 33 20th century, its number of individuals had been large enough to be coast, such as Cheonsuman Bay, Geumgang estuary, Donglim 98 34 recorded as the most common duck in East Asia. In the mid-20th Reservoir, and Yeongamho Lake (Kang and Cho, 1996, 1998). 99 35 century, however, the baikal teal was classified as an endangered Currently, at least 300,000w600,000 individuals of the baikal teal 100 36 species because the number of this species drastically decreased winter (Ministry of Environment, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 101 37 due to reckless hunting and destruction of its habitats (Won and 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, Won and Kim, 2012). 102 38 Kim, 2012). The IUCN classified it as VU (Vulnerable) on the IUCN The population of the baikal teal wintering in Korea has been 103 39 Red List. In 2011, however, it was classified as LC (Least Concern) as reported in ‘Simultaneous Census of Birds in Winter’ which has 104 40 the number of individuals of the baikal teal has recently been been conducted annually between January and February by the 105 41 increased (BirdLife International 2013). Ministry of Environment since 1999. In addition, several researches 106 42 Based on the previous records in Gyeonggi-do areas, Austin on its wintering ecology and behaviors were also carried out (Kang 107 43 (1948) believed this species as a passage migrant observed in Ko- and Cho, 1996, 1998). Most of the researches investigating the 108 44 rea in spring and fall; however, in 1984, the large number of wintering populations of the baikal teal in Geumgang River have 109 45 wintering groups of the baikal teal (5,000 individuals) were firstly been conducted once or twice a month during the wintering period 110 46 observed at Junam Reservoir in winter. Since the number of its (Lee, 2000, Lee et al., 2001, Kim et al., 2004, Kang et al., 2010), 111 47 Nevertheless, there has been no research investigating the daily 112 48 changes of distribution status of the baikal teal during the 113 49 * þ Corresponding author. Tel.: 82 42 601 7861. wintering period. 114 50 E-mail address: [email protected] (W.K. Paek). This study, therefore, investigated the changes of population of 115 51 Peer review under responsibility of National Science Museum of Korea (NSMK) and 116 Korea National Arboretum (KNA). the baikal teal, aiming to provide the fundamental data to be used 52 117 53 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.japb.2014.04.005 118 54 2287-884X/Copyright Ó 2014, National Science Museum of Korea (NSMK) and Korea National Arboretum (KNA). Production and hosting by ELSEVIER. All rights reserved. 119 Please cite this article in press as: Yu J-P, et al., Status of wintering populations of the baikal teal (Anas formosa) in Geumgang River, Korea, Journal of Asia-Pacific Biodiversity (2014), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.japb.2014.04.005 JAPB15_proof ■ 29 April 2014 ■ 2/5 e2 JP Yu et al. / Journal of Asia-Pacific Biodiversity xxx (2014) e1ee5 1 for protecting and preserving the baikal teal representing Geum- Result and discussion 66 2 gang estuary as a migratory bird sanctuary. 67 3 The wintering status of the baikal teal (Anas formosa) in the 68 4 Geumgang River 69 5 Materials and methods 70 6 The findings below present the daily changes of individual 71 7 Study area numbers of the baikal teals migrating in Geumgangho Lake from 72 8 November in 2008 to March in 2009 (excluding January in 2009) 73 9 The Geumgang River originates in Subun-ri, Jangsu-eup, Jangsu- and from November in 2011 to February in 2012. The finding from 74 fl 10 gun, Jeollabuk-do. It ows in Daecheong Dam after passing through 2008 to 2009 showed that the highest number of 500,000 in- 75 fl 11 Okcheon-gun, Chungcheongbuk-do. Then, it ows in Jeollabuk-do dividuals (21 November, 2008) with an average of 76 12 before meeting the Mihocheon stream again. Finally, it empties 146,582 Æ 123,705 individuals were recorded. The finding from 77 fl 13 into the west sea after owing through Geumgang estuary barrage. 2011 to 2012 indicated that the highest number of 250,000 in- 78 14 As the construction of the Geumgang estuary barrage was dividuals (31 January, 2012) with an average of 61,696 Æ 63,407 79 15 completed in 1990, the Geumgangho Lake was formed because the individuals. In the survey between 2011 and 2012, the highest 80 fl 16 in ow of river water and seawater to the estuary became blocked number of individuals was decreased by 50%, compared to that in 81 17 off. Since it has small alluvial bars and reed beds, the Geumgangho the survey between 2008 and 2009. The average number of in- 82 18 Lake is a popular migratory bird sanctuary in which waterbirds dividuals was also decreased by about 40%. Moreover, the number 83 19 such as the baikal teals. Moreover, wide farmland areas formed of the baikal teals migrating to the Geumgang River during the early 84 20 around the Geumgangho Lake are good feeding places for winter wintering period from November to December was decreased more 85 21 migratory birds (Figure 1). drastically in 2011 than in 2008. After the end of January, however, 86 22 the numbers of individuals in 2009 and 2012 showed similar re- 87 23 sults around 60,000 (Table 1). When it comes to the changes of 88 Study methods 24 temperatures during the survey period, the average temperature in 89 25 November 2008 (8.79C) was about 2.56C lower than that in 2011 90 This study investigated the survey points and the individual 26 (11.35C). In December, on the other hand, the average temperature 91 numbers of the baikal teal (Anas formosa) migrating in Geumgang 27 in 2008 was about 2.01C higher than that in 2011. This result 92 estuary on a daily basis from November in 2008 to March in 2009 (4 28 showed that the temperature difference in 2011 was relatively very 93 months; excluding January in 2009) and from November in 2011 to 29 large, compared to that in 2008. Additionally, the average tem- 94 February in 2012 (4 months). Point census method was used to 30 peratures between January and March in 2012 were lower than 95 investigate the total number of individuals from the major survey 31 those in 2009. The overall temperature in average between 96 points where the baikal teal was concentrated (Bibby et al., 1992), 32 November and March in following year showed that the overall 97 Binoculars (10 Â 25, Nikon) and telescopes (Â15w45, Nikon) were 33 average between 2011 and 2012 (3.03 Æ 5.83C) was about 1.29C 98 used to classify the species and to calculate the individual numbers.