Abstract

It is an axiom in ecology that knowing the sheer number of individuals in a population is of very little help if the objective is to understand future and past changes in population size. Yet, this is exactly how migratory European ducks are monitored, many of which are important quarry species in several countries. We argue that present monitoring is insufficient to address objectives of wise use and sustainability such as those emphasised in recent management directives and multilateral international agreements. The two main problems are the almost total lack of reliable data on recruitment and mortality. We advocate a pan-European monitoring system based on undisputed scientific principles; i.e. a long-term, coordinated and standardised scheme that produces data about vital rates of duck populations as well as about harvest size. Data from such a scheme can be used by game biologists to produce predictive tools, thus providing a functional basis for management decisions for adaptive harvesting and conservation alike

Published in

Wildlife Biology
2006, Volume: 12, number: 2, pages: 121-127
Publisher: WILDLIFE BIOLOGY

SLU Authors

• Sjöberg, Kjell

  • Department of Wildlife, Fish and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

UKÄ Subject classification

Environmental Sciences related to Agriculture and Land-use


Publication identifier

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2981/0909-6396(2006)12[121:TSBFNA]2.0.CO;2

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/21254