EFFECT OF BEAN GEESE (ANSER-FABALIS) GRAZING ON WINTER-WHEAT DURING MIGRATION STOPOVER IN SOUTHERN SWEDEN

Large flocks of geese grazing on agricultural land near stopover areas are considered to cause economic losses. The effect of grazing by bea n geese (Anser fabalis) on winter wheat was studied for four consecuti ve years near Lake Takern, an important stopover area in southern Swed en, which attracts tens of thousands of geese. Yield in grazed and ung razed plots (exclosures) were compared in nine fields. There were no c onsistent differences between grazed and ungrazed plots. The four wint ers were milder than usual, which probably favoured survival and growt h of the wheat. It is suggested that grazing during short periods in a utumn and spring is less harmful than grazing in wintering areas.