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SITE NAME
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Zackenberg, Greenland, Denmark
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| Contact details
(phone/fax//e-mail//address): |
| +45 46 30 19 43/45 46 30 19 14 // jaha@dmu.dk // Department of Arctic Environment, National Environmental Research Institute, Box 358, Frederiksborgvej 399, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark
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PROJECT DETAILS |
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Start of survey:
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End
of survey: |
Team
size: |
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26.05
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29.08
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4
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WEATHER
CONDITIONS
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Weather conditions: |
| Snow cover reduced to 50% on 2 July and completely melted on flat areas on 3 July. Snow melt was late, but otherwise the summer weather was quite stable. Ice-break occurred on 14 July.
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| Date of 50%
snow-cover: |
2.07
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| Date of ice-break on
rivers: |
12.06
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| Date of final loss of
snow: |
3.07
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BIOTIC
CONDITIONS
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| Rodents abundance evaluation: |
average
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Breeding conditions:
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The number of encounters of Arctic Foxes was very high, and breeding was recorded in three dens.
Contrary to last season, 2006 was a late season in Zackenberg. Only 6.25% of egg laying in all wader nests were initiated before 10 June, just over 78% before 1 July. Median first egg dates were after 25 June in four of the five species.
Nest success was fairly good for Dunlin and very good for Common Ringed Plover, whereas the nest success for Sanderling and Turnstone was very low. The all-wader-predation rate was 63.1%, which is above average. In most cases of nest loss, Arctic Fox is suspected.
Unlike 2005, Sanderlings were recorded in record high numbers, even a little above the previous peak year 2003. Dunlin remains the most numerous wader species, although at slightly lower numbers than of late.
Chick survival is assumed low, but the effects of a surge flooding from last year is suspected to account for some of the low juvenile numbers at low tide counts.
Inside the census area, 4-7 Rock Ptarmigan pairs were encountered during the census period. Early observations and the number of Ptarmigan remains at fox dens suggest that the Rock Ptarmigans were in much higher numbers than during recent years.
Many pairs of Long-tailed Skuas did not breed in this year again, and of 21-30 pairs, only 2 were found breeding. Both nests contained one egg. One egg survived to hatching, the other one apparently did not hatch, although it had developed normally the first couple of weeks. The hatched chick, probably, did not survive beyond the age of 10 days when it was observed for the last time. Fledged juveniles were not seen in 2006.
The number of Snow Bunting territories was very high, although lower than in 2004 and 2005.
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Rodent dynamics:
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| More lemmings were seen than in 2004, but 265 winter nests within the lemming census area suggest that it was a medium year in terms of population size.
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Rodent species recorded:
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| Latin | Abundance |
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| Dicrostonyx groenlandicus | rare |
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Summary
of fauna studies: |
| The ZERO annual report 2006 contains results from the monitoring of bird populations and their breeding success and phenology. Additionally, other monitoring results of climate and basic biological parameters are given. It will be published on the ZERO web-site http://www.zackenberg.dk/ and in print.
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