Reclamation of tidal flats and shorebird declines in Saemangeum and elsewhere in the Republic of Korea

Moores, N; Rogers, DI; Rogers, K; Hansbro, PM

Reclamation of tidal flats and shorebird declines in Saemangeum and elsewhere in the Republic of Korea

Moores, N Rogers, DI Rogers, K Hansbro, PM

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Publisher:: CSIRO PUBLISHING
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Emu, 2016, 116, (2), pp. 136-146
Issue Date:: 2016-01-01

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Moores, N
dc.contributor.author	Rogers, DI
dc.contributor.author	Rogers, K
dc.contributor.author	Hansbro, PM
dc.date.accessioned	2021-03-03T05:10:45Z
dc.date.available	2021-03-03T05:10:45Z
dc.date.issued	2016-01-01
dc.identifier.citation	Emu, 2016, 116, (2), pp. 136-146
dc.identifier.issn	0158-4197
dc.identifier.issn	1448-5540
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/146707
dc.description.abstract	© BirdLife Australia 2016. Saemangeum, in the Republic of Korea (ROK, commonly called South Korea) was one of the most important shorebird staging sites in the Yellow Sea. It supported at least 330000 shorebirds annually between 1997 and 2001, including ∼30% of the world population of Great Knots (Calidris tenuirostris) during both northward and southward migration. Construction of a 33-km long sea-wall was completed in April 2006. We show that shorebird numbers at Saemangeum and two adjacent wetlands decreased by 130000 during northward migration in the next two years and that all species have declined at Saemangeum since completion of the sea-wall. Great Knots were among the most rapidly affected species. Fewer than 5000 shorebirds were recorded at Saemangeum during northward migration in 2014. We found no evidence to suggest that most shorebirds of any species displaced from Saemangeum successfully relocated to other sites in the ROK. Instead, by 2011-13 nearly all species had declined substantially in the ROK since previous national surveys in 1998 and 2008, especially at more heavily reclaimed sites. It is likely that these declines were driven by increased mortality rather than movement to alternate staging sites given that other studies have shown concurrent declines in numbers and survival on the non-breeding grounds. This is the first study in the East Asian-Australasian Flyway to confirm declines of shorebirds at a range of geographical scales following a single reclamation project. The results indicate that if migratory shorebirds are displaced from major staging sites by reclamation they are probably unable to relocate successfully to alternate sites.
dc.language	English
dc.publisher	CSIRO PUBLISHING
dc.relation.ispartof	Emu
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1071/MU16006
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/closedAccess
dc.subject	0502 Environmental Science and Management, 0602 Ecology, 0608 Zoology
dc.subject.classification	Ornithology
dc.title	Reclamation of tidal flats and shorebird declines in Saemangeum and elsewhere in the Republic of Korea
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	116
utslib.for	0502 Environmental Science and Management
utslib.for	0602 Ecology
utslib.for	0608 Zoology
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Science
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Science/School of Life Sciences
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
utslib.copyright.status	closed_access	*
dc.date.updated	2021-03-03T05:10:44Z
pubs.issue	2
pubs.publication-status	Published
pubs.volume	116
utslib.citation.issue	2

Abstract:

© BirdLife Australia 2016. Saemangeum, in the Republic of Korea (ROK, commonly called South Korea) was one of the most important shorebird staging sites in the Yellow Sea. It supported at least 330000 shorebirds annually between 1997 and 2001, including ∼30% of the world population of Great Knots (Calidris tenuirostris) during both northward and southward migration. Construction of a 33-km long sea-wall was completed in April 2006. We show that shorebird numbers at Saemangeum and two adjacent wetlands decreased by 130000 during northward migration in the next two years and that all species have declined at Saemangeum since completion of the sea-wall. Great Knots were among the most rapidly affected species. Fewer than 5000 shorebirds were recorded at Saemangeum during northward migration in 2014. We found no evidence to suggest that most shorebirds of any species displaced from Saemangeum successfully relocated to other sites in the ROK. Instead, by 2011-13 nearly all species had declined substantially in the ROK since previous national surveys in 1998 and 2008, especially at more heavily reclaimed sites. It is likely that these declines were driven by increased mortality rather than movement to alternate staging sites given that other studies have shown concurrent declines in numbers and survival on the non-breeding grounds. This is the first study in the East Asian-Australasian Flyway to confirm declines of shorebirds at a range of geographical scales following a single reclamation project. The results indicate that if migratory shorebirds are displaced from major staging sites by reclamation they are probably unable to relocate successfully to alternate sites.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/146707