GRASS - Greylag geese as a model for animal social systems

Research Objective

Social conflicts are among the strongest stress factors for group-living vertebrates - they modulate physiology, behaviour, reproduction and the immune system of an individual. The main research objective of this project is the investigation of the relationships between activity patterns, digestive efficiency and social behaviour, i.e. the complex modulation of biological rhythms by the social status in a highly social and long-lived vertebrate, the greylag goose.

Research Questions

How does the social environment influence the seasonal activity patterns, as well as the digestive efficiency in greylag geese of different social categories (e.g. paired / unpaired)?

Methods

Activity patterns are going to be recorded by using 3-axial accelerometers, which are carried by the greylag geese on the back. These patterns, together with information about the digestive efficiency will provide an integrative picture of the relationship between social environment and physiology and its effects on reproductive success.

Nine elementary school classes and one high school class are involved in the project. The task of the pupils is the regular monitoring of the time-space patterns of the greylag geese in the Cumberland Wildpark.

What happens to my data?

The raw data can only be viewed by project employees. The data will only be passed on to third parties anonymously and for scientific purposes. The project does not pursue any commercial goals. Personal data will be kept strictly confidential and will not be passed on to third parties.

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