Increases in the number of arctic breeding geese have dramatically reduced ecosystem productivity of coastal marshes along the Hudson Bay area in Canada (Jefferies et al. 2006).
Gauthier, G., Bêty, J., Giroux, J.-F. & Rochefort, L. Trophic interactions in a high arctic snow goose colony.
In some nonpasserines, such as arctic-breeding geese, the reproductive organs begin to shrink as soon as the eggs are laid.
In fact, the young of arctic-breeding geese often do not have time to mature fully before winter conditions return, and seasons without successful breeding are common for species such as Snow and Ross Geesee.
The earth offers haven to scorpions and woodchucks and quintillions of ants; the stars guide the Canada geese and arctic terns, the barn swallows and monarch butterflies in their immense annual migrations.
Then there's the fenland, which in winter converts to wonderful marshland, attracting arctic and subarctic wildfowl and geese.
At the upper end of the valley, tourists can walk or ride horses into a lost wilderness inhabited by pink-footed geese, reindeer and arctic foxes.
The next few days are spent alternatively walking with master predators, swimming with toothed whales, eyeing avifauna (arctic terns, bald eagles, gulls, geese, godwits, gyrfalcons, grebes and such...there are over 100 species here) and stuffing faces with sumptuous meals.
During the summer months the refuge teems with life - arctic foxes, wolverines, grizzly bears and snow geese pepper the tundra.
