Bird and Mammal Numbers in Relation to Human Impact at Ski Lifts on Scottish Hills

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
On Scottish skiing areas where many people go at all seasons and where vegetation has been damaged, counts of animals were made to find whether human impact was affecting their numbers. More people, dogs, crows [Corvus corone] and snow buntings [Plectrophenax nivalis] were seen on these disturbed areas after than before the ski developments. After the developments, more people and dogs were on disturbed areas than on undisturbed areas visited by very few people. Spring densities and breeding success of the native ptarmigan [Lagopus mutus] and red grouse [L. lagopus scoticus] did not differ between disturbed and undisturbed areas, and likewise spring densities of meadow pipits and wheatears. Although ski-lift wires killed some ptarmigan and red grouse, this had no detectable influence on their breeding populations. At Cairn Gorm, more sheep, reindeer [Rangifer tarandus] and the native mountain hares [Lepus timidus] occurred on disturbed areas; they concentrated on small patches that had been treated with grass seeds and fertilizer to reduce soil erosion. More pied wagtails [Motacilla alba], crows, rooks [C. frugilegus], gulls [Larus ridibundus] and snow buntings, which fed frequently on waste human food, were seen on disturbed than on undisturbed areas, especially around car parks. The influx and increase of these scavenging bird species have occurred on ground adjacent to 2 National Nature Reserves on fairly natural, arctic-alpine habitats.

This publication has 3 references indexed in Scilit: