Maria Vladimirtseva

• Biodiversity Journal, 3 (1): 049-054

  Maria Vladimirtseva
  Ecological features of Tundra Cranes in North-Eastern Siberia (Aves, Gruidae)

  ABSTRACT
  In sub-arctic tundra of North-Eastern Siberia (Yakutia region) the breeding areas of Siberian Crane, Grus leucogeranus (Pallas, 1773) and Lesser Sandhill Crane, Grus canadensis сanadensis (Linnaeus, 1758), overlap. In the present paper ecological interrelations between these two crane species are reported. Siberian Crane is the dominant species and occupies more productive ecological niche such as damp lowlands. Sandhill Cranes have to content themselves with less productive but more extensive habitats such as drier and higher levels of tundra. Generally speaking, Sandhill Cranes prefer to feed in damp lowlands, as can be observed in areas where Siberian Cranes are absent. Such a displacement toward another ecological niche has not a significant impact on Sandhill Crane thanks to the plasticity and tolerance of this species.

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