RapportFlyway-trends for waterbird species important in Lakes IJsselmeer and Markermeer.

Lake IJsselmeer and Markermeer is the largest fresh water lake complex in the Netherlands.
They have a very important function for waterbirds as breeding, moulting, migration and wintering site. Based on these functions and the numbers of birds involved the lakes are designated as Natura 2000 sites under the EU Birds Directive and as wetlands of international importance under the Ramsar Convention. In 2009 a large ecological study started focusing on several long term declining trends of waterbird species and other components of the ecosystem (ANT-IJsselmeer).
This study should finalize in 2013 and aims for clear management advice to reach a resilient and sustainable ecosystem with optimal possibilities for the target species.
Within these studies it is important to know if trends within the IJsselmeer region are caused by local factors or by factors operating elsewhere or everywhere along the flyway of the species concerned. This current study, funded by the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation, tries to answer this question and is jointly carried out by Sovon Dutch Centre for Field Ornithology and Wetlands International in cooperation with National coordinators of the International Waterbird Census.