Habitat-specific clutch size and cost of incubation in common eiders, Somateria mollissima

Oecologia ◽  
1997 ◽  
Vol 111 (3) ◽  
pp. 297-301 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mikael Kilpi ◽  
Kai Lindström
Keyword(s):  
Clutch Size ◽  
Somateria Mollissima ◽  
Common Eiders

Annual variation in common eider egg size: effects of temperature, clutch size, laying date, and laying sequence

1995 ◽  
Vol 73 (9) ◽  
pp. 1579-1587 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gregory J. Robertson
Keyword(s):  
Clutch Size ◽  
Egg Size ◽  
Annual Variation ◽  
Size Variation ◽  
Egg Laying ◽  
Laying Date ◽  
Somateria Mollissima ◽  
Ambient Temperatures ◽  
Common Eiders ◽  
N 93

Annual variation in volumes of eggs laid by common eiders (Somateria mollissima sedentaria) nesting at La Pérouse Bay, Manitoba (58°43′N, 93°27′W), was studied over 3 years (1991–1993). Temperatures during the egg-laying period were higher in 1991 than in 1992 and 1993. However, the eiders began nesting in 1993 at the same time as in 1991, whereas in 1992 the eiders began laying approximately 2 weeks later. Eiders laid significantly smaller clutches in 1992 than in the other 2 years. Egg size did not correlate with clutch size or laying date in any year. However, eiders laid smaller eggs in 1992 and 1993 than in 1991. In five egg clutches, the pattern of intraclutch egg-size variation was different among years. The last laid eggs of five egg clutches were disproportionately smaller in 1992 and 1993 (cold years) than those laid in 1991. Minimum daily temperatures before the egg-laying period (during rapid yolk development) were positively correlated with egg size. However, this effect was not significant when year and egg sequence were controlled for. Egg-size variation was correlated with the overall ambient temperatures during the laying period, whereas annual clutch-size variation was correlated with laying date, suggesting that the proximate mechanisms affecting clutch and egg size are different.

Composition of eggs of common eiders

1995 ◽  
Vol 73 (3) ◽  
pp. 584-588 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Swennen ◽  
J. Van der Meer
Keyword(s):  
Clutch Size ◽  
Average Energy ◽  
Dry Mass ◽  
Curvilinear Relationship ◽  
Dry Density ◽  
Somateria Mollissima ◽  
Yolk Mass ◽  
Egg Volume ◽  
Energy Value ◽  
Common Eiders

The content of common eider (Somateria mollissima) eggs was studied in the colony on the Dutch island of Vlieland for 3 years. Mean wet mass was 108 g: ca. 9% shell, ca. 45% albumen, and ca. 45% yolk. Mean dry density (g∙cm−3) was 0.086 for shell, 0.069 for albumen, 0.094 for lean yolk, and 0.169 for yolk lipids. The average energy value of the egg content was estimated at 10.45 kJ∙cm−3, and 1087 kJ for the content of an average egg with a volume of 104 cm3. The average energy value of the shell membranes amounted to 15 kJ. The most common clutch size is 5 eggs, which means that, on average, 5510 kJ is directly invested in a clutch. Corrected for volume, total dry mass and dry mass of lean yolk, albumen, and fat differed among females. Corrected for volume, lean yolk mass decreased with clutch size; other components were not involved. This induced an increase in the ratio of lipid in the yolk to lean yolk with clutch size. Within a clutch, dry mass of the components varied isometrically with egg volume. Egg volume varies according to the laying sequence, those laid in the middle of the sequence being largest. Therefore, the amount of energy allocated to individual eggs in a clutch varies according to the same curvilinear relationship.

Does the cost of incubation set limits to clutch size in common eiders Somateria mollissima?

Oecologia ◽  
1995 ◽  
Vol 103 (3) ◽  
pp. 270-274 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kjell Einar Erikstad ◽  
Torkild Tveraa
Keyword(s):  
Clutch Size ◽  
Somateria Mollissima ◽  
Common Eiders ◽  
The Cost

scholarly journals Herd immunity drives the epidemic fadeout of avian cholera in Arctic-nesting seabirds

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacintha G. B. van Dijk ◽  
Samuel A. Iverson ◽  
H. Grant Gilchrist ◽  
N. Jane Harms ◽  
Holly L. Hennin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Colony Size ◽  
Pasteurella Multocida ◽  
Herd Immunity ◽  
Reproductive Number ◽  
Somateria Mollissima ◽  
Common Eiders ◽  
Serological Status ◽  
Antibody Titers ◽  
Avian Cholera

AbstractAvian cholera, caused by the bacterium Pasteurella multocida, is a common and important infectious disease of wild birds in North America. Between 2005 and 2012, avian cholera caused annual mortality of widely varying magnitudes in Northern common eiders (Somateria mollissima borealis) breeding at the largest colony in the Canadian Arctic, Mitivik Island, Nunavut. Although herd immunity, in which a large proportion of the population acquires immunity to the disease, has been suggested to play a role in epidemic fadeout, immunological studies exploring this hypothesis have been missing. We investigated the role of three potential drivers of fadeout of avian cholera in eiders, including immunity, prevalence of infection, and colony size. Each potential driver was examined in relation to the annual real-time reproductive number (Rt) of P. multocida, previously calculated for eiders at Mitivik Island. Each year, colony size was estimated and eiders were closely monitored, and evaluated for infection and serological status. We demonstrate that acquired immunity approximated using antibody titers to P. multocida in both sexes was likely a key driver for the epidemic fadeout. This study exemplifies the importance of herd immunity in influencing the dynamics and fadeout of epidemics in a wildlife population.

Body and organ mass dynamics during remigial moult in a wing–foot-propelled diving sea duck: the Common Eider (Atlantic) (Somateria mollissima dresseri)

2015 ◽  
Vol 93 (10) ◽  
pp. 755-764 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Viain ◽  
M. Guillemette ◽  
J.-P.L. Savard
Keyword(s):  
Muscle Mass ◽  
Body Mass ◽  
Flight Muscle ◽  
Somateria Mollissima ◽  
Dabbling Ducks ◽  
Diving Ducks ◽  
Common Eiders ◽  
Sea Duck ◽  
Remigial Moult ◽  
Atrophy Of The Heart

Body and organ dynamics, during remigial moult, have been mainly explored on geese, dabbling ducks, and foot-propelled diving ducks, but weakly on sea ducks. This study investigated the internal changes in a wing–foot-propelled sea duck to determine the adaptive strategies implemented. Forty-five male Common Eiders (Atlantic) (Somateria mollissima dresseri Sharpe, 1871), collected in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, were dissected; their body mass, muscle mass, and organ sizes were measured. We tested three hypotheses: (1) S. m. dresseri use a strategic reduction of body mass to reduce the flightlessness duration; (2) organs will exhibit changes consistent with a trade-off between function and maintenance to save and reallocate energy and proteins to feather growth; (3) S. m. dresseri would show lower flight muscle reduction than foot-propelled diving ducks. Somateria mollissima dresseri did not lose body mass, which does not support the first hypothesis. Atrophy of the heart followed by hypertrophy and opposite changes in leg muscle mass and gizzard mass are consistent with the second hypothesis. Flight muscle mass showed lower variations than in other ducks, validating the third hypothesis. We also suggest that the lipid depletion observed early in the moult could be a strategy to reduce foraging effort and minimize the risk of damaging the growing feathers.

scholarly journals Seroprevalence of avian influenza in Baltic common eiders (Somateria mollissima) and pink-footed geese (Anser brachyrhynchus)

2020 ◽  
Vol 142 ◽  
pp. 105873 ◽  
Author(s):  
Su Shiung Lam ◽  
Rune Skjold Tjørnløv ◽  
Ole Roland Therkildsen ◽  
Thomas Kjær Christensen ◽  
Jesper Madsen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Avian Influenza ◽  
Somateria Mollissima ◽  
Anser Brachyrhynchus ◽  
Common Eiders

Common Eider (Somateria Mollissima) Body Condition and Parasitic Load during a Mortality Event in the Baltic Proper

2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 167-172 ◽  
Author(s):  
Svend-Erik Garbus ◽  
Peter Lyngs ◽  
Jens Peter Christensen ◽  
Kurt Buchmann ◽  
Igor Eulaers ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Body Mass ◽  
High Mortality ◽  
Physiological Stress ◽  
Morphological Changes ◽  
Somateria Mollissima ◽  
Common Eiders ◽  
Baltic Proper ◽  
Average Body Mass ◽  
The Baltic ◽  
Average Body

During late spring of 2007 and 2015, we observed unusually high mortality of Common Eiders (Somateria mollissima) on Christiansø in the Baltic Proper. The number of dead birds (2007: 125; 2015: 110) composed 5–10% of the total colony. In 2015, we collected 15 (12 adult females, three subadult males) of the 110 recently deceased Common Eiders for detailed autopsy. The average body mass of the females was 1,040 g (920–1,160 g) which is ca 60% lower than what can be expected of healthy females during wintertime. Similarly, for the subadult males the average body mass of 1,203 g (1,070–1,300 g) comprised only 45% of what can be expected for healthy subadult males during winter. All 15 birds were thus severely emaciated and cachexic with general atrophy of muscles and internal organs. Hunger oedema, distended gall bladder, empty stomach, empty and dilated intestines and dilated cardiomyopathy were observed as well. In addition, all 15 Common Eiders were infected with high loads of the acanthocephalan parasite Polymorphus minutus. No gross morphological changes suggested toxicological, bacteriological or viral causes to the mortality. Taken together, our autopsy suggested starvation leading to secondary metabolic catabolism and eventually congestive heart failure. Five birds that were examined in 2007 showed the same symptoms. We suspect that the introduction of suboptimal feeding conditions in combination with a high parasite load over the last decade synergistically caused high physiological stress leading to population level effects manifested as high mortality.

scholarly journals Body mass, mercury exposure, biochemistry and untargeted metabolomics of incubating common eiders (Somateria mollissima) in three Baltic colonies

2020 ◽  
Vol 142 ◽  
pp. 105866 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nyuk Ling Ma ◽  
Martin Hansen ◽  
Ole Roland Therkildsen ◽  
Thomas Kjær Christensen ◽  
Rune Skjold Tjørnløv ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Body Mass ◽  
Mercury Exposure ◽  
Untargeted Metabolomics ◽  
Somateria Mollissima ◽  
Common Eiders

Does spring ice cover influence nest initiation date and clutch size in common eiders?

Polar Biology ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 35 (5) ◽  
pp. 645-653 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keith G. Chaulk ◽  
Matthew L. Mahoney
Keyword(s):  
Clutch Size ◽  
Ice Cover ◽  
Common Eiders ◽  
Nest Initiation

Effects of Dietary Selenium on Tissue Concentrations, Pathology, Oxidative Stress, and Immune Function in Common Eiders (Somateria mollissima)

2007 ◽  
Vol 70 (10) ◽  
pp. 861-874 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Christian Franson ◽  
David J. Hoffman ◽  
Alicia Wells-Berlin ◽  
Matthew C. Perry ◽  
Valerie Shearn-Bochsler ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Oxidative Stress ◽  
Immune Function ◽  
Somateria Mollissima ◽  
Tissue Concentrations ◽  
Dietary Selenium ◽  
Common Eiders
Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document