ARE BODY CONDITION AND REPRODUCTIVE EFFORT OF LAYING GREATER SNOW GEESE AFFECTED BY THE SPRING HUNT?

The Condor ◽  
2002 ◽  
Vol 104 (1) ◽  
pp. 156 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julien Mainguy ◽  
Joël Bêty ◽  
Gilles Gauthier ◽  
Jean-François Giroux
Keyword(s):  
Body Condition ◽  
Reproductive Effort ◽  
Snow Geese

scholarly journals Are Body Condition and Reproductive Effort of Laying Greater Snow Geese Affected by the Spring Hunt?

The Condor ◽  
2002 ◽  
Vol 104 (1) ◽  
pp. 156-161 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julien Mainguy ◽  
Joël Bêty ◽  
Gilles Gauthier ◽  
Jean-François Giroux
Keyword(s):  
Clutch Size ◽  
Body Condition ◽  
Reproductive Effort ◽  
Lower Proportion ◽  
The Body ◽  
Nutrient Storage ◽  
Chen Caerulescens ◽  
Snow Geese ◽  
Chen Caerulescens Atlantica

Abstract A spring hunt was implemented on the staging areas of Greater Snow Geese (Chen caerulescens atlantica) in Quebec in 1999 and 2000. We evaluated whether this activity, which occurred during the period of spring nutrient storage, may have affected the body condition and reproductive effort of laying geese. We collected laying females in years with a spring hunt (1999–2000, n = 34) and compared them with birds collected in years without a hunt (1989–1990, n = 10). All indices of body condition and clutch size were significantly lower in years with a hunt than in years without, and laying dates were delayed. Tracking of radio-marked females on the staging and breeding areas showed that a lower proportion of females reached the nesting areas in years with a hunt (28% in 1999–2000, n = 80) than in years without (85% in 1997–1998, n = 80) and that fewer females nested (9% vs. 56%, respectively). Our results suggest that the spring hunt negatively affected nesting geese. ¿Son Afectadas por la Cacería de Primavera la Condición Física y el Esfuerzo Reproductivo de Chen caerulescens atlantica? Resumen. La cacería de primavera fue implementada en áreas de escala de Chen caerulescens atlantica en Quebec en 1999 y 2000. Evaluamos si la cacería, que se llevó a cabo durante el período primaveral de acumulación de nutrientes, pudo haber afectado la condición fisica y el esfuerzo reproductivo de los gansos. Colectamos hembras que estuvieran poniendo huevos en años con cacería de primavera (1999–2000, n = 34) y las comparamos con aves colectadas en años sin cacería (1989–1990, n = 10). Todos los índices de la condición física y del tamaño de la nidada fueron significativamente menores en años con cacería que en años sin cacería, y se retrasaron las fechas de puesta. El seguimiento de hembras marcadas con radio en áreas de escala y cría mostró que una menor proporción llegó a las áreas de nidificación en años con cacería (28% en 1999–2000, n = 80) que en años sin cacería (85% en 1997–1998, n = 80), y que menos hembras nidificaron (9% vs. 56%, respectivamente). Nuestros resultados sugieren que la cacería de primavera afecta negativamente a los gansos nidificantes.

scholarly journals Ecological and Physiological Factors Affecting Brood Patch Area and Prolactin Levels in Arctic-Nesting Geese

The Auk ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 123 (2) ◽  
pp. 405-418 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jón Einar Jónsson ◽  
Alan D. Afton ◽  
Ray T. Alisauskas ◽  
Cynthia K. Bluhm ◽  
Mohamed E. El Halawani
Keyword(s):  
Body Condition ◽  
The Body ◽  
Nest Size ◽  
Patch Area ◽  
Physiological Factors ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Chen Caerulescens ◽  
Brood Patch ◽  
Snow Geese ◽  
Ross's Geese

AbstractWe investigated effects of ecological and physiological factors on brood patch area and prolactin levels in free-ranging Lesser Snow Geese (Chen caerulescens caerulescens; hereafter “Snow Geese”) and Ross's Geese (C. rossii). On the basis of the body-size hypothesis, we predicted that the relationships between prolactin levels, brood patch area, and body condition would be stronger in Ross's Geese than in the larger Snow Geese. We found that brood patch area was positively related to clutch volume and inversely related to prolactin levels in Ross's Geese, but not in Snow Geese. Nest size, nest habitat, and first egg date did not affect brood patch area in either species. Prolactin levels increased as incubation progressed in female Snow Geese, but this relationship was not significant in Ross's Geese. Prolactin levels and body condition (as indexed by size-adjusted body mass) were inversely related in Ross's Geese, but not in Snow Geese. Our findings are consistent with the prediction that relationships between prolactin levels, brood patch area, and body condition are relatively stronger in Ross's Geese, because they mobilize endogenous reserves at faster rates than Snow Geese.Factores Ecológicos y Fisiológicos que Afectan el Área del Parche de Incubación y los Niveles de Prolactina en Gansos Nidificantes del Ártico

Effect of Body Condition on Vulnerability of Greater Snow Geese to Hunting and Capture

2000 ◽  
Vol 64 (3) ◽  
pp. 875 ◽  
Author(s):  
Veronique Morez ◽  
Gilles Gauthier ◽  
Austin Reed
Keyword(s):  
Body Condition ◽  
Snow Geese

Timing is the only thing: reproduction in female yellow ground squirrels (Spermophilus fulvus)

2014 ◽  
Vol 92 (8) ◽  
pp. 737-747 ◽  
Author(s):  
N.A. Vasilieva ◽  
A.V. Tchabovsky
Keyword(s):  
Litter Size ◽  
Body Condition ◽  
Reproductive Effort ◽  
Individual Characteristics ◽  
Ground Squirrels ◽  
Offspring Survival ◽  
Litter Mass ◽  
Individual Offspring ◽  
Female Survival ◽  
Spermophilus Fulvus

Based on 4-year field observations of yellow ground squirrels (Spermophilus fulvus (Lichtenstein, 1823)), we determined whether female reproductive effort, annual reproductive success, and survival were dependent on age, body condition, time of emergence from hibernation, and previous reproduction. The probability of weaning a litter did not vary with female age, body condition, time of emergence, or previous reproduction. Litter size, litter mass, and offspring survival did not vary with age, whereas individual offspring mass was lower in yearlings than in older females. Body condition upon emergence had no effect on litter size, litter mass, offspring mass, and survival. Reproduction did not influence female survival, physical condition upon emergence next spring, or subsequent reproductive efforts. The only factor that affected the extent of reproductive effort and offspring survival was the date of emergence: the later a female emerged, the lower the total and mean offspring mass, and fewer offspring survived. The modulation of reproduction in female S. fulvus by only the timing of vernal emergence and independent of other individual characteristics can be explained by the high costs of missed reproductive opportunity because of short longevity combined with low costs of reproduction when resources are abundant enough to meet both somatic and reproductive needs.

scholarly journals Are Abdominal Profiles Useful to Assess Body Condition of Spring Staging Greater Snow Geese?

The Condor ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 107 (3) ◽  
pp. 694-702 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthieu Féret ◽  
Joël Bêty ◽  
Gilles Gauthier ◽  
Jean-François Giroux ◽  
Gérald Picard
Keyword(s):  
Body Mass ◽  
Body Condition ◽  
Abdominal Fat ◽  
Chen Caerulescens ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Snow Geese ◽  
Profile Score ◽  
Negative Effect ◽  
Chen Caerulescens Atlantica ◽  
The Individual

AbstractAbdominal profile indices were developed to evaluate body condition in birds without capturing or handling them. We assessed the reliability of abdominal profile indices in predicting condition of spring staging Greater Snow Geese (Chen caerulescens atlantica). We first calibrated profile scores assigned to females against two direct measures of nutrient stores, abdominal fat and body mass corrected for body size. Abdominal profile indices were linearly and significantly related to both abdominal fat and body mass but the variance was high for individuals assigned to the same profile score (R2 = 0.08 and R2 = 0.09, respectively, n = 230). On average, an increase of one profile score corresponded to an increase of 100 g in body mass. Abdominal profiles were better predictors of average abdominal fat and body mass of birds assigned to the same profile category. To assess the usefulness of abdominal profiles in the field, we also examined if the technique could detect the negative effect of a spring hunt on nutrient storage by staging geese, an effect previously detected with internal measures of nutrient reserves. We monitored seasonal changes in abdominal profile indices of staging geese in years without (1997 and 1998) and with the spring hunt (1999 and 2000). In two out of three regions, abdominal profiles revealed that condition increased at a higher rate in nonhunting than in hunting years. The lack of a negative effect of hunting in the other region was likely due to variability among observers in abdominal profile scoring. We conclude that abdominal profile indices can be useful to assess body condition of spring staging Greater Snow Geese although the technique has serious limitations at the individual level, especially without proper training of observers.¿Son los Perfiles Abdominales Útiles para Determinar la Condición Corporal de Chen caerulescens atlantica durante Escalas Migratorias de Primavera?Resumen. Los índices de perfil abdominal fueron desarrollados para evaluar la condición corporal de las aves sin tener que capturarlas o manipularlas. En este estudio examinamos la confiabilidad de dichos índices para predecir la condición corporal de gansos Chen caerulescens atlantica durante la época de escalas migratorias de primavera. Inicialmente, calibramos los puntajes de los perfiles asignados a un grupo de hembras con respecto a dos medidas directas de reservas nutritivas, la grasa abdominal y la masa corregida por el tamaño corporal. Los índices de perfil abdominal estuvieron lineal y significativamente relacionados con la grasa abdominal y la masa corporal (R2 = 0.08 y R2 = 0.09, respectivamente, n = 230), pero la varianza entre individuos asignados al mismo puntaje del perfil fue alta. En promedio, un incremento de un punto en el perfil correspondió a un incremento de 100 g en la masa corporal. Los perfiles abdominales predijeron de mejor manera los promedios de grasa abdominal y masa corporal de aves asignadas a la misma categoría del perfil. Para evaluar la utilidad de los perfiles abdominales en el campo, también examinamos si la técnica podía detectar el efecto negativo de la cacería de primavera sobre el almacenamiento de nutrientes en gansos que estaban haciendo escalas migratorias, un efecto previamente detectado por medio de medidas internas de las reservas nutritivas. Monitoreamos los cambios estacionales en los índices de perfil abdominal de gansos en años que estuvieron (1997 y 1998) y no estuvieron (1999 y 2000) expuestos a cacería en la primavera. En dos de las tres regiones, los perfiles abdominales indicaron que la condición corporal se incrementó a una tasa mayor en los años sin cacería. La ausencia de un efecto negativo de la cacería en la otra región probablemente fue debida a la variabilidad entre distintos observadores al establecer los valores del perfil abdominal. Concluimos que los índices de perfil abdominal pueden ser útiles para evaluar la condición corporal de estos gansos durante la época de escalas migratorias, pero la técnica tiene limitaciones serias a nivel individual, especialmente cuando los observadores no han sido entrenados adecuadamente.

scholarly journals Dispersal as a source of variation in age-specific reproductive strategies in a wild population of lizards

2015 ◽  
Vol 282 (1820) ◽  
pp. 20151741 ◽  
Author(s):  
Olivier Cotto ◽  
Manuel Massot ◽  
Ophélie Ronce ◽  
Jean Clobert
Keyword(s):  
Life History ◽  
Body Condition ◽  
Life History Traits ◽  
Reproductive Effort ◽  
Wild Population ◽  
Recent Theory ◽  
Offspring Sex Ratio ◽  
Dispersal Syndromes ◽  
Common Lizard ◽  
High Investment

Dispersal syndromes describe the patterns of covariation of morphological, behavioural, and life-history traits associated with dispersal. Studying dispersal syndromes is critical to understanding the demographic and genetic consequences of movements. Among studies describing the association of life-history traits with dispersal, there is anecdotal evidence suggesting that dispersal syndromes can vary with age. Recent theory also suggests that dispersive and philopatric individuals might have different age-specific reproductive efforts. In a wild population of the common lizard ( Zootoca vivipara ), we investigated whether dispersive and philopatric individuals have different age-specific reproductive effort, survival, offspring body condition, and offspring sex ratio. Consistent with theoretical predictions, we found that young dispersive females have a higher reproductive effort than young philopatric females. Our results also suggest that the early high investment in reproduction of dispersive females trades-off with an earlier onset of senescence than in philopatric females. We further found that young dispersive females produce smaller offspring in lower body condition than do young philopatric females. Overall, our results provide empirical evidence that dispersive and philopatric individuals have different age-specific life-history traits.

Effect of neck collars on the body condition of migrating Greater Snow Geese

2013 ◽  
Vol 84 (2) ◽  
pp. 201-209 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pierre Legagneux ◽  
Alice-Anne Simard ◽  
Gilles Gauthier ◽  
Joël Bêty
Keyword(s):  
Body Condition ◽  
The Body ◽  
Snow Geese

Intra- and inter-individual variation in reproductive effort in captive-breeding zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata)

1996 ◽  
Vol 74 (1) ◽  
pp. 85-91 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tony D. Williams
Keyword(s):  
Mass Loss ◽  
Clutch Size ◽  
Intraspecific Variation ◽  
Body Condition ◽  
Individual Variation ◽  
Egg Size ◽  
Reproductive Effort ◽  
Captive Breeding ◽  
Taeniopygia Guttata ◽  
Zebra Finches

Intraspecific variation in egg size, clutch size, and timing of laying was studied in captive-breeding zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata) maintained under conditions of constant temperature, humidity, photoperiod (14 h light: 10 h dark), and ad libitum food supply. Individual variation was marked in the experimental population: egg size 0.915–1.342 g, clutch size 2–7 eggs, and laying interval 4–13 days; however, within individual females egg size (r = 0.742) and clutch size (r = 0.588) were highly repeatable between first and second clutches. Body condition explained only 8% of egg size variation, and clutch size and laying interval were independent of body condition. Clutch size was negatively related to laying interval: females laying later relative to pairing laid smaller clutches (b = −0.175 eggs/day). Body mass of breeding females decreased by 1.57 g (9% of initial mass) during laying of first clutches; mass loss was positively related to initial body condition (R2 = 27.8%) and total clutch mass (R2 = 7.6%). Mass loss was lower (0.47 g) during laying of second or replacement clutches than during laying of first clutches. Individual variation in reproductive effort in captive-breeding zebra finches is very similar to that in free-living avian populations. Laboratory studies on captive-breeding species can provide a valuable approach for the study of proximate physiological mechanisms underlying intraspecific variation in reproduction.

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