Environmental influence on life-history traits: Growth, survival, and fecundity in Black Brant (Branta bernicla)
Links
- More information: Publisher Index Page (via DOI)
- Download citation as: RIS | Dublin Core
Abstract
We studied relationships between body size of female Black Brant goslings (Branta bernicla nigricans) late in their growth period and first year survival, eventual adult body size, breeding propensity, and size and volume of clutches they eventually produced to examine the relationship between growth and fitness in this population. We indexed body size by calculating PC1 scores based on either culmen and tarsus, or culmen, tarsus, and mass. Gosling (PC scores based on culmen and tarsus) size was positively correlated with resighting rate (P = 0.005), indicating that larger goslings survived at a higher rate than did smaller goslings. Gosling size was correlated with adult size of the same individuals (P = 0.0004). Larger goslings were more likely to breed as 2- or 3-yr-olds than were medium or small goslings (P = 0.008). Larger adult brant laid more eggs (P = 0.03) and produced clutches with greater total volume (P = 0.03) than did smaller brant. Given the important role of foraging environment in growth of goslings, these data suggest an important role of early environment in determining life-history traits.
| Publication type | Article |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
| Title | Environmental influence on life-history traits: Growth, survival, and fecundity in Black Brant (Branta bernicla) |
| Series title | Ecology |
| DOI | 10.2307/2265816 |
| Volume | 76 |
| Issue | 8 |
| Year Published | 1995 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Wiley |
| Contributing office(s) | Alaska Science Center, Alaska Science Center Biology WTEB |
| Description | 11 p. |
| First page | 2404 |
| Last page | 2414 |
| Country | United States |
| State | Alaska |
| Other Geospatial | Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta |
| Google Analytic Metrics | Metrics page |