Temporal Changes in Habitat Selection and Nest Spacing in a Colony of Ross' and Lesser Snow Geese
Abstract I studied the nesting colony of Ross' Geese (Chen rossii) and Lesser Snow Geese (C. caerulescens caerulescens) at Karrak Lake in the central Arctic of Canada in the summer of 1976. Related studies indicated that this colony had grown from 18,000 birds in 1966-1968 to 54,500 birds in 19...
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Oxford University Press (OUP)
1983
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Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/auk/100.2.335 http://academic.oup.com/auk/article-pdf/100/2/335/30079460/auk0335.pdf |
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croxfordunivpr:10.1093/auk/100.2.335 2023-12-31T10:04:14+01:00 Temporal Changes in Habitat Selection and Nest Spacing in a Colony of Ross' and Lesser Snow Geese McLandress, M. Robert 1983 http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/auk/100.2.335 http://academic.oup.com/auk/article-pdf/100/2/335/30079460/auk0335.pdf en eng Oxford University Press (OUP) The Auk volume 100, issue 2, page 335-343 ISSN 0004-8038 1938-4254 Animal Science and Zoology Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics journal-article 1983 croxfordunivpr https://doi.org/10.1093/auk/100.2.335 2023-12-06T08:37:43Z Abstract I studied the nesting colony of Ross' Geese (Chen rossii) and Lesser Snow Geese (C. caerulescens caerulescens) at Karrak Lake in the central Arctic of Canada in the summer of 1976. Related studies indicated that this colony had grown from 18,000 birds in 1966-1968 to 54,500 birds in 1976. In 1976, geese nested on islands that were used in the late 1960's and on an island and mainland sites that were previously unoccupied. Average nest density in 1976 was three-fold greater than in the late 1960's. Consequently, the average distance to nearest neighbors of Ross' Geese in 1976 was half the average distance determined 10 yr earlier. The mean clutch size of Ross' Geese was greater in island habitats where nest densities were high than in less populated island or mainland habitats. The average size of Snow Goose clutches did not differ significantly among island habitats but was larger at island than at mainland sites. Large clutches were most likely attributable to older and/or earlier nesting females. Habitat preferences apparently differed between species. Small clutches presumably indicated that young geese nested in areas where nest densities were low. The establishment of mainland nesting at Karrak Lake probably began with young Snow Geese using peripheral areas of the colony. Young Ross' Geese nested in sparsely populated habitats on islands to a greater extent than did Snow Geese. Ross' Geese also nested on the mainland but in lower densities than Ross' Geese nesting in similar island habitats. Successful nests with the larger clutches had closer conspecific neighbors than did successful nests with smaller clutches. The species composition of nearest neighbors changed significantly with distance from Snow Goose nests but not Ross' Goose nests. Nesting success was not affected by the species of nearest neighbor, however. Because they have complementary antipredator adaptations, Ross' and Snow geese may benefit by nesting together. Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic Central Arctic Oxford University Press (via Crossref) The Auk 100 2 335 343 |
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Open Polar |
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Oxford University Press (via Crossref) |
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croxfordunivpr |
language |
English |
topic |
Animal Science and Zoology Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics |
spellingShingle |
Animal Science and Zoology Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics McLandress, M. Robert Temporal Changes in Habitat Selection and Nest Spacing in a Colony of Ross' and Lesser Snow Geese |
topic_facet |
Animal Science and Zoology Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics |
description |
Abstract I studied the nesting colony of Ross' Geese (Chen rossii) and Lesser Snow Geese (C. caerulescens caerulescens) at Karrak Lake in the central Arctic of Canada in the summer of 1976. Related studies indicated that this colony had grown from 18,000 birds in 1966-1968 to 54,500 birds in 1976. In 1976, geese nested on islands that were used in the late 1960's and on an island and mainland sites that were previously unoccupied. Average nest density in 1976 was three-fold greater than in the late 1960's. Consequently, the average distance to nearest neighbors of Ross' Geese in 1976 was half the average distance determined 10 yr earlier. The mean clutch size of Ross' Geese was greater in island habitats where nest densities were high than in less populated island or mainland habitats. The average size of Snow Goose clutches did not differ significantly among island habitats but was larger at island than at mainland sites. Large clutches were most likely attributable to older and/or earlier nesting females. Habitat preferences apparently differed between species. Small clutches presumably indicated that young geese nested in areas where nest densities were low. The establishment of mainland nesting at Karrak Lake probably began with young Snow Geese using peripheral areas of the colony. Young Ross' Geese nested in sparsely populated habitats on islands to a greater extent than did Snow Geese. Ross' Geese also nested on the mainland but in lower densities than Ross' Geese nesting in similar island habitats. Successful nests with the larger clutches had closer conspecific neighbors than did successful nests with smaller clutches. The species composition of nearest neighbors changed significantly with distance from Snow Goose nests but not Ross' Goose nests. Nesting success was not affected by the species of nearest neighbor, however. Because they have complementary antipredator adaptations, Ross' and Snow geese may benefit by nesting together. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
McLandress, M. Robert |
author_facet |
McLandress, M. Robert |
author_sort |
McLandress, M. Robert |
title |
Temporal Changes in Habitat Selection and Nest Spacing in a Colony of Ross' and Lesser Snow Geese |
title_short |
Temporal Changes in Habitat Selection and Nest Spacing in a Colony of Ross' and Lesser Snow Geese |
title_full |
Temporal Changes in Habitat Selection and Nest Spacing in a Colony of Ross' and Lesser Snow Geese |
title_fullStr |
Temporal Changes in Habitat Selection and Nest Spacing in a Colony of Ross' and Lesser Snow Geese |
title_full_unstemmed |
Temporal Changes in Habitat Selection and Nest Spacing in a Colony of Ross' and Lesser Snow Geese |
title_sort |
temporal changes in habitat selection and nest spacing in a colony of ross' and lesser snow geese |
publisher |
Oxford University Press (OUP) |
publishDate |
1983 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/auk/100.2.335 http://academic.oup.com/auk/article-pdf/100/2/335/30079460/auk0335.pdf |
genre |
Arctic Central Arctic |
genre_facet |
Arctic Central Arctic |
op_source |
The Auk volume 100, issue 2, page 335-343 ISSN 0004-8038 1938-4254 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1093/auk/100.2.335 |
container_title |
The Auk |
container_volume |
100 |
container_issue |
2 |
container_start_page |
335 |
op_container_end_page |
343 |
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1786830857033482240 |