Body Temperature and Resting Behavior of Greater Snow Goose Goslings in the High Arctic
Abstract We examined the control of body temperature during active and resting behaviors in chicks of a large precocial bird, the Greater Snow Goose (Chen caerulescens atlantica), growing in a cold Arctic environment. Imprinted goslings from 4 to 31 days old maintained their mean (± SD) body core te...
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Oxford University Press (OUP)
2000
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Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/condor/102.1.163 http://academic.oup.com/condor/article-pdf/102/1/163/29709638/condor0163.pdf |
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croxfordunivpr:10.1093/condor/102.1.163 2024-06-09T07:43:52+00:00 Body Temperature and Resting Behavior of Greater Snow Goose Goslings in the High Arctic Fortin, Daniel Gauthier, Gilles Larochelle, Jacques 2000 http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/condor/102.1.163 http://academic.oup.com/condor/article-pdf/102/1/163/29709638/condor0163.pdf en eng Oxford University Press (OUP) The Condor volume 102, issue 1, page 163-171 ISSN 0010-5422 1938-5129 journal-article 2000 croxfordunivpr https://doi.org/10.1093/condor/102.1.163 2024-05-10T13:17:01Z Abstract We examined the control of body temperature during active and resting behaviors in chicks of a large precocial bird, the Greater Snow Goose (Chen caerulescens atlantica), growing in a cold Arctic environment. Imprinted goslings from 4 to 31 days old maintained their mean (± SD) body core temperature within a narrow range around 40.6 ± 0.2°C (range: 38.7–42.2°C), independently of changes in their thermal environment. Average body temperature increased <0.4°C between 4 and 31 days of age. Hypothermia, potentially an energy-saving mechanism, was not used by active goslings. The potential for heat loss to the environment influenced the length of resting bouts in wild goslings. As environmental temperature increased, wild goslings remained sitting alone for longer periods, whereas when it decreased, brooding behavior was prolonged. The time spent huddling increased with the number of goslings involved. Body temperature during huddling bouts measured in imprinted chicks was significantly lower than during periods of activity, showing a rapid decrease averaging 0.8°C at the onset of huddling, followed by a slow recovery before activity was resumed. Thus, huddling behavior was not used as a rewarming mechanism. Greater Snow Goose goslings appear to prioritize metabolic activity by maintaining a high body temperature, despite the high energy costs that may be involved. Social thermoregulation is used to reduce the energy costs entailed by the strict maintenance of homeothermy. Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic Oxford University Press Arctic The Condor 102 1 163 171 |
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Open Polar |
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Oxford University Press |
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croxfordunivpr |
language |
English |
description |
Abstract We examined the control of body temperature during active and resting behaviors in chicks of a large precocial bird, the Greater Snow Goose (Chen caerulescens atlantica), growing in a cold Arctic environment. Imprinted goslings from 4 to 31 days old maintained their mean (± SD) body core temperature within a narrow range around 40.6 ± 0.2°C (range: 38.7–42.2°C), independently of changes in their thermal environment. Average body temperature increased <0.4°C between 4 and 31 days of age. Hypothermia, potentially an energy-saving mechanism, was not used by active goslings. The potential for heat loss to the environment influenced the length of resting bouts in wild goslings. As environmental temperature increased, wild goslings remained sitting alone for longer periods, whereas when it decreased, brooding behavior was prolonged. The time spent huddling increased with the number of goslings involved. Body temperature during huddling bouts measured in imprinted chicks was significantly lower than during periods of activity, showing a rapid decrease averaging 0.8°C at the onset of huddling, followed by a slow recovery before activity was resumed. Thus, huddling behavior was not used as a rewarming mechanism. Greater Snow Goose goslings appear to prioritize metabolic activity by maintaining a high body temperature, despite the high energy costs that may be involved. Social thermoregulation is used to reduce the energy costs entailed by the strict maintenance of homeothermy. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Fortin, Daniel Gauthier, Gilles Larochelle, Jacques |
spellingShingle |
Fortin, Daniel Gauthier, Gilles Larochelle, Jacques Body Temperature and Resting Behavior of Greater Snow Goose Goslings in the High Arctic |
author_facet |
Fortin, Daniel Gauthier, Gilles Larochelle, Jacques |
author_sort |
Fortin, Daniel |
title |
Body Temperature and Resting Behavior of Greater Snow Goose Goslings in the High Arctic |
title_short |
Body Temperature and Resting Behavior of Greater Snow Goose Goslings in the High Arctic |
title_full |
Body Temperature and Resting Behavior of Greater Snow Goose Goslings in the High Arctic |
title_fullStr |
Body Temperature and Resting Behavior of Greater Snow Goose Goslings in the High Arctic |
title_full_unstemmed |
Body Temperature and Resting Behavior of Greater Snow Goose Goslings in the High Arctic |
title_sort |
body temperature and resting behavior of greater snow goose goslings in the high arctic |
publisher |
Oxford University Press (OUP) |
publishDate |
2000 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/condor/102.1.163 http://academic.oup.com/condor/article-pdf/102/1/163/29709638/condor0163.pdf |
geographic |
Arctic |
geographic_facet |
Arctic |
genre |
Arctic |
genre_facet |
Arctic |
op_source |
The Condor volume 102, issue 1, page 163-171 ISSN 0010-5422 1938-5129 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1093/condor/102.1.163 |
container_title |
The Condor |
container_volume |
102 |
container_issue |
1 |
container_start_page |
163 |
op_container_end_page |
171 |
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1801372705459535872 |