Limited effects of egg size on chick growth in the chinstrap Penguin pygoscelis antarctica

We studied the effect of egg size on chick growth in the chinstrap penguin under natural non-manipulative, conditions. The influence of egg size on chick mass at hatching, 15 and 45 days of age was analysed controlling for the effect of hatching date, as hatching date has been repeatedly associated...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Polar Biology
Main Authors: Belliure, Josabel, Carrascal, Luis M., Mínguez, Eduardo, Ferrer, Miguel
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Springer 1999
Subjects:
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/10261/66792
https://doi.org/10.1007/s003000050337
Description
Summary:We studied the effect of egg size on chick growth in the chinstrap penguin under natural non-manipulative, conditions. The influence of egg size on chick mass at hatching, 15 and 45 days of age was analysed controlling for the effect of hatching date, as hatching date has been repeatedly associated with chick growth in this species. Egg volume explained 20% of the variation in the body mass of chicks at hatching. Its effect disappeared as chicks grew, being statistically not significant at the age of 15 and 45 days. Egg volume asymmetry also had no role in determining chicks' growth asymmetries. Peer Reviewed