Ecological implications of reduced forage quality on growth and survival of sympatric geese
Summary: Allometric constraints associated with digesting leaves require relatively small avian herbivores to consume high-quality forage. How such constraints are overcome during ontogeny when energy and nutrient requirements are relatively high has not been adequately explored. We compared growth...
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Online Access: | https://digitalcommons.uri.edu/nrs_facpubs/546 https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2656.12270 |
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ftunivrhodeislan:oai:digitalcommons.uri.edu:nrs_facpubs-1547 2023-07-30T03:55:34+02:00 Ecological implications of reduced forage quality on growth and survival of sympatric geese Richman, Samantha E. Leafloor, James O. Karasov, William H. Mcwilliams, Scott R. 2015-01-01T08:00:00Z https://digitalcommons.uri.edu/nrs_facpubs/546 https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2656.12270 unknown DigitalCommons@URI https://digitalcommons.uri.edu/nrs_facpubs/546 doi:10.1111/1365-2656.12270 https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2656.12270 Natural Resources Science Faculty Publications Arctic geese Branta canadensis Canada goose Chen caerulescens Forage quality Growth Lesser snow goose Logistic growth curve Survival text 2015 ftunivrhodeislan https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2656.12270 2023-07-17T19:09:48Z Summary: Allometric constraints associated with digesting leaves require relatively small avian herbivores to consume high-quality forage. How such constraints are overcome during ontogeny when energy and nutrient requirements are relatively high has not been adequately explored. We compared growth trajectories of Canada and lesser snow goose goslings raised on grass-based diets that differed in protein (10%, 14% or 18%) and fibre (30% or 45%) with those of free-living goslings on Akimiski Island, Canada. This common-garden experiment allowed us to test the hypotheses that (i) smaller-bodied geese are more negatively affected by reduced forage quality than larger-bodied geese, and (ii) goslings from subarctic brood-rearing areas have a limited capacity to slow growth in response to reduced forage quality. Canada goose goslings fed low-protein (10%) diets were on average 44% lighter in body mass, had slower growth rates and were delayed >20 days in reaching 90% of asymptotic size compared with Canada goose goslings fed 18% protein. In contrast, snow goose goslings were unable to survive on the low-protein diets, and those fed high- or medium-protein diets grew at a similar rate and achieved similar asymptotic size. Canada and snow goose goslings fed low-protein diets had reduced growth rates of the tarsus and delayed emergence of the 9th primary. Free-ranging Canada goslings on Akimiski Island were similar in mass and structural size to captive-reared goslings fed low-protein diets. In contrast, snow goslings were similar in mass and structural size to the captive-reared goslings fed the high- and medium-protein diets. This suggests that degraded habitats with mostly low-protein forage may be able to support Canada goslings better than snow goslings which require higher-quality forage to survive. Size-related differences in gosling growth and survival in response to diminished diet quality may influence population size when available food reaches a lower threshold in protein content. However, goslings can ... Text Akimiski island Arctic Branta canadensis Canada Goose Subarctic University of Rhode Island: DigitalCommons@URI Akimiski Island ENVELOPE(-81.275,-81.275,53.008,53.008) Arctic Canada Journal of Animal Ecology 84 1 284 298 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
University of Rhode Island: DigitalCommons@URI |
op_collection_id |
ftunivrhodeislan |
language |
unknown |
topic |
Arctic geese Branta canadensis Canada goose Chen caerulescens Forage quality Growth Lesser snow goose Logistic growth curve Survival |
spellingShingle |
Arctic geese Branta canadensis Canada goose Chen caerulescens Forage quality Growth Lesser snow goose Logistic growth curve Survival Richman, Samantha E. Leafloor, James O. Karasov, William H. Mcwilliams, Scott R. Ecological implications of reduced forage quality on growth and survival of sympatric geese |
topic_facet |
Arctic geese Branta canadensis Canada goose Chen caerulescens Forage quality Growth Lesser snow goose Logistic growth curve Survival |
description |
Summary: Allometric constraints associated with digesting leaves require relatively small avian herbivores to consume high-quality forage. How such constraints are overcome during ontogeny when energy and nutrient requirements are relatively high has not been adequately explored. We compared growth trajectories of Canada and lesser snow goose goslings raised on grass-based diets that differed in protein (10%, 14% or 18%) and fibre (30% or 45%) with those of free-living goslings on Akimiski Island, Canada. This common-garden experiment allowed us to test the hypotheses that (i) smaller-bodied geese are more negatively affected by reduced forage quality than larger-bodied geese, and (ii) goslings from subarctic brood-rearing areas have a limited capacity to slow growth in response to reduced forage quality. Canada goose goslings fed low-protein (10%) diets were on average 44% lighter in body mass, had slower growth rates and were delayed >20 days in reaching 90% of asymptotic size compared with Canada goose goslings fed 18% protein. In contrast, snow goose goslings were unable to survive on the low-protein diets, and those fed high- or medium-protein diets grew at a similar rate and achieved similar asymptotic size. Canada and snow goose goslings fed low-protein diets had reduced growth rates of the tarsus and delayed emergence of the 9th primary. Free-ranging Canada goslings on Akimiski Island were similar in mass and structural size to captive-reared goslings fed low-protein diets. In contrast, snow goslings were similar in mass and structural size to the captive-reared goslings fed the high- and medium-protein diets. This suggests that degraded habitats with mostly low-protein forage may be able to support Canada goslings better than snow goslings which require higher-quality forage to survive. Size-related differences in gosling growth and survival in response to diminished diet quality may influence population size when available food reaches a lower threshold in protein content. However, goslings can ... |
format |
Text |
author |
Richman, Samantha E. Leafloor, James O. Karasov, William H. Mcwilliams, Scott R. |
author_facet |
Richman, Samantha E. Leafloor, James O. Karasov, William H. Mcwilliams, Scott R. |
author_sort |
Richman, Samantha E. |
title |
Ecological implications of reduced forage quality on growth and survival of sympatric geese |
title_short |
Ecological implications of reduced forage quality on growth and survival of sympatric geese |
title_full |
Ecological implications of reduced forage quality on growth and survival of sympatric geese |
title_fullStr |
Ecological implications of reduced forage quality on growth and survival of sympatric geese |
title_full_unstemmed |
Ecological implications of reduced forage quality on growth and survival of sympatric geese |
title_sort |
ecological implications of reduced forage quality on growth and survival of sympatric geese |
publisher |
DigitalCommons@URI |
publishDate |
2015 |
url |
https://digitalcommons.uri.edu/nrs_facpubs/546 https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2656.12270 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-81.275,-81.275,53.008,53.008) |
geographic |
Akimiski Island Arctic Canada |
geographic_facet |
Akimiski Island Arctic Canada |
genre |
Akimiski island Arctic Branta canadensis Canada Goose Subarctic |
genre_facet |
Akimiski island Arctic Branta canadensis Canada Goose Subarctic |
op_source |
Natural Resources Science Faculty Publications |
op_relation |
https://digitalcommons.uri.edu/nrs_facpubs/546 doi:10.1111/1365-2656.12270 https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2656.12270 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2656.12270 |
container_title |
Journal of Animal Ecology |
container_volume |
84 |
container_issue |
1 |
container_start_page |
284 |
op_container_end_page |
298 |
_version_ |
1772818573128892416 |