Spatial variation in density of organisms can lead to challenges in estimation of population size. Associated vital rates responsible for this variation also may vary geographically and in response to local ecological conditions, with the result that subunits of a metapopulation may have different trajectories. Both temporal and spatial variation in population size occurs not only as a result of additions through birth and deletions through death, but also from gains and losses arising from immigration and emigration, respectively. Although virtually all organisms have evolved mechanisms for dispersal, the role of movement in population dynamics has received far less attention than have contributions from recruitment and losses to mortality. I used mark-recapture techniques to make inferences about the role of movement in local population dynamics of Rosss Goose (Chen rossii) colonies by estimating rates of movement between breeding subpopulations in the Queen Maud Gulf metapopulation. I also assessed decision-based philopatry (i.e., the role of previous nesting outcome; sensu Hoover 2003) and a potential cost of reproduction to female geese through experimental manipulation of nesting success. <p>Previous nest fate influenced intra-colony dispersal as failed nesters moved further between consecutive nest sites, but inter-colony movement was not affected by previous nest fate. Regardless of previous nest fate, Rosss Geese did not exhibit philopatry to nest sites, or to breeding territories, suggesting that philopatry occurs at a larger spatial scale. Breeding success accounted for a detectable, but only small amount of variation (<11%) in dispersal distance within colonies. I suggest that temporal variation in habitat availability favors flexibility in settling patterns by geese in a changing matrix of habitat availability, governed largely by receding snow cover. Such flexibility is necessary for nesting as early as possible, because recruitment is strongly linked to timing of breeding by arctic-nesting geese. Colonial philopatry may be important not only for favorable nesting but also for access to high-quality feeding areas adjacent to colonies. Such feeding areas represent a predictable food resource important not only to growing goslings, but also adult survival regardless of the outcome of their breeding attempt. <p>I concluded from experimental manipulation that successful reproduction was encumbered with a cost to survival of females. I argue that such a cost of breeding is more likely to be incurred when climatic conditions during incubation are harsh, and when the breeding population is larger. <p>I did not find evidence for geographic variation in survival, but rates of philopatry varied markedly among colonies. The substantial exchange of females among breeding colonies (1) underscores the potential for dispersal to alter breeding distribution, (2) demonstrates that the influence of immigration on colony-specific rates of population growth was nontrivial, and (3) provides behavioral evidence for extensive gene flow resulting from female dispersal. Estimates of emigration and survival from my studies were used in combination with those for fecundity parameters and colony-specific population growth rates (lambda) to interpolate the role of immigration from a simple balance equation. During years for which rates of movement were estimated, immigration constituted 9-20% of lambda at the Karrak Lake colony, suggesting that movement was an important contribution to population growth.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:USASK/oai:usask.ca:etd-04262006-180136 |
| Date | 27 April 2006 |
| Creators | Drake, Kiel L. |
| Contributors | Alisauskas, Ray T. |
| Publisher | University of Saskatchewan |
| Source Sets | University of Saskatchewan Library |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Source | http://library.usask.ca/theses/available/etd-04262006-180136/ |
| Rights | unrestricted, I hereby certify that, if appropriate, I have obtained and attached hereto a written permission statement from the owner(s) of each third party copyrighted matter to be included in my thesis, dissertation, or project report, allowing distribution as specified below. I certify that the version I submitted is the same as that approved by my advisory committee. I hereby grant to University of Saskatchewan or its agents the non-exclusive license to archive and make accessible, under the conditions specified below, my thesis, dissertation, or project report in whole or in part in all forms of media, now or hereafter known. I retain all other ownership rights to the copyright of the thesis, dissertation or project report. I also retain the right to use in future works (such as articles or books) all or part of this thesis, dissertation, or project report. |
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