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Direct and indirect energetic influences on juvenile red squirrel survival, recruitment, and reproduction

This thesis evaluates how developmental conditions influence settlement, survival, and yearling primiparity in juvenile red squirrels. This was accomplished by comparing the fates of offspring from food supplemented versus non-supplemented mothers, and by using logistic regression to evaluate the effects of body mass, resource availability, and reproductive parameters on juvenile success. Maternal nutrition, previous and present year's cone production, and body mass contributed significantly to settlement and survival during all juvenile life history stages (emergence, settlement, and overwinter survival). Heavier than average juveniles were also more likely to reproduce as yearlings. Nevertheless, natal body mass was not a predictor of recruitment, indicating persistent influence of early developmental conditions on life history fates above and beyond mass effects. A greater impact of resource availability than body size on fitness among red squirrels may reflect this species' reliance on hoarded food rather than body fat for energy reserves.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:LACETR/oai:collectionscanada.gc.ca:QMM.99189
Date January 2006
CreatorsKerr, Tricia D.
PublisherMcGill University
Source SetsLibrary and Archives Canada ETDs Repository / Centre d'archives des thèses électroniques de Bibliothèque et Archives Canada
LanguageEnglish
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeElectronic Thesis or Dissertation
Formatapplication/pdf
CoverageMaster of Science (Department of Natural Resource Sciences.)
Rights© Tricia D. Kerr, 2006
Relationalephsysno: 002571297, proquestno: AAIMR28498, Theses scanned by UMI/ProQuest.

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