| Titre : | Significance of intraclutch egg-size variation in Common Eider: the role of egg size and quality of ducklings |
| Auteurs : | K. E. Erikstad, Auteur ; T. Tveraa, Auteur ; J. O. Bustnes, Auteur |
| Type de document : | Article |
| Dans : | Journal of Avian Biology (29(1) MAR 1998) |
| Article en page(s) : | 3-9 |
| Langues: | Anglais |
| Résumé : | In ducks and geese intraclutch egg-size variation shows a consistent pattern. The first egg is generally smaller than the second egg and from then on egg size declines over the laying sequence. Such an intraclutch egg-size pattern has previously been described in the Common Elder Somateria mollissima. In our study area the differences between the largest and the smallest egg in a clutch increased on average from 7.5% among 3-egg clutches to 14.2% among 6-egg clutches. The maximum difference was as much as 25% among 6-egg clutches. In the present study we examine the relationship between egg size, laying position and the growth of ducklings. We have done this by collecting complete clutches of which we knew the exact laying order and the size of all eggs, and transferred them to a standard incubator to hatch. We then fed ducklings ad lib and measured their growth rate in relation to egg size and laying order. There was a close relationship (r(2) = 0.82) between egg size and hatching body mass of ducklings. Large eggs in a clutch also produced relatively larger ducklings (in relation to egg size) at hatching than smaller eggs. Ducklings from large second eggs in a clutch had a higher body mass up to day 12 after hatching than ducklings from small final eggs. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that female elders allocate resources to eggs in their clutch differentially and that such an investment may affect growth rate and hence the chances of survival of the ducklings. |
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