EFFECTS OF SUMMER FEEDING AREA ON GOSLING GROWTH IN SNOW GEESE

Relative growth of body parts (wing, culmen, tarsus) in young Snow Gee se differed among years and among summer feeding areas only a few kilo meters apart in the vicinity of the McConnell River, Northwest Territo ries, Canada. Gosling age was unknown at time of capture, so we expres sed all differences in measured characteristics as a function of culme n length. This procedure may underestimate the magnitude of difference s in growth with respect to age. Year and summer feeding area had larg e, independent effects on relative growth. Growth of primary feathers showed the greatest variation of measurable variables among feeding ar eas. We argue that the cause of most differences in relative growth wa s nutritional variation of vegetation. If goslings with retarded growt h do not entirely catch up on fall staging areas, there may be lasting demographic effects.