Effects of saline drinking water on early gosling development

Relatively high levels of saline drinking water may adversely affect the gr owth, development, and survival of young waterfowl. Saline drinking water w as suspect in the low survival rate of Canada goose (Branta canadensis) gos lings at Fish Springs National Wildlife Refuge (FSNWR) in western Utah. Hen ce, we investigated the effects of saline drinking water on the survival an d growth of captive, wild-strain goslings from day 1-28 following hatch. We compared survival and growth (as measured by body mass, wing length, and c ulmen length) between a control group on tap water with a mean specific con ductivity of 650 mu S/cm, and 2 saline water treatments: (1) intermediate l evel (12,000 mu S/cm), and (2) high level (18,000 mu S/cm). Gosling mortali ty occurred only in the 18,000 mu S/cm treatment group (33%; n = 9). Slopes of regressions of mean body mass, wing length, and culmen length on age we re different from each other (P < 0.05), except for culmen length for the i ntermediate and high treatment levels. We predict that free-ranging wild go slings will experience mortality at even lower salinity levels than captive goslings because of the combined effects of depressed growth and environme ntal stresses, including hot desert temperatures and variable food quality over summer.