Lack of Stable-Isotope Differences Between Canada Goose Populations Nesting in the Subarctic and Temperate Zones

[摘要] Abstract. Ratios of stable isotopes in feathers have great potential for identifying the connectivity of bird migrations and the origin of harvested individuals of game species. In particular, the relationship between the hydrogen ratio due to latitudinal variation in precipitation (δDp) and that in feathers (δDf) is often used to determine unknown individuals' latitude of origin. We assessed this relationship between Canada Geese nesting in the temperate zone (Branta canadensis maxima) and the subarctic (B. c. interior). For this game species, the origin of harvested birds is important for developing management that maintains a desirable level of harvest while ensuring continued viability of all subspecies and breeding populations. We collected freshly grown primaries from three populations of interior and five of maxima and analyzed them for δD, δ13C, and δ15N. Multivariate analysis suggested no overall differences in isotopic composition between subspecies. A univariate assessment indicated a significa...

[学科分类] 动物科学

[关键词] deuterium;harvest derivation;migration;stable isotopes;waterfowl