Date of Award
2015
Call Number
QL696.G33 B72 2015
Document Type
Open Access Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Department
Biology
First Advisor
Jeff Walker
Second Advisor
James Paruk
Third Advisor
James E. Graves, Dean
Keywords
Loons and age for breeding, loons and conservation biologists, lake characteristics and loons, Biology
Abstract
Common Loons (Gavia immer) are a highly territorial , long-lived species of waterbird that breed throughout the northern tier of North America. Loons form pair bonds seasonally, on their breeding territories, but overwinter separately. Much is known about environmental effects on loon reproductive success but little is known about how parental experience affects reproductive outcomes. I investigated the effects that individual experience and breeding pair length have on the reproductive success of Common Loons. The data I used were a compilation of individual territory occupancy and breeding records that were obtained by the Biodiversity Research Institute in Gorham, Maine from the years 1994-2011 on lakes that were studied in Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and New York.
Recommended Citation
Braden, Brandon S. MS, "Parental Experience and its Effects on Reproductive Success in Common Loons" (2015). All Student Scholarship. 174.
https://digitalcommons.usm.maine.edu/etd/174
