Demography, behavior, and genetics of a colonizing population of blue grouse

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Abstract
The demography, behavior, and genetics of a population of blue grouse (Dendragapus obscurus) that colonized an area from which most grouse were removed were compared with those of grouse on a nearby control area. Population density increased on the removal area from 1971 to 1974 but remained essentially stable on the control area. Although there were some differences in survival and reproductive rates among years and between areas, none appeared related to the experimental removal and subsequent replacement by new founders.No consistent differences in potentially aggressive behavior were observed between birds in the two populations. Behavioral differences that occurred were likely related to differences in age structures of the two populations or to the synchronous settling of a cohort of mostly young birds on the experimental area.There was no excess of Ng (Birdsall, α., J. A. Redfield, and D. G. Cameron. White bands on starch gels stained for esterase activity; a new polymorphism. Biochem. Genet. 4: 655–658 (1970)) homozygotes among recruits to the experimental area, in contrast with Redfield's (Demography and genetics in colonizing populations of blue grouse (Dendragapus obscurus). Evolution, 27(4): 576–592 (1974)) report of such an excess among birds colonizing new habitat.The increase in the population on the experimental area compared with the control area must have resulted from an increased recruitment of yearlings. No clear evidence was found that this increase was related to qualitative differences between stocks on the two areas.

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