Welcome to Chinese Journal of Ecology! Today is Share:

cje ›› 2010, Vol. 29 ›› Issue (06): 1203-1207.

• Articles • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Breeding ecology and nestling growth pattern of Egretta alba alba in Ebinur of Xinjiang.

HU Bao-wen1,2;MA Ming1;Reheman AMANJIANG3|Kedeerhan BAYAHEN3;CHEN Ying1,2;DING Peng1,2   

  1. 1Key Laboratory of Biogeography and Bioresource in Arid Land, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, China;2Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China;3Administrative Bureau of the National Nature Reserve in the Ebinur Wetland, Bole 833400,Xinjiang,China
  • Online:2010-06-10 Published:2010-06-10

Abstract: From March to October 2009, an investigation was made on the characteristics of nests and eggs as well as the nestling growth pattern of Egretta alba alba in Ebinur (Aibi Lake) of Xinjiang. The thickness of E. alba alba nest fundus was greater than nest depth (t=6.06, P<0.01), and the outside diameter of the nests was greater than inside diameter (t=21.53, P<0.01), which guaranteed the nest stability and reduced the probability of nestling falling off the nests. The clutch size was 3-5 eggs (3.86±0.69), with the egg weight and cubage being 44.00-60.00 (53.94±3.96) g and 47.18-62.00 (55.19±4.09) cm3, respectively. Two parent birds were responsible for the incubation (26-28 d) and parents care (55-60 d). Gompertz equation was used to fit the 26-day-old growth pattern of 13 nestlings in 4 nests, which showed that the nestling growth could be divided into three phases. First, the organs of nestling came into being and the growth rate was going to increase. Second, as a phase of matter accumulation, the growth rate had a great increase and gradually transited to mid-rate. Third, matter consumption gradually exceeded matter accumulation, and young birds began to fly.

Key words: Forest landscape boundary, Changbai Mountain, GIS, RS