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Dickinson ER, Nwafor-Okoli C, Checkley SL, Elkin B, Branigan M, Serrano E, Kutz SJ. Direct and indirect costs of parasitism preceding a population decline of an Arctic ungulate. Sci Rep 2024; 14:17133. [PMID: 39054352 PMCID: PMC11272786 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-67904-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 07/17/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Parasites negatively affect the fitness of ungulate hosts directly, and in wild ungulates, these effects may be synzootic with other stressors, such as limited nutritional resources. In the Arctic, muskoxen (Ovibos moschatus) occur in a highly seasonal environment and must rely on finite energetic resources for survival and productivity. We investigated the costs of gastrointestinal nematodes on the body condition and reproductive status of 141 muskoxen, on Banks Island, Canada, when the population was at a peak in numbers and density. Using a Partial Least Squares Path Modelling approach, we found that high adult nematode abundance was associated with lower body condition, and high parasite abundance was associated with female reproduction including the indirect effect through on body condition (n = 87). These findings suggest that individuals prioritize energetic reserves for reproduction over parasite defence. In fall 2003, a severe icing event that restricted access to forage was associated with high overwinter mortality of muskoxen and a population crash. Through direct and indirect costs of parasite infection on body condition and reproduction, the high abundance of parasites may have contributed to the effects of this extreme weather event. Understanding the mechanisms in which parasites impact fitness can help explain the ecological drivers of ungulate populations and predict the interactions between the environment and populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleanor R Dickinson
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, 3280 University Drive, NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada.
| | - Chinyere Nwafor-Okoli
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, 3280 University Drive, NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Sylvia L Checkley
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, 3280 University Drive, NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Brett Elkin
- Environment and Natural Resources, Government of the Northwest Territories, Yellowknife, NT, X1A 1Y3, Canada
| | - Marsha Branigan
- Environment and Natural Resources, Government of the Northwest Territories, Inuvik, NT, X0E 0T0, Canada
| | - Emmanuel Serrano
- Wildlife Ecology & Health Group (WE&H), Servei d'Ecopatologia de Fauna Salvatge (SEFaS), Departament de Medicina i Cirurgia Animals, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Susan J Kutz
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, 3280 University Drive, NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada
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Schmidt NM, Michelsen A, Hansen LH, Aggerbeck MR, Stelvig M, Kutz S, Mosbacher JB. Sequential analysis of δ 15 N in guard hair suggests late gestation is the most critical period for muskox calf recruitment. RAPID COMMUNICATIONS IN MASS SPECTROMETRY : RCM 2023; 37:e9470. [PMID: 36601893 PMCID: PMC10078194 DOI: 10.1002/rcm.9470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2022] [Revised: 01/02/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE Analysis of stable isotopes in tissue and excreta may provide information about animal diets and their nutritional state. As body condition may have a major influence on reproduction, linking stable isotope values to animal demographic rates may help unravel the drivers behind animal population dynamics. METHODS We performed sequential analysis of δ15 N values in guard hair from 21 muskoxen (Ovibos moschatus) from Zackenberg in high arctic Greenland. We were able to reconstruct the dietary history for the population over a 5-year period with contrasting environmental conditions. We examined the linkage between guard hair δ15 N values in 12 three-month periods and muskox calf recruitment to detect critical periods for muskox reproduction. Finally, we conducted similar analyses of the correlation between environmental conditions (snow depth and air temperature) and calf recruitment. RESULTS δ15 N values exhibited a clear seasonal pattern with high levels in summer and low levels in winter. However, large inter-annual variation was found in winter values, suggesting varying levels of catabolism depending on snow conditions. In particular δ15 N values during January-March were linked to muskox recruitment rates, with higher values coinciding with lower calf recruitment. δ15 N values were a better predictor of muskox recruitment rates than environmental conditions. CONCLUSIONS Although environmental conditions may ultimately determine the dietary δ15 N signal in muskox guard hairs, muskox calf recruitment was more strongly correlated with δ15 N values than ambient snow and temperature. The period January-March, corresponding to late gestation, appears particularly critical for muskox reproduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niels Martin Schmidt
- Department of Ecoscience and Arctic Research CentreAarhus UniversityRoskildeDenmark
| | - Anders Michelsen
- Department of BiologyUniversity of CopenhagenCopenhagen ØDenmark
- Center for PermafrostUniversity of CopenhagenCopenhagen KDenmark
| | - Lars Holst Hansen
- Department of Ecoscience and Arctic Research CentreAarhus UniversityRoskildeDenmark
| | | | | | - Susan Kutz
- Department of Ecosystem and Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary MedicineUniversity of CalgaryCalgaryABCanada
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Desforges JP, Marques GM, Beumer LT, Chimienti M, Hansen LH, Pedersen SH, Schmidt NM, van Beest FM. Environment and physiology shape Arctic ungulate population dynamics. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2021; 27:1755-1771. [PMID: 33319455 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2020] [Accepted: 12/08/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Species conservation in a rapidly changing world requires an improved understanding of how individuals and populations respond to changes in their environment across temporal scales. Increased warming in the Arctic puts this region at particular risk for rapid environmental change, with potentially devastating impacts on resident populations. Here, we make use of a parameterized full life cycle, individual-based energy budget model for wild muskoxen, coupling year-round environmental data with detailed ontogenic metabolic physiology. We show how winter food accessibility, summer food availability, and density dependence drive seasonal dynamics of energy storage and thus life history and population dynamics. Winter forage accessibility defined by snow depth, more than summer forage availability, was the primary determinant of muskox population dynamics through impacts on calf recruitment and longer term carryover effects of maternal investment. Simulations of various seasonal snow depth and plant biomass and quality profiles revealed that timing of and improved/limited winter forage accessibility had marked influence on calf recruitment (±10-80%). Impacts on recruitment were the cumulative result of condition-driven reproductive performance at multiple time points across the reproductive period (ovulation to calf weaning) as a trade-off between survival and reproduction. Seasonal and generational condition effects of snow-rich winters interacted with age structure and density to cause pronounced long-term consequences on population growth and structure, with predicted population recovery times from even moderate disturbances of 10 years or more. Our results show how alteration in winter forage accessibility, mediated by snow depth, impacts the dynamics of northern herbivore populations. Further, we present here a mechanistic and state-based model framework to assess future scenarios of environmental change, such as increased or decreased snowfall or plant biomass and quality to impact winter and summer forage availability across the Arctic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean-Pierre Desforges
- Bioscience Department, Aarhus University, Roskilde, Denmark
- Arctic Research Centre, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, QC, Canada
| | - Gonçalo M Marques
- Marine, Environment & Technology Center (MARETEC, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Larissa T Beumer
- Bioscience Department, Aarhus University, Roskilde, Denmark
- Arctic Research Centre, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | | | - Lars H Hansen
- Bioscience Department, Aarhus University, Roskilde, Denmark
- Arctic Research Centre, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Stine Højlund Pedersen
- Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere (CIRA, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alaska Anchorage, Anchorage, AK, USA
| | - Niels M Schmidt
- Bioscience Department, Aarhus University, Roskilde, Denmark
- Arctic Research Centre, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Floris M van Beest
- Bioscience Department, Aarhus University, Roskilde, Denmark
- Arctic Research Centre, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
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Montoya-Monsalve G, Sánchez-Calabuig MJ, Blanco-Murcia J, Elvira L, Gutiérrez-Adán A, Ramos-Ibeas P. Impact of Overuse and Sexually Transmitted Infections on Seminal Parameters of Extensively Managed Bulls. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:827. [PMID: 33804105 PMCID: PMC7999385 DOI: 10.3390/ani11030827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2021] [Revised: 03/10/2021] [Accepted: 03/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Natural service remains the main breeding method in extensively managed beef herds. Although the bull might be the most important factor in determining herd fertility, its importance has been largely overlooked, focusing instead on female fertility. Management of the bull is critical to maximize the opportunities for cow conception. Infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR) and bovine viral diarrhea (BVD) are infections associated with reduced conception rates. This study aimed to determine the effect of both IBR and BVD infection, and bull: cow ratio on seminal parameters in the bull and herd fertility. The presence of antibodies to IBR and BVD, seminal parameters (volume, concentration, mass, and progressive motility), and herd fertility were analyzed in 158 extensively managed bulls. Sperm concentration and mass motility, as well as herd fertility, were significantly lower in BVD-positive bulls. No significant differences were found between IBR-positive and -negative bulls in any reproductive parameter. Sperm concentration was negatively affected by BVD infection in both Charolais and Limousin bulls, whereas mass motility and herd fertility were reduced in Limousin bulls only. No differences were observed in the cow: bull ratio between BVD+ and BVD- bulls. A significant negative correlation was detected between the number of cows per bull and herd fertility, which was negatively affected when herds had more than 40 cows per bull. In conclusion, BVD and bull overuse negatively affect the reproductive performance of the herd.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - María-Jesús Sánchez-Calabuig
- Departamento de Medicina y Cirugía Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, UCM, Avda. Puerta de Hierro s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain;
| | - Javier Blanco-Murcia
- Departamento de Medicina y Cirugía Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, UCM, Avda. Puerta de Hierro s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain;
| | - Laura Elvira
- MSD Animal Heath, C/Josefa Valcárcel, 38, 28027 Madrid, Spain; (G.M.-M.); (L.E.)
| | - Alfonso Gutiérrez-Adán
- Department of Animal Reproduction, National Institute for Agriculture and Food Research and Technology (INIA), Avda. Puerta de Hierro 12, Local 10, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (A.G.-A.); (P.R.-I.)
| | - Priscila Ramos-Ibeas
- Department of Animal Reproduction, National Institute for Agriculture and Food Research and Technology (INIA), Avda. Puerta de Hierro 12, Local 10, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (A.G.-A.); (P.R.-I.)
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Desforges J, van Beest FM, Marques GM, Pedersen SH, Beumer LT, Chimienti M, Schmidt NM. Quantifying energetic and fitness consequences of seasonal heterothermy in an Arctic ungulate. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:338-351. [PMID: 33437433 PMCID: PMC7790657 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2020] [Revised: 10/19/2020] [Accepted: 10/29/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Animals have adapted behavioral and physiological strategies to conserve energy during periods of adverse conditions. Heterothermy is one such adaptation used by endotherms. While heterothermy-fluctuations in body temperature and metabolic rate-has been shown in large vertebrates, little is known of the costs and benefits of this strategy, both in terms of energy and in terms of fitness. Hence, our objective was to model the energetics of seasonal heterothermy in the largest Arctic ungulate, the muskox (Ovibos moschatus), using an individual-based energy budget model of metabolic physiology. We found that the empirically based drop in body temperature (winter max ~-0.8°C) overwinter in adult females resulted in substantial fitness benefits in terms of reduced daily energy expenditure and body mass loss. Body mass and energy reserves were 8.98% and 14.46% greater in modeled heterotherms compared to normotherms by end of winter. Based on environmental simulations, we show that seasonal heterothermy can, to some extent, buffer the negative consequences of poor prewinter body condition or reduced winter food accessibility, leading to greater winter survival (+20%-30%) and spring energy reserves (+10%-30%), and thus increased probability of future reproductive success. These results indicate substantial adaptive short-term benefits of seasonal heterothermy at the individual level, with potential implications for long-term population dynamics in highly seasonal environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean‐Pierre Desforges
- Bioscience DepartmentAarhus UniversityRoskildeDenmark
- Arctic Research CentreAarhus UniversityAarhusDenmark
- Department of Natural Resource SciencesMcGill UniversitySte‐Anne‐de‐BellevueQCCanada
| | - Floris M. van Beest
- Bioscience DepartmentAarhus UniversityRoskildeDenmark
- Arctic Research CentreAarhus UniversityAarhusDenmark
| | - Gonçalo M. Marques
- Marine, Environment & Technology Center (MARETEC)Instituto Superior TécnicoUniversidade de LisboaLisboaPortugal
| | - Stine H. Pedersen
- Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of Alaska AnchorageAnchorageAKUSA
- Cooperative Institute for Research in the AtmosphereColorado State UniversityFort CollinsCOUSA
| | | | | | - Niels Martin Schmidt
- Bioscience DepartmentAarhus UniversityRoskildeDenmark
- Arctic Research CentreAarhus UniversityAarhusDenmark
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Beumer LT, Pohle J, Schmidt NM, Chimienti M, Desforges JP, Hansen LH, Langrock R, Pedersen SH, Stelvig M, van Beest FM. An application of upscaled optimal foraging theory using hidden Markov modelling: year-round behavioural variation in a large arctic herbivore. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2020; 8:25. [PMID: 32518653 PMCID: PMC7275509 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-020-00213-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2020] [Accepted: 05/18/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In highly seasonal environments, animals face critical decisions regarding time allocation, diet optimisation, and habitat use. In the Arctic, the short summers are crucial for replenishing body reserves, while low food availability and increased energetic demands characterise the long winters (9-10 months). Under such extreme seasonal variability, even small deviations from optimal time allocation can markedly impact individuals' condition, reproductive success and survival. We investigated which environmental conditions influenced daily, seasonal, and interannual variation in time allocation in high-arctic muskoxen (Ovibos moschatus) and evaluated whether results support qualitative predictions derived from upscaled optimal foraging theory. METHODS Using hidden Markov models (HMMs), we inferred behavioural states (foraging, resting, relocating) from hourly positions of GPS-collared females tracked in northeast Greenland (28 muskox-years). To relate behavioural variation to environmental conditions, we considered a wide range of spatially and/or temporally explicit covariates in the HMMs. RESULTS While we found little interannual variation, daily and seasonal time allocation varied markedly. Scheduling of daily activities was distinct throughout the year except for the period of continuous daylight. During summer, muskoxen spent about 69% of time foraging and 19% resting, without environmental constraints on foraging activity. During winter, time spent foraging decreased to 45%, whereas about 43% of time was spent resting, mediated by longer resting bouts than during summer. CONCLUSIONS Our results clearly indicate that female muskoxen follow an energy intake maximisation strategy during the arctic summer. During winter, our results were not easily reconcilable with just one dominant foraging strategy. The overall reduction in activity likely reflects higher time requirements for rumination in response to the reduction of forage quality (supporting an energy intake maximisation strategy). However, deep snow and low temperatures were apparent constraints to winter foraging, hence also suggesting attempts to conserve energy (net energy maximisation strategy). Our approach provides new insights into the year-round behavioural strategies of the largest Arctic herbivore and outlines a practical example of how to approximate qualitative predictions of upscaled optimal foraging theory using multi-year GPS tracking data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Larissa T. Beumer
- Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark
- Arctic Research Centre, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Jennifer Pohle
- Department of Business Administration and Economics, Bielefeld University, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Niels M. Schmidt
- Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark
- Arctic Research Centre, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark
| | | | - Jean-Pierre Desforges
- Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark
- Arctic Research Centre, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark
- Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, Ste Anne de Bellevue, Quebec, H9X 3V9 Canada
| | - Lars H. Hansen
- Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark
- Arctic Research Centre, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Roland Langrock
- Department of Business Administration and Economics, Bielefeld University, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Stine Højlund Pedersen
- Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523 USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alaska Anchorage, Anchorage, AK 99508 USA
| | | | - Floris M. van Beest
- Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark
- Arctic Research Centre, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark
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Tomassini O, van Beest FM, Schmidt NM. Density, snow, and seasonality lead to variation in muskox (Ovibos moschatus) habitat selection during summer. CAN J ZOOL 2019. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2018-0292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Understanding how environmental conditions influence habitat selection and suitability of free-ranging animals is critical, as the outcome may have implications for individual fitness and population dynamics. Density and snow are among the most influential environmental conditions driving habitat-selection patterns of northern ungulates. We used two decades of census data from high Arctic Greenland to quantify inter- and intra-annual variations in muskox (Ovibos moschatus (Zimmermann, 1780)) habitat selection and suitability during the Arctic summer (July through October). Across years, habitat selection varied considerably, and the strength of habitat selection appeared negatively related to both muskox density and spring snow cover. In early summer, habitat suitability was high and spatially rather uniform. Towards the autumn, suitable habitats contracted to just the lower elevations, when muskoxen exhibited increasingly stronger habitat selection towards low elevations and dense vegetation. This selection strategy clearly reflects the need to build up fat reserves for the upcoming winter, highlighting the energetic importance of the Arctic summer. Extreme climatic events such as freezing rain in autumn are increasing in frequency in Greenland and limit muskox access to high-quality forage in fens. Such events may therefore negatively affect the energy acquisition process of muskox with potential cascading consequences on population dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Orlando Tomassini
- Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Frederiksborgvej 399, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Floris M. van Beest
- Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Frederiksborgvej 399, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Niels M. Schmidt
- Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Frederiksborgvej 399, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark
- Arctic Research Centre, Aarhus University, Ny Munkegade 116, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
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Desforges JP, Marques GM, Beumer LT, Chimienti M, Blake J, Rowell JE, Adamczewski J, Schmidt NM, van Beest FM. Quantification of the full lifecycle bioenergetics of a large mammal in the high Arctic. Ecol Modell 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2019.03.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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Limited dietary overlap amongst resident Arctic herbivores in winter: complementary insights from complementary methods. Oecologia 2018; 187:689-699. [DOI: 10.1007/s00442-018-4147-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2017] [Accepted: 04/17/2018] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
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Blix AS. Adaptations to polar life in mammals and birds. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2017; 219:1093-105. [PMID: 27103673 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.120477] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2015] [Accepted: 01/25/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
This Review presents a broad overview of adaptations of truly Arctic and Antarctic mammals and birds to the challenges of polar life. The polar environment may be characterized by grisly cold, scarcity of food and darkness in winter, and lush conditions and continuous light in summer. Resident animals cope with these changes by behavioural, physical and physiological means. These include responses aimed at reducing exposure, such as 'balling up', huddling and shelter building; seasonal changes in insulation by fur, plumage and blubber; and circulatory adjustments aimed at preservation of core temperature, to which end the periphery and extremities are cooled to increase insulation. Newborn altricial animals have profound tolerance to hypothermia, but depend on parental care for warmth, whereas precocial mammals are well insulated and respond to cold with non-shivering thermogenesis in brown adipose tissue, and precocial birds shiver to produce heat. Most polar animals prepare themselves for shortness of food during winter by the deposition of large amounts of fat in times of plenty during autumn. These deposits are governed by a sliding set-point for body fatness throughout winter so that they last until the sun reappears in spring. Polar animals are, like most others, primarily active during the light part of the day, but when the sun never sets in summer and darkness prevails during winter, high-latitude animals become intermittently active around the clock, allowing opportunistic feeding at all times. The importance of understanding the needs of the individuals of a species to understand the responses of populations in times of climate change is emphasized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arnoldus Schytte Blix
- Department of Arctic Biology, University of Tromsø, Tromsø 9037, Norway St Catharine's College, Cambridge CB2 1RL, UK
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Schmidt NM, Beest FMV, Mosbacher JB, Stelvig M, Hansen LH, Nabe-Nielsen J, Grøndahl C. Ungulate movement in an extreme seasonal environment: year-round movement patterns of high-arctic muskoxen. WILDLIFE BIOLOGY 2016. [DOI: 10.2981/wlb.00219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
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Mosbacher JB, Michelsen A, Stelvig M, Hendrichsen DK, Schmidt NM. Show Me Your Rump Hair and I Will Tell You What You Ate - The Dietary History of Muskoxen (Ovibos moschatus) Revealed by Sequential Stable Isotope Analysis of Guard Hairs. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0152874. [PMID: 27097032 PMCID: PMC4838213 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0152874] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2015] [Accepted: 03/21/2016] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The nutritional state of animals is tightly linked to the ambient environment, and for northern ungulates the state strongly influences vital population demographics, such as pregnancy rates. Continuously growing tissues, such as hair, can be viewed as dietary records of animals over longer temporal scales. Using sequential data on nitrogen stable isotopes (δ15N) in muskox guard hairs from ten individuals in high arctic Northeast Greenland, we were able to reconstruct the dietary history of muskoxen over approximately 2.5 years with a high temporal resolution of app. 9 days. The dietary chronology included almost three full summer and winter periods. The diet showed strong intra- and inter-annual seasonality, and was significantly linked to changes in local environmental conditions (temperature and snow depth). The summer diets were highly similar across years, reflecting a graminoid-dominated diet. In contrast, winter diets were markedly different between years, a pattern apparently linked to snow conditions. Snow-rich winters had markedly higher δ15N values than snow-poor winters, indicating that muskoxen had limited access to forage, and relied more heavily on their body stores. Due to the close link between body stores and calf production in northern ungulates, the dietary winter signals could eventually serve as an indicator of calf production the following spring. Our study opens the field for further studies and longer chronologies to test such links. The method of sequential stable isotope analysis of guard hairs thus constitutes a promising candidate for population-level monitoring of animals in remote, arctic areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesper Bruun Mosbacher
- Arctic Research Centre, Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Frederiksborgvej 399, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Anders Michelsen
- Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, DK-2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark
- Center for Permafrost, University of Copenhagen, Øster Voldgade 10, DK-1350 Copenhagen K, Denmark
| | - Mikkel Stelvig
- Copenhagen Zoo, Roskildevej 38, DK-2000 Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | | | - Niels Martin Schmidt
- Arctic Research Centre, Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Frederiksborgvej 399, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark
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Ciuti S, Jensen WF, Nielsen SE, Boyce MS. Predicting mule deer recruitment from climate oscillations for harvest management on the northern Great Plains. J Wildl Manage 2015. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.956] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Simone Ciuti
- Department of Biometry and Environmental System Analysis; University of Freiburg; Freiburg 79106 Germany
| | | | - Scott E. Nielsen
- Department of Renewable Resources; University of Alberta; Edmonton AB Canada T6G 2H1
| | - Mark S. Boyce
- Department of Biological Sciences; University of Alberta; Edmonton AB Canada T6G 2E9
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Kerby J, Post E. Capital and income breeding traits differentiate trophic match-mismatch dynamics in large herbivores. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2013; 368:20120484. [PMID: 23836789 PMCID: PMC3720056 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2012.0484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
For some species, climate change has altered environmental conditions away from those in which life-history strategies evolved. In such cases, if adaptation does not keep pace with these changes, existing life-history strategies may become maladaptive and lead to population declines. We use life-history theory, with a specific emphasis on breeding strategies, in the context of the trophic match-mismatch framework to form generalizable hypotheses about population-level consumer responses to climate-driven perturbations in resource availability. We first characterize the income and breeding traits of sympatric caribou and muskoxen populations in western Greenland, and then test trait-based hypotheses about the expected reproductive performance of each population during a period of high resource variability at that site. The immediate reproductive performance of income breeding caribou decreased with trophic mismatch. In contrast, capital breeding muskoxen were relatively unaffected by current breeding season resource variability, but their reproductive performance was sensitive to resource conditions from previous years. These responses matched our expectations about how capital and income breeding strategies should influence population susceptibility to phenological mismatch. We argue for a taxon-independent assessment of trophic mismatch vulnerability based on a life-history strategy perspective in the context of prevailing environmental conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey Kerby
- The Polar Center, and Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, 208 Mueller Lab, University Park, PA 16802, USA.
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Experimental reduction of food quality is not compensated with increased food intake in high-arctic muskoxen (Ovibos moschatus). Br J Nutr 2012; 108:1337-40. [DOI: 10.1017/s0007114511007379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
A total of four barren adult female muskoxen (Ovibos moschatus) were used over a period of 2 years for the purpose of the present study. During the first year, the natural changes in appetite (ad libitum intake of standard pelleted reindeer feed) and body mass were determined in two of the animals. During the second year, the effect of reduced food quality on ad libitum food intake was tested in all four animals in July when the appetite had been found to be at a high. We found that the experimentally reduced food quality was not compensated with increased food intake in these large high-Arctic herbivores.
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Dantzer B, Swanson EM. Mediation of vertebrate life histories via insulin-like growth factor-1. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2011; 87:414-29. [PMID: 21981025 DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-185x.2011.00204.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Life-history traits describe parameters associated with growth, size, survival, and reproduction. Life-history variation is a hallmark of biological diversity, yet researchers commonly observe that one of the major axes of life-history variation after controlling for body size involves trade-offs among growth, reproduction, and longevity. This persistent pattern of covariation among these specific traits has engendered a search for shared mechanisms that could constrain or facilitate production of variation in life-history strategies. Endocrine traits are one candidate mechanism that may underlie the integration of life history and other phenotypic traits. However, the vast majority of this research has been on the effects of steroid hormones such as glucocorticoids and androgens on life-history trade-offs. Here we propose an expansion of the focus on glucocorticoids and gonadal hormones and review the potential role of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) in shaping the adaptive integration of multiple life-history traits. IGF-1 is a polypeptide metabolic hormone largely produced by the liver. We summarize a vast array of research demonstrating that IGF-1 levels are susceptible to environmental variation and that IGF-1 can have potent stimulatory effects on somatic growth and reproduction but decrease lifespan. We review the few studies in natural populations that have measured plasma IGF-1 concentrations and its associations with life-history traits or other characteristics of the organism or its environment. We focus on two case studies that found support for the hypothesis that IGF-1 mediates adaptive divergence in suites of life-history traits in response to varying ecological conditions or artificial selection. We also examine what we view as potentially fruitful avenues of research on this topic, which until now has been rarely investigated by evolutionary ecologists. We discuss how IGF-1 may facilitate adaptive plasticity in life-history strategies in response to early environmental conditions and also how selection on loci controlling IGF-1 signaling may mediate population divergence and eventual speciation. After consideration of the interactions among androgens, glucocorticoids, and IGF-1 we suggest that IGF-1 be considered a suitable candidate mechanism for mediating life-history traits. Finally, we discuss what we can learn about IGF-1 from studies in free-ranging animals. The voluminous literature in laboratory and domesticated animals documenting relationships among IGF-1, growth, reproduction, and lifespan demonstrates the potential for a number of new research questions to be asked in free-ranging animals. Examining how IGF-1 mediates life-history traits in free-ranging animals could lead to great insight into the mechanisms that influence life-history variation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ben Dantzer
- Department of Zoology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA.
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Gustine DD, Barboza PS, Lawler JP, Arthur SM, Shults BS, Persons K, Adams LG. Characteristics of foraging sites and protein status in wintering muskoxen: insights from isotopes of nitrogen. OIKOS 2011. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0706.2011.19215.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Gustine D, Barboza P, Lawler J. Dynamics of Body Protein and the Implications for Reproduction in Captive Muskoxen (Ovibos moschatus) during Winter. Physiol Biochem Zool 2010; 83:687-97. [DOI: 10.1086/652729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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Hackmann T, Spain J. Invited review: Ruminant ecology and evolution: Perspectives useful to ruminant livestock research and production. J Dairy Sci 2010; 93:1320-34. [DOI: 10.3168/jds.2009-2071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 93] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2009] [Accepted: 06/23/2009] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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Nutritional sub-fertility in the dairy cow: towards improved reproductive management through a better biological understanding. Animal 2010; 4:1197-213. [DOI: 10.1017/s1751731109991601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
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Munn AJ, Barboza PS. Could a big gut be too costly for muskoxen (Ovibos moschatus) in their first winter? ZOOLOGY 2008; 111:350-362. [DOI: 10.1016/j.zool.2007.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2007] [Revised: 10/08/2007] [Accepted: 10/09/2007] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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Lyberth B, Landa A, Nagy J, Loison A, Olesen CR, Gunn A, Forchhammer MC. Muskoxen in the high Arctic‐temporal and spatial differences in body size. J Zool (1987) 2007. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-7998.2006.00262.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- B. Lyberth
- Greenland Institute of Natural Resources (GN), Nuuk, Greenland
| | - A. Landa
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA), Tungasletta, Trondheim, Norway
| | - J. Nagy
- Resources Wildlife and Economic Development, Inuvik, NT, Canada
| | - A. Loison
- Laboratoire de Biométrie et de Biologie Evolutive, Universite Lyon, Villeurbanne Cedex, France
| | - C. R. Olesen
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and Biodiversity, National Environmental Research Institute, Grenåvej, Rønde, Denmark
| | - A. Gunn
- RWED, Yellowknife, NT, Canada
| | - M. C. Forchhammer
- Department of Arctic Environment, National Environmental Research Institute, Frederiksborgvej, Roskilde, Denmark
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Friggens N. Body lipid reserves and the reproductive cycle: towards a better understanding. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2003. [DOI: 10.1016/s0301-6226(03)00111-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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Knight CH. Lactation and gestation in dairy cows: flexibility avoids nutritional extremes. Proc Nutr Soc 2001; 60:527-37. [PMID: 12069406 DOI: 10.1079/pns2001115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
The modern dairy cow has been selectively bred to produce large amounts of milk. Partly as a result, food consumption is considerably less than milk energy output in early lactation. It is only at 2 months or more postpartum that intake increases to the point where positive energy balance is regained, the initial production being achieved by a substantial mobilisation of body reserves. These reserves are laid down before parturition, but it is certainly not the case that the pregnant cow will accumulate adipose tissue recklessly; in the last third of pregnancy well-fed cows in good body condition exhibit reduced, not increased, appetite. There is a fine balancing act to perform. Excessive body condition at parturition quickly leads to metabolic problems such as ketosis, but cows who subsequently become too thin have increased risk of metabolic diseases such as mastitis and lameness. The biological mechanisms regulating output of milk are reasonably well understood, those controlling appetite less well so, and there has been little attempt at systematic integration of the two. The transition from pregnancy to lactation represents a major challenge to homeostasis, made more complicated in multiparous cows by the fact that much of gestation is concurrent with lactation. Herein lies the potential for nutritionally-entrained flexibility. In the wild, concurrent pregnancy and lactation only occur when nutritional conditions are favourable. If conditions are poor, rebreeding will be delayed and lactation will continue, at an energetically-sustainable level, for much longer than its 'normal' duration. In this way the twin energetic burdens of pregnancy and lactation are separated, and extremes are avoided. Given the increasing public concern about stresses suffered by intensively-managed dairy cows, this case may be one where commercial dairying could learn useful lessons from nature.
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