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Marín-García PJ, Rouco C, Llobat L, Larsen T, Hedemann MS. Targeted and untargeted metabolomic profiles in wild rabbit does (Oryctolagus cuniculus) of different breeding states (pregnant and lactating). JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY. PART A, ECOLOGICAL AND INTEGRATIVE PHYSIOLOGY 2024; 341:743-752. [PMID: 38651595 DOI: 10.1002/jez.2818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2023] [Revised: 04/01/2024] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024]
Abstract
Ecological nutrition aims to unravel the extensive web of nutritional links that drives animals in their interactions with their ecological environments. Nutrition plays a key role in the success of European wild rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) and could be affected by the breeding status of the animals and reflected in the metabolome of this species. As nutritional needs are considerably increased during pregnancy and lactation, the main objective of this work was to determine how the breeding status (pregnant and lactating) of European wild rabbit does affects nutritional requirements and their metabolome (using targeted and untargeted metabolomics), aiming to find a useful biomarker of breeding status and for monitoring nutritional requirements. To address this gap, 60 wild European rabbits were studied. Animals were divided according to their breeding status and only pregnant (n = 18) and lactating (n = 11) rabbit does were used (n = 29 in total). The body weight and length of each animal were analyzed. The relative and absolute chemical composition of the gastric content and whole blood sample were taken, and targeted and untargeted metabolomics were analyzed. As a main result, there were no differences in biometric measurements, gastric content, and targeted metabolomics, except for live weight and nonesterified fatty acids (NEFA), as pregnant animals showed higher live weight (+12%; p = 0.0234) and lower NEFA acid levels (-46%; p = 0.0262) than lactating females. Regarding untargeted metabolomics, a good differentiation of the metabolome of the two breeding groups was confirmed, and it was proven that pregnant animals showed higher plasmatic levels of succinic anhydride (3.48 more times; p = 0.0236), succinic acid (succinate) (3.1 more times; p = 0.0068) and propionic acid (3.98 more times; p = 0.0121) than lactating animals. However, lactating animals showed higher levels of N-[(3a,5b,7b)-7-hydroxy-24-oxo-3-(sulfoxide) cholan-24-yl]-Glycine (cholestadien) (2.4 more times; p < 0.0420), 4-maleyl-acetoacetate (MAA) (3.2 more times; p < 0.0364) and irilone (2.2 more times; p = 0.0451) than pregnant animals, any of these metabolites could be used as a potential biomarker. From these results, it can be concluded that the most notable changes were observed in the metabolome of individuals, with most of the changes observed being due to energy and protein mobilisation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pablo Jesús Marín-García
- Department of Animal Production and Health, Veterinary Public Health and Food Science and Technology (PASAPTA), Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, Valencia, Spain
| | - Carlos Rouco
- Department of Plant Biology and Ecology, University of Seville, Seville, Spain
| | - Lola Llobat
- Department of Animal Production and Health, Veterinary Public Health and Food Science and Technology (PASAPTA), Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, Valencia, Spain
| | - Torben Larsen
- Department of Animal Science, Aarhus University, Tjele, Denmark
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2
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Smiley RA, Wagler BL, Edwards WH, Jennings-Gaines J, Luukkonen K, Robbins K, Johnson M, Courtemanch AB, Mong TW, Lutz D, McWhirter D, Malmberg JL, Lowrey B, Monteith KL. Infection-nutrition feedbacks: fat supports pathogen clearance but pathogens reduce fat in a wild mammal. Proc Biol Sci 2024; 291:20240636. [PMID: 39013423 PMCID: PMC11251775 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2024.0636] [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: 03/16/2024] [Revised: 05/20/2024] [Accepted: 06/06/2024] [Indexed: 07/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Though far less obvious than direct effects (clinical disease or mortality), the indirect influences of pathogens are difficult to estimate but may hold fitness consequences. Here, we disentangle the directional relationships between infection and energetic reserves, evaluating the hypotheses that energetic reserves influence infection status of the host and that infection elicits costs to energetic reserves. Using repeated measures of fat reserves and infection status in individual bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, we documented that fat influenced ability to clear pathogens (Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae) and infection with respiratory pathogens was costly to fat reserves. Costs of infection approached, and in some instances exceeded, costs of rearing offspring to independence in terms of reductions to fat reserves. Fat influenced probability of clearing pathogens, pregnancy and over-winter survival; from an energetic perspective, an animal could survive for up to 23 days on the amount of fat that was lost to high levels of infection. Cost of pathogens may amplify trade-offs between reproduction and survival. In the absence of an active outbreak, the influence of resident pathogens often is overlooked. Nevertheless, the energetic burden of pathogens likely has consequences for fitness and population dynamics, especially when food resources are insufficient.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel A. Smiley
- Haub School of the Environment and Natural Resources, 804 E Fremont Street, Laramie, WY82071, USA
- Department of Zoology and Physiology, Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, University of Wyoming, 1000 University Avenue, Laramie, WY82071, USA
| | - Brittany L. Wagler
- Haub School of the Environment and Natural Resources, 804 E Fremont Street, Laramie, WY82071, USA
| | - William H. Edwards
- Department of Wyoming Game and Fish, Wildlife Health Laboratory,1174 Snowy Range Road, Laramie, WY82072, USA
| | - Jessica Jennings-Gaines
- Department of Wyoming Game and Fish, Wildlife Health Laboratory,1174 Snowy Range Road, Laramie, WY82072, USA
| | - Katie Luukkonen
- Department of Wyoming Game and Fish, Wildlife Health Laboratory,1174 Snowy Range Road, Laramie, WY82072, USA
| | - Kara Robbins
- Department of Wyoming Game and Fish, Wildlife Health Laboratory,1174 Snowy Range Road, Laramie, WY82072, USA
| | - Marguerite Johnson
- Department of Wyoming Game and Fish, Wildlife Health Laboratory,1174 Snowy Range Road, Laramie, WY82072, USA
| | | | - Tony W. Mong
- Department of Wyoming Game and Fish, 2820 WY-120, Cody, WY82414, USA
| | - Daryl Lutz
- Department of Wyoming Game and Fish, 260 Buena Vista Drive, Lander, WY82520, USA
| | - Doug McWhirter
- Department of Wyoming Game and Fish, 420 N Cache Street, Jackson, WY83001, USA
| | - Jennifer L. Malmberg
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Wyoming, 1174 Snowy Range Road, Laramie, WY82070, USA
| | - Blake Lowrey
- US Geological Survey, Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center, 2327 University Way, Bozeman, MT59715, USA
| | - Kevin L. Monteith
- Haub School of the Environment and Natural Resources, 804 E Fremont Street, Laramie, WY82071, USA
- Department of Zoology and Physiology, Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, University of Wyoming, 1000 University Avenue, Laramie, WY82071, USA
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3
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Bleke CA, Gese EM, Villalba JJ, Roberts SB, French SS. Temporal and Spatial Influences on Fawn Summer Survival in Pronghorn Populations: Management Implications from Noninvasive Monitoring. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:1468. [PMID: 38791686 PMCID: PMC11117275 DOI: 10.3390/ani14101468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2024] [Revised: 04/20/2024] [Accepted: 05/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Monitoring vital rates allows managers to estimate trends in growth rates of ungulate populations. However, connecting the influence of nutrition on ungulate demography is challenging. Noninvasive sampling offers a low-cost, low-effort alternative for measuring nutritional indices, allowing for an increased understanding of the mechanistic relationships between environmental factors, nutrition, and specific population vital rates. We examined the temporal influence of intrinsic and extrinsic factors on pronghorn (Antilocapra americana) fawn recruitment. We collected fresh fecal samples from adult female pronghorn in five subpopulations spanning three sampling periods associated with critical maternal life-history stages (late gestation, early lactation, breeding season) for 2 years to investigate both intra- and interannual influences. Intrinsic factors were fecal glucocorticoid metabolites (FGMs), nutritional indices (fecal nitrogen (FN) and 2,6-diaminopimelic acid (DAPA)), and dietary composition (protein intake of forbs, graminoids, legumes, other, shrubs), while the extrinsic factor was vegetative greenness (normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI)). We found variations in DAPA, protein intake of forbs, variation in forb protein intake, and protein intake of legumes during late gestation positively influenced fawn recruitment. Fecal nitrogen during early lactation showed the strongest positive influence on the recruitment of any measured parameter. Finally, breeding season NDVI and the variation in DAPA values positively influenced the subsequent year's fawn recruitment. Our longitudinal study enabled us to investigate which parameter was most important to specific periods of fawn development and recruitment. We combined the results across five subpopulations, but interpretation and subsequent management decisions should be made at the subpopulation level such that pronghorn subpopulations with low recruitment can be positively influenced by increasing nitrogen on the landscape available to adult females during the early lactation period. As the use of noninvasive monitoring methods continues to expand, we believe our methodologies and results can be broadly applied to other ungulate monitoring programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cole A. Bleke
- Department of Wildland Resources, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322, USA;
| | - Eric M. Gese
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Research Center, Utah Field Station, Logan, UT 84322, USA;
| | - Juan J. Villalba
- Department of Wildland Resources, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322, USA;
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4
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Poquérusse J, Brown CL, Gaillard C, Doughty C, Dalén L, Gallagher AJ, Wooller M, Zimov N, Church GM, Lamm B, Hysolli E. Assessing contemporary Arctic habitat availability for a woolly mammoth proxy. Sci Rep 2024; 14:9804. [PMID: 38684726 PMCID: PMC11058768 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-60442-7] [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: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Interest continues to grow in Arctic megafaunal ecological engineering, but, since the mass extinction of megafauna ~ 12-15 ka, key physiographic variables and available forage continue to change. Here we sought to assess the extent to which contemporary Arctic ecosystems are conducive to the rewilding of megaherbivores, using a woolly mammoth (M. primigenius) proxy as a model species. We first perform a literature review on woolly mammoth dietary habits. We then leverage Oak Ridge National Laboratories Distributive Active Archive Center Global Aboveground and Belowground Biomass Carbon Density Maps to generate aboveground biomass carbon density estimates in plant functional types consumed by the woolly mammoth at 300 m resolution on Alaska's North Slope. We supplement these analyses with a NASA Arctic Boreal Vulnerability Experiment dataset to downgrade overall biomass estimates to digestible levels. We further downgrade available forage by using a conversion factor representing the relationship between total biomass and net primary productivity (NPP) for arctic vegetation types. Integrating these estimates with the forage needs of woolly mammoths, we conservatively estimate Alaska's North Slope could support densities of 0.0-0.38 woolly mammoth km-2 (mean 0.13) across a variety of habitats. These results may inform innovative rewilding strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Camille Gaillard
- School of Informatics, Computing, and Cyber Systems, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, 86011, USA
| | - Chris Doughty
- School of Informatics, Computing, and Cyber Systems, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, 86011, USA
| | - Love Dalén
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
- Centre for Palaeogenetics, Svante Arrhenius Väg 20C, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Bioinformatics and Genetics, Swedish Museum of Natural History, Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | - Matthew Wooller
- College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, 99775, USA
| | - Nikita Zimov
- North-East Science Station, Pacific Institute of Geography, Russian Academy of Sciences, Chersky, Russia
| | - George M Church
- Colossal Biosciences Inc, Austin, TX, 78701, USA
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Harvard-MIT Program in Health Sciences and Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Ben Lamm
- Colossal Biosciences Inc, Austin, TX, 78701, USA.
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5
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Britnell JA, Kerley GIH, Antwis R, Shultz S. A grazer's niche edge is associated with increasing diet diversity and poor population performance. Ecol Lett 2024; 27:e14357. [PMID: 38193626 DOI: 10.1111/ele.14357] [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: 07/25/2023] [Revised: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2024]
Abstract
The core-periphery hypothesis predicts niche cores should be associated with greater survivorship, reproductive output and population performance rates than marginal habitats at niche edges. However, there is very little empirical evidence of whether niche centrality influences population trends in animals. Using the Cape mountain zebra (Equus zebra zebra) as a model system, we evaluated whether niche centrality is associated with population trends, resource availability and diet across a core-periphery gradient. Population growth rates and density progressively declined towards niche peripheries. Niche peripheries were resource-poor and Cape mountain zebra consumed more phylogenetically diverse diets dominated by non-grass families. In core habitats they consumed grass-rich diets and female reproductive success was higher. This combination of spatial niche modelling and functional ecology provides a novel evaluation of how bottom-up resource limitation can shape species distributions, population resilience and range change and can guide conservation management.
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Affiliation(s)
- J A Britnell
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
- North of England Zoological Society (Chester Zoo), Upton-by-Chester, UK
| | - G I H Kerley
- Centre for African Conservation Ecology, Nelson Mandela University, Gqeberha, South Africa
| | | | - S Shultz
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
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Barboza PS, Shively RD, Thompson DP. Robust Responses of Female Caribou to Changes in Food Supply. ECOLOGICAL AND EVOLUTIONARY PHYSIOLOGY 2024; 97:29-52. [PMID: 38717369 DOI: 10.1086/729668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/26/2024]
Abstract
AbstractUngulates can respond to changes in food supply by altering foraging behavior, digestive function, and metabolism. A multifaceted response to an environmental change is considered robust. Short seasons of plant growth make herbivores sensitive to changes in food supply because maintenance and production must be accomplished in less time with fewer options in a more fragile response. Caribou live at high latitudes where short summers constrain their response to changes in food supply. We measured the ability of female caribou to resist and tolerate changes in the quality and quantity of their food supply during winter and summer. Caribou resisted changes in food abundance and quality by changing food intake and physical activity with changes in daily temperature within each season. Peak food intake rose by 134% from winter pregnancy to summer lactation (98 vs. 229 g kg-0.75 d-1), as digestible requirements to maintain the body increased by 85% for energy (1,164 vs. 2,155 kJ kg-0.75 d-1) and by 266% for N (0.79 vs. 2.89 g N kg-0.75 d-1). Caribou required a diet with a digestible content of 12 kJ g-1 and 0.8% N in pregnancy, 18 kJ g-1 and 1.9% N in early lactation, and 11 kJ g-1 and 1.2% N in late lactation, which corresponds with the phenology of the wild diet. Female caribou tolerated restriction of ad lib. food intake to 58% of their energy requirement (680 vs. 1,164 kJ kg-0.75 d-1) during winter pregnancy and to 84% of their energy requirement (1,814 vs. 2,155 kJ kg-0.75 d-1) during summer lactation without a change in stress level, as indicated by fecal corticosterone concentration. Conversely, caribou can respond to increased availability of food with a spare capacity to process digestible energy and N at 123% (2,642 vs. 2,155 kJ kg-0.75 d-1) and 145% (4.20 vs. 2.89 g N kg-0.75 d-1) of those respective requirements during lactation. Robust responses to changes in food supply allow caribou to sustain reproduction, which would buffer demographic response. However, herds may decline when thresholds of behavioral resistance and physiological tolerance are frequently exceeded. Therefore, the challenge for managing declining populations of caribou and other robust species is to identify declines in robustness before their response becomes fragile.
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7
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Walker RH, Hutchinson MC, Becker JA, Daskin JH, Gaynor KM, Palmer MS, Gonçalves DD, Stalmans ME, Denlinger J, Bouley P, Angela M, Paulo A, Potter AB, Arumoogum N, Parrini F, Marshal JP, Pringle RM, Long RA. Trait-based sensitivity of large mammals to a catastrophic tropical cyclone. Nature 2023; 623:757-764. [PMID: 37968390 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06722-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 10/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/17/2023]
Abstract
Extreme weather events perturb ecosystems and increasingly threaten biodiversity1. Ecologists emphasize the need to forecast and mitigate the impacts of these events, which requires knowledge of how risk is distributed among species and environments. However, the scale and unpredictability of extreme events complicate risk assessment1-4-especially for large animals (megafauna), which are ecologically important and disproportionately threatened but are wide-ranging and difficult to monitor5. Traits such as body size, dispersal ability and habitat affiliation are hypothesized to determine the vulnerability of animals to natural hazards1,6,7. Yet it has rarely been possible to test these hypotheses or, more generally, to link the short-term and long-term ecological effects of weather-related disturbance8,9. Here we show how large herbivores and carnivores in Mozambique responded to Intense Tropical Cyclone Idai, the deadliest storm on record in Africa, across scales ranging from individual decisions in the hours after landfall to changes in community composition nearly 2 years later. Animals responded behaviourally to rising floodwaters by moving upslope and shifting their diets. Body size and habitat association independently predicted population-level impacts: five of the smallest and most lowland-affiliated herbivore species declined by an average of 28% in the 20 months after landfall, while four of the largest and most upland-affiliated species increased by an average of 26%. We attribute the sensitivity of small-bodied species to their limited mobility and physiological constraints, which restricted their ability to avoid the flood and endure subsequent reductions in the quantity and quality of food. Our results identify general traits that govern animal responses to severe weather, which may help to inform wildlife conservation in a volatile climate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reena H Walker
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, USA
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Matthew C Hutchinson
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of California Merced, Merced, CA, USA
| | - Justine A Becker
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
- Department of Ecology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA
| | - Joshua H Daskin
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
- Archbold Biological Station, Venus, FL, USA
| | - Kaitlyn M Gaynor
- Departments of Zoology and Botany, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Meredith S Palmer
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Dominique D Gonçalves
- Department of Scientific Services, Gorongosa National Park, Sofala, Mozambique
- Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK
| | - Marc E Stalmans
- Department of Scientific Services, Gorongosa National Park, Sofala, Mozambique
| | - Jason Denlinger
- Department of Scientific Services, Gorongosa National Park, Sofala, Mozambique
| | - Paola Bouley
- Department of Conservation, Gorongosa National Park, Sofala, Mozambique
- Associação Azul Moçambique, Maputo, Mozambique
| | - Mercia Angela
- Department of Conservation, Gorongosa National Park, Sofala, Mozambique
| | - Antonio Paulo
- Department of Conservation, Gorongosa National Park, Sofala, Mozambique
| | - Arjun B Potter
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
- Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Nikhail Arumoogum
- Centre for African Ecology, School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Francesca Parrini
- Centre for African Ecology, School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Jason P Marshal
- Centre for African Ecology, School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Robert M Pringle
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA.
| | - Ryan A Long
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, USA.
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8
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Bleke CA, Gese EM, Roberts SB, Villalba JJ. Seasonal shifts in pronghorn antelope (Antilocapra americana) diets under a new lens: Examining diet composition using a molecular technique. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0292725. [PMID: 37819912 PMCID: PMC10566741 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0292725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2022] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Foraging is one of the most fundamental activities contributing to the maximization of an animal's fitness, and thus herbivores must optimize their diet selection and intake to meet their nutrient demands for survival, growth, and reproduction. Using plant DNA barcoding, we determined diet composition of five subpopulations of adult female pronghorn antelope (Antilocapra americana) grazing rangelands in southern and southeastern Idaho, USA. Fecal samples were collected for two years (2018-2019), and across metabolically-important adult female life history stages (late gestation, early lactation, breeding season). Plant DNA barcoding yielded 137 detected species within pronghorn diets across subpopulations and sampling periods with forbs being the most abundant. Pronghorn dietary functional group composition ranged from 52.2-60.3% from forbs followed by shrubs (22.6-28.2%), graminoids (8.7-15.7%), and legumes (5.5-9.6%). Dietary protein intake was also highest from forbs and ranged from 32.4-62.4% followed by graminoids (1.2-43.1%), shrubs (18.7-21.3%), and legumes (2.6-7.4%). We found significant intra- and interannual differences in the mean number of genera-based plant detections in pronghorn diets. Dietary protein intake of cultivated legumes (e.g., alfalfa [Medicago sativa] and sainfoin [Onobrychis viciifolia]) was lower than expected, ranging from <1.0-30.8%, suggesting that even within an agricultural-dominated landscape, factors other than plant nutritional composition contributed to pronghorn diets. Although the plant DNA barcoding technique exhibits limitations, it demonstrated potential for elucidating pronghorn dietary species richness, particularly for plants consumed in small proportions, as well as for observing temporal fluctuations in functional group composition and dietary protein intake explained through the interplay between environmental factors, plant chemical composition, and the animals' physiological needs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cole A. Bleke
- Department of Wildland Resources, Utah State University, Logan, Utah, United States of America
| | - Eric M. Gese
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Research Center, Utah Field Station, Logan, Utah, United States of America
| | - Shane B. Roberts
- Idaho Department of Fish and Game, Boise, Idaho, United States of America
| | - Juan J. Villalba
- Department of Wildland Resources, Utah State University, Logan, Utah, United States of America
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Aguilar XF, Leclerc LM, Mavrot F, Roberto-Charron A, Tomaselli M, Mastromonaco G, Gunn A, Pruvot M, Rothenburger JL, Thanthrige-Don N, Jahromi EZ, Kutz S. An integrative and multi-indicator approach for wildlife health applied to an endangered caribou herd. Sci Rep 2023; 13:16524. [PMID: 37783688 PMCID: PMC10545743 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-41689-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: 02/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 10/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Assessing wildlife health in remote regions requires a multi-faceted approach, which commonly involves convenient samplings and the need of identifying and targeting relevant and informative indicators. We applied a novel wildlife health framework and critically assessed the value of different indicators for understanding the health status and trends of an endangered tundra caribou population. Samples and data from the Dolphin and Union caribou herd were obtained between 2015 and 2021, from community-based surveillance programs and from captured animals. We documented and categorized indicators into health determinants (infectious diseases and trace elements), processes (cortisol, pathology), and health outcomes (pregnancy and body condition). During a recent period of steep population decline, our results indicated a relatively good body condition and pregnancy rates, and decreasing levels of stress, along with a low adult cow survival. We detected multiple factors as potential contributors to the reduced survival, including Brucella suis biovar 4, Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae and lower hair trace minerals. These results remark the need of targeted studies to improve detection and investigations on caribou mortalities. We also identified differences in health indicators between captured and hunter sampled caribou, highlighting the importance of accounting for sampling biases. This integrative approach that drew on multiple data sources has provided unprecedented knowledge on the health in this herd and highlights the value of documenting individual animal health to understand causes of wildlife declines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xavier Fernandez Aguilar
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, T2N 4Z6, Canada.
- Wildlife Conservation Medicine Research Group (WildCoM), Departament de Medicina i Cirurgia Animals, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193, Bellaterra, Spain.
| | - Lisa-Marie Leclerc
- Department of Environment, Government of Nunavut, P.O. Box 377, Kugluktuk, NU, X0B 0E0, Canada
| | - Fabien Mavrot
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, T2N 4Z6, Canada
| | - Amélie Roberto-Charron
- Department of Environment, Government of Nunavut, P.O. Box 377, Kugluktuk, NU, X0B 0E0, Canada
| | - Matilde Tomaselli
- Polar Knowledge Canada, Canadian High Arctic Research Station, 1 Uvajuq Road, PO Box 2150, Cambridge Bay, NU, X0B 0C0, Canada
| | | | - Anne Gunn
- CircumArctic Rangifer Monitoring and Assessment (CARMA) Network, 368 Roland Rad, Salt Spring Island, BC, V8K 1V1, Canada
| | - Mathieu Pruvot
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, T2N 4Z6, Canada
| | - Jamie L Rothenburger
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, T2N 4Z6, Canada
- Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative (Alberta Region), Alberta, Canada
| | - Niroshan Thanthrige-Don
- Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Ottawa Laboratory Fallowfield, 3851 Fallowfield Road, Station H, PO Box 11300, Nepean, ON, K2H 8P9, Canada
| | - Elham Zeini Jahromi
- Alberta Centre for Toxicology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Susan Kutz
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, T2N 4Z6, Canada
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10
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Marín-García PJ, Llobat L, Aguayo-Adán JA, Larsen T, Cambra-López M, Blas E, Pascual JJ, Rouco C. The nutritional strategy of European rabbits is affected by age and sex: Females eat more and have better nutrient optimisation. J Anim Physiol Anim Nutr (Berl) 2023; 107:1294-1301. [PMID: 37127906 DOI: 10.1111/jpn.13826] [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: 12/26/2022] [Revised: 03/18/2023] [Accepted: 04/16/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
The ecological interest in the European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) has grown since it was declared an endangered species. Nutrition is fundamental in its dispersion and the key to its success. This is the main reason why knowledge of their nutritional preferences/requirements could play a fundamental role in rabbit biology and, therefore, in their conservation. The objectives of the work will be to elucidate how age and sex affect both nutritional preferences/requirements, and the nutrient optimisation of European rabbits. To address this gap, 70 wild European rabbits were studied. The rabbits were divided according to their age: adult (n = 43) and young (n = 27). Two groups were differentiated according to the adult rabbits' sex: females (n = 28) and males (n = 15). We analysed the relative (%) and absolute (g) chemical composition of the rabbits' gastric contents: dry matter (DM), ashes (ASH), crude protein (CP), ether extract (EE), neutral detergent fibre (NDF), acid detergent fibre (ADF), and lignin, hemicelluloses and celluloses, highly digestible nonnitrogenous nutrients (HDNN: fat, starch, and soluble fibre), well from the blood was analysed with plasmatic urea nitrogen (PUN), nonesterified fatty acid (NEFA) and glucose (GLU). As a nutrient optimisation measure, the following indices between blood metabolites and stomach content were calculated: PUN/CP total content, NEFA/DM total content and GLU/DM total content ratios. Our works showed that age and sex affected the nutritional strategy of rabbits. Regarding age: adults showed lower CP (-14%; p = 0.0217) and higher HDNN (+21%; p = 0.0399) relative content than young rabbits, and absolute amount of most nutrients: DM (+59%; p = 0.001), OM (+43%; p = 0.0049), ASH (+54%; p = 0.0085), Hemicelluloses (+73%; p = 0.0084), Cellulose (+27%; p = 0.0452), and HDNN (+63%; p = 0.0012). In addition, adults showed better nutrient optimisation. Sex did not affect the relative chemical composition of the gastric content, but it showed a clear higher gastric content by females (+85%; p < 0.0001) and higher intake of most of the absolute chemical components: DM (+64%; p < 0.001), CP (+56%; p = 0.0005), OM (+58%; p = 0.0001), ASH (+44%; p = 0.0123), HDNN (+39%; p = 0.001), NDF (+59%; p = 0.001), ADF (+64%; p = 0.0003), lignin (+82%; p = 0.0036) and cellulose (+58%; p = 0.0002). Finally, we observed that females had better nutrient optimisation than males. This works supports the idea that feeding ecology and nutrition are particularly relevant to reproductive success and fitness in wild animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pablo-Jesús Marín-García
- Department of Animal Production and Health, Veterinary Public Health and Food Science and Technology (PASAPTA), Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, CEU Universities, Valencia, Spain
| | - Lola Llobat
- Department of Animal Production and Health, Veterinary Public Health and Food Science and Technology (PASAPTA), Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, CEU Universities, Valencia, Spain
| | - Juan Antonio Aguayo-Adán
- Departamento de Botánica, Ecología y Fisiología Vegetal, Ecology Area, Faculty of Science, University of Córdoba, Cordoba, Spain
| | - Torben Larsen
- Department of Animal Science, Aarhus University, Tjele, Denmark
| | - María Cambra-López
- Institute for Animal Science and Technology, Universitat Politècnica de València, Valencia, Spain
| | - Enrique Blas
- Institute for Animal Science and Technology, Universitat Politècnica de València, Valencia, Spain
| | - Juan José Pascual
- Institute for Animal Science and Technology, Universitat Politècnica de València, Valencia, Spain
| | - Carlos Rouco
- Department of Plant Biology and Ecology, University of Seville, Seville, Spain
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11
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Vuillaume B, Richard JH, Hamel S, Taillon J, Festa-Bianchet M, Côté SD. Birth date determines early calf survival in migratory caribou. Oecologia 2023; 202:819-830. [PMID: 37640888 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-023-05441-7] [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: 11/03/2022] [Accepted: 08/13/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
The decline of most caribou (Rangifer tarandus) populations underlines the need to understand the determinants of key demographic parameters. In migratory caribou, we have limited information on rates and drivers of pre-weaning mortality. We fitted 60 pregnant females of the Rivière-aux-Feuilles caribou herd with GPS camera collars to track the survival of calves from birth to weaning in 2016-2018. Over the three years, calf survival rate before weaning, i.e. to 01-Sep, approximately three months of age, was 0.63 (CI 0.50-0.77). Summer mortality risk was mainly influenced by calf birth date, with calves born earlier in the calving season having a lower mortality risk than those born later. Mortality also increased when calves experienced low or high temperature during calving. This study provides the first estimates of pre-weaning survival of migratory caribou calves in this herd, illustrating the value of new technologies to collect data otherwise difficult to obtain in widely distributed migratory populations. This approach can easily be extended to other large herbivores and predators. Our study brings new insights on how climate change may affect summer juvenile survival given the increased temperatures and faster changes in plant phenology expected in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Vuillaume
- Département de Biologie, Caribou Ungava, Centre d'Études Nordiques, Université Laval, 1045, Ave. de la Médecine, Québec, QC, G1V 0A6, Canada.
| | - Julien H Richard
- Département de Biologie, Caribou Ungava, Centre d'Études Nordiques, Université Laval, 1045, Ave. de la Médecine, Québec, QC, G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Sandra Hamel
- Département de Biologie, Université Laval, Québec, QC, G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Joëlle Taillon
- Ministère des Forêts de la Faune et des Parcs, Québec, QC, G1S 2L2, Canada
| | - Marco Festa-Bianchet
- Département de Biologie, Caribou Ungava, Centre d'Études Nordiques, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, J1K 2 R1, Canada
| | - Steeve D Côté
- Département de Biologie, Caribou Ungava, Centre d'Études Nordiques, Université Laval, 1045, Ave. de la Médecine, Québec, QC, G1V 0A6, Canada
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12
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Patel SK, Ruhela S, Biswas S, Bhatt S, Pandav B, Mondol S. The cost of sympatry: spatio-temporal patterns in leopard dietary and physiological responses to tiger competition gradient in Rajaji Tiger Reserve, Uttarakhand, India. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2023; 11:coad039. [PMID: 38026804 PMCID: PMC10660413 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coad039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2022] [Revised: 03/01/2023] [Accepted: 05/17/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
Apex predators have critical roles in maintaining the structure of ecosystem functioning by controlling intraguild subordinate populations. Such dominant-subordinate interactions involve agonistic interactions including direct or indirect impacts on the subordinates. As these indirect effects are often mediated through physiological processes, it is important to quantify such responses to better understand population parameters. We used a large carnivore intraguild system involving tiger (Panthera tigris) and leopard (Panthera pardus) to understand the dietary and physiological responses under a spatio-temporal gradient of tiger competition pressures in Rajaji Tiger Reserve (RTR) between 2015 and 2020. We conducted systematic faecal sampling in the winters of 2015 and 2020 from the park to assess diet and physiological measures. Analyses of leopard-confirmed faeces suggest a dietary-niche separation as a consequence of tiger competition. In 2020, we found an increased occurrence of large-bodied prey species without tiger competition in western-RTR. Physiological measures followed the dietary responses where leopards with large-sized prey in the diet showed higher fT3M and lower fGCM measures in western-RTR. In contrast, eastern-RTR leopards showed lower levels of fT3M and fGCM in 2020, possibly due to intense competition from tigers. Overall, these patterns strongly indicate a physiological cost of sympatry where competition with dominant tigers resulted in elevated nutritional stress. We recommend expansion of leopard monitoring and population estimation efforts to buffers, developing appropriate plans for human-leopard conflict mitigation and intensive efforts to understand leopard population dynamics patterns to ensure their persistence during the ongoing Anthropocene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiv Kumari Patel
- Wildlife Institute of India, Chandrabani, Dehradun, Uttarakhand 248001, India
| | - Sourabh Ruhela
- Wildlife Institute of India, Chandrabani, Dehradun, Uttarakhand 248001, India
| | - Suvankar Biswas
- Wildlife Institute of India, Chandrabani, Dehradun, Uttarakhand 248001, India
| | - Supriya Bhatt
- Wildlife Institute of India, Chandrabani, Dehradun, Uttarakhand 248001, India
| | - Bivash Pandav
- Wildlife Institute of India, Chandrabani, Dehradun, Uttarakhand 248001, India
| | - Samrat Mondol
- Wildlife Institute of India, Chandrabani, Dehradun, Uttarakhand 248001, India
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13
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Holmes SM, Dressel S, Morel J, Spitzer R, Ball JP, Ericsson G, Singh NJ, Widemo F, Cromsigt JPGM, Danell K. Increased summer temperature is associated with reduced calf mass of a circumpolar large mammal through direct thermoregulatory and indirect, food quality, pathways. Oecologia 2023; 201:1123-1136. [PMID: 37017733 PMCID: PMC10113315 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-023-05367-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 03/25/2023] [Indexed: 04/06/2023]
Abstract
Climate change represents a growing ecological challenge. The (sub) arctic and boreal regions of the world experience the most rapid warming, presenting an excellent model system for studying how climate change affects mammals. Moose (Alces alces) are a particularly relevant model species with their circumpolar range. Population declines across the southern edge of this range are linked to rising temperatures. Using a long-term dataset (1988-1997, 2017-2019), we examine the relative strength of direct (thermoregulatory costs) and indirect (food quality) pathways linking temperature, precipitation, and the quality of two important food items (birch and fireweed) to variation in moose calf mass in northern Sweden. The direct effects of temperature consistently showed stronger relationships to moose calf mass than did the indirect effects. The proportion of growing season days where the temperature exceeded a 20 °C threshold showed stronger direct negative relationships to moose calf mass than did mean temperature values. Finally, while annual forb (fireweed) quality was more strongly influenced by temperature and precipitation than were perennial (birch) leaves, this did not translate into a stronger relationship to moose calf weight. The only indirect path with supporting evidence suggested that mean growing season temperatures were positively associated with neutral detergent fiber, which was, in turn, negatively associated with calf mass. While indirect impacts of climate change deserve further investigation, it is important to recognize the large direct impacts of temperature on cold-adapted species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheila M Holmes
- Department of Wildlife, Fish and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 90183, Umeå, Sweden.
| | - Sabrina Dressel
- Department of Wildlife, Fish and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 90183, Umeå, Sweden
- Forest and Nature Conservation Policy Chair Group, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Julien Morel
- Department of Agricultural Research for Northern Sweden, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 90183, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Robert Spitzer
- Department of Wildlife, Fish and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 90183, Umeå, Sweden
| | - John P Ball
- Department of Wildlife, Fish and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 90183, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Göran Ericsson
- Department of Wildlife, Fish and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 90183, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Navinder J Singh
- Department of Wildlife, Fish and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 90183, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Fredrik Widemo
- Department of Wildlife, Fish and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 90183, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Joris P G M Cromsigt
- Department of Wildlife, Fish and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 90183, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Kjell Danell
- Department of Wildlife, Fish and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 90183, Umeå, Sweden
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14
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Blum ME, Stewart KM, Shoemaker KT, Cox M, Wakeling BF, Dilts TE, Bennett JR, Bleich VC. Changes in selection of resources with reproductive state in a montane ungulate. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2023; 11:20. [PMID: 37020241 PMCID: PMC10077753 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-023-00378-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2022] [Accepted: 03/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Animals select habitats based on food, water, space, and cover. Each of those components are essential to the ability of an individual to survive and reproduce in a particular habitat. Selection of resources is linked to reproductive fitness and individuals likely vary in how they select resources relative to their reproductive state: during pregnancy, while provisioning young when nutritional needs of the mother are high, but offspring are vulnerable to predation, or if they lose young to mortality. We investigated the effects of reproductive state on selection of resources by maternal female desert bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis nelsoni) by comparing selection during the last trimester of gestation, following parturition when females were provisioning dependent young, and if the female lost an offspring. We captured, and recaptured each year, 32 female bighorn sheep at Lone Mountain, Nevada, during 2016-2018. Captured females were fit with GPS collars and those that were pregnant received vaginal implant transmitters. We used a Bayesian approach to estimate differences in selection between females provisioning and not provisioning offspring, as well as the length of time it took for females with offspring to return levels of selection similar to that observed prior to parturition. Females that were not provisioning offspring selected areas with higher risk of predation, but greater nutritional resources than those that were provisioning dependent young. When females were provisioning young immediately following parturition, females selected areas that were safe from predators, but had lower nutritional resources. Females displayed varying rates of return to selection strategies associated with access to nutritional resources as young grew and became more agile and less dependent on mothers. We observed clear and substantial shifts in selection of resources associated with reproductive state, and females exhibited tradeoffs in favor of areas that were safer from predators when provisioning dependent young despite loss of nutritional resources to support lactation. As young grew and became less vulnerable to predators, females returned to levels of selection that provided access to nutritional resources to restore somatic reserves lost during lactation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcus E Blum
- Natural Resources Institute, Texas A&M University, 1001 Holleman Dr, College Station, TX, 77840, USA.
| | - Kelley M Stewart
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Science, University of Nevada, Reno, 1664 N. Virginia St., MS 186, Reno, NV, 89557, USA
| | - Kevin T Shoemaker
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Science, University of Nevada, Reno, 1664 N. Virginia St., MS 186, Reno, NV, 89557, USA
| | - Mike Cox
- Nevada Department of Wildlife, 6980 Sierra Center Parkway #120, Reno, NV, 89511, USA
| | - Brian F Wakeling
- Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks, P.O. Box 200701, Helena, MT, 59620, USA
| | - Thomas E Dilts
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Science, University of Nevada, Reno, 1664 N. Virginia St., MS 186, Reno, NV, 89557, USA
| | - Joe R Bennett
- Nevada Department of Wildlife, 6980 Sierra Center Parkway #120, Reno, NV, 89511, USA
| | - Vernon C Bleich
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Science, University of Nevada, Reno, 1664 N. Virginia St., MS 186, Reno, NV, 89557, USA
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15
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Farina A, James P. The Landscape of Fear as a Safety Eco-Field: Experimental Evidence. BIOSEMIOTICS 2023; 16:61-84. [PMID: 37101821 PMCID: PMC9979121 DOI: 10.1007/s12304-023-09522-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 02/03/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
UNLABELLED In a development of the ecosemiotic vivo-scape concept, a 'safety eco-field' is proposed as a model of a species response to the safety of its environment. The safety eco-field is based on the ecosemiotic approach which considers environmental safety as a resource sought and chosen by individuals to counter predatory pressure. To test the relative safety of different locations within a landscape, 66 bird feeders (BF) were deployed in a regular 15 × 15 m grid in a rural area, surrounded by shrubs, small trees, hedgerows, and buildings. On each of 48 days in November 2021 and February and March 2022, dried mealworms were placed on each BF and counts of larvae at each BF were made at noon and dusk. The European robin (Erithacus rubecula) and the great tit (Parus major) were the most regular visitors to the BFs. Land cover at each BF was recorded. Bird behaviour at the BFs was noted from direct video recordings of the birds at nine selected BFs, totalling 32 daily sessions in March. The different behaviours of the European robin and the great tit were observable. The safety eco-field changed according to the month and the time of day. The distance of the BF from the woodland edges seemed to be important only in the morning. In the afternoon, BFs that were more distant from the woodland edges received the highest number of visits. Weather conditions were found to influence the number of mealworms removed, but this requires further investigation. A significant relationship between land cover and the number of mealworm larvae removed from the BFs was observed. Within the grid of BF, three regions were distinguishable which were related to land cover in the safety eco-field process. The experimental framework confirms the adequacy, at least for birds that have cryptic predators, to map the landscape as a proxy of safety resource. From the video recordings it was noted that the European robin visits were distributed throughout the day without apparent temporal preferences, while the great tit visits were concentrated in the central part of the day. This result has the limitation of the short period of observation (March) and should be extended to the entire period of the experiment to eventually capture seasonal variation. The experimental evidence obtained confirms that the ecosemiotic-based models of safety eco-field are an efficient approach to explain bird feeding preferences and behaviours. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12304-023-09522-1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Almo Farina
- Department of Pure and Applied Sciences, Urbino University, Urbino, Italy
| | - Philip James
- School of Science, Engineering and Environment, University of Salford, Salford, UK
- School of Education, Environment and Development, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
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16
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LaSharr TN, Jakopak RP, Dwinnell SPH, Rafferty RT, Thonhoff M, Kaiser RC, Fralick GL, Monteith KL. Maternal effects and the legacy of extreme environmental events for wild mammals. Ecology 2023; 104:e3953. [PMID: 36484728 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.3953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2022] [Revised: 10/05/2022] [Accepted: 10/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Tayler N LaSharr
- Haub School of the Environment and Natural Resources, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming, USA.,Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming, USA
| | - Rhiannon P Jakopak
- Haub School of the Environment and Natural Resources, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming, USA
| | - Samantha P H Dwinnell
- Haub School of the Environment and Natural Resources, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming, USA
| | - Rebekah T Rafferty
- Haub School of the Environment and Natural Resources, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming, USA.,Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming, USA
| | - Mark Thonhoff
- Bureau of Land Management, Pinedale Field Office, Pinedale, Wyoming, USA
| | - Rusty C Kaiser
- United States Forest Service, Big Piney Ranger District, Big Piney, Wyoming, USA
| | - Gary L Fralick
- Wyoming Game and Fish Department, Jackson Regional Office, Jackson, Wyoming, USA
| | - Kevin L Monteith
- Haub School of the Environment and Natural Resources, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming, USA.,Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming, USA
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17
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Walker RH, Hutchinson MC, Potter AB, Becker JA, Long RA, Pringle RM. Mechanisms of individual variation in large herbivore diets: Roles of spatial heterogeneity and state-dependent foraging. Ecology 2023; 104:e3921. [PMID: 36415899 PMCID: PMC10078531 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.3921] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2022] [Revised: 10/05/2022] [Accepted: 10/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Many populations of consumers consist of relatively specialized individuals that eat only a subset of the foods consumed by the population at large. Although the ecological significance of individual-level diet variation is recognized, such variation is difficult to document, and its underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. Optimal foraging theory provides a useful framework for predicting how individuals might select different diets, positing that animals balance the "opportunity cost" of stopping to eat an available food item against the cost of searching for something more nutritious; diet composition should be contingent on the distribution of food, and individual foragers should be more selective when they have greater energy reserves to invest in searching for high-quality foods. We tested these predicted mechanisms of individual niche differentiation by quantifying environmental (resource heterogeneity) and organismal (nutritional condition) determinants of diet in a widespread browsing antelope (bushbuck, Tragelaphus sylvaticus) in an African floodplain-savanna ecosystem. We quantified individuals' realized dietary niches (taxonomic richness and composition) using DNA metabarcoding of fecal samples collected repeatedly from 15 GPS-collared animals (range 6-14 samples per individual, median 12). Bushbuck diets were structured by spatial heterogeneity and constrained by individual condition. We observed significant individual-level partitioning of food plants by bushbuck both within and between two adjacent habitat types (floodplain and woodland). Individuals with home ranges that were closer together and/or had similar vegetation structure (measured using LiDAR) ate more similar diets, supporting the prediction that heterogeneous resource distribution promotes individual differentiation. Individuals in good nutritional condition had significantly narrower diets (fewer plant taxa), searched their home ranges more intensively (intensity-of-use index), and had higher-quality diets (percent digestible protein) than those in poor condition, supporting the prediction that animals with greater endogenous reserves have narrower realized niches because they can invest more time in searching for nutritious foods. Our results support predictions from optimal foraging theory about the energetic basis of individual-level dietary variation and provide a potentially generalizable framework for understanding how individuals' realized niche width is governed by animal behavior and physiology in heterogeneous landscapes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reena H Walker
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, USA
| | - Matthew C Hutchinson
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
| | - Arjun B Potter
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
| | - Justine A Becker
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, USA.,Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming, USA
| | - Ryan A Long
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, USA
| | - Robert M Pringle
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
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18
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Eacker DR, Jakes AF, Jones PF. Spatiotemporal risk factors predict landscape‐scale survivorship for a northern ungulate. Ecosphere 2023. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.4341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/11/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - Andrew F. Jakes
- Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute Missoula Montana USA
- National Wildlife Federation Missoula Montana USA
| | - Paul F. Jones
- Alberta Conservation Association Lethbridge Alberta Canada
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19
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Pedersen ÅØ, Bårdsen BJ, Veiberg V, Irvine RJ, Hansen BB. Hunting for ecological indicators: are large herbivore skeleton measures from harvest data useful proxies for monitoring? EUR J WILDLIFE RES 2023. [DOI: 10.1007/s10344-022-01636-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Abstract
Hunter-collected data and samples are used as indices of population performance, and monitoring programs often take advantage of such data as ecological indicators. Here, we establish the relationships between measures of skeleton size (lower jawbone length and hind-leg length) and autumn carcass mass of slaughtered individuals of known age and sex of the high Arctic and endemic Svalbard reindeer (Rangifer tarandus platyrhynchus). We assess these relationships using a long-term monitoring dataset derived from hunted or culled reindeer. The two skeleton measures were generally strongly correlated within age class. Both jaw length (R2 = 0.78) and hind-leg length (R2 = 0.74) represented good proxies of carcass mass. These relationships were primarily due to an age effect (i.e. due to growth) as the skeleton measures reached an asymptotic size at 4–6 years of age. Accordingly, strong positive correlations between skeleton measures and carcass mass were mainly evident at the young age classes (range r [0.45–0.84] for calves and yearlings). For the adults, these relationships weakened due to skeletal growth ceasing in mature animals causing increased variance in mass with age—potentially due to the expected substantial impacts of annual environmental fluctuations. As proxies for carcass mass, skeleton measurements should therefore be limited to young individuals. Although body mass is the ‘gold standard’ in monitoring large herbivores, our results indicate that skeleton measures collected by hunters only provide similar valuable information for young age classes, particularly calves and yearlings. In sum, jaw length and hind-leg length function as proxies identical to body mass when documenting the impacts of changing environmental conditions on important state variables for reindeer and other herbivores inhabiting highly variable environments.
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20
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Winter dietary overlap between two sympatric wild caprids, markhor (Capra falconeri) and Himalayan goral (Naemorhedus goral) at Kazinag National Park and its adjoining areas in the Kashmir Himalaya. Biologia (Bratisl) 2023. [DOI: 10.1007/s11756-023-01328-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
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21
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Blum ME, Stewart KM, Cox M, Shoemaker KT, Bennett JR, Sullivan BW, Wakeling BF, Bleich VC. Variation in diet of desert bighorn sheep around parturition: Tradeoffs associated with parturition. Front Ecol Evol 2023. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.1071771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Selection of forage and habitats is driven by nutritional needs of individuals. Some species may sacrifice nutritional quality of forage for the mother in favor of safety of offspring (risk-averse strategy), immediately following parturition. We studied diet quality and forage selection by bighorn sheep before and following parturition to determine how nutritional demands associated with rearing offspring influenced forage acquisition. We used desert bighorn sheep, Ovis canadensis nelsoni, to investigate that potential tradeoff. We captured and radio-collared female bighorn sheep from 2016 to 2018. We used vaginal implant transmitters (VIT)s in pregnant females to identify parturition and to capture and radio-collar neonates to monitor survival of young. We collected fecal samples throughout the breeding season and throughout the year to understand diet quality and composition throughout those temporal periods. We determined diet quality and composition for pre-parturient females, females provisioning offspring, females that lost offspring, and non-pregnant individuals using fecal nitrogen and DNA metabarcoding analyses. Additionally, we compared the diet quality and composition of offspring and adult females during the spring, as well as summer and winter months. Our results indicated differences in diet quality between individuals provisioning offspring and those whose offspring had died. Females that were provisioning dependent young had lower quality diets than those that lost their offspring. Diet composition among those groups was also markedly different; females that had lost an offspring had a more diverse diet than did females with dependent young. Diet quality differed among seasons, wherein offspring and adult females had higher quality diets during the spring months, with decreasing quality as the year progressed. Diet diversity was similar across seasons, although spring months tended to be most diverse. Our results support tradeoffs associated with risk-averse strategies made by adult females associated with parturition. Nutritional quality of forage was linked to provisioning status, indicating that females were trading diet quality for safety of offspring, but those females whose offspring had died selected high quality forages. Those results help explain habitat selection observed in mountain ungulates around parturition and provide further insight into the evolutionary processes and adaptive significance exhibited by those specialized artiodactyls.
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22
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Gonnerman M, Shea SA, Sullivan K, Kamath P, Overturf K, Blomberg E. Dynamic winter weather moderates movement and resource selection of wild turkeys at high-latitude range limits. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2023; 33:e2734. [PMID: 36057107 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2022] [Revised: 06/22/2022] [Accepted: 07/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
For wide-ranging species in temperate environments, populations at high-latitude range limits are subject to more extreme conditions, colder temperatures, and greater snow accumulation compared with their core range. As climate change progresses, these bounding pressures may become more moderate on average, while extreme weather occurs more frequently. Individuals can mitigate temporarily extreme conditions by changing daily activity budgets and exhibiting plasticity in resource selection, both of which facilitate existence at and expansion of high-latitude range boundaries. However, relatively little work has explored how animals moderate movement and vary resource selection with changing weather, and a general framework for such investigations is lacking. We applied hidden Markov models and step selection functions to GPS data from wintering wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) near their northern range limit to identify how weather influenced transition among discrete movement states, as well as state-specific resource selection. We found that turkeys were more likely to spend time in a stationary state as wind chill temperatures decreased and snow depth increased. Both stationary and roosting turkeys selected conifer forests and avoided land covers associated with foraging, such as agriculture and residential areas, while shifting their strength of selection for these features during poor weather. In contrast, mobile turkeys showed relatively weak resource selection, with less response in selection coefficients during poor weather. Our findings illustrate that behavioral plasticity in response to weather was context dependent, but movement behaviors most associated with poor weather were also those in which resource selection was most plastic. Given our results, the potential for wild turkey range expansion will partly be determined by the availability of habitat that allows them to withstand periodic inclement weather. Combining hidden Markov models with step selection functions is broadly applicable for evaluating plasticity in animal behavior and dynamic resource selection in response to changing weather. We studied turkeys at northern range limits, but this approach is applicable for any system expected to experience significant changes in the coming decade, and may be particularly relevant to populations existing at range peripheries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Gonnerman
- Department of Wildlife Fisheries and Conservation Biology, University of Maine, Orono, Maine, USA
| | - Stephanie A Shea
- School of Food and Agriculture, University of Maine, Orono, Maine, USA
| | - Kelsey Sullivan
- Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, Bangor, Maine, USA
| | - Pauline Kamath
- School of Food and Agriculture, University of Maine, Orono, Maine, USA
| | - Kaj Overturf
- Department of Wildlife Fisheries and Conservation Biology, University of Maine, Orono, Maine, USA
| | - Erik Blomberg
- Department of Wildlife Fisheries and Conservation Biology, University of Maine, Orono, Maine, USA
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23
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Watkins BE, Bergman EJ, Dhaseleer LC, Bernal LJ. Factors influencing productivity and recruitment of elk in northern New Mexico. J Wildl Manage 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.22348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Bruce E. Watkins
- Vermejo Park Ranch, Turner Enterprises, P.O. Drawer E, Raton NM 87740 USA
| | - Eric J. Bergman
- Colorado Parks and Wildlife, 317 Prospect Road Fort Collins CO 80526 USA
| | | | - Lance J. Bernal
- Vermejo Park Ranch, Turner Enterprises, P.O. Drawer E, Raton NM 87740 USA
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24
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F. Millán M, Carranza J, Seoane JM, Pérez-González J. Forage quality of consecutive years interact to affect body condition, reproductive rate and rut phenology in Iberian red deer. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0278367. [PMID: 36454913 PMCID: PMC9714875 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0278367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2021] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Body condition for reproduction in capital breeders such as the red deer (Cervus elaphus) is mostly determined by their stored energy reserves. Thus, environmental conditions and resource availability may affect reproductive performance and breeding success. In warm Mediterranean regions, current climate change is driving to a hotter and drier scenario that is expected to affect the biology and dynamics of many populations. We examined the impact of these local climate variations on red deer body condition and the relationship with female reproductive phenology and breeding success. We used satellite information of landscape vegetation along with a 22-year data series of direct field behavioural observations during the rutting season in Doñana National Park (SW Spain). We analyzed faecal nitrogen content (FN) from faeces collected during the rut. We found that poor vegetation availability in drier years was related to worse body condition of deer (measured by FN) and a delay in the rutting season, which associated with lower reproductive rates (measured by the proportion of females with calves observed the next year). We also evidenced an interesting interaction between environmental conditions in consecutive years on the timing of breeding season, with timing of breeding being more delayed when previous year resource availability was high and many females bred, and the consecutive one was poor, so females hardly recovered condition and the rut occurred later. These findings highlight the carry-over effect of reproduction in capital breeders and the potential impact of climate-change conditions on red deer breeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina F. Millán
- Wildlife Research Unit (UIRCP), Universidad de Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain
- * E-mail: (MFM); (JC)
| | - Juan Carranza
- Wildlife Research Unit (UIRCP), Universidad de Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain
- * E-mail: (MFM); (JC)
| | - José M. Seoane
- Wildlife Research Unit (UIRCP), Universidad de Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain
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25
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Dong J, Anderson LJ. Predicted impacts of global change on bottom-up trophic interactions in the plant-ungulate-wolf food chain in boreal forests. FOOD WEBS 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.fooweb.2022.e00253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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26
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LaSharr TN, Dwinnell SPH, Wagler BL, Sawyer H, Jakopak RP, Ortega AC, Wilde LR, Kauffman MJ, Huggler KS, Burke PW, Valdez M, Lionberger P, Brimeyer DG, Scurlock B, Randall J, Kaiser RC, Thonhoff M, Fralick GL, Monteith KL. Evaluating risks associated with capture and handling of mule deer for individual‐based, long‐term research. J Wildl Manage 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.22333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Tayler N. LaSharr
- Haub School of the Environment and Natural Resources, Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Zoology and Physiology University of Wyoming 804 E Fremont Street Laramie WY 82071 USA
| | - Samantha P. H. Dwinnell
- Haub School of the Environment and Natural Resources University of Wyoming 804 E Fremont Street Laramie WY 82071 USA
| | - Brittany L. Wagler
- Haub School of the Environment and Natural Resources, Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Zoology and Physiology University of Wyoming 804 E Fremont Street Laramie WY 82071 USA
| | - Hall Sawyer
- Western Ecosystems Technology, Inc. 1610 Reynolds Street Laramie WY 82072 USA
| | - Rhiannon P. Jakopak
- Haub School of the Environment and Natural Resources University of Wyoming 804 E Fremont Street Laramie WY 82071 USA
| | - Anna C. Ortega
- Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Zoology and Physiology University of Wyoming 804 E Fremont Street Laramie WY 82071 USA
| | - Luke R. Wilde
- Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Zoology and Physiology University of Wyoming 804 E Fremont Street Laramie WY 82071 USA
| | - Matthew J. Kauffman
- U.S. Geological Survey, Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Zoology and Physiology University of Wyoming 804 E Fremont Street Laramie WY 82071 USA
| | - Katey S. Huggler
- Haub School of the Environment and Natural Resources, Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Zoology and Physiology University of Wyoming 804 E Fremont Street Laramie WY 82071 USA
| | - Patrick W. Burke
- Wyoming Game and Fish Department 351 Astle Avenue Green River WY 82935 USA
| | - Miguel Valdez
- Bureau of Land Management Rock Springs Field Office 280 US‐191 Rock Springs WY 82901 USA
| | - Patrick Lionberger
- Bureau of Land Management Rock Springs Field Office 280 US‐191 Rock Springs WY 82901 USA
| | - Douglas G. Brimeyer
- Wyoming Game and Fish Department, Department Headquarters 5400 Bishop Boulevard Cheyenne WY 82006 USA
| | - Brandon Scurlock
- Wyoming Game and Fish Department Pinedale Regional Office 432 Mill Street Pinedale WY 82941 USA
| | - Jill Randall
- Wyoming Game and Fish Department Pinedale Regional Office 432 Mill Street Pinedale WY 82941 USA
| | - Rusty C. Kaiser
- United States Forest Service Big Piney Ranger District, 10418 South US Highway 189 Big Piney WY 83113 USA
| | - Mark Thonhoff
- Bureau of Land Management Pinedale Field Office 1625 West Pine Street Pinedale WY 82941 USA
| | - Gary L. Fralick
- Wyoming Game and Fish Department Jackson Regional Office 420 North Cache Jackson WY 83001 USA
| | - Kevin L. Monteith
- Haub School of the Environment and Natural Resources, Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Zoology and Physiology University of Wyoming 804 E Fremont Street Laramie WY 82071 USA
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27
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Pallin L, Bierlich KC, Durban J, Fearnbach H, Savenko O, Baker CS, Bell E, Double MC, de la Mare W, Goldbogen J, Johnston D, Kellar N, Nichols R, Nowacek D, Read AJ, Steel D, Friedlaender A. Demography of an ice-obligate mysticete in a region of rapid environmental change. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2022; 9:220724. [PMID: 36397972 PMCID: PMC9626259 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.220724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2022] [Accepted: 10/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Antarctic minke whales (Balaenoptera bonaerensis, AMW) are an abundant, ice-dependent species susceptible to rapid climatic changes occurring in parts of the Antarctic. Here, we used remote biopsy samples and estimates of length derived from unoccupied aircraft system (UAS) to characterize for the first time the sex ratio, maturity, and pregnancy rates of AMWs around the Western Antarctic Peninsula (WAP). DNA profiling of 82 biopsy samples (2013-2020) identified 29 individual males and 40 individual females. Blubber progesterone levels indicated 59% of all sampled females were pregnant, irrespective of maturity. When corrected for sexual maturity, the median pregnancy rate was 92.3%, indicating that most mature females become pregnant each year. We measured 68 individuals by UAS (mean = 8.04 m) and estimated that 66.5% of females were mature. This study provides the first data on the demography of AMWs along the WAP and represents the first use of non-lethal approaches to studying this species. Furthermore, these results provide baselines against which future changes in population status can be assessed in this rapidly changing marine ecosystem.
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Affiliation(s)
- L. Pallin
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, Ocean Health Building, 115 McAllister Way, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA
| | - K. C. Bierlich
- Division of Marine Science and Conservation, Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University Marine Laboratory, 135 Duke Marine Lab Road, Beaufort, NC 28516, USA
- Marine Mammal Institute, Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, & Conservation Sciences, Oregon State University, Hatfield Marine Science Center, 2030 SE Marine Science Drive, Newport, OR, USA
| | - J. Durban
- Marine Mammal Institute, Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, & Conservation Sciences, Oregon State University, Hatfield Marine Science Center, 2030 SE Marine Science Drive, Newport, OR, USA
- SeaLife Response, Rehabilitation, and Research, Des Moines, WA 98198, USA
| | - H. Fearnbach
- SeaLife Response, Rehabilitation, and Research, Des Moines, WA 98198, USA
| | - O. Savenko
- National Antarctic Scientific Center of Ukraine, 16 Taras Shevchenko Blvd, 01601, Kyiv, Ukraine
- Ukrainian Scientific Center of Ecology of the Sea, 89 Frantsuzsky Blvd, 65009, Odesa, Ukraine
| | - C. S. Baker
- Marine Mammal Institute, Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, & Conservation Sciences, Oregon State University, Hatfield Marine Science Center, 2030 SE Marine Science Drive, Newport, OR, USA
| | - E. Bell
- Australian Antarctic Division, 203 Channel Highway, Kingston, Tas 7050, Australia
| | - M. C. Double
- Australian Antarctic Division, 203 Channel Highway, Kingston, Tas 7050, Australia
| | - W. de la Mare
- Australian Antarctic Division, 203 Channel Highway, Kingston, Tas 7050, Australia
| | - J. Goldbogen
- Hopkins Marine Station, Department of Biology, Stanford University, 120 Ocean View Blvd, Pacific Grove, CA 93950, USA
| | - D. Johnston
- Division of Marine Science and Conservation, Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University Marine Laboratory, 135 Duke Marine Lab Road, Beaufort, NC 28516, USA
| | - N. Kellar
- Marine Mammal and Turtle Division, Southwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 8901 La Jolla Shores Drive, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - R. Nichols
- Institute for Marine Science, University of California Santa Cruz, Ocean Health Building, 115 McAllister Way, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA
- Department of Ocean Sciences, University of California Santa Cruz, Ocean Health Building, 115 McAllister Way, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA
| | - D. Nowacek
- Division of Marine Science and Conservation, Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University Marine Laboratory, 135 Duke Marine Lab Road, Beaufort, NC 28516, USA
| | - A. J. Read
- Division of Marine Science and Conservation, Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University Marine Laboratory, 135 Duke Marine Lab Road, Beaufort, NC 28516, USA
| | - D. Steel
- Marine Mammal Institute, Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, & Conservation Sciences, Oregon State University, Hatfield Marine Science Center, 2030 SE Marine Science Drive, Newport, OR, USA
| | - A. Friedlaender
- Institute for Marine Science, University of California Santa Cruz, Ocean Health Building, 115 McAllister Way, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA
- Department of Ocean Sciences, University of California Santa Cruz, Ocean Health Building, 115 McAllister Way, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA
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28
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Huggler KS, Holbrook JD, Hayes MM, Burke PW, Zornes M, Thompson DJ, Clapp JG, Lionberger P, Valdez M, Monteith KL. Risky business: How an herbivore navigates spatiotemporal aspects of risk from competitors and predators. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2022; 32:e2648. [PMID: 35535971 PMCID: PMC9787716 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Accepted: 03/16/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Understanding factors that influence animal behavior is central to ecology. Basic principles of animal ecology imply that individuals should seek to maximize survival and reproduction, which means carefully weighing risk against reward. Decisions become increasingly complex and constrained, however, when risk is spatiotemporally variable. We advance a growing body of work in predator-prey behavior by evaluating novel questions where a prey species is confronted with multiple predators and a potential competitor. We tested how fine-scale behavior of female mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) during the reproductive season shifted depending upon spatial and temporal variation in risk from predators and a potential competitor. We expected female deer to avoid areas of high risk when movement activity of predators and a competitor were high. We used GPS data collected from 76 adult female mule deer, 35 adult female elk, 33 adult coyotes, and six adult mountain lions. Counter to our expectations, female deer exhibited selection for multiple risk factors, however, selection for risk was dampened by the exposure to risk within home ranges of female deer, producing a functional response in habitat selection. Furthermore, temporal variation in movement activity of predators and elk across the diel cycle did not result in a shift in movement activity by female deer. Instead, the average level of risk within their home range was the predominant factor modulating the response to risk by female deer. Our results counter prevailing hypotheses of how large herbivores navigate risky landscapes and emphasize the importance of accounting for the local environment when identifying effects of risk on animal behavior. Moreover, our findings highlight additional behavioral mechanisms used by large herbivores to mitigate multiple sources of predation and potential competitive interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katey S. Huggler
- Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Zoology and PhysiologyUniversity of WyomingLaramieWyomingUSA
- Haub School of Environment and Natural ResourcesUniversity of WyomingLaramieWyomingUSA
| | - Joseph D. Holbrook
- Haub School of Environment and Natural ResourcesUniversity of WyomingLaramieWyomingUSA
| | - Matthew M. Hayes
- Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Zoology and PhysiologyUniversity of WyomingLaramieWyomingUSA
- Haub School of Environment and Natural ResourcesUniversity of WyomingLaramieWyomingUSA
| | - Patrick W. Burke
- Wyoming Game and Fish Department, Green River RegionGreen RiverWyomingUSA
| | - Mark Zornes
- Wyoming Game and Fish Department, Green River RegionGreen RiverWyomingUSA
| | - Daniel J. Thompson
- Wyoming Game and Fish Department, Large Carnivore SectionLanderWyomingUSA
| | - Justin G. Clapp
- Wyoming Game and Fish Department, Large Carnivore SectionLanderWyomingUSA
| | - Patrick Lionberger
- Bureau of Land Management, Rock Springs Field OfficeRock SpringsWyomingUSA
| | - Miguel Valdez
- Bureau of Land Management, Rock Springs Field OfficeRock SpringsWyomingUSA
| | - Kevin L. Monteith
- Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Zoology and PhysiologyUniversity of WyomingLaramieWyomingUSA
- Haub School of Environment and Natural ResourcesUniversity of WyomingLaramieWyomingUSA
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29
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Links between individual performance, trace elements and stable isotopes in an endangered caribou population. Glob Ecol Conserv 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2022.e02234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
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30
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Johnson HE, Lenart EA, Gustine DD, Adams LG, Barboza PS. Survival and reproduction in Arctic caribou are associated with summer forage and insect harassment. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.899585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Investigators have speculated that the climate-driven “greening of the Arctic” may benefit barren-ground caribou populations, but paradoxically many populations have declined in recent years. This pattern has raised concerns about the influence of summer habitat conditions on caribou demographic rates, and how populations may be impacted in the future. The short Arctic summer provides caribou with important forage resources but is also the time they are exposed to intense harassment by insects, factors which are both being altered by longer, warmer growing seasons. To better understand the effects of summer forage and insect activity on Arctic caribou demographic rates, we investigated the influence of estimated forage biomass, digestible energy (DE), digestible nitrogen (DN), and mosquito activity on the reproductive success and survival of adult females in the Central Arctic Herd on the North Slope of Alaska. We tested the hypotheses that greater early summer DN would increase subsequent reproduction (parturition and late June calving success) while greater biomass and DE would increase adult survival (September–May), and that elevated mosquito activity would reduce both demographic rates. Because the period when abundant forage DN is limited and overlaps with the period of mosquito harassment, we also expected years with low DN and high harassment to synergistically reduce caribou reproductive success. Examining these relationships at the individual-level, using GPS-collared females, and at the population-level, using long-term monitoring data, we generally found support for our expectations. Greater early summer DN was associated with increased subsequent calving success, while greater summer biomass was associated with increased adult survival. Mosquito activity was associated with reductions in adult female parturition, late June calving success, and survival, and in years with low DN, had compounding effects on subsequent late June calving success. Our findings indicate that summer nutrition and mosquito activity collectively influence the demographic rates of Arctic caribou, and may impact the dynamics of populations in the future under changing environmental conditions.
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31
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Hirtle NO, Stepanuk JEF, Heywood EI, Christiansen F, Thorne LH. Integrating
3D
models with morphometric measurements to improve volumetric estimates in marine mammals. Methods Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/2041-210x.13962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Nathan O. Hirtle
- Stony Brook University School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences Stony Brook NY USA
| | | | - Eleanor I. Heywood
- Stony Brook University School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences Stony Brook NY USA
| | - Fredrik Christiansen
- Aarhus Institute of Advanced Studies Aarhus C Denmark
- Zoophysiology, Department of Biology Aarhus University Aarhus C Denmark
| | - Lesley H. Thorne
- Stony Brook University School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences Stony Brook NY USA
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32
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Paterson JT, Proffitt KM, DeCesare NJ, Gude JA, Hebblewhite M. Evaluating the summer landscapes of predation risk and forage quality for elk ( Cervus canadensis). Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e9201. [PMID: 35979523 PMCID: PMC9366754 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.9201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2021] [Revised: 07/12/2022] [Accepted: 07/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The recovery of carnivore populations in North American has consequences for trophic interactions and population dynamics of prey. In addition to direct effects on prey populations through killing, predators can influence prey behavior by imposing the risk of predation. The mechanisms through which patterns of space use by predators are linked to behavioral response by prey and nonconsumptive effects on prey population dynamics are poorly understood. Our goal was to characterize population‐ and individual‐level patterns of resource selection by elk (Cervus canadensis) in response to risk of wolves (Canis lupus) and mountain lions (Puma concolor) and evaluate potential nonconsumptive effects of these behavioral patterns. We tested the hypothesis that individual elk risk‐avoidance behavior during summer would result in exposure to lower‐quality forage and reduced body fat and pregnancy rates. First, we evaluated individuals' second‐order and third‐order resource selection with a used‐available sampling design. At the population level, we found evidence for a positive relationship between second‐ and third‐order selection and forage, and an interaction between forage quality and mountain lion risk such that the relative probability of use at low mountain lion risk increased with forage quality but decreased at high risk at both orders of selection. We found no evidence of a population‐level trade‐off between forage quality and wolf risk. However, we found substantial among‐individual heterogeneity in resource selection patterns such that population‐level patterns were potentially misleading. We found no evidence that the diversity of individual resource selection patterns varied predictably with available resources, or that patterns of individual risk‐related resource selection translated into biologically meaningful changes in body fat or pregnancy rates. Our work highlights the importance of evaluating individual responses to predation risk and predator hunting technique when assessing responses to predators and suggests nonconsumptive effects are not operating at a population scale in this system.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Mark Hebblewhite
- Department of Ecosystem and Conservation Sciences University of Montana Missoula Montana USA
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Denryter K, Conner MM, Stephenson TR, German DW, Monteith KL. Survival of the fattest: how body fat and migration influence survival in highly seasonal environments. Funct Ecol 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.14151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kristin Denryter
- Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources University of Wyoming, 804 East Fremont Laramie WY USA
| | - Mary M. Conner
- Utah State University Department of Wildland Resources, 5320 Old Main Hill Logan UT USA
- California Department of Fish and Wildlife, 787 North Main Street, Suite 220 Bishop CA USA
| | - Thomas R. Stephenson
- California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Sierra Nevada Bighorn Sheep Recovery Program, 787 North Main Street, Suite 220 Bishop CA USA
| | - David W. German
- California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Sierra Nevada Bighorn Sheep Recovery Program, 787 North Main Street, Suite 220 Bishop CA USA
| | - Kevin L. Monteith
- Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, 804 East Fremont Laramie WY USA
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34
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Smiley RA, Wagler BL, LaSharr TN, Denryter KA, Stephenson TR, Courtemanch AB, Mong TW, Lutz D, McWhirter D, Brimeyer D, Hnilicka P, Lowrey B, Monteith KL. Heterogeneity in risk‐sensitive allocation of somatic reserves in a long‐lived mammal. Ecosphere 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.4161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Rachel A. Smiley
- Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources, Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Zoology and Physiology University of Wyoming Laramie Wyoming USA
| | - Brittany L. Wagler
- Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources, Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Zoology and Physiology University of Wyoming Laramie Wyoming USA
| | - Tayler N. LaSharr
- Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources, Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Zoology and Physiology University of Wyoming Laramie Wyoming USA
| | | | - Thomas R. Stephenson
- Sierra Nevada Bighorn Sheep Recovery Program, California Department of Fish and Wildlife Bishop California USA
| | | | - Tony W. Mong
- Wyoming Game and Fish Department Cody Wyoming USA
| | - Daryl Lutz
- Wyoming Game and Fish Department Lander Wyoming USA
| | | | - Doug Brimeyer
- Wyoming Game and Fish Department Cheyenne Wyoming USA
| | | | - Blake Lowrey
- Fish and Wildlife Ecology and Management Program, Department of Ecology Montana State University Bozeman Montana USA
| | - Kevin L. Monteith
- Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources, Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Zoology and Physiology University of Wyoming Laramie Wyoming USA
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Snobl LA, Proffitt KM, Millspaugh JJ. Wildfire extends the shelf life of elk nutritional resources regardless of fire severity. Ecosphere 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.4178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Lauren A. Snobl
- Wildlife Biology Program University of Montana Missoula Montana USA
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Kautz TM, Fowler NL, Petroelje TR, Beyer DE, Duquette JF, Belant JL. White-tailed deer exploit temporal refuge from multi-predator and human risks on roads. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e9125. [PMID: 35898426 PMCID: PMC9309034 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.9125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2022] [Revised: 05/17/2022] [Accepted: 05/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Although most prey have multiple predator species, few studies have quantified how prey respond to the temporal niches of multiple predators which pose different levels of danger. For example, intraspecific variation in diel activity allows white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) to reduce fawn activity overlap with coyotes (Canis latrans) but finding safe times of day may be more difficult for fawns in a multi-predator context. We hypothesized that within a multi-predator system, deer would allocate antipredation behavior optimally based on combined mortality risk from multiple sources, which would vary depending on fawn presence. We measured cause-specific mortality of 777 adult (>1-year-old) and juvenile (1-4-month-old) deer and used 300 remote cameras to estimate the activity of deer, humans, and predators including American black bears (Ursus americanus), bobcats (Lynx rufus), coyotes, and wolves (Canis lupus). Predation and vehicle collisions accounted for 5.3 times greater mortality in juveniles (16% mortality from bears, coyotes, bobcats, wolves, and vehicles) compared with adults (3% mortality from coyotes, wolves, and vehicles). Deer nursery groups (i.e., ≥1 fawn present) were more diurnal than adult deer without fawns, causing fawns to have 24-38% less overlap with carnivores and 39% greater overlap with humans. Supporting our hypothesis, deer nursery groups appeared to optimize diel activity to minimize combined mortality risk. Temporal refuge for fawns was likely the result of carnivores avoiding humans, simplifying diel risk of five species into a trade-off between diurnal humans and nocturnal carnivores. Functional redundancy among multiple predators with shared behaviors may partially explain why white-tailed deer fawn predation rates are often similar among single- and multi-predator systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Todd M Kautz
- College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Global Wildlife Conservation Center State University of New York Syracuse New York USA
| | - Nicholas L Fowler
- College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Global Wildlife Conservation Center State University of New York Syracuse New York USA
| | - Tyler R Petroelje
- College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Global Wildlife Conservation Center State University of New York Syracuse New York USA.,Wildlife Division Michigan Department of Natural Resources Lansing Michigan USA
| | - Dean E Beyer
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife Michigan State University East Lansing Michigan USA
| | - Jared F Duquette
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife Michigan State University East Lansing Michigan USA
| | - Jerrold L Belant
- College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Global Wildlife Conservation Center State University of New York Syracuse New York USA
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Shanebeck KM, Besson AA, Lagrue C, Green SJ. The energetic costs of sub-lethal helminth parasites in mammals: a meta-analysis. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2022; 97:1886-1907. [PMID: 35678252 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Revised: 05/02/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Parasites, by definition, have a negative effect on their host. However, in wild mammal health and conservation research, sub-lethal infections are commonly assumed to have negligible health effects unless parasites are present in overwhelming numbers. Here, we propose a definition for host health in mammals that includes sub-lethal effects of parasites on the host's capacity to adapt to the environment and maintain homeostasis. We synthesized the growing number of studies on helminth parasites in mammals to assess evidence for the relative magnitude of sub-lethal effects of infection across mammal taxa based on this expanded definition. Specifically, we develop and apply a framework for organizing disparate metrics of parasite effects on host health and body condition according to their impact on an animal's energetic condition, defined as the energetic burden of pathogens on host physiological and behavioural functions that relate directly to fitness. Applying this framework within a global meta-analysis of helminth parasites in wild, laboratory and domestic mammal hosts produced 142 peer-reviewed studies documenting 599 infection-condition effects. Analysing these data within a multiple working hypotheses framework allowed us to evaluate the relative weighted contribution of methodological (study design, sampling protocol, parasite quantification methods) and biological (phylogenetic relationships and host/parasite life history) moderators to variation in the magnitude of health effects. We found consistently strong negative effects of infection on host energetic condition across taxonomic groups, with unusually low heterogeneity in effect sizes when compared with other ecological meta-analyses. Observed effect size was significantly lower within cross-sectional studies (i.e. observational studies that investigated a sub-set of a population at a single point in time), the most prevalent methodology. Furthermore, opportunistic sampling led to a weaker negative effect compared to proactive sampling. In the model of host taxonomic group, the effect of infection on energetic condition in carnivores was not significant. However, when sampling method was included, it explained substantial inter-study variance; proactive sampling showing a strongly significant negative effect while opportunistic sampling detected only a weak, non-significant effect. This may partly underlie previous assumptions that sub-lethal parasites do not have significant effects on host health. We recommend future studies adopt energetic condition as the framework for assessing parasite effects on wildlife health and provide guidelines for the selection of research protocols, health proxies, and relating infection to fitness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyle M Shanebeck
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, 11455 Saskatchewan Drive, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Anne A Besson
- Department of Zoology, University of Otago, 340 Great King Street, Dunedin, 9016, New Zealand
| | - Clement Lagrue
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, 11455 Saskatchewan Drive, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.,Department of Zoology, University of Otago, 340 Great King Street, Dunedin, 9016, New Zealand.,Department of Conservation, 265 Princes Street, Dunedin, 9016, New Zealand
| | - Stephanie J Green
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, 11455 Saskatchewan Drive, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
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Mueller M, Johnson CJ, McNay RS. Influence of maternity penning on the success and timing of parturition by mountain caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou). CAN J ZOOL 2022. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2021-0144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Invasive conservation actions that require the capture and handling of individual animals are common, but the implications for both survival and reproduction are often not studied. Across North America, most populations of woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou Gmelin, 1788) are Threatened or Endangered. Maternity penning, where pregnant females are held in an enclosure until the calf is less vulnerable to predation, is one conservation action that is designed to increase population growth. Few studies have reported the influence of maternity penning on the occurrence or timing of parturition and the implications for reproduction. We quantified parturition success and dates of penned and free-ranging caribou within the Klinse-Za population of caribou found across east-central British Columbia, Canada. Parturition dates were identified using daily observations for penned caribou (n=41) and estimated dates for free-ranging caribou (n=27) generated using statistical modelling of GPS collar data. We related parturition outcomes to a range of ecological and environmental variables. We found that the occurrence and date of parturition did not differ between penned and free-ranging caribou. For all monitored animals there was an earlier calving date during years of higher snowfall and warmer winter weather. Our results suggested that maternity penning, a potentially invasive conservation action, did not increase or decrease the probability or date of parturition for this study population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariah Mueller
- University of Northern British Columbia, 6727, Prince George, Canada
| | - Chris J. Johnson
- University of Northern British Columbia, 6727, Department of Ecosystem Science and Management, Prince George, Canada
| | - R. Scott McNay
- Wildlife Infometrics, Inc., Research, Mackenzie, British Columbia, Canada
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Spatial and seasonal group size variation of wild mammalian herbivores in multiple use landscapes of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Tanzania. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0267082. [PMID: 35439256 PMCID: PMC9017940 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0267082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2021] [Accepted: 04/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Group sizes of wild herbivores can be indicators of ecosystem health and proxies for individual and population fitness, particularly in areas where human activities have become increasingly common. We recorded 176 single- and multi-species groups of wild herbivores in human-dominated landscapes of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA) during dry and wet seasons. We analyzed how wild herbivore group sizes were affected by: (1) season, (2) distance to fully protected area (NCA crater) and to streams, (3) distance to human settlements, and (4) numbers of livestock. Group sizes were generally larger during the wet season than during the dry season and varied seasonally with distance to NCA crater, streams, and human settlements. During the wet season, larger groups were observed further away from the NCA crater whereas the opposite pattern was apparent during the dry season. Average wild herbivore group sizes increased by about three-fold with increasing distance from the streams during the dry season but were invariant to streams during the wet season. Furthermore, during the dry season, group sizes were larger close to settlements but varied little with distance to settlements during the wet season. While livestock presence did not directly affect wild herbivore group size, distance to settlements, streams and distance to the Ngorongoro crater in interaction with rainfall seasonality did. We conclude that the NCA crater functions as a key resource area for wild herbivores such as wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus) and zebra (Equus quagga burchelli) during the dry season, highlighting the need for its full protection status in this Man and Biosphere reserve.
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40
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In defense of elemental currencies: can ecological stoichiometry stand as a framework for terrestrial herbivore nutritional ecology? Oecologia 2022; 199:27-38. [PMID: 35396976 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-022-05160-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2021] [Accepted: 04/01/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Nutritional ecologists aim to predict population or landscape-level effects of food availability, but the tools to extrapolate nutrition from small to large extents are often lacking. The appropriate nutritional ecology currencies should be able to represent consumer responses to food while simultaneously be simple enough to expand such responses to large spatial extents and link them to ecosystem functioning. Ecological stoichiometry (ES), a framework of nutritional ecology, can meet these demands, but it is typically associated with ecosystem ecology and nutrient cycling, and less often used to study wildlife nutrition. Despite the emerging zoogeochemical evidence that animals, and thus their diets, play critical roles in nutrient movement, wildlife nutritional ecology has not fully embraced ES, and ES has not incorporated nutrition in many wildlife studies. Here, we discuss how elemental currencies are "nutritionally, organismally, and ecologically explicit" in the context of terrestrial herbivore nutritional ecology. We add that ES and elemental currencies offer a means to measure resource quality across landscapes and compare nutrient availability among regions. Further, we discuss ES shortcomings and solutions, and list future directions to advance the field. As ecological studies increasingly grow in spatial extent, and attempt to link multiple levels of biological organization, integrating more simple and unifying currencies into nutritional studies, like elements, is necessary for nutritional ecology to predict herbivore occurrences and abundances across regions.
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Palm EC, Suitor MJ, Joly K, Herriges JD, Kelly AP, Hervieux D, Russell KLM, Bentzen TW, Larter NC, Hebblewhite M. Increasing fire frequency and severity will increase habitat loss for a boreal forest indicator species. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2022; 32:e2549. [PMID: 35094462 PMCID: PMC9286541 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2021] [Revised: 09/14/2021] [Accepted: 10/06/2021] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Climate change will lead to more frequent and more severe fires in some areas of boreal forests, affecting the distribution and availability of late-successional forest communities. These forest communities help to protect globally significant carbon reserves beneath permafrost layers and provide habitat for many animal species, including forest-dwelling caribou. Many caribou populations are declining, yet the mechanisms by which changing fire regimes could affect caribou declines are poorly understood. We analyzed resource selection of 686 GPS-collared female caribou from three ecotypes and 15 populations in a ~600,000 km2 region of northwest Canada and eastern Alaska. These populations span a wide gradient of fire frequency but experience low levels of human-caused habitat disturbance. We used a mixed-effects modeling framework to characterize caribou resource selection in response to burns at different seasons and spatiotemporal scales, and to test for functional responses in resource selection to burn availability. We also tested mechanisms driving observed selection patterns using burn severity and lichen cover data. Caribou avoided burns more strongly during winter relative to summer and at larger spatiotemporal scales relative to smaller scales. During the winter, caribou consistently avoided burns at both spatiotemporal scales as burn availability increased, indicating little evidence of a functional response. However, they decreased their avoidance of burns during summer as burn availability increased. Burn availability explained more variation in caribou selection for burns than ecotype. Within burns, caribou strongly avoided severely burned areas in winter, and this avoidance lasted nearly 30 years after a fire. Caribou within burns also selected higher cover of terrestrial lichen (an important caribou food source). We found a negative relationship between burn severity and lichen cover, confirming that caribou avoidance of burns was consistent with lower lichen abundance. Consistent winter avoidance of burns and severely burned areas suggests that caribou will experience increasing winter habitat loss as fire frequency and severity increase. Our results highlight the potential for climate-induced alteration of natural disturbance regimes to affect boreal biodiversity through habitat loss. We suggest that management strategies prioritizing protection of core winter range habitat with lower burn probabilities would provide important climate-change refugia for caribou.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric C. Palm
- Wildlife Biology Program, Department of Ecosystem and Conservation Sciences, W. A. Franke College of Forestry and ConservationUniversity of MontanaMissoulaMontanaUSA
| | - Michael J. Suitor
- Department of EnvironmentYukon GovernmentDawson CityYukon TerritoriesCanada
| | - Kyle Joly
- Yukon‐Charley Rivers National Preserve, National Park ServiceFairbanksAlaskaUSA
| | | | - Allicia P. Kelly
- Department of Environment and Natural ResourcesGovernment of the Northwest TerritoriesFort SmithNorthwest TerritoriesCanada
| | - Dave Hervieux
- Alberta Environment and Parks − Operations DivisionGrande PrairieAlbertaCanada
| | | | | | - Nicholas C. Larter
- Department of Environment and Natural ResourcesGovernment of the Northwest TerritoriesFort SimpsonNorthwest TerritoriesCanada
| | - Mark Hebblewhite
- Wildlife Biology Program, Department of Ecosystem and Conservation Sciences, W. A. Franke College of Forestry and ConservationUniversity of MontanaMissoulaMontanaUSA
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Smiley RA, LaSharr TN, Abernathy HN, Shakeri YN, Levine RL, Rankins ST, Jakopak RP, Rafferty RT, Kolek JT, Wagler BL, Dwinnell SPH, Robinson TJ, Randall JE, Kaiser RC, Thonhoff M, Scurlock B, Fieseler T, Fralick GL, Monteith KL. Biomarkers of Animal Nutrition: From Seasonal to Lifetime Indicators of Environmental Conditions. Life (Basel) 2022; 12:life12030375. [PMID: 35330126 PMCID: PMC8949293 DOI: 10.3390/life12030375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2022] [Revised: 02/24/2022] [Accepted: 02/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Nutrition underpins survival and reproduction in animal populations; reliable nutritional biomarkers are therefore requisites to understanding environmental drivers of population dynamics. Biomarkers vary in scope of inference and sensitivity, making it important to know what and when to measure to properly quantify biological responses. We evaluated the repeatability of three nutritional biomarkers in a large, iteroparous mammal to evaluate the level of intrinsic and extrinsic contributions to those traits. During a long-term, individual-based study in a highly variable environment, we measured body fat, body mass, and lean mass of mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) each autumn and spring. Lean mass was the most repeatable biomarker (0.72 autumn; 0.61 spring), followed by body mass (0.64 autumn; 0.53 spring), and then body fat (0.22 autumn; 0.01 spring). High repeatability in body and lean mass likely reflects primary structural composition, which is conserved across seasons. Low repeatability of body fat supports that it is the primary labile source of energy that is largely a product of environmental contributions of the previous season. Based on the disparate levels in repeatability among nutritional biomarkers, we contend that body and lean mass are better indicators of nutritional legacies (e.g., maternal effects), whereas body fat is a direct and sensitive reflection of recent nutritional gains and losses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel A. Smiley
- Haub School of the Environment and Natural Resources, University of Wyoming, 804 E Fremont St., Laramie, WY 82072, USA; (T.N.L.); (H.N.A.); (Y.N.S.); (R.L.L.); (S.T.R.); (R.P.J.); (R.T.R.); (J.T.K.); (B.L.W.); (K.L.M.)
- Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, 1000 E University Ave., Laramie, WY 82071, USA
- Correspondence:
| | - Tayler N. LaSharr
- Haub School of the Environment and Natural Resources, University of Wyoming, 804 E Fremont St., Laramie, WY 82072, USA; (T.N.L.); (H.N.A.); (Y.N.S.); (R.L.L.); (S.T.R.); (R.P.J.); (R.T.R.); (J.T.K.); (B.L.W.); (K.L.M.)
- Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, 1000 E University Ave., Laramie, WY 82071, USA
| | - Heather N. Abernathy
- Haub School of the Environment and Natural Resources, University of Wyoming, 804 E Fremont St., Laramie, WY 82072, USA; (T.N.L.); (H.N.A.); (Y.N.S.); (R.L.L.); (S.T.R.); (R.P.J.); (R.T.R.); (J.T.K.); (B.L.W.); (K.L.M.)
| | - Yasaman N. Shakeri
- Haub School of the Environment and Natural Resources, University of Wyoming, 804 E Fremont St., Laramie, WY 82072, USA; (T.N.L.); (H.N.A.); (Y.N.S.); (R.L.L.); (S.T.R.); (R.P.J.); (R.T.R.); (J.T.K.); (B.L.W.); (K.L.M.)
- Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, 1000 E University Ave., Laramie, WY 82071, USA
| | - Rebecca L. Levine
- Haub School of the Environment and Natural Resources, University of Wyoming, 804 E Fremont St., Laramie, WY 82072, USA; (T.N.L.); (H.N.A.); (Y.N.S.); (R.L.L.); (S.T.R.); (R.P.J.); (R.T.R.); (J.T.K.); (B.L.W.); (K.L.M.)
| | - Seth T. Rankins
- Haub School of the Environment and Natural Resources, University of Wyoming, 804 E Fremont St., Laramie, WY 82072, USA; (T.N.L.); (H.N.A.); (Y.N.S.); (R.L.L.); (S.T.R.); (R.P.J.); (R.T.R.); (J.T.K.); (B.L.W.); (K.L.M.)
- Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, 1000 E University Ave., Laramie, WY 82071, USA
| | - Rhiannon P. Jakopak
- Haub School of the Environment and Natural Resources, University of Wyoming, 804 E Fremont St., Laramie, WY 82072, USA; (T.N.L.); (H.N.A.); (Y.N.S.); (R.L.L.); (S.T.R.); (R.P.J.); (R.T.R.); (J.T.K.); (B.L.W.); (K.L.M.)
| | - Rebekah T. Rafferty
- Haub School of the Environment and Natural Resources, University of Wyoming, 804 E Fremont St., Laramie, WY 82072, USA; (T.N.L.); (H.N.A.); (Y.N.S.); (R.L.L.); (S.T.R.); (R.P.J.); (R.T.R.); (J.T.K.); (B.L.W.); (K.L.M.)
- Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, 1000 E University Ave., Laramie, WY 82071, USA
| | - Jaron T. Kolek
- Haub School of the Environment and Natural Resources, University of Wyoming, 804 E Fremont St., Laramie, WY 82072, USA; (T.N.L.); (H.N.A.); (Y.N.S.); (R.L.L.); (S.T.R.); (R.P.J.); (R.T.R.); (J.T.K.); (B.L.W.); (K.L.M.)
- Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, 1000 E University Ave., Laramie, WY 82071, USA
| | - Brittany L. Wagler
- Haub School of the Environment and Natural Resources, University of Wyoming, 804 E Fremont St., Laramie, WY 82072, USA; (T.N.L.); (H.N.A.); (Y.N.S.); (R.L.L.); (S.T.R.); (R.P.J.); (R.T.R.); (J.T.K.); (B.L.W.); (K.L.M.)
- Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, 1000 E University Ave., Laramie, WY 82071, USA
| | - Samantha P. H. Dwinnell
- Arctic Terrestrial Biology, The University Centre in Svalbard, P.O. Box 156 N−9187, 9170 Longyearbyen, Norway;
| | - Timothy J. Robinson
- Department of Mathematics & Statistics, University of Wyoming, Department 3036, 1000 E University Ave., Laramie, WY 82071, USA;
| | - Jill E. Randall
- Wyoming Game and Fish Department, Pinedale Regional Office, 432 Mill St., Pinedale, WY 82941, USA; (J.E.R.); (B.S.); (T.F.)
| | - Rusty C. Kaiser
- United States Forest Service, Big Piney Ranger District, 10418 South US Highway 189, Big Piney, WY 83113, USA;
| | - Mark Thonhoff
- Bureau of Land Management, Pinedale Field Office, 1625 West Pine St., Pinedale, WY 82941, USA;
| | - Brandon Scurlock
- Wyoming Game and Fish Department, Pinedale Regional Office, 432 Mill St., Pinedale, WY 82941, USA; (J.E.R.); (B.S.); (T.F.)
| | - Troy Fieseler
- Wyoming Game and Fish Department, Pinedale Regional Office, 432 Mill St., Pinedale, WY 82941, USA; (J.E.R.); (B.S.); (T.F.)
| | - Gary L. Fralick
- Wyoming Game and Fish Department, Jackson Regional Office, 420 North Cache, Jackson, WY 83001, USA;
| | - Kevin L. Monteith
- Haub School of the Environment and Natural Resources, University of Wyoming, 804 E Fremont St., Laramie, WY 82072, USA; (T.N.L.); (H.N.A.); (Y.N.S.); (R.L.L.); (S.T.R.); (R.P.J.); (R.T.R.); (J.T.K.); (B.L.W.); (K.L.M.)
- Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, 1000 E University Ave., Laramie, WY 82071, USA
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Compensatory human and predator risk trade-offs in neonatal white-tailed deer. Glob Ecol Conserv 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2022.e02089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
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44
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Hayes FP, Millspaugh JJ, Bergman EJ, Callaway RM, Bishop CJ. Effects of willow nutrition and morphology on calving success of moose. J Wildl Manage 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.22175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Forest P. Hayes
- Wildlife Biology Program University of Montana Missoula, MT 59812 USA
| | | | | | - Ragan M. Callaway
- Wildlife Biology Program University of Montana Missoula, MT 59812 USA
| | - Chad J. Bishop
- Wildlife Biology Program University of Montana Missoula, MT 59812 USA
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45
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McGraw AM, Storm DJ, Bronson DR, Pearson T. Habitat and weather influence body condition in white‐tailed deer, Wisconsin, USA. J Wildl Manage 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.22176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Amanda M. McGraw
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources 107 Sutliff Avenue Rhinelander WI 54501 USA
| | - Daniel J. Storm
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources 1300 W. Clairemont Eau Claire WI USA
| | - Dustin R. Bronson
- Forest Service Northern Forest Research Station 5985 County Highway K Rhinelander WI 54501 USA
| | - Teresa Pearson
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources 107 Sutliff Avenue Rhinelander WI 54501 USA
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46
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Denryter K, Cook RC, Cook JG, Parker KL. Animal‐defined resources reveal nutritional inadequacies for woodland caribou during summer–autumn. J Wildl Manage 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.22161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kristin Denryter
- Natural Resources and Environmental Studies University of Northern British Columbia 3333 University Way Prince George V2N 4Z9 BC Canada
| | - Rachel C. Cook
- National Council for Air and Stream Improvement, Forestry and Range Sciences Laboratory 1401 Gekeler Lane La Grande 97850 OR USA
| | - John G. Cook
- National Council for Air and Stream Improvement, Forestry and Range Sciences Laboratory 1401 Gekeler Lane La Grande 97850 OR USA
| | - Katherine L. Parker
- Natural Resources and Environmental Studies University of Northern British Columbia 3333 University Way Prince George V2N 4Z9 BC Canada
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47
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Webber QM, Ferraro K, Hendrix J, Vander Wal E. What do caribou eat? A review of the literature on caribou diet. CAN J ZOOL 2022. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2021-0162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Historically the study of diet caribou and reindeer (Rangifer tarandus (Gmelin, 1788)) has been specific to herds and few comprehensive circumpolar analyses of Rangifer diet exist. As a result, the importance of certain diet items may play an outsized role in the caribou diet zeitgeist, e.g., lichen. It is incumbent to challenge this notion and test the relevant importance of various diet items within the context of prevailing hypotheses. We provide a systematic overview of 30 caribou studies reporting caribou diet and test biologically relevant hypotheses about spatial and temporal dietary variation. Our results indicate that in the winter caribou primarily consume lichen, but in warmer seasons, and primary productivity is lower, caribou primarily consume graminoids and other vascular plants. In more productive environments, where caribou have more competitors and predators, consumption of lichen increased. Overall, our description of caribou diet reveals that caribou diet is highly variable, but in circumstances where they can consume vascular plants, they will. As climate change affects Boreal and Arctic ecosystems, the type and volume of food consumed by caribou has become an increasingly important focus for conservation and management of caribou.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quinn M.R. Webber
- Memorial University of Newfoundland, 7512, Cognitive and Behavioural Ecology, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
- University of Colorado Boulder, 1877, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Boulder, Colorado, United States
| | - Kristy Ferraro
- Yale University, 5755, School of the Environment, New Haven, Connecticut, United States
| | - Jack Hendrix
- Memorial University of Newfoundland, 7512, Cognitive and Behavioural Ecology, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
| | - Eric Vander Wal
- Memorial University of Newfoundland, 7512, Biology, 232 Elizabeth Ave, Saint John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, A1B 3X9,
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R. Hoy S, Forbey JS, Melody DP, Vucetich LM, Peterson RO, Koitzsch KB, Koitzsch LO, Von Duyke AL, Henderson JJ, Parikh GL, Vucetich JA. The nutritional condition of moose co‐varies with climate, but not with density, predation risk or diet composition. OIKOS 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.08498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sarah R. Hoy
- College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, Michigan Technological Univ. Houghton MI USA
| | | | | | - Leah M. Vucetich
- College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, Michigan Technological Univ. Houghton MI USA
| | - Rolf O. Peterson
- College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, Michigan Technological Univ. Houghton MI USA
| | - K. B. Koitzsch
- College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, Michigan Technological Univ. Houghton MI USA
- K2 Consulting Waitsfield VT USA
| | - Lisa O. Koitzsch
- College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, Michigan Technological Univ. Houghton MI USA
- K2 Consulting Waitsfield VT USA
| | | | - John J. Henderson
- College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, Michigan Technological Univ. Houghton MI USA
| | - Grace L. Parikh
- College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, Michigan Technological Univ. Houghton MI USA
| | - John A. Vucetich
- College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, Michigan Technological Univ. Houghton MI USA
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49
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A fat chance of survival: Body condition provides life-history dependent buffering of environmental change in a wild mammal population. CLIMATE CHANGE ECOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ecochg.2021.100022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
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50
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Delu V, Dharambir Singh, Sumit Dookia, Priya, Kiran. Seasonal food preferences and group activity pattern of Blackbuck Antilope cervicapra (L., 1758) (Mammalia: Cetartiodactyla: Bovidae) in a semi-arid region of western Haryana, India. JOURNAL OF THREATENED TAXA 2021. [DOI: 10.11609/jott.7086.13.13.19937-19947] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
To evaluate food preferences and group activity patterns, a fragmented population of Blackbuck Antilope cervicapra was selected for observation in a semi-arid ecosystem of western Haryana. A field survey was conducted fortnightly, from dawn to dusk, between September 2019 and August 2020, covering every season. Scan sampling and quadrat methods were used to record data on group size and vegetation. Group sizes ranged from 3 to 72 individuals. Based on visual observation, blackbuck seasonally consumed 26 species belonging to 25 families with varied preferences, out of a total of 53 plant species documented from the study site. Some plant species with high medicinal and therapeutic values were preferred, including Artemisia scoparia, Cucumis callous, Ziziphus jujuba, and Ziziphus nummularia. Unlike most herbivores, Blackbuck also consumed the toxic and medicinally rich Calotropis procera. We suggest that zoos which house blackbuck include these preferred wild plant species in their diet. Observations on group activity were analyzed on hourly, monthly and seasonal bases, and converted into time percentages. Group foraging activity was at a maximum in the monsoon (62%) and minimum in winter (50%), followed by resting: maximum in winter (21%) and minimum (12%) in monsoon, largely influenced by food availability. Foraging/walking ratio was at a maximum (5.2) in monsoon and minimum (3.1) in winter, and was correlated with the number of group sightings (maximum in winter and minimum in monsoon) in nearby farmland, when the animals faced food scarcity in their natural habitat and fed on crops.
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