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van Beest FM, Schmidt NM, Frederiksen ML, Krogh AKH, Petersen HH, Hansson SV. Direct and Indirect Linkages Between Trace Element Status and Health Indicators - a Multi-tissue Case-Study of Two Deer Species in Denmark. Biol Trace Elem Res 2024; 202:3623-3638. [PMID: 37917250 PMCID: PMC11144132 DOI: 10.1007/s12011-023-03926-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/22/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023]
Abstract
Measuring trace element concentrations in tissue can be a valuable approach to monitor animal health status. Temporal variation in the absorption, transport, and storage of elements between different tissues can, however, complicate the assessment of element-health relationships. Here, we measured concentrations of selected essential (copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), selenium (Se)) and non-essential (arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb)) trace elements within blood, liver, kidney, and hair of fallow deer (Dama dama; N=20) and red deer (Cervus elaphus; N=21). Using multivariate regression and structural equation models, we estimated direct and indirect linkages between tissue-specific trace element profiles and long- (body condition) and short-term (serum protein biomarkers for acute inflammation, infection, and malnutrition) health indicators. Trace element concentrations varied markedly and were weakly correlated among tissues, with the exception of Se. After accounting for sex- and site-differences in trace element concentrations, body condition of red deer was directly, and positively, associated to trace element status in liver and hair, but not in kidney. For both deer species, trace element status in blood was directly linked to serum protein status with an indirect positive association to deer body condition. For fallow deer, no direct association between trace element status and body condition was detected in any of the tissues, possibly because of elemental homeostasis, and because all individuals were in good clinical health. This study shows that hair can serve as an effective, non-invasive, biomarker in deer health assessments, yet, to fully uncover trace element-health relationships a variety of sample matrices is preferred.
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Affiliation(s)
- Floris M van Beest
- Department of Ecoscience, Aarhus University, Frederiksborgvej 399, DK-4000, Roskilde, Denmark.
| | - Niels M Schmidt
- Department of Ecoscience, Aarhus University, Frederiksborgvej 399, DK-4000, Roskilde, Denmark
| | | | - Anne K H Krogh
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Dyrlægevej 16, DK-1870, Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Heidi H Petersen
- Center for Diagnostics, Technical University of Denmark, Kemitorvet, DK-2800, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Sophia V Hansson
- Laboratoire Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Environnement (UMR- 5245), CNRS, Université de Toulouse, Ave. de l'Agrobiopole, 31326, Castanet Tolosan, France
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2
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Jensen AJ, Muthersbaugh M, Ruth CR, Butfiloski JW, Cantrell J, Adams J, Waits L, Kilgo JC, Jachowski DS. Resource pulses shape seasonal and individual variation in the diet of an omnivorous carnivore. Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e11632. [PMID: 38966241 PMCID: PMC11222735 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.11632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2024] [Revised: 06/01/2024] [Accepted: 06/06/2024] [Indexed: 07/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Resource pulses are ecologically important phenomenon that occur in most ecosystems globally. Following optimal foraging theory, many consumers switch to pulsatile foods when available, examples of which include fruit mast and vulnerable young prey. Yet how the availability of resource pulses shapes the ecology of predators is still an emerging area of research; and how much individual variation there is in response to pulses is not well understood. We hypothesized that resource pulses would lead to dietary convergence in our population, which we tested by tracking both population-level and individual coyote diets for 3 years in South Carolina, USA. We (1) described seasonal dietary shifts in relation to resource pulses; (2) compared male and female diets across seasons; and (3) tested this dietary convergence hypothesis by quantifying individual dietary variation both across and within periods when resource pulses were available. We found that pulses of white-tailed deer fawns and blackberries composed over half of coyote diet in summer, and persimmon fruits were an important component in fall. Male and female coyotes generally had similar diets, but males consumed more deer in fall, perhaps driven by scavenging more. We found support for our dietary convergence hypothesis, where individuals had more similar diets during resource pulses compared to a non-pulse period. We also found that this convergence happened before peak availability, suggesting a non-symmetric response to pulse availability. We show that nearly all coyotes eat fawns, suggesting that targeted efforts to remove "fawn killers" would be in vain. Instead, given how quickly coyotes collectively converge on resource pulses, our findings show that resource pulses could potentially be used by managers to alter the behavior of apex predators. More broadly, we open a new line of inquiry into how variation in individual foraging decisions scales up to shape the effects of resource pulses on ecological communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex J. Jensen
- Department of Forestry and Environmental ConservationClemson UniversityClemsonSouth CarolinaUSA
- North Carolina Museum of Natural SciencesRaleighNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - Michael Muthersbaugh
- Department of Forestry and Environmental ConservationClemson UniversityClemsonSouth CarolinaUSA
| | - Charles R. Ruth
- South Carolina Department of Natural ResourcesColumbiaSouth CarolinaUSA
| | | | - Jay Cantrell
- South Carolina Department of Natural ResourcesColumbiaSouth CarolinaUSA
| | - Jennifer Adams
- Department of Fish and Wildlife SciencesUniversity of IdahoMoscowIdahoUSA
| | - Lisette Waits
- Department of Fish and Wildlife SciencesUniversity of IdahoMoscowIdahoUSA
| | - John C. Kilgo
- United States Forest Service Southern Research StationNew EllentonSouth CarolinaUSA
| | - David S. Jachowski
- Department of Forestry and Environmental ConservationClemson UniversityClemsonSouth CarolinaUSA
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3
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Dobor L, Baldo M, Bílek L, Barka I, Máliš F, Štěpánek P, Hlásny T. The interacting effect of climate change and herbivory can trigger large-scale transformations of European temperate forests. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2024; 30:e17194. [PMID: 38385958 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.17194] [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: 03/02/2023] [Revised: 01/25/2024] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024]
Abstract
In many regions of Europe, large wild herbivores alter forest community composition through their foraging preferences, hinder the forest's natural adaptive responses to climate change, and reduce ecosystem resilience. We investigated a widespread European forest type, a mixed forest dominated by Picea abies, which has recently experienced an unprecedented level of disturbance across the continent. Using the forest landscape model iLand, we investigated the combined effect of climate change and herbivory on forest structure, composition, and carbon and identified conditions leading to ecosystem transitions on a 300-year timescale. Eight climate change scenarios, driven by Representative Concentration Pathways 4.5 and 8.5, combined with three levels of regeneration browsing, were tested. We found that the persistence of the current level of browsing pressure impedes adaptive changes in community composition and sustains the presence of the vulnerable yet less palatable P. abies. These development trajectories were tortuous, characterized by a high disturbance intensity. On the contrary, reduced herbivory initiated a transformation towards the naturally dominant broadleaved species that was associated with an increased forest carbon and a considerably reduced disturbance. The conditions of RCP4.5 combined with high and moderate browsing levels preserved the forest within its reference range of variability, defining the actual boundaries of resilience. The remaining combinations of browsing and climate change led to ecosystem transitions. Under RCP4.5 with browsing effects excluded, the new equilibrium conditions were achieved within 120 years, whereas the stabilization was delayed by 50-100 years under RCP8.5 with higher browsing intensities. We conclude that forests dominated by P. abies are prone to transitions driven by climate change. However, reducing herbivory can set the forest on a stable and predictable trajectory, whereas sustaining the current browsing levels can lead to heightened disturbance activity, extended transition times, and high variability in the target conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Dobor
- Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague, Prague 6, Suchdol, Czech Republic
| | - Marco Baldo
- Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague, Prague 6, Suchdol, Czech Republic
| | - Lukáš Bílek
- Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague, Prague 6, Suchdol, Czech Republic
| | - Ivan Barka
- National Forest Centre - Forest Research Institute Zvolen, Zvolen, Slovakia
| | - František Máliš
- National Forest Centre - Forest Research Institute Zvolen, Zvolen, Slovakia
- Faculty of Forestry, Technical University Zvolen, Zvolen, Slovakia
| | - Petr Štěpánek
- Global Change Research Institute, Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Tomáš Hlásny
- Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague, Prague 6, Suchdol, Czech Republic
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4
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Fabri ND, Heesterbeek H, Cromsigt JPGM, Ecke F, Sprong H, Nijhuis L, Hofmeester TR, Hartemink N. Exploring the influence of host community composition on the outbreak potential of Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2024; 15:102275. [PMID: 37922668 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2023.102275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2023] [Revised: 10/18/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023]
Abstract
In large parts of the northern hemisphere, multiple deer species coexist, and management actions can strongly influence wild deer communities. Such changes may also indirectly influence other species in the community, such as small mammals and birds, because deer can have strong effects on their habitats and resources. Deer, small mammals and birds play an important role in the dynamics of tick-borne zoonotic diseases. It is, however, relatively underexplored how the abundance and composition of vertebrate communities may affect the outbreak potential, maintenance and circulation of tick-borne pathogens. In this study we focus on the outbreak potential by exploring how the basic reproduction number R0 for different tick-borne pathogens depends on host community composition. We used published data on co-varying roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) and fallow deer (Dama dama) densities following a hunting ban, and different small mammal and bird densities, to investigate how the change in host community influences the R0 of four tick-borne pathogens: one non-zoonotic, namely Anaplasma phagocytophilum ecotype 2, and three zoonotic, namely A. phagocytophilum ecotype 1, Borrelia afzelii and Borrelia garinii. We calculated R0 using a next generation matrix approach, and used elasticities to quantify the contributions to R0 of the different groups of host species. The value of R0 for A. phagocytophilum ecotype 1 was higher with high fallow deer density and low roe deer density, while it was the other way round for A. phagocytophilum ecotype 2. For B. afzelii, R0 was mostly related to the density of small mammals and for B. garinii it was mostly determined by bird density. Our results show that the effect of species composition is substantial in the outbreak potential of tick-borne pathogens. This implies that also management actions that change this composition, can (indirectly and unintentionally) affect the outbreak potential of tick-borne diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nannet D Fabri
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies, Faculty of Forest Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 901 83 Umeå, Sweden; Department of Population Health Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 7, 3584 CL Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Hans Heesterbeek
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 7, 3584 CL Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Joris P G M Cromsigt
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies, Faculty of Forest Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 901 83 Umeå, Sweden; Centre for African Conservation Ecology, Department of Zoology, Nelson Mandela University, PO Box 77000, Port Elizabeth 6031, South Africa; Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development, Faculty of Geosciences, Utrecht University, Princetonlaan 8a, 3584 CB Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Frauke Ecke
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies, Faculty of Forest Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 901 83 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Hein Sprong
- Centre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Antonie van Leeuwenhoeklaan 9, 3721 MA Bilthoven, the Netherlands
| | - Lonneke Nijhuis
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 7, 3584 CL Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Tim R Hofmeester
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies, Faculty of Forest Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 901 83 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Nienke Hartemink
- Biometris, Wageningen University and Research, Droevendaalsesteeg 1, 6708 PB Wageningen, the Netherlands.
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5
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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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6
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Pringle RM, Abraham JO, Anderson TM, Coverdale TC, Davies AB, Dutton CL, Gaylard A, Goheen JR, Holdo RM, Hutchinson MC, Kimuyu DM, Long RA, Subalusky AL, Veldhuis MP. Impacts of large herbivores on terrestrial ecosystems. Curr Biol 2023; 33:R584-R610. [PMID: 37279691 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.04.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Large herbivores play unique ecological roles and are disproportionately imperiled by human activity. As many wild populations dwindle towards extinction, and as interest grows in restoring lost biodiversity, research on large herbivores and their ecological impacts has intensified. Yet, results are often conflicting or contingent on local conditions, and new findings have challenged conventional wisdom, making it hard to discern general principles. Here, we review what is known about the ecosystem impacts of large herbivores globally, identify key uncertainties, and suggest priorities to guide research. Many findings are generalizable across ecosystems: large herbivores consistently exert top-down control of plant demography, species composition, and biomass, thereby suppressing fires and the abundance of smaller animals. Other general patterns do not have clearly defined impacts: large herbivores respond to predation risk but the strength of trophic cascades is variable; large herbivores move vast quantities of seeds and nutrients but with poorly understood effects on vegetation and biogeochemistry. Questions of the greatest relevance for conservation and management are among the least certain, including effects on carbon storage and other ecosystem functions and the ability to predict outcomes of extinctions and reintroductions. A unifying theme is the role of body size in regulating ecological impact. Small herbivores cannot fully substitute for large ones, and large-herbivore species are not functionally redundant - losing any, especially the largest, will alter net impact, helping to explain why livestock are poor surrogates for wild species. We advocate leveraging a broad spectrum of techniques to mechanistically explain how large-herbivore traits and environmental context interactively govern the ecological impacts of these animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert M Pringle
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA.
| | - Joel O Abraham
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - T Michael Anderson
- Department of Biology, Wake Forest University, Winston Salem, NC 27109, USA
| | - Tyler C Coverdale
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA; Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Andrew B Davies
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | | | | | - Jacob R Goheen
- Department of Zoology & Physiology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82072, USA
| | - Ricardo M Holdo
- Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Matthew C Hutchinson
- Department of Life & Environmental Sciences, University of California Merced, Merced, CA 95343, USA
| | - Duncan M Kimuyu
- Department of Natural Resources, Karatina University, Karatina, Kenya
| | - Ryan A Long
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID 83844, USA
| | - Amanda L Subalusky
- Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Michiel P Veldhuis
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Leiden University, 2333 CC Leiden, The Netherlands
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7
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Is endozoochoric seed dispersal by large herbivores an evolutionary adaptation? Revisiting the Janzen's ‘Foliage is the fruit’ hypothesis. ACTA OECOLOGICA 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.actao.2022.103888] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
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8
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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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9
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Animal board invited review: Grassland-based livestock farming and biodiversity. Animal 2022; 16:100671. [PMID: 36436479 PMCID: PMC9763128 DOI: 10.1016/j.animal.2022.100671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2022] [Revised: 10/06/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Grasslands dominate land cover nationally and globally, and their composition, structure and habitat value are strongly influenced by the actions of domestic and wild grazing animals that feed on them. Different pastures are characterised by varying opportunities for selective feeding by livestock; agronomically improved, sown swards generally consist of a limited range of plant species whereas longer-term leys and semi-natural grasslands are characterised by a more diverse mixture of plants. In the case of botanically diverse permanent pastures/grazing lands, the dietary preferences of different grazers have a more pronounced effect on the botanical composition of the sward in the longer term. Selection of a dominant species within the sward can give less abundant components a chance to compete, increasing community evenness and species richness. Conversely, the selection of minor components reduces sward compositional heterogeneity and hence plant species richness and evenness. Body size, gut type (foregut vs hindgut fermentation), physiological status (growing, pregnant, lactating), metabolic status (extent of body reserves) and environmental conditions all influence the nutrient requirements of a given animal and related foraging priorities. The diet selected is also strongly influenced by the availability of preferred food items, and their vertical and horizontal distribution within the sward. In general, larger animals, such as cattle and horses, are less selective grazers than smaller animals, such as sheep and goats. They are quicker to switch to consuming less-preferred sward components as the availability of preferred resources declines due to their greater forage demands, and as a result can be very effective in controlling competitive plant species consistently avoided by more selective grazers. As a result, low-intensity mixed grazing of cattle and sheep has been shown to improve the diversity and abundance of a range of taxa within grazed ecosystems. Mixed/co-species grazing with different animals exploiting different grassland resources is also associated with increased pasture use efficiency in terms of the use of different sward components and related improvements in nutritional value. In situations where cattle are not available, for example if they are not considered commercially viable, alternative species such as goats, ponies or South American camelids may offer an opportunity to diversify income streams and maintain productive and biodiverse pastures/grazing lands. Stocking rate and timing of grazing also have a considerable role in determining the impact of grazing. Regardless of the species grazing or the pasture grazed, grazing systems are dynamic since selective grazing impacts the future availability of sward components and subsequently dietary choices. New technologies under development provide opportunities to monitor plant/animal interactions more closely and in real time, which will in future support active management to deliver targeted biodiversity gains from specific sites.
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10
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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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11
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Bounaceur F, Benamor N, Bissaad FZ, Lasgaa F, Baghadid S, Rezigua F, Aulagnier S. Feeding ecology of the vulnerable aoudad (
Ammotragus lervia
) in north‐western Sahara. Afr J Ecol 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/aje.13079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Farid Bounaceur
- Equipe de recherche Biologie de la conservation en zones arides et semi‐arides, Laboratoire Agronomie Environnement, Faculté des Sciences et de Technologie, Département des Sciences de la Nature et de la Vie Université de Tissemesilt Tissemesilt Algeria
| | - Naceur Benamor
- Département des Sciences de la Nature et de la Vie Université Ibn Khaldoun Tiaret Algeria
| | - Fatima Zohra Bissaad
- Département des Sciences de la Nature et de la Vie Université M'hamed Bouguerra Boumerdes Algeria
| | - Faten Lasgaa
- Département des Sciences Naturelles École Normale Supérieure de Kouba Alger Algeria
| | - Sabah Baghadid
- Département des Sciences de la Nature et de la Vie Université Ibn Khaldoun Tiaret Algeria
| | - Faiza Rezigua
- Département des Sciences de la Nature et de la Vie Université Ibn Khaldoun Tiaret Algeria
| | - Stéphane Aulagnier
- Comportement et Ecologie de la Faune Sauvage I.N.R.A., Université de Toulouse Castanet‐Tolosan Cedex France
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12
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Konôpka B, Šebeň V, Pajtík J, Shipley LA. Influence of Tree Species and Size on Bark Browsing by Large Wild Herbivores. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 11:2925. [PMID: 36365378 PMCID: PMC9653979 DOI: 10.3390/plants11212925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2022] [Revised: 10/25/2022] [Accepted: 10/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Although an important part of the ecosystem, large wild herbivores (LWH), especially red deer (Cervus elaphus L.), cause significant damage to economically valuable timber in forests of Central Europe. Recent work has demonstrated that less valuable softwood broadleaved trees can act as “biological control” that helps reduce bark browsing on more valuable trees in a mixed stand. To better understand the factors that influence how much bark area and mass are removed by LWH from these broadleaved trees, we took advantage of a novel “natural” experiment that occurred after a breach in a herbivory exclosure surrounding a 10-year old mixed broadleaved/conifer stand in the Western Carpathians in north-western Slovakia. We measured the area of old (up to 2 years previously) and new browsed patches on stems of common aspen (Populus tremula L.), common rowan (Sorbus aucuparia L.) and goat willow (Salix caprea L.), and their position along the vertical profile of the stem. The browsed bark area (cm2) was then converted to the bark mass (g) removed and the proportion of browsed bark to total bark (%) using conversion equations. Our models demonstrated that the amount of bark removed was influenced by tree species, stem diameter, age of browsing (old vs. new), and stem section along the vertical profile. LWH removed the most bark area from willow but the most bark mass from aspen because aspen had thicker bark than the other tree species. Bark browsing was greater on trees > 6 cm basal diameter. The distribution of bark browsing along the vertical profile was symmetrical (unimodal) with maximum intensity at 101−125 cm from the ground, which corresponds with the height most optimal for feeding by red deer. However, previous browsing in 2019 and 2020 caused new browsing on willow in 2021 to be focused in stem sections lower (51−75 cm) and higher (126−150 cm) than that optima. By quantifying browsing patterns and the amount of bark that is accessible to LWH for forage on the most attractive softwood broadleaved trees, our work will contribute to developing better methods for protecting commercially important species such as European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) and Norway spruce (Picea abies L. Karst.) in areas of Central Europe that are greatly affected by increasing population density of LWH, especially red deer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bohdan Konôpka
- National Forest Centre, Forest Research Institute, T. G. Masaryka 22, SK-960 01 Zvolen, Slovakia
- Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, CZ-165 000 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Vladimír Šebeň
- National Forest Centre, Forest Research Institute, T. G. Masaryka 22, SK-960 01 Zvolen, Slovakia
| | - Jozef Pajtík
- National Forest Centre, Forest Research Institute, T. G. Masaryka 22, SK-960 01 Zvolen, Slovakia
| | - Lisa A. Shipley
- School of the Environment, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164-2812, USA
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Rupprecht D, Jedrzejek B, Hölzel N. Fallow deer foraging alone does not preserve the vegetation of traditionally sheep‐grazed calcareous grasslands. J Appl Ecol 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.14253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Denise Rupprecht
- University of Münster, Institute of Landscape Ecology, Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research Group Münster Germany
| | - Birgit Jedrzejek
- University of Münster, Institute of Landscape Ecology, Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research Group Münster Germany
| | - Norbert Hölzel
- University of Münster, Institute of Landscape Ecology, Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research Group Münster Germany
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14
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Fedyń I, Przepióra F, Sobociński W, Wyka J, Ciach M. Eurasian beaver - A semi-aquatic ecosystem engineer rearranges the assemblage of terrestrial mammals in winter. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 831:154919. [PMID: 35364166 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.154919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2022] [Revised: 03/25/2022] [Accepted: 03/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
There is increasing awareness of the ecosystem engineering services provided by recovering populations of Eurasian beaver. By modifying aquatic environments, this species has a significant, positive influence on biodiversity. Beaver activity affects not only aquatic ecosystems but also terrestrial habitats and organisms. Our study compares and evaluates the species richness and activity of terrestrial mammals in winter at beaver ponds (N = 65) and randomly-selected reference sites along nearby watercourses unmodified by beavers (N = 65) in Poland (central Europe). Mammal assemblages were investigated near pond/watercourse edges, and also at some distance from them. The species richness of mammal and numbers of their tracks were respectively 25% and 33% greater on the beaver than on the reference sites. The higher species richness on beaver sites extended to areas 40-60 m distant from ponds, devoid any signs of beaver activity. Twenty-three mammal species were recorded on beaver sites (mean species richness 3.8 ± 1.6 SD), and 20 on reference ones (3.0 ± 1.5 SD). The numbers of tracks of grey wolf, least weasel and European polecat were higher on beaver than reference sites. Mammal species richness and activity were related to the existence of beaver ponds, but were also correlated with the numbers of snags and coverage of grass, bramble and coniferous saplings in neighbouring terrestrial habitats. Large and small carnivores occurred more frequently and were more active on beaver sites. The frequencies of occurrence of mesocarnivores, mesoherbivores and small herbivores were correlated with habitat characteristics, regardless of whether beavers were present or not. Our results highlight the fact that both pond creation and the habitat changes resulting from the presence of beavers rearrange the occurrence and activity of the terrestrial mammal assemblage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Izabela Fedyń
- Department of Forest Biodiversity, Faculty of Forestry, University of Agriculture, al. 29 Listopada 46, 31-425 Kraków, Poland
| | - Fabian Przepióra
- Department of Forest Biodiversity, Faculty of Forestry, University of Agriculture, al. 29 Listopada 46, 31-425 Kraków, Poland
| | - Wojciech Sobociński
- Institute of Biology, University of Bialystok, ul. Ciołkowskiego 1J, 15-245 Białystok, Poland
| | - Jakub Wyka
- Department of Forest Biodiversity, Faculty of Forestry, University of Agriculture, al. 29 Listopada 46, 31-425 Kraków, Poland
| | - Michał Ciach
- Department of Forest Biodiversity, Faculty of Forestry, University of Agriculture, al. 29 Listopada 46, 31-425 Kraków, Poland.
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15
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Holík J, Janík D. Seed and seedling predation by vertebrates mediates the effects of adult trees in two temperate tree species. Oecologia 2022; 199:625-636. [PMID: 35661249 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-022-05203-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 05/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Specialised natural enemies can locally suppress seeds and seedlings near conspecific adults more than far from them. Whilst this is thought to facilitate species coexistence, the relative contribution of multiple enemies to whether heterospecific seeds and seedlings rather than conspecifics perform better beneath a particular adult species remains less clear, especially in regions with spatially extensive monodominant stands. We designed a field exclusion experiment to separate the effects of fungi, insects and vertebrates on the seedling establishment and early survival of two temperate tree species, Fagus sylvatica and Picea abies, in the adult tree monocultures of these species. Our experiment demonstrates the key role of vertebrates in mediating the effects of adult trees on seeds and seedlings. Due to vertebrates and partly insects, Fagus sylvatica seedlings survived worse beneath conspecific than heterospecific adults and were also outperformed by Picea abies seedlings beneath their own adults. Picea abies seedling establishment was higher beneath conspecific than heterospecific adults, but Fagus sylvatica seedlings outperformed them beneath their own adults. The impact of enemies on Picea abies establishment beneath conspecific adults was less clear. Fungi did not influence seedling establishment and survival. Our findings highlight the need to compare enemy impacts on each seedling species beneath conspecific and heterospecific adults with their impacts on conspecific and heterospecific seedlings beneath a particular adult species. Such evaluations can shed more light on the role of enemies in tree communities by identifying the plant-enemy interactions that facilitate species coexistence and those that promote species monodominance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Holík
- Department of Forest Ecology, The Silva Tarouca Research Institute for Landscape and Ornamental Gardening, Lidická 25/27, 602 00, Brno, Czech Republic.
- Department of Silviculture, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, Mendel University in Brno, Zemědělská 3, 613 00, Brno, Czech Republic.
| | - David Janík
- Department of Forest Ecology, The Silva Tarouca Research Institute for Landscape and Ornamental Gardening, Lidická 25/27, 602 00, Brno, Czech Republic
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Tell me what you eat and I’ll tell you…where you live: an updated review of the worldwide distribution and foraging ecology of the fallow deer (Dama dama). Mamm Biol 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s42991-022-00250-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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17
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van Beeck Calkoen STS, Deis MH, Oeser J, Kuijper DPJ, Heurich M. Humans rather than Eurasian lynx (
Lynx lynx
) shape ungulate browsing patterns in a temperate forest. Ecosphere 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3931] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Suzanne T. S. van Beeck Calkoen
- Department of Visitor Management and National Park Monitoring Bavarian Forest National Park Grafenau Germany
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and Management Albert Ludwigs University Freiburg Freiburg Germany
| | - Michele H. Deis
- Forest Research Institute of Baden‐Württemberg Freiburg Germany
| | - Julian Oeser
- Geography Department Humboldt‐Universität zu Berlin Berlin Germany
| | | | - Marco Heurich
- Department of Visitor Management and National Park Monitoring Bavarian Forest National Park Grafenau Germany
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and Management Albert Ludwigs University Freiburg Freiburg Germany
- Faculty of Applied Ecology, Agricultural Sciences and Biotechnology Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences Koppang Norway
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18
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Dynamics and predicted distribution of an irrupting ‘sleeper’ population: fallow deer in Tasmania. Biol Invasions 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s10530-021-02703-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
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Hecker LJ, Edwards MA, Nielsen SE. Assessing the nutritional consequences of switching foraging behavior in wood bison. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:16165-16176. [PMID: 34824819 PMCID: PMC8601871 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8298] [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: 06/08/2021] [Revised: 10/17/2021] [Accepted: 10/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Diet is one of the most common traits used to organize species of animals into niches. For ruminant herbivores, the breadth and uniqueness of their dietary niche are placed on a spectrum from browsers that consume woody (i.e., browse) and herbaceous (i.e., forbs) plants, to grazers with graminoid-rich diets. However, seasonal changes in plant availability and quality can lead to switching of their dietary niche, even within species. In this study, we examined whether a population of wood bison (Bison bison athabascae) in northeast Alberta, Canada, seasonally switched their foraging behavior, and if so, whether this was associated with changes in nutrient acquisition. We hypothesized that bison should switch foraging behaviors from grazing in the winter when standing, dead graminoids are the only foliar plants readily available to browsing during spring and summer as nutritious and digestible foliar parts of browse and forbs become available. If bison are switching foraging strategy to maximize protein consumption, then there should be a corresponding shift in the nutritional niche. Alternatively, if bison are eating different plants, but consuming similar amounts of nutrients, then bison are switching their dietary niche to maintain a particular nutrient composition. We found wood bison were grazers in the winter and spring, but switch to a browsing during summer. However, only winter nutrient consumption of consumed plants differed significantly among seasons. Between spring and summer, bison maintained a specific nutritional composition in their diet despite compositional differences in the consumed plants. Our evidence suggests that bison are selecting plants to maintain a target macronutrient composition. We posit that herbivore's can and will switch their dietary niche to maintain a target nutrient composition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lee J. Hecker
- University of AlbertaEdmontonAlbertaCanada
- Royal Alberta MuseumEdmontonAlbertaCanada
| | - Mark A. Edwards
- University of AlbertaEdmontonAlbertaCanada
- Royal Alberta MuseumEdmontonAlbertaCanada
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20
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Molnár Z, Szabados K, Kiš A, Marinkov J, Demeter L, Biró M, Öllerer K, Katona K, Đapić M, Perić R, Ulicsni V, Babai D. Preserving for the future the - once widespread but now vanishing - knowledge on traditional pig grazing in forests and marshes (Sava-Bosut floodplain, Serbia). JOURNAL OF ETHNOBIOLOGY AND ETHNOMEDICINE 2021; 17:56. [PMID: 34627295 PMCID: PMC8501720 DOI: 10.1186/s13002-021-00482-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2021] [Accepted: 09/18/2021] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Traditional knowledge is key for sustainability, but it is rapidly disappearing. Pig keeping in forests and marshes is an ancient, once widespread, now vanishing practice, with a major economic and ecological potential. The knowledge of pig keepers and the foraging activity of pigs are hardly documented. METHODS We studied the knowledge of traditional pig keepers (svinjars) on wild plants and pig foraging on the Sava-Bosut forest-marsh complex in Serbia. We conducted picture-based interviews about 234 locally common and/or salient plant species, and participatory fieldwork (11 days) and visual observation (21 days) on pig foraging. RESULTS 181 wild plant species were known by svinjars and 106 taxa were consumed by pigs. Svinjars knew well and could name most regularly foraged species. 98 species were reported by svinjars as foraged and 56 as not eaten. 28 species were observed by the authors as eaten regularly, while 21 were nibbled and 17 avoided. Contradictory information on foraging was rare both among svinjars (8 species) and between svinjars and researchers (7 species); several of these species were rare. Leaves of 92, fruits or seeds of 21 and 'roots' of 20 species were reported or observed as eaten, usually with high seasonality. Svinjars were overall observant, but knew little about some less salient species (e.g. Veronica, Circaea). The most common forages (reported and/or observed) were fruits (Quercus, fleshy fruits), grasses (Agrostis, Glyceria), herbs (Ranunculus ficaria, Circaea), nutritious 'roots' (Carex spp., Iris), young shrub leaves (Crataegus, Carpinus) and 'tame' plants growing in the sun (Persicaria dubia, Erigeron annuus). Traditional, now extinct pig breeds were reported as less selective and more 'knowledgeable' about plants, as they received less additional fodder. Svinjars learnt their knowledge since childhood, from community members, but long-term personal observations and everyday encounters with pigs were also important sources of knowledge. CONCLUSIONS A deeper understanding of pig foraging could contribute to using pigs in nature conservation management, resource management and organic farming, and to a better understanding of wild boar foraging. The knowledge of svinjars is a disappearing intangible cultural heritage of European importance. Knowledge holders deserve recognition, and legal and financial support to continue this tradition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zsolt Molnár
- Centre for Ecological Research, Institute of Ecology and Botany, Vácrátót, 2163, Hungary.
| | - Klára Szabados
- Institute for Nature Conservation of Vojvodina Province, Novi Sad, 21101, Serbia
| | - Alen Kiš
- Institute for Nature Conservation of Vojvodina Province, Novi Sad, 21101, Serbia
| | - Jelena Marinkov
- MTA-DE 'Lendület' Evolutionary Phylogenomics Research Group, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Debrecen, 4032, Hungary
| | - László Demeter
- Centre for Ecological Research, Institute of Ecology and Botany, Vácrátót, 2163, Hungary
| | - Marianna Biró
- Centre for Ecological Research, Institute of Ecology and Botany, Vácrátót, 2163, Hungary
| | - Kinga Öllerer
- Centre for Ecological Research, Institute of Ecology and Botany, Vácrátót, 2163, Hungary
- Institute of Biology Bucharest, Romanian Academy, Bucharest, 060031, Romania
| | - Krisztián Katona
- Institute for Wildlife Management and Nature Conservation, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Gödöllő, 2100, Hungary
| | - Marko Đapić
- Institute for Nature Conservation of Vojvodina Province, Novi Sad, 21101, Serbia
| | - Ranko Perić
- Institute for Nature Conservation of Vojvodina Province, Novi Sad, 21101, Serbia
| | - Viktor Ulicsni
- Centre for Ecological Research, Institute of Ecology and Botany, Vácrátót, 2163, Hungary
| | - Dániel Babai
- Research Centre for the Humanities, Institute of Ethnology, Budapest, 1097, Hungary
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21
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Chirichella R, De Marinis AM, Pokorny B, Apollonio M. Dentition and body condition: tooth wear as a correlate of weight loss in roe deer. Front Zool 2021; 18:47. [PMID: 34544436 PMCID: PMC8454088 DOI: 10.1186/s12983-021-00433-w] [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: 04/30/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Background In many mammalian species, once the permanent teeth have erupted, the only change to dentition is a gradual loss of tooth surface/height through wear. The crown of the teeth cannot be repaired once worn. When dental crown tissue has been depleted due to wear, the animal is expected to have a suboptimal body condition. We evaluated the role of tooth wear in causing a reduction of physical condition in adult roe deer females (Capreolus capreolus). Results The progressive wearing of the lower cheek teeth was assessed in a Northern Apennines (Italy) population with a new scoring scheme based on objectively described tooth characteristics (morphotypes) being either present or absent. Eviscerated body mass and mandible length, which is a good proxy for body size in roe deer, were related to the tooth wear score by the use of linear regressions. The sum of wear scores for molariform teeth correlated most strongly with body condition (i.e., eviscerated body mass/mandible length), showing the importance of the entire chewing surface for acquiring energy by food comminution, chewing, and digestion. In comparison with individuals of comparable size experiencing minor tooth wear, the body mass of those with the most advanced stage of tooth wear was decreased by 33.7%. This method was compared to the height and the hypsodonty index of the first molar, the most commonly used indices of tooth wear. The sum of molariform wear scoring scheme resulted in a more suitable index to describe the variation in body condition of roe deer. Conclusions Describing tooth wear patterns in hunted populations and monitoring at which tooth wear level (and therefore dental morphotype) an animal is no longer able to sustain its physical condition (i.e. when it begins to lose body mass) can be a useful tool for improving the management of the most widespread and abundant deer species in Europe. At the same time, such an approach can clarify the role of tooth wear as a proximate cause of senescence in ungulates. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12983-021-00433-w.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberta Chirichella
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, Via Vienna 2, 07100, Sassari, Italy.
| | - Anna Maria De Marinis
- Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), Via Ca' Fornacetta 9, 40064, Ozzano dell'Emilia (BO), Italy
| | - Boštjan Pokorny
- Environmental Protection College, Trg mladosti 7, 3320, Velenje, Slovenia.,Slovenian Forestry Institute, Večna pot 2, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Marco Apollonio
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, Via Vienna 2, 07100, Sassari, Italy
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22
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Felton AM, Wam HK, Felton A, Simpson SJ, Stolter C, Hedwall P, Malmsten J, Eriksson T, Tigabo M, Raubenheimer D. Macronutrient balancing in free-ranging populations of moose. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:11223-11240. [PMID: 34429914 PMCID: PMC8366896 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7909] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2021] [Revised: 06/22/2021] [Accepted: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
At northern latitudes, large spatial and temporal variation in the nutritional composition of available foods poses challenges to wild herbivores trying to satisfy their nutrient requirements. Studies conducted in mostly captive settings have shown that animals from a variety of taxonomic groups deal with this challenge by adjusting the amounts and proportions of available food combinations to achieve a target nutrient balance. In this study, we used proportions-based nutritional geometry to analyze the nutritional composition of rumen samples collected in winter from 481 moose (Alces alces) in southern Sweden and examine whether free-ranging moose show comparable patterns of nutrient balancing. Our main hypothesis was that wild moose actively regulate their rumen nutrient composition to offset ecologically imposed variation in the nutritional composition of available foods. To test this, we assessed the macronutritional composition (protein, carbohydrates, and lipids) of rumen contents and commonly eaten foods, including supplementary feed, across populations with contrasting winter diets, spanning an area of approximately 10,000 km2. Our results suggest that moose balanced the macronutrient composition of their rumen, with the rumen contents having consistently similar proportional relationship between protein and nonstructural carbohydrates, despite differences in available (and eaten) foods. Furthermore, we found that rumen macronutrient balance was tightly related to ingested levels of dietary fiber (cellulose and hemicellulose), such that the greater the fiber content, the less protein was present in the rumen compared with nonstructural carbohydrates. Our results also suggest that moose benefit from access to a greater variety of trees, shrubs, herbs, and grasses, which provides them with a larger nutritional space to maneuver within. Our findings provide novel theoretical insights into a model species for ungulate nutritional ecology, while also generating data of direct relevance to wildlife and forest management, such as silvicultural or supplementary feeding practices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annika M. Felton
- Southern Swedish Forest Research CentreSwedish University of Agricultural SciencesAlnarpSweden
| | - Hilde K. Wam
- Division of Forestry and Forest ResourcesNIBIOÅsNorway
| | - Adam Felton
- Southern Swedish Forest Research CentreSwedish University of Agricultural SciencesAlnarpSweden
| | - Stephen J. Simpson
- Charles Perkins Centre, and School of Life and Environmental SciencesUniversity of SydneyCamperdownNSWAustralia
| | - Caroline Stolter
- Department of Animal Ecology and ConservationInstitute of ZoologyUniversity of HamburgHamburgGermany
| | - Per‐Ola Hedwall
- Southern Swedish Forest Research CentreSwedish University of Agricultural SciencesAlnarpSweden
| | - Jonas Malmsten
- Department of Wildlife, Fish and Environmental StudiesSwedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU)UmeåSweden
| | - Torsten Eriksson
- Department of Animal Nutrition and ManagementSwedish University of Agricultural SciencesUppsalaSweden
| | - Mulualem Tigabo
- Southern Swedish Forest Research CentreSwedish University of Agricultural SciencesAlnarpSweden
| | - David Raubenheimer
- Charles Perkins Centre, and School of Life and Environmental SciencesUniversity of SydneyCamperdownNSWAustralia
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Fabri ND, Sprong H, Hofmeester TR, Heesterbeek H, Donnars BF, Widemo F, Ecke F, Cromsigt JPGM. Wild ungulate species differ in their contribution to the transmission of Ixodes ricinus-borne pathogens. Parasit Vectors 2021; 14:360. [PMID: 34246293 PMCID: PMC8272276 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-021-04860-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2021] [Accepted: 06/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Several ungulate species are feeding and propagation hosts for the tick Ixodes ricinus as well as hosts to a wide range of zoonotic pathogens. Here, we focus on Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Borrelia burgdorferi (s.l.), two important pathogens for which ungulates are amplifying and dilution hosts, respectively. Ungulate management is one of the main tools to mitigate human health risks associated with these tick-borne pathogens. Across Europe, different species of ungulates are expanding their ranges and increasing in numbers. It is currently unclear if and how the relative contribution to the life-cycle of I. ricinus and the transmission cycles of tick-borne pathogens differ among these species. In this study, we aimed to identify these relative contributions for five European ungulate species. METHODS We quantified the tick load and collected ticks and spleen samples from hunted fallow deer (Dama dama, n = 131), moose (Alces alces, n = 15), red deer (Cervus elaphus, n = 61), roe deer (Capreolus capreolus, n = 30) and wild boar (Sus scrofa, n = 87) in south-central Sweden. We investigated the presence of tick-borne pathogens in ticks and spleen samples using real-time PCR. We determined if ungulate species differed in tick load (prevalence and intensity) and in infection prevalence in their tissue as well as in the ticks feeding on them. RESULTS Wild boar hosted fewer adult female ticks than any of the deer species, indicating that deer are more important as propagation hosts. Among the deer species, moose had the lowest number of female ticks, while there was no difference among the other deer species. Given the low number of infected nymphs, the relative contribution of all ungulate species to the transmission of B. burgdorferi (s.l.) was low. Fallow deer, red deer and roe deer contributed more to the transmission of A. phagocytophilum than wild boar. CONCLUSIONS The ungulate species clearly differed in their role as a propagation host and in the transmission of B. burgdorferi and A. phagocytophilum. This study provides crucial information for ungulate management as a tool to mitigate zoonotic disease risk and argues for adapting management approaches to the local ungulate species composition and the pathogen(s) of concern.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nannet D Fabri
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 901 83, Umeå, Sweden.
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 7, 3584 CL, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
| | - Hein Sprong
- Centre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Antonie Van Leeuwenhoeklaan 9, 3721 MA, Bilthoven, The Netherlands
| | - Tim R Hofmeester
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 901 83, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Hans Heesterbeek
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 7, 3584 CL, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Björn F Donnars
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 7, 3584 CL, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Fredrik Widemo
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 901 83, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Frauke Ecke
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 901 83, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Joris P G M Cromsigt
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 901 83, Umeå, Sweden
- Centre for African Conservation Ecology, Department of Zoology, Nelson Mandela University, PO Box 77000, Port Elizabeth, 6031, South Africa
- Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development, Faculty of Geosciences, Utrecht University, Princetonlaan 8a, 3584 CB, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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Rautiainen H, Bergvall UA, Felton AM, Tigabu M, Kjellander P. Nutritional niche separation between native roe deer and the nonnative fallow deer—a test of interspecific competition. MAMMAL RES 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s13364-021-00571-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
AbstractOn an evolutionary time scale, competition for food drives species formation by genetic adaptations to the environment and subsequent niche separation. On a short-term scale, animals use different strategies to meet their nutritional requirements, which ultimately influence their fitness. Understanding these adaptations in herbivores is especially important in temperate climates where animals have adapted both physiologically and behaviorally to seasonal variations in order to meet their nutritional requirements. The aim of this project was to investigate temporal variation in chemical composition of rumen content between two coexisting species of large herbivores, the native roe deer (Capreolus capreolus L.) and the introduced fallow deer (Dama dama L.), as well as a potential effect of competition on niche separation (interspecific differences in rumen nutrient composition). We analyzed 345 rumen samples collected from animals at one 95 km2 estate, Koberg, in southwestern Sweden. Based on samples from all seasons, temporal variation in nutrient composition and interspecific differences between the two deer species were investigated under two contrasting fallow deer population densities. Results revealed that nutrient composition varied between species and across seasons. Roe deer had a higher proportion of rumen protein compared to fallow deer, with the highest proportions in spring. In contrast, fallow deer had a higher proportion of rumen hemicellulose compared to roe deer in spring, while no differences in nutrient composition between species could be found in fall. Overall, there were greater differences between the two species when fallow deer density was high and competition likely more pronounced than when fallow deer density was low. The results from this study can be used to understand interspecific competition and how it fosters niche separation between coexisting large herbivores.
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Lundgren EJ, Schowanek SD, Rowan J, Middleton O, Pedersen RØ, Wallach AD, Ramp D, Davis M, Sandom CJ, Svenning JC. Functional traits of the world's late Quaternary large-bodied avian and mammalian herbivores. Sci Data 2021; 8:17. [PMID: 33473149 PMCID: PMC7817692 DOI: 10.1038/s41597-020-00788-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2020] [Accepted: 11/30/2020] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Prehistoric and recent extinctions of large-bodied terrestrial herbivores had significant and lasting impacts on Earth's ecosystems due to the loss of their distinct trait combinations. The world's surviving large-bodied avian and mammalian herbivores remain among the most threatened taxa. As such, a greater understanding of the ecological impacts of large herbivore losses is increasingly important. However, comprehensive and ecologically-relevant trait datasets for extinct and extant herbivores are lacking. Here, we present HerbiTraits, a comprehensive functional trait dataset for all late Quaternary terrestrial avian and mammalian herbivores ≥10 kg (545 species). HerbiTraits includes key traits that influence how herbivores interact with ecosystems, namely body mass, diet, fermentation type, habitat use, and limb morphology. Trait data were compiled from 557 sources and comprise the best available knowledge on late Quaternary large-bodied herbivores. HerbiTraits provides a tool for the analysis of herbivore functional diversity both past and present and its effects on Earth's ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erick J Lundgren
- Centre for Compassionate Conservation, School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, Australia.
- Center for Biodiversity Dynamics in a Changing World (BIOCHANGE), Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.
- Section for Ecoinformatics and Biodiversity, Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.
| | - Simon D Schowanek
- Center for Biodiversity Dynamics in a Changing World (BIOCHANGE), Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.
- Section for Ecoinformatics and Biodiversity, Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.
| | - John Rowan
- Department of Anthropology, University at Albany, Albany, NY, 12222, USA
| | - Owen Middleton
- School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Sussex, UK
| | - Rasmus Ø Pedersen
- Center for Biodiversity Dynamics in a Changing World (BIOCHANGE), Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- Section for Ecoinformatics and Biodiversity, Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Arian D Wallach
- Centre for Compassionate Conservation, School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, Australia
| | - Daniel Ramp
- Centre for Compassionate Conservation, School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, Australia
| | - Matt Davis
- Center for Biodiversity Dynamics in a Changing World (BIOCHANGE), Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- Section for Ecoinformatics and Biodiversity, Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, Los Angeles, CA, 90007, USA
| | | | - Jens-Christian Svenning
- Center for Biodiversity Dynamics in a Changing World (BIOCHANGE), Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- Section for Ecoinformatics and Biodiversity, Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
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