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Peltier TR, Shiratsuru S, Zuckerberg B, Romanski M, Potvin L, Edwards A, Gilbert JH, Aldred TR, Dassow A, Pauli JN. Phenotypic variation in the molt characteristics of a seasonal coat color-changing species reveals limited resilience to climate change. Oecologia 2023; 202:69-82. [PMID: 37165146 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-023-05371-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2023] [Accepted: 04/04/2023] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
The snowshoe hare (Lepus americanus) possesses a broad suite of adaptations to winter, including a seasonal coat color molt. Recently, climate change has been implicated in the range contraction of snowshoe hares along the southern range boundary. With shortening snow season duration, snowshoe hares are experiencing increased camouflage mismatch with their environment reducing survival. Phenological variation of hare molt at regional scales could facilitate local adaptation in the face of climate change, but the level of variation, especially along the southern range boundary, is unknown. Using a network of trail cameras and historical museum specimens, we (1) developed contemporary and historical molt phenology curves in the Upper Great Lakes region, USA, (2) calculated molt rate and variability in and among populations, and (3) quantified the relationship of molt characteristics to environmental conditions for snowshoe hares across North America. We found that snowshoe hares across the region exhibited similar fall and spring molt phenologies, rates and variation. Yet, an insular island population of hares on Isle Royale National Park, MI, completed their molt a week earlier in the fall and initiated molt almost 2 weeks later in the spring as well as exhibited slower rates of molting in the fall season compared to the mainland. Over the last 100 years, snowshoe hares across the region have not shifted in fall molt timing; though contemporary spring molt appears to have advanced by 17 days (~ 4 days per decade) compared to historical molt phenology. Our research indicates that some variation in molt phenology exists for snowshoe hares in the Upper Great Lakes region, but whether this variation is enough to offset the consequences of climate change remains to be seen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taylor R Peltier
- Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, 53706, USA.
| | - Shotaro Shiratsuru
- Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, 53706, USA
| | - Benjamin Zuckerberg
- Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, 53706, USA
| | - Mark Romanski
- National Park Service, Isle Royale National Park, Houghton, MI, 49931, USA
| | - Lynette Potvin
- National Park Service, Isle Royale National Park, Houghton, MI, 49931, USA
| | - Andrew Edwards
- Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, Bayfield, WI, 54814, USA
| | | | - Tanya R Aldred
- Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission, Odanah, WI, 54861, USA
| | - Ann Dassow
- United States Forest Service, Medford, WI, 54451, USA
| | - Jonathan N Pauli
- Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, 53706, USA
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2
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Kennah JL, Peers MJL, Vander Wal E, Majchrzak YN, Menzies AK, Studd EK, Boonstra R, Humphries MM, Jung TS, Kenney AJ, Krebs CJ, Boutin S. Coat color mismatch improves survival of a keystone boreal herbivore: Energetic advantages exceed lost camouflage. Ecology 2023; 104:e3882. [PMID: 36208219 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.3882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2022] [Accepted: 07/25/2022] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Climate warming is causing asynchronies between animal phenology and environments. Mismatched traits, such as coat color change mismatched with snow, can decrease survival. However, coat change does not serve a singular adaptive benefit of camouflage, and alternate coat change functions may confer advantages that supersede mismatch costs. We found that mismatch reduced, rather than increased, autumn mortality risk of snowshoe hares in Yukon by 86.5% when mismatch occurred. We suggest that the increased coat insulation and lower metabolic rates of winter-acclimatized hares confer energetic advantages to white mismatched hares that reduce their mortality risk. We found that white mismatched hares forage 17-77 min less per day than matched brown hares between 0°C and -10°C, thus lowering their predation risk and increasing survival. We found no effect of mismatch on spring mortality risk, during which mismatch occurred at warmer temperatures, suggesting a potential temperature limit at which the costs of conspicuousness outweigh energetic benefits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanie L Kennah
- Department of Biology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada
| | - Michael J L Peers
- Department of Biology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada
| | - Eric Vander Wal
- Department of Biology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada
| | - Yasmine N Majchrzak
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Allyson K Menzies
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Emily K Studd
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Rudy Boonstra
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Murray M Humphries
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Thomas S Jung
- Department of Environment, Government of Yukon, Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada.,Department of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Alice J Kenney
- Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Charles J Krebs
- Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Stan Boutin
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
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Stewart J, Bino G, Hawke T, Kingsford RT. Seasonal and geographic variation in packed cell volume and selected serum chemistry of platypuses. Sci Rep 2021; 11:15932. [PMID: 34354187 PMCID: PMC8342447 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-95544-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2020] [Accepted: 07/27/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Platypuses (Ornithorhynchus anatinus) inhabit the permanent rivers and creeks of eastern Australia, from north Queensland to Tasmania, but are experiencing multiple and synergistic anthropogenic threats. Baseline information of health is vital for effective monitoring of populations but is currently sparse for mainland platypuses. Focusing on seven hematology and serum chemistry metrics as indicators of health and nutrition (packed cell volume (PCV), total protein (TP), albumin, globulin, urea, creatinine, and triglycerides), we investigated their variation across the species' range and across seasons. We analyzed 249 unique samples collected from platypuses in three river catchments in New South Wales and Victoria. Health metrics significantly varied across the populations' range, with platypuses from the most northerly catchment, having lower PCV, and concentrations of albumin and triglycerides and higher levels of globulin, potentially reflecting geographic variation or thermal stress. The Snowy River showed significant seasonal patterns which varied between the sexes and coincided with differential reproductive stressors. Male creatinine and triglyceride levels were significantly lower than females, suggesting that reproduction is energetically more taxing on males. Age specific differences were also found, with juvenile PCV and TP levels significantly lower than adults. Additionally, the commonly used body condition index (tail volume index) was only negatively correlated with urea, and triglyceride levels. A meta-analysis of available literature revealed a significant latitudinal relationship with PCV, TP, albumin, and triglycerides but this was confounded by variation in sampling times and restraint methods. We expand understanding of mainland platypuses, providing reference intervals for PCV and six blood chemistry, while highlighting the importance of considering seasonal variation, to guide future assessments of individual and population condition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jana Stewart
- Centre for Ecosystem Science, School of Biological, Earth & Environmental Sciences, UNSW, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia.
| | - Gilad Bino
- Centre for Ecosystem Science, School of Biological, Earth & Environmental Sciences, UNSW, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Tahneal Hawke
- Centre for Ecosystem Science, School of Biological, Earth & Environmental Sciences, UNSW, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Richard T Kingsford
- Centre for Ecosystem Science, School of Biological, Earth & Environmental Sciences, UNSW, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
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Jones MR, Mills LS, Jensen JD, Good JM. Convergent evolution of seasonal camouflage in response to reduced snow cover across the snowshoe hare range*. Evolution 2020; 74:2033-2045. [DOI: 10.1111/evo.13976] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2020] [Revised: 03/26/2020] [Accepted: 04/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Matthew R. Jones
- Division of Biological Sciences University of Montana Missoula Montana 59812
| | - L. Scott Mills
- Wildlife Biology Program University of Montana Missoula Montana 59812
- Office of Research and Creative Scholarship University of Montana Missoula Montana 59812
| | - Jeffrey D. Jensen
- School of Life Sciences Arizona State University Tempe Arizona 85281
| | - Jeffrey M. Good
- Division of Biological Sciences University of Montana Missoula Montana 59812
- Wildlife Biology Program University of Montana Missoula Montana 59812
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Cui LY, Liu W, Xu YC, Yang SH, Dahmer TD. A new method to estimate hair density of small mammal pelage. J Mammal 2020. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyaa048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Hair density is the most important structural parameter contributing to insulation performance of mammalian pelage, and often is measured in ecophysiological, thermal biological, and evolutionary studies. To date, hair density has been measured using invasive methods on research objects; however, such methods remain challenging despite efforts to increase their ease of use. In this paper, we develop a new method to estimate hair density without skin sampling. We expressed hair density as the inverse of the number of hairs per unit area, that is, the surface area occupied by a single hair (Ah). This area could be further estimated by measuring distances between nearest neighboring hairs (Ln) and calculating the areas of triangles (A) defined by three randomly selected nearest neighboring hairs and representing half of Ah. Empirical tests using 11 skin samples from specimens of six small mammal species showed this to be a simple, lightly invasive, but accurate and widely applicable method.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liang Yu Cui
- College of Wildlife and Protected Areas, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
| | - Wei Liu
- College of Wildlife and Protected Areas, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
| | - Yan Chun Xu
- College of Wildlife and Protected Areas, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
- State Forestry and Grassland Administration Research Center of Engineering Technology for Wildlife Conservation and Utilization, Harbin, China
| | - Shu Hui Yang
- College of Wildlife and Protected Areas, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
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Gigliotti LC, Berg ND, Boonstra R, Cleveland SM, Diefenbach DR, Gese EM, Ivan JS, Kielland K, Krebs CJ, Kumar AV, Mills LS, Pauli JN, Underwood HB, Wilson EC, Sheriff MJ. Latitudinal variation in snowshoe hare (Lepus americanus) body mass: a test of Bergmann’s rule. CAN J ZOOL 2020. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2019-0184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The relationship between body size and latitude has been the focus of dozens of studies across many species. However, results of testing Bergmann’s rule — that organisms in colder climates or at higher latitudes possess larger body sizes — have been inconsistent across studies. We investigated whether snowshoe hares (Lepus americanus Erxleben, 1777) follow Bergmann’s rule by investigating differences in body mass using data from six published studies and from data of 755 individual hares captured from 10 populations across North America covering 26° of north latitude. We also explored alternative hypotheses related to variation in hare body mass, including winter severity, length of growing season, elevation, and snow depth. We found body mass of hares varied throughout their range, but the drivers of body mass differed based on geographic location. In northern populations, females followed Bergmann’s rule, whereas males did not. In northern populations, male mass was related to mean snow depth. In contrast, in southern populations, body mass of both sexes was related to length of the growing season. These differences likely represent variation in the drivers of selection. Specifically, in the north, a large body size is beneficial to conserve heat because of low winter temperatures, whereas in the south, it is likely due to increased food supply associated with longer growing seasons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura C. Gigliotti
- Department of Forestry and Environmental Conservation, Clemson University, 261 Lehotsky Hall, Clemson, SC 29634, USA
| | - Nathan D. Berg
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Wildlife Refuge System, Anchorage, AK 99503, USA
| | - Rudy Boonstra
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, ON M1C 1A4, Canada
| | - Shawn M. Cleveland
- Department of Environmental and Forest Biology, State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse, NY 13210, USA
| | - Duane R. Diefenbach
- U.S. Geological Survey, Pennsylvania Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Eric M. Gese
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Research Center, Department of Wildland Resources, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322, USA
| | - Jacob S. Ivan
- Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Fort Collins, CO 80526, USA
| | - Knut Kielland
- Department of Biology and Wildlife, Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK 99775, USA
| | - Charles J. Krebs
- Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Alexander V. Kumar
- Wildlife Biology Program, University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812, USA
| | - L. Scott Mills
- Wildlife Biology Program, University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812, USA
- Office of the Vice President for Research and Creative Scholarship, University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812, USA
| | - Jonathan N. Pauli
- Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - H. Brian Underwood
- U.S. Geological Survey, Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Tunison Laboratory of Aquatic Science, Cortland, NY 13043, USA
| | - Evan C. Wilson
- Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Michael J. Sheriff
- Biology Department, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, Dartmouth, MA 02747, USA
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Zimova M, Hackländer K, Good JM, Melo‐Ferreira J, Alves PC, Mills LS. Function and underlying mechanisms of seasonal colour moulting in mammals and birds: what keeps them changing in a warming world? Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2018; 93:1478-1498. [DOI: 10.1111/brv.12405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2017] [Revised: 02/06/2018] [Accepted: 02/09/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Marketa Zimova
- Wildlife Biology Program University of Montana Missoula MT 59812 U.S.A
- Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology Program, Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources North Carolina State University Raleigh NC 27695 U.S.A
| | - Klaus Hackländer
- Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology Program, Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources North Carolina State University Raleigh NC 27695 U.S.A
- Institute of Wildlife Biology and Game Management BOKU ‐ University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna 1180 Austria
| | - Jeffrey M. Good
- Division of Biological Sciences University of Montana Missoula MT 59812 USA
| | - José Melo‐Ferreira
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado Universidade do Porto Campus Agrário de Vairão, 4485‐661 Vairão Portugal
- Departamento de Biologia Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade do Porto Rua do Campo Alegre, 4169‐007 Porto Portugal
| | - Paulo Célio Alves
- Wildlife Biology Program University of Montana Missoula MT 59812 U.S.A
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado Universidade do Porto Campus Agrário de Vairão, 4485‐661 Vairão Portugal
- Departamento de Biologia Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade do Porto Rua do Campo Alegre, 4169‐007 Porto Portugal
| | - L. Scott Mills
- Wildlife Biology Program and Office of Research and Creative Scholarship University of Montana Missoula MT 59812 USA
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Gigliotti LC, Diefenbach DR. Risky behavior and its effect on survival: snowshoe hare behavior under varying moonlight conditions. J Zool (1987) 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/jzo.12532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- L. C. Gigliotti
- Pennsylvania Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit; Pennsylvania State University; University Park PA USA
| | - D. R. Diefenbach
- U.S. Geological Survey; Pennsylvania Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit; Pennsylvania State University; University Park PA USA
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