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Zhao C, Guo Q, Zhang T, Han X, Usman D. Procedures from samples to sulfur isotopic data: A review. RAPID COMMUNICATIONS IN MASS SPECTROMETRY : RCM 2024; 38:e9733. [PMID: 38591181 DOI: 10.1002/rcm.9733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2023] [Revised: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 02/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024]
Abstract
RATIONALE Sulfur isotopes have been widely used to solve some key scientific questions, especially in the last two decades with advanced instruments and analytical schemes. Different sulfur speciation and multiple isotopes analyzed in laboratories worldwide and in situ microanalysis have also been reported in many articles. However, methods of sampling to measurements are multifarious, and occasionally some inaccuracies are present in published papers. Vague methods may mislead newcomers to the field, puzzle readers, or lead to incorrect data-based correlations. METHODS We have reviewed multiple methods on sulfur isotopic analyses from the perspectives of sampling, laboratory work, and instrumental analysis in order to help reduce operational inhomogeneity and ensure the fidelity of sulfur isotopic data. We do not deem our proposed solutions as the ultimate standard methods but as a lead-in to the overall introduction and summary of the current methods used. RESULTS It has been shown that external contamination and transformation of different sulfur species should be avoided during the sampling, pretreatment, storage, and chemical treatment processes. Conversion rates and sulfur isotopic fractionations during sulfur extraction, purification, and conversion processes must be verified by researchers using standard or known samples. The unification of absence of isotopic fractionation is needed during all steps, and long-term monitoring of standard samples is recommended. CONCLUSION This review compiles more details on different methods in sampling, laboratory operation, and measurement of sulfur isotopes, which is beneficial for researchers' better practice in laboratories. Microanalyses and molecular studies are the frontier techniques that compare the bulk sample with the elemental analysis/continuous flow-gas source stable isotope ratio mass spectrometry method, but the latter is widely used. The development of sulfur isotopic measurements will lead to the innovation in scientific issues with sulfur proxies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Changqiu Zhao
- Center for Environmental Remediation, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Qingjun Guo
- Center for Environmental Remediation, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Tonggang Zhang
- College of Geosciences, China University of Petroleum, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaokun Han
- Institute of Surface-Earth System Science, School of Earth System Science, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
| | - Dawuda Usman
- Center for Environmental Remediation, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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Abstract
The measurement of naturally occurring stable isotope ratios of the light elements (C, N, H, O, S) in animal tissues and associated organic and inorganic fractions of associated environments holds immense potential as a means of addressing effects of global change on animals. This paper provides a brief review of studies that have used the isotope approach to evaluate changes in diet, isotopic niche, contaminant burden, reproductive and nutritional investment, invasive species and shifts in migration origin or destination with clear links to evaluating effects of global change. This field has now reached a level of maturity that is impressive but generally underappreciated and involves technical as well as statistical advances and access to freely available R-based packages. There is a need for animal ecologists and conservationists to design tissue collection networks that will best answer current and anticipated questions related to the global change and the biodiversity crisis. These developments will move the field of stable isotope ecology toward a more hypothesis driven discipline related to rapidly changing global events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keith A Hobson
- Wildlife Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 0X4, Canada.
- Department of Biology, Western University, London, ON, N6A 5B7, Canada.
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3
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Bonin M, Dussault C, Taillon J, Pisapio J, Lecomte N, Côté SD. Diet flexibility of wolves and black bears in the range of migratory caribou. J Mammal 2023. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyad002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Abstract
The diet of predators can be highly variable, which is exemplified by their ability to acclimate to a wide range of ecological conditions. Such flexibility in foraging may be a key aspect of their performance in unpredictable environments such as at the edge of the range of a species or where food availability varies greatly in time and space. Gaining information on the diets of predators under such conditions could foster our comprehension of their ecological flexibility and the potential role of predation on the population dynamics of prey. We determined the diet of wolves (Canis lupus) and black bears (Ursus americanus) in northern Québec and Labrador (Canada) within the range of two migratory caribou (Rangifer tarandus) herds: the high-abundance Rivière-aux-Feuilles herd (RFH) and low-abundance Rivière-George herd (RGH). Worldwide, decline in caribou populations has become a concern, stressing the need to better understand the factors involved in these declines, including predation. In northern Québec (RFH range), caribou was the primary year-round prey of wolves while moose (Alces alces) and muskoxen (Ovibos moschatus) were consumed in some sectors. The diet of wolves in northern Labrador (RGH range) varied seasonally, with caribou, moose, and fish as main prey during different periods throughout the year. Black bear diets varied seasonally and regionally. Among the foods we analyzed, caribou was the main source of animal protein for bears in northern Québec and northern Labrador, except during a high abundance of Ungava collared lemming (Dicrostonyx hudsonius). Only bears in northern Québec ate caribou during late summer/fall. Our results highlight the diet flexibility of wolves and black bears in northern food webs, and how their diets change in relation to the distribution and abundance of prey. Our results will help quantify the potential impact of these predators on prey populations in northern systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michaël Bonin
- Caribou Ungava, département de biologie, Université Laval , 1045 avenue de la Médecine, Québec City, Québec G1V 0A6 , Canada
- Centre d’études nordiques, Université Laval , 2405 rue de la Terrasse, Québec City, Québec G1V 0A6 , Canada
| | - Christian Dussault
- Caribou Ungava, département de biologie, Université Laval , 1045 avenue de la Médecine, Québec City, Québec G1V 0A6 , Canada
- Direction de l’expertise sur la faune terrestre, l’herpétofaune et l’avifaune, Ministère des Forêts, de la Faune et des Parcs du Québec, 880 chemin Sainte-Foy , Québec City, Québec G1S 4X4 , Canada
| | - Joëlle Taillon
- Caribou Ungava, département de biologie, Université Laval , 1045 avenue de la Médecine, Québec City, Québec G1V 0A6 , Canada
- Direction de l’expertise sur la faune terrestre, l’herpétofaune et l’avifaune, Ministère des Forêts, de la Faune et des Parcs du Québec, 880 chemin Sainte-Foy , Québec City, Québec G1S 4X4 , Canada
| | - John Pisapio
- Caribou Ungava, département de biologie, Université Laval , 1045 avenue de la Médecine, Québec City, Québec G1V 0A6 , Canada
- Wildlife Division, Newfoundland and Labrador Department of Fisheries, Forests and Agriculture , Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador A0P 1E0 , Canada
| | - Nicolas Lecomte
- Caribou Ungava, département de biologie, Université Laval , 1045 avenue de la Médecine, Québec City, Québec G1V 0A6 , Canada
- Centre d’études nordiques, Université Laval , 2405 rue de la Terrasse, Québec City, Québec G1V 0A6 , Canada
- Chaire de recherche du Canada en écologie polaire et boréale et Centre d’études nordiques, département de biologie, Université de Moncton , 18 avenue Antonine-Maillet, Moncton, New Brunswick E1A 3E9 , Canada
| | - Steeve D Côté
- Caribou Ungava, département de biologie, Université Laval , 1045 avenue de la Médecine, Québec City, Québec G1V 0A6 , Canada
- Centre d’études nordiques, Université Laval , 2405 rue de la Terrasse, Québec City, Québec G1V 0A6 , Canada
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Peraza I, Chételat J, Richardson M, Jung TS, Awan M, Baryluk S, Dastoor A, Harrower W, Kukka PM, McClelland C, Mowat G, Pelletier N, Rodford C, Ryjkov A. Diet and landscape characteristics drive spatial patterns of mercury accumulation in a high-latitude terrestrial carnivore. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0285826. [PMID: 37186585 PMCID: PMC10184919 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0285826] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Limited information exists on mercury concentrations and environmental drivers of mercury bioaccumulation in high latitude terrestrial carnivores. Spatial patterns of mercury concentrations in wolverine (Gulo gulo, n = 419) were assessed across a 1,600,000 km2 study area in relation to landscape, climate, diet and biological factors in Arctic and boreal biomes of western Canada. Hydrogen stable isotope ratios were measured in wolverine hair from a subset of 80 animals to assess the spatial scale for characterizing environmental conditions of their habitat. Habitat characteristics were determined using GIS methods and raster datasets at two scales, the collection location point and a 150 km radius buffer, which was selected based on results of a correlation analysis between hydrogen stable isotopes in precipitation and wolverine hair. Total mercury concentrations in wolverine muscle ranged >2 orders of magnitude from 0.01 to 5.72 μg/g dry weight and varied geographically, with the highest concentrations in the Northwest Territories followed by Nunavut and Yukon. Regression models at both spatial scales indicated diet (based on nitrogen stable isotope ratios) was the strongest explanatory variable of mercury concentrations in wolverine, with smaller though statistically significant contributions from landscape variables (soil organic carbon, percent cover of wet area, percent cover of perennial snow-ice) and distance to the Arctic Ocean coast. The carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios of wolverine muscle suggested greater mercury bioaccumulation could be associated with feeding on marine biota in coastal habitats. Landscape variables identified in the modelling may reflect habitat conditions which support enhanced methylmercury transfer to terrestrial biota. Spatially-explicit estimates of wet atmospheric deposition were positively correlated with wolverine mercury concentrations but this variable was not selected in the final regression models. These landscape patterns provide a basis for further research on underlying processes enhancing methylmercury uptake in high latitude terrestrial food webs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inés Peraza
- Geography and Environmental Studies, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - John Chételat
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, National Wildlife Research Centre, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Murray Richardson
- Geography and Environmental Studies, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Thomas S Jung
- Department of Environment, Government of Yukon, Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada
- Department of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Malik Awan
- Department of Environment, Government of Nunavut, Igloolik, Nunavut, Canada
| | - Steve Baryluk
- Environment and Natural Resources, Government of the Northwest Territories, Inuvik, Northwest Territories, Canada
| | - Ashu Dastoor
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, Air Quality Research Division, Dorval, Quebec, Canada
| | - William Harrower
- Forest and Conservation Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Piia M Kukka
- Department of Environment, Government of Yukon, Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada
| | - Christine McClelland
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, National Wildlife Research Centre, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Garth Mowat
- Ministry of Forests, British Columbia Government, Nelson, British Columbia, Canada
- Department of Earth, Environmental and Geographic Sciences, University of British Columbia, Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Nicolas Pelletier
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, National Wildlife Research Centre, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Christine Rodford
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, National Wildlife Research Centre, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Andrei Ryjkov
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, Air Quality Research Division, Dorval, Quebec, Canada
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5
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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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6
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Shardlow TF, Van Elslander J, Mowat G. The influence of human disturbance on Pacific salmon ( Oncorhynchus spp.) in the diet of American black bears ( Ursus americanus) in two areas of coastal British Columbia, Canada. CAN J ZOOL 2022. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2021-0198] [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
Recent studies have highlighted the importance of salmon (genus Oncorhynchus Suckley, 1861) in the diet of bears, and of bears as consumers and key agents supporting the transport of salmon-derived nutrients to riparian ecosystems. Salmon abundance and human disturbance are known influences on bear ecology and behaviour, though few studies have quantified shifts in bear diet due to these effects. We used stable isotope analysis to investigate how salmon escapement and human presence influenced the proportion of salmon in the diet of American black bears ( Ursus americanus Pallas, 1780) in two locations in coastal British Columbia, Canada. We found that salmon constituted a small proportion of black bear diet across sexes and ecosystems, while bears appeared to gain a similar amount of energy and lean mass from terrestrial sources. Salmon consumption was not related to the total annual abundance of salmon in a watershed but was significantly lower in large streams with regular human presence, suggesting that human disturbance can cause a dietary shift in bears that could have important consequences to their fitness. We also observed that the isotopic signatures of key bear foods did not vary between foliage and fruit, simplifying data collection for future isotopic studies on bear diet.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jonathan Van Elslander
- Department of Earth, Environmental and Geographic Sciences, Irving K. Barber School of Arts and Sciences, University of British Columbia Okanagan, 1177 Research Road, Kelowna, BC V1V 1V7, Canada
| | - G. Mowat
- Department of Earth, Environmental and Geographic Sciences, Irving K. Barber School of Arts and Sciences, University of British Columbia Okanagan, 1177 Research Road, Kelowna, BC V1V 1V7, Canada
- Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development, Wildlife and Habitat Branch, Suite 401-333 Victoria Street, Nelson, BC V1L 4K3, Canada
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7
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Jimbo M, Ishinazaka T, Shirane Y, Umemura Y, Yamanaka M, Uno H, Sashika M, Tsubota T, Shimozuru M. Diet selection and asocial learning: Natal habitat influence on lifelong foraging strategies in solitary large mammals. Ecosphere 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.4105] [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] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Mina Jimbo
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine Hokkaido University Sapporo Japan
| | | | - Yuri Shirane
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine Hokkaido University Sapporo Japan
- Hokkaido Research Organization Sapporo Japan
| | | | | | - Hiroyuki Uno
- Faculty of Agriculture Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology Tokyo Japan
| | - Mariko Sashika
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine Hokkaido University Sapporo Japan
| | - Toshio Tsubota
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine Hokkaido University Sapporo Japan
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8
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Rioux È, Pelletier F, St‐Laurent M. Trophic niche partitioning between two prey and their incidental predators revealed various threats for an endangered species. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e8742. [PMID: 35342591 PMCID: PMC8933322 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2021] [Revised: 02/23/2022] [Accepted: 02/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Documenting trophic niche partitioning and resource use within a community is critical to evaluate underlying mechanisms of coexistence, competition, or predation. Detailed knowledge about foraging is essential as it may influence the vital rates, which, in turn, can affect trophic relationships between species, and population dynamics. The aims of this study were to evaluate resource and trophic niche partitioning in summer/autumn between the endangered Atlantic‐Gaspésie caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) population, moose (Alces americanus) and their incidental predators, the black bear (Ursus americanus) and coyote (Canis latrans), and to quantify the extent to which these predators consumed caribou. Bayesian isotopic analysis showed a small overlap in trophic niche for the two sympatric ungulates suggesting a low potential for resource competition. Our results also revealed that caribou occupied a larger isotopic niche area than moose, suggesting a greater diversity of resources used by caribou. Not surprisingly, coyotes consumed mainly deer (Odocoileus virginianus), moose, snowshoe hare (Lepus americanus), and occasionally caribou, while bears consumed mainly vegetation and, to a lesser extent, moose and caribou. As coyotes and bears also feed on plant species, we documented trophic niche overlap between caribou and their predators, as searching for similar resources can force them to use the same habitats and thus increase the encounter rate and, ultimately, mortality risk for caribou. Although the decline in the Gaspésie caribou population is mostly driven by habitat‐mediated predation, we found evidence that the low level of resource competition with moose, added to the shared resources with incidental predators, mainly bears, may contribute to jeopardize the recovery of this endangered caribou population. Highlighting the trophic interaction between species is needed to establish efficient conservation and management strategies to insure the persistence of endangered populations. The comparison of trophic niches of species sharing the same habitat or resources is fundamental to evaluate the mechanisms of coexistence or competition and eventually predict the consequences of ecosystem changes in the community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ève Rioux
- Département de Biologie, Chimie et Géographie Centre for Northern Studies & Centre for Forest Research Université du Québec à Rimouski Rimouski Québec Canada
| | - Fanie Pelletier
- Département de biologie Centre for Northern Studies Université de Sherbrooke Sherbrooke Québec Canada
| | - Martin‐Hugues St‐Laurent
- Département de Biologie, Chimie et Géographie Centre for Northern Studies & Centre for Forest Research Université du Québec à Rimouski Rimouski Québec Canada
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9
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Javornik J, Šturm MB, Jerina K. Four approaches for estimating isotope discrimination factors produce contrasting dietary estimates for bears. URSUS 2021. [DOI: 10.2192/ursus-d-19-00028.2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jernej Javornik
- University of Ljubljana, Biotechnical faculty, Department of Forestry, Večna pot 83, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Martina Burnik Šturm
- University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), Institute of Analytical Chemistry, Mutgasse 18, 1190 Vienna, Austria
| | - Klemen Jerina
- University of Ljubljana, Biotechnical faculty, Department of Forestry, Večna pot 83, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
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10
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Careddu G, Ciucci P, Mondovì S, Calizza E, Rossi L, Costantini ML. Gaining insight into the assimilated diet of small bear populations by stable isotope analysis. Sci Rep 2021; 11:14118. [PMID: 34238974 PMCID: PMC8266819 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-93507-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2021] [Accepted: 06/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Apennine brown bears (Ursus arctos marsicanus) survive in an isolated and critically endangered population, and their food habits have been studied using traditional scat analysis. To complement current dietary knowledge, we applied Stable Isotope Analysis (SIA) to non-invasively collected bear hairs that had been individually recognized through multilocus genotyping. We analysed carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) stable isotopes of hair sections and bear key foods in a Bayesian mixing models framework to reconstruct the assimilated diet on a seasonal basis and to assess gender and management status effects. In total, we analysed 34 different seasonal bear key foods and 35 hair samples belonging to 27 different bears (16 females and 11 males) collected during a population survey in 2014. Most bears showed wide δ15N and δ13C ranges and individual differences in seasonal isotopic patterns. Vegetable matter (herbs, fleshy fruits and hard mast) represented the major component of the assimilated diet across the dietary seasons, whereas vegetable crops were rarely and C4 plants (i.e., corn) never consumed. We confirmed an overall low consumption of large mammals by Apennine bears consistently between sexes, with highest values in spring followed by early summer but null in the other seasons. We also confirmed that consumption of fleshy fruits peaked in late summer, when wild predominated over cultivated fleshy fruits, even though the latter tended to be consumed in higher proportion in autumn. Male bears had higher δ 15N values than females in spring and autumn. Our findings also hint at additional differences in the assimilated diet between sexes, with females likely consuming more herbs during spring, ants during early summer, and hard mast during fall compared to males. In addition, although effect sizes were small and credibility intervals overlapped considerably, management bears on average were 0.9‰ lower in δ 13C and 2.9‰ higher in δ 15N compared to non-management bears, with differences in isotopic values between the two bear categories peaking in autumn. While non-management bears consumed more herbs, wild fleshy fruits, and hard mast, management bears tended to consume higher proportions of cultivated fruits, ants, and large mammals, possibly including livestock. Although multi-year sampling and larger sample sizes are needed to support our findings, our application confirms that SIA can effectively integrate previous knowledge and be efficiently conducted using samples non-invasively collected during population surveys.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulio Careddu
- Department of Environmental Biology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Paolo Ciucci
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies "Charles Darwin", Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
| | - Stella Mondovì
- Department of Environmental Biology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.,Department of Biology and Biotechnologies "Charles Darwin", Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Edoardo Calizza
- Department of Environmental Biology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Loreto Rossi
- Department of Environmental Biology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
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11
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Stable Isotopes Reveal Variation in Consumption of Pacific Salmon by Brown Bears, Despite Ready Access in Small Streams. JOURNAL OF FISH AND WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT 2020. [DOI: 10.3996/jfwm-20-034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Brown bears Ursus arctos consume a wide range of organisms, including ungulates and plants, but Pacific salmon Oncorhynchus spp. are especially important to their diet where their ranges overlap. Although some brown bears minimize antagonistic encounters with other brown bears or infanticide by avoiding streams where salmon spawn, studies generally assume that brown bears with ready access to salmon feed heavily on them. To test this assumption, and the hypothesis that male brown bears would feed more heavily on salmon than females (owing to their sexual size dimorphism), we collected hair samples from brown bears by using barbed wire placed on six small tributaries of Lake Aleknagik, Alaska, USA, where adult Sockeye Salmon Oncorhynchus nerka are readily accessible and frequently consumed by brown bears. Analysis of DNA distinguished among the different brown bears leaving the hair samples, some of which were sampled multiple times within and among years. We assessed the contribution of salmon to the diet of individual brown bears by using carbon and nitrogen stable isotope signatures. The 77 samples analyzed from 31 different bears over 4 y showed isotopic ratios consistent with reliance on salmon, but the wide range of isotopic signatures included values suggesting variable, and in one case considerable, use of terrestrial resources. Stable isotope signatures did not differ between male and female brown bears, nor did they differ between two sides of the lake, despite marked differences in Sockeye Salmon density. We collected the hair samples when salmon were present, so there was some uncertainty regarding whether they reflected feeding during the current or previous season. Notwithstanding this caveat, the results are consistent with the hypothesis that salmon were sufficiently available to provide food for the brown bears and that the considerable isotopic variation among brown bears with access to salmon reflected their age, status, and behavior.
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12
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Jimbo M, Matsumoto N, Sakamoto H, Yanagawa Y, Torii Y, Yamanaka M, Ishinazaka T, Shirane Y, Sashika M, Tsubota T, Shimozuru M. Hair Growth in Brown Bears and Its Application to Ecological Studies on Wild Bears. MAMMAL STUDY 2020. [DOI: 10.3106/ms2020-0021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Mina Jimbo
- Department of Environmental Veterinary Sciences, Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Kita 18 Nishi 9, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0818, Japan
| | - Naoya Matsumoto
- Noboribetsu Bear Park, 224 Noboribetsuonsencho, Noboribetsu, Hokkaido 059-0515, Japan
| | - Hideyuki Sakamoto
- Noboribetsu Bear Park, 224 Noboribetsuonsencho, Noboribetsu, Hokkaido 059-0515, Japan
| | - Yojiro Yanagawa
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Division of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Kita 18 Nishi 9, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0818, Japan
| | - Yoshiko Torii
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Kita 18 Nishi 9, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0818, Japan
| | - Masami Yamanaka
- Shiretoko Nature Foundation, 531 Iwaubetsu, Shari, Hokkaido 099-4356, Japan
| | | | - Yuri Shirane
- Department of Environmental Veterinary Sciences, Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Kita 18 Nishi 9, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0818, Japan
| | - Mariko Sashika
- Department of Environmental Veterinary Sciences, Division of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Kita 18 Nishi 9, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0818, Japan
| | - Toshio Tsubota
- Department of Environmental Veterinary Sciences, Division of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Kita 18 Nishi 9, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0818, Japan
| | - Michito Shimozuru
- Department of Environmental Veterinary Sciences, Division of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Kita 18 Nishi 9, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0818, Japan
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13
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Rioux È, Pelletier F, St-Laurent MH. From diet to hair and blood: empirical estimation of discrimination factors for C and N stable isotopes in five terrestrial mammals. J Mammal 2020. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyaa108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
AbstractCarbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios are used widely to describe wildlife animal diet composition and trophic interactions. To reconstruct consumer diet, the isotopic differences between consumers and their diet items—called the trophic discrimination factor (TDF)—must be known. Proxies of diet composition are sensitive to the accuracy of TDFs. However, specific TDFs are still missing for many species and tissues because only a few controlled studies have been carried out on captive animals. The aim of this study was to estimate TDFs for hair and blood for carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes for caribou, moose, white-tailed deer, eastern coyote, and black bear. We obtained stable isotope ratios for diet items, hair, and blood samples, of 21 captive adult mammals. Diet–tissue discrimination factors for carbon in hair (∆ 13CLE) ranged from 0.96‰ to 3.72‰ for cervids, 3.01‰ to 3.76‰ for coyote, and 5.15‰ to 6.35‰ for black bear, while nitrogen discrimination factors (∆ 15N) ranged from 2.58‰ to 5.95‰ for cervids, 2.90‰ to 3.13‰ for coyote, and 4.48‰ to 5.44‰ for black bear. The ∆ 13CLE values in coyote blood components ranged from 2.20‰ to 2.69‰ while ∆ 15N ranged from 3.30‰ to 4.41‰. In caribou serum, ∆ 13CLE reached 3.34 ± 1.28‰ while ∆ 15N reached 5.02 ± 0.07‰. The TDFs calculated in this study will allow the evaluation of diet composition and trophic relationships between these five mammal species and will have important implications for the study of endangered caribou populations for which the use of noninvasive tissue sampling is highly relevant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ève Rioux
- Centre for Northern Studies & Centre for Forest Research, Département de Biologie, Chimie et Géographie, Université du Québec à Rimouski, allée des Ursulines, Rimouski, Québec, Canada
| | - Fanie Pelletier
- Centre for Northern Studies, Département de Biologie, Université de Sherbrooke, boul. de l’Université, Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada
| | - Martin-Hugues St-Laurent
- Centre for Northern Studies & Centre for Forest Research, Département de Biologie, Chimie et Géographie, Université du Québec à Rimouski, allée des Ursulines, Rimouski, Québec, Canada
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Pollock SZ, St Clair CC. Railway-Associated Attractants as Potential Contaminants for Wildlife. ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2020; 66:16-29. [PMID: 32147802 DOI: 10.1007/s00267-020-01277-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2019] [Accepted: 02/24/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Grizzly bears (Ursus arctos) appear to be attracted to natural and anthropogenic forage along railways, which may increase collision vulnerability, but also potentially causes exposure to contaminants associated with railway infrastructure. We assessed contaminant exposure for a vulnerable population of grizzly bears in the Canadian Rocky Mountains by determining if (1) dandelions (Taraxacum officinale) growing adjacent to a railway and grain spilled from hopper cars contain heavy metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and mycotoxins and (2) metal concentrations from hair samples of individual bears correlates with use of the railway or other anthropogenic features. We used principle components analysis to represent 10 heavy metals and 16 PAHs and then compared their concentrations in railway-associated sources of grain and dandelions to reference samples that we purchased (grain) or sampled from nearby sites (dandelions). We also measured metal concentrations in the hair of bears that were captured and fitted with GPS collars. We found significantly higher concentrations in railway-associated samples of dandelion and grain for both metals (particularly lead, iron, and chromium), and the sum of 16 PAHs. Several metals and PAHs in railway-associated samples exceeded regulatory standards for soil or animal feed. Mycotoxins were detectable in grain samples, but occurred well below permissible standards. Metal concentrations in bear hair were not predicted by railway use, but higher metal concentrations occurred in male bears and two individuals that used ski hills during fall. As mitigation to reduce wildlife exposure to contaminants, particularly in protected areas, we encourage removal of railway grain deposits, regular maintenance of railway infrastructure, such as lubricating stations, and investigation of contaminants associated with other human infrastructures, such as ski hills.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonya Zoey Pollock
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2E9, Canada.
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Bonin M, Dussault C, Taillon J, Lecomte N, Côté SD. Combining stable isotopes, morphological, and molecular analyses to reconstruct the diet of free-ranging consumers. Ecol Evol 2020; 10:6664-6676. [PMID: 32724540 PMCID: PMC7381590 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.6397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2020] [Revised: 04/24/2020] [Accepted: 04/30/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Accurate estimates of animal diet composition are essential to untangle complex interactions in food webs. Biomarkers and molecular tools are increasingly used to estimate diet, sometimes alongside traditional dietary tracing methods. Yet only a few empirical studies have compared the outcomes and potential gains of using a combination of these methods, especially using free-ranging animals with distinct foraging preferences.We used stable isotopes, morphological, and molecular analyses to investigate the diet of free-ranging consumers with two distinct diet types, that is, carnivore and omnivore. By combining the three analytical methods to assess the diet of consumers during the same period, we aimed to identify the limits of each method and to assess the potential benefits of their combined use to derive diet estimates.Our results showed that the different methods led to a consistent diet description for carnivores, which have a relatively simple diet mixture, but their outcomes somewhat differed for omnivore, which have a more complex diet. Still, the combined use of morphological and molecular analyses enhanced the diversity of food sources detected compared to the use of a single method independently of diet types. Precision of diet estimates derived from stable isotope analyses was improved by the addition of priors obtained from morphological and molecular diet analyses of the same population.Although we used free-ranging animals without a known diet, our empirical testing of three of the most widely used methods of diet determination highlights the limits of relying over a single approach, especially in systems with few or no a priori information about the foraging habits of consumers. The choice of an appropriate approach of diet description should be a key step when planning dietary studies of free-ranging populations. We recommend using more than one dietary determination methods especially for species with complex diet mixtures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michaël Bonin
- Caribou UngavaCentre d’études nordiquesUniversité LavalQuébecQCCanada
| | - Christian Dussault
- Caribou UngavaCentre d’études nordiquesUniversité LavalQuébecQCCanada
- Direction de l’expertise sur la faune terrestre, l’herpétofaune et l’avifauneMinistère des Forêts, de la Faune et des ParcsQuébecQCCanada
| | - Joëlle Taillon
- Caribou UngavaCentre d’études nordiquesUniversité LavalQuébecQCCanada
- Direction de l’expertise sur la faune terrestre, l’herpétofaune et l’avifauneMinistère des Forêts, de la Faune et des ParcsQuébecQCCanada
| | - Nicolas Lecomte
- Caribou UngavaCentre d’études nordiquesUniversité LavalQuébecQCCanada
- Chaire de recherche du Canada en écologie polaire et boréaleUniversité de MonctonMonctonNBCanada
| | - Steeve D. Côté
- Caribou UngavaCentre d’études nordiquesUniversité LavalQuébecQCCanada
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Bonin M, Dussault C, Côté SD. Increased trophic position of black bear (Ursus americanus) at the northern fringe of its distribution range. CAN J ZOOL 2020. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2019-0062] [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
Studies describing the diet of omnivorous species are abundant, but the drivers affecting the balance between animal and plant resources remain unclear. Among those drivers, latitude has been reported to positively correlate with the trophic position of consumers. Using stable isotope analysis, we tested the hypothesis that trophic position of black bears (Ursus americanus Pallas, 1780) is positively correlated with latitude in eastern North America. We sampled 57 bears over a 15° latitudinal gradient in Quebec, Canada, and used stable isotope analysis to assess individual trophic position and metrics of dietary niches. We found a strong positive correlation between trophic position of bears and latitude (r2 = 0.76), which persisted throughout seasons. The width of the dietary niche of bears also appeared to follow a latitudinal pattern, even though bears foraging at the southernmost part of the gradient also showed a wide dietary niche. The impact of latitude on the foraging tactic of omnivores fosters our understanding of their capability to deal with contrasting environmental conditions, especially for species whose distribution ranges are expanding due to climate change. The flexibility of black bear foraging tactic likely allows this species to expand its geographical distribution range toward northern habitats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michaël Bonin
- Caribou Ungava, département de biologie, Centre d’études nordiques, Université Laval, 1045, avenue de la Médecine, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Christian Dussault
- Caribou Ungava, département de biologie, Centre d’études nordiques, Université Laval, 1045, avenue de la Médecine, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
- Direction de l’expertise sur la faune terrestre, l’herpétofaune et l’avifaune, Ministère des Forêts, de la Faune et des Parcs, 880, chemin Sainte-Foy, Québec, QC G1S 4X4, Canada
| | - Steeve D. Côté
- Caribou Ungava, département de biologie, Centre d’études nordiques, Université Laval, 1045, avenue de la Médecine, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
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Ueda M, Bell LS. Assessing dual hair sampling for isotopic studies of grizzly bears. RAPID COMMUNICATIONS IN MASS SPECTROMETRY : RCM 2019; 33:1475-1480. [PMID: 31148277 DOI: 10.1002/rcm.8495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2019] [Revised: 05/23/2019] [Accepted: 05/24/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE The stable isotope ratios of carbon (δ13 C values), nitrogen (δ15 N values) and sulfur (δ34 S values) in bear hair can be used to obtain information on dietary history. Sample protocols often require hair sampling from multiple anatomical locations; however, there remains a question as to whether this is necessary for isotopic studies of hair. The purpose of this study was to determine whether significant differences can be observed for the δ13 C, δ15 N and δ34 S values between paired hair samples taken from the rump and shoulder of grizzly bears (Ursus arctos). METHODS Paired hair samples were collected from the rump and the shoulder of 81 grizzly bears in the Yukon, Canada. Hair samples were analyzed using a thermal combustion elemental analyzer coupled with a continuous flow isotope ratio mass spectrometer. RESULTS Statistical comparisons of paired hair samples for both males and females showed no meaningful differences in δ13 C, δ15 N and δ34 S values in hair taken from the rump and shoulder, and any observed differences fell within the instrumental error. CONCLUSIONS Based on these results, hair may be safely sampled on either the rump or the shoulder without loss of isotopic information and thus this finding allows for refinement of sampling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Momoko Ueda
- Centre for Forensic Research, School of Criminology, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC, V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - Lynne S Bell
- Centre for Forensic Research, School of Criminology, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC, V5A 1S6, Canada
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Lamb CT, Ford AT, Proctor MF, Royle JA, Mowat G, Boutin S. Genetic tagging in the Anthropocene: scaling ecology from alleles to ecosystems. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2019; 29:e01876. [PMID: 30913353 DOI: 10.1002/eap.1876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2018] [Revised: 01/04/2019] [Accepted: 02/01/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The Anthropocene is an era of marked human impact on the world. Quantifying these impacts has become central to understanding the dynamics of coupled human-natural systems, resource-dependent livelihoods, and biodiversity conservation. Ecologists are facing growing pressure to quantify the size, distribution, and trajectory of wild populations in a cost-effective and socially acceptable manner. Genetic tagging, combined with modern computational and genetic analyses, is an under-utilized tool to meet this demand, especially for wide-ranging, elusive, sensitive, and low-density species. Genetic tagging studies are now revealing unprecedented insight into the mechanisms that control the density, trajectory, connectivity, and patterns of human-wildlife interaction for populations over vast spatial extents. Here, we outline the application of, and ecological inferences from, new analytical techniques applied to genetically tagged individuals, contrast this approach with conventional methods, and describe how genetic tagging can be better applied to address outstanding questions in ecology. We provide example analyses using a long-term genetic tagging dataset of grizzly bears in the Canadian Rockies. The genetic tagging toolbox is a powerful and overlooked ensemble that ecologists and conservation biologists can leverage to generate evidence and meet the challenges of the Anthropocene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clayton T Lamb
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2E9, Canada
| | - Adam T Ford
- Department of Biology, University of British Columbia, Kelowna, British Columbia, V1V 1V7, Canada
| | | | - J Andrew Royle
- Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, U.S. Geological Survey, Laurel, Maryland, 20708, USA
| | - Garth Mowat
- Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations, Nelson, British Columbia, V1L 4K3, Canada
- Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of British Columbia, Kelowna, British Columbia, V1V 1V7, Canada
| | - Stan Boutin
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2E9, Canada
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Javornik J, Hopkins JB, Zavadlav S, Levanič T, Lojen S, Polak T, Jerina K. Effects of ethanol storage and lipids on stable isotope values in a large mammalian omnivore. J Mammal 2019. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyy187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Jernej Javornik
- Biotechnical Faculty, Department of Forestry, University of Ljubljana, Večna pot, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - John B Hopkins
- Biotechnical Faculty, Department of Forestry, University of Ljubljana, Večna pot, Ljubljana, Slovenia
- School of Biodiversity Conservation, Unity College, Unity, ME, USA
| | - Saša Zavadlav
- Biotechnical Faculty, Department of Forestry, University of Ljubljana, Večna pot, Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Department of Yield and Silviculture, Slovenian Forestry Institute, Večna pot, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Tom Levanič
- Biotechnical Faculty, Department of Forestry, University of Ljubljana, Večna pot, Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Department of Yield and Silviculture, Slovenian Forestry Institute, Večna pot, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Sonja Lojen
- Biotechnical Faculty, Department of Forestry, University of Ljubljana, Večna pot, Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Jožef Stefan Institute, Jamova cesta, Ljubljana, Slovenia
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of Nova Gorica, Lanthieri mansion, Glavni,Vipava, Slovenia
| | - Tomaž Polak
- Biotechnical Faculty, Department of Food Science and Technology, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Klemen Jerina
- Biotechnical Faculty, Department of Forestry, University of Ljubljana, Večna pot, Ljubljana, Slovenia
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Deacy WW, Erlenbach JA, Leacock WB, Stanford JA, Robbins CT, Armstrong JB. Phenological tracking associated with increased salmon consumption by brown bears. Sci Rep 2018; 8:11008. [PMID: 30030526 PMCID: PMC6054687 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-29425-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2017] [Accepted: 07/05/2018] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
There is growing interest in the ecological significance of phenological diversity, particularly in how spatially variable resource phenologies (i.e. resource waves) prolong foraging opportunities for mobile consumers. While there is accumulating evidence of consumers moving across landscapes to surf resource waves, there is little data quantifying how phenological tracking influences resource consumption due to the challenge of documenting all the components of this ecological phenomenon (i.e., phenological variation, consumer movement, resource consumption, and consumer fitness). We examined the space use of GPS collared female brown bears to quantify the exploitation of a salmon resource wave by individual bears. We then estimated salmon consumption levels in the same individuals using stable isotope and mercury analyses of hair. We found strong positive relationships between time spent on salmon streams and percent salmon in assimilated diets (R2 = 0.70) and salmon mass consumed (R2 = 0.49). Salmon abundance varied 2.5-fold between study years, yet accounting for salmon abundance did not improve salmon consumption models. Resource abundance generally is viewed as the key variable controlling consumption levels and food web dynamics. However, our results suggest that in intact watersheds of coastal Alaska with abundant salmon runs, interannual variation in salmon abundance likely has less effect on salmon consumption than individual variation in bear foraging behavior. The results complement previous work to demonstrate the importance of phenological variation on bear foraging behavior and fitness.
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Affiliation(s)
- William W Deacy
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA. .,Flathead Lake Biological Station, University of Montana, Missoula, MT, USA.
| | - Joy A Erlenbach
- School of the Environment, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA
| | - William B Leacock
- Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge, United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Kodiak, AK, USA
| | - Jack A Stanford
- Flathead Lake Biological Station, University of Montana, Missoula, MT, USA
| | - Charles T Robbins
- School of the Environment, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA.,School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA
| | - Jonathan B Armstrong
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA
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