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Kellner FL, Le Moullec M, Ellegaard MR, Rosvold J, Peeters B, Burnett HA, Pedersen ÅØ, Brealey JC, Dussex N, Bieker VC, Hansen BB, Martin MD. A palaeogenomic investigation of overharvest implications in an endemic wild reindeer subspecies. Mol Ecol 2024; 33:e17274. [PMID: 38279681 DOI: 10.1111/mec.17274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2023] [Revised: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 01/28/2024]
Abstract
Overharvest can severely reduce the abundance and distribution of a species and thereby impact its genetic diversity and threaten its future viability. Overharvest remains an ongoing issue for Arctic mammals, which due to climate change now also confront one of the fastest changing environments on Earth. The high-arctic Svalbard reindeer (Rangifer tarandus platyrhynchus), endemic to Svalbard, experienced a harvest-induced demographic bottleneck that occurred during the 17-20th centuries. Here, we investigate changes in genetic diversity, population structure, and gene-specific differentiation during and after this overharvesting event. Using whole-genome shotgun sequencing, we generated the first ancient and historical nuclear (n = 11) and mitochondrial (n = 18) genomes from Svalbard reindeer (up to 4000 BP) and integrated these data with a large collection of modern genome sequences (n = 90) to infer temporal changes. We show that hunting resulted in major genetic changes and restructuring in reindeer populations. Near-extirpation followed by pronounced genetic drift has altered the allele frequencies of important genes contributing to diverse biological functions. Median heterozygosity was reduced by 26%, while the mitochondrial genetic diversity was reduced only to a limited extent, likely due to already low pre-harvest diversity and a complex post-harvest recolonization process. Such genomic erosion and genetic isolation of populations due to past anthropogenic disturbance will likely play a major role in metapopulation dynamics (i.e., extirpation, recolonization) under further climate change. Our results from a high-arctic case study therefore emphasize the need to understand the long-term interplay of past, current, and future stressors in wildlife conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabian L Kellner
- Department of Natural History, NTNU University Museum, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway
| | - Mathilde Le Moullec
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway
- Department of Mammals and Birds, Greenland Institute of Natural Resources (GINR), Nuuk, Greenland
| | - Martin R Ellegaard
- Department of Natural History, NTNU University Museum, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway
| | - Jørgen Rosvold
- Department of Terrestrial Biodiversity, Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA), Trondheim, Norway
| | - Bart Peeters
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway
| | - Hamish A Burnett
- Department of Natural History, NTNU University Museum, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway
| | | | - Jaelle C Brealey
- Department of Natural History, NTNU University Museum, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway
| | - Nicolas Dussex
- Department of Natural History, NTNU University Museum, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway
| | - Vanessa C Bieker
- Department of Natural History, NTNU University Museum, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway
| | - Brage B Hansen
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway
- Department of Terrestrial Ecology, Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA), Trondheim, Norway
| | - Michael D Martin
- Department of Natural History, NTNU University Museum, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway
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2
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Dussex N, Tørresen OK, van der Valk T, Le Moullec M, Veiberg V, Tooming-Klunderud A, Skage M, Garmann-Aarhus B, Wood J, Rasmussen JA, Pedersen ÅØ, Martin SL, Røed KH, Jakobsen KS, Dalén L, Hansen BB, Martin MD. Adaptation to the High-Arctic island environment despite long-term reduced genetic variation in Svalbard reindeer. iScience 2023; 26:107811. [PMID: 37744038 PMCID: PMC10514459 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.107811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Revised: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Typically much smaller in number than their mainland counterparts, island populations are ideal systems to investigate genetic threats to small populations. The Svalbard reindeer (Rangifer tarandus platyrhynchus) is an endemic subspecies that colonized the Svalbard archipelago ca. 6,000-8,000 years ago and now shows numerous physiological and morphological adaptations to its arctic habitat. Here, we report a de-novo chromosome-level assembly for Svalbard reindeer and analyze 133 reindeer genomes spanning Svalbard and most of the species' Holarctic range, to examine the genomic consequences of long-term isolation and small population size in this insular subspecies. Empirical data, demographic reconstructions, and forward simulations show that long-term isolation and high inbreeding levels may have facilitated the reduction of highly deleterious-and to a lesser extent, moderately deleterious-variation. Our study indicates that long-term reduced genetic diversity did not preclude local adaptation to the High Arctic, suggesting that even severely bottlenecked populations can retain evolutionary potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Dussex
- Department of Natural History, University Museum, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Erling Skakkes gate 47A, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Ole K. Tørresen
- Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis (CEES), Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, PO Box 1066 Blindern, N-0316 Oslo, Norway
| | - Tom van der Valk
- Centre for PalaeoGenetics, Svante Arrhenius väg 20C, SE 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Bioinformatics and Genetics, Swedish Museum of Natural History, SE 104 05 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Mathilde Le Moullec
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), NO 7491 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Vebjørn Veiberg
- Department of Terrestrial Ecology, Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA), NO 7034 Trondheim, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Ave Tooming-Klunderud
- Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis (CEES), Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, PO Box 1066 Blindern, N-0316 Oslo, Norway
| | - Morten Skage
- Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis (CEES), Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, PO Box 1066 Blindern, N-0316 Oslo, Norway
| | - Benedicte Garmann-Aarhus
- Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis (CEES), Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, PO Box 1066 Blindern, N-0316 Oslo, Norway
- Natural History Museum, University of Oslo, NO 0318 Oslo, Norway
| | - Jonathan Wood
- Tree of Life, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton CB10 1SA Cambridge, UK
| | - Jacob A. Rasmussen
- Department of Natural History, University Museum, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Erling Skakkes gate 47A, Trondheim, Norway
- Globe Institute, University of Copenhagen, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | - Sarah L.F. Martin
- Department of Natural History, University Museum, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Erling Skakkes gate 47A, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Knut H. Røed
- Department of Preclinical Sciences and Pathology, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, P.O. Box 5003, 1432 Ås, Norway
| | - Kjetill S. Jakobsen
- Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis (CEES), Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, PO Box 1066 Blindern, N-0316 Oslo, Norway
| | - Love Dalén
- Centre for PalaeoGenetics, Svante Arrhenius väg 20C, SE 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Bioinformatics and Genetics, Swedish Museum of Natural History, SE 104 05 Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Brage B. Hansen
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), NO 7491 Trondheim, Norway
- Department of Terrestrial Ecology, Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA), NO 7034 Trondheim, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Michael D. Martin
- Department of Natural History, University Museum, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Erling Skakkes gate 47A, Trondheim, Norway
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), NO 7491 Trondheim, Norway
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3
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Poirier M, Gauthier G, Domine F, Fauteux D. Lemming winter habitat: the quest for warm and soft snow. Oecologia 2023:10.1007/s00442-023-05385-y. [PMID: 37351629 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-023-05385-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2022] [Accepted: 05/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/24/2023]
Abstract
During the cold arctic winter, small mammals like lemmings seek refuge inside the snowpack to keep warm and they dig tunnels in the basal snow layer, usually formed of a soft depth hoar, to find vegetation on which they feed. The snowpack, however, is a heterogenous medium and lemmings should use habitats where snow properties favor their survival and winter reproduction. We determined the impact of snow physical properties on lemming habitat use and reproduction in winter by sampling their winter nests for 13 years and snow properties for 6 years across 4 different habitats (mesic, riparian, shrubland, and wetland) on Bylot Island in the Canadian High Arctic. We found that lemmings use riparian habitat most intensively because snow accumulates more rapidly, the snowpack is the deepest and temperature of the basal snow layer is the highest in this habitat. However, in the deepest snowpacks, the basal depth hoar layer was denser and less developed than in habitats with shallower snowpacks, and those conditions were negatively related to lemming reproduction in winter. Shrubland appeared a habitat of moderate quality for lemmings as it favored a soft basal snow layer and a deep snowpack compared with mesic and wetland, but snow conditions in this habitat critically depend on weather conditions at the beginning of the winter. With climate change, a hardening of the basal layer of the snowpack and a delay in snow accumulation are expected, which could negatively affect the winter habitat of lemmings and be detrimental to their populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathilde Poirier
- Centre d'Études Nordiques, Université Laval, Pavillon Abitibi-Price, 2405, rue de la Terrasse, Québec, QC, Canada.
- Department of Biology, Université Laval, 1045 av. de la Médecine, Québec, QC, Canada.
- Takuvik Joint International Laboratory, Université Laval (Canada) and CNRS-INSU (France), 1045 av. de la Médecine, Québec, QC, Canada.
| | - Gilles Gauthier
- Centre d'Études Nordiques, Université Laval, Pavillon Abitibi-Price, 2405, rue de la Terrasse, Québec, QC, Canada
- Department of Biology, Université Laval, 1045 av. de la Médecine, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Florent Domine
- Centre d'Études Nordiques, Université Laval, Pavillon Abitibi-Price, 2405, rue de la Terrasse, Québec, QC, Canada
- Takuvik Joint International Laboratory, Université Laval (Canada) and CNRS-INSU (France), 1045 av. de la Médecine, Québec, QC, Canada
- Department of Chemistry, Université Laval, 1045 av. de la Médecine, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Dominique Fauteux
- Centre d'Études Nordiques, Université Laval, Pavillon Abitibi-Price, 2405, rue de la Terrasse, Québec, QC, Canada
- Centre for Arctic Knowledge and Exploration, Canadian Museum of Nature, Station D, P.O. Box 3443, Ottawa, ON, Canada
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4
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Ocobock C, Turunen M, Soppela P, Rasmus S. The impact of winter warming and more frequent icing events on reindeer herder occupational safety, health, and wellbeing. Am J Hum Biol 2023; 35:e23790. [PMID: 36638266 DOI: 10.1002/ajhb.23790] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2022] [Revised: 07/14/2022] [Accepted: 07/19/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Northern Finland, like the rest of the Arctic, has experienced increases in mean annual temperature, the number of winter rains, the number of thaw-freeze days, the number of extremely warm weather events, and a shortened snow season. These changes have produced numerous problems for reindeer herders whose livelihoods rely on a healthy ecosystem with predictable weather patterns. METHODS We performed a scoping literature review to assess how climate change induced extreme weather has negatively impacted reindeer herding as well as the health and wellbeing of reindeer herders. RESULTS Late snow cover negatively impacts reindeer herding through a more widely dispersed herd that increases the work to gather reindeer, leads to reduced calf weight, and results in less meat for sale. This increased labor, especially in extreme cold conditions, can also negatively impact reindeer herder health. Icing due to thaw-freeze and rain-on-snow events makes it impossible for reindeer to dig through the snow to access lichens, increasing the need for reindeer herders to keep the herd in winter enclosures and provide supplemental feed. CONCLUSION Climate change induced weather events such as late snow cover and icing increase reindeer herder efforts and expenses, put their livelihood at risk, and put their health at risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cara Ocobock
- Department of Anthropology, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, USA.,Eck Institute for Global Health, Institute for Educational Initiatives, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, USA
| | - Minna Turunen
- Arctic Centre, University of Lapland, Rovaniemi, Finland
| | - Päivi Soppela
- Arctic Centre, University of Lapland, Rovaniemi, Finland
| | - Sirpa Rasmus
- Arctic Centre, University of Lapland, Rovaniemi, Finland.,Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
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5
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Kater I, Baxter R. Abundance and accessibility of forage for reindeer in forests of Northern Sweden: Impacts of landscape and winter climate regime. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e8820. [PMID: 35432926 PMCID: PMC9009126 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2021] [Revised: 03/23/2022] [Accepted: 03/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The survival of reindeer during winter, their period of greatest food stress, depends largely on the abundance and accessibility of forage in their pastures. In Northern Sweden, realized availability of forage is notably affected by snow conditions and the impacts of forestry. While these factors have been examined in isolation, their combined effect has, to the best of our knowledge to date, not been researched. In this study, vegetation surveys and analysis of snow conditions were undertaken in forest stands at various stages of recovery from clear-cutting. The variation in abundance and growth of understory species edible by reindeer, such as lichen, was noted as forests matured. The barrier effect of ice lenses in the snow was also measured in these stands. Lichen biomass was significantly affected by a combination of stand maturity, understory vegetation height, and lichen height. Soil disturbance from the processes of felling and competition in the vegetation communities recovering from this disturbance were identified as key drivers of change in lichen biomass. Overall, clear-cut forests had some of the greatest prevalence of ice lenses in the snow column, and forage availability at these sites was up to 61% less than in mature stands over 58 years in age. It is suggested that alternative silviculture methods are investigated for use in this reindeer herding region, as frequent clear-cutting and consequent reduction in the average forest stand age and maturity class may be detrimental to reindeer grazing, reducing both abundance of forage, and access to it during winter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilona Kater
- Department of BiosciencesDurham UniversityDurhamUK
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6
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Nonlinear spatial and temporal decomposition provides insight for climate change effects on sub-Arctic herbivore populations. Oecologia 2022; 198:889-904. [PMID: 35325288 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-022-05150-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2021] [Accepted: 03/06/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Global temperatures are increasing, affecting timing and availability of vegetation along with relationships between plants and their consumers. We examined the effect of population density, herd body condition in the previous year, elevation, plant productivity and phenology, snow, and winter onset on juvenile body mass in 63 semi-domesticated populations of Rangifer tarandus throughout Norway using spatiotemporal generalized additive models (GAMs) and varying coefficient models (VCMs). Optimal climate windows were calculated at both the regional and national level using a novel nonlinear climate window algorithm optimized for prediction. Spatial and temporal variation in effects of population and environmental predictors were considered using a model including covariates decomposed into spatial, temporal, and residual components. The performance of this decomposed model was compared to spatiotemporal GAMs and VCMs. The decomposed model provided the best fit and lowest prediction errors. A positive effect of herd body condition in the previous year explained most of the deviance in calf body mass, followed by a more complex effect of population density. A negative effect of timing of spring and positive effect of winter onset on juvenile body mass suggested that a snow free season was positive for juvenile body mass growth. Our findings suggest early spring onset and later winter permanent snow cover as reinforcers of early-life conditions which support more robust reindeer populations. Our methodological improvements for climate window analyses and effect size measures for decomposed variables provide important contributions to account for, measure, and interpret nonlinear relationships between climate and animal populations at large scales.
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7
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Peeters B, Grøtan V, Gamelon M, Veiberg V, Lee AM, Fryxell JM, Albon SD, Saether BE, Engen S, Loe LE, Hansen BB. Harvesting can stabilise population fluctuations and buffer the impacts of extreme climatic events. Ecol Lett 2022; 25:863-875. [PMID: 35103374 DOI: 10.1111/ele.13963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2021] [Revised: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 12/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Harvesting can magnify the destabilising effects of environmental perturbations on population dynamics and, thereby, increase extinction risk. However, population-dynamic theory predicts that impacts of harvesting depend on the type and strength of density-dependent regulation. Here, we used logistic population growth models and an empirical reindeer case study to show that low to moderate harvesting can actually buffer populations against environmental perturbations. This occurs because of density-dependent environmental stochasticity, where negative environmental impacts on vital rates are amplified at high population density due to intra-specific resource competition. Simulations from our population models show that even low levels of harvesting may prevent overabundance, thereby dampening population fluctuations and reducing the risk of population collapse and quasi-extinction following environmental perturbations. Thus, depending on the species' life history and the strength of density-dependent environmental drivers, low to moderate harvesting can improve population resistance to increased climate variability and extreme weather expected under global warming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bart Peeters
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Vidar Grøtan
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Marlène Gamelon
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.,Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Évolutive, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Villeurbanne Cedex, France
| | | | - Aline M Lee
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - John M Fryxell
- Biodiversity Institute of Ontario, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Bernt-Erik Saether
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Steinar Engen
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Leif Egil Loe
- Department of Ecology and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway
| | - Brage Bremset Hansen
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.,Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, Trondheim, Norway
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8
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Berteaux D, Lai S. Walking on water: terrestrial mammal migrations in the warming Arctic. ANIMAL MIGRATION 2021. [DOI: 10.1515/ami-2020-0111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Caribou and reindeer migrations are the tip of the iceberg when one considers migration among the 70 species of Arctic terrestrial mammals. About 26% of species indeed have migratory individuals, while 33% are non-migratory and 41% are data deficient. Such figures demonstrate the need to both better document and better understand seasonal movements in these vertebrates. Whereas spatiotemporal variations in resources are key drivers of Arctic terrestrial mammal migrations, the changes of water phase around 0°C, from liquid to solid and vice versa, have considerable impacts given that liquid water, snow, and ice differ so strongly in their physical properties. We explore how the interplay between resources and water phase shape Arctic terrestrial mammal migrations, demonstrate that a rich set of research questions emerges from this interaction, and introduce new concepts such as the micro-migrations of small mammals. We also list key questions about the migrations of Arctic terrestrial mammals, with emphasis on the impacts of climate change. We conclude by arguing that the strong exposure of the Arctic to climate change, combined with the quick development of biologging techniques, rapidly increase both the need and the capacity to enhance our knowledge of migration in Arctic terrestrial mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominique Berteaux
- Canada Research Chair on Northern Biodiversity, Centre for Northern Studies and Quebec Center for Biodiversity Science , Université du Québec à Rimouski , 300 Allée des Ursulines, Rimouski, Quebec, G5L 3A1 , Canada
| | - Sandra Lai
- Canada Research Chair on Northern Biodiversity, Centre for Northern Studies and Quebec Center for Biodiversity Science , Université du Québec à Rimouski , 300 Allée des Ursulines, Rimouski, Quebec, G5L 3A1 , Canada
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9
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Pedersen ÅØ, Beumer LT, Aanes R, Hansen BB. Sea or summit? Wild reindeer spatial responses to changing high‐arctic winters. Ecosphere 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - Larissa T. Beumer
- Fram Centre Norwegian Polar Institute Tromsø 9296 Norway
- Department of Bioscience Aarhus University Roskilde 4000 Denmark
| | - Ronny Aanes
- Fram Centre Norwegian Polar Institute Tromsø 9296 Norway
| | - Brage B. Hansen
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research Trondheim 7485 Norway
- Department of Biology Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics Norwegian University of Science and Technology Trondheim 7491 Norway
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10
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Speed JDM, Chimal-Ballesteros JA, Martin MD, Barrio IC, Vuorinen KEM, Soininen EM. Will borealization of Arctic tundra herbivore communities be driven by climate warming or vegetation change? GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2021; 27:6568-6577. [PMID: 34592044 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2021] [Accepted: 09/22/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Poleward shifts in species distributions are expected and frequently observed with a warming climate. In Arctic ecosystems, the strong warming trends are associated with increasing greenness and shrubification. Vertebrate herbivores have the potential to limit greening and shrub advance and expansion on the tundra, posing the question of whether changes in herbivore communities could partly mediate the impacts of climate warming on Arctic tundra. Therefore, future changes in the herbivore community in the Arctic tundra will depend on whether the community tracks the changing climates directly (i.e. occurs in response to temperature) or indirectly, in response to vegetation changes (which can be modified by trophic interactions). In this study, we used biogeographic and remotely sensed data to quantify spatial variation in vertebrate herbivore communities across the boreal forest and Arctic tundra biomes. We then tested whether present-day herbivore community structure is determined primarily by temperature or vegetation. We demonstrate that vertebrate herbivore communities are significantly more diverse in the boreal forest than in the Arctic tundra in terms of species richness, phylogenetic diversity and functional diversity. A clear shift in community structure was observed at the biome boundary, with stronger northward declines in diversity in the Arctic tundra. Interestingly, important functional traits characterizing the role of herbivores in limiting tundra vegetation change, such as body mass and woody plant feeding, did not show threshold changes across the biome boundary. Temperature was a more important determinant of herbivore community structure across these biomes than vegetation productivity or woody plant cover. Thus, our study does not support the premise that herbivore-driven limitation of Arctic tundra shrubification or greening would limit herbivore community change in the tundra. Instead, borealization of tundra herbivore communities is likely to result from the direct effect of climate warming.
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Affiliation(s)
- James D M Speed
- Department of Natural History, NTNU University Museum, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - J Adrian Chimal-Ballesteros
- Department of Natural History, NTNU University Museum, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
- Natural History Museum, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Michael D Martin
- Department of Natural History, NTNU University Museum, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Isabel C Barrio
- Faculty of Environmental and Forest Sciences, Agricultural University of Iceland, Reykjavík, Iceland
| | - Katariina E M Vuorinen
- Department of Natural History, NTNU University Museum, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Eeva M Soininen
- Department of Arctic and Marine Biology, UiT - The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
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11
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DeMars CA, Gilbert S, Serrouya R, Kelly AP, Larter NC, Hervieux D, Boutin S. Demographic responses of a threatened, low-density ungulate to annual variation in meteorological and phenological conditions. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0258136. [PMID: 34624030 PMCID: PMC8500449 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0258136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2021] [Accepted: 09/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
As global climate change progresses, wildlife management will benefit from knowledge of demographic responses to climatic variation, particularly for species already endangered by other stressors. In Canada, climate change is expected to increasingly impact populations of threatened woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) and much focus has been placed on how a warming climate has potentially facilitated the northward expansion of apparent competitors and novel predators. Climate change, however, may also exert more direct effects on caribou populations that are not mediated by predation. These effects include meteorological changes that influence resource availability and energy expenditure. Research on other ungulates suggests that climatic variation may have minimal impact on low-density populations such as woodland caribou because per-capita resources may remain sufficient even in “bad” years. We evaluated this prediction using demographic data from 21 populations in western Canada that were monitored for various intervals between 1994 and 2015. We specifically assessed whether juvenile recruitment and adult female survival were correlated with annual variation in meteorological metrics and plant phenology. Against expectations, we found that both vital rates appeared to be influenced by annual climatic variation. Juvenile recruitment was primarily correlated with variation in phenological conditions in the year prior to birth. Adult female survival was more strongly correlated with meteorological conditions and declined during colder, more variable winters. These responses may be influenced by the life history of woodland caribou, which reside in low-productivity refugia where small climatic changes may result in changes to resources that are sufficient to elicit strong demographic effects. Across all models, explained variation in vital rates was low, suggesting that other factors had greater influence on caribou demography. Nonetheless, given the declining trajectories of many woodland caribou populations, our results highlight the increased relevance of recovery actions when adverse climatic conditions are likely to negatively affect caribou demography.
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Affiliation(s)
- Craig A. DeMars
- Caribou Monitoring Unit, Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute, Edmonton, AB, Canada
- * E-mail:
| | - Sophie Gilbert
- Department of Fish & Wildlife Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, United States of America
| | - Robert Serrouya
- Caribou Monitoring Unit, Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Allicia P. Kelly
- Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Government of Northwest Territories, Fort Smith, NT, Canada
| | - Nicholas C. Larter
- Department of Environment and Natural Resources (retired), Government of Northwest Territories, Fort Simpson, NT, Canada
| | - Dave Hervieux
- Alberta Environment and Parks, Grande Prairie, AB, Canada
| | - Stan Boutin
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
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12
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Trondrud LM, Pigeon G, Albon S, Arnold W, Evans AL, Irvine RJ, Król E, Ropstad E, Stien A, Veiberg V, Speakman JR, Loe LE. Determinants of heart rate in Svalbard reindeer reveal mechanisms of seasonal energy management. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2021; 376:20200215. [PMID: 34176322 PMCID: PMC8237166 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2020.0215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/03/2021] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Seasonal energetic challenges may constrain an animal's ability to respond to changing individual and environmental conditions. Here, we investigated variation in heart rate, a well-established proxy for metabolic rate, in Svalbard reindeer (Rangifer tarandus platyrhynchus), a species with strong seasonal changes in foraging and metabolic activity. In 19 adult females, we recorded heart rate, subcutaneous temperature and activity using biologgers. Mean heart rate more than doubled from winter to summer. Typical drivers of energy expenditure, such as reproduction and activity, explained a relatively limited amount of variation (2-6% in winter and 16-24% in summer) compared to seasonality, which explained 75% of annual variation in heart rate. The relationship between heart rate and subcutaneous temperature depended on individual state via body mass, age and reproductive status, and the results suggested that peripheral heterothermy is an important pathway of energy management in both winter and summer. While the seasonal plasticity in energetics makes Svalbard reindeer well-adapted to their highly seasonal environment, intraseasonal constraints on modulation of their heart rate may limit their ability to respond to severe environmental change. This study emphasizes the importance of encompassing individual state and seasonal context when studying energetics in free-living animals. This article is part of the theme issue 'Measuring physiology in free-living animals (Part II)'.
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Affiliation(s)
- L. Monica Trondrud
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, NO-1432 Ås, Norway
| | - Gabriel Pigeon
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, NO-1432 Ås, Norway
- Département de Biologie, Faculté des Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, 2500 boul. de l'Université, Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada, J1 K 2R1
| | - Steve Albon
- The James Hutton Institute, Craigiebuckler, Aberdeen AB15 8QH, UK
| | - Walter Arnold
- Department of Interdisciplinary Life Sciences, Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Savoyenstr. 1, 1160 Vienna, Austria
| | - Alina L. Evans
- Department of Forestry and Wildlife Management, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Campus Evenstad, 2418 Elverum, Norway
| | - R. Justin Irvine
- The James Hutton Institute, Craigiebuckler, Aberdeen AB15 8QH, UK
- Frankfurt Zoological Society, PO Box 100003, South Africa Street, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Elżbieta Król
- School of Biological Sciences, Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB24 2TZ, UK
| | - Erik Ropstad
- Faculty of Veterinary Science, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, PO Box 8146, NO-0033 Oslo, Norway
| | - Audun Stien
- Department of Arctic and Marine Biology, The Arctic University of Norway, PO Box 6050 Langnes, NO-9037 Tromsø, Norway
| | - Vebjørn Veiberg
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, PO Box 5685 Torgarden, NO-7485 Trondheim, Norway
| | - John R. Speakman
- School of Biological Sciences, Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB24 2TZ, UK
- Center for Energy Metabolism and Reproduction, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, People's Republic of China
- CAS Center of Excellence in Animal Evolution and Genetics, Kunming 650223, People's Republic of China
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, People's Republic of China
| | - Leif Egil Loe
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, NO-1432 Ås, Norway
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13
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Tyler NJC, Hanssen-Bauer I, Førland EJ, Nellemann C. The Shrinking Resource Base of Pastoralism: Saami Reindeer Husbandry in a Climate of Change. FRONTIERS IN SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fsufs.2020.585685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The productive performance of large ungulates in extensive pastoral grazing systems is modulated simultaneously by the effects of climate change and human intervention independent of climate change. The latter includes the expansion of private, civil and military activity and infrastructure and the erosion of land rights. We used Saami reindeer husbandry in Norway as a model in which to examine trends in, and to compare the influence of, both effects on a pastoral grazing system. Downscaled projections of mean annual temperature over the principal winter pasture area (Finnmarksvidda) closely matched empirical observations across 34 years to 2018. The area, therefore, is not only warming but seems likely to continue to do so. Warming notwithstanding, 50-year (1969–2018) records of local weather (temperature, precipitation and characteristics of the snowpack) demonstrate considerable annual and decadal variation which also seems likely to continue and alternately to amplify and to counter net warming. Warming, moreover, has both positive and negative effects on ecosystem services that influence reindeer. The effects of climate change on reindeer pastoralism are evidently neither temporally nor spatially uniform, nor indeed is the role of climate change as a driver of change in pastoralism even clear. The effects of human intervention on the system, by contrast, are clear and largely negative. Gradual liberalization of grazing rights from the 18th Century has been countered by extensive loss of reindeer pasture. Access to ~50% of traditional winter pasture was lost in the 19th Century owing to the closure of international borders to the passage of herders and their reindeer. Subsequent to this the area of undisturbed pasture within Norway has decreased by 71%. Loss of pasture due to piecemeal development of infrastructure and to administrative encroachment that erodes herders' freedom of action on the land that remains to them, are the principal threats to reindeer husbandry in Norway today. These tangible effects far exceed the putative effects of current climate change on the system. The situation confronting Saami reindeer pastoralism is not unique: loss of pasture and administrative, economic, legal and social constraints bedevil extensive pastoral grazing systems across the globe.
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Cosgrove CL, Wells J, Nolin AW, Putera J, Prugh LR. Seasonal influence of snow conditions on Dall's sheep productivity in Wrangell-St Elias National Park and Preserve. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0244787. [PMID: 33561149 PMCID: PMC7872280 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0244787] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2020] [Accepted: 12/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Dall's sheep (Ovis dalli dalli) are endemic to alpine areas of sub-Arctic and Arctic northwest America and are an ungulate species of high economic and cultural importance. Populations have historically experienced large fluctuations in size, and studies have linked population declines to decreased productivity as a consequence of late-spring snow cover. However, it is not known how the seasonality of snow accumulation and characteristics such as depth and density may affect Dall's sheep productivity. We examined relationships between snow and climate conditions and summer lamb production in Wrangell-St Elias National Park and Preserve, Alaska over a 37-year study period. To produce covariates pertaining to the quality of the snowpack, a spatially-explicit snow evolution model was forced with meteorological data from a gridded climate re-analysis from 1980 to 2017 and calibrated with ground-based snow surveys and validated by snow depth data from remote cameras. The best calibrated model produced an RMSE of 0.08 m (bias 0.06 m) for snow depth compared to the remote camera data. Observed lamb-to-ewe ratios from 19 summers of survey data were regressed against seasonally aggregated modelled snow and climate properties from the preceding snow season. We found that a multiple regression model of fall snow depth and fall air temperature explained 41% of the variance in lamb-to-ewe ratios (R2 = .41, F(2,38) = 14.89, p<0.001), with decreased lamb production following deep snow conditions and colder fall temperatures. Our results suggest the early establishment and persistence of challenging snow conditions is more important than snow conditions immediately prior to and during lambing. These findings may help wildlife managers to better anticipate Dall's sheep recruitment dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher L. Cosgrove
- College of Earth Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States of America
| | - Jeff Wells
- Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Tok, AK, United States of America
| | - Anne W. Nolin
- College of Earth Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States of America
- Department of Geography, University of Nevada Reno, Reno, NV, United States of America
| | - Judy Putera
- Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve and Central Alaska Inventory & Monitoring Network, AK, United States of America
| | - Laura R. Prugh
- School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States of America
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15
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Loe LE, Liston GE, Pigeon G, Barker K, Horvitz N, Stien A, Forchhammer M, Getz WM, Irvine RJ, Lee A, Movik LK, Mysterud A, Pedersen ÅØ, Reinking AK, Ropstad E, Trondrud LM, Tveraa T, Veiberg V, Hansen BB, Albon SD. The neglected season: Warmer autumns counteract harsher winters and promote population growth in Arctic reindeer. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2020; 27:993-1002. [PMID: 33231361 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2020] [Accepted: 10/21/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Arctic ungulates are experiencing the most rapid climate warming on Earth. While concerns have been raised that more frequent icing events may cause die-offs, and earlier springs may generate a trophic mismatch in phenology, the effects of warming autumns have been largely neglected. We used 25 years of individual-based data from a growing population of wild Svalbard reindeer, to test how warmer autumns enhance population growth. Delayed plant senescence had no effect, but a six-week delay in snow-onset (the observed data range) was estimated to increase late winter body mass by 10%. Because average late winter body mass explains 90% of the variation in population growth rates, such a delay in winter-onset would enable a population growth of r = 0.20, sufficient to counteract all but the most extreme icing events. This study provides novel mechanistic insights into the consequences of climate change for Arctic herbivores, highlighting the positive impact of warming autumns on population viability, offsetting the impacts of harsher winters. Thus, the future for Arctic herbivores facing climate change may be brighter than the prevailing view.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leif Egil Loe
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Aas, Norway
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Glen E Liston
- Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Gabriel Pigeon
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Aas, Norway
| | - Kristin Barker
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Nir Horvitz
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Audun Stien
- Department of Arctic and Marine Biology, The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | | | - Wayne Marcus Getz
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
- School of Mathematical Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - Robert Justin Irvine
- Frankfurt Zoological Society, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
- The James Hutton Institute, Aberdeen, UK
| | - Aline Lee
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Lars K Movik
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Aas, Norway
| | - Atle Mysterud
- Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis (CEES), Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, Blindern, Oslo, Norway
| | | | - Adele K Reinking
- Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Erik Ropstad
- Faculty of Veterinary Science, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Oslo, Norway
| | - Liv Monica Trondrud
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Aas, Norway
| | - Torkild Tveraa
- Department of Arctic and Marine Biology, The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | | | - Brage B Hansen
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
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16
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Riquelme C, Estay SA, Contreras R, Corti P. Extinction risk assessment of a Patagonian ungulate using population dynamics models under climate change scenarios. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOMETEOROLOGY 2020; 64:1847-1855. [PMID: 32734426 DOI: 10.1007/s00484-020-01971-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2019] [Revised: 06/24/2020] [Accepted: 07/19/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Climate change affects population cycles of several species, threatening biodiversity. However, there are few long-term studies on species with conservation issues and restricted distributions. Huemul is a deer endemic to the southern Andes in South America and it is considered endangered mostly due to a 50% reduction of its distribution over the last 500 years. To assess environmental variables potentially affecting huemul population viability and the impact of climate change, we developed population dynamics models. We used a 14-year survey data from Bernardo O'Higgins National Park, coastal Chilean Patagonia. We used Ricker models considering winter and spring temperatures and precipitation as variables influencing huemul population dynamics. We used the Bayesian information criterion (BIC) to select models with the greatest predictive power. The two best models (ΔBIC < 2) included winter temperature and density-dependence population growth drivers. The best model considered a lateral effect, where winter temperature influences carrying capacity and the second best a vertical effect with winter temperature influencing Rmax and carrying capacity. Population viability was evaluated using those models, projecting them over a 100-year period: (a) under current conditions and (b) under conditions estimated by Global Climate Models for 2050 and 2070. The extinction risk and quasi-extinction were estimated for this population considering two critical huemul abundance levels (15 and 30 individuals) for persistence. The population is currently in a quasi-extinction process, with extinction probabilities increasing with climate change. These results are crucial for conservation of species like huemul that have low densities and are threatened by climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Riquelme
- Programa de Magíster en Ecología Aplicada, Instituto de Ciencias Ambientales y Evolutivas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
- Laboratorio de Manejo y Conservación de Vida Silvestre, Instituto de Ciencia Animal y Programa de Investigación Aplicada en Fauna Silvestre, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
- Center of Applied Ecology and Sustainability, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Sergio A Estay
- Center of Applied Ecology and Sustainability, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Instituto de Ciencias Ambientales y Evolutivas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Rafael Contreras
- Oficina Provincial Última Esperanza, CONAF-Región de Magallanes, Puerto Natales, Chile
| | - Paulo Corti
- Laboratorio de Manejo y Conservación de Vida Silvestre, Instituto de Ciencia Animal y Programa de Investigación Aplicada en Fauna Silvestre, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile.
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17
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18
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Response of reindeer mating time to climatic variability. BMC Ecol 2020; 20:44. [PMID: 32727535 PMCID: PMC7391706 DOI: 10.1186/s12898-020-00312-8] [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: 02/06/2020] [Accepted: 07/22/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The breeding time of many species has changed over the past 2–3 decades in response to climate change. Yet it is a key reproductive trait that affects individual's parturition time and reproductive success, and thereby population dynamics. In order to predict how climate change will affect species’ viability, it is crucial to understand how species base their reproductive efforts on environmental cues. Results By using long-term datasets of mating behaviours and copulation dates recorded since 1996 on a semi-domesticated reindeer population, we showed that mating time occurred earlier in response to weather conditions at different key periods in their annual breeding cycle. The mating time occurred earlier following a reducing snow cover in early spring, colder minimum temperatures in the last 2 weeks of July and less precipitation in August-September. Conclusions The mediated effect of a reduced snow cover in early spring on improving individuals’ pre-rut body weight through a better availability of late winter food and reduced costs of locomotion on snow would explain that mating time has occurred earlier overtime. A lower level of insect harassment caused by colder maximum temperatures in July might have caused an advance in mating time. Less precipitation in August-September also caused the mating time to occur earlier, although the direct effects of the last two weather variables were not mediated through the pre-rut body weight of individuals. As such, the causal effects of weather conditions on seasonal timing of animals are still unclear and other mechanisms than just body weight might be involved (e.g. socio-biological factors). The plastic response of reindeer mating time to climatic variability, despite supplemental feeding occurring in late April, demonstrated that environmental factors may have a greater influence on reproductive outputs than previously thought in reindeer.
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19
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Le Moullec M, Sandal L, Grøtan V, Buchwal A, Hansen BB. Climate synchronises shrub growth across a high‐arctic archipelago: contrasting implications of summer and winter warming. OIKOS 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.07059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Mathilde Le Moullec
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Dept of Biology, Norwegian Univ. of Science and Technology Högskoleringen 5 NO‐7491 Trondheim Norway
| | - Lisa Sandal
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Dept of Biology, Norwegian Univ. of Science and Technology Högskoleringen 5 NO‐7491 Trondheim Norway
| | - Vidar Grøtan
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Dept of Biology, Norwegian Univ. of Science and Technology Högskoleringen 5 NO‐7491 Trondheim Norway
| | - Agata Buchwal
- Dept of Biological Sciences, Univ. of Alaska Anchorage AK USA
- Inst. of Geoecology and Geoinformation, Adam Mickiewicz Univ. Poznan Wielkopolskie Poland
| | - Brage Bremset Hansen
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Dept of Biology, Norwegian Univ. of Science and Technology Högskoleringen 5 NO‐7491 Trondheim Norway
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20
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Peeters B, Le Moullec M, Raeymaekers JAM, Marquez JF, Røed KH, Pedersen ÅØ, Veiberg V, Loe LE, Hansen BB. Sea ice loss increases genetic isolation in a high Arctic ungulate metapopulation. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2020; 26:2028-2041. [PMID: 31849126 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.14965] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2019] [Revised: 10/15/2019] [Accepted: 11/21/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Sea ice loss may have dramatic consequences for population connectivity, extinction-colonization dynamics, and even the persistence of Arctic species subject to climate change. This is of particular concern in face of additional anthropogenic stressors, such as overexploitation. In this study, we assess the population-genetic implications of diminishing sea ice cover in the endemic, high Arctic Svalbard reindeer (Rangifer tarandus platyrhynchus) by analyzing the interactive effects of landscape barriers and reintroductions (following harvest-induced extirpations) on their metapopulation genetic structure. We genotyped 411 wild reindeer from 25 sampling sites throughout the entire subspecies' range at 19 microsatellite loci. Bayesian clustering analysis showed a genetic structure composed of eight populations, of which two were admixed. Overall population genetic differentiation was high (mean FST = 0.21). Genetic diversity was low (allelic richness [AR] = 2.07-2.58; observed heterozygosity = 0.23-0.43) and declined toward the outer distribution range, where populations showed significant levels of inbreeding. Coalescent estimates of effective population sizes and migration rates revealed strong evolutionary source-sink dynamics with the central population as the main source. The population genetic structure was best explained by a landscape genetics model combining strong isolation by glaciers and open water, and high connectivity by dispersal across winter sea ice. However, the observed patterns of natural isolation were strongly modified by the signature of past harvest-induced extirpations, subsequent reintroductions, and recent lack of sea ice. These results suggest that past and current anthropogenic drivers of metapopulation dynamics may have interactive effects on large-scale ecological and evolutionary processes. Continued loss of sea ice as a dispersal corridor within and between island systems is expected to increase the genetic isolation of populations, and thus threaten the evolutionary potential and persistence of Arctic wildlife.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bart Peeters
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Mathilde Le Moullec
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | | | - Jonatan F Marquez
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Knut H Røed
- Department of Basic Sciences and Aquatic Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Oslo, Norway
| | | | | | - Leif Egil Loe
- Department of Ecology and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway
| | - Brage B Hansen
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
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21
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A 20-Year MODIS-Based Snow Cover Dataset for Svalbard and Its Link to Phenological Timing and Sea Ice Variability. REMOTE SENSING 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/rs12071123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The climate in Svalbard has been warming dramatically compared with the global average for the last few decades. Seasonal snow cover, which is sensitive to temperature and precipitation changes, is therefore expected to undergo both spatial and temporal changes in response to the changing climate in Svalbard. This will in turn have implications for timing of terrestrial productivity, which is closely linked to the disappearance of seasonal snow. We have produced a 20-year snow cover fraction time series for the Svalbard archipelago, derived from MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) Terra data to map and identify changes in the timing of the first snow-free day (FSFD) for the period 2000–2019. Moreover, we investigate the influence of sea ice concentration (SIC) variations on FSFD and how FSFD is related to the start of the phenological growing season in Svalbard. Our results revealed clear patterns of earlier FSFD in the southern and central parts of the archipelago, while the northernmost parts exhibit little change or trend toward later FSFD, resulting in weaker trends in summer and winter duration. We found that FSFD preceded the onset of the phenological growing season with an average difference of 12.4 days for the entire archipelago, but with large regional variations that are indicative of temperature dependence. Lastly, we found a significant correlation between variations of time-integrated SIC and variations in FSFD, which maximizes when correlating SIC northeast of Svalbard with FSFD averaged over Nordaustlandet. Prolonged sea ice cover in the spring was correlated with late snow disappearance, while lower-than-average sea ice cover correlated with early snow disappearance, indicating that proximity to sea ice plays an important role in regulating the timing of snow disappearance on land through influencing the regional air temperature and therefore rate of spring snowmelt.
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Kautz TM, Belant JL, Beyer DE, Strickland BK, Duquette JF. Influence of body mass and environmental conditions on winter mortality risk of a northern ungulate: Evidence for a late-winter survival bottleneck. Ecol Evol 2020; 10:1666-1677. [PMID: 32076542 PMCID: PMC7029083 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.6026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2018] [Revised: 11/06/2019] [Accepted: 11/20/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
A relationship between winter weather and survival of northern ungulates has long been established, yet the possible roles of biological (e.g., nutritional status) and environmental (e.g., weather) conditions make it important to determine which potential limiting factors are most influential.Our objective was to examine the potential effects of individual (body mass and age) and extrinsic (winter severity and snowmelt conditions) factors on the magnitude and timing of mortality for adult (>2.5 years old) female white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus [Zimmerman, 1780]) during February-May in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, USA.One hundred and fifty deer were captured and monitored during 2009-2015 in two areas with varying snowfall. February-May survival ranged from 0.24 to 0.89 (mean = 0.69) across years. Mortality risk increased 1.9% with each unit increase in cumulative winter severity index, decreased 8.2% with each cumulative snow-free day, and decreased 4.3% with each kg increase in body mass. Age and weekly snow depth did not influence weekly deer survival. Predation, primarily from coyote (Canis latrans [Say, 1823]) and wolves (Canis lupus [L., 1758]), accounted for 78% of known-cause mortalities.Our results suggest that cumulative winter severity, and possibly to a lesser degree deer condition entering winter, impacted deer winter survival. However, the timing of spring snowmelt appeared to be the most influential factor determining late-winter mortality of deer in our study. This supports the hypothesis that nutrition and energetic demands from weather conditions are both important to northern ungulate winter ecology. Under this model, a delay of several weeks in the timing of spring snowmelt could exert a large influence on deer survival, resulting in a survival bottleneck.
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Affiliation(s)
- Todd M. Kautz
- Camp Fire Program in Wildlife ConservationState University of New York College of Environmental Science and ForestrySyracuseNYUSA
| | - Jerrold L. Belant
- Camp Fire Program in Wildlife ConservationState University of New York College of Environmental Science and ForestrySyracuseNYUSA
| | - Dean E. Beyer
- Wildlife DivisionMichigan Department of Natural ResourcesMarquetteMIUSA
| | - Bronson K. Strickland
- Forest and Wildlife Research CenterMississippi State UniversityMississippi StateMSUSA
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23
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Gagnon CA, Hamel S, Russell DE, Powell T, Andre J, Svoboda MY, Berteaux D. Merging indigenous and scientific knowledge links climate with the growth of a large migratory caribou population. J Appl Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.13558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Catherine A. Gagnon
- Canada Research Chair on Northern Biodiversity Centre of Northern Studies and Quebec Center for Biodiversity Science Université du Québec à Rimouski Rimouski QC Canada
| | - Sandra Hamel
- Department of Arctic and Marine Biology UiT The Arctic University of Norway Tromsø Norway
- Département de Biologie Université Laval Quebec QC Canada
| | | | - Todd Powell
- Department of Environment Yukon Government Whitehorse YT Canada
| | - James Andre
- Arctic Borderlands Ecological Knowledge Society Whitehorse YT Canada
| | - Michael Y. Svoboda
- Canadian Wildlife Service Environment and Climate Change Canada Whitehorse YT Canada
| | - Dominique Berteaux
- Canada Research Chair on Northern Biodiversity Centre of Northern Studies and Quebec Center for Biodiversity Science Université du Québec à Rimouski Rimouski QC Canada
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Kaluskar S, Blukacz‐Richards EA, Johnson CA, He Y, Langlois A, Kim D, Arhonditsis G. Development of a model ensemble to predict Peary caribou populations in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Ecosphere 2019. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.2976] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Samarth Kaluskar
- Ecological Modelling Laboratory Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences University of Toronto Toronto Ontario Canada
| | - E. Agnes Blukacz‐Richards
- Ecological Modelling Laboratory Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences University of Toronto Toronto Ontario Canada
- Climate Research Division Environment and Climate Change Canada Toronto Ontario Canada
| | - Cheryl Ann Johnson
- Landscape Science & Technology Environment and Climate Change Canada Ottawa Ontario Canada
| | - Yuhong He
- Department of Geography University of Toronto Mississauga Toronto Ontario Canada
| | - Alexandre Langlois
- Centre d’Applications et Recherches en Télédétection Université de Sherbrooke Quebec Quebec Canada
- Centre d’études Nordiques Université Laval Quebec Quebec Canada
| | - Dong‐Kyun Kim
- Ecological Modelling Laboratory Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences University of Toronto Toronto Ontario Canada
| | - George Arhonditsis
- Ecological Modelling Laboratory Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences University of Toronto Toronto Ontario Canada
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25
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Markkula I, Turunen M, Rasmus S. A review of climate change impacts on the ecosystem services in the Saami Homeland in Finland. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 692:1070-1085. [PMID: 31539939 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.07.272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2019] [Revised: 07/17/2019] [Accepted: 07/17/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The aim of this work is (i) to review the recent studies on weather and climate change in Finnish Sápmi and to present the literature review findings alongside our survey on the observations made by local reindeer herders on the same phenomena, and, further, (ii) to review the impacts of climate change on the ecosystem services (ES) in Finnish Sápmi. The focus of the study is on the impacts of climate change on those habitat, provisioning and cultural ecosystem services which are interconnected with the Saami way of life as Indigenous people and thus support the continuity of their culture. In the holistic world view of Arctic Indigenous peoples, material culture and non-material culture are not separated, and there is no boundary between nature and culture. However, cultural and spiritual meanings of ecosystems, species and landscapes are rarely taken into account in scientific research on ecosystems services. Our review indicates that mostly negative impacts of climate warming on ecosystems and traditional livelihoods are to be expected in Sápmi. The most profound negative impacts will be on palsa mire and fell ecosystems, in particular snowbeds, snow patches and mountain birch forests. Consequently, changes in ecosystems may erode cultural meanings, stories, memories and traditional knowledge attached to them and affect the nature-based traditional livelihoods. In a situation where our rapidly changing climate is affecting the foundations of the nature-based cultures, the present review can provide a knowledge base for developing adaptation actions and strategies for local communities and Indigenous peoples to cope with changes caused by climate change and other drivers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inkeri Markkula
- Arctic Centre, University of Lapland, POB 122, FI-96101 Rovaniemi, Finland
| | - Minna Turunen
- Arctic Centre, University of Lapland, POB 122, FI-96101 Rovaniemi, Finland.
| | - Sirpa Rasmus
- Arctic Centre, University of Lapland, POB 122, FI-96101 Rovaniemi, Finland
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26
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Hansen BB, Pedersen ÅØ, Peeters B, Le Moullec M, Albon SD, Herfindal I, Sæther B, Grøtan V, Aanes R. Spatial heterogeneity in climate change effects decouples the long-term dynamics of wild reindeer populations in the high Arctic. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2019; 25:3656-3668. [PMID: 31435996 PMCID: PMC6851690 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.14761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2019] [Accepted: 03/05/2019] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
The 'Moran effect' predicts that dynamics of populations of a species are synchronized over similar distances as their environmental drivers. Strong population synchrony reduces species viability, but spatial heterogeneity in density dependence, the environment, or its ecological responses may decouple dynamics in space, preventing extinctions. How such heterogeneity buffers impacts of global change on large-scale population dynamics is not well studied. Here, we show that spatially autocorrelated fluctuations in annual winter weather synchronize wild reindeer dynamics across high-Arctic Svalbard, while, paradoxically, spatial variation in winter climate trends contribute to diverging local population trajectories. Warmer summers have improved the carrying capacity and apparently led to increased total reindeer abundance. However, fluctuations in population size seem mainly driven by negative effects of stochastic winter rain-on-snow (ROS) events causing icing, with strongest effects at high densities. Count data for 10 reindeer populations 8-324 km apart suggested that density-dependent ROS effects contributed to synchrony in population dynamics, mainly through spatially autocorrelated mortality. By comparing one coastal and one 'continental' reindeer population over four decades, we show that locally contrasting abundance trends can arise from spatial differences in climate change and responses to weather. The coastal population experienced a larger increase in ROS, and a stronger density-dependent ROS effect on population growth rates, than the continental population. In contrast, the latter experienced stronger summer warming and showed the strongest positive response to summer temperatures. Accordingly, contrasting net effects of a recent climate regime shift-with increased ROS and harsher winters, yet higher summer temperatures and improved carrying capacity-led to negative and positive abundance trends in the coastal and continental population respectively. Thus, synchronized population fluctuations by climatic drivers can be buffered by spatial heterogeneity in the same drivers, as well as in the ecological responses, averaging out climate change effects at larger spatial scales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brage Bremset Hansen
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics (CBD)Department of BiologyNorwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)TrondheimNorway
| | | | - Bart Peeters
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics (CBD)Department of BiologyNorwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)TrondheimNorway
| | - Mathilde Le Moullec
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics (CBD)Department of BiologyNorwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)TrondheimNorway
| | | | - Ivar Herfindal
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics (CBD)Department of BiologyNorwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)TrondheimNorway
| | - Bernt‐Erik Sæther
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics (CBD)Department of BiologyNorwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)TrondheimNorway
| | - Vidar Grøtan
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics (CBD)Department of BiologyNorwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)TrondheimNorway
| | - Ronny Aanes
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics (CBD)Department of BiologyNorwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)TrondheimNorway
- Norwegian Polar Institute (NPI)Fram CentreTromsøNorway
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Hansen BB, Lorentzen JR, Welker JM, Varpe Ø, Aanes R, Beumer LT, Pedersen ÅØ. Reindeer turning maritime: Ice‐locked tundra triggers changes in dietary niche utilization. Ecosphere 2019. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.2672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Brage Bremset Hansen
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics Department of Biology Norwegian University of Science and Technology N‐7491 Trondheim Norway
| | - Jon Runar Lorentzen
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics Department of Biology Norwegian University of Science and Technology N‐7491 Trondheim Norway
- Department of Arctic Biology The University Centre in Svalbard N‐9171 Longyearbyen Norway
| | - Jeffrey M. Welker
- UArctic & University of Oulo Oulo 90014 Finland
- University of Alaska Anchorage Anchorage Alaska 99516 USA
| | - Øystein Varpe
- Department of Arctic Biology The University Centre in Svalbard N‐9171 Longyearbyen Norway
- Akvaplan‐niva Fram Centre N‐9296 Tromsø Norway
| | - Ronny Aanes
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics Department of Biology Norwegian University of Science and Technology N‐7491 Trondheim Norway
- Norwegian Polar Institute Fram Centre N‐9296 Tromsø Norway
| | - Larissa Teresa Beumer
- Department of Arctic Biology The University Centre in Svalbard N‐9171 Longyearbyen Norway
- Department of Bioscience Aarhus University Frederiksborgvej 399 4000 Roskilde Denmark
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More frequent extreme climate events stabilize reindeer population dynamics. Nat Commun 2019; 10:1616. [PMID: 30962419 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-09332-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2018] [Accepted: 03/05/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Extreme climate events often cause population crashes but are difficult to account for in population-dynamic studies. Especially in long-lived animals, density dependence and demography may induce lagged impacts of perturbations on population growth. In Arctic ungulates, extreme rain-on-snow and ice-locked pastures have led to severe population crashes, indicating that increasingly frequent rain-on-snow events could destabilize populations. Here, using empirically parameterized, stochastic population models for High-Arctic wild reindeer, we show that more frequent rain-on-snow events actually reduce extinction risk and stabilize population dynamics due to interactions with age structure and density dependence. Extreme rain-on-snow events mainly suppress vital rates of vulnerable ages at high population densities, resulting in a crash and a new population state with resilient ages and reduced population sensitivity to subsequent icy winters. Thus, observed responses to single extreme events are poor predictors of population dynamics and persistence because internal density-dependent feedbacks act as a buffer against more frequent events.
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Rivrud IM, Meisingset EL, Loe LE, Mysterud A. Future suitability of habitat in a migratory ungulate under climate change. Proc Biol Sci 2019; 286:20190442. [PMID: 30890094 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2019.0442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
With climate change, the effect of global warming on snow cover is expected to cause range expansion and enhance habitat suitability for species at their northern distribution limits. However, how this depends on landscape topography and sex in size-dimorphic species remains uncertain, and is further complicated for migratory animals following climate-driven seasonal resource fluctuations across vast landscapes. Using 11 years of data from a partially migratory ungulate at their northern distribution ranges, the red deer ( Cervus elaphus), we predicted sex-specific summer and winter habitat suitability in diverse landscapes under medium and severe global warming. We found large increases in future winter habitat suitability, resulting in expansion of winter ranges as currently unsuitable habitat became suitable. Even moderate warming decreased snow cover substantially, with no suitability difference between warming scenarios. Winter ranges will hence not expand linearly with warming, even for species at their northern distribution limits. Although less pronounced than in winter, summer ranges also expanded and more so under severe warming. Summer habitat suitability was positively correlated with landscape topography and ranges expanded more for females than males. Our study highlights the complexity of predicting future habitat suitability for conservation and management of size-dimorphic, migratory species under global warming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inger Maren Rivrud
- 1 Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis (CEES), Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo , PO Box 1066, Blindern, 0316 Oslo , Norway
| | - Erling L Meisingset
- 2 Department of Forestry and Forestry Resources, Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research , Tingvoll gard, 6630 Tingvoll , Norway
| | - Leif Egil Loe
- 3 Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences , PO Box 5003, 1432 Aas , Norway
| | - Atle Mysterud
- 1 Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis (CEES), Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo , PO Box 1066, Blindern, 0316 Oslo , Norway
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30
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Snow roosting reduces temperature-associated stress in a wintering bird. Oecologia 2019; 190:309-321. [DOI: 10.1007/s00442-019-04389-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2018] [Accepted: 03/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
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31
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Weiskopf SR, Ledee OE, Thompson LM. Climate change effects on deer and moose in the Midwest. J Wildl Manage 2019. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.21649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sarah R. Weiskopf
- U.S. Geological Survey National Climate Adaptation Science CenterRestonVA 20192USA
| | - Olivia E. Ledee
- Department of the Interior Northeast Climate Adaptation Science CenterSt. PaulMN 55108USA
| | - Laura M. Thompson
- U.S. Geological Survey National Climate Adaptation Science CenterRestonVA 20192USA
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32
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Alves JA, Gunnarsson TG, Sutherland WJ, Potts PM, Gill JA. Linking warming effects on phenology, demography, and range expansion in a migratory bird population. Ecol Evol 2019; 9:2365-2375. [PMID: 30891186 PMCID: PMC6405501 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.4746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2018] [Revised: 06/21/2018] [Accepted: 08/18/2018] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Phenological changes in response to climate change have been recorded in many taxa, but the population-level consequences of these changes are largely unknown. If phenological change influences demography, it may underpin the changes in range size and distribution that have been associated with climate change in many species. Over the last century, Icelandic black-tailed godwits (Limosa limosa islandica) have increased 10-fold in numbers, and their breeding range has expanded throughout lowland Iceland, but the environmental and demographic drivers of this expansion remain unknown. Here, we explore the potential for climate-driven shifts in phenology to influence demography and range expansion. In warmer springs, Icelandic black-tailed godwits lay their clutches earlier, resulting in advances in hatching dates in those years. Early hatching is beneficial as population-wide tracking of marked individuals shows that chick recruitment to the adult population is greater for early hatched individuals. Throughout the last century, this population has expanded into progressively colder breeding areas in which hatch dates are later, but temperatures have increased throughout Iceland since the 1960s. Using these established relationships between temperature, hatching dates and recruitment, we show that these warming trends have the potential to have fueled substantial increases in recruitment throughout Iceland, and thus to have contributed to local population growth and expansion across the breeding range. The demographic consequences of temperature-mediated phenological changes, such as the advances in lay dates and increased recruitment associated with early hatching reported here, may therefore be key processes in driving population size and range changes in response to climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- José A. Alves
- School of Biological SciencesUniversity of East AngliaNorwichUK
- South Iceland Research CentreUniversity of IcelandLaugarvatnIceland
- Present address:
Department of Biology, CESAM ‐ Centre for Environmental and Marine StudiesUniversity of AveiroAveiroPortugal.
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Mallory CD, Boyce MS. Prioritization of landscape connectivity for the conservation of Peary caribou. Ecol Evol 2019; 9:2189-2205. [PMID: 30847104 PMCID: PMC6392347 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.4915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2018] [Revised: 12/01/2018] [Accepted: 12/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Adequate connectivity between discontinuous habitat patches is crucial for the persistence of metapopulations across space and time. Loss of landscape connectivity is often a direct result of fragmentation caused by human activities but also can be caused indirectly through anthropogenic climate change. Peary caribou (Rangifer tarandus pearyi) are widely dispersed across the islands of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago and rely on sea ice to move seasonally between island habitats throughout their range. Seasonal connectivity provided by sea ice is necessary to maintain genetic diversity and to facilitate dispersal and recolonization of areas from which caribou have been extirpated. We used least-cost path analysis and circuit theory to model connectivity across Peary caribou range, and future climate projections to investigate how this connectivity might be affected by a warming climate. Further, we used measures of current flow centrality to estimate the role of High Arctic islands in maintaining connectivity between Peary caribou populations and to identify and prioritize those islands and linkages most important for conservation. Our results suggest that the Bathurst Island complex plays a critical role in facilitating connectivity between Peary caribou populations. Large islands, including Banks, Victoria, and Ellesmere have limited roles in connecting Peary caribou. Without rigorous greenhouse gas emission reductions our projections indicate that by 2100 all connectivity between the more southern Peary caribou populations will be lost for important spring and early-winter movement periods. Continued connectivity across the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, and possibly Peary caribou persistence, ultimately hinges on global commitments to limit climate change. Our research highlights priority areas where, in addition to emission reductions, conservation efforts to maintain connectivity would be most effective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Conor D. Mallory
- Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of AlbertaEdmontonAlbertaCanada
- Department of EnvironmentGovernment of NunavutIglulikNunavutCanada
| | - Mark S. Boyce
- Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of AlbertaEdmontonAlbertaCanada
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34
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Mahoney PJ, Liston GE, LaPoint S, Gurarie E, Mangipane B, Wells AG, Brinkman TJ, Eitel JUH, Hebblewhite M, Nolin AW, Boelman N, Prugh LR. Navigating snowscapes: scale-dependent responses of mountain sheep to snowpack properties. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2018; 28:1715-1729. [PMID: 30074675 DOI: 10.1002/eap.1773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2017] [Revised: 04/23/2018] [Accepted: 04/27/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Winters are limiting for many terrestrial animals due to energy deficits brought on by resource scarcity and the increased metabolic costs of thermoregulation and traveling through snow. A better understanding of how animals respond to snow conditions is needed to predict the impacts of climate change on wildlife. We compared the performance of remotely sensed and modeled snow products as predictors of winter movements at multiple spatial and temporal scales using a data set of 20,544 locations from 30 GPS-collared Dall sheep (Ovis dalli dalli) in Lake Clark National Park and Preserve, Alaska, USA from 2005 to 2008. We used daily 500-m MODIS normalized difference snow index (NDSI), and multi-resolution snow depth and density outputs from a snowpack evolution model (SnowModel), as covariates in step selection functions. We predicted that modeled snow depth would perform best across all scales of selection due to more informative spatiotemporal variation and relevance to animal movement. Our results indicated that adding any of the evaluated snow metrics substantially improved model performance and helped characterize winter Dall sheep movements. As expected, SnowModel-simulated snow depth outperformed NDSI at fine-to-moderate scales of selection (step scales < 112 h). At the finest scale, Dall sheep selected for snow depths below mean chest height (<54 cm) when in low-density snows (100 kg/m3 ), which may have facilitated access to ground forage and reduced energy expenditure while traveling. However, sheep selected for higher snow densities (>300 kg/m3 ) at snow depths above chest height, which likely further reduced energy expenditure by limiting hoof penetration in deeper snows. At moderate-to-coarse scales (112-896 h step scales), however, NDSI was the best-performing snow covariate. Thus, the use of publicly available, remotely sensed, snow cover products can substantially improve models of animal movement, particularly in cases where movement distances exceed the MODIS 500-m grid threshold. However, remote sensing products may require substantial data thinning due to cloud cover, potentially limiting its power in cases where complex models are necessary. Snowpack evolution models such as SnowModel offer users increased flexibility at the expense of added complexity, but can provide critical insights into fine-scale responses to rapidly changing snow properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter J Mahoney
- School of Environmental and Forest Science, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, 98195-2100, USA
| | - Glen E Liston
- Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, 80523-1375, USA
| | - Scott LaPoint
- Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Columbia University, Palisades, New York, 10964-1000, USA
- Department of Migration and Immuno-Ecology, Max-Planck Institute for Ornithology, Radolfzell, 78315, Germany
| | - Eliezer Gurarie
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, 20742, USA
| | - Buck Mangipane
- Lake Clark National Park and Preserve, U.S. National Park Service, Port Alsworth, Alaska, 99653, USA
| | - Adam G Wells
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, 83844, USA
| | - Todd J Brinkman
- Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbank, Alaska, 99775, USA
| | - Jan U H Eitel
- Geospatial Laboratory for Environmental Dynamics, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, 83844-1135, USA
- McCall Outdoor Science School, College of Natural Resources, University of Idaho, McCall, Idaho, 83638, USA
| | - Mark Hebblewhite
- Wildlife Biology Program, W.A. Franke College of Forestry and Conservation, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana, 59812, USA
| | - Anne W Nolin
- College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, 97331-5503, USA
| | - Natalie Boelman
- Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Columbia University, Palisades, New York, 10964-1000, USA
| | - Laura R Prugh
- School of Environmental and Forest Science, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, 98195-2100, USA
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Pacyna AD, Koziorowska K, Chmiel S, Mazerski J, Polkowska Ż. Svalbard reindeer as an indicator of ecosystem changes in the Arctic terrestrial ecosystem. CHEMOSPHERE 2018; 203:209-218. [PMID: 29621677 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2018.03.158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2018] [Revised: 03/15/2018] [Accepted: 03/23/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Over the years, noticeable effort has been directed towards contaminant determination in multiple biotic samples collected from the inhabitants of the Arctic. Little consideration has been given to polar herbivores, however, especially those from the European parts of the Arctic. To provide a broader perspective, we aimed to decipher trace element concentration in hairs of the key species in the Arctic, namely the Svalbard reindeer (Rangifer tarandus platyrhynchus), and to recognise whether diet variations could correspond with forward exposure. The effect of habitat and diet was investigated using the ratios of stable isotopes of carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N), and previous literature studies on vegetation from the areas of interest. Analysis was performed for eighteen elements in total, both toxic and essential. Metals were present in a decreasing order Fe > Zn > Ba > Cu > Pb > Cr > Ni > V > Ga =La > Rb > As > Li > Co > Hg > Cd > Cs > Be. Similarity in trends in the studied subpopulations was observed for many metals. A significant log-linear correlation was observed for most of the elements, excluding nitrogen and carbon isotopes signature. Extremely high iron levels were determined in some of the samples, suggesting past iron overload. Zinc, in contrast to the remaining metals, did not correlate well with any other element. Mercury was determined at very low levels, in accordance with previous literature regarding its concentrations in moss and lichen species in Svalbard. The analysis of stable isotopes showed a high variation in nitrogen isotopes signatures. Further research is required to properly evaluate the potential health risks and ecological implications of elevated exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aneta Dorota Pacyna
- Gdansk University of Technology, Faculty of Chemistry, Department of Analytical Chemistry, 11/12 Narutowicza st, Gdansk, 80-233, Poland
| | - Katarzyna Koziorowska
- Institute of Oceanology Polish Academy of Sciences, ul. Powstańców Warszawy 55, Sopot, Poland
| | - Stanisław Chmiel
- Department of Hydrology, Faculty of Earth Sciences and Spatial Management, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, Kraśnicka Ave. 2 cd, 20-718 Lublin, Poland
| | - Jan Mazerski
- Gdańsk University of Technology, Faculty of Chemistry, Department of Pharmaceutical Technology and Biochemistry, 11/12 Narutowicza st, Gdańsk 80-233, Poland
| | - Żaneta Polkowska
- Gdansk University of Technology, Faculty of Chemistry, Department of Analytical Chemistry, 11/12 Narutowicza st, Gdansk, 80-233, Poland.
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Carlsson AM, Albon SD, Coulson SJ, Ropstad E, Stien A, Wilson K, Loe LE, Veiberg V, Irvine RJ. Little impact of over‐winter parasitism on a free‐ranging ungulate in the high Arctic. Funct Ecol 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Anja Morven Carlsson
- Lancaster Environment CentreLancaster University Lancaster UK
- The James Hutton Institute Aberdeen UK
- Department of Arctic BiologyUniversity Centre in Svalbard Longyearbyen Norway
| | | | - Stephen J. Coulson
- Department of Arctic BiologyUniversity Centre in Svalbard Longyearbyen Norway
| | - Erik Ropstad
- School of Veterinary ScienceNorwegian University of Life Sciences Oslo Norway
| | - Audun Stien
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA)Fram Centre Tromsø Norway
| | - Kenneth Wilson
- Lancaster Environment CentreLancaster University Lancaster UK
| | - Leif Egil Loe
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management (MINA)Norwegian University of Life Sciences Åas Norway
| | - Vebjørn Veiberg
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA) Trondheim Norway
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37
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Dependence of C-Band Backscatter on Ground Temperature, Air Temperature and Snow Depth in Arctic Permafrost Regions. REMOTE SENSING 2018. [DOI: 10.3390/rs10010142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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Douhard M, Loe LE, Stien A, Bonenfant C, Irvine RJ, Veiberg V, Ropstad E, Albon S. The influence of weather conditions during gestation on life histories in a wild Arctic ungulate. Proc Biol Sci 2017; 283:rspb.2016.1760. [PMID: 27798304 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2016.1760] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2016] [Accepted: 09/26/2016] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The internal predictive adaptive response (internal PAR) hypothesis predicts that individuals born in poor conditions should start to reproduce earlier if they are likely to have reduced performance in later life. However, whether this is the case remains unexplored in wild populations. Here, we use longitudinal data from a long-term study of Svalbard reindeer to examine age-related changes in adult female life-history responses to environmental conditions experienced in utero as indexed by rain-on-snow (ROSutero). We show that females experiencing high ROSutero had reduced reproductive success only from 7 years of age, independent of early reproduction. These individuals were able to maintain the same annual reproductive success between 2 and 6 years as phenotypically superior conspecifics that experienced low ROSutero Young females born after high ROSutero engage in reproductive events at lower body mass (about 2.5 kg less) than those born after low ROSutero The mean fitness of females that experienced poor environmental conditions in early life was comparable with that of females exposed to good environmental conditions in early life. These results are consistent with the idea of internal PAR and suggest that the life-history responses to early-life conditions can buffer the delayed effects of weather on population dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathieu Douhard
- Université de Lyon, 69000, Lyon; Université Lyon 1; CNRS, UMR 5558, Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Évolutive, 69622 Villeurbanne, France .,Department of Ecology and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, 1432 Aas, Norway
| | - Leif Egil Loe
- Department of Ecology and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, 1432 Aas, Norway
| | - Audun Stien
- Department for Arctic Ecology, Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, Fram Centre, 9296 Tromsø, Norway
| | - Christophe Bonenfant
- Université de Lyon, 69000, Lyon; Université Lyon 1; CNRS, UMR 5558, Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Évolutive, 69622 Villeurbanne, France
| | | | - Vebjørn Veiberg
- Department for Terrestrial Ecology, Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, 7485 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Erik Ropstad
- Department of Production Animal Clinical Sciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, 0033 Oslo, Norway
| | - Steve Albon
- The James Hutton Institute, Aberdeen AB15 8QH, UK
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Langbehn TJ, Varpe Ø. Sea-ice loss boosts visual search: fish foraging and changing pelagic interactions in polar oceans. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2017; 23:5318-5330. [PMID: 28657128 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.13797] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2016] [Accepted: 06/02/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Light is a central driver of biological processes and systems. Receding sea ice changes the lightscape of high-latitude oceans and more light will penetrate into the sea. This affects bottom-up control through primary productivity and top-down control through vision-based foraging. We model effects of sea-ice shading on visual search to develop a mechanistic understanding of how climate-driven sea-ice retreat affects predator-prey interactions. We adapt a prey encounter model for ice-covered waters, where prey-detection performance of planktivorous fish depends on the light cycle. We use hindcast sea-ice concentrations (past 35 years) and compare with a future no-ice scenario to project visual range along two south-north transects with different sea-ice distributions and seasonality, one through the Bering Sea and one through the Barents Sea. The transect approach captures the transition from sub-Arctic to Arctic ecosystems and allows for comparison of latitudinal differences between longitudes. We find that past sea-ice retreat has increased visual search at a rate of 2.7% to 4.2% per decade from the long-term mean; and for high latitudes, we predict a 16-fold increase in clearance rate. Top-down control is therefore predicted to intensify. Ecological and evolutionary consequences for polar marine communities and energy flows would follow, possibly also as tipping points and regime shifts. We expect species distributions to track the receding ice-edge, and in particular expect species with large migratory capacity to make foraging forays into high-latitude oceans. However, the extreme seasonality in photoperiod of high-latitude oceans may counteract such shifts and rather act as a zoogeographical filter limiting poleward range expansion. The provided mechanistic insights are relevant for pelagic ecosystems globally, including lakes where shifted distributions are seldom possible but where predator-prey consequences would be much related. As part of the discussion on photoperiodic implications for high-latitude range shifts, we provide a short review of studies linking physical drivers to latitudinal extent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tom J Langbehn
- Department of Biology, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
- University Centre in Svalbard, Longyearbyen, Norway
| | - Øystein Varpe
- University Centre in Svalbard, Longyearbyen, Norway
- Akvaplan-niva, Fram Centre, Tromsø, Norway
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40
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Observed Regional Climate Variability during the Last 50 Years in Reindeer Herding Cooperatives of Finnish Fell Lapland. CLIMATE 2017. [DOI: 10.3390/cli5040081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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41
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Forbes BC, Kumpula T, Meschtyb N, Laptander R, Macias-Fauria M, Zetterberg P, Verdonen M, Skarin A, Kim KY, Boisvert LN, Stroeve JC, Bartsch A. Sea ice, rain-on-snow and tundra reindeer nomadism in Arctic Russia. Biol Lett 2017; 12:rsbl.2016.0466. [PMID: 27852939 PMCID: PMC5134033 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2016.0466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2016] [Accepted: 10/13/2016] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Sea ice loss is accelerating in the Barents and Kara Seas (BKS). Assessing potential linkages between sea ice retreat/thinning and the region's ancient and unique social-ecological systems is a pressing task. Tundra nomadism remains a vitally important livelihood for indigenous Nenets and their large reindeer herds. Warming summer air temperatures have been linked to more frequent and sustained summer high-pressure systems over West Siberia, Russia, but not to sea ice retreat. At the same time, autumn/winter rain-on-snow (ROS) events have become more frequent and intense. Here, we review evidence for autumn atmospheric warming and precipitation increases over Arctic coastal lands in proximity to BKS ice loss. Two major ROS events during November 2006 and 2013 led to massive winter reindeer mortality episodes on the Yamal Peninsula. Fieldwork with migratory herders has revealed that the ecological and socio-economic impacts from the catastrophic 2013 event will unfold for years to come. The suggested link between sea ice loss, more frequent and intense ROS events and high reindeer mortality has serious implications for the future of tundra Nenets nomadism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruce C Forbes
- Arctic Centre, University of Lapland, Rovaniemi, Finland
| | - Timo Kumpula
- Geographical and Historical Studies, University of Eastern Finland, Joensuu, Finland
| | - Nina Meschtyb
- Arctic Centre, University of Lapland, Rovaniemi, Finland
| | - Roza Laptander
- Arctic Centre, University of Lapland, Rovaniemi, Finland
| | | | - Pentti Zetterberg
- Dendrochronology Laboratory, University of Eastern Finland, Joensuu, Finland
| | - Mariana Verdonen
- Geographical and Historical Studies, University of Eastern Finland, Joensuu, Finland
| | - Anna Skarin
- Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Kwang-Yul Kim
- Earth and Environmental Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Linette N Boisvert
- Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Julienne C Stroeve
- National Snow and Ice Data Center, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA.,Department of Earth Sciences, University College London, London, UK
| | - Annett Bartsch
- Zentralanstalt für Meteorologie und Geodynamik, Vienna, Austria.,Geodäsie und Geoinformation, Technische Universität, Vienna, Austria
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42
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Bårdsen BJ. Evolutionary responses to a changing climate: Implications for reindeer population viability. Ecol Evol 2017; 7:5833-5844. [PMID: 28808551 PMCID: PMC5551091 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.3119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2015] [Revised: 03/17/2017] [Accepted: 05/13/2017] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
If we want to understand how climate change affects long-lived organisms, we must know how individuals allocate resources between current reproduction and survival. This trade-off is affected by expected environmental conditions, but the extent to which density independent (DI) and density dependent (DD) processes interact in shaping individual life histories is less clear. Female reindeer (or caribou: Rangifer tarandus) are a monotocous large herbivore with a circumpolar distribution. Individuals that experience unpredictable and potentially harsh winters typically adopt risk averse strategies where they allocate more resources to building own body reserves during summer and less to reproduction. Such a strategy implies that the females do not reproduce or that they produce fewer or smaller offspring. A risk averse strategy thus results in females with large autumn body reserves, which is known to increase their survival probabilities if the coming winter is harsh. In contrast, females experiencing predictable winters may adopt a more risk prone strategy in which they allocate more resources to reproduction as they do not need as many resources to buffer potentially adverse winter conditions. This study uses a seasonal state-dependent model showing that DD and DI processes interact to affect the evolution of reproductive strategies and population dynamics for reindeer. The model was run across a wide range of different winter climatic scenarios: One set of simulations where the average and variability of the environment was manipulated and one set where the frequency of good and poor winters increased. Both reproductive allocation and population dynamics of reindeer were affected by a combination of DI and DD processes even though they were confounded (harsh climates resulted in lowered density). Individual strategies responded, in line with a risk sensitive reproductive allocation, to climatic conditions and in a similar fashion across the two climatic manipulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bård-Jørgen Bårdsen
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA) Arctic Ecology Department Fram Centre Tromsø Norway
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43
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Le Moullec M, Pedersen ÅØ, Yoccoz NG, Aanes R, Tufto J, Hansen BB. Ungulate population monitoring in an open tundra landscape: distance sampling versus total counts. WILDLIFE BIOLOGY 2017. [DOI: 10.2981/wlb.00299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Mathilde Le Moullec
- Mathilde Le Moullec and N. Yoccoz, Dept of Arctic and Marine Biology, UiT The Arctic Univ. of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Åshild Ønvik Pedersen
- MLM, Å. Ø. Pedersen and R. Aanes, Norwegian Polar Inst., Tromsø, Norway. Present address for RA: Norwegian Environment Agency, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Nigel Gilles Yoccoz
- Mathilde Le Moullec and N. Yoccoz, Dept of Arctic and Marine Biology, UiT The Arctic Univ. of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Ronny Aanes
- MLM, Å. Ø. Pedersen and R. Aanes, Norwegian Polar Inst., Tromsø, Norway. Present address for RA: Norwegian Environment Agency, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Jarle Tufto
- J. Tufto, Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Dept of Mathematical Sciences, Norwegian Univ. of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway
| | - Brage Bremset Hansen
- B. B. Hansen and present address for MLM: Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Dept of Biology, Norwegian Univ. of Science and Technology (NTNU), NO-7491 Trondheim, Norway
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44
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Albon SD, Irvine RJ, Halvorsen O, Langvatn R, Loe LE, Ropstad E, Veiberg V, van der Wal R, Bjørkvoll EM, Duff EI, Hansen BB, Lee AM, Tveraa T, Stien A. Contrasting effects of summer and winter warming on body mass explain population dynamics in a food-limited Arctic herbivore. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2017; 23:1374-1389. [PMID: 27426229 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.13435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2016] [Accepted: 07/05/2016] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
The cumulative effects of climate warming on herbivore vital rates and population dynamics are hard to predict, given that the expected effects differ between seasons. In the Arctic, warmer summers enhance plant growth which should lead to heavier and more fertile individuals in the autumn. Conversely, warm spells in winter with rainfall (rain-on-snow) can cause 'icing', restricting access to forage, resulting in starvation, lower survival and fecundity. As body condition is a 'barometer' of energy demands relative to energy intake, we explored the causes and consequences of variation in body mass of wild female Svalbard reindeer (Rangifer tarandus platyrhynchus) from 1994 to 2015, a period of marked climate warming. Late winter (April) body mass explained 88% of the between-year variation in population growth rate, because it strongly influenced reproductive loss, and hence subsequent fecundity (92%), as well as survival (94%) and recruitment (93%). Autumn (October) body mass affected ovulation rates but did not affect fecundity. April body mass showed no long-term trend (coefficient of variation, CV = 8.8%) and was higher following warm autumn (October) weather, reflecting delays in winter onset, but most strongly, and negatively, related to 'rain-on-snow' events. October body mass (CV = 2.5%) increased over the study due to higher plant productivity in the increasingly warm summers. Density-dependent mass change suggested competition for resources in both winter and summer but was less pronounced in recent years, despite an increasing population size. While continued climate warming is expected to increase the carrying capacity of the high Arctic tundra, it is also likely to cause more frequent icing events. Our analyses suggest that these contrasting effects may cause larger seasonal fluctuations in body mass and vital rates. Overall our findings provide an important 'missing' mechanistic link in the current understanding of the population biology of a keystone species in a rapidly warming Arctic.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Odd Halvorsen
- Natural History Museum, University of Oslo, Box 1172 Blindern, NO-0318, Oslo, Norway
| | - Rolf Langvatn
- University Courses in Svalbard (UNIS), P.O. Box 156, NO-9171, Longyearbyen, Norway
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA), P.O. Box 5685 Sluppen, NO-7485, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Leif E Loe
- Department of Ecology and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, P.O. Box 5003, NO-1432, Aas, Norway
| | - Erik Ropstad
- Norwegian University of Life Sciences, P.O. Box 8146, NO-0033, Oslo, Norway
| | - Vebjørn Veiberg
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA), P.O. Box 5685 Sluppen, NO-7485, Trondheim, Norway
| | - René van der Wal
- Aberdeen Centre for Environmental Sustainability (ACES), School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, AB24 3UU, UK
| | - Eirin M Bjørkvoll
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics (CBD), Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science & Technology (NTNU), N-7491, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Elizabeth I Duff
- Biomathematics & Statistics Scotland (BioSS), Aberdeen, AB15 8QH, UK
| | - Brage B Hansen
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics (CBD), Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science & Technology (NTNU), N-7491, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Aline M Lee
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics (CBD), Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science & Technology (NTNU), N-7491, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Torkild Tveraa
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA), Fram Centre, NO-9296, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Audun Stien
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA), Fram Centre, NO-9296, Tromsø, Norway
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45
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Peeters B, Veiberg V, Pedersen ÅØ, Stien A, Irvine RJ, Aanes R, Saether BE, Strand O, Hansen BB. Climate and density dependence cause changes in adult sex ratio in a large Arctic herbivore. Ecosphere 2017. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.1699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Bart Peeters
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics; Department of Biology; Norwegian University of Science and Technology; NO-7491 Trondheim Norway
| | - Vebjørn Veiberg
- Terrestrial Ecology Department; Norwegian Institute for Nature Research; NO-7485 Trondheim Norway
| | | | - Audun Stien
- Arctic Ecology Department; The Fram Centre; Norwegian Institute for Nature Research; NO-9296 Tromsø Norway
| | | | - Ronny Aanes
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics; Department of Biology; Norwegian University of Science and Technology; NO-7491 Trondheim Norway
| | - Bernt-Erik Saether
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics; Department of Biology; Norwegian University of Science and Technology; NO-7491 Trondheim Norway
| | - Olav Strand
- Terrestrial Ecology Department; Norwegian Institute for Nature Research; NO-7485 Trondheim Norway
| | - Brage Bremset Hansen
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics; Department of Biology; Norwegian University of Science and Technology; NO-7491 Trondheim Norway
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46
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Descamps S, Aars J, Fuglei E, Kovacs KM, Lydersen C, Pavlova O, Pedersen ÅØ, Ravolainen V, Strøm H. Climate change impacts on wildlife in a High Arctic archipelago - Svalbard, Norway. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2017; 23:490-502. [PMID: 27250039 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.13381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2015] [Accepted: 05/16/2016] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
The Arctic is warming more rapidly than other region on the planet, and the northern Barents Sea, including the Svalbard Archipelago, is experiencing the fastest temperature increases within the circumpolar Arctic, along with the highest rate of sea ice loss. These physical changes are affecting a broad array of resident Arctic organisms as well as some migrants that occupy the region seasonally. Herein, evidence of climate change impacts on terrestrial and marine wildlife in Svalbard is reviewed, with a focus on bird and mammal species. In the terrestrial ecosystem, increased winter air temperatures and concomitant increases in the frequency of 'rain-on-snow' events are one of the most important facets of climate change with respect to impacts on flora and fauna. Winter rain creates ice that blocks access to food for herbivores and synchronizes the population dynamics of the herbivore-predator guild. In the marine ecosystem, increases in sea temperature and reductions in sea ice are influencing the entire food web. These changes are affecting the foraging and breeding ecology of most marine birds and mammals and are associated with an increase in abundance of several temperate fish, seabird and marine mammal species. Our review indicates that even though a few species are benefiting from a warming climate, most Arctic endemic species in Svalbard are experiencing negative consequences induced by the warming environment. Our review emphasizes the tight relationships between the marine and terrestrial ecosystems in this High Arctic archipelago. Detecting changes in trophic relationships within and between these ecosystems requires long-term (multidecadal) demographic, population- and ecosystem-based monitoring, the results of which are necessary to set appropriate conservation priorities in relation to climate warming.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jon Aars
- Norwegian Polar Institute, Fram Centre, Tromsø, 9296, Norway
| | - Eva Fuglei
- Norwegian Polar Institute, Fram Centre, Tromsø, 9296, Norway
| | - Kit M Kovacs
- Norwegian Polar Institute, Fram Centre, Tromsø, 9296, Norway
| | | | - Olga Pavlova
- Norwegian Polar Institute, Fram Centre, Tromsø, 9296, Norway
| | | | | | - Hallvard Strøm
- Norwegian Polar Institute, Fram Centre, Tromsø, 9296, Norway
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47
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Veiberg V, Loe LE, Albon SD, Irvine RJ, Tveraa T, Ropstad E, Stien A. Maternal winter body mass and not spring phenology determine annual calf production in an Arctic herbivore. OIKOS 2016. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.03815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Leif Egil Loe
- Norwegian Univ. of Life Sciences; NO-1432 Aas Norway
| | | | | | - Torkild Tveraa
- Norwegian Inst. for Nature Research; Fram Centre Tromsø Norway
| | | | - Audun Stien
- Norwegian Inst. for Nature Research; Fram Centre Tromsø Norway
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48
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Allen AM, Månsson J, Sand H, Malmsten J, Ericsson G, Singh NJ. Scaling up movements: from individual space use to population patterns. Ecosphere 2016. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.1524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Andrew M. Allen
- Department of Wildlife, Fish and Environmental Studies Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences SE‐90183 Umeå Sweden
| | - Johan Månsson
- Grimsö Wildlife Research Station Department of Ecology Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences SE‐73091 Riddarhyttan Sweden
| | - Håkan Sand
- Grimsö Wildlife Research Station Department of Ecology Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences SE‐73091 Riddarhyttan Sweden
| | - Jonas Malmsten
- Department of Pathology and Wildlife Diseases National Veterinary Institute (SVA) SE‐75189 Uppsala Sweden
| | - Göran Ericsson
- Department of Wildlife, Fish and Environmental Studies Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences SE‐90183 Umeå Sweden
| | - Navinder J. Singh
- Department of Wildlife, Fish and Environmental Studies Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences SE‐90183 Umeå Sweden
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49
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Loe LE, Hansen BB, Stien A, D. Albon S, Bischof R, Carlsson A, Irvine RJ, Meland M, Rivrud IM, Ropstad E, Veiberg V, Mysterud A. Behavioral buffering of extreme weather events in a high‐Arctic herbivore. Ecosphere 2016. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.1374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Leif Egil Loe
- The Department of Ecology and Natural Resource ManagementNorwegian University of Life Sciences P.O. Box 5003 NO‐1432 Aas Norway
| | - Brage B. Hansen
- Centre for Biodiversity DynamicsNorwegian University of Science and Technology NO‐7491 Trondheim Norway
| | - Audun Stien
- Arctic Ecology DepartmentFram CentreNorwegian Institute for Nature Research NO‐9296 Tromsø Norway
| | - Steve D. Albon
- The James Hutton Institute Craigiebuckler Aberdeen AB15 8QH United Kingdom
| | - Richard Bischof
- The Department of Ecology and Natural Resource ManagementNorwegian University of Life Sciences P.O. Box 5003 NO‐1432 Aas Norway
| | - Anja Carlsson
- The James Hutton Institute Craigiebuckler Aberdeen AB15 8QH United Kingdom
- Department of Ecosystem and Public HealthFaculty of Veterinary MedicineUniversity of Calgary 3280 Hospital Dr. NW Calgary Alberta T2N 4Z6 Canada
| | - R. Justin Irvine
- The James Hutton Institute Craigiebuckler Aberdeen AB15 8QH United Kingdom
| | - Morten Meland
- The Department of Ecology and Natural Resource ManagementNorwegian University of Life Sciences P.O. Box 5003 NO‐1432 Aas Norway
| | - Inger Maren Rivrud
- Department of BiosciencesCentre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis (CEES)University of Oslo P.O. Box 1066 Blindern NO‐0316 Oslo Norway
| | - Erik Ropstad
- The Department of Ecology and Natural Resource ManagementNorwegian University of Life Sciences P.O. Box 5003 NO‐1432 Aas Norway
| | - Vebjørn Veiberg
- Terrestrial Ecology DepartmentNorwegian Institute for Nature Research NO‐7485 Trondheim Norway
| | - Atle Mysterud
- Department of BiosciencesCentre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis (CEES)University of Oslo P.O. Box 1066 Blindern NO‐0316 Oslo Norway
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50
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Rasmus S, Kivinen S, Bavay M, Heiskanen J. Local and regional variability in snow conditions in northern Finland: A reindeer herding perspective. AMBIO 2016; 45:398-414. [PMID: 26754168 PMCID: PMC4824707 DOI: 10.1007/s13280-015-0762-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2015] [Revised: 10/30/2015] [Accepted: 12/21/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Weather station measurements were used to force the SNOWPACK snow model and combined with reindeer herders' experiences to study the local and regional variations in snow conditions in a Finnish reindeer herding area for the 1981-2010 period. Winter conditions varied significantly between the four selected herding districts and between open and forest environments within the districts. The highest snow depths and densities, the thicknesses of ground ice, and the lengths of snow cover period were generally found in the northernmost districts. The snow depths showed the strongest regional coherence, whereas the thicknesses of ground ice were weakly correlated among the districts. The local variation in snow depths was higher than the regional variation and limits for rare or exceptional events varied notably between different districts and environments. The results highlight that forests diversify snow and foraging conditions, e.g., ground ice rarely forms simultaneously in different environments. Sufficient and diverse forest pastures are important during the critical winter season if reindeer herding is pursued on natural grazing grounds also in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sirpa Rasmus
- />Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyvaskyla, P.O. Box 35, 40014 Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Sonja Kivinen
- />Department of Geography and Geology, University of Turku, 20014 Turku, Finland
| | - Mathias Bavay
- />WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF, Flüelastrasse 11, 7260 Davos Dorf, Switzerland
| | - Janne Heiskanen
- />Department of Geosciences and Geography, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 68, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
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