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Benedict BM, Thompson DP, Crouse JA, Hamer GL, Barboza PS. Trapped between food, heat, and insects: Movement of moose ( Alces alces) and exposure to flies in the boreal forest of Alaska. Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e11625. [PMID: 38911494 PMCID: PMC11192998 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.11625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2023] [Revised: 05/30/2024] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 06/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Moose (Alces alces) in the boreal forest habitats of Alaska are unlike other northern ungulates because they tolerate high densities of flies (Diptera) even though flies cause wounds and infections during the warm summer months. Moose move to find food and to find relief from overheating (hyperthermia) but do they avoid flies? We used GPS collars to measure the rate of movement (m⋅h-1) and the time spent (min⋅day-1) by enclosed moose in four habitats: wetlands, black spruce, early seral boreal forest, and late seral boreal forest. Fly traps were used in each habitat to quantify spatio-temporal abundance. Average daily air temperatures increased into July when peak biomass of forage for moose was greatest in early seral boreal forest habitats (424.46 vs. 25.15 kg⋅ha-1 on average in the other habitats). Average daily air temperatures were 1.7°C cooler in black spruce than other habitats, but fly abundance was greatest in black spruce (approximately 4-fold greater on average than the other habitats). Moose increased their movement rate with counts of biting flies (mosquitoes, black flies, horse and deer flies), but not non-biting flies (coprophagous flies). However, as air temperature increased (above 14.7°C) moose spent more time in fly-abundant black spruce, than early seral boreal forest, showing great tolerance for mosquitoes. Warm summer temperatures appear to cause moose to trade-off foraging in fly-sparse habitats for resting and dissipating heat in shady, wet habitats with abundant flies that adversely affect the fitness of moose.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bridgett M. Benedict
- Department of Ecology and Conservation BiologyTexas A&M UniversityCollege StationTexasUSA
| | - Daniel P. Thompson
- Alaska Department of Fish and GameKenai Moose Research CenterSoldotnaAlaskaUSA
| | - John A. Crouse
- Alaska Department of Fish and GameKenai Moose Research CenterSoldotnaAlaskaUSA
| | - Gabriel L. Hamer
- Department of EntomologyTexas A&M UniversityCollege StationTexasUSA
| | - Perry S. Barboza
- Department of Ecology and Conservation BiologyTexas A&M UniversityCollege StationTexasUSA
- Department of Rangelands Wildlife and Fisheries ManagementTexas A&M UniversityCollege StationTexasUSA
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2
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Vanderley-Silva I, Valente RA. Landscape resistance index aiming at functional forest connectivity. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2023; 195:1224. [PMID: 37725180 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-023-11749-x] [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: 01/26/2023] [Accepted: 08/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/21/2023]
Abstract
Resistance models may quantify the ability of the landscape to impede species' movement and represent suitable habitats. Moreover, the performance of resistance models parameterized by land-use/land cover attributes evidence that the integrity of the environments subject to urban sprawl is poorly understood. In this sense, the study assumed we could identify the forest functional connectivity in a landscape considering the disparity in the landscape mosaic. In this context, we sought to develop a landscape resistance index through structural equation modeling (SEM), supported by the criteria of heat emission, biomass, and anthropogenic barriers, obtained by remote sensing, called observed variables. The landscape studied in the Green Belt Biosphere Reserve of São Paulo has significant remnants of the Atlantic Forest, a biodiversity hotspot. However, our results indicated criteria variability in the landscape modeled through the SEM, obtaining a significant adjustment of the landscape resistance index, with comparative fit index (CFI) of 1.00 and root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) of 0.00. The index reflects the resistance levels of the land use/land cover, expressed by the class interval, ranging from 0% (1.73) to 100% (493.88), with the highest values associated with the anthropized uses and forest isolation. Thus, our index based on environmental attributes reflects the structure of functional forest connectivity and offers a framework to design forest corridors across landscapes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivan Vanderley-Silva
- Program in Planning and Use of Renewable Resources (PPGPUR), Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCAR-Sorocaba), João Leme dos Santos Highway (SP-264), km 110, Sorocaba, SP, Brazil.
| | - Roberta Averna Valente
- Environmental Sciences Department, Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCAR-Sorocaba), João Leme dos Santos Highway (SP-264), km 110, Sorocaba, SP, Brazil
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3
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Verzuh TL, Rogers SA, Mathewson PD, May A, Porter WP, Class C, Knox L, Cufaude T, Hall LE, Long RA, Monteith KL. Behavioural responses of a large, heat-sensitive mammal to climatic variation at multiple spatial scales. J Anim Ecol 2023; 92:619-634. [PMID: 36527180 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13873] [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: 07/25/2022] [Accepted: 11/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Climate warming creates energetic challenges for endothermic species by increasing metabolic and hydric costs of thermoregulation. Although endotherms can invoke an array of behavioural and physiological strategies for maintaining homeostasis, the relative effectiveness of those strategies in a climate that is becoming both warmer and drier is not well understood. In accordance with the heat dissipation limit theory which suggests that allocation of energy to growth and reproduction by endotherms is constrained by the ability to dissipate heat, we expected that patterns of habitat use by large, heat-sensitive mammals across multiple scales are critical for behavioural thermoregulation during periods of potential heat stress and that they must invest a large portion of time to maintain heat balance. To test our predictions, we evaluated mechanisms underpinning the effectiveness of bed sites for ameliorating daytime heat loads and potential heat stress across the landscape while accounting for other factors known to affect behaviour. We integrated detailed data on microclimate and animal attributes of moose Alces alces, into a biophysical model to quantify costs of thermoregulation at fine and coarse spatial scales. During summer, moose spent an average of 67.8% of daylight hours bedded, and selected bed sites and home ranges that reduced risk of experiencing heat stress. For most of the day, shade could effectively mitigate the risk of experiencing heat stress up to 10°C, but at warmer temperatures (up to 20°C) wet soil was necessary to maintain homeostasis via conductive heat loss. Consistent selection across spatial scales for locations that reduced heat load underscores the importance of the thermal environment as a driver of behaviour in this heat-sensitive mammal. Moose in North America have long been characterized as riparian-obligate species because of their dependence on woody plant species for food. Nevertheless, the importance of dissipating endogenous heat loads conductively through wet soil suggests riparian habitats also are critical thermal refuges for moose. Such refuges may be especially important in the face of a warming climate in which both high environmental temperatures and drier conditions will likely exacerbate limits to heat dissipation, especially for large, heat-sensitive animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tana L Verzuh
- Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming, USA
| | - Savannah A Rogers
- Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, USA
| | - Paul D Mathewson
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Wisconsin, Maddison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Alex May
- Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming, USA
| | - Warren P Porter
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Wisconsin, Maddison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Corey Class
- Wyoming Game and Fish Department, Cheyenne, Wyoming, USA
| | - Lee Knox
- Wyoming Game and Fish Department, Cheyenne, Wyoming, USA
| | - Teal Cufaude
- Wyoming Game and Fish Department, Cheyenne, Wyoming, USA
| | - L Embere Hall
- Wyoming Game and Fish Department, Cheyenne, Wyoming, USA.,Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming, USA
| | - Ryan A Long
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, USA
| | - Kevin L Monteith
- Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming, USA.,Haub School of the Environment and Natural Resources, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming, USA
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4
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Ramos A, Robin JP, Manizan L, Audroin C, Rodriguez E, Kemp YJM, Sueur C. Glucocorticoids of European Bison in Relation to Their Status: Age, Dominance, Social Centrality and Leadership. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:849. [PMID: 35405836 PMCID: PMC8996974 DOI: 10.3390/ani12070849] [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: 02/14/2022] [Revised: 03/18/2022] [Accepted: 03/24/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Stress is the body's response to cope with the environment and generally better survive unless too much chronic stress persists. While some studies suggest that it would be more stressful to be the dominant individual of the group, others support the opposite hypothesis. Several variables can actually affect this relationship, or even cancel it. This study therefore aims to make the link between social status and the basal level of stress of 14 wild European bison (Bison bonasus, L. 1758) living together. We collected faeces and measured the faecal glucocorticoid metabolites (FGM). We showed that FGM is linked to different variables of social status of European bison, specifically age, dominance rank, eigenvector centrality but also to interactions between the variables. Preferential leaders in bison, i.e., the older and more dominant individuals which are more central ones, are less stressed compared to other group members. Measurement of such variables could thus be a valuable tool to follow and improve the conservation of species by collecting data on FGM and other social variables and adapt group composition or environmental conditions (e.g., supplement in food) according to the FGM concentration of herd individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amandine Ramos
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC UMR 7178, 67000 Strasbourg, France; (A.R.); (J.-P.R.); (L.M.); (C.A.)
| | - Jean-Patrice Robin
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC UMR 7178, 67000 Strasbourg, France; (A.R.); (J.-P.R.); (L.M.); (C.A.)
| | - Lola Manizan
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC UMR 7178, 67000 Strasbourg, France; (A.R.); (J.-P.R.); (L.M.); (C.A.)
| | - Cyril Audroin
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC UMR 7178, 67000 Strasbourg, France; (A.R.); (J.-P.R.); (L.M.); (C.A.)
| | - Esther Rodriguez
- PWN Waterleidingbedrijf Noord-Holland, Postbus 2113, 1990 AC Velserbroek, The Netherlands; (E.R.); (Y.J.M.K.)
| | - Yvonne J. M. Kemp
- PWN Waterleidingbedrijf Noord-Holland, Postbus 2113, 1990 AC Velserbroek, The Netherlands; (E.R.); (Y.J.M.K.)
- ARK Nature, Molenveldlaan 43, 6523 RJ Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Cédric Sueur
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC UMR 7178, 67000 Strasbourg, France; (A.R.); (J.-P.R.); (L.M.); (C.A.)
- Institut Universitaire de France, 75231 Paris, France
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5
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Predicting the individual identity of non-invasive faecal and hair samples using biotelemetry clusters. Mamm Biol 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s42991-021-00173-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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6
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Verzuh TL, Hall LE, Cufaude T, Knox L, Class C, Monteith KL. Behavioural flexibility in a heat-sensitive endotherm: the role of bed sites as thermal refuges. Anim Behav 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2021.05.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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Monette VD, Kelly MJ, Buchholz R. Human disturbance and the activity patterns and temporal overlap of tapirs and jaguars in reserves of NW Belize. Biotropica 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/btp.12834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Marcella J. Kelly
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation Virginia Tech Blacksburg VA USA
| | - Richard Buchholz
- Department of Biology University of Mississippi, University MS USA
- Center for Biodiversity & Conservation Research University of Mississippi, University MS USA
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8
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Hasbrouck TR, Brinkman TJ, Stout G, Trochim E, Kielland K. Quantifying effects of environmental factors on moose harvest in Interior Alaska. WILDLIFE BIOLOGY 2020. [DOI: 10.2981/wlb.00631] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Tessa R. Hasbrouck
- T. R. Hasbrouck (https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9468-9803) ✉ ,T. J. Brinkman (https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5375-4840), E. Trochim (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2225-4955 ) and K K. Kielland, Univ. of Alaska Fairbanks, 2090 Koyukuk
| | - Todd J. Brinkman
- T. R. Hasbrouck (https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9468-9803) ✉ ,T. J. Brinkman (https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5375-4840), E. Trochim (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2225-4955 ) and K K. Kielland, Univ. of Alaska Fairbanks, 2090 Koyukuk
| | - Glenn Stout
- G. Stout, Alaska Dept of Fish and Game, Fairbanks, AK, USA
| | - Erin Trochim
- T. R. Hasbrouck (https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9468-9803) ✉ ,T. J. Brinkman (https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5375-4840), E. Trochim (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2225-4955 ) and K K. Kielland, Univ. of Alaska Fairbanks, 2090 Koyukuk
| | - Knut Kielland
- T. R. Hasbrouck (https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9468-9803) ✉ ,T. J. Brinkman (https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5375-4840), E. Trochim (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2225-4955 ) and K K. Kielland, Univ. of Alaska Fairbanks, 2090 Koyukuk
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9
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Williamsen L, Pigeon G, Mysterud A, Stien A, Forchhammer M, Loe LE. Keeping cool in the warming Arctic: thermoregulatory behaviour by Svalbard reindeer (Rangifer tarandus platyrhynchus). CAN J ZOOL 2019. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2019-0090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
In animals with long generation times, evolution of physiological and morphological traits may not be fast enough to keep up with rapid climate warming, but thermoregulatory behaviour can possibly serve as an important buffer mitigating warming effects. In this study, we investigated if the cold-adapted Svalbard reindeer (Rangifer tarandus platyrhynchus (Vrolik, 1829)) used cool bed sites as a thermoregulatory behaviour in the summer. We recorded habitat variables and ground temperature at 371 bed sites with random “control” sites 10 and 100 m distant. Using case-control logistic regression, we found that reindeer selected bed sites on cool substrates (snow and mire), as well as cold, dry ground on days with warm ambient temperatures, while they avoided such sites on cold days. Selection of both cool substrates and cool ground did not depend on age or sex. The study was conducted in an environment where neither predatory threat nor insect harassment influenced bed site selection. Our findings suggest that the thermal landscape is important for habitat selection of cold-adapted Arctic ungulates in summer. Thus, behavioural strategies may be important to mitigate effects of climate change, at least in the short term.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda Williamsen
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, NO-1432 Aas, Norway
- The University Centre in Svalbard, P.O. Box 156 N-9171 Longyearbyen, Norway
| | - Gabriel Pigeon
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, NO-1432 Aas, Norway
| | - Atle Mysterud
- Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis (CEES), Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, Blindern, NO-0316 Oslo, Norway
| | - Audun Stien
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, Arctic Ecology Department, Fram Centre, NO-9296 Tromsø, Norway
| | - Mads Forchhammer
- The University Centre in Svalbard, P.O. Box 156 N-9171 Longyearbyen, Norway
- Centre for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate (CMEC) and Greenland Perspective, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, DK1350 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Leif Egil Loe
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, NO-1432 Aas, Norway
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10
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Severud WJ, DelGiudice GD, Bump JK. Comparing survey and multiple recruitment-mortality models to assess growth rates and population projections. Ecol Evol 2019; 9:12613-12622. [PMID: 31788201 PMCID: PMC6875566 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.5725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2019] [Revised: 08/09/2019] [Accepted: 09/16/2019] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Estimation of population trends and demographic parameters is important to our understanding of fundamental ecology and species management, yet these data are often difficult to obtain without the use of data from population surveys or marking animals. The northeastern Minnesota moose (Alces alces Linnaeus, 1758) population declined 58% during 2006-2017, yet aerial surveys indicated stability during 2012-2017. In response to the decline, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MNDNR) initiated studies of adult and calf survival to better understand cause-specific mortality, calf recruitment, and factors influencing the population trajectory. We estimated population growth rate (λ) using adult survival and calf recruitment data from demographic studies and the recruitment-mortality (R-M) Equation and compared these estimates to those calculated using data from aerial surveys. We then projected population dynamics 50 years using each resulting λ and used a stochastic model to project population dynamics 30 years using data from the MNDNR's studies. Calculations of λ derived from 2012 to 2017 survey data, and the R-M Equation indicated growth (1.02 ± 0.16 [SE] and 1.01 ± 0.04, respectively). However, the stochastic model indicated a decline in the population over 30 years (λ = 0.91 ± 0.004; 2014-2044). The R-M Equation has utility for estimating λ, and the supporting information from demographic collaring studies also helps to better address management questions. Furthermore, estimates of λ calculated using collaring data were more certain and reflective of current conditions. Long-term monitoring using collars would better inform population performance predictions and demographic responses to environmental variability.
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Affiliation(s)
- William J. Severud
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation BiologyUniversity of MinnesotaSaint PaulMNUSA
| | - Glenn D. DelGiudice
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation BiologyUniversity of MinnesotaSaint PaulMNUSA
- Forest Wildlife Populations and Research GroupMinnesota Department of Natural ResourcesForest LakeMNUSA
| | - Joseph K. Bump
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation BiologyUniversity of MinnesotaSaint PaulMNUSA
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11
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Thompson DP, Barboza PS, Crouse JA, McDonough TJ, Badajos OH, Herberg AM. Body temperature patterns vary with day, season, and body condition of moose (Alces alces). J Mammal 2019. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyz119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Variation in core body temperature of mammals is a result of endogenous regulation of heat from metabolism and the environment, which is affected by body size and life history. We studied moose (Alces alces) in Alaska to examine the effects of endogenous and exogenous factors on core body temperature at seasonal and daily time scales. We used a modified vaginal implant transmitter to record core body temperature in adult female moose at 5-min intervals for up to 1 year. Core body temperature in moose showed a seasonal fluctuation, with a greater daily mean core body temperature during the summer (38.2°C, 95% CI = 38.1–38.3°C) than during the winter (37.7°C, 95% CI = 37.6–37.8°C). Daily change in core body temperature was greater in summer (0.92°C, 95% CI = 0.87–0.97°C) than in winter (0.58°C, 95% CI = 0.53–0.63°C). During winter, core body temperature was lower and more variable as body fat decreased among female moose. Ambient temperature and vapor pressure accounted for a large amount of the residual variation (0.06–0.09°C) in core body temperature after accounting for variation attributed to season and individual. Ambient temperature and solar radiation had the greatest effect on the residual variation (0.17–0.20°C) of daily change in core body temperature. Our study suggests that body temperature of adult female moose is influenced by body reserves within seasons and by environmental conditions within days. When studying northern cervids, the influence of season and body condition on daily patterns of body temperature should be considered when evaluating thermal stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel P Thompson
- Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Kenai Moose Research Center, Soldotna, AK, USA
- Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences, Texas A&M University, Wildlife, Fisheries and Ecological Sciences Building, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Perry S Barboza
- Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences, Texas A&M University, Wildlife, Fisheries and Ecological Sciences Building, College Station, TX, USA
| | - John A Crouse
- Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Kenai Moose Research Center, Soldotna, AK, USA
| | | | | | - Andrew M Herberg
- Department of Natural Resources Science and Management, University of Minnesota – Twin Cities, St. Paul, MN, USA
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12
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Sosa SO, Pelé M, Debergue É, Kuntz C, Keller B, Robic F, Siegwalt-Baudin F, Richer C, Ramos A, Sueur C. Impact of Group Management and Transfer on Individual Sociality in Highland Cattle ( Bos taurus). Front Vet Sci 2019; 6:183. [PMID: 31245398 PMCID: PMC6581677 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2019.00183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2019] [Accepted: 05/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
The sociality of cattle facilitates the maintenance of herd cohesion and synchronization, making these species the ideal choice for domestication as livestock for humans. However, livestock populations are not self-regulated, and farmers transfer individuals across different groups. Individuals consequently have to adapt to different group compositions during their lives rather than choose their own herd mates, as they would do in the wild. These changes may lead to social instability and stress, entailing potentially negative effects on animal welfare. In this study, we assess how the transfer of Highland cattle (Bos taurus) impacts individual and group social network measures. Four groups with nine different compositions and 18 individual transfers were studied to evaluate 1) the effect of group composition on individual social centralities and 2) the effect of group composition changes on these centralities. This study reveals that the relative stability of dyadic spatial relationships between changes in group composition or enclosure is due to the identities of transferred individuals more than the quantity of individuals that are transferred. Older cattle had higher network centralities than other individuals. The centrality of individuals was also affected by their sex and the number of familiar individuals in the group. This study reveals the necessity of understanding the social structure of a group to predict social instability following the transfer of individuals between groups. The developing of guidelines for the modification of group composition could improve livestock management and reduce stress for the animals concerned.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Marie Pelé
- Ethobiosciences, Research and Consultancy Agency in Animal Well-Being and Behaviour, Strasbourg, France
| | - Élise Debergue
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC UMR 7178, Strasbourg, France
| | - Cédric Kuntz
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC UMR 7178, Strasbourg, France
| | - Blandine Keller
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC UMR 7178, Strasbourg, France
| | - Florian Robic
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC UMR 7178, Strasbourg, France
| | | | - Camille Richer
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC UMR 7178, Strasbourg, France
| | - Amandine Ramos
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC UMR 7178, Strasbourg, France
| | - Cédric Sueur
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC UMR 7178, Strasbourg, France
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13
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14
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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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15
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Ditmer MA, Fieberg JR, Moen RA, Windels SK, Stapleton SP, Harris TR. Moose movement rates are altered by wolf presence in two ecosystems. Ecol Evol 2018; 8:9017-9033. [PMID: 30271563 PMCID: PMC6157672 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.4402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2018] [Revised: 06/22/2018] [Accepted: 07/02/2018] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Predators directly impact prey populations through lethal encounters, but understanding nonlethal, indirect effects is also critical because foraging animals often face trade-offs between predator avoidance and energy intake. Quantifying these indirect effects can be difficult even when it is possible to monitor individuals that regularly interact. Our goal was to understand how movement and resource selection of a predator (wolves; Canis lupus) influence the movement behavior of a prey species (moose; Alces alces). We tested whether moose avoided areas with high predicted wolf resource use in two study areas with differing prey compositions, whether avoidance patterns varied seasonally, and whether daily activity budgets of moose and wolves aligned temporally. We deployed GPS collars on both species at two sites in northern Minnesota. We created seasonal resource selection functions (RSF) for wolves and modeled the relationship between moose first-passage time (FPT), a method that discerns alterations in movement rates, and wolf RSF values. Larger FPT values suggest rest/foraging, whereas shorter FPT values indicate travel/fleeing. We found that the movements of moose and wolves peaked at similar times of day in both study areas. Moose FPTs were 45% lower in areas most selected for by wolves relative to those avoided. The relationship between wolf RSF and moose FPT was nonlinear and varied seasonally. Differences in FPT between low and high RSF values were greatest in winter (-82.1%) and spring (-57.6%) in northeastern Minnesota and similar for all seasons in the Voyageurs National Park ecosystem. In northeastern Minnesota, where moose comprise a larger percentage of wolf diet, the relationship between moose FPT and wolf RSF was more pronounced (ave. across seasons: -60.1%) than the Voyageurs National Park ecosystem (-30.4%). These findings highlight the role wolves can play in determining moose behavior, whereby moose spend less time in areas with higher predicted likelihood of wolf resource selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark A. Ditmer
- Conservation DepartmentMinnesota ZooApple ValleyMinnesota
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation BiologyUniversity of MinnesotaSt. PaulMinnesota
| | - John R. Fieberg
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation BiologyUniversity of MinnesotaSt. PaulMinnesota
| | - Ron A. Moen
- Department of BiologyNatural Resources Research InstituteUniversity of Minnesota DuluthDuluthMinnesota
| | | | - Seth P. Stapleton
- Conservation DepartmentMinnesota ZooApple ValleyMinnesota
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation BiologyUniversity of MinnesotaSt. PaulMinnesota
| | - Tara R. Harris
- Conservation DepartmentMinnesota ZooApple ValleyMinnesota
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation BiologyUniversity of MinnesotaSt. PaulMinnesota
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16
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Oyster JH, Keren IN, Hansen SJ, Harris RB. Hierarchical mark-recapture distance sampling to estimate moose abundance. J Wildl Manage 2018. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.21541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jared H. Oyster
- Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife; 2315 North Discovery Place Spokane WA 99216 USA
| | - Ilai N. Keren
- Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife; 600 Capital Way North Olympia WA 98501 USA
| | - Sara J.K. Hansen
- Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife; 2315 North Discovery Place Spokane WA 99216 USA
| | - Richard B. Harris
- Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife; 600 Capital Way North Olympia WA 98501 USA
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17
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Ditmer MA, Moen RA, Windels SK, Forester JD, Ness TE, Harris TR. Moose at their bioclimatic edge alter their behavior based on weather, landscape, and predators. Curr Zool 2017; 64:419-432. [PMID: 30109872 PMCID: PMC6084617 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zox047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2017] [Accepted: 07/17/2017] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Populations inhabiting the bioclimatic edges of a species’ geographic range face an increasing amount of stress from alterations to their environment associated with climate change. Moose Alces alces are large-bodied ungulates that are sensitive to heat stress and have exhibited population declines and range contractions along their southern geographic extent. Using a hidden Markov model to analyze movement and accelerometer data, we assigned behaviors (rest, forage, or travel) to all locations of global positioning system-collared moose (n = 13, moose-years = 19) living near the southern edge of the species’ range in and around Voyageurs National Park, MN, USA. We assessed how moose behavior changed relative to weather, landscape, and the presence of predators. Moose significantly reduced travel and increased resting behaviors at ambient temperatures as low as 15 °C and 24 °C during the spring and summer, respectively. In general, moose behavior changed seasonally in association with distance to lakes and ponds. Moose used wetlands for travel throughout the year, rested in conifer forests, and foraged in shrublands. The influence of wolves Canis lupus varied among individual moose and season, but the largest influence was a reduction in travel during spring when near a wolf home range core, primarily by pregnant females. Our analysis goes beyond habitat selection to capture how moose alter their activities based on their environment. Our findings, along with climate change forecasts, suggest that moose in this area will be required to further alter their activity patterns and space use in order to find sufficient forage and avoid heat stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark A Ditmer
- Conservation Department, Minnesota Zoo, 13000 Zoo Boulevard, Apple Valley, MN, USA.,Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, University of Minnesota, 2003 Upper Buford Circle, Ste 135, St Paul, MN, USA
| | - Ron A Moen
- Natural Resources Research Institute and Department of Biology, University of Minnesota Duluth, 5013 Miller Trunk Highway, Duluth, MN, USA
| | - Steve K Windels
- Voyageurs National Park, 360 Hwy 11 E, International Falls, MN, USA
| | - James D Forester
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, University of Minnesota, 2003 Upper Buford Circle, Ste 135, St Paul, MN, USA
| | - Thomas E Ness
- Conservation Department, Minnesota Zoo, 13000 Zoo Boulevard, Apple Valley, MN, USA
| | - Tara R Harris
- Conservation Department, Minnesota Zoo, 13000 Zoo Boulevard, Apple Valley, MN, USA.,Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, University of Minnesota, 2003 Upper Buford Circle, Ste 135, St Paul, MN, USA
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18
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Elmore RD, Carroll JM, Tanner EP, Hovick TJ, Grisham BA, Fuhlendorf SD, Windels SK. Implications of the thermal environment for terrestrial wildlife management. WILDLIFE SOC B 2017. [DOI: 10.1002/wsb.772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- R. Dwayne Elmore
- Department of Natural Resource Ecology and ManagementOklahoma State UniversityStillwaterOK74078USA
| | - J. Matthew Carroll
- Department of Natural Resource Ecology and ManagementOklahoma State UniversityStillwaterOK74078USA
| | - Evan P. Tanner
- Department of Natural Resource Ecology and ManagementOklahoma State UniversityStillwaterOK74078USA
| | - Torre J. Hovick
- School of Natural Resource Sciences—Range ProgramNorth Dakota State UniversityFargoND58108USA
| | - Blake A. Grisham
- Department of Natural Resources ManagementTexas Tech UniversityLubbockTX79409USA
| | - Samuel D. Fuhlendorf
- Department of Natural Resource Ecology and ManagementOklahoma State UniversityStillwaterOK74078USA
| | - Steve K. Windels
- National Park ServiceVoyageurs National ParkInternational FallsMN56649USA
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