1
|
Bleke CA, Gese EM, Villalba JJ, Roberts SB, French SS. Temporal and Spatial Influences on Fawn Summer Survival in Pronghorn Populations: Management Implications from Noninvasive Monitoring. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:1468. [PMID: 38791686 PMCID: PMC11117275 DOI: 10.3390/ani14101468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2024] [Revised: 04/20/2024] [Accepted: 05/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Monitoring vital rates allows managers to estimate trends in growth rates of ungulate populations. However, connecting the influence of nutrition on ungulate demography is challenging. Noninvasive sampling offers a low-cost, low-effort alternative for measuring nutritional indices, allowing for an increased understanding of the mechanistic relationships between environmental factors, nutrition, and specific population vital rates. We examined the temporal influence of intrinsic and extrinsic factors on pronghorn (Antilocapra americana) fawn recruitment. We collected fresh fecal samples from adult female pronghorn in five subpopulations spanning three sampling periods associated with critical maternal life-history stages (late gestation, early lactation, breeding season) for 2 years to investigate both intra- and interannual influences. Intrinsic factors were fecal glucocorticoid metabolites (FGMs), nutritional indices (fecal nitrogen (FN) and 2,6-diaminopimelic acid (DAPA)), and dietary composition (protein intake of forbs, graminoids, legumes, other, shrubs), while the extrinsic factor was vegetative greenness (normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI)). We found variations in DAPA, protein intake of forbs, variation in forb protein intake, and protein intake of legumes during late gestation positively influenced fawn recruitment. Fecal nitrogen during early lactation showed the strongest positive influence on the recruitment of any measured parameter. Finally, breeding season NDVI and the variation in DAPA values positively influenced the subsequent year's fawn recruitment. Our longitudinal study enabled us to investigate which parameter was most important to specific periods of fawn development and recruitment. We combined the results across five subpopulations, but interpretation and subsequent management decisions should be made at the subpopulation level such that pronghorn subpopulations with low recruitment can be positively influenced by increasing nitrogen on the landscape available to adult females during the early lactation period. As the use of noninvasive monitoring methods continues to expand, we believe our methodologies and results can be broadly applied to other ungulate monitoring programs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cole A. Bleke
- Department of Wildland Resources, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322, USA;
| | - Eric M. Gese
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Research Center, Utah Field Station, Logan, UT 84322, USA;
| | - Juan J. Villalba
- Department of Wildland Resources, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322, USA;
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
2
|
van Beest FM, Schmidt NM, Stewart L, Hansen LH, Michelsen A, Mosbacher JB, Gilbert H, Le Roux G, Hansson SV. Geochemical landscapes as drivers of wildlife reproductive success: Insights from a high-Arctic ecosystem. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 903:166567. [PMID: 37633375 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2023] [Revised: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 08/28/2023]
Abstract
The bioavailability of essential and non-essential elements in vegetation is expected to influence the performance of free-ranging terrestrial herbivores. However, attempts to relate the use of geochemical landscapes by animal populations directly to reproductive output are currently lacking. Here we measured concentrations of 14 essential and non-essential elements in soil and vegetation samples collected in the Zackenberg valley, northeast Greenland, and linked these to environmental conditions to spatially predict and map geochemical landscapes. We then used long-term (1996-2021) survey data of muskoxen (Ovibos moschatus) to quantify annual variation in the relative use of essential and non-essential elements in vegetated sites and their relationship to calf recruitment the following year. Results showed that the relative use of the geochemical landscape by muskoxen varied substantially between years and differed among elements. Selection for vegetated sites with higher levels of the essential elements N, Cu, Se, and Mo was positively linked to annual calf recruitment. In contrast, selection for vegetated sites with higher concentrations of the non-essential elements As and Pb was negatively correlated to annual calf recruitment. Based on the concentrations measured in our study, we found no apparent associations between annual calf recruitment and levels of C, Mn, Co, Zn, Cd, Ba, Hg, and C:N ratio in the vegetation. We conclude that the spatial distribution and access to essential and non-essential elements are important drivers of reproductive output in muskoxen, which may also apply to other wildlife populations. The value of geochemical landscapes to assess habitat-performance relationships is likely to increase under future environmental change.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Floris M van Beest
- Department of Ecoscience, Aarhus University, Frederiksborgvej 399, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark; Arctic Research Centre, Aarhus University, Ole Worms Allé 1, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark.
| | - Niels Martin Schmidt
- Department of Ecoscience, Aarhus University, Frederiksborgvej 399, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark; Arctic Research Centre, Aarhus University, Ole Worms Allé 1, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Lærke Stewart
- Department of Natural Sciences and Environmental Health, University of South-Eastern Norway, Gullbringvegen 36, 3800 Bø, Norway
| | - Lars H Hansen
- Department of Ecoscience, Aarhus University, Frederiksborgvej 399, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark; Arctic Research Centre, Aarhus University, Ole Worms Allé 1, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Anders Michelsen
- Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | - Hugo Gilbert
- Laboratoire Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Environnement (UMR- 5245), CNRS, Université de Toulouse, Avenue de l'Agrobiopole, 31326 Castanet Tolosan, France
| | - Gaël Le Roux
- Laboratoire Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Environnement (UMR- 5245), CNRS, Université de Toulouse, Avenue de l'Agrobiopole, 31326 Castanet Tolosan, France
| | - Sophia V Hansson
- Department of Ecoscience, Aarhus University, Frederiksborgvej 399, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark; Laboratoire Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Environnement (UMR- 5245), CNRS, Université de Toulouse, Avenue de l'Agrobiopole, 31326 Castanet Tolosan, France
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
White CQ, Bush JP, Sacks BN. Deer dietary responses to wildfire: Optimal foraging, individual specialization, or opportunism? Mol Ecol 2023; 32:6953-6968. [PMID: 37905672 DOI: 10.1111/mec.17185] [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: 04/17/2023] [Revised: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 11/02/2023]
Abstract
Increasing impacts of wildfire on arid regions of the world fuelled by climate change highlight the need to better understand how natural communities respond to fire. We took advantage of a large (1660-km2 ) wildfire that erupted in northern California during an in-progress study of black-tailed deer (Odocoileus hemionus columbianus) to investigate deer use of and diets within burned and unburned habitats before and after the fire. We compared deer diet breadth to predictions of optimal foraging theory, the niche variation hypothesis, and opportunistic (i.e., generalist) foraging expectations under the assumption that overall availability and diversity of forage in burned areas declined immediately after the fire and increased as the plant community recovered in the next 3 years after the fire. We used faecal pellet counts to document space use and metabarcoding to study diet during pre-fire, post-fire, and recovery periods. Pellet counts supported predictions that deer increased use of unburned sites and reduced use of burn sites after the fire and began to return to burned sites in subsequent sampling years. Diet diversity did not differ significantly between control and burn sites before the fire, but was lower in burn than control sites post-fire (p < .001), when and where diet was dominated by oak (Quercus spp). In contrast, during subsequent years, diet diversity was higher (including more herbaceous plants) in burn than control sites (p < .05). In contrast to predictions of optimal foraging and niche variation hypotheses, individual deer foraged as generalists for which changes in dietary niche breadth paralleled fire-induced changes in diversity of the plant community.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Carly Q White
- Mammalian Ecology and Conservation Unit of the Veterinary Genetics Laboratory, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, California, USA
| | - Joshua P Bush
- California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Rancho Cordova, California, USA
| | - Benjamin N Sacks
- Mammalian Ecology and Conservation Unit of the Veterinary Genetics Laboratory, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, California, USA
- Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, California, USA
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Bleke CA, Gese EM, Roberts SB, Villalba JJ. Seasonal shifts in pronghorn antelope (Antilocapra americana) diets under a new lens: Examining diet composition using a molecular technique. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0292725. [PMID: 37819912 PMCID: PMC10566741 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0292725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2022] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Foraging is one of the most fundamental activities contributing to the maximization of an animal's fitness, and thus herbivores must optimize their diet selection and intake to meet their nutrient demands for survival, growth, and reproduction. Using plant DNA barcoding, we determined diet composition of five subpopulations of adult female pronghorn antelope (Antilocapra americana) grazing rangelands in southern and southeastern Idaho, USA. Fecal samples were collected for two years (2018-2019), and across metabolically-important adult female life history stages (late gestation, early lactation, breeding season). Plant DNA barcoding yielded 137 detected species within pronghorn diets across subpopulations and sampling periods with forbs being the most abundant. Pronghorn dietary functional group composition ranged from 52.2-60.3% from forbs followed by shrubs (22.6-28.2%), graminoids (8.7-15.7%), and legumes (5.5-9.6%). Dietary protein intake was also highest from forbs and ranged from 32.4-62.4% followed by graminoids (1.2-43.1%), shrubs (18.7-21.3%), and legumes (2.6-7.4%). We found significant intra- and interannual differences in the mean number of genera-based plant detections in pronghorn diets. Dietary protein intake of cultivated legumes (e.g., alfalfa [Medicago sativa] and sainfoin [Onobrychis viciifolia]) was lower than expected, ranging from <1.0-30.8%, suggesting that even within an agricultural-dominated landscape, factors other than plant nutritional composition contributed to pronghorn diets. Although the plant DNA barcoding technique exhibits limitations, it demonstrated potential for elucidating pronghorn dietary species richness, particularly for plants consumed in small proportions, as well as for observing temporal fluctuations in functional group composition and dietary protein intake explained through the interplay between environmental factors, plant chemical composition, and the animals' physiological needs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cole A. Bleke
- Department of Wildland Resources, Utah State University, Logan, Utah, United States of America
| | - Eric M. Gese
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Research Center, Utah Field Station, Logan, Utah, United States of America
| | - Shane B. Roberts
- Idaho Department of Fish and Game, Boise, Idaho, United States of America
| | - Juan J. Villalba
- Department of Wildland Resources, Utah State University, Logan, Utah, United States of America
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Ruprecht J, Wisdom MJ, Clark DA, Rowland MM, Levi T. Density-dependent changes in elk resource selection over successional time scales following forest disturbance. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2023; 33:e2891. [PMID: 37232432 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2891] [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: 01/27/2023] [Revised: 04/07/2023] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
There is an increasing need to understand how animals respond to modifications of their habitat following landscape-scale disturbances such as wildfire or timber harvest. Such disturbances can promote increased use by herbivores due to changes in plant community structure that improve forage conditions, but can also cause avoidance if other habitat functions provided by cover are substantially reduced or eliminated. Quantifying the total effects of these disturbances, however, is challenging because they may not fully be apparent unless observed at successional timescales. Further, the effects of disturbances that improve habitat quality may be density dependent, such that the benefits are (1) less valuable to high-density populations because the per-capita benefits are reduced when shared among more users or, alternatively, (2) more valuable to animals living in high densities because resources may be more depleted from the greater intraspecific competition. We used 30 years of telemetry data on elk occurring at two distinct population densities to quantify changes in space use at diel, monthly, and successional timescales following timber harvest. Elk selected logged areas at night only, with selection strongest during midsummer, and peak selection occurring 14 years post harvest, but persisting for 26-33 years. This pattern of increased selection at night following a reduction in overhead canopy cover is consistent with elk exploiting improved nutritional conditions for foraging. The magnitude of selection for logged areas was 73% higher for elk at low population density, consistent with predictions from the ideal free distribution. Yet elk avoided these same areas during daytime for up to 28 years post logging and instead selected untreated forest, suggesting a role for cover to meet other life history requirements. Our results demonstrate that while landscape-scale disturbances can lead to increased selection by large herbivores and suggest that the improvement in foraging conditions can persist over short-term successional timescales, the magnitude of the benefits may not be equal across population densities. Further, the enduring avoidance of logging treatments during the daytime indicates a need for structurally intact forests and suggests that a mosaic of forest patches of varying successional stages and structural completeness is likely to be the most beneficial to large herbivores.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joel Ruprecht
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA
| | - Michael J Wisdom
- USDA Pacific Northwest Research Station, US Forest Service, La Grande, Oregon, USA
| | - Darren A Clark
- Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, La Grande, Oregon, USA
| | - Mary M Rowland
- USDA Pacific Northwest Research Station, US Forest Service, La Grande, Oregon, USA
| | - Taal Levi
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Ranglack DH, Proffitt KM, Canfield JE, Gude JA, Rotella J, Garrott RA. Modeling broad‐scale patterns of elk summer resource selection in Montana using regional and population‐specific models. Ecosphere 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.4311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Dustin H. Ranglack
- Fish and Wildlife Ecology and Management Program, Department of Ecology Montana State University Bozeman Montana USA
| | | | - Jodie E. Canfield
- Custer Gallatin National Forest, USDA Forest Service Bozeman Montana USA
| | | | - Jay Rotella
- Fish and Wildlife Ecology and Management Program, Department of Ecology Montana State University Bozeman Montana USA
| | - Robert A. Garrott
- Fish and Wildlife Ecology and Management Program, Department of Ecology Montana State University Bozeman Montana USA
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Links between individual performance, trace elements and stable isotopes in an endangered caribou population. Glob Ecol Conserv 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2022.e02234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
|
8
|
Johnson HE, Lenart EA, Gustine DD, Adams LG, Barboza PS. Survival and reproduction in Arctic caribou are associated with summer forage and insect harassment. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.899585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Investigators have speculated that the climate-driven “greening of the Arctic” may benefit barren-ground caribou populations, but paradoxically many populations have declined in recent years. This pattern has raised concerns about the influence of summer habitat conditions on caribou demographic rates, and how populations may be impacted in the future. The short Arctic summer provides caribou with important forage resources but is also the time they are exposed to intense harassment by insects, factors which are both being altered by longer, warmer growing seasons. To better understand the effects of summer forage and insect activity on Arctic caribou demographic rates, we investigated the influence of estimated forage biomass, digestible energy (DE), digestible nitrogen (DN), and mosquito activity on the reproductive success and survival of adult females in the Central Arctic Herd on the North Slope of Alaska. We tested the hypotheses that greater early summer DN would increase subsequent reproduction (parturition and late June calving success) while greater biomass and DE would increase adult survival (September–May), and that elevated mosquito activity would reduce both demographic rates. Because the period when abundant forage DN is limited and overlaps with the period of mosquito harassment, we also expected years with low DN and high harassment to synergistically reduce caribou reproductive success. Examining these relationships at the individual-level, using GPS-collared females, and at the population-level, using long-term monitoring data, we generally found support for our expectations. Greater early summer DN was associated with increased subsequent calving success, while greater summer biomass was associated with increased adult survival. Mosquito activity was associated with reductions in adult female parturition, late June calving success, and survival, and in years with low DN, had compounding effects on subsequent late June calving success. Our findings indicate that summer nutrition and mosquito activity collectively influence the demographic rates of Arctic caribou, and may impact the dynamics of populations in the future under changing environmental conditions.
Collapse
|
9
|
Anton CB, DeCesare NJ, Peterson C, Hayes TA, Bishop CJ. Climate, habitat interactions, and mule deer resource selection on winter landscapes. J Wildl Manage 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.22299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Colby B. Anton
- Montana Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit, University of Montana Missoula MT 59812 USA
| | | | | | - Teagan A. Hayes
- Montana Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit, University of Montana Missoula MT 59812 USA
| | - Chad J. Bishop
- Wildlife Biology Program, University of Montana Missoula MT 59812 USA
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Cook RC, Shipley LA, Cook JG, Camp MJ, Monzingo DS, Robatcek SL, Berry SL, Hull IT, Myers WL, Denryter K, Long RA. Sequential detergent fiber assay results used for nutritional ecology research: Evidence of bias since 2012. WILDLIFE SOC B 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/wsb.1348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Rachel C. Cook
- National Council of Air and Stream Improvement 1401 Gekeler Lane La Grande OR 97850 USA
| | - Lisa A. Shipley
- 1229 Webster Hall, School of the Environment Washington State University Pullman WA 99164‐2812 USA
| | - John G. Cook
- National Council of Air and Stream Improvement 1401 Gekeler Lane La Grande OR 97850 USA
| | - Meghan J. Camp
- Washington State University Vogel Plant Biosciences 136, School of the Environment, Pullman, WA 99164‐2812; Cramer Fish Sciences 1125 12th Ave. NW, Suite B‐1 Issaquah WA 98027 USA
| | - Deborah S. Monzingo
- 1229 Webster Hall, School of the Environment Washington State University Pullman WA 99164‐2812 USA
| | | | | | - Iver T. Hull
- 1229 Webster Hall, School of the Environment Washington State University Pullman WA 99164‐2812 USA
| | - Woodrow L. Myers
- Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife 2315 N Discovery Place Spokane Valley WA 99216 USA
| | - Kristin Denryter
- California Department of Fish and Wildlife 1010 Riverside Parkway West Sacramento CA 95605 USA
| | - Ryan A. Long
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Sciences University of Idaho Moscow ID 83844 USA
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Paterson JT, Proffitt KM, DeCesare NJ, Gude JA, Hebblewhite M. Evaluating the summer landscapes of predation risk and forage quality for elk ( Cervus canadensis). Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e9201. [PMID: 35979523 PMCID: PMC9366754 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.9201] [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: 05/24/2021] [Revised: 07/12/2022] [Accepted: 07/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The recovery of carnivore populations in North American has consequences for trophic interactions and population dynamics of prey. In addition to direct effects on prey populations through killing, predators can influence prey behavior by imposing the risk of predation. The mechanisms through which patterns of space use by predators are linked to behavioral response by prey and nonconsumptive effects on prey population dynamics are poorly understood. Our goal was to characterize population‐ and individual‐level patterns of resource selection by elk (Cervus canadensis) in response to risk of wolves (Canis lupus) and mountain lions (Puma concolor) and evaluate potential nonconsumptive effects of these behavioral patterns. We tested the hypothesis that individual elk risk‐avoidance behavior during summer would result in exposure to lower‐quality forage and reduced body fat and pregnancy rates. First, we evaluated individuals' second‐order and third‐order resource selection with a used‐available sampling design. At the population level, we found evidence for a positive relationship between second‐ and third‐order selection and forage, and an interaction between forage quality and mountain lion risk such that the relative probability of use at low mountain lion risk increased with forage quality but decreased at high risk at both orders of selection. We found no evidence of a population‐level trade‐off between forage quality and wolf risk. However, we found substantial among‐individual heterogeneity in resource selection patterns such that population‐level patterns were potentially misleading. We found no evidence that the diversity of individual resource selection patterns varied predictably with available resources, or that patterns of individual risk‐related resource selection translated into biologically meaningful changes in body fat or pregnancy rates. Our work highlights the importance of evaluating individual responses to predation risk and predator hunting technique when assessing responses to predators and suggests nonconsumptive effects are not operating at a population scale in this system.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Mark Hebblewhite
- Department of Ecosystem and Conservation Sciences University of Montana Missoula Montana USA
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Smiley RA, Wagler BL, LaSharr TN, Denryter KA, Stephenson TR, Courtemanch AB, Mong TW, Lutz D, McWhirter D, Brimeyer D, Hnilicka P, Lowrey B, Monteith KL. Heterogeneity in risk‐sensitive allocation of somatic reserves in a long‐lived mammal. Ecosphere 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.4161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Rachel A. Smiley
- Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources, Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Zoology and Physiology University of Wyoming Laramie Wyoming USA
| | - Brittany L. Wagler
- Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources, Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Zoology and Physiology University of Wyoming Laramie Wyoming USA
| | - Tayler N. LaSharr
- Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources, Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Zoology and Physiology University of Wyoming Laramie Wyoming USA
| | | | - Thomas R. Stephenson
- Sierra Nevada Bighorn Sheep Recovery Program, California Department of Fish and Wildlife Bishop California USA
| | | | - Tony W. Mong
- Wyoming Game and Fish Department Cody Wyoming USA
| | - Daryl Lutz
- Wyoming Game and Fish Department Lander Wyoming USA
| | | | - Doug Brimeyer
- Wyoming Game and Fish Department Cheyenne Wyoming USA
| | | | - Blake Lowrey
- Fish and Wildlife Ecology and Management Program, Department of Ecology Montana State University Bozeman Montana USA
| | - Kevin L. Monteith
- Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources, Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Zoology and Physiology University of Wyoming Laramie Wyoming USA
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Snobl LA, Proffitt KM, Millspaugh JJ. Wildfire extends the shelf life of elk nutritional resources regardless of fire severity. Ecosphere 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.4178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Lauren A. Snobl
- Wildlife Biology Program University of Montana Missoula Montana USA
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
14
|
In defense of elemental currencies: can ecological stoichiometry stand as a framework for terrestrial herbivore nutritional ecology? Oecologia 2022; 199:27-38. [PMID: 35396976 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-022-05160-5] [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: 11/01/2021] [Accepted: 04/01/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Nutritional ecologists aim to predict population or landscape-level effects of food availability, but the tools to extrapolate nutrition from small to large extents are often lacking. The appropriate nutritional ecology currencies should be able to represent consumer responses to food while simultaneously be simple enough to expand such responses to large spatial extents and link them to ecosystem functioning. Ecological stoichiometry (ES), a framework of nutritional ecology, can meet these demands, but it is typically associated with ecosystem ecology and nutrient cycling, and less often used to study wildlife nutrition. Despite the emerging zoogeochemical evidence that animals, and thus their diets, play critical roles in nutrient movement, wildlife nutritional ecology has not fully embraced ES, and ES has not incorporated nutrition in many wildlife studies. Here, we discuss how elemental currencies are "nutritionally, organismally, and ecologically explicit" in the context of terrestrial herbivore nutritional ecology. We add that ES and elemental currencies offer a means to measure resource quality across landscapes and compare nutrient availability among regions. Further, we discuss ES shortcomings and solutions, and list future directions to advance the field. As ecological studies increasingly grow in spatial extent, and attempt to link multiple levels of biological organization, integrating more simple and unifying currencies into nutritional studies, like elements, is necessary for nutritional ecology to predict herbivore occurrences and abundances across regions.
Collapse
|
15
|
Hayes FP, Millspaugh JJ, Bergman EJ, Callaway RM, Bishop CJ. Effects of willow nutrition and morphology on calving success of moose. J Wildl Manage 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.22175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Forest P. Hayes
- Wildlife Biology Program University of Montana Missoula, MT 59812 USA
| | | | | | - Ragan M. Callaway
- Wildlife Biology Program University of Montana Missoula, MT 59812 USA
| | - Chad J. Bishop
- Wildlife Biology Program University of Montana Missoula, MT 59812 USA
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Peterson CJ, DeCesare NJ, Hayes TA, Bishop CJ, Mitchell MS. Consequences of migratory strategy on habitat selection by mule deer. J Wildl Manage 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.22135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Collin J. Peterson
- Montana Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit, Wildlife Biology Program University of Montana Missoula 59812 MT USA
| | - Nicholas J. DeCesare
- Montana Department of Fish Wildlife, and Parks 3201 Spurgin Road Missoula 59804 MT USA
| | - Teagan A. Hayes
- Montana Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit, Wildlife Biology Program University of Montana Missoula 59812 MT USA
| | - Chad J. Bishop
- Wildlife Biology Program University of Montana Missoula 59812 MT USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
17
|
Bowersock NR, Litt AR, Merkle JA, Gunther KA, van Manen FT. Responses of American black bears to spring resources. Ecosphere 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Nathaniel R. Bowersock
- Department of Ecology Montana State University P.O. Box 173460 Bozeman Montana 59717‐3460 USA
| | - Andrea R. Litt
- Department of Ecology Montana State University P.O. Box 173460 Bozeman Montana 59717‐3460 USA
| | - Jerod A. Merkle
- Department of Zoology and Physiology University of Wyoming Department 3166 1000 East University Avenue Laramie Wyoming 82071 USA
| | - Kerry A. Gunther
- Bear Management Office Yellowstone Center for Resources Yellowstone National Park P.O. Box 168 Yellowstone National Park Wyoming 82190 USA
| | - Frank T. van Manen
- Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team U.S. Geological Survey Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center 2327 University Way, Suite 2 Bozeman Montana 59715 USA
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Cook JG, Kelly AP, Cook RC, Culling B, Culling D, McLaren A, Larter NC, Watters M. Seasonal patterns in nutritional condition of caribou (Rangifer tarandus) in the southern Northwest Territories and northeastern British Columbia, Canada. CAN J ZOOL 2021. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2021-0057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Evaluating nutritional condition provides insights of nutritional influences on wildlife populations. We sampled three measures of condition — body fat, body mass, and loin thickness — of adult female caribou (Rangifer tarandus (Linnaeus, 1758)) in boreal settings in the Northwest Territories (NT), Canada, in December and March, 2016–2018, and in mountain and boreal settings in British Columbia (BC), Canada, in December and February, 2014–2015. We evaluated the effect of calf-rearing on condition in December, compared influences of summer–autumn versus winter on condition over winter, and developed an annual profile of nutritional condition with estimates from caribou dying in summer. Mean December body fat was 8.4% in females with calves and 11.4% in females without calves, demonstrating the influence of lactation on condition. Over winter, nutritional condition did not decline in northeastern BC and it declined slightly in NT: body fat by 0.55 percentage points, mass by 2.8 kg, and loin thickness did not change. Body fat peaked in December, changed little over winter, but declined to a minimum by early summer, temporally coinciding with elevated rates of adult female mortality. Consistent with those of other ungulate studies worldwide, our findings suggest a need to focus on nutritional limitations operating in late spring through early autumn.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- John G. Cook
- Forestry and Range Sciences Laboratory, National Council for Air and Stream Improvement, 1401 Gekeler Lane, La Grande, OR 1401 Gekeler Lane, USA
| | - Allicia P. Kelly
- Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Government of the Northwest Territories, Box 900, Fort Smith, NT X0E 0P0, Canada
| | - Rachel C. Cook
- Forestry and Range Sciences Laboratory, National Council for Air and Stream Improvement, 1401 Gekeler Lane, La Grande, OR 1401 Gekeler Lane, USA
| | - Brad Culling
- Diversified Environmental, Box 6263, Fort St. John, BC V1J 4X7, Canada
| | - Diane Culling
- Diversified Environmental, Box 6263, Fort St. John, BC V1J 4X7, Canada
| | - Ashley McLaren
- Wildlife Research and Monitoring Section, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, Peterborough, ON K9L 1Z8, Canada
| | - Nicholas C. Larter
- Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Government of the Northwest Territories, Fort Simpson, NT X0E 0N0, Canada
| | - Megan Watters
- British Columbia Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development, Fort St. John, BC V1J 6M7, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Johnson HE, Golden TS, Adams LG, Gustine DD, Lenart EA, Barboza PS. Dynamic selection for forage quality and quantity in response to phenology and insects in an Arctic ungulate. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:11664-11688. [PMID: 34522332 PMCID: PMC8427565 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7852] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2020] [Revised: 06/03/2021] [Accepted: 06/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Spatiotemporal variation in forage is a primary driver of ungulate behavior, yet little is known about the nutritional components they select, and how selection varies across the growing season with changes in forage quality and quantity. We addressed these uncertainties in barren-ground caribou (Rangifer tarandus), which experience their most important foraging opportunities during the short Arctic summer. Recent declines in Arctic caribou populations have raised concerns about the influence of climate change on summer foraging opportunities, given shifting vegetation conditions and insect harassment, and their potential effects on caribou body condition and demography. We examined Arctic caribou selection of summer forage by pairing locations from females in the Central Arctic Herd of Alaska with spatiotemporal predictions of biomass, digestible nitrogen (DN), and digestible energy (DE). We then assessed selection for these nutritional components across the growing season at landscape and patch scales, and determined whether foraging opportunities were constrained by insect harassment. During early summer, at the landscape scale, caribou selected for intermediate biomass and high DN and DE, following expectations of the forage maturation hypothesis. At the patch scale, however, caribou selected for high values of all forage components, particularly DN, suggesting that protein may be limiting. During late summer, after DN declined below the threshold for protein gain, caribou exhibited a switch at both spatial scales, selecting for higher biomass, likely enabling mass and fat deposition. Mosquito activity strongly altered caribou selection of forage and increased their movement rates, while oestrid fly activity had little influence. Our results demonstrate that early and late summer periods afford Arctic caribou distinct foraging opportunities, as they prioritize quality earlier in the summer and quantity later. Climate change may further constrain caribou access to DN as earlier, warmer Arctic summers may be associated with reduced DN and increased mosquito harassment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Trevor S. Golden
- Alaska Science CenterU.S. Geological SurveyAnchorageAlaska
- Present address:
Axiom Data Science1016 West 6th AvenueAnchorageAlaska99501
| | - Layne G. Adams
- Alaska Science CenterU.S. Geological SurveyAnchorageAlaska
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
20
|
Felton AM, Wam HK, Felton A, Simpson SJ, Stolter C, Hedwall P, Malmsten J, Eriksson T, Tigabo M, Raubenheimer D. Macronutrient balancing in free-ranging populations of moose. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:11223-11240. [PMID: 34429914 PMCID: PMC8366896 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7909] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2021] [Revised: 06/22/2021] [Accepted: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
At northern latitudes, large spatial and temporal variation in the nutritional composition of available foods poses challenges to wild herbivores trying to satisfy their nutrient requirements. Studies conducted in mostly captive settings have shown that animals from a variety of taxonomic groups deal with this challenge by adjusting the amounts and proportions of available food combinations to achieve a target nutrient balance. In this study, we used proportions-based nutritional geometry to analyze the nutritional composition of rumen samples collected in winter from 481 moose (Alces alces) in southern Sweden and examine whether free-ranging moose show comparable patterns of nutrient balancing. Our main hypothesis was that wild moose actively regulate their rumen nutrient composition to offset ecologically imposed variation in the nutritional composition of available foods. To test this, we assessed the macronutritional composition (protein, carbohydrates, and lipids) of rumen contents and commonly eaten foods, including supplementary feed, across populations with contrasting winter diets, spanning an area of approximately 10,000 km2. Our results suggest that moose balanced the macronutrient composition of their rumen, with the rumen contents having consistently similar proportional relationship between protein and nonstructural carbohydrates, despite differences in available (and eaten) foods. Furthermore, we found that rumen macronutrient balance was tightly related to ingested levels of dietary fiber (cellulose and hemicellulose), such that the greater the fiber content, the less protein was present in the rumen compared with nonstructural carbohydrates. Our results also suggest that moose benefit from access to a greater variety of trees, shrubs, herbs, and grasses, which provides them with a larger nutritional space to maneuver within. Our findings provide novel theoretical insights into a model species for ungulate nutritional ecology, while also generating data of direct relevance to wildlife and forest management, such as silvicultural or supplementary feeding practices.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Annika M. Felton
- Southern Swedish Forest Research CentreSwedish University of Agricultural SciencesAlnarpSweden
| | - Hilde K. Wam
- Division of Forestry and Forest ResourcesNIBIOÅsNorway
| | - Adam Felton
- Southern Swedish Forest Research CentreSwedish University of Agricultural SciencesAlnarpSweden
| | - Stephen J. Simpson
- Charles Perkins Centre, and School of Life and Environmental SciencesUniversity of SydneyCamperdownNSWAustralia
| | - Caroline Stolter
- Department of Animal Ecology and ConservationInstitute of ZoologyUniversity of HamburgHamburgGermany
| | - Per‐Ola Hedwall
- Southern Swedish Forest Research CentreSwedish University of Agricultural SciencesAlnarpSweden
| | - Jonas Malmsten
- Department of Wildlife, Fish and Environmental StudiesSwedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU)UmeåSweden
| | - Torsten Eriksson
- Department of Animal Nutrition and ManagementSwedish University of Agricultural SciencesUppsalaSweden
| | - Mulualem Tigabo
- Southern Swedish Forest Research CentreSwedish University of Agricultural SciencesAlnarpSweden
| | - David Raubenheimer
- Charles Perkins Centre, and School of Life and Environmental SciencesUniversity of SydneyCamperdownNSWAustralia
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Peterson CJ, Mitchell MS, DeCesare NJ, Bishop CJ, Sells SS. Habitat selection by wolves and mountain lions during summer in western Montana. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0254827. [PMID: 34293042 PMCID: PMC8297843 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0254827] [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: 01/29/2021] [Accepted: 07/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
In the Northern Rockies of the United States, predators like wolves (Canis lupus) and mountain lions (Puma concolor) have been implicated in fluctuations or declines in populations of game species like elk (Cervus canadensis) and mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus). In particular, local distributions of these predators may affect ungulate behavior, use of space, and dynamics. Our goal was to develop generalizable predictions of habitat selection by wolves and mountain lions across western Montana. We hypothesized both predator species would select habitat that maximized their chances of encountering and killing ungulates and that minimized their chances of encountering humans. We assessed habitat selection by these predators during summer using within-home range (3rd order) resource selection functions (RSFs) in multiple study areas throughout western Montana, and tested how generalizable RSF predictions were by applying them to out-of-sample telemetry data from separate study areas. Selection for vegetation cover-types varied substantially among wolves in different study areas. Nonetheless, our predictions of 3rd order selection by wolves were highly generalizable across different study areas. Wolves consistently selected simple topography where ungulate prey may be more susceptible to their cursorial hunting mode. Topographic features may serve as better proxies of predation risk by wolves than vegetation cover-types. Predictions of mountain lion distribution were less generalizable. Use of rugged terrain by mountain lions varied across ecosystem-types, likely because mountain lions targeted the habitats of different prey species in each study area. Our findings suggest that features that facilitate the hunting mode of a predator (i.e. simple topography for cursorial predators and hiding cover for stalking predators) may be more generalizable predictors of their habitat selection than features associated with local prey densities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Collin J. Peterson
- Montana Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit, Wildlife Biology Program, University of Montana, Missoula, MT, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Michael S. Mitchell
- US Geological Survey, Montana Cooperative Research Unit, University of Montana, Missoula, MT, United States of America
| | - Nicholas J. DeCesare
- Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks, Missoula, MT, United States of America
| | - Chad J. Bishop
- Montana Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit, Wildlife Biology Program, University of Montana, Missoula, MT, United States of America
| | - Sarah S. Sells
- Montana Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit, Wildlife Biology Program, University of Montana, Missoula, MT, United States of America
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Snowier winters extend autumn availability of high‐quality forage for caribou in Arctic Alaska. Ecosphere 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
|
23
|
Proffitt KM, Courtemanch AB, Dewey SR, Lowrey B, McWhirter DE, Monteith K, Paterson JT, Rotella J, White PJ, Garrott RA. Regional variability in pregnancy and survival rates of Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep. Ecosphere 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Kelly M. Proffitt
- Montana Department of Fish Wildlife, and Parks 1400 South 19th Avenue Bozeman Montana59718USA
| | | | - Sarah R. Dewey
- Grand Teton National Park P.O. Box 170 Moose Wyoming83012USA
| | - Blake Lowrey
- Fish and Wildlife Ecology and Management Program Department of Ecology Montana State University 310 Lewis Hall Bozeman Montana59717USA
| | | | - Kevin.L. Monteith
- Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit Department of Zoology and Physiology University of Wyoming 804 East Fremont Street Laramie Wyoming82072USA
| | - J. Terrill Paterson
- Fish and Wildlife Ecology and Management Program Department of Ecology Montana State University 310 Lewis Hall Bozeman Montana59717USA
| | - Jay Rotella
- Fish and Wildlife Ecology and Management Program Department of Ecology Montana State University 310 Lewis Hall Bozeman Montana59717USA
| | - Patrick J. White
- Yellowstone Center for Resources Yellowstone National Park National Park Service Mammoth Wyoming82190USA
| | - Robert A. Garrott
- Fish and Wildlife Ecology and Management Program Department of Ecology Montana State University 310 Lewis Hall Bozeman Montana59717USA
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Lee MA, Burger G, Green ER, Kooij PW. Relationships between resource availability and elevation vary between metrics creating gradients of nutritional complexity. Oecologia 2021; 195:213-223. [PMID: 33458802 PMCID: PMC7882561 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-020-04824-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2020] [Accepted: 12/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Plant and animal community composition changes at higher elevations on mountains. Plant and animal species richness generally declines with elevation, but the shape of the relationship differs between taxa. There are several proposed mechanisms, including the productivity hypotheses; that declines in available plant biomass confers fewer resources to consumers, thus supporting fewer species. We investigated resource availability as we ascended three aspects of Helvellyn mountain, UK, measuring several plant nutritive metrics, plant species richness and biomass. We observed a linear decline in plant species richness as we ascended the mountain but there was a unimodal relationship between plant biomass and elevation. Generally, the highest biomass values at mid-elevations were associated with the lowest nutritive values, except mineral contents which declined with elevation. Intra-specific and inter-specific increases in nutritive values nearer the top and bottom of the mountain indicated that physiological, phenological and compositional mechanisms may have played a role. The shape of the relationship between resource availability and elevation was different depending on the metric. Many consumers actively select or avoid plants based on their nutritive values and the abundances of consumer taxa vary in their relationships with elevation. Consideration of multiple nutritive metrics and of the nutritional requirements of the consumer may provide a greater understanding of changes to plant and animal communities at higher elevations. We propose a novel hypothesis for explaining elevational diversity gradients, which warrants further study; the ‘nutritional complexity hypothesis’, where consumer species coexist due to greater variation in the nutritional chemistry of plants.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mark A Lee
- Natural Capital and Plant Health, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Richmond, TW9 3AB, UK.
| | - Grace Burger
- Natural Capital and Plant Health, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Richmond, TW9 3AB, UK.,Comparative Plant and Fungal Biology, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Richmond, TW9 3AB, UK
| | - Emma R Green
- School of Natural Sciences, Bangor University, Gwynedd, LL57 2DG, UK
| | - Pepijn W Kooij
- Comparative Plant and Fungal Biology, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Richmond, TW9 3AB, UK.,Center for the Study of Social Insects, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Rio Claro, SP, 13506-900, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Predicting fine-scale forage distribution to inform ungulate nutrition. ECOL INFORM 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoinf.2020.101170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
|
26
|
Walker PD, Rodgers AR, Shuter JL, Thompson ID, Fryxell JM, Cook JG, Cook RC, Merrill EH. Comparison of Woodland Caribou Calving Areas Determined by Movement Patterns Across Northern Ontario. J Wildl Manage 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.21961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Philip D. Walker
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Alberta Edmonton AB T6G 2E9 Canada
| | - Arthur R. Rodgers
- Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry Centre for Northern Forest Ecosystem Research 103‐421 James Street South Thunder Bay ON P7E 2V6 Canada
| | - Jennifer L. Shuter
- Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry Centre for Northern Forest Ecosystem Research 103‐421 James Street South Thunder Bay ON P7E 2V6 Canada
| | - Ian D. Thompson
- Canadian Forest Service (Retired) 1219 Queen Street E, Sault Ste. Marie ON P6A 2E5 Canada
| | - John M. Fryxell
- Department of Integrative Biology University of Guelph Guelph ON N1G 2W1 Canada
| | - John G. Cook
- National Council for Air and Stream Improvement Forestry and Range Science Laboratory 1401 Gekeler Lane La Grande OR 97850 USA
| | - Rachel C. Cook
- National Council for Air and Stream Improvement Forestry and Range Science Laboratory 1401 Gekeler Lane La Grande OR 97850 USA
| | - Eveyln H. Merrill
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Alberta Edmonton AB T6G 2E9 Canada
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Wisdom MJ, Nielson RM, Rowland MM, Proffitt KM. Modeling Landscape Use for Ungulates: Forgotten Tenets of Ecology, Management, and Inference. Front Ecol Evol 2020. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2020.00211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
|
28
|
Smiley RA, Rittenhouse CD, Mong TW, Monteith KL. Assessing Nutritional Condition of Mule Deer Using a Photographic Index. WILDLIFE SOC B 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/wsb.1070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Rachel A. Smiley
- Wildlife and Fisheries Conservation Center, Department of Natural Resources and the EnvironmentUniversity of Connecticut 1376 Storrs Road, Unit 4087 Storrs CT 06269‐4087 USA
| | - Chadwick D. Rittenhouse
- Wildlife and Fisheries Conservation Center, Department of Natural Resources and the EnvironmentUniversity of Connecticut 1376 Storrs Road, Unit 4087 Storrs CT 06269‐4087 USA
| | - Tony W. Mong
- Wyoming Game and Fish Department 2820 State Highway 120 Cody WY 82414 USA
| | - Kevin L. Monteith
- Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources, Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Zoology and PhysiologyUniversity of Wyoming 804 East Fremont Street Laramie WY 82072 USA
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Varied diets, including broadleaved forage, are important for a large herbivore species inhabiting highly modified landscapes. Sci Rep 2020; 10:1904. [PMID: 32024896 PMCID: PMC7002458 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-58673-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2019] [Accepted: 01/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Diet quality is an important determinant of animal survival and reproduction, and can be described as the combination of different food items ingested, and their nutritional composition. For large herbivores, human landscape modifications to vegetation can limit such diet-mixing opportunities. Here we use southern Sweden’s modified landscapes to assess winter diet mixtures (as an indicator of quality) and food availability as drivers of body mass (BM) variation in wild moose (Alces alces). We identify plant species found in the rumen of 323 moose harvested in Oct-Feb, and link variation in average calf BM among populations to diets and food availability. Our results show that variation in calf BM correlates with variation in diet composition, diversity, and food availability. A varied diet relatively rich in broadleaves was associated with higher calf BM than a less variable diet dominated by conifers. A diet high in shrubs and sugar/starch rich agricultural crops was associated with intermediate BM. The proportion of young production forest (0–15 yrs) in the landscape, an indicator of food availability, significantly accounted for variation in calf BM. Our findings emphasize the importance of not only diet composition and forage quantity, but also variability in the diets of large free-ranging herbivores.
Collapse
|
30
|
Modelling Lichen Abundance for Woodland Caribou in a Fire-Driven Boreal Landscape. FORESTS 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/f10110962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) are reliant on Cladonia spp. ground lichens as a major component of their diet and lichen abundance could be an important indicator of habitat quality, particularly in winter. The boreal forest is typified by large, stand-replacing forest fires that consume ground lichens, which take decades to recover. The large spatial extent of caribou ranges and the mosaic of lichen availability created by fires make it challenging to track the abundance of ground lichens. Researchers have developed various techniques to map lichens across northern boreal and tundra landscapes, but it remains unclear which techniques are best suited for use in the continuous boreal forest, where many of the conflicts amongst caribou and human activities are most acute. In this study, we propose a two-stage regression modelling approach to map the abundance (biomass, kg/ha) of Cladonia spp. ground lichens in the boreal forest. Our study was conducted in Woodland Caribou Provincial Park, a wilderness-class protected area in northwestern Ontario, Canada. We used field sampling to characterize lichen abundance in 109 upland forest stands across the local time-since-fire continuum (2–119 years-since-fire). We then used generalized linear models to relate lichen presence and lichen abundance to forest structure, topographic and remote sensing attributes. Model selection indicated ground lichens were best predicted by ecosite, time-since-fire, and canopy closure. Lichen abundance was very low (<1000 kg/ha) across the time-since-fire continuum in upland forest stands with dense tree cover. Conversely, lichen abundance increased steadily across the time-since-fire continuum in upland forest stands with sparse tree cover, exceeding 3000 kg/ha in mature stands. We interpolated the best lichen presence and lichen abundance models to create spatial layers and combined them to generate a map that provides a reasonable estimation of lichen biomass (R2 = 0.39) for our study area. We encourage researchers and managers to use our method as a basic framework to map the abundance of ground lichens across fire-prone, boreal caribou ranges. Mapping lichens will aid in the identification of suitable habitat and can be used in planning to ensure habitat is maintained in adequate supply in areas with multiple land-use objectives. We also encourage the use of lichen abundance maps to investigate questions that improve our understanding of caribou ecology.
Collapse
|
31
|
Schrempp TV, Rachlow JL, Johnson TR, Shipley LA, Long RA, Aycrigg JL, Hurley MA. Linking forest management to moose population trends: The role of the nutritional landscape. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0219128. [PMID: 31310634 PMCID: PMC6634377 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0219128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2018] [Accepted: 06/17/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Forested lands in the western USA have undergone changes in management and condition that are resulting in a shift towards climax vegetation. These changes can influence the quality and quantity of forage for herbivores that rely on early-seral plants. To evaluate how management of forested landscapes might affect nutrition for Shiras moose (A. a. shirasi) at large spatial scales, we focused on shrubs and evaluated summer diet composition, forage availability, and forage quality across 21 population management units encompassing >36,000 km2 in northern Idaho, USA. We identified 17 shrub species in the diets of moose, 11 of which comprised the bulk of the diets. These forage shrubs varied markedly in both energy (mean digestible energy for leaves ranged from 9.62 to 12.89 kJ/g) and protein (mean digestible protein for leaves ranged from 1.73 to 7.90%). By adapting established field sampling methods and integrating recent advances in remote sensing analyses in a modeling framework, we predicted approximations of current and past (i.e., 1984) quantities of forage shrubs across northern Idaho. We also created a qualitative index of population trend for moose across population management units using harvest data. Predicted quantities of forage shrubs varied widely across the study area with generally higher values at more northern latitudes. The quantity of forage shrubs was estimated to have declined over the past 30 years in about half of the population management units, with the greatest declines predicted for high-energy forage species. The population trend index was correlated with the percent change in availability of moderate-energy forage shrubs, indicating that availability of forage shrubs and change in availability over time might be affecting population dynamics for moose in northern Idaho. Our study highlights the importance of assessing how changes in forest management across broad spatiotemporal extents could affect wildlife and their habitats.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Thomas V. Schrempp
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, United States of America
- Idaho Department of Fish and Game, Lewiston, Idaho, United States of America
| | - Janet L. Rachlow
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Timothy R. Johnson
- Department of Statistical Science, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, United States of America
| | - Lisa A. Shipley
- School of the Environment, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, United States of America
| | - Ryan A. Long
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, United States of America
| | - Jocelyn L. Aycrigg
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, United States of America
| | - Mark A. Hurley
- Idaho Department of Fish and Game, Boise, Idaho, United States of America
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Mikle NL, Graves TA, Olexa EM. To forage or flee: lessons from an elk migration near a protected area. Ecosphere 2019. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.2693] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Nate L. Mikle
- U.S. Geological Survey, Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center 38 Mather Drive, PO Box 169 West Glacier Montana 59936 USA
| | - Tabitha A. Graves
- U.S. Geological Survey, Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center 38 Mather Drive, PO Box 169 West Glacier Montana 59936 USA
| | - Edward M. Olexa
- U.S. Geological Survey, Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center 38 Mather Drive, PO Box 169 West Glacier Montana 59936 USA
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
DeVoe JD, Proffitt KM, Mitchell MS, Jourdonnais CS, Barker KJ. Elk forage and risk tradeoffs during the fall archery season. J Wildl Manage 2019. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.21638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jesse D. DeVoe
- Montana Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit205 Natural Sciences BuildingWildlife Biology ProgramUniversity of MontanaMissoulaMT59812USA
| | - Kelly M. Proffitt
- Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks1400 South 19th StreetBozemanMT59718USA
| | - Michael S. Mitchell
- U.S. Geological SurveyMontana Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit 205 Natural Sciences BuildingWildlife Biology ProgramUniversity of MontanaMissoulaMT59812USA
| | | | - Kristin J. Barker
- Montana Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit205 Natural Sciences BuildingWildlife Biology ProgramUniversity of MontanaMissoulaMT59812USA
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Rowland MM, Wisdom MJ, Nielson RM, Cook JG, Cook RC, Johnson BK, Coe PK, Hafer JM, Naylor BJ, Vales DJ, Anthony RG, Cole EK, Danilson CD, Davis RW, Geyer F, Harris S, Irwin LL, McCoy R, Pope MD, Sager-Fradkin K, Vavra M. Modeling Elk Nutrition and Habitat Use in Western Oregon and Washington. WILDLIFE MONOGRAPHS 2018. [DOI: 10.1002/wmon.1033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Mary M. Rowland
- U. S. Forest Service Pacific Northwest Research Station; 1401 Gekeler Lane La Grande OR 97850 USA
| | - Michael J. Wisdom
- U. S. Forest Service Pacific Northwest Research Station; 1401 Gekeler Lane La Grande OR 97850 USA
| | - Ryan M. Nielson
- Western EcoSystems Technology (WEST), Inc.; 2121 Midpoint Drive, Suite 201 Fort Collins CO 80525 USA
| | - John G. Cook
- National Council for Air and Stream Improvement; 1401 Gekeler Lane La Grande OR 97850 USA
| | - Rachel C. Cook
- National Council for Air and Stream Improvement; 1401 Gekeler Lane La Grande OR 97850 USA
| | - Bruce K. Johnson
- Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife; 1401 Gekeler Lane La Grande OR 97850 USA
| | - Priscilla K. Coe
- Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife; 1401 Gekeler Lane La Grande OR 97850 USA
| | - Jennifer M. Hafer
- U. S. Forest Service Pacific Northwest Research Station; 1401 Gekeler Lane La Grande OR 97850 USA
| | - Bridgett J. Naylor
- U. S. Forest Service Pacific Northwest Research Station; 1401 Gekeler Lane La Grande OR 97850 USA
| | - David J. Vales
- Muckleshoot Indian Tribe; 39015 172nd Avenue SE Auburn WA 98092 USA
| | - Robert G. Anthony
- Oregon State University; 1500 Southwest Jefferson Way Corvallis OR 97331 USA
| | - Eric K. Cole
- U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service; National Elk Refuge; P. O. Box 510, Jackson WY, 83001 USA
| | - Chris D. Danilson
- Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife; Region 4, 111 Sherman Street La Conner WA 98257 USA
| | - Ronald W. Davis
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences; University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; Urbana IL 61820 USA
| | - Frank Geyer
- Quileute Tribe; 401 Main Street La Push WA 98350 USA
| | - Scott Harris
- Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife; 48 Devonshire Road Montesano WA 98563 USA
| | - Larry L. Irwin
- National Council for Air and Stream Improvement; P. O. Box 68 Stevensville MT 59870 USA
| | - Robert McCoy
- Makah Forestry; P. O. Box 116 Neah Bay WA 98357 USA
| | | | - Kim Sager-Fradkin
- Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe Natural Resources; 760 Stratton Road Port Angeles WA 98363 USA
| | - Martin Vavra
- U. S. Forest Service Pacific Northwest Research Station; 1401 Gekeler Lane La Grande OR 97850 USA
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Barker KJ, Mitchell MS, Proffitt KM, DeVoe JD. Land management alters traditional nutritional benefits of migration for elk. J Wildl Manage 2018. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.21564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kristin J. Barker
- Montana Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit; University of Montana; 205 Natural Sciences Building Missoula MT 59812 USA
| | - Michael S. Mitchell
- Montana Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit; University of Montana; 205 Natural Sciences Building Missoula MT 59812 USA
| | - Kelly M. Proffitt
- Montana Fish; Wildlife and Parks; 1400 South 19th Street Bozeman MT 59715 USA
| | - Jesse D. DeVoe
- Montana Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit; University of Montana; 205 Natural Sciences Building Missoula MT 59812 USA
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
Lee MA. A global comparison of the nutritive values of forage plants grown in contrasting environments. JOURNAL OF PLANT RESEARCH 2018; 131:641-654. [PMID: 29550895 PMCID: PMC6015622 DOI: 10.1007/s10265-018-1024-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2017] [Accepted: 02/17/2018] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
Forage plants are valuable because they maintain wild and domesticated herbivores, and sustain the delivery of meat, milk and other commodities. Forage plants contain different quantities of fibre, lignin, minerals and protein, and vary in the proportion of their tissue that can be digested by herbivores. These nutritive components are important determinants of consumer growth rates, reproductive success and behaviour. A dataset was compiled to quantify variation in forage plant nutritive values within- and between-plant species, and to assess variation between plant functional groups and bioclimatic zones. 1255 geo-located records containing 3774 measurements of nutritive values for 136 forage plant species grown in 30 countries were obtained from published articles. Spatial variability in forage nutritive values indicated that climate modified plant nutritive values. Forage plants grown in arid and equatorial regions generally contained less digestible material than those grown in temperate and tundra regions; containing more fibre and lignin, and less protein. These patterns may reveal why herbivore body sizes, digestion and migration strategies are different in warmer and drier regions. This dataset also revealed the capacity for variation in the nutrition provided by forage plants, which may drive consumer species coexistence. The proportion of the plant tissue that was digestible ranged between species from 2 to 91%. The amount of fibre contained within plant material ranged by 23-90%, protein by 2-36%, lignin by 1-21% and minerals by 2-22%. On average, grasses and tree foliage contained the most fibre, whilst herbaceous legumes contained the most protein and tree foliage contained the most lignin. However, there were individual species within each functional group that were highly nutritious. This dataset may be used to identify forage plant species or mixtures of species from different functional groups with useful nutritional traits which can be cultivated to enhance livestock productivity and inform wild herbivore conservation strategies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mark A Lee
- Natural Capital and Plant Health, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Richmond, TW9 3AB, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Ng’weno CC, Maiyo NJ, Ali AH, Kibungei AK, Goheen JR. Lions influence the decline and habitat shift of hartebeest in a semiarid savanna. J Mammal 2017. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyx040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
|
38
|
Raynor EJ, Beyer HL, Briggs JM, Joern A. Complex variation in habitat selection strategies among individuals driven by extrinsic factors. Ecol Evol 2017; 7:1802-1822. [PMID: 28331589 PMCID: PMC5355205 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.2764] [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: 08/22/2016] [Revised: 12/12/2016] [Accepted: 12/22/2016] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding behavioral strategies employed by animals to maximize fitness in the face of environmental heterogeneity, variability, and uncertainty is a central aim of animal ecology. Flexibility in behavior may be key to how animals respond to climate and environmental change. Using a mechanistic modeling framework for simultaneously quantifying the effects of habitat preference and intrinsic movement on space use at the landscape scale, we investigate how movement and habitat selection vary among individuals and years in response to forage quality–quantity tradeoffs, environmental conditions, and variable annual climate. We evaluated the association of dynamic, biotic forage resources and static, abiotic landscape features with large grazer movement decisions in an experimental landscape, where forage resources vary in response to prescribed burning, grazing by a native herbivore, the plains bison (Bison bison bison), and a continental climate. Our goal was to determine how biotic and abiotic factors mediate bison movement decisions in a nutritionally heterogeneous grassland. We integrated spatially explicit relocations of GPS‐collared bison and extensive vegetation surveys to relate movement paths to grassland attributes over a time period spanning a regionwide drought and average weather conditions. Movement decisions were affected by foliar crude content and low stature forage biomass across years with substantial interannual variation in the magnitude of selection for forage quality and quantity. These differences were associated with interannual differences in climate and growing conditions from the previous year. Our results provide experimental evidence for understanding how the forage quality–quantity tradeoff and fine‐scale topography drives fine‐scale movement decisions under varying environmental conditions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Edward J Raynor
- Division of Biology Kansas State University Manhattan KS USA; Present address: School of Natural Resources University of Nebraska Lincoln NE USA
| | - Hawthorne L Beyer
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions The University of Queensland Brisbane Qld Australia
| | - John M Briggs
- Division of Biology Kansas State University Manhattan KS USA
| | - Anthony Joern
- Division of Biology Kansas State University Manhattan KS USA
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Eacker DR, Hebblewhite M, Proffitt KM, Jimenez BS, Mitchell MS, Robinson HS. Annual elk calf survival in a multiple carnivore system. J Wildl Manage 2016. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.21133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel R. Eacker
- Wildlife Biology Program; College of Forestry and Conservation; University of Montana; Missoula MT 59812 USA
| | - Mark Hebblewhite
- Wildlife Biology Program; Department of Ecosystem and Conservation Sciences; College of Forestry and Conservation; University of Montana; Missoula MT 59812 USA
| | - Kelly M. Proffitt
- Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks; 1400 South 19th Street Bozeman MT 59718 USA
| | - Benjamin S. Jimenez
- Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks; 3201 Spurgin Road Missoula MT 59804 USA
| | - Michael S. Mitchell
- US Geological Survey; Montana Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit; University of Montana; 205 Natural Science Building Missoula MT 59812 USA
| | - Hugh S. Robinson
- Director, Landscape Analysis Lab, Panthera; New York NY 10018 USA
| |
Collapse
|