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Hoy SR, Vucetich JA, Vucetich LM, Hindelang M, Huebner JL, Kraus VB, Peterson RO. Links between three chronic and age-related diseases, osteoarthritis, periodontitis, and osteoporosis, in a wild mammal (moose) population. Osteoarthritis Cartilage 2024; 32:281-286. [PMID: 38043856 DOI: 10.1016/j.joca.2023.11.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2023] [Revised: 10/18/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Osteoarthritis, periodontitis and osteoporosis are chronic, age-related diseases which adversely impact millions of people worldwide. Because these diseases pose a major global public health challenge, there is an urgent need to better understand how these diseases are interrelated. Our objective was to document the age and sex-specific prevalence of each disease and assess interrelationships among the three diseases in a wild mammal (moose, Alces alces) population. METHODS We examined the bones of moose dying from natural causes and recorded the severity of osteoarthritis (typically observed on the hip and lowest vertebrae), osteoporosis (osteoporotic lesions observed on the skull) and periodontitis (observed on maxilla and mandibles). RESULTS Periodontitis was associated with a greater prevalence of both severe osteoarthritis and osteoporotic lesions in moose. We found no evidence to suggest that moose with osteoporotic lesions were more or less likely to exhibit signs of osteoarthritis or severe osteoarthritis. The prevalence of osteoarthritis, periodontitis and osteoporotic lesions was greater among males than for females. CONCLUSIONS Our results were consistent with the hypothesis that bacterial pathogens causing periodontitis are a risk factor for osteoarthritis and osteoporosis. They are also consistent with the hypothesis that the inverse association between osteoarthritis and osteoporosis sometimes observed in humans may be influenced by shared risk factors, such as obesity, smoking or alcohol consumption, which are absent in moose. Together these results provide insights about three diseases which are expected to become more prevalent in the future and that cause substantial socio-economic burdens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah R Hoy
- College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI, USA.
| | - John A Vucetich
- College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI, USA.
| | - Leah M Vucetich
- College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI, USA.
| | - Mary Hindelang
- College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI, USA.
| | - Janet L Huebner
- Duke Molecular Physiology Department, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
| | - Virginia B Kraus
- Duke Molecular Physiology Department, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA; Department of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
| | - Rolf O Peterson
- College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI, USA.
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Hoy SR, Brzeski KE, Vucetich LM, Peterson RO, Vucetich JA. The difficulty of detecting inbreeding depression and its effect on conservation decisions. J Hered 2023:esad080. [PMID: 38135281 DOI: 10.1093/jhered/esad080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Statistical inferences about inbreeding depression are often derived from analyses with low power and a high risk of failing to detect inbreeding depression. That risk is widely appreciated by scientists familiar with the relevant statistical and genetical theory, but may be overlooked and underappreciated by decision-makers. Consequently, there is value in demonstrating this risk using a real example. We use data from the wolf population on Isle Royale to demonstrate the difficulty of making reliable statistical inferences about inbreeding depression. This wolf population is known - by other methods - to have gone effectively extinct due to deleterious genetic processes associated with inbreeding. Beyond that demonstration, we use two case studies - wolves on Isle Royale and vaquita (porpoises) from the Gulf of California, Mexico - to show how statistical inferences about inbreeding depression can affect conservation decisions. According to most decision theory, decisions depend importantly on (i) probabilities that certain states exist (e.g., inbreeding depression is present) and (ii) the utility assigned to various outcomes (e.g., the value of acting to mitigate inbreeding when it is present). The probabilities are provided by statistical inference; whereas utilities are almost entirely determined by normative values and judgement. Our analysis suggests that decisions to mitigate inbreeding depression are often driven more by utilities (normative values) than probabilities (statistical inferences). As such, advocates for mitigating inbreeding depression will benefit from better communicating to decision-makers the value of populations persisting and the extent to which decisions should depend on normative values.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah R Hoy
- College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI 49931, USA
| | - Kristin E Brzeski
- College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI 49931, USA
| | - Leah M Vucetich
- College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI 49931, USA
| | - Rolf O Peterson
- College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI 49931, USA
| | - John A Vucetich
- College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI 49931, USA
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3
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Hoy SR, Hedrick PW, Peterson RO, Vucetich LM, Brzeski KE, Vucetich JA. The far-reaching effects of genetic process in a keystone predator species, grey wolves. Sci Adv 2023; 9:eadc8724. [PMID: 37611108 PMCID: PMC10446474 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adc8724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2022] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 08/25/2023]
Abstract
Although detrimental genetic processes are known to adversely affect the viability of populations, little is known about how detrimental genetic processes in a keystone species can affect the functioning of ecosystems. Here, we assessed how changes in the genetic characteristics of a keystone predator, grey wolves, affected the ecosystem of Isle Royale National Park over two decades. Changes in the genetic characteristic of the wolf population associated with a genetic rescue event, followed by high levels of inbreeding, led to a rise and then fall in predation rates on moose, the primary prey of wolves and dominant mammalian herbivore in this system. Those changes in predation rate led to large fluctuations in moose abundance, which in turn affected browse rates on balsam fir, the dominant forage for moose during winter and an important boreal forest species. Thus, forest dynamics can be traced back to changes in the genetic characteristics of a predator population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah R. Hoy
- College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI 49931
| | | | - Rolf O. Peterson
- College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI 49931
| | - Leah M. Vucetich
- College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI 49931
| | - Kristin E. Brzeski
- College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI 49931
| | - John A. Vucetich
- College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI 49931
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Kyriazis CC, Beichman AC, Brzeski KE, Hoy SR, Peterson RO, Vucetich JA, Vucetich LM, Lohmueller KE, Wayne RK. Genomic Underpinnings of Population Persistence in Isle Royale Moose. Mol Biol Evol 2023; 40:7024794. [PMID: 36729989 PMCID: PMC9927576 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msad021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2022] [Revised: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Island ecosystems provide natural laboratories to assess the impacts of isolation on population persistence. However, most studies of persistence have focused on a single species, without comparisons to other organisms they interact with in the ecosystem. The case study of moose and gray wolves on Isle Royale allows for a direct contrast of genetic variation in isolated populations that have experienced dramatically differing population trajectories over the past decade. Whereas the Isle Royale wolf population recently declined nearly to extinction due to severe inbreeding depression, the moose population has thrived and continues to persist, despite having low genetic diversity and being isolated for ∼120 years. Here, we examine the patterns of genomic variation underlying the continued persistence of the Isle Royale moose population. We document high levels of inbreeding in the population, roughly as high as the wolf population at the time of its decline. However, inbreeding in the moose population manifests in the form of intermediate-length runs of homozygosity suggestive of historical inbreeding and purging, contrasting with the long runs of homozygosity observed in the smaller wolf population. Using simulations, we confirm that substantial purging has likely occurred in the moose population. However, we also document notable increases in genetic load, which could eventually threaten population viability over the long term. Overall, our results demonstrate a complex relationship between inbreeding, genetic diversity, and population viability that highlights the use of genomic datasets and computational simulation tools for understanding the factors enabling persistence in isolated populations.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Kristin E Brzeski
- College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI
| | - Sarah R Hoy
- College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI
| | - Rolf O Peterson
- College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI
| | - John A Vucetich
- College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI
| | - Leah M Vucetich
- College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI
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Laikre L, Allendorf FW, Aspi J, Carroll C, Dalén L, Fredrickson R, Wheat CH, Hedrick P, Johannesson K, Kardos M, Peterson RO, Phillips M, Ryman N, Räikkönen J, Vilà C, Wheat CW, Vernesi C, Vucetich JA. Planned cull endangers Swedish wolf population. Science 2022; 377:162. [DOI: 10.1126/science.add5299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Linda Laikre
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, SE 10691 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Fred W. Allendorf
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812, USA
| | - Jouni Aspi
- Ecology and Genetics Research Unit, University of Oulu, FIN-90014 Oulu, Finland
| | - Carlos Carroll
- Klamath Center for Conservation Research, Orleans, CA 95556, USA
| | - Love Dalén
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, SE 10691 Stockholm, Sweden
- Centre for Palaeogenetics, SE 10691 Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Bioinformatics and Genetics, Swedish Museum of Natural History, SE 10405 Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | | | - Philip Hedrick
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
| | | | - Marty Kardos
- National Marine Fisheries Service, Northwest Fisheries Science Center, Seattle, WA 98112, USA
| | - Rolf O. Peterson
- College of Forest Resources & Environmental Science, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI 49931, USA
| | - Mike Phillips
- Turner Endangered Species Fund, Bozeman, MT 59718, USA
| | - Nils Ryman
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, SE 10691 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Jannikke Räikkönen
- Department of Environmental Research and Monitoring, Swedish Museum of Natural History, SE 10405 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Carles Vilà
- Conservation and Evolutionary Genetics Group, Estación Biológica de Doñana–Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, 41092 Sevilla, Spain
| | | | - Cristiano Vernesi
- Forest Ecology Unit, Research and Innovation Centre–Fondazione Edmund Mach, San Michele all’Adige 38010 (TN), Italy
| | - John A. Vucetich
- College of Forest Resources & Environmental Science, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI 49931, USA
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Hoy SR, Vucetich JA, Peterson RO. The Role of Wolves in Regulating a Chronic Non-communicable Disease, Osteoarthritis, in Prey Populations. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.819137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
It is widely accepted that predators disproportionately prey on individuals that are old, weak, diseased or injured. By selectively removing individuals with diseases, predators may play an important role in regulating the overall health of prey populations. However, that idea is seldom tested empirically. Here we assess the extent that wolves (Canis lupus) select adult moose (Alces alces) in Isle Royale National Park on the basis of age-class and osteoarthritis, a chronic, non-communicable disease. We also assess how temporal variation in kill rates (on moose by wolves) were associated with the subsequent incidence of osteoarthritis in the moose population over a 33-year period (1975–2007). Wolves showed strong selection for senescent moose and tended to avoid prime-aged adults. However, the presence of severe osteoarthritis, but not mild or moderate osteoarthritis, appeared to increase the vulnerability of prime-aged moose to predation. There was weak evidence to suggest that senescent moose with osteoarthritis maybe more vulnerable to wolves, compared to senescent moose without the disease. The incidence of osteoarthritis declined following years with higher kill rates–which is plausibly due to the selective removal of individuals with osteoarthritis. Together those results suggest that selective predation plays an important role in regulating the health of prey populations. Additionally, because osteoarthritis is influenced by genetic factors, these results highlight how wolf predation may act as a selective force against genes associated with developing severe osteoarthritis as a prime-aged adult. Our findings highlight one benefits of allowing predators to naturally regulate prey populations. The evidence we present for predation’s influence on the health of prey populations is also relevant for policy-related arguments about refraining from intensively hunting wolf populations.
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R. Hoy S, Forbey JS, Melody DP, Vucetich LM, Peterson RO, Koitzsch KB, Koitzsch LO, Von Duyke AL, Henderson JJ, Parikh GL, Vucetich JA. The nutritional condition of moose co‐varies with climate, but not with density, predation risk or diet composition. OIKOS 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.08498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sarah R. Hoy
- College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, Michigan Technological Univ. Houghton MI USA
| | | | | | - Leah M. Vucetich
- College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, Michigan Technological Univ. Houghton MI USA
| | - Rolf O. Peterson
- College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, Michigan Technological Univ. Houghton MI USA
| | - K. B. Koitzsch
- College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, Michigan Technological Univ. Houghton MI USA
- K2 Consulting Waitsfield VT USA
| | - Lisa O. Koitzsch
- College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, Michigan Technological Univ. Houghton MI USA
- K2 Consulting Waitsfield VT USA
| | | | - John J. Henderson
- College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, Michigan Technological Univ. Houghton MI USA
| | - Grace L. Parikh
- College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, Michigan Technological Univ. Houghton MI USA
| | - John A. Vucetich
- College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, Michigan Technological Univ. Houghton MI USA
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8
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Hoy SR, Vucetich LM, Peterson RO, Vucetich JA. Winter Tick Burdens for Moose Are Positively Associated With Warmer Summers and Higher Predation Rates. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.758374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Climate change is expected to modify host-parasite interactions which is concerning because parasites are involved in most food-web links, and parasites have important influences on the structure, productivity and stability of communities and ecosystems. However, the impact of climate change on host–parasite interactions and any cascading effects on other ecosystem processes has received relatively little empirical attention. We assessed host-parasite dynamics for moose (Alces alces) and winter ticks (Dermacentor albipictus) in Isle Royale National Park over a 19-year period. Specifically, we monitored annual tick burdens for moose (estimated from hair loss) and assessed how it covaried with several aspects of seasonal climate, and non-climatic factors, such as moose density, predation on hosts by wolves (Canis lupus) and wolf abundance. Summer temperatures explained half the interannual variance in tick burden with tick burden being greater following hotter summers, presumably because warmer temperatures accelerate the development of tick eggs and increase egg survival. That finding is consistent with the general expectation that warmer temperatures may promote higher parasite burdens. However, summer temperatures are warming less rapidly than other seasons across most regions of North America. Therefore, tick burdens seem to be primarily associated with an aspect of climate that is currently exhibiting a lower rate of change. Tick burdens were also positively correlated with predation rate, which could be due to moose exhibiting risk-sensitive habitat selection (in years when predation risk is high) in such a manner as to increases the encounter rate with questing tick larvae in autumn. However, that positive correlation could also arise if high parasite burdens make moose more vulnerable to predators or because of some other density-dependent process (given that predation rate and moose density are highly correlated). Overall, these results provide valuable insights about interrelationships among climate, parasites, host/prey, and predators.
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Hoy SR, MacNulty DR, Metz MC, Smith DW, Stahler DR, Peterson RO, Vucetich JA. Negative frequency-dependent prey selection by wolves and its implications on predator–prey dynamics. Anim Behav 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2021.06.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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Smith DW, Peterson RO. Intended and unintended consequences of wolf restoration to Yellowstone and Isle Royale National Parks. Conservat Sci and Prac 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/csp2.413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
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Hoy SR, MacNulty DR, Smith DW, Stahler DR, Lambin X, Peterson RO, Ruprecht JS, Vucetich JA. Fluctuations in age structure and their variable influence on population growth. Funct Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sarah R. Hoy
- School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science Michigan Technological University Houghton MI USA
| | - Daniel R. MacNulty
- Department of Wildland Resources and Ecology Center Utah State University Logan UT USA
| | - Douglas W. Smith
- Yellowstone Centre for Resources Yellowstone National Park WY USA
| | | | - Xavier Lambin
- School of Biological Sciences University of Aberdeen Aberdeen UK
| | - Rolf O. Peterson
- School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science Michigan Technological University Houghton MI USA
| | - Joel S. Ruprecht
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife Oregon State University Corvallis OR USA
| | - John A. Vucetich
- School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science Michigan Technological University Houghton MI USA
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12
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Van Valkenburgh B, Peterson RO, Smith DW, Stahler DR, Vucetich JA. Tooth fracture frequency in gray wolves reflects prey availability. eLife 2019; 8:48628. [PMID: 31549963 PMCID: PMC6759352 DOI: 10.7554/elife.48628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2019] [Accepted: 08/21/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Exceptionally high rates of tooth fracture in large Pleistocene carnivorans imply intensified interspecific competition, given that tooth fracture rises with increased bone consumption, a behavior that likely occurs when prey are difficult to acquire. To assess the link between prey availability and dental attrition, we documented dental fracture rates over decades among three well-studied populations of extant gray wolves that differed in prey:predator ratio and levels of carcass utilization. When prey:predator ratios declined, kills were more fully consumed, and rates of tooth fracture more than doubled. This supports tooth fracture frequency as a relative measure of the difficulty of acquiring prey, and reveals a rapid response to diminished food levels in large carnivores despite risks of infection and reduced fitness due to dental injuries. More broadly, large carnivore tooth fracture frequency likely reflects energetic stress, an aspect of predator success that is challenging to quantify in wild populations. Gray wolves roam many European and American landscapes, where they prey on large animals such as elk and moose. A healthy dentition is essential for these predators to kill, eat and defend themselves. As a result, they tend to avoid biting down on tough body parts, such as bones, so that their teeth do not break. If food becomes scarce however, the wolves may resort to consuming these hard elements, eating more of the carcasses and leading to more damaged teeth. It could therefore be possible to assess the food levels available to existing (or even extinct) wolf populations based on how many broken teeth the animals have. However, older individuals are also more likely to have more damaged teeth, so age would need to be taken into consideration. Van Valkenburgh et al. decided to evaluate whether it was indeed possible to deduce how much food was available to groups of wolves based on teeth damage. Tooth wear and fracture were quantified in three current populations of gray wolves whose skulls had been collected and preserved in natural history collections. For each group, there were data available about the variations of number of moose per wolf over time, and how much of the carcasses the wolves were consuming. The analyses showed that indeed, when prey became less abundant, the wolves ate more of the remains – including the bones – and therefore broke more teeth. These conclusions can be applied to other large predators and even to extinct species such as dire wolves or sabertooth cats. Tapping into the potential of museum specimens could help to retrace environmental conditions and the history of animals now long gone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Blaire Van Valkenburgh
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, United States
| | - Rolf O Peterson
- School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, United States
| | - Douglas W Smith
- Yellowstone Center for Resources, National Park Service, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, United States
| | - Daniel R Stahler
- Yellowstone Center for Resources, National Park Service, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, United States
| | - John A Vucetich
- School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, United States
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Hoy SR, Vucetich JA, Liu R, DeAngelis DL, Peterson RO, Vucetich LM, Henderson JJ. Negative frequency-dependent foraging behaviour in a generalist herbivore (Alces alces) and its stabilizing influence on food web dynamics. J Anim Ecol 2019; 88:1291-1304. [PMID: 31131882 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2019] [Accepted: 04/25/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Resource selection is widely appreciated to be context-dependent and shaped by both biological and abiotic factors. However, few studies have empirically assessed the extent to which selective foraging behaviour is dynamic and varies in response to environmental conditions for free-ranging animal populations. Here, we assessed the extent that forage selection fluctuated in response to different environmental conditions for a free-ranging herbivore, moose (Alces alces), in Isle Royale National Park, over a 10-year period. More precisely, we assessed how moose selection for coniferous versus deciduous forage in winter varied between geographic regions and in relation to (a) the relative frequency of forage types in the environment (e.g. frequency-dependent foraging behaviour), (b) moose abundance, (c) predation rate (by grey wolves) and (d) snow depth. These factors are potentially important for their influence on the energetics of foraging. We also built a series of food-chain models to assess the influence of dynamic foraging strategies on the stability of food webs. Our analysis indicates that moose exhibited negative frequency dependence, by selectively exploiting rare resources. Frequency-dependent foraging was further mediated by density-dependent processes, which are likely to be predation, moose abundance or some combination of both. In particular, frequency dependence was weaker in years when predation risk was high (i.e. when the ratio of moose to wolves was relatively low). Selection for conifers was also slightly weaker during deep snow years. The food-chain analysis indicates that the type of frequency-dependent foraging strategy exhibited by herbivores had important consequences for the stability of ecological communities. In particular, the dynamic foraging strategy that we observed in the empirical analysis (i.e. negative frequency dependence being mediated by density-dependent processes) was associated with more stable food web dynamics compared to fixed foraging strategies. The results of this study indicated that forage selection is a complex ecological process, varying in response to both biological (predation and moose density) and abiotic factors (snow depth) and over relatively small spatial scales (between regions). This study also provides a useful framework for assessing the influence of other aspects of foraging behaviour on the stability of food web dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah R Hoy
- School of Forest Resources and Environmental Sciences, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, Michigan
| | - John A Vucetich
- School of Forest Resources and Environmental Sciences, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, Michigan
| | - Rongsong Liu
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming
| | - Don L DeAngelis
- U.S. Geological Survey, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center, Gainesville, Florida
| | - Rolf O Peterson
- School of Forest Resources and Environmental Sciences, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, Michigan
| | - Leah M Vucetich
- School of Forest Resources and Environmental Sciences, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, Michigan
| | - John J Henderson
- School of Forest Resources and Environmental Sciences, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, Michigan
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Robinson JA, Räikkönen J, Vucetich LM, Vucetich JA, Peterson RO, Lohmueller KE, Wayne RK. Genomic signatures of extensive inbreeding in Isle Royale wolves, a population on the threshold of extinction. Sci Adv 2019; 5:eaau0757. [PMID: 31149628 PMCID: PMC6541468 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aau0757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 111] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2018] [Accepted: 04/23/2019] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
The observation that small isolated populations often suffer reduced fitness from inbreeding depression has guided conservation theory and practice for decades. However, investigating the genome-wide dynamics associated with inbreeding depression in natural populations is only now feasible with relatively inexpensive sequencing technology and annotated reference genomes. To characterize the genome-wide effects of intense inbreeding and isolation, we performed whole-genome sequencing and morphological analysis of an iconic inbred population, the gray wolves (Canis lupus) of Isle Royale. Through population genetic simulations and comparison with wolf genomes from a variety of demographic histories, we find evidence that severe inbreeding depression in this population is due to increased homozygosity of strongly deleterious recessive mutations. Our results have particular relevance in light of the recent translocation of wolves from the mainland to Isle Royale, as well as broader implications for management of genetic variation in the fragmented landscape of the modern world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacqueline A. Robinson
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Corresponding author.
| | - Jannikke Räikkönen
- Department of Environmental Research and Monitoring, Swedish Museum of Natural History, Box 50007, 10405 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Leah M. Vucetich
- School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI 49931, USA
| | - John A. Vucetich
- School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI 49931, USA
| | - Rolf O. Peterson
- School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI 49931, USA
| | - Kirk E. Lohmueller
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Interdepartmental Program in Bioinformatics, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Robert K. Wayne
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
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Hoy SR, Peterson RO, Vucetich JA. Climate warming is associated with smaller body size and shorter lifespans in moose near their southern range limit. Glob Chang Biol 2018; 24:2488-2497. [PMID: 29226555 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.14015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2017] [Accepted: 11/21/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Despite the importance of body size for individual fitness, population dynamics and community dynamics, the influence of climate change on growth and body size is inadequately understood, particularly for long-lived vertebrates. Although temporal trends in body size have been documented, it remains unclear whether these changes represent the adverse impact of climate change (environmental stress constraining phenotypes) or its mitigation (via phenotypic plasticity or evolution). Concerns have also been raised about whether climate change is indeed the causal agent of these phenotypic shifts, given the length of time-series analysed and that studies often do not evaluate - and thereby sufficiently rule out - other potential causes. Here, we evaluate evidence for climate-related changes in adult body size (indexed by skull size) over a 4-decade period for a population of moose (Alces alces) near the southern limit of their range whilst also considering changes in density, predation, and human activities. In particular, we document: (i) a trend of increasing winter temperatures and concurrent decline in skull size (decline of 19% for males and 13% for females) and (ii) evidence of a negative relationship between skull size and winter temperatures during the first year of life. These patterns could be plausibly interpreted as an adaptive phenotypic response to climate warming given that latitudinal/temperature clines are often accepted as evidence of adaptation to local climate. However, we also observed: (iii) that moose with smaller skulls had shorter lifespans, (iv) a reduction in lifespan over the 4-decade study period, and (v) a negative relationship between lifespan and winter temperatures during the first year of life. Those observations indicate that this phenotypic change is not an adaptive response to climate change. However, this decline in lifespan was not accompanied by an obvious change in population dynamics, suggesting that climate change may affect population dynamics and life-histories differently.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah R Hoy
- School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI, USA
| | - Rolf O Peterson
- School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI, USA
| | - John A Vucetich
- School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI, USA
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16
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Bruskotter JT, Vucetich JA, Smith DW, Nelson MP, Karns GR, Peterson RO. The role of science in understanding (and saving) large carnivores: A response to Allen and colleagues. Food Webs 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.fooweb.2017.05.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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17
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Hedrick PW, Kardos M, Peterson RO, Vucetich JA. Genomic Variation of Inbreeding and Ancestry in the Remaining Two Isle Royale Wolves. J Hered 2017; 108:120-126. [PMID: 27940471 DOI: 10.1093/jhered/esw083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2016] [Accepted: 12/02/2016] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Inbreeding, relatedness, and ancestry have traditionally been estimated with pedigree information, however, molecular genomic data can provide more detailed examination of these properties. For example, pedigree information provides estimation of the expected value of these measures but molecular genomic data can estimate the realized values of these measures in individuals. Here, we generate the theoretical distribution of inbreeding, relatedness, and ancestry for the individuals in the pedigree of the Isle Royale wolves, the first examination of such variation in a wild population with a known pedigree. We use the 38 autosomes of the dog genome and their estimated map lengths in our genomic analysis. Although it is known that the remaining wolves are highly inbred, closely related, and descend from only 3 ancestors, our analyses suggest that there is significant variation in the realized inbreeding and relatedness around pedigree expectations. For example, the expected inbreeding in a hypothetical offspring from the 2 remaining wolves is 0.438 but the realized 95% genomic confidence interval is from 0.311 to 0.565. For individual chromosomes, a substantial proportion of the whole chromosomes are completely identical by descent. This examination provides a background to use when analyzing molecular genomic data for individual levels of inbreeding, relatedness, and ancestry. The level of variation in these measures is a function of the time to the common ancestor(s), the number of chromosomes, and the rate of recombination. In the Isle Royale wolf population, the few generations to a common ancestor results in the high variance in genomic inbreeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philip W Hedrick
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
| | - Marty Kardos
- Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.,Flathead Lake Biological Station, Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Polson, MT, USA
| | - Rolf O Peterson
- School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI, USA
| | - John A Vucetich
- School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI, USA
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Lehman N, Eisenhawer A, Hansen K, Mech LD, Peterson RO, Gogan PJP, Wayne RK. INTROGRESSION OF COYOTE MITOCHONDRIAL DNA INTO SYMPATRIC NORTH AMERICAN GRAY WOLF POPULATIONS. Evolution 2017; 45:104-119. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1558-5646.1991.tb05270.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 148] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/1990] [Accepted: 10/15/1990] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Niles Lehman
- Department of Biology University of California Los Angeles CA 90024 USA
| | - Andrew Eisenhawer
- Department of Biology University of California Los Angeles CA 90024 USA
- Department of Zoology University of Alberta Edmonton Alberta T6G 2E9 CANADA
| | - Kimberly Hansen
- Department of Biology University of California Los Angeles CA 90024 USA
| | - L. David Mech
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Patuxent Wildlife Research Center Laurel MD 20702 USA
| | - Rolf O. Peterson
- School of Forestry and Wood Products Michigan Technological University Houghton MI 49931 USA
| | | | - Robert K. Wayne
- Department of Biology University of California Los Angeles CA 90024 USA
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Vucetich JA, Bruskotter JT, Nelson MP, Peterson RO, Bump JK. Evaluating the principles of wildlife conservation: a case study of wolf (Canis lupus) hunting in Michigan, United States. J Mammal 2017. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyw151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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20
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Parikh GL, Forbey JS, Robb B, Peterson RO, Vucetich LM, Vucetich JA. The influence of plant defensive chemicals, diet composition, and winter severity on the nutritional condition of a free-ranging, generalist herbivore. OIKOS 2016. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.03359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Grace L. Parikh
- School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science; Michigan Technological University; Houghton MI 49931 USA
| | | | - Brecken Robb
- Dept of Biological Sciences; Boise State University; Boise ID USA
| | - Rolf O. Peterson
- School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science; Michigan Technological University; Houghton MI 49931 USA
| | - Leah M. Vucetich
- School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science; Michigan Technological University; Houghton MI 49931 USA
| | - John A. Vucetich
- School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science; Michigan Technological University; Houghton MI 49931 USA
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Newsome TM, Boitani L, Chapron G, Ciucci P, Dickman CR, Dellinger JA, López‐Bao JV, Peterson RO, Shores CR, Wirsing AJ, Ripple WJ. Food habits of the world's grey wolves. Mamm Rev 2016. [DOI: 10.1111/mam.12067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 117] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Thomas M. Newsome
- Desert Ecology Research Group School of Biological Sciences University of Sydney New South Wales 2006 Australia
- Global Trophic Cascades Program Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society Oregon State University Corvallis Oregon 97331 USA
- Centre for Integrative Ecology School of Life and Environmental Sciences Deakin University Burwood Victoria 3125 Australia
| | - Luigi Boitani
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies “Charles Darwin” Sapienza University of Rome Rome 00185 Italy
| | - Guillaume Chapron
- Grimsö Wildlife Research Station Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences SE ‐ 73091 Riddarhyttan Sweden
| | - Paolo Ciucci
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies “Charles Darwin” Sapienza University of Rome Rome 00185 Italy
| | - Christopher R. Dickman
- Desert Ecology Research Group School of Biological Sciences University of Sydney New South Wales 2006 Australia
| | - Justin A. Dellinger
- School of Environmental and Forest Sciences University of Washington Seattle Washington 98195 USA
| | - José V. López‐Bao
- Grimsö Wildlife Research Station Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences SE ‐ 73091 Riddarhyttan Sweden
- Grimsö Wildlife Research Station Research Unit of Biodiversity Oviedo University 33600 Mieres Spain
| | - Rolf O. Peterson
- School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science Michigan Technological University Houghton Michigan 49931 USA
| | - Carolyn R. Shores
- School of Environmental and Forest Sciences University of Washington Seattle Washington 98195 USA
| | - Aaron J. Wirsing
- School of Environmental and Forest Sciences University of Washington Seattle Washington 98195 USA
| | - William J. Ripple
- Global Trophic Cascades Program Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society Oregon State University Corvallis Oregon 97331 USA
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Affiliation(s)
- Rolf O. Peterson
- School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, Michigan 49931; , ,
| | - John A. Vucetich
- School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, Michigan 49931; , ,
| | - Joseph M. Bump
- School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, Michigan 49931; , ,
| | - Douglas W. Smith
- Yellowstone Center for Resources, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming 82190;
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Montgomery RA, Vucetich JA, Roloff GJ, Bump JK, Peterson RO. Where wolves kill moose: the influence of prey life history dynamics on the landscape ecology of predation. PLoS One 2014; 9:e91414. [PMID: 24622241 PMCID: PMC3951347 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0091414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2013] [Accepted: 02/11/2014] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The landscape ecology of predation is well studied and known to be influenced by habitat heterogeneity. Little attention has been given to how the influence of habitat heterogeneity on the landscape ecology of predation might be modulated by life history dynamics of prey in mammalian systems. We demonstrate how life history dynamics of moose (Alces alces) contribute to landscape patterns in predation by wolves (Canis lupus) in Isle Royale National Park, Lake Superior, USA. We use pattern analysis and kernel density estimates of moose kill sites to demonstrate that moose in senescent condition and moose in prime condition tend to be wolf-killed in different regions of Isle Royale in winter. Predation on senescent moose was clustered in one kill zone in the northeast portion of the island, whereas predation on prime moose was clustered in 13 separate kill zones distributed throughout the full extent of the island. Moreover, the probability of kill occurrence for senescent moose, in comparison to prime moose, increased in high elevation habitat with patches of dense coniferous trees. These differences can be attributed, at least in part, to senescent moose being more vulnerable to predation and making different risk-sensitive habitat decisions than prime moose. Landscape patterns emerging from prey life history dynamics and habitat heterogeneity have been observed in the predation ecology of fish and insects, but this is the first mammalian system for which such observations have been made.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert A. Montgomery
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - John A. Vucetich
- School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Gary J. Roloff
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Joseph K. Bump
- School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Rolf O. Peterson
- School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, Michigan, United States of America
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Räikkönen J, Vucetich JA, Vucetich LM, Peterson RO, Nelson MP. What the Inbred Scandinavian Wolf Population Tells Us about the Nature of Conservation. PLoS One 2013; 8:e67218. [PMID: 23805301 PMCID: PMC3689695 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0067218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2012] [Accepted: 05/19/2013] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The genetic aspects of population health are critical, but frequently difficult to assess. Of concern has been the genetic constitution of Scandinavian wolves (Canis lupus), which represent an important case in conservation. We examined the incidence of different congenital anomalies for 171 Scandinavian wolves, including the immigrant founder female, born during a 32-year period between 1978 and 2010. The incidence of anomalies rose from 13% to 40% throughout the 32-year study period. Our ability to detect this increase was likely facilitated by having considered multiple kinds of anomaly. Many of the found anomalies are likely associated with inbreeding or some form of genetic deterioration. These observations have implications for understanding the conservation needs of Scandinavian wolves. Moreover, these observations and the history of managing Scandinavian wolves focus attention on a broader question, whether conservation is merely about avoiding extinction of remnant populations, or whether conservation also entails maintaining genetic aspects of population health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jannikke Räikkönen
- Swedish Museum of Natural History, Department of Contaminant Research, Stockholm, Sweden
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25
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Frelich LE, Peterson RO, Dovčiak M, Reich PB, Vucetich JA, Eisenhauer N. Trophic cascades, invasive species and body-size hierarchies interactively modulate climate change responses of ecotonal temperate-boreal forest. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2013; 367:2955-61. [PMID: 23007083 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2012.0235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
As the climate warms, boreal tree species are expected to be gradually replaced by temperate species within the southern boreal forest. Warming will be accompanied by changes in above- and below-ground consumers: large moose (Alces alces) replaced by smaller deer (Odocoileus virginianus) above-ground, and small detritivores replaced by larger exotic earthworms below-ground. These shifts may induce a cascade of ecological impacts across trophic levels that could alter the boreal to temperate forest transition. Deer are more likely to browse saplings of temperate tree species, and European earthworms favour seedlings of boreal tree species more than temperate species, potentially hindering the ability of temperate tree species to expand northwards. We hypothesize that warming-induced changes in consumers will lead to novel plant communities by changing the filter on plant species success, and that above- and below-ground cascades of trophic interactions will allow boreal tree species to persist during early phases of warming, leading to an abrupt change at a later time. The synthesis of evidence suggests that consumers can modify the climate change-induced transition of ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lee E Frelich
- Department of Forest Resources, University of Minnesota, 1530 North Cleveland Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA.
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Peterson RO. It's a Wonderful Gift
How Species Interact
Altering the Standard View on Trophic Ecology
by Roger Arditi and Lev R. Ginzburg
Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2012. 184 pp. $59, £40. ISBN 9780199913831. Science 2013. [DOI: 10.1126/science.1232024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Rolf O. Peterson
- The reviewer is at the School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, Michigan Technological University, 1400 Townsend Drive, Houghton, MI 49931, USA
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Montgomery RA, Vucetich JA, Peterson RO, Roloff GJ, Millenbah KF. The influence of winter severity, predation and senescence on moose habitat use. J Anim Ecol 2012. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.12000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - John A. Vucetich
- School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science; Michigan Technological University; Houghton; MI; 49931; USA
| | - Rolf O. Peterson
- School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science; Michigan Technological University; Houghton; MI; 49931; USA
| | - Gary J. Roloff
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife; Michigan State University; East Lansing; MI; 48824; USA
| | - Kelly F. Millenbah
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife; Lyman Briggs College, Michigan State University; East Lansing; MI; 48824; USA
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Vucetich JA, Huntzinger BA, Peterson RO, Vucetich LM, Hammill JH, Beyer DE. Intra-seasonal variation in wolfCanis lupuskill rates. Wildlife Biology 2012. [DOI: 10.2981/11-061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
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Sullivan AR, Bump JK, Kruger LA, Peterson RO. Bat-cave catchment areas: using stable isotopes (deltaD) to determine the probable origins of hibernating bats. Ecol Appl 2012; 22:1428-1434. [PMID: 22908703 DOI: 10.1890/11-1438.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
The application of stable hydrogen isotope (deltaD) techniques has swiftly advanced our understanding of animal movements, but this progression is dominated by studies of birds and relatively long-distance, north-south migrants. This dominance reflects the challenge of incorporating multiple sources of error into geographic assignments and the nature of spatially explicit deltaD models, which possess greater latitudinal than longitudinal resolution. However, recent progress in likelihood-based assignments that incorporate multiple sources of isotopic error and Bayesian approaches that include additional sources of information may advance finer-scale understanding of animal movements. We develop a stable-isotope method for determining probable origins of bats within hibernacula and show that this method produces spatially explicit, continuous assignments with regional resolution. We outline how these assignments can be used to infer hibernacula connectivity, an application that could inform spatial modeling of white-nose syndrome. Additionally, estimates of seasonal and annual flight distances for many cave-dwelling bat species can be derived from this approach. We also discuss how this application can be used in general to provide insights into variable migratory and foraging strategies within bat populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexis R Sullivan
- School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, Michigan 49931, USA
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Sand H, Vucetich JA, Zimmermann B, Wabakken P, Wikenros C, Pedersen HC, Peterson RO, Liberg O. Assessing the influence of prey-predator ratio, prey age structure and packs size on wolf kill rates. OIKOS 2012. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0706.2012.20082.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Metz MC, Smith DW, Vucetich JA, Stahler DR, Peterson RO. Seasonal patterns of predation for gray wolves in the multi-prey system of Yellowstone National Park. J Anim Ecol 2012; 81:553-63. [PMID: 22260633 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2656.2011.01945.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 103] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
1. For large predators living in seasonal environments, patterns of predation are likely to vary among seasons because of related changes in prey vulnerability. Variation in prey vulnerability underlies the influence of predators on prey populations and the response of predators to seasonal variation in rates of biomass acquisition. Despite its importance, seasonal variation in predation is poorly understood. 2. We assessed seasonal variation in prey composition and kill rate for wolves Canis lupus living on the Northern Range (NR) of Yellowstone National Park. Our assessment was based on data collected over 14 winters (1995-2009) and five spring-summers between 2004 and 2009. 3. The species composition of wolf-killed prey and the age and sex composition of wolf-killed elk Cervus elaphus (the primary prey for NR wolves) varied among seasons. 4. One's understanding of predation depends critically on the metric used to quantify kill rate. For example, kill rate was greatest in summer when quantified as the number of ungulates acquired per wolf per day, and least during summer when kill rate was quantified as the biomass acquired per wolf per day. This finding contradicts previous research that suggests that rates of biomass acquisition for large terrestrial carnivores tend not to vary among seasons. 5. Kill rates were not well correlated among seasons. For example, knowing that early-winter kill rate is higher than average (compared with other early winters) provides little basis for anticipating whether kill rates a few months later during late winter will be higher or lower than average (compared with other late winters). This observation indicates how observing, for example, higher-than-average kill rates throughout any particular season is an unreliable basis for inferring that the year-round average kill rate would be higher than average. 6. Our work shows how a large carnivore living in a seasonal environment displays marked seasonal variation in predation because of changes in prey vulnerability. Patterns of wolf predation were influenced by the nutritional condition of adult elk and the availability of smaller prey (i.e. elk calves, deer). We discuss how these patterns affect our overall understanding of predator and prey population dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew C Metz
- School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI 49931, USA.
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Vucetich JA, Hebblewhite M, Smith DW, Peterson RO. Predicting prey population dynamics from kill rate, predation rate and predator-prey ratios in three wolf-ungulate systems. J Anim Ecol 2011; 80:1236-45. [PMID: 21569029 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2656.2011.01855.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- John A Vucetich
- School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI 49931, USA.
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Adams JR, Vucetich LM, Hedrick PW, Peterson RO, Vucetich JA. Genomic sweep and potential genetic rescue during limiting environmental conditions in an isolated wolf population. Proc Biol Sci 2011; 278:3336-44. [PMID: 21450731 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2011.0261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Genetic rescue, in which the introduction of one or more unrelated individuals into an inbred population results in the reduction of detrimental genetic effects and an increase in one or more vital rates, is a potentially important management tool for mitigating adverse effects of inbreeding. We used molecular techniques to document the consequences of a male wolf (Canis lupus) that immigrated, on its own, across Lake Superior ice to the small, inbred wolf population in Isle Royale National Park. The immigrant's fitness so exceeded that of native wolves that within 2.5 generations, he was related to every individual in the population and his ancestry constituted 56 per cent of the population, resulting in a selective sweep of the total genome. In other words, all the male ancestry (50% of the total ancestry) descended from this immigrant, plus 6 per cent owing to the success of some of his inbred offspring. The immigration event occurred in an environment where space was limiting (i.e. packs occupied all available territories) and during a time when environmental conditions had deteriorated (i.e. wolves' prey declined). These conditions probably explain why the immigration event did not obviously improve the population's demography (e.g. increased population numbers or growth rate). Our results show that the beneficial effects of gene flow may be substantial and quickly manifest, short-lived under some circumstances, and how the demographic benefits of genetic rescue might be masked by environmental conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer R Adams
- School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI 49931, USA
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Nelson MP, Vucetich JA, Peterson RO, Vucetich LM. The Isle Royale Wolf-Moose Project (1958-present) and the wonder of long-term ecological research. Endeavour 2011; 35:31-39. [PMID: 21310487 DOI: 10.1016/j.endeavour.2010.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2010] [Accepted: 09/03/2010] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Michael P Nelson
- Lyman Briggs College, Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, East Lansing, 48825, United States.
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Silvia WJ, Peterson RO, Silvia WF, Vucetich JA, Silvia AW. The Occurrence and Morphology of a Lateral Metatarsal Splint Bone in Moose (Alces alces). Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2011; 294:231-5. [DOI: 10.1002/ar.21323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2010] [Revised: 08/11/2010] [Accepted: 10/04/2010] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
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Peterson RO, Millspaugh JJ, Licht DS, Kunkel KE. Looking to the Past for the Future: Using Wolves to Restore Ecosystems (Response To Belant, Mech, and Trimble). Bioscience 2010. [DOI: 10.1525/bio.2010.60.7.21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
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Licht DS, Millspaugh JJ, Kunkel KE, Kochanny CO, Peterson RO. Using Small Populations of Wolves for Ecosystem Restoration and Stewardship. Bioscience 2010. [DOI: 10.1525/bio.2010.60.2.9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
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Bump JK, Peterson RO, Vucetich JA. Wolves modulate soil nutrient heterogeneity and foliar nitrogen by configuring the distribution of ungulate carcasses. Ecology 2009; 90:3159-67. [DOI: 10.1890/09-0292.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 93] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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Vucetich JA, Outridge PM, Peterson RO, Eide R, Isrenn R. Mercury, lead and lead isotope ratios in the teeth of moose (Alces alces) from Isle Royale, U.S. Upper Midwest, from 1952 to 2002. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2009; 11:1352-9. [DOI: 10.1039/b903417j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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Peterson RO. Theberge, J. B., and M. T. Theberge. 2004. The Wolves of Algonquin Park: A 12-Year Ecological Study. University of Waterloo, Department of Geography, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, 168 + v–xii pp. ISBN 0-921083-67-x, price (paper) $23.50 Canadian (approximately $25.00 US), order from S. Castela (scastela@fesmail.uwaterloo.ca). J Mammal 2008. [DOI: 10.1644/08-mamm-r-024.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
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Bump JK, Fox-Dobbs K, Bada JL, Koch PL, Peterson RO, Vucetich JA. Stable isotopes, ecological integration and environmental change: wolves record atmospheric carbon isotope trend better than tree rings. Proc Biol Sci 2007; 274:2471-80. [PMID: 17686730 PMCID: PMC2274977 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2007.0700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Large-scale patterns of isotope ratios are detectable in the tissues of organisms, but the variability in these patterns often obscures detection of environmental trends. We show that plants and animals at lower trophic levels are relatively poor indicators of the temporal trend in atmospheric carbon isotope ratios (delta13C) when compared with animals at higher trophic levels. First, we tested how differences in atmospheric delta13C values were transferred across three trophic levels. Second, we compared contemporary delta13C trends (1961-2004) in atmospheric CO2 to delta13C patterns in a tree species (jack pine, Pinus banksiana), large herbivore (moose, Alces alces) and large carnivore (grey wolf, Canis lupus) from North America. Third, we compared palaeontological (approx. 30000 to 12000 14C years before present) atmospheric CO2 trends to delta13C patterns in a tree species (Pinus flexilis, Juniperus sp.), a megaherbivore (bison, Bison antiquus) and a large carnivore (dire wolf, Canis dirus) from the La Brea tar pits (southern California, USA) and Great Basin (western USA). Contrary to previous expectations, we found that the environmental isotope pattern is better represented with increasing trophic level. Our results indicate that museum specimens of large carnivores would best reflect large-scale spatial and temporal patterns of carbon isotopes in the palaeontological record because top predators can act as ecological integrators of environmental change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph K Bump
- School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI 49931, USA.
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Wilmers CC, Post E, Peterson RO, Vucetich JA. Predator disease out‐break modulates top‐down, bottom‐up and climatic effects on herbivore population dynamics. Ecol Lett 2006; 9:383-9. [PMID: 16623723 DOI: 10.1111/j.1461-0248.2006.00890.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 92] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Human-introduced disease and climatic change are increasingly perturbing natural ecosystems worldwide, but scientists know very little about how they interact to affect ecological dynamics. An outbreak of canine parvovirus (CPV) in the wolf population on Isle Royale allowed us to test the transient effects of an introduced pathogen and global climatic variation on the dynamics of a three-level food chain. Following the introduction of CPV, wolf numbers plummeted, precipitating a switch from top-down to bottom-up regulation of the moose population; consequently, the influence of climate on moose population growth rate doubled. This demonstrates that synergistic interactions between pathogens and climate can lead to shifts in trophic control, and suggests that predators in this system may play an important role in dampening the effects of climate change on the dynamics of their prey.
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Weisel JW, Nagaswami C, Peterson RO. River otter hair structure facilitates interlocking to impede penetration of water and allow trapping of air. CAN J ZOOL 2005. [DOI: 10.1139/z05-047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Unlike many other mammals spending a considerable amount of time in water, river otters (Lutra canadensis (Schreber, 1777)) do not have a thick layer of body fat. Instead, they have a very densely packed layer of thin underhairs. The structure of river otter hair was examined by scanning electron microscopy and polarizing light microscopy. Guard hairs were hollow and became thicker distally and then tapered to a point and had different cuticle scales in proximal and distal regions. The cuticle of the thin underhairs had a striking pattern of sharply sculpted fins with deep grooves between them; usually there were four fins at each level, rotated 45° with respect to those at an adjacent level. Underhairs varied in diameter and the scales were sometimes petal-shaped. Polarizing light microscopy images showed interlocking arrangements of the underhairs that help to impede the penetration of water. Also, these images showed that the grooves between fins or petals of underhairs entrap air bubbles. The structure of the hairs allows them to interact loosely with each other, despite variations in size and structure. Furthermore, the nature of the interactions between the fins and depressions allows space between the hairs that can trap air bubbles to increase the thermal insulation of the otter's coat.
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Vucetich JA, Peterson RO. The influence of prey consumption and demographic stochasticity on population growth rate of Isle Royale wolvesCanis lupus. OIKOS 2004. [DOI: 10.1111/j.0030-1299.2004.13483.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Abstract
Adult gray wolves, Canis lupus L., 1758, frequent den and rendezvous sites (homesites) during summer to bring food to pups and to ensure security of the pups. We monitored homesite attendance of several adult wolves from a single pack in Isle Royale National Park, Michigan, for 6 years. Pack size, number of pups, and prey density varied during the period of monitoring. Given the effect of prey density on wolf behavior, we predicted that wolf homesite attendance patterns would vary with prey density. We also examined the effects of varying pack size, social status, and number of pups on homesite attendance. Contrary to our expectations, prey density did not appear to be a significant predictor of homesite attendance statistics such as hours per day at the homesite or length of absence from the homesite. Furthermore, when prey density and social status remained the same, homesite attendance (hours/day) of individual wolves monitored for multiple years varied substantially. Our results show homesite attendance to be highly variable and not well predicted by prey density.
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Abstract
Long-term, concurrent measurement of population dynamics and associated top-down and bottom-up processes are rare for unmanipulated, terrestrial systems. Here, we analyse populations of moose, their predators (wolves, Canis lupus), their primary winter forage (balsam fir, Abies balsamea) and several climatic variables that were monitored for 40 consecutive years in Isle Royale National Park (544 km2), Lake Superior, USA. We judged the relative importance of top-down, bottom-up and abiotic factors on moose population growth rate by constructing multiple linear regression models, and calculating the proportion of interannual variation in moose population growth rate explained by each factor. Our analysis indicates that more variation in population growth rate is explained by bottom-up than top-down processes, and abiotic factors explain more variation than do bottom-up processes. Surprisingly, winter precipitation did not explain any significant variation in population growth rate. Like that detected for two Norwegian ungulate populations, the relationship between population growth rate and the North Atlantic Oscillation was nonlinear. Although this analysis provides significant insight, much remains unknown: of the models examined, the most parsimonious explain little more than half the variation in moose population growth rate.
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Affiliation(s)
- John A Vucetich
- School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI 49931, USA.
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