Body Mass Dynamics of Moose Calves in Relation to Winter Severity

Cederlund, Göran; Sand, Håkan; Pehrson, Åke

doi:10.2307/3809517

Cited by 57 publications

(43 citation statements)

References 25 publications

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“…moose Alces alces; Cederlund et al 1991; roe deer; Capreolus capreolus; Gaillard et al 1996;red deer Cervus elaphus;Loison et al 1999b), and having higher absolute growth than females (see, e.g., Finstad and Prichard 2000), we found no evidence that climate influenced differently calf weight (autumn and early winter) and growth of males and females. Our results are in disagreement with the expectation that males in polygynous and highly dimorphic ungulates are more sensitive to harsh environmental conditions than females (e.g.…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 50%

“…Life-history traits of several other ungulate species are also reported to be negatively influenced by local weather in either winter (moose, Cederlund et al 1991;Hjeljord and Histol 1999;red deer, Kruuk et al 1999;Loison et al 1999b;white-tailed deer, Moen and Severinghaus 1981;black-tailed deer, Odocoileus hemionus;Parker et al 1993;chamois, Loison et al 1999a) or other seasons of the year (roe deer, Gaillard et al 1996;reindeer, Helle and Kojola 1994;Weladji et al 2003aWeladji et al , 2003c; see review by Weladji et al 2002b for more examples).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

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Global climate change and reindeer: effects of winter weather on the autumn weight and growth of calves

Weladji¹,

Holand²

2003

Oecologia

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Reindeer/caribou (Rangifer tarandus), which constitute a biological resource of vital importance for the physical and cultural survival of Arctic residents, and inhabit extremely seasonal environments, have received little attention in the global change debate. We investigated how body weight and growth rate of reindeer calves were affected by large-scale climatic variability [measured by the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) winter index] and density in one population in central Norway. Body weights of calves in summer and early winter, as well as their growth rate (summer to early winter), were significantly influenced by density and the NAO index when cohorts were in utero. Males were heavier and had higher absolute growth than females, but there was no evidence that preweaning condition of male and female calves were influenced differently by the NAO winter index. Increasing NAO index had a negative effect on calves' body weight and growth rate. Increasing density significantly reduced body weight and growth rate of calves, and accentuated the effect of the NAO winter index. Winters with a higher NAO index are thus severe for reindeer calves in this area and their effects are associated with nutritional stress experienced by the dams during pregnancy or immediately after calving. Moreover, increased density may enhance intra-specific competition and limits food available at the individual level within cohorts. We conclude that if the current pattern of global warming continues, with greater change occurring in northern latitudes and during winter as is predicted, reduced body weight of reindeer calves may be a consequence in areas where winters with a high NAO index are severe. This will likely have an effect on the livelihood of many northern indigenous peoples, both economically and culturally.

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Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 50%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Global climate change and reindeer: effects of winter weather on the autumn weight and growth of calves

Weladji¹,

Holand²

2003

Oecologia

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“…The severity of winter conditions, particularly snow depth, has a greater in¯uence on body mass of ungulates living on poor summer ranges than on those living on good ranges. There is a clear negative correlation between body mass of cervids in early spring and severity of the the preceding winter (Skogland 1983;Sñther and Gravem 1988;Cederlund et al 1991;Sñther et al 1996), but body mass during autumn may show either a negative, a positive or no relationship to winter snow depth (Sñther 1985;Sand 1996;Solberg 1998). This indicates that animals are able to compensate, by increased growth rate during summer, for loss of body mass over winter (Suttie and Hamilton 1983), depending on the quality of summer ranges.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…Autumn body mass was in turn related to stocking densities (Langbein 1991;Putman and Langbein 1992). Within a single moose population, Cederlund et al (1991) found that calves that were light in the autumn lost more body mass during the following winter than did heavy calves. 3.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Range-body mass interactions of a northern ungulate - a test of hypothesis

Hjeljord¹,

Histøl²

1999

Oecologia

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Summer diet, summer temperature, length of the growth season and animal density appeared to best explain annual and regional differences in calf and yearling body mass in moose from southeastern Norway. In general animals inhabiting steep, alpine landscapes had less body mass than animals using flat, low-altitude habitats. Autumn body mass of calves and yearlings decreased with increasing snow depth during the preceding winter and spring. However, calf body mass was more influenced by the summer range and less by the winter range than was body mass of yearlings. There was no indication that the effect of snow depth on autumn body mass was greater in moose living on poor than on good summer ranges. Body mass decreased with increasing competition for summer forage, while the winter range mainly had an density-independent effect. Habitat quality, expressed as regression lines between calf and yearling body mass and animal density (hunting yield), differed between regions. On ranges of medium and high altitude where birch (Betula spp.) rowan (Sorbus aucuparia) and bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus) dominated moose summer diet, body mass decreased at a rapid rate with increasing animal density. Body mass decreased at a slower rate at low-altitude ranges and at high-altitude ranges where willow (Salix spp.) and forbs dominated the diet. Body mass of lactating cows decreased with increasing animal density, but animal density did not affect body mass of non-lactating cows. There was no indication that the decrease in autumn body mass with increasing moose density over the last 25 years has caused a decrease in animal condition (ability to survive the winter). The results are discussed in relation to the effect of summer and winter range on population regulation in moose. It is concluded that a density-dependent effect is apparent on the summer range even at low and intermediate population densities. On the winter range, on the other hand, density-dependence is likely to occur only at high levels of population density.

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“…Growth in body size is related to the quantity of food available as well as to its quality (Crawley et al 2004). Environmental conditions that increase food quantity and quality, such as low snow depths during winter (Cederlund et al 1991, Loison et al 1999, long photosynthetic period during summer (Ericsson et al 2002, Herfindal et al 2006) and cold, wet summer weather (Gaillard et al 1996), are associated with large body masses, while body mass is negatively affected by competition for food (Skogland 1983, Gaillard et al 1996, Forchhammer et al 2001, Weladji and Holand 2003. As a consequence, body size and growth are important determinants of population dynamics, especially through their effects on juvenile survival and the age at first reproduction (Gaillard et al 1998(Gaillard et al , 2000.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

How resource competition shapes individual life history for nonplastic growth: ungulates in seasonal food environments

Roos

Galić

Heesterbeek

2009

Ecology

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Abstract. We analyze an age-, size-and sex-structured model to investigate how the interplay between individual-level energy budget dynamics and the feedback of population grazing on resources shapes the individual life history and the dynamics of ungulate populations, living in a predator-free, seasonal resource environment. We formulate a dynamic energy budget model for individual energetics, which accounts for energy requirements for maintenance and growth, and possibly pregnancy and lactation. Growth in structural mass is assumed prescribed. Dynamics of energy reserves are the resultant of energy acquisition through grazing and suckling of milk and the aforementioned energyconsuming processes. The dynamic energy budget model is used as the core for an individualbased population model, which captures general features of ungulate life history and population dynamics, although it is parameterized for a particular system.Model predictions reveal a characteristic dynamic pattern, in which years with low death tolls (,10% of the population dying) alternate with a single year of high death toll (up to 40% of the population dies). In these ''collapse'' years almost all individuals younger than 2 years die, creating holes in the population age distribution. The die-off of these age classes is shown to be caused by the energy requirements for growth that these individuals face. Individuals between 1 and 2 years of age are more at risk than foals, because they are burdened with the legacy of a poor body condition developed throughout their first winter. The characteristic dynamic pattern is more pronounced at high levels of resource productivity. In contrast, neither a period of snow cover, during which all foraging stops, nor a dependence of fecundity on female body condition change dynamics significantly.

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Body Mass Dynamics of Moose Calves in Relation to Winter Severity

Cited by 57 publications

References 25 publications

Global climate change and reindeer: effects of winter weather on the autumn weight and growth of calves

Global climate change and reindeer: effects of winter weather on the autumn weight and growth of calves

Range-body mass interactions of a northern ungulate - a test of hypothesis

How resource competition shapes individual life history for nonplastic growth: ungulates in seasonal food environments

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