Fidelity to calving areas in moose (Alces alces) in the absence of natural predators

Abstract

We used long-term monitoring (1991)(1992)(1993)(1994)(1995)(1996)(1997)(1998)(1999)(2000)(2001)(2002)(2003)(2004)(2005) data from a moose (Alces alces (L., 1758)) population (i) to determine if moose cows are faithful to their calving sites and (ii) to examine the effect of previous recruitment success on calving-site fidelity. We generated null hypotheses from the distances between calving sites used by other individuals inside the home range of each cow. The calving sites used in successive years by individual cows were closer together (2.1 ± 0.2 km) than were calving sites used by other cows within their home range (3.9 ± 0.1 km; n = 30 cows, 148 sites). The former is similar to distances reported from areas where natural predators are present but females successfully weaned their calf or calves. We did not detect any effects of previous recruitment success, but the distances to the next calving sites of the only two cows that did not wean their calves (3.8 and 3.4 km) are analogous to values reported for cows that have lost their calf or calves to predators. Our data support the theory that fidelity to areas where parturition has been successful could be an evolutionary trade-off between reproductive success and risk of predation to maximize fitness. On an ecological scale, moose cows apparently perceived anthropogenic disturbances as a potential risk, influencing their choice of calving sites and ultimately their fidelity.Résumé : Le suivi à long terme (1991)(1992)(1993)(1994)(1995)(1996)(1997)(1998)(1999)(2000)(2001)(2002)(2003)(2004)(2005) d'une population d'orignaux (Alces alces (L., 1758)) nous a permis (i) de vérifier si les orignales sont fidèles à leur site de parturition et (ii) d'examiner les effets du succès antérieur du recrutement sur la fidélité aux sites de parturition. Nous avons élaboré des hypothèses nulles d'après les distances entre les sites de parturition utilisés par les autres femelles dans le domaine vital de chaque orignale. Les sites de parturition successifs utilisés par chaque orignale sont plus rapprochés (2,1 ± 0,2 km) que ceux utilisés par d'autres orignales présentes dans leur domaine vital (3,9 ± 0,1 km; n = 30 orignales, 148 sites). Cette première distance est similaire à celles rapportées chez des orignales qui ont réussi à sevrer un jeune malgré la présence de prédateurs. Nous n'avons détecté aucun effet du succès antérieur du recrutement sur la fidélité aux sites de parturition. La distance du prochaine site de parturition chez deux orignales qui ont perdu leurs veaux avant le sevrage (3,8 and 3,4 km) sont similaires à celles d'orignales dont les veaux ont été tués par des prédateurs avant le sevrage. Nos résultats supportent la théorie selon laquelle la fidélité à une aire où la femelle a mis bas avec succès seraient une stratégie de compromis entre le succès reproductif et le risque de prédation pour maximiser sa valeur adaptative. Sur le plan écologique, les orignales semblent percevoir la présence humaine comme un risque potentiel, ce qui influence leur choix de site ...

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