Movements of Female Mule Deer in Northwest Colorado

Garrott, Robert A.; White, Gary C.; Bartmann, Richard M.; Carpenter, Len H.; Alldredge, A. W.

doi:10.2307/3801282

Cited by 117 publications

(113 citation statements)

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“…Females in this population of mule deer have occupied identical seasonal ranges over multiple years (Garrott et al 1987). This fidelity to home ranges allows us to relate annual weather patterns and forage conditions derived from movement patterns observed subsequent to the measurement of winter body condition with a fair degree of certainty.…”

Section: Home Range Calculationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Asynchronous vegetation phenology enhances winter body condition of a large mobile herbivore

et al. 2015

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Article (refereed) -postprintSearle, Kate R.; Rice, Mindy B.; Anderson, Charles R.; Bishop, Chad; Hobbs, N.T. 2015. Asynchronous vegetation phenology enhances winter body condition of a large mobile herbivore. Oecologia, 179 (2). 377-391. 10.1007/s00442-015-3348-9 Contact CEH NORA team at noraceh@ceh.ac.ukThe NERC and CEH trademarks and logos ('the Trademarks') are registered trademarks of NERC in the UK and other countries, and may not be used without the prior written consent of the Trademark owner. AbstractUnderstanding how spatial and temporal heterogeneity influence ecological processes forms a central challenge in ecology. Individual responses to heterogeneity shape population dynamics, therefore understanding these responses is central to sustainable population management. Emerging evidence has shown that herbivores track heterogeneity in nutritional quality of vegetation by responding to phenological differences in plants. We quantified the benefits mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) accrue from accessing habitats with asynchronous plant phenology in northwest Colorado over three years. Our analysis examined both the direct physiological and indirect environmental effects of weather and vegetation phenology on mule deer winter body condition. We identified several important effects of annual weather patterns and topographical variables on vegetation phenology in the home ranges of mule deer. Crucially, temporal patterns of vegetation phenology were linked with differences in body condition, with deer tending to show poorer body condition in areas with less asynchronous vegetation green-up and later vegetation onset. The direct physiological effect of previous winter precipitation on mule deer body condition was much less important than the indirect effect mediated by vegetation phenology. Additionally, the influence of vegetation phenology on body fat was much stronger than that of overall vegetation productivity. In summary, changing annual weather patterns, particularly in relation to seasonal precipitation, have the potential to alter body condition of this important ungulate species during the critical winter period. This finding highlights the importance of maintaining large contiguous areas of spatially and temporally variable resources to allow animals to compensate behaviourally for changing climate-driven resource patterns.

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Section: Home Range Calculationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Asynchronous vegetation phenology enhances winter body condition of a large mobile herbivore

et al. 2015

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“…Global climate change is expected to alter the phenological patterns of life-history events for numerous taxa, including seasonal migration by vertebrates (Walther et al 2002, Forchhammer andPost 2004). Effects of winter weather and snow depth, as well as progression in plant phenology, on timing of seasonal movements by large herbivores have been well documented (Garrott et al 1987, Kucera 1992, Albon and Langvatn 1992, Sabine et al 2002, Zeng et al 2010. Therefore, we expected current weather conditions, driven by broadscale climate, to influence the timing of seasonal migrations among mule deer.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Timing of seasonal migration in mule deer: effects of climate, plant phenology, and life-history characteristics

et al. 2011

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Abstract. Phenological events of plants and animals are sensitive to climatic processes. Migration is a life-history event exhibited by most large herbivores living in seasonal environments, and is thought to occur in response to dynamics of forage and weather. Decisions regarding when to migrate, however, may be affected by differences in life-history characteristics of individuals. Long-term and intensive study of a population of mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) in the Sierra Nevada, California, USA, allowed us to document patterns of migration during 11 years that encompassed a wide array of environmental conditions. We used two new techniques to properly account for interval-censored data and disentangle effects of broad-scale climate, local weather patterns, and plant phenology on seasonal patterns of migration, while incorporating effects of individual life-history characteristics. Timing of autumn migration varied substantially among individual deer, but was associated with the severity of winter weather, and in particular, snow depth and cold temperatures. Migratory responses to winter weather, however, were affected by age, nutritional condition, and summer residency of individual females. Old females and those in good nutritional condition risked encountering severe weather by delaying autumn migration, and were thus risk-prone with respect to the potential loss of foraging opportunities in deep snow compared with young females and those in poor nutritional condition. Females that summered on the west side of the crest of the Sierra Nevada delayed autumn migration relative to east-side females, which supports the influence of the local environment on timing of migration. In contrast, timing of spring migration was unrelated to individual life-history characteristics, was nearly twice as synchronous as autumn migration, differed among years, was related to the southern oscillation index, and was influenced by absolute snow depth and advancing phenology of plants. Plasticity in timing of migration in response to climatic conditions and plant phenology may be an adaptive behavioral strategy, which should reduce the detrimental effects of trophic mismatches between resources and other life-history events of large herbivores. Failure to consider effects of nutrition and other life-history traits may cloud interpretation of phenological patterns of mammals and conceal relationships associated with climate change.

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“…Nevada has seen similar trends in mule deer populations since the mid-1980s (Wasley 2004). Similar to other migratory species, mule deer migrate to take advantage of optimal quality and availability of forage that are seasonally available, and to reduce energy expenditure during harsh climatic conditions (Wallmo and Geist 1981, Garrott et al 1987, Nicholson et al 1997. Nevertheless, increases in human disturbances, including mining, have led to the reduction and fragmentation of critical habitats, especially migratory corridors throughout Nevada (Wasley 2004).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Many populations of ungulates have been identified as long-distance migrants in a variety of ecosystems , and recent research suggests that many of those populations may be in decline (Berger 2004, Hebblewhite et al 2006, Couturier et al 2009, Harris et al 2009). Migratory ungulates use specific paths known as migration corridors, which allow them to traverse to seasonal ranges; usually areas with greater access to higher quality forage (Garrott et al 1987, Nicholson et al 1997, Sawyer and Kauffman 2011. The use of migratory corridors allows for ease of movement to seasonal ranges with lower exposure rates of severe climatic conditions, lower energy expenditure during migration (Kucera 1992, Hebblewhite et al 2006, and seasonal changes in availability of resources (Dingle and Drake 2007).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of large‐scale gold mining on migratory behavior of a large herbivore

2015

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Abstract. Loss of migratory corridors has been identified as an important ecological issue among species that exhibit long-distance migration worldwide. Increased mineral exploration and development has raised the level of concern over the protection of terrestrial migration routes for ungulates. Mineral exploration and other types of development may adversely affect migratory corridors for large herbivores, but little is known about functional effects on migratory behavior and resource selection. To address these important questions we examined movement patterns and resource selection to understand the effects of an operating gold mine on migratory pathways of mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus). We captured and applied radio collars to female mule deer (n ¼ 43) on the migratory pathway and in the proximity of an active mine in the Ruby Mountains of eastern Nevada. We used Brownian Bridge Movement Models to delineate stopover sites for each individual during both the autumn and spring migrations. We calculated linear efficiency of movement along the migration path and movement rate between stopover locations outside and within the mining area to determine the effects of the mine on movement patterns. We also used resource selection functions to determine if mule deer avoided areas with extensive excavation and disturbance of the land surface when navigating through the mine complex. Our results indicated greater linear efficiency of movement along the migration path and movement rates between stopover locations outside the mine when compared with movement through the mine complex. Additionally, mule deer that migrated through the mine complex avoided the highest disturbance levels by spending the majority of their time in undisturbed habitat patches. These results suggest an increase in energy expenditure of mule deer navigating through highly disturbed areas, which may have fitness consequences for migratory animals. Such increases in energy expenditure during migration may decrease survival or productivity of migratory populations of large, terrestrial mammals.

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Movements of Female Mule Deer in Northwest Colorado

Cited by 117 publications

References 0 publications

Asynchronous vegetation phenology enhances winter body condition of a large mobile herbivore

Asynchronous vegetation phenology enhances winter body condition of a large mobile herbivore

Timing of seasonal migration in mule deer: effects of climate, plant phenology, and life-history characteristics

Effects of large‐scale gold mining on migratory behavior of a large herbivore

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