A Summer Heat Wave Reduced Activity, Heart Rate, and Autumn Body Mass in a Cold-Adapted Ungulate

Trondrud, Liv Monica; Pigeon, Gabriel; Król, Elżbieta; Albon, Steve; Ropstad, Erik; Kumpula, Jouko; Evans, Alina L.; Speakman, John R.; Loe, Leif Egil

doi:10.1086/725363

Cited by 4 publications

(2 citation statements)

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“…Warm summer days may increase the minimum dietary concentrations of minerals for female caribou by depressing food intake ( Figure 2 ) [ 27 ]. Heat waves on consecutive warm days in mid-summer reduce the foraging activity and body mass gains of female reindeer [ 43 ]. Warm days are also associated with increased insect harassment in arctic caribou that also affects movement and foraging [ 39 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Estimating Mineral Requirements of Wild Herbivores: Modelling Arctic Caribou (Rangifer tarandus granti) in Summer

Oster,

Gustine,

Smeins

et al. 2024

Animals

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Mineral requirements are poorly described for most wildlife. Consequently, the role of forage minerals in movement and productivity are poorly understood for sedentary and migratory ungulates, such as reindeer and caribou (Rangifer tarandus). We applied estimates of maintenance, lactation, body mass change, and antler growth to production curves (body mass, daily intake, and milk yield) for female caribou to calculate their mineral requirements over summer. The total requirements (mg or g·d−1) were divided by the daily intake (kg·d−1) to estimate the minimum concentration of minerals required in the diet (mg or g·kg−1) to balance demand. The daily requirements (mg·d−1) of all minerals increased from parturition to the end of summer. The minimum dietary concentrations (mg·kg−1) of macro-minerals (Ca, P, Mg, Na, K) declined as food intake (kg·d−1) increased over summer. The minimum dietary concentrations (Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn) were heavily influenced by body mass gain, which increased through late lactation even though food intakes rose. Our modeling framework can be applied to other wild ungulates to assess the impacts of changing forage phenology, plant community compositions, or environmental disturbances on movement and productivity.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Estimating Mineral Requirements of Wild Herbivores: Modelling Arctic Caribou (Rangifer tarandus granti) in Summer

Oster,

Gustine,

Smeins

et al. 2024

Animals

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“…Some species may shift their activity from the hottest times of the day to cooler periods, transitioning to crepuscular and nocturnal activity (Du Toit & Yetman, 2005; Scheibe et al., 2009). While certain species effectively adjust their daily activity without compromising foraging time (Semenzato et al., 2021), others may struggle to fully compensate (Trondrud et al., 2023). This may potentially lead to decreased food intake (Fuller et al., 2016; Shively et al., 2019), thereby limiting the energy and nutrients available for homeostasis, growth and reproduction (Schneider, 2004).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

African dryland antelope trade‐off behaviours in response to heat extremes

Berry,

Dammhahn,

Hauptfleisch

et al. 2024

Ecology and Evolution

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Climate change is predicted to narrow the prescriptive zone of dryland species, potentially leading to behavioural modifications with fitness consequences. This study explores the behavioural responses of three widespread African antelope species—springbok, kudu and eland—to extreme heat in a dryland savanna. We classified the behaviour of 29 individuals during the hot, dry season on the basis of accelerometer data using supervised machine learning and analysed the impact of afternoon heat on behaviour‐specific time allocation and overall dynamic body acceleration (ODBA), a proxy for energy expenditure, along with compensatory changes over the 24‐hour cycle. Extreme afternoon heat reduced feeding time in all three antelope species, increased ruminating and resting time, while only minimally affecting walking time. With rising heat, all three species reduced ODBA on feeding, while eland reduced and kudu increased ODBA on walking. Diel responses in behaviour differed between species, but were generally characterised by daytime reductions in feeding and increases in ruminating or resting on hot days compared to cool days. While antelope compensated for heat‐driven behavioural change over the 24‐hour cycle in some cases, significant differences persisted in others, including reduced feeding and increased rumination and resting. The impact of heat on antelope behaviour reveals trade‐offs between feeding and thermoregulation, as well as between feeding and rumination, the latter suggesting a strategy to enhance nutrient uptake through increased digestive efficiency, while the walking response suggests narrow constraints between cost and necessity. Our findings suggest that heat influences both behaviour‐specific time allocation and energy expenditure. Altered diel behaviour patterns and incomplete compensation over the 24‐hour cycle point to fitness consequences. The need to prioritise thermoregulation over feeding is likely to narrow the prescriptive zone of these dryland antelope.

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