Acclimation of elk mating system following restoration to the Missouri Ozarks, U.S.A.

Abstract

Biologists increasingly use translocation to restore animals to areas where they have been extirpated. However, we know little about how translocation decisions influence translocation‐mediated social dynamics. Breeding in polygynous ungulate mating systems is typically dominated by prime age males, but founding males within translocated ungulate populations often are comprised of only young individuals. We investigated the influence of releasing exclusively young‐aged males on mating system and male reproductive success during an elk (Cervus canadensis) restoration program in Missouri. From 2011 to 2013, we translocated and released 106 elk from Kentucky to Missouri, U.S.A. We collected tissue samples for DNA from all translocated elk and subsequently captured adults and calves in Missouri during 2014–2018 for paternity analysis. Initial levels of polygyny were low but increased and acclimated over the initial years following translocation, commensurate with advancing sire age structure and increasing population density. Sire age was positively associated with individual male reproductive success initially, but the effect of age decreased as polygyny acclimated and sire age structure became older and more variable. Polygyny levels in the reintroduced population were restored to expected values within 4 years of the last translocation event, demonstrating the acclimation of mating structure despite a translocation tactic favoring young‐aged males. Importantly, initial dampened polygyny may facilitate retention of genetic variation by maximizing the genetic contribution of more founding individuals; however, benefits to genetic variation retention should be considered against potential demographic consequences to calves sired by young males.

Spatial acclimation of elk during population restoration to the Missouri Ozarks, USA

“…For example, multiple external factors (e.g., landscape composition [Fryxell et al ., 2005], weather events and climate [Mysterud, Iversen & Austrheim, 2007], inter‐ and intraspecific interactions [Creel et al ., 2005; van Beest et al ., 2014]) and internal factors (e.g., reproductive state [Long et al ., 2009], navigational capacity [Tsoar et al ., 2011], memory [Ranc, Cagnacci & Moorcroft, 2022]) contribute to animal space use and thus may interact with animal response to translocation to mediate spatial acclimation. Together, acclimation in spatial behavior appears to fall on a response continuum lagging behind physiological acclimation (<three months: Pero et al ., 2022b), but before acclimation in larger‐scaled population processes (e.g., population mating system [four years: Pero et al ., 2022a]) within this elk restoration system. We would predict any changes in survival, as the product of finer‐scaled responses, to sit at the final and ultimate end of this acclimation spectrum.…”

“…However, recent studies demonstrate similar transitory dynamics following release across additional metrics besides survival. For example, physiological (Pero et al ., 2022b), social (Poirier & Festa‐Bianchet, 2018; Pero et al ., 2022a), and behavioral (Schmitz et al ., 2015; Flanagan et al ., 2016) attributes all show a similar pattern of acclimation wherein response attributes show temporarily high rates of change immediately following release of animals that eventually stabilize. The similarity of patterns across a suite of ecological metrics suggests a broader definition of acclimation (e.g., the period before responses stabilize) would be useful for extending time to acclimation beyond survival.…”

Identifying temporal dynamics in post‐release survival of a restored large ungulate

“…Elk were captured in Kentucky (January) and subsequently held in Before release, all elk were fitted with GPS-VHF collars (RASSL 3D cell collar, North Star Science and Technology; G2110E Iridium/ GPS series model, Advanced Telemetry Systems) and were PIT-and metal ear-tagged for individual identification. Subsequently, in the falls and winters of 2015-2018, we captured adult and yearling elk via darting to maintain collar functionality (Pero, Chitwood, Hildreth, Berkman, et al, 2022).…”

“…In addition to the translocation process itself, survival of translocated wildlife is dependent on animals adjusting to sometimes exceptional amounts of variability in intrinsic and extrinsic factors encountered after release into novel landscapes (Berger‐Tal et al, 2022; Dickens et al, 2010). Such inevitable challenges inherent to translocation and post‐release processes can result in predictable temporal dynamics in population‐wide physiological (Dickens et al, 2010; Pero, Chitwood, Hildreth, Keller, et al, 2022), social (Pero, Chitwood, Hildreth, Berkman, et al, 2022; Poirier & Festa‐Bianchet, 2018), behavioural (Pero, Palm, et al, 2023; Picardi et al, 2021) and demographic (Armstrong et al, 2017; Hamilton et al, 2010; Panfylova et al, 2016) patterns in restored wildlife populations.…”

High survivorship and rapid population growth of the greater bilby (Macrotis lagotis) reintroduced to a feral predator exclosure

“…Reintroductions typically require founders to adapt rapidly to unfamiliar habitats and environmental conditions in order to survive (Stamps and Swaisgood 2007;Berger-Tal et al 2020;Pero et al 2022). This adjustment can involve widespread spatial exploration of the new environment soon after release (Mihoub et al 2011;Le Gouar et al 2012;Berger-Tal and Saltz 2014).…”