Climatic effects on life-history traits of moose in Estonia

Abstract

Weather variables can influence life-history traits of ungulates. In this study, we assessed the suitability of regional climate indices including the NAO and two measures of local climate-the maximal extent of ice on the Baltic Sea (MIE) and absolute values of its annual deviations from the multi-year mean (VMIE)-to examine how density-independent processes influence moose body size and fecundity. We predicted that both winter severity (large values of MIE) and variability (large values of VMIE) depress moose traits (e.g., severe winters increase energy expenditure because of large snow depth or low temperatures, while the warmer than average winters may impose greater energetic demands on thermoregulation due to wet and windy weather, or may have indirect negative effects on summer foraging conditions). We estimated direct, delayed (lag) and cumulative effects of each climate measure. Both MIE and VMIE negatively affected jawbone length, with the effect size varying between the respective climatic indices and among age classes. In contrast to results obtained using local climatic variables, the NAO index had no significant effect on jawbone length. The probability of multiple ovulation was negatively influenced by direct effects of VMIE and delayed effects of MIE and NAO. We conclude that MIE and VMIE capture different aspects of the local climate and that these indices can be used in parallel as determinants of growth and fecundity of northern ungulates in coastal regions of the Baltic Sea.

Climate effects on demographic parameters in an unhunted population of Alpine chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra)

“…Comparable results pointing in the same direction also were obtained for some populations of Alpine ibex in Switzerland (Grotan et al 2008). Additional support also is provided by a study on the effects of climate on life history traits in moose (Alces alces) by Veeroja et al (2008). Those authors demonstrated that severe winter conditions during previous years significantly limited jawbone growth, and hence, growth in body size of adult females in subsequent years, giving rise to the assumption that energy reserves might indeed not be replenished within 1 summer.…”

Sex- and Age-Related Morphological Characteristics of European Elk (Alces alces) Pelves

“…Previous research indicates that the most fertile elks are 4.5‐ to 5.5‐year‐old cows with an appropriate bodyweight (Saether and Haagenrud, ). Estonian researchers have shown that 35% of 1.5‐year‐old elk heifers and 6% of 2.5‐year‐olds have never been pregnant, while among adults this percentage is only 3% (Veeroja et al., ). The pelves of the primiparous and pluriparous elks could not be distinguished by effects of different growth or food conditions, which are reflected in general length and width measurements of the pelvis.…”

“…The primiparous group comprised 11 pelves of 2.5‐ to 3.5‐year‐old elks, and the pluriparous group included 21 pelves of animals 4.5 years old or older. These groupings were based on an Estonian study (Veeroja et al., ), which classified 2.5‐ to 3.5‐year‐old cows as juveniles and 4.5‐year‐old or older cows as adults. The data from animals aged 3.5–4.5 years old, which could not be divided clearly into the primiparous or pluriparous groups, were not analysed.…”

Environment during the Middle to Late Palaeolithic transition in southern France: The archaeological sequence of Tournal Cave (Bize-Minervois, France)

“…Nevertheless, the impact of climate change is indirectly reflected in mammals through factors such as the food supply or inter/intra specific competition involving adjustments in many life history traits and population dynamics. These effects are particularly evident in species inhabiting the northern regions (Forchhammer et al, 1998;Post et al, 1999;Weladji et al, 2002;Reale et al, 2003;Grøtan et al, 2005;Garel et al, 2006;Veeroja et al, 2008). Among the broad spectrum of assessed parameters, population as well as individual body size-related studies are common and illustrate the ability of animals to respond to environmental stresses.…”