The structure and insulation properties of the reindeer fur

Timisjärvi, J.; Nieminen, Mauri; Sippola, Anna-Liisa

doi:10.1016/0300-9629(84)90456-0

Cited by 27 publications

(23 citation statements)

References 21 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…The depth of the fur over the back of the musk deer was 25-30 mm while the corresponding value for the reindeer was 35-38 mm. The latter is close to the value found by Timisjärvi et al (1984) in reindeer in Finland (32 mm) and by Scholander et al (1950) . Length and diameter of guard hairs from the back of the winter pelage of two musk deer (MD/1 and MD/2) and two adult female reindeer (NR1 and NR2).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 90%

“…A thick coat is such a conspicuous adaptation in mammals routinely exposed to severe cold that it is surprising that the fur of musk deer has not been described previously. There have, however, been studies of the fur of reindeer/ caribou (morphology: R. t. tarandus: Berge, 1949;Timisjärvi et al, 1984;R. t. platyrhynchus: Cuyler & Øritsland, 2002;insulation value: Scholander et al 1950;Hammel 1955;Moote 1955).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Superb winter fur insulation in the small Siberian musk deer (Moschus moschiferus)

Blix

Kvadsheim²,

Холодова³

et al. 2015

Ran

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

We compared the morphology and thermal characteristics of winter pelage from two Siberian musk deer Moschus moschiferus (aged 5 and 41 mo.; 5.7 and 9.5 kg) and two Eurasian reindeer Rangifer tarandus tarandus (aged >48 mo.; 73 and 79 kg). The depth of the fur over the back of musk deer was less (approximately 30 mm) than in reindeer (approximately 40 mm). Guard hairs of musk deer were longer (mean = 50.0 mm) and had greater diameter at half-length (mean = 314.4 μm) than those of reindeer (mean = 38.6mm and = 243.9 μm, respectively). The thermal characteristics (thermal conductivity and resistance) of the winter pelage of the two species were nevertheless similar (0.057 W·m-1·K-1 and 0.79 K·m2·W-1; and 0.037 W·m-1 ·K-1 and 1.00 K·m2·W-1, respectively) despite a tenfold difference in their body mass.

show abstract

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 90%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Superb winter fur insulation in the small Siberian musk deer (Moschus moschiferus)

Blix

Kvadsheim²,

Холодова³

et al. 2015

Ran

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…The birth-weight of newborn reindeer calves in Finland is about 5-6 kg (Timisjarvi et al, 1984). In Sweden and Canada the corresponding figures are 6.5 -7.0 kg and male calves are usually about 0.5 kg heavier.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 94%

Calving of the experimental reindeer herd in Kaamanen during 1970 - 85

Eloranta¹,

Nieminen²

1986

Ran

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Calving and calf production were studied in an experimental reindeer (Rarigifcr tarandus L) herd in Inari, Kaamanen (69°10'N) in northern Finland. Most of the calving took place between May 10 and 29; 50% of the calves were born up to 22.5. and 90% up to 29.5. The percentage of calves (calves/hinds proceeding year) was on average 79.2%. The newborn sex ratio was 1:1. There was a large range (1.8 to 8.5 kg) in the birth-weight of newborn calves; male calves weighed about 0.3 kg more than female. The total loss of calves during summer and autumn was about 34.5% (range 6.3 to 100.0%). During the calving period 111 calves (12.2%) died. They were usually younger than one day, and on average weighed 1.3 kg less at birth than calves who lived until autumn. The hinds of calves dying very early were usually young and calving for the first time. The autumn-weight of hinds correlated significantly (r = 0.49) with the birth-weight of their calves. Over-5-year-old and over 80 kg hinds bore the heaviest calves (mean weight 6.3 kg) and the survival of these calves was very good. The first hinds to calve in the spring (calving up to 22.5.) are 5-year-old and older, which arc also the heaviest and produce the most vital calves.

show abstract

“…The second category pertains particularly to reindeer and caribou (Rangifer tarandus ssp., hereafter Rangifer). This species has evolved a thick coat of hollow hairs (Timisjarvi et al 1984) of such remarkable quality as insulation in both still (Nilssen et al 1984) and moving air (Moote 1955, Cuyler and Øritsland 2002) that neither calves nor adults are likely to suffer significant chilling in winter save under extraordinarily severe conditions. Consequently, when considering the effects of environmental variation on the dynamics of populations of this species, attention has turned from factors that influence energy expenditure, and hence, food requirements in winter, to those that influence energy gain in terms of access to forage and, specifically, its availability beneath crusted snow and ice.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Climate, snow, ice, crashes, and declines in populations of reindeer and caribou (Rangifer tarandus L.)

Tyler

2010

Ecological Monographs

111

116

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Snow is a major determinant of forage availability for reindeer and caribou (Rangifer tarandus; hereafter Rangifer) in winter and is, consequently, a medium through which climate variation may influence population dynamics in this species. Periodic “icing” of winter ranges, where interludes of mild weather result in formation of crusted snow and basal ice that restrict access to forage, is held to be a cause of mass starvation, catastrophic declines in numbers, and even extirpation of local populations. It has been suggested that warming of the Arctic may result in increased frequency of winters with unfavorable snow and ice conditions, with serious consequences for Rangifer. This paper examines data on major declines in populations of Rangifer to determine the mechanism(s) of these events and the role of snow and ice conditions in them. Thirty‐one declines, involving numerical decreases between 25% and 99%, were identified in 12 populations. Declines were of two types: the negative phase of irruptive oscillations, mainly associated with populations introduced into new habitat, and numerical fluctuation in persistently unstable established populations. The mechanisms of decline differed widely in both categories, ranging from wholly mortality to almost wholly emigration. In all cases, the observed dynamics are best interpreted as a product of interaction between internal processes (density dependence) and the external abiotic conditions (density independence). The strength and the form of density independence, parameterized in terms of local weather or large‐scale climate, varies widely between populations, reflecting the enormous range of climate conditions across the circumpolar distribution of Rangifer. This complicates the search for abiotic components likely to be consistently important determinants of population growth in the species. There are few data demonstrating the presence of extensive hard snow or basal ice on ranges during winter(s) in which populations declined, and none confirming ice as a ubiquitous and potent agent in the dynamics of Rangifer. Instead, where the simultaneous effects of density‐dependent and density‐independent factors are examined across the full temporal record of dynamics, climatic conditions associated with increased amounts of snow or winter warming are generally found to enhance the abundance of animals, at least in established populations.

show abstract

The structure and insulation properties of the reindeer fur

Cited by 27 publications

References 21 publications

Superb winter fur insulation in the small Siberian musk deer (Moschus moschiferus)

Superb winter fur insulation in the small Siberian musk deer (Moschus moschiferus)

Calving of the experimental reindeer herd in Kaamanen during 1970 - 85

Climate, snow, ice, crashes, and declines in populations of reindeer and caribou (Rangifer tarandus L.)

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About