The weather dictates the rhythms: Alpine chamois activity is well adapted to ecological conditions

Abstract

Activity rhythms play an important role in the ecological relations of a species and form part of its evolutionary adaptation. Such rhythms are strongly synchronised with the annual cyclic changes by environmental stimuli, the so-called zeitgebers. Animals’ reliance on environmental stimuli is highly species-specific and allows behavioural adjustments to be made in preparation for the conditions expected in each season. We investigated daily and annual activity rhythms of Alpine chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra) by analysing high-resolution data of animals monitored with GPS collars. This first detailed field study of chamois activity showed that this species exhibited clear daily and annual activity rhythms entrained to the light-dark cycle. Chamois were more active during spring-summer and less active during winter, likely in response to the variation in the availability of food resources: both sexes appeared to maximise energy intake during the season offering the highest amount of food resources to compensate for poor food supply during winter. Daily activity was influenced by the climatic factors considered. We showed a negative correlation between daily activity and adverse climatic conditions (i.e. precipitation and, during winter, snow depth). As activity was strongly influenced by the interplay between temperature and wind throughout the year and by radiation and wind in winter, we conjectured that it was critically dependent upon animals’ thermal balance. In conclusion, our study highlighted that chamois is well adapted to the Alpine environment and seasonality but also raised questions about its ability to adapt to future climate change. Significance statement: In this study, we investigated the effects of ecological factors on Alpine chamois activity. Thanks to radio collars with accelerometers, we obtained highly detailed information on activity levels of wild animals. We found that chamois were more active during spring-summer (i.e. the seasons with the highest quality and quantity of food) and less active during winter. Our results showed that chamois activity was strongly influenced by such climatic factors as temperature, precipitation and wind speed. In winter time, chamois activity increased during the days with high solar radiation and decreased with high snow depth. Given their wide distribution in the Alps, chamois can be considered as a sentinel species of Alpine habitats. Thus, our results on the current relationship between climate and chamois behaviour may shed light on the animals’ ability to track and adapt to climate change

Elevational range shifts in four mountain ungulate species from the Swiss Alps

“…Although recent advances in GPS technology (Brivio et al 2016) allow the detailed tracking of large mammal movements (Cagnacci et al 2010, Kays et al 2015, results obtained from such approaches are typically inadequate to detect long-term species distribution dynamics. Taking advantage of the multi-decadal recording of spatial locations of harvested ungulates in the eastern Swiss Alps, our study is unique with respect to the detection of year-to-year and longer-term elevational range shifts of large, mobile vertebrates from different montane-alpine habitats in response to autumnal temperature changes and other environmental factors.…”

“…, Brivio et al. ). High‐resolution animal tracking data can contribute valuable insight into various aspects of individual and group behavior, life history, as well as ecophysiology (Signer et al.…”

“…The most common approaches for monitoring space use by large mammals are visual observation, radio and satellite telemetry, as well as tracking via Global Positioning System (GPS) sensors, an emerging technology over recent years (Signer et al 2010, Scillitani et al 2012, Filli 2013, Mason et al 2014, Kays et al 2015, Brivio et al 2016). High-resolution animal tracking data can contribute valuable insight into various aspects of individual and group behavior, life history, as well as ecophysiology (Signer et al 2010).…”

Influence of food availability and climate on behavior patterns of western black crested gibbons (Nomascus concolor) at Mt. Wuliang, Yunnan, China

“…Animals inhabiting higher latitudes experience significant seasonal changes in climatic conditions and food availability (Bartlett, ; Fan et al, ; Fan, Ni, Sun, Huang, & Jiang, ; Guan et al, ; Sayers & Norconk, ), which impose significant thermoregulatory energetic challenges (Hanya, ). To offset the energetic costs of thermoregulation during cold exposure, animals need to adapt their behavior in consequence (Bourgoin et al, ; Brivio et al, ; Caselli & Setz, ; Dunbar, Korstjens, & Lehmann, ; McFarland, Barrett, Boner, Freeman, & Henzi, ). Animals can reduce the physiological cost of thermoregulation in behavioral ways, including specific postures (Terrien, Perret, & Aujard, ), huddling (Hanya, Kiyono, & Hayaishi, ), and microhabitat selection (Danzy, Grobler, Freimer, & Turner, ; Takemoto, ).…”

Daytime activity budget of an alpine ungulate (Tatra chamois Rupicapra rupicapra tatrica): influence of herd size, sex, weather and human disturbance

“…Climatic conditions can directly affect animals by altering their physiological, behavioural or ecological reactions. On warm, windless days in arctic or alpine environments, the morning activity of large herbivores can peak earlier and their evening activity later, because their level of heat tolerance is lower than that of species adapted to warmer climates (Belovski & Slade 1986, Aublet et al 2009, Bourgoin et al 2011, Brivio et al 2016. When temperatures are low, or rain or snow is falling, the animals may remain relatively inactive in order to save energy (Loe et al 2007).…”