Interisland movements of Peary caribou (Rangifer tarandus pearyi) on western Queen Elizabeth Islands, Arctic Canada

1977 ◽  
Vol 55 (6) ◽  
pp. 1029-1037 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frank L. Miller ◽  
Richard H. Russell ◽  
Anne Gunn
Keyword(s):  
Seasonal Changes ◽  
Horizontal Plane ◽  
Rangifer Tarandus ◽  
Maximum Distance ◽  
Arctic Canada ◽  
Complete Evaluation ◽  
Spray Method ◽  
Annual Range ◽  
Vector Sum

To verify that Peary caribou were making seasonal interisland movements, we used an aerial dye-spray method. In April 1974, about 230 caribou were dye-marked green, and about 200 were marked red on Prince Patrick and Eglinton islands respectively. Aerial searches in June and July 1974 located 41 sightings of dye-marked animals. Of animals marked on Prince Patrick Island 4 were seen on Melville Island, 3 on Eglinton Island, and 16 on Prince Patrick. Of sightings of animals marked on Eglinton Island, there were 6 on Prince Patrick Island and 12 on Eglinton. Maximum distance travelled (vector sum on horizontal plane) by marked caribou was 450 km, from Prince Patrick Island to eastern Melville Island. The study indicates that high proportions of the caribou population seasonally range over two or more islands of the western Queen Elizabeth Group. Therefore, complete evaluation of annual range requirements on an island basis should take into consideration seasonal changes in numbers of caribou that are due to interisland movements.

Seasonal changes in body composition of mature female caribou and calves (Rangifer tarandus groenlandicus) on an arctic island with limited winter resources

1987 ◽  
Vol 65 (5) ◽  
pp. 1149-1157 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Z. Adamczewski ◽  
C. C. Gates ◽  
R. J. Hudson ◽  
M. A. Price
Keyword(s):  
Body Composition ◽  
Body Fat ◽  
Seasonal Changes ◽  
Rangifer Tarandus ◽  
Total Body Weight ◽  
Mature Female ◽  
Early Summer ◽  
Winter Mortality ◽  
Total Body ◽  
Rangifer Tarandus Groenlandicus

Twelve collections of mature female caribou and calves (Rangifer tarandus groenlandicus) were conducted between June 1982 and June 1984 on Coats Island, Northwest Territories, Canada, to study seasonal changes in body composition in this winter mortality limited population. Mature females depleted reserves of dissectible fat and muscle considerably during both winters of the study, particularly the second, when nearly all dissectible fat and 32% of estimated fall muscle mass were lost. Recovery of fat and muscle was rapid during the two summers, because of good quality forage and little environmental disturbance. Lactation appeared to slow fattening in early summer 1983, but by October females achieved fatness similar to that in 1982, when a majority of females in summer and fall were nonlactating. Low rumen fill and consistently high fat and muscle levels in fall 1982 and 1983 suggested that mature females then approached "set points" in body fat and muscle content. Calves grew rapidly in summer; most of this growth was lean tissue, and their losses of body fat and muscle were severe during winter. Mature females and calves increased rumen fill substantially over winter to compensate for highly fibrous food. This made total body weight a much poorer predictor of condition than carcass weight. The liver, kidneys, and empty rumen were heaviest in summer in response to high forage quality. Poor condition of females was associated with light fetuses in May 1984.

Body composition and nutrient reserves of arctic caribou

1996 ◽  
Vol 74 (1) ◽  
pp. 136-146 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. L. Gerhart ◽  
R. G. White ◽  
R. D. Cameron ◽  
D. E. Russell
Keyword(s):  
Growth Rate ◽  
Body Composition ◽  
Chemical Composition ◽  
Body Mass ◽  
Seasonal Changes ◽  
Rangifer Tarandus ◽  
Post Partum ◽  
Growth Patterns ◽  
Chemical Components ◽  
Adult Females

We determined seasonal changes in body mass and composition of arctic caribou (Rangifer tarandus granti) in relation to age and reproductive status. Chemical composition was determined for 37 caribou calves from the Central Arctic Herd ranging from 1 to 134 days of age and for 15 adult females collected from the same herd in October, May, and July. Body composition of 5 fetuses from the Central Arctic Herd, 13 calves from the Porcupine Herd, and 10 captive male reindeer (R. t. tarandus) was determined for comparison. Between October 1989 and May 1990, body fat and protein of adult females declined by maxima of 45 and 29%, respectively; an additional 32% of fat was lost between May and July. Mobilization of large amounts of fat and protein suggests winter undernutrition. Chemical composition and growth patterns of calves did not differ between the herds. The growth rate of Central Arctic Herd calves was high during the first 28 d post partum (402 g/d), but both growth rate and fatness declined between 4 and 6 weeks of age (to 306 and −18.3 g/d, respectively), perhaps in response to insect harassment. Birth masses of males and females did not differ, but by autumn, male calves were 9.1 kg heavier than females. Chemical components (water, fat, protein, ash) were highly correlated with body mass, ingesta-free body mass, and carcass mass. Percentages of fat and water were inversely related, but the intercept decreased with age. Marked seasonal hypertrophy of liver and kidneys was noted in caribou, suggesting the presence of mobilizable protein reserves. Seasonal changes in organ masses may also reflect variations in metabolic activity and nutrient intake.

Obligate larval inhibition of Ostertagia gruehneri in Rangifer tarandus? Causes and consequences in an Arctic system

Parasitology ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 139 (10) ◽  
pp. 1339-1345 ◽  
Author(s):  
BRYANNE M. HOAR ◽  
ALEXANDER G. EBERHARDT ◽  
SUSAN J. KUTZ
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Post Infection ◽  
Egg Production ◽  
Rangifer Tarandus ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Summer Solstice ◽  
Arctic Canada ◽  
Arctic Environment ◽  
Experimental Infections ◽  
Common Strategy

SUMMARYLarval inhibition is a common strategy of Trichostrongylidae nematodes that may increase survival of larvae during unfavourable periods and concentrate egg production when conditions are favourable for development and transmission. We investigated the propensity for larval inhibition in a population of Ostertagia gruehneri, the most common gastrointestinal Trichostrongylidae nematode of Rangifer tarandus. Initial experimental infections of 4 reindeer with O. gruehneri sourced from the Bathurst caribou herd in Arctic Canada suggested that the propensity for larval inhibition was 100%. In the summer of 2009 we infected 12 additional reindeer with the F1 and F2 generations of O. gruehneri sourced from the previously infected reindeer to further investigate the propensity of larval inhibition. The reindeer were divided into 2 groups and half were infected before the summer solstice (17 June) and half were infected after the solstice (16 July). Reindeer did not shed eggs until March 2010, i.e. 8 and 9 months post-infection. These results suggest obligate larval inhibition for at least 1 population of O. gruehneri, a phenomenon that has not been conclusively shown for any other trichostrongylid species. Obligate inhibition is likely to be an adaptation to both the Arctic environment and to a migratory host and may influence the ability of O. gruehneri to adapt to climate change.

Seasonal changes in T3, FT4, and cortisol in free-ranging svalbard reindeer (Rangifer tarandus platyrhynchus)

1985 ◽  
Vol 59 (2) ◽  
pp. 210-213 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kjell J. Nilssen ◽  
Karstein Bye ◽  
Johan A. Sundsfjord ◽  
Arnoldus Schytte Blix
Keyword(s):  
Seasonal Changes ◽  
Rangifer Tarandus ◽  
Svalbard Reindeer ◽  
Free Ranging

Nutritional implications of increased shrub cover for caribou (Rangifer tarandus) in the Arctic

2014 ◽  
Vol 92 (4) ◽  
pp. 339-351 ◽  
Author(s):  
D.P. Thompson ◽  
P.S. Barboza
Keyword(s):  
Body Mass ◽  
Rangifer Tarandus ◽  
Daily Intake ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Intake Rate ◽  
Eating Time ◽  
Body Protein ◽  
Low Protein ◽  
Annual Range ◽  
Abundance And Diversity

Shrubs are increasing in the annual range of arctic caribou (Rangifer tarandus (L., 1758)), but it is unknown how much summer browse caribou could consume. We measured instantaneous intakes of resin birch (Betula glandulosa Michx.) and feltleaf willow (Salix alaxensis (Andersson) Coville) by caribou during summer. Daily intake of a formulated diet without toxins was measured during the same period to monitor appetite. Caribou appetite increased from 64.1 to 86.7 g DM·kg–0.75·day−1 as animals gained body mass from 96.8 to 113.5 kg. We estimated that caribou required 645 kJ·kg–0.75·day−1 of digestible energy to maintain body mass and 1113 kJ·kg–0.75·day−1 to gain body mass for autumn reproduction. Caribou had the same bite mass (9.7 mg·bite−1·kg–0.75) and instantaneous intake rate (0.17 g DM·min−1·kg–0.75) on both forages; however, birch contained more phenols (3.3% vs. 1.5%) and less available protein (6.2% vs. 10.2%) than willow. A 100 kg female caribou would need to consume 2.4–8.7 kg of fresh browse, requiring 3.1–8.5 h·day−1 of eating time to meet daily energy requirements. Birch is unlikely to provide enough nitrogen for maintenance of body protein. Therefore, caribou may depend on abundance and diversity of plants to offset toxin loads and low protein intake from shrubs during summer.

scholarly journals The structure and functional profile of ruminal microbiota in young and adult reindeers (Rangifer tarandus) consuming natural winter-spring and summer-autumn seasonal diets

PeerJ ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
pp. e12389
Author(s):  
Elena Yildirim ◽  
Larisa Ilina ◽  
Georgy Laptev ◽  
Valentina Filippova ◽  
Evgeni Brazhnik ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Metabolic Pathways ◽  
Seasonal Changes ◽  
Volatile Fatty Acids ◽  
Rangifer Tarandus ◽  
Winter Season ◽  
Gene Families ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Acid Fermentation ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Ruminal Microbiota

Background The key natural area of Russian reindeer (Rangifer tarandus, Nenets breed) is arctic zones, with severe climatic conditions and scarce feed resources, especially in the cold winter season. The adaptation of reindeer to these conditions is associated not only with the genetic potential of the animal itself. The rumen microbiome provides significant assistance in adapting animals to difficult conditions by participating in the fiber digestion. The aim of our study is to investigate the taxonomy and predicted metabolic pathways of the ruminal microbiota (RM) during the winter–spring (WS) and summer–autumn (SA) seasons, in calves and adult reindeer inhabiting the natural pastures of the Yamalo-Nenetsky Autonomous District of the Russian Federation. Methods The RM in reindeer was studied using the Next Generation Sequencing method with the MiSeq (Illumina, San Diego, CA, USA) platform. Reconstruction and prediction of functional profiles of the metagenome, gene families, and enzymes were performed using the software package PICRUSt2 (v.2.3.0). Results The nutritional value of WS and SA diets significantly differed. Crude fiber content in the WS diet was higher by 22.4% (p < 0.05), compared to SA, indicating possibly poorer digestibility and necessity of the adaptation of the RM to this seasonal change. A total of 22 bacterial superphyla and phyla were found in the rumen, superphylum Bacteroidota and phylum Firmicutes being the dominating taxa (up to 48.1% ± 4.30% and 46.1% ± 4.80%, respectively); while only two archaeal phyla presented as minor communities (no more then 0.54% ± 0.14% totally). The percentages of the dominating taxa were not affected by age or season. However, significant changes in certain minor communities were found, with seasonal changes being more significant than age-related ones. The percentage of phylum Actinobacteriota significantly increased (19.3-fold) in SA, compared to WS (p = 0.02) in adults, and the percentage of phylum Cyanobacteria increased up to seven-fold (p = 0.002) in adults and calves. Seasonal changes in RM can improve the ability of reindeer to withstand the seasons characterized by a low availability of nutrients. The PICRUSt2 results revealed 257 predicted metabolic pathways in RM: 41 pathways were significantly (p < 0.05) influenced by season and/or age, including the processes of synthesis of vitamins, volatile fatty acids, and pigments; metabolism of protein, lipids, and energy; pathogenesis, methanogenesis, butanediol to pyruvate biosynthesis, cell wall biosynthesis, degradation of neurotransmitters, lactic acid fermentation, and biosynthesis of nucleic acids. A large part of these changeable pathways (13 of 41) was related to the synthesis of vitamin K homologues. Conclusion The results obtained improve our knowledge on the structure and possible metabolic pathways of the RM in reindeer, in relation to seasonal changes.

Seasonal changes in growth rate, feed intake, growth hormone, and thyroid hormones in young male reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus)

1982 ◽  
Vol 60 (1) ◽  
pp. 15-23 ◽  
Author(s):  
Morten Ryg ◽  
Endre Jacobsen
Keyword(s):  
Growth Hormone ◽  
Feed Intake ◽  
Seasonal Changes ◽  
Rangifer Tarandus ◽  
Young Male ◽  
Early Spring ◽  
Late Winter ◽  
Seasonal Patterns ◽  
Restricted Feeding ◽  
Ad Libitum

The levels of thyroxine (T4), triiodothyronine (T3), and growth hormone (GH) in blood serum from young male reindeer have been measured and compared with changes in body weight and feed intake during ad libitum and restricted feeding. All three hormones fluctuated during the year. T3 changed in response to changes in feed intake. T4 and GH seemed to have basic seasonal patterns, which were modified by differences in feed intake. GH rose to high levels in late winter – early spring. T4 levels were higher in summer than in winter, corresponding roughly to changes in weight gain and feed intake.

Movement-based methods to infer parturition events in migratory ungulates

2018 ◽  
Vol 96 (11) ◽  
pp. 1187-1195 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew D. Cameron ◽  
Kyle Joly ◽  
Greg A. Breed ◽  
Lincoln S. Parrett ◽  
Knut Kielland
Keyword(s):  
Analytical Methods ◽  
Interannual Variation ◽  
Rangifer Tarandus ◽  
Satellite Telemetry ◽  
Natural Phenomenon ◽  
Vital Rates ◽  
Long Distance ◽  
Movement Data ◽  
Annual Range ◽  
Multiple Species

Long-distance migrations by ungulate species are a globally imperiled natural phenomenon and conservation of them requires monitoring population vital rates. Satellite telemetry tracking is widely used for understanding the spatial distribution and movement of animals, especially migratory animals in remote environments. Recently, analytical methods have been developed to infer parturition events from movement data in multiple species that calve in isolation, but to date such methods have not been tested on animals that both migrate and spatially aggregate during calving. We applied two movement-based methods developed to infer parturition in nonmigratory woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou (Gmelin, 1788)) to 241 reproductive seasons spanning 6 years of GPS data from migratory barren-ground caribou (Rangifer tarandus granti J.A. Allen, 1902). We compared results from both methods to data from aerial surveys of collared females during the calving period. We found that each movement-based method had ∼80% overall accuracy to identify calving events, with interannual variation ranging from 61% to 100%. When we considered instances when the two analytical methods agreed on parturition outcome, the accuracy increased to 89% with an annual range of 73%–100%. Using these methods, we identified marked interannual differences in peak calving dates and higher parturition rates than previously reported for this caribou herd. The successful application of these analyses to a migratory, gregarious ungulate suggests a broader applicability of the methodology.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document