| 1. |
- Allen, Andrew, et al.
(författare)
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Habitat-performance relationships of a large mammal on a predator-free island dominated by humans
- 2017
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Ingår i: Ecology and Evolution. - : Wiley. - 2045-7758. ; 7, s. 305-319
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The demographic consequences of changes in habitat use driven by human modification of landscape, and/or changes in climate, are important for any species. We investigated habitat-performance relationships in a declining island population of a large mammal, the moose (Alces alces), in an environment that is predator-free but dominated by humans. We used a combination of demographic data, knowledge of habitat selection, and multiannual movement data of female moose (n = 17) to understand how space use patterns affect fecundity and calf survival. The calving rate was 0.64 and was similar to calving rates reported in other populations. Calf survival was 0.22 (annually) and 0.32 (postsummer), which are particularly low compared to other populations where postsummer survival is typically above 0.7. Home ranges were mainly composed of arable land (>40%), and selection for arable land was higher in winter than in summer, which contrasts with previous studies. Females that spent more time in broadleaf forest in the summer prior to the rut had higher fecundity rates, while more time spent in arable land resulted in lower fecundity rates. Females that spent more time in thicket/scrubland habitats during winter had lower calf survival, while females that had higher use of mixed forests tended to have higher calf survival. The dominance, and subsequent use, of suboptimal foraging habitats may lead to poor body condition of females at parturition, which may lower calf body weights and affect the mother's ability to lactate. In addition, our results indicated that the growing season has advanced significantly in recent decades, which may be causing a mismatch between parturition and optimal resource availability. These effects may exacerbate the female's ability to meet the energetic demands of lactation. Therefore, the observed low calf survival appears to be caused by a combination of factors related to current land use and may also be due to changing vegetation phenology. These results have important implications for the management of species in human-dominated landscapes in the face of climate change, and for an increased understanding of how species may adapt to future land use and climate change.
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| 2. |
- Allen, Andrew, et al.
(författare)
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Linking Movement Ecology with Wildlife Management and Conservation
- 2016
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Ingår i: Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution. - : Frontiers Media SA. - 2296-701X. ; 3
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- A common challenge in species conservation and management is how to incorporate species movements into management objectives. There often is a lack of knowledge of where, when, and why species move. The field of movement ecology has grown rapidly in the last decade and is now providing the knowledge needed to incorporate movements of species into management planning. This knowledge can also be used to develop management strategies that are flexible in time and space and may improve the effectiveness of management actions. Therefore, wildlife management and conservation may benefit by strengthening the link with movement ecology. We present a framework that illustrates how animal movement can be used to enhance conservation planning and identify management actions that are complementary to existing strategies. The framework contains five steps that identify (1) the movement attributes of a species, (2) their impacts on ecosystems, (3) how this knowledge can be used to guide the scale and type of management, (4) the implementation, and (5) the evaluation of management actions. We discuss these five steps in detail, highlighting why the step is important and how the information can be obtained. We illustrate the framework through a case study of managing a highly mobile species, the Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar), a harvested species of conservation concern. We believe that the movement-management framework provides an important, and timely, link between movement ecology and wildlife management and conservation, and highlights the potential for complementary, dynamic solutions for managing wildlife.
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| 3. |
- Allen, Andrew, et al.
(författare)
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Moving in the Anthropocene: Global reductions in terrestrial mammalian movements
- 2018
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Ingår i: Science. - : American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). - 0036-8075 .- 1095-9203. ; 359, s. 466-469
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Animal movement is fundamental for ecosystem functioning and species survival, yet the effects of the anthropogenic footprint on animal movements have not been estimated across species. Using a unique GPS-tracking database of 803 individuals across 57 species, we found that movements of mammals in areas with a comparatively high human footprint were on average one-half to one-third the extent of their movements in areas with a low human footprint. We attribute this reduction to behavioral changes of individual animals and to the exclusion of species with long-range movements from areas with higher human impact. Global loss of vagility alters a key ecological trait of animals that affects not only population persistence but also ecosystem processes such as predator-prey interactions, nutrient cycling, and disease transmission.
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| 4. |
- Allen, Andrew, et al.
(författare)
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Scaling up movements: from individual space use to population patterns
- 2016
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Ingår i: Ecosphere. - : Wiley. - 2150-8925. ; 7, s. 1-16
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Studying multiple individuals from multiple populations would add knowledge about the proportion of different movement strategies (migratory vs. resident) and how space use patterns vary within and across populations. This allows for effective conservation or management of partially migratory animal populations by identifying the appropriate size of management units and temporal interventions. However, this knowledge is often lacking as only a few individuals from a single population are tracked in space and time. To understand the drivers of intraspecific variation in movement patterns across a broad scale, we analyzed the multiannual space use of 307 moose (Alces alces), containing 544 single-year trajectories, from 10 study areas that are spread over a 1500-km latitudinal gradient. Using a novel approach, we quantified within-and among-population variation in movement and space use patterns. We identified the movement strategy (migratory, sedentary, nomadic, or dispersal) of moose and computed annual and seasonal home ranges. Individuals demonstrated variable movement strategies from migration to year-round residence. Summer home ranges were larger in northern study areas, whereas no geographical trends were detected among populations in winter home ranges. Individual-level traits, such as sex and age, along with factors related to the landscape, such as land use and habitat, explained variation within populations, whereas climatic factors such as temperature and vegetative productivity explained variation among populations. Importantly, the variables that explained individual-level variation in space use within populations were different for all our populations. We demonstrate the intricate interplay between individual life history and landscape scale variables and how they may determine the observed movement patterns and influence the scale of management.
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| 5. |
- Arnemo, Jon, et al.
(författare)
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Lipidomics Reveals Seasonal Shifts in a Large-Bodied Hibernator, the Brown Bear
- 2019
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Ingår i: Frontiers in Physiology. - : Frontiers Media SA. - 1664-042X. ; 10
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Prior to winter, heterotherms retain polyunsaturated fatty acids ("PUFA"), resulting in enhanced energy savings during hibernation, through deeper and longer torpor bouts. Hibernating bears exhibit a less dramatic reduction (2-5 degrees C) in body temperature, but lower their metabolism to a degree close to that of small hibernators. We determined the lipid composition, via lipidomics, in skeletal muscle and white adipose tissues ("WAT"), to assess lipid retention, and in blood plasma, to reflect lipid trafficking, of winter hibernating and summer active wild Scandinavian brown bears (Ursus arctos). We found that the proportion of monounsaturated fatty acids in muscle of bears was significantly higher during winter. During hibernation, omega-3 PUFAs were retained in WAT and short-length fatty acids were released into the plasma. The analysis of individual lipid moieties indicated significant changes of specific fatty acids, which are in line with the observed seasonal shift in the major lipid categories and can be involved in specific regulations of metabolisms. These results strongly suggest that the shift in lipid composition is well conserved among hibernators, independent of body mass and of the animals' body temperature.
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| 6. |
- Cayol, Claire, et al.
(författare)
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Urban forest soils harbour distinct and more diverse communities of bacteria and fungi compared to less disturbed forest soils
- 2023
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Ingår i: Molecular Ecology. - : Wiley. - 0962-1083 .- 1365-294X. ; 32, s. 504-517
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Anthropogenic changes to land use drive concomitant changes in biodiversity, including that of the soil microbiota. However, it is not clear how increasing intensity of human disturbance is reflected in the soil microbial communities. To address this issue, we used amplicon sequencing to quantify the microbiota (bacteria and fungi) in the soil of forests (n = 312) experiencing four different land uses, national parks (set aside for nature conservation), managed (for forestry purposes), suburban (on the border of an urban area) and urban (fully within a town or city), which broadly represent a gradient of anthropogenic disturbance. Alpha diversity of bacteria and fungi increased with increasing levels of anthropogenic disturbance, and was thus highest in urban forest soils and lowest in the national parks. The forest soil microbial communities were structured according to the level of anthropogenic disturbance, with a clear urban signature evident in both bacteria and fungi. Despite notable differences in community composition, there was little change in the predicted functional traits of urban bacteria. By contrast, urban soils exhibited a marked loss of ectomycorrhizal fungi. Soil pH was positively correlated with the level of disturbance, and thus was the strongest predictor of variation in alpha and beta diversity of forest soil communities, indicating a role of soil alkalinity in structuring urban soil microbial communities. Hence, our study shows how the properties of urban forest soils promote an increase in microbial diversity and a change in forest soil microbiota composition.
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| 7. |
- Cooke, Steven J., et al.
(författare)
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Animal migration in the Anthropocene : threats and mitigation options
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Ingår i: Biological Reviews. - 1464-7931.
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Animal migration has fascinated scientists and the public alike for centuries, yet migratory animals are facing diverse threats that could lead to their demise. The Anthropocene is characterised by the reality that humans are the dominant force on Earth, having manifold negative effects on biodiversity and ecosystem function. Considerable research focus has been given to assessing anthropogenic impacts on the numerical abundance of species/populations, whereas relatively less attention has been devoted to animal migration. However, there are clear linkages, for example, where human-driven impacts on migration behaviour can lead to population/species declines or even extinction. Here, we explore anthropogenic threats to migratory animals (in all domains – aquatic, terrestrial, and aerial) using International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Threat Taxonomy classifications. We reveal the diverse threats (e.g. human development, disease, invasive species, climate change, exploitation, pollution) that impact migratory wildlife in varied ways spanning taxa, life stages and type of impact (e.g. from direct mortality to changes in behaviour, health, and physiology). Notably, these threats often interact in complex and unpredictable ways to the detriment of wildlife, further complicating management. Fortunately, we are beginning to identify strategies for conserving and managing migratory animals in the Anthropocene. We provide a set of strategies that, if embraced, have the potential to ensure that migratory animals, and the important ecological functions sustained by migration, persist.
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| 8. |
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| 9. |
- Ecke, Frauke, et al.
(författare)
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Population fluctuations and synanthropy explain transmission risk in rodent-borne zoonoses
- 2022
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Ingår i: Nature Communications. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2041-1723. ; 13
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Population fluctuations are widespread across the animal kingdom, especially in the order Rodentia, which includes many globally important reservoir species for zoonotic pathogens. The implications of these fluctuations for zoonotic spillover remain poorly understood. Here, we report a global empirical analysis of data describing the linkages between habitat use, population fluctuations and zoonotic reservoir status in rodents. Our quantitative synthesis is based on data collated from papers and databases. We show that the magnitude of population fluctuations combined with species’ synanthropy and degree of human exploitation together distinguish most rodent reservoirs at a global scale, a result that was consistent across all pathogen types and pathogen transmission modes. Our spatial analyses identified hotspots of high transmission risk, including regions where reservoir species dominate the rodent community. Beyond rodents, these generalities inform our understanding of how natural and anthropogenic factors interact to increase the risk of zoonotic spillover in a rapidly changing world.
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| 10. |
- Ecke, Frauke, et al.
(författare)
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Puumala Orthohantavirus Infection Does Not Affect the Trapping Success of Its Reservoir Host
- 2022
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Ingår i: Vector Borne and Zoonotic Diseases. - : Mary Ann Liebert. - 1530-3667 .- 1557-7759. ; 22:5, s. 297-299
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Pathogens might affect behavior of infected reservoir hosts and hence their trappability, which could bias population estimates of pathogen prevalence. In this study, we used snap-trapping data on Puumala orthohantavirus (PUUV)-infected (n = 1619) and noninfected (n = 6940) bank voles (Myodes glareolus) from five vole cycles, normally representing increase, peak, and decline phase, to evaluate if infection status affected trapping success. If PUUV infection, as previously suggested, increases activity and/or mobility, we would expect a higher proportion of infected than noninfected specimens in the first trapping night. However, the proportion of PUUV-infected voles did not differ across the three trapping nights. We conclude that PUUV infection did not affect trapping success, confirming snap trapping as an appropriate trapping method for studies on PUUV prevalence and likely other orthohantaviruses.
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| 11. |
- Ecke, Frauke, et al.
(författare)
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Sublethal Lead Exposure Alters Movement Behavior in Free-Ranging Golden Eagles
- 2017
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Ingår i: Environmental Science and Technology. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 0013-936X .- 1520-5851. ; 51:10, s. 5729-5736
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Lead poisoning of animals due to ingestion of fragments from lead-based ammunition in carcasses and offal of shot wildlife is acknowledged globally and raises great concerns about potential behavioral effects leading to increased mortality risks. Lead levels in blood were correlated with progress of the moose hunting season. Based on analyses of tracking data, we found that even sublethal lead concentrations in blood (25 ppb, wet weight), can likely negatively affect movement behavior (flight height and movement rate) of free ranging scavenging Golden Eagles (Aquila chrysaetos). Lead levels in liver of recovered post-mortem analyzed eagles suggested that sublethal exposure increases the risk of mortality in eagles. Such adverse effects on animals are probably common worldwide and across species, where game hunting with lead-based ammunition is widespread. Our study highlights lead exposure as a considerably more serious threat to wildlife conservation than previously realized and suggests implementation of bans of lead ammunition for hunting.
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| 12. |
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| 13. |
- Ericsson, Göran, et al.
(författare)
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Offset between GPS collar-recorded temperature in moose and ambient weather station data
- 2015
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Ingår i: European Journal of Wildlife Research. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1612-4642 .- 1439-0574. ; 61, s. 919-922
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- GPS collar-recorded temperature is often considered as a proxy for the ambient temperature in wildlife ecology studies, yet few studies actually test its reliability as well as the correlation with ambient temperature. Here, we address this question and demonstrate a strong correlation between collar temperature and weather station data, indicating that GPS collar sensor data can be regarded as a reliable index of ambient air temperature. Using data obtained from 384 free-ranging moose equipped with GPS collars between latitude 57A degrees N to 68A degrees N in Sweden, we analyzed 1,467,361 paired observations of collar temperature and air temperature of the nearest official Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute station. We found a systematic offset that varied across months, being larger during the warm summer months than during the winter period. We found an average correlation of .91 (r (s); range .75 to .93, median .91) between collar and ambient temperature of the nearest weather station. Thus, temperature sensors in, e.g., a GPS collar, may be used to study animal behavior, movement and habitat choice in relation to ambient air temperature. This aligns with the calls for using animals as not only subjects but also as the samplers of the environment. It also opens up possibilities for large-scale projects on animal ecology and physiology in the absence of ground measuring stations on higher spatial scales like home range and landscape. As an application of collar temperature, we show that changes in the movement patterns seem to be highly influenced by temperature-induced heat stress that moose experience during summer.
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| 14. |
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| 15. |
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| 16. |
- Ericsson, Göran, et al.
(författare)
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Slutrapport. Temaforskningsprogram Vilt och Skog 2010-2012
- 2013
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Rapport (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Liksom under föregående projektperiod har styrgruppen under 2010‐12 varit mycket engagerad och aktiv. För tema 1 ‐ Klövviltets fördelning och nyttjande av skogslandskapet ‐ har det inneburit ett fortsatt fokus på älg fram till 2012 då programmet startade förberedelserna för flerartsstudier. För tema 2 ‐ Skogsskötsel, foderproduktion och utnyttjande – har det medfört dels ett fortsatt fokus utvärdering av åtgärderna i Sveaskogs foderprojekt, dels ett tydligare arbete med fler studieområden och klövviltets nyttjande av miljön. För tema 3 ‐ Förbättrade instrument för övervakning av viltpopulationerna – har resurserna koncentrerats på studier av referenshägn. Utifrån rogrammets resurser, >3 Mkr per år, och den ambitiösa programplanen som styrgruppen tillsammans med forskarna utarbetat, är det programledningens bedömning att vi mer än väl nått målen vad gäller relevant kunskap för sektorn och SLU, särskilt inom följande områden. Vi har… * med flera studiepopulationer i södra, mellersta och norra Sverige studerat älgarnas fördelning och nyttjande av skogslandskapet med hjälp av GPS; * med tre studiepopulationer i södra Sverige studerat klövviltets fördelning och nyttjande av skogslandskapet med hjälp av inventeringar; * dokumenterat nyttjandet ur ett flerartsperspektiv i tre områden i södra Sverige; * utvärderat effekten på skog av direkt foderskapande åtgärder inklusive viltåkrar; * i stor skala utvecklat och utvärderat metoder för uppföljning av klövviltets fördelning i landskapet och deras påverkan; * etablerat och delvis utvärderat referenshägn som ett förbättrat instrument för bedömning av betespåverkan; * i de två regeringsuppdragen till SLU om inventeringsmetoder för älg och utbildning adaptiv förvaltning utarbetat faktablad, manualer och utbildningsmaterial, samt deltagit i utbildning av länsstyrelser och skogsnäring Vi bedömer att vi endast delvis nått målen för… * några planerade foderskapande åtgärder. Vi bedömer att orsaken till detta är rent praktiska inom skogssektorn, vilka stått helt utanför vår kontroll. Det handlar dels om att åtgärderna sattes in så sent (säsongen 2010‐2011 eller 2012 för frihuggning av ekar) att effekterna helt enkelt inte kunnat utvärderas (främst viltanpassad röjning), dels att planerade åtgärder som plantering av salix inte alls blev av, dels att vissa åtgärder utfördes i mycket mindre omfattning än planerat; * förbättrade instrument för övervakning av viltpopulationerna. SLU:s och den skogsvetenskapliga fakultetens mål med temaforskningsprogram är att bygga ny kompetens. Under programperioden har SLU blivit den ledande miljön inom adaptiv klövviltförvaltning, rörelseekologi, vilt och foderskapande åtgärder samt inventeringsmetodik för betning och klövvilt. Programmet har tränat fyra postdoktorala forskare varav två är docent på SLU idag. Vi har internationellt rekryterat två forskarassistenter som redan nu efter två år är under prövning för docentur vid SLU. Programet har tränat 22 studenter, sammanfattat kunskapen i 17 rapporter, 22 examensarbeten (21 master, 1 kandidat), 15 faktablad, 7 bokkapitel, 6 manualer för adaptiv 4 älgförvaltning, 6 instruktioner om försöksdesign, >11 populärvetenskapliga artiklar och slutligen 51 vetenskapliga arbeten till refereegranskade tidskrifter. Därtill har vi medverkat i ett stort antal publika möten från Skåne i söder till Norrbotten i norr.
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| 30. |
- Evans, Alina L., et al.
(författare)
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Body mass is associated with hibernation length, body temperature, and heart rate in free-ranging brown bears
- 2023
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Ingår i: Frontiers in Zoology. - : BioMed Central (BMC). - 1742-9994. ; 20:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Despite centuries of research, debate remains on the scaling of metabolic rate to mass especially for intraspecific cases. The high variation of body mass within brown bears presents a unique opportunity to study the intraspecific effects of body mass on physiological variables. The amplitude of metabolic rate reduction in hibernators is dependent on body mass of the species. Small hibernators have high metabolic rates when euthermic but experience a drastic decrease in body temperature during torpor, which is necessary to reach a very low metabolic rate. Conversely, large hibernators, such as the brown bear (Ursus arctos), show a moderate decrease in temperature during hibernation, thought to be related to the bear's large size. We studied body mass, abdominal body temperature, heart rate, and accelerometer-derived activity from 63 free-ranging brown bears (1-15 years old, 15-233 kg). We tested for relationships between body mass and body temperature, heart rate, and hibernation duration.RESULTS: The smallest individuals maintained lower body temperatures during hibernation, hibernated longer, and ended hibernation later than large bears. Unlike body temperature, winter heart rates were not associated with body mass. In summer, the opposite pattern was found, with smaller individuals having higher body temperature and daytime heart rates. Body mass was associated with body temperature in the winter hypometabolic state, even in a large hibernating mammal. Smaller bears, which are known to have higher thermal conductance, reached lower body temperatures during hibernation. During summer, smaller bears had higher body temperatures and daytime heart rates, a phenomenon not previously documented within a single mammalian species.CONCLUSION: We conclude that the smallest bears hibernated more deeply and longer than large bears, likely from a combined effect of basic thermodynamics, the higher need for energy savings, and a lower cost of warming up a smaller body.
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| 31. |
- Evans, Alina L., et al.
(författare)
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Physiological reactions to capture in hibernating brown bears
- 2016
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Ingår i: Conservation Physiology. - : Oxford University Press. - 2051-1434. ; 4
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Human disturbance can affect animal life history and even population dynamics. However, the consequences of these disturbances are difficult to measure. This is especially true for hibernating animals, which are highly vulnerable to disturbance, because hibernation is a process of major physiological changes, involving conservation of energy during a resource-depleted time of year. During the winters of 2011-15, we captured 15 subadult brown bears (Ursus arctos) and recorded their body temperatures (n = 11) and heart rates (n = 10) before, during and after capture using biologgers. We estimated the time for body temperature and heart rate to normalize after the capture event. We then evaluated the effect of the captures on the pattern and depth of hibernation and the day of den emergence by comparing the body temperature of captured bears with that of undisturbed subadult bears (n = 11). Both body temperature and heart rate increased during capture and returned to hibernation levels after 15-20 days. We showed that bears required 2-3 weeks to return to hibernation levels after winter captures, suggesting high metabolic costs during this period. There were also indications that the winter captures resulted in delayed den emergence.
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| 32. |
- Fohringer, Christian, et al.
(författare)
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Integrating omics to characterize eco‐physiological adaptations : How moose diet and metabolism differ across biogeographic zones
- 2021
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Ingår i: Ecology and Evolution. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 2045-7758. ; 11:7, s. 3159-3183
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- 1. With accelerated land conversion and global heating at northern latitudes, it becomes crucial to understand, how life histories of animals in extreme environments adapt to these changes. Animals may either adapt by adjusting foraging behavior or through physiological responses, including adjusting their energy metabolism or both. Until now, it has been difficult to study such adaptations in free‐ranging animals due to methodological constraints that prevent extensive spatiotemporal coverage of ecological and physiological data.2. Through a novel approach of combining DNA‐metabarcoding and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)‐based metabolomics, we aim to elucidate the links between diets and metabolism in Scandinavian moose Alces alces over three biogeographic zones using a unique dataset of 265 marked individuals.3. Based on 17 diet items, we identified four different classes of diet types that match browse species availability in respective ecoregions in northern Sweden. Individuals in the boreal zone consumed predominantly pine and had the least diverse diets, while individuals with highest diet diversity occurred in the coastal areas. Males exhibited lower average diet diversity than females.4. We identified several molecular markers indicating metabolic constraints linked to diet constraints in terms of food availability during winter. While animals consuming pine had higher lipid, phospocholine, and glycerophosphocholine concentrations in their serum than other diet types, birch‐ and willow/aspen‐rich diets exhibit elevated concentrations of several amino acids. The individuals with highest diet diversity had increased levels of ketone bodies, indicating extensive periods of starvation for these individuals.5. Our results show how the adaptive capacity of moose at the eco‐physiological level varies over a large eco‐geographic scale and how it responds to land use pressures. In light of extensive ongoing climate and land use changes, these findings pave the way for future scenario building for animal adaptive capacity.
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| 33. |
- Fohringer, Christian, et al.
(författare)
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Large mammal telomere length variation across ecoregions
- 2022
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Ingår i: BMC ecology and evolution. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2730-7182. ; 22
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background Telomere length provides a physiological proxy for accumulated stress in animals. While there is a growing consensus over how telomere dynamics and their patterns are linked to life history variation and individual experience, knowledge on the impact of exposure to different stressors at a large spatial scale on telomere length is still lacking. How exposure to different stressors at a regional scale interacts with individual differences in life history is also poorly understood. To better understand large-scale regional influences, we investigated telomere length variation in moose (Alces alces) distributed across three ecoregions. We analyzed 153 samples of 106 moose representing moose of both sexes and range of ages to measure relative telomere lengths (RTL) in white blood cells. Results We found that average RTL was significantly shorter in a northern (montane) and southern (sarmatic) ecoregion where moose experience chronic stress related to severe summer and winter temperatures as well as high anthropogenic land-use compared to the boreal region. Our study suggests that animals in the northern boreal forests, with relatively homogenous land use, are less disturbed by environmental and anthropogenic stressors. In contrast, animals in areas experiencing a higher rate of anthropogenic and environmental change experience increased stress. Conclusion Although animals can often adapt to predictable stressors, our data suggest that some environmental conditions, even though predictable and ubiquitous, can generate population level differences of long-term stress. By measuring RTL in moose for the first time, we provide valuable insights towards our current understanding of telomere biology in free-ranging wildlife in human-modified ecosystems.
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| 34. |
- Fohringer, Christian, et al.
(författare)
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Reindeer husbandry in peril?-How extractive industries exert multiple pressures on an Arctic pastoral ecosystem
- 2021
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Ingår i: People and Nature. - : Wiley. - 2575-8314. ; 3:4, s. 872-886
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Environmental changes and their consequences on biodiversity are known to have far-reaching effects on the resilience of animal populations and associated livelihoods around the world. To counteract negative demographic and economic effects on pastoralism, knowledge about the historical and current status of the environment is essential. In this study, we show how extractive industries, especially large-scale mining, induced a cascade of land conversions which are affecting animal populations and pastoralists' adaptive responses in northern Sweden. We examine social-ecological vulnerability in Arctic reindeer husbandry by integrating herders' knowledge, population statistics for semi-domesticated reindeer Rangifer t. tarandus, public data on socio-economic variables and geospatial tools. We determine that approximately 34% of Laevas reindeer herding community's grazing grounds are functionally unavailable to reindeer at present due to the accumulation of multiple competing land use pressures. Reindeer numbers currently only remain stable due to increased management efforts. Moreover, we identified current hotspots of high cumulative impact and mineral exploration as the spatially dominating land use factor in this area. Our approach and results provide new insights for scientifically robust cumulative impact assessments of anthropogenic stressors by creating a baseline of current developments via a combination of reindeer herder's knowledge with historical data of trends and extents of human activity over the last century.
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| 35. |
- Gaur, D., et al.
(författare)
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Ydj1 interaction at nucleotide-binding-domain of yeast Ssa1 impacts Hsp90 collaboration and client maturation
- 2022
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Ingår i: PLoS Genetics. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1553-7390 .- 1553-7404. ; 18:11
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Hsp90 constitutes one of the major chaperone machinery in the cell. The Hsp70 assists Hsp90 in its client maturation though the underlying basis of the Hsp70 role remains to be explored. In the present study, using S. cerevisiae strain expressing Ssa1 as sole Ssa Hsp70, we identified novel mutations in the nucleotide-binding domain of yeast Ssa1 Hsp70 (Ssa1-T175N and Ssa1-D158N) that adversely affect the maturation of Hsp90 clients v-Src and Ste11. The identified Ssa1 amino acids critical for Hsp90 function were also found to be conserved across species such as in E.coli DnaK and the constitutive Hsp70 isoform (HspA8) in humans. These mutations are distal to the C-terminus of Hsp70, that primarily mediates Hsp90 interaction through the bridge protein Sti1, and proximal to Ydj1 (Hsp40 cochaperone of Hsp70 family) binding region. Intriguingly, we found that the bridge protein Sti1 is critical for cellular viability in cells expressing Ssa1-T175N (A1-T175N) or Ssa1-D158N (A1-D158N) as sole Ssa Hsp70. The growth defect was specific for sti1Δ, as deletion of none of the other Hsp90 co-chaperones showed lethality in A1-T175N or A1-D158N. Mass-spectrometry based whole proteome analysis of A1-T175N cells lacking Sti1 showed an altered abundance of various kinases and transcription factors suggesting compromised Hsp90 activity. Further proteomic analysis showed that pathways involved in signaling, signal transduction, and protein phosphorylation are markedly downregulated in the A1-T175N upon repressing Sti1 expression using doxycycline regulatable promoter. In contrast to Ssa1, the homologous mutations in Ssa4 (Ssa4-T175N/D158N), the stress inducible Hsp70 isoform, supported cell growth even in the absence of Sti1. Overall, our data suggest that Ydj1 competes with Hsp90 for binding to Hsp70, and thus regulates Hsp90 interaction with the nucleotide-binding domain of Hsp70. The study thus provides new insight into the Hsp70-mediated regulation of Hsp90 and broadens our understanding of the intricate complexities of the Hsp70-Hsp90 network.
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| 36. |
- Holmes, Sheila, et al.
(författare)
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Declining recruitment and mass of Swedish moose calves linked to hot, dry springs and snowy winters
- 2021
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Ingår i: Global Ecology and Conservation. - : Elsevier BV. - 2351-9894. ; 27
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- As global temperatures continue to rise, increases in the frequency and intensity of climatic extremes will likely outpace average temperature increases, and may have outsized impacts on biological populations. Moose (Alces alces) are adapted to cold weather and populations are declining at the southern edge of the species' range. Moose therefore make a suitable case study to examine the relationship between population performance and both climatic averages and the frequency of rare, intense climatic events. More than twenty years of slaughter weights and moose observations collected by hunting teams across all of Sweden show that early calf recruitment has declined throughout Sweden and calf mass has also declined, particularly in central and southern Sweden. Spring weather affected mean calf mass, which declined with higher average temperatures, more frequent very hot days (days in the 95th percentile for maximum temperature) and less precipitation during this season, though in the case of hot days only when high temperatures coincided with low rainfall. This supports previous observations of moose sensitivity to both direct heat stress and the negative impacts of hot, dry spring weather on forage quality. Recruitment was similarly impacted, and the interaction between the previous year's temperature and precipitation supports a lagged effect of weather on recruitment, via female condition. Finally, cold winter temperatures and deeper snow were associated with reduced calf mass during the following autumn, while deeper snow was additionally linked to fewer calves per female. Our results suggest that similar patterns may exist for averages and the frequency of extreme values, but it is important to examine both in order to improve biological relevance. The significant and ongoing declines in calf mass in southern populations and calf recruitment throughout Sweden should serve as an early warning that Eurasian moose may suffer from climate change in similar ways to North American moose. We discuss conservation management strategies, both in terms of harvest as well as landscape management, that may help mitigate the observed patterns. (C) 2021 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V.
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| 37. |
- Holmes, Sheila, et al.
(författare)
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Increased summer temperature is associated with reduced calf mass of a circumpolar large mammal through direct thermoregulatory and indirect, food quality, pathways
- 2023
-
Ingår i: Oecologia. - 0029-8549 .- 1432-1939.
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Climate change represents a growing ecological challenge. The (sub) arctic and boreal regions of the world experience the most rapid warming, presenting an excellent model system for studying how climate change afects mammals. Moose (Alces alces) are a particularly relevant model species with their circumpolar range. Population declines across the southern edge of this range are linked to rising temperatures. Using a long-term dataset (1988–1997, 2017–2019), we examine the relative strength of direct (thermoregulatory costs) and indirect (food quality) pathways linking temperature, precipitation, and the quality of two important food items (birch and freweed) to variation in moose calf mass in northern Sweden. The direct efects of temperature consistently showed stronger relationships to moose calf mass than did the indirect efects. The proportion of growing season days where the temperature exceeded a 20 °C threshold showed stronger direct negative relationships to moose calf mass than did mean temperature values. Finally, while annual forb (freweed) quality was more strongly infuenced by temperature and precipitation than were perennial (birch) leaves, this did not translate into a stronger relationship to moose calf weight. The only indirect path with supporting evidence suggested that mean growing season temperatures were positively associated with neutral detergent fber, which was, in turn, negatively associated with calf mass. While indirect impacts of climate change deserve further investigation, it is important to recognize the large direct impacts of temperature on cold-adapted species.
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| 38. |
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| 39. |
- Karlsson, Edvin, et al.
(författare)
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Airborne microbial biodiversity and seasonality in Northern and Southern Sweden
- 2020
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Ingår i: PeerJ. - : PeerJ. - 2167-8359. ; 8
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Microorganisms are essential constituents of ecosystems. To improve our understanding of how various factors shape microbial diversity and composition in nature it is important to study how microorganisms vary in space and time. Factors shaping microbial communities in ground level air have been surveyed in a limited number of studies, indicating that geographic location, season and local climate influence the microbial communities. However, few have surveyed more than one location, at high latitude or continuously over more than a year. We surveyed the airborne microbial communities over two full consecutive years in Kiruna, in the Arctic boreal zone, and Ljungbyhed, in the Southern nemoral zone of Sweden, by using a unique collection of archived air filters. We mapped both geographic and seasonal differences in bacterial and fungal communities and evaluated environmental factors that may contribute to these differences and found that location, season and weather influence the airborne communities. Location had stronger influence on the bacterial community composition compared to season, while location and season had equal influence on the fungal community composition. However, the airborne bacterial and fungal diversity showed overall the same trend over the seasons, regardless of location, with a peak during the warmer parts of the year, except for the fungal seasonal trend in Ljungbyhed, which fluctuated more within season. Interestingly, the diversity and evenness of the airborne communities were generally lower in Ljungbyhed. In addition, both bacterial and fungal communities varied significantly within and between locations, where orders like Rhizobiales, Rhodospirillales and Agaricales dominated in Kiruna, whereas Bacillales, Clostridiales and Sordariales dominated in Ljungbyhed. These differences are a likely reflection of the landscape surrounding the sampling sites where the landscape in Ljungbyhed is more homogenous and predominantly characterized by artificial and agricultural surroundings. Our results further indicate that local landscape, as well as seasonal variation, shapes microbial communities in air.
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| 40. |
- Neumann, Wiebke, et al.
(författare)
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Divergence in parturition timing and vegetation onset in a large herbivore-differences along a latitudinal gradient
- 2020
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Ingår i: Biology Letters. - : The Royal Society. - 1744-9561 .- 1744-957X. ; 16:6
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In northern environments, the period of access to high-quality forage is limited, exerting strong selective pressure to optimize the timing of parturition. We analysed timing and variation in moose (Alces alces) parturition dates of 555 females at 18 study sites across 12 degrees of latitude (56-68 degrees N, 1350 km) in Sweden. We found evidence for a spatial match of parturition timing to vegetation onset, but no evidence that moose adjust parturition to vegetation onset in a given year. We found a breakpoint at 64 degrees N. Despite adaptation across latitudes, temporal divergences occurred. Females below 64 degrees N calved after vegetation onset and females above 64 degrees N calved before. Here, parturition before vegetation onset might be a strategy to optimize forage utilization time with the very short growing season. Highly seasonal environments such as at higher latitudes may make it advantageous to adapt parturition towards long-term climatic patterns by matching the most favourable period. Given the direction of temporal divergence, our study suggests that climate change may have less of an impact on moose parturition at northern latitudes than southern latitudes.
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| 41. |
- Neumann, Wiebke, et al.
(författare)
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GPS-märkt klövvilt i Nordmalings studieområde 2017-2021 – Fördelning, rörelse, livsmiljö och överlevnad
- 2022
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Rapport (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- I Sverige är Nordmaling ett av få områden på så nordlig breddgrad där flera olika klövviltarter (d v s älg, rådjur, kronhjort och dovhjort, såväl som ren och mufflon) förekommer i större omfattning. Därmed utgör Nordmaling ett utmärkt referensområde att studera hur olika klövviltarter påverkar varandra och den omgivande miljön (studier om ekosystempåverkan) under nordiska förhållanden. Under perioden mars 2017 till mars 2021 märktes 27 vuxna älgkor, 23 rådjur (13 getter, 10 bockar) och 8 kronhindar med GPS-halsband. Totalt föddes 113 kalvar av 27 kor under studieperioden. Sommaröverlevnad av GPS-kornas årskalvar låg i genomsnitt på 88 % och efter jakten var 45% av de födda kalvarna vid liv. Antal kalvar som sköts under jakten skiftade mycket mellan åren och överlevnad under jakten låg i medel på 52%. Alla arter visade en dygnsrytm i sitt aktivitetsmönster med två aktivitetstoppar – en under tidig morgon och en senare på eftermiddag/kvälle. För älgkorna kunde vi se både vandringsälgar och stationära älgar. Rådjuren och kronhindarna visade inget tydligt vandringsbeteende som älgkorna – förutom ett rådjur. Livsmiljöanvändning under vinter varierade något mellan arterna där älgarna visade minst variation för olika livsmiljöer jämfört med tallskog och i relation till rådjur och kronhindar. Likaså under sommaren använde älgkorna ingen livsmiljö mer eller mindre än tallskog, medan rådjuren och kronhindarna visade en tydlig selektion för andra livsmiljöer än tallskog under vår/sommarperioden. Studier i Nordmalings området har ökat vår förståelse om hur älg, rådjur och kronhindar nyttjar ett borealt landskap på nordliga breddgrader. En viktig orsak till att försökspopulationen i Nordmaling fungerar så bra är det nära samarbetet med alla intresserade. Intresset är mycket stort, många olika användare är inne på hemsidan www.slu.se/alg-forskning.
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| 42. |
- Neumann, Wiebke, et al.
(författare)
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Hunting as land use: Understanding the spatial associations among hunting, agriculture, and forestry
- 2022
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Ingår i: Ecology and Society. - 1708-3087. ; 27
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Hunting is a widespread but often overlooked land-use activity, providing major benefits to society. Hunting takes place in most landscapes, yet it remains unclear which types of landscapes foster or dampen hunting-related services, and how hunting relates to other land uses. A better understanding of these relationships is key for sustainable land-use planning that integrates wildlife management. This is particularly urgent for Europe, where wildlife populations are increasing. Focusing on Sweden, we explored the spatial associations among hunting, agriculture, and forestry to identify archetypical combinations of these land uses. Specifically, we combined indicators on the extent and intensity of agriculture and forestry, with data on hunting bags for 63 game species using self-organizing maps, a non-parametric clustering approach. We identified 15 typical bundles of co-occurring land uses at the municipality level across Sweden. The harvest of forest grouse, bears, and moose co-occurred with forestry in northern Sweden, whereas the harvest of small game, different deer species, and wild boar co-occurred with agriculture across southern Sweden, reflecting species’ biology, environmental factors, and management. Our findings also highlight the strength of associations among hunting and other land uses. Importantly, we identified large areas in central Sweden where harvest of game was below average, possibly indicating that intensity of hunting is out of balance with that of agriculture or forestry, potentially fostering conflict between wildlife and land use. Collectively, our results suggest that (1) hunting should be considered a major land use that, in Sweden, is more widespread than agriculture and forestry; (2) land-use planning must therefore integrate wildlife management; and (3) such an integration should occur in a regionalized manner that considers social-ecological context. Our approach identifies a first spatial template within which such context-specific land-use planning, aiming at aligning wildlife and diverse land uses, can take place.
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| 43. |
- Neumann, Wiebke, et al.
(författare)
-
Rate of Cooling in a Moose (Alces alces) Carcass
- 2019
-
Ingår i: Journal of Wildlife Diseases. - : Wildlife Disease Association. - 0090-3558 .- 1943-3700. ; 55, s. 710-712
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Postmortem body temperature is used to estimate time of death in humans, but the available models are not validated for most nonhuman species. Here, we report that cooling in an adult female moose (Alces alces) equipped with a rumen temperature monitor was extremely slow, with a rumen temperature of 27-28 C as late as 40 h postmortem.
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| 44. |
- Neumann, Wiebke, et al.
(författare)
-
SLUTRAPPORT: Rörelse, aktivitet, hemområden och landskapsutnyttjande av GPS-älgarna i Svappavaara, 2016-2019
- 2019
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Rapport (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Upp mot 84 % av de GPS-märkta älgarna var vandringsälgar och 14 % var stationära. Som förväntat ser vi skillnader mellan olika älgindivider vad gäller hur långt de förflyttar sig och när de börjar och avslutar sina säsongsvandringar. Medelavståndet mellan vinter- och sommarområdet var 30 km. Älgkorna vandrade längre än tjurarna. I medel började älgarna sin vårvandring i slutet av april och började återvända mot sina vinterområden i slutet av oktober. Upp mot 60 % respektive 90 % av alla älgar hade börjat sin vandring tillbaka till vinterområdet i oktober respektive november och drygt 50 % respektive 80 % hade avslutat sin vandring i november respektive december. För båda könen observerade vi förflyttningar mot slutet av sommaren inför brunstperioden. Hemområdesstorleken för älgar i Svappavaara är något större än i andra områden i Norrbottens inland vilket kan vara ett tecken på något sämre tillgång till foderrika livsmiljöer. Andel produktiv skogsmark och icke skogsmark ligger på 29 % respektive 53 % i Svappavaara. Våtmark och barrskog är de dominerande livsmiljöerna i området som tillsammans utgör mer än hälften av alla tillgängliga livsmiljöer. Älgarnas hemområden speglar i stora drag vilka livsmiljöer som finns tillgängliga. Älgarna varierade sin livsmiljöanvändning lite över dygnet, med en tydlig variation över året. Barrskog används mycket mellan september och april, under sommaren ökade älgarna sin tid i våtmarker, samt att de rörde sig mer i löv- och blandskog. Ungskog användes mer från sen höst till mars/april. Älgarna använde i stor sett livsmiljöer i förhållande till tillgänglighet. Undantag är ungskog dit älgarna sökte sig under vintern mer än vad de finns i området, medan de använde våtmarker, buskar, återplanterad skog och hyggen mindre än vad de fanns nästan året om. Skogar med höjd 0.5-5 meter är viktiga under hela året och under hösten sökte sig älgarna mer till skogar med växthöjd 5-45 meter.
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| 45. |
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| 46. |
- Neumann, Wiebke, et al.
(författare)
-
SLUTRAPPORT: Älg och rådjur i stormarnas spår – GPS-märkta älgar och rådjur i Växjö 2015-2019
- 2019
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Rapport (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Stormarna Gudrun (2005) och Per (2007) ändrade skogens struktur och tillgång till ungskog och därmed föda för klövviltet i Växjöområdet. En central fråga i projektet var hur älg och rådjur utnyttjar landskapet under de åren som följer och om vi kan se att effekterna av foderfönstret som stormarna hade öppnat så småningom tonar ut. Med den här studien följer vi 25 GPS-märkta älgkor och 13 rådjur (8 getter, 5 bockar) i Växjöområdet för att studera deras hemområdesstorlek och val av livsmiljöer under perioden 2015-2019. För älgkorna dokumenterade vi dessutom deras reproduktion och kalvöverlevnad. Fördelning av livsmiljöer var väldigt lika för älgkor och rådjur. Den och speglar i stort sett vad som fanns tillgängligt i referensområdet, vilket består till 65 % av produktiv skogsmark. Arterna hade liknande aktivitetsmönster, men skiljde sig åt när på dygnet de använde vissa livsmiljöer, där älgkor håller sig mer undan öppna ytor under dagtid jämfört med rådjuren. Barrskog var livsmiljön där båda arterna tillbringade mycket tid. Det mest tydliga överlappet i livsmiljöns användning hittade vi för återplanterad skog och ungskog som båda arterna selekterade för nästan hela året, förutom under sommaren. Medans våtmarker var viktiga för älgkorna, var rådjuren mer knutna till åkermark. Både älg och rådjur valde tydligt bort skog med större andel gran. De sökte sig till liknade skogar vad gäller täckning med buskar och träd, men mönstret var inte lika tydligt och kunde variera mellan säsongerna. I genomsnitt var älgkornas hemområde drygt 8 ggr större än rådjurens. De flesta GPS-märkta älgkorna och rådjuren rörde sig inom älgförvaltningsområdet Kronoberg 7. Storlek av älgkornas hemområden ändrade sig inte över tid, men varierade mellan åren. Älgkornas reproduktion var god (kalv-ko-kvot 1.5). Kalvarna föddes i medel den 16:e maj och hade en hög sommaröverlevnad (89 %). Det är svårt att säga exakt hur vidare och i vilken omfattning älgens och rådjurets överlapp i livsmiljöns användning kan leda till konkurrens mellan arterna. Utgående ifrån att hemområdet av en enskild älgko kan omfatta minst 8 rådjur, samt att den överlappar också med andra älgars områden, kan man förvänta sig att en konkurrens kan uppstå när foderresurser blir mer begränsade. Enligt Skogsstyrelsens foderprognos för älgförvaltningsområdet Kronoberg 7 är en stor del av barrskogen i området grandominerad. Älgarnas och rådjurens tydliga undvikande av grandominerade skogar året om, betyder att arterna förmodligen använder enbart drygt 25 % av ungskogen som finns i området och som inte är grandominerad. Sammanlagt med den minskande arealen av foderproducerande ungskog, kan vi förvänta oss att fodersituationen för älg och rådjur kommer ändras under de kommande åren. Baserad på älgkornas hemområdesstorlek och reproduktion ser vi sammanlagt i dagsläget dock inga tecken i våra datamaterial på att älgkor i Växjöområdet upplevde en begränsning i foderresurser under åren 2015-2019.
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| 47. |
- Neumann, Wiebke, et al.
(författare)
-
Strength of correlation between wildlife collision data and hunting bags varies among ungulate species and with management scale
- 2020
-
Ingår i: European Journal of Wildlife Research. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1612-4642 .- 1439-0574. ; 66
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Most European ungulate species are increasing in numbers and expanding their range. For the management and monitoring of these species, 64% of European countries rely on indirect proxies of abundance (e.g., hunting bag statistics). With increasing ungulate numbers, data on ungulate-vehicle collisions (UVC) may provide an important and inexpensive, complementary data source. Currently, it is unclear how bag statistics compare with UVC. A direct comparison of these two indices is important because both are used in ungulate management. We evaluated the relationship between UVC and ungulate hunting bags across bioclimatic, regional, and local scales, using five time lags (t(-3)to t(+1)) for the five most common wild ungulate species in Sweden. For all species, hunting bags and UVC correlated positively, but correlation strength and time lags varied across scales and among species. The two indices correlated most strongly at the local management scale. Correlation between both indices was strong for the smaller deer species and wild boar, in particular, but much weaker for moose where we found the best fit using a 2-year time lag. For the other species, indices from the same year correlated best. We argue that the reason for moose data behaving differently is that, in Sweden, moose are formally managed using a 3-year time plan, while the other species are not. Accordingly, moose hunting bags are influenced more strongly by density-independent processes than bags of the other species. Consequently, the mismatch between the two indices may generate conflicting conclusions for management depending on the method applied.
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| 48. |
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| 49. |
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| 50. |
- Neumann, Wiebke, et al.
(författare)
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Årsrapport GPS-älgarna i Haparanda-Kalix skärgård 2019/2020; fördelning, rörelse, aktivitet och livsmiljö
- 2020
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Rapport (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Referenspopulationen i Haparanda-Kalix,, Norrbotten var tidigare en del av förvaltningsmärkning Älg Norrbotten – Tema Vilt och Skog Norr – som inleddes i Norrbotten under vårvintern 2016 då 90 älgar GPS-märktes på tre olika studieområden (Gällivare, Junosuando och Haparanda-Kalix) som samtliga har fått stora skador på ungskogen vintertid och var därför föremål för fördjupade studier om älgarnas rörelsemönster och val av livsmiljöer. Forskningsprojektet initierades av Skogsbrukets jaktgrupp Norrbotten, Jägareförbundet Norrbotten, Länsstyrelsen i Norrbotten och Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet. Finansiering skedde dels via länets älgvårdsfond dels via markägare bestående av Sveaskog, SCA, Norra skogsägarna, Statens fastighetsverk, Allmänningarna, Kyrkan samt LRF. Haparanda-Kalix området urskilde sig ifrån de andra områdena att en del av älgarna använde skärgårdsmiljön i stor sett året om som är en unik miljö utifrån ett älgförvaltningsperspektiv. Detta studieområde är också en av få världen över som dokumenterar älgens rörelse och resursanvändning i skärgårdsmiljö. SLU bestämde sig därför att fortsätta studera älgarna som rörde sig längst ute i skärgården och när halsbanden togs av för alla andra älgar under vårvintern 2019 fick vissa älgar således nya sändare. Från och med 2019 rapporteras forskningen om ”Skärgårdsälgarna” som en del av SLU:s viltforskning. Samanalys med data från tidigare forskning i norra Sverige (t. ex. Älg-i-Mittskandia och avslutade och pågående älgförvaltningsprojekt i Västerbotten och Norrbotten) och södra Sverige (t. ex. avslutade projekt Tema vilt och skog och Sydälg) gör det möjligt att jämföra förhållanden mellan södra och norra Sverige. Referenspopulationen i Haparanda-Kalix tar en viktig position i den forskning som SLU och Institutionen för vilt, fisk och miljö bedriver om klimat och växt-djurinteraktioner längs Sveriges syd-nord gradient. Målet är att fortsatt ta fram ny och relevant kunskap för en förbättrad förvaltning av våra viltresurser. SLU:s forskning ska täcka luckor i befintlig kunskap där samverkan mellan olika aktörer krävs. Foder och fodernyttjande samt förbättrade metoder för övervakning av viltpopulationernas påverkan är fortsatt centrala frågor tillsammans med klimatpåverkan på växt-djur interaktioner, fysiologi samt foderkvalitet. Delmålsättningar är att beskriva, analysera och om möjligt förklara varför djur återkommer till samma områden gång på gång, och varför djur ansamlas på vissa platser. En central fråga är att studera djurens fördelning i landskapet. Här rapporterar vi vad som hänt med 11 GPS-märkta älgar i Haparanda-Kalix som rör sig längst ute i skärgården mellan mars 2019 och 2020. Projektet fokuserar på älgarnas rörelse som vandringsbeteende, deras fördelning i landskapet, livsmiljöanvändning och aktivitet.
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