| changing motivations during migration: linking movement speed to reproductive status in a migratory large mammal. | a challenge in animal ecology is to link animal movement to demography. in general, reproducing and non-reproducing animals may show different movement patterns. dramatic changes in reproductive status, such as the loss of an offspring during the course of migration, might also affect movement. studies linking movement speed to reproductive status require individual monitoring of life-history events and hence are rare. here, we link movement data from 98 gps-collared female moose (alces alces) t ... | 2014 | 24942710 |
| density-dependent habitat selection and partitioning between two sympatric ungulates. | theory on density-dependent habitat selection predicts that as population density of a species increases, use of higher quality (primary) habitat by individuals declines while use of lower quality (secondary) habitat rises. habitat partitioning is often considered the primary mechanism for coexistence between similar species, but how this process evolves with changes in population density remains to be empirically tested for free-ranging ungulates. we used resource-selection functions to quantif ... | 2014 | 24913777 |
| origin of dermacentor albipictus (acari: ixodidae) on elk in the yukon, canada. | winter ticks (dermacentor albipictus) on elk (cervus elaphus canadensis) have recently increased in numbers in the yukon, canada, potentially posing risks to other indigenous host species in the region. to evaluate the regional source of winter ticks in the yukon, we sequenced one nuclear (its-2) and two mitochondrial (16srrna and coi) genes, and genotyped 14 microsatellite loci from 483 winter tick specimens collected across north america. we analyzed genetic variation across the geographic and ... | 2014 | 24779459 |
| reproductive characteristics in female swedish moose (alces alces), with emphasis on puberty, timing of oestrus, and mating. | the moose (alces alces) is an intensively managed keystone species in fennoscandia. several aspects of reproduction in moose have not been fully elucidated, including puberty, timing of mating and oestrus, and the length of the oestrus period. these aspects are relevant for an adaptive management of moose with respect to harvest, population size, demography and environmental conditions. therefore, an investigation of female moose reproduction was conducted during the moose-hunting period in sout ... | 2014 | 24735953 |
| partial migration and transient coexistence of migrants and residents in animal populations. | partial migration, whereby a proportion of the population migrates, is common across the animal kingdom. much of the focus in the literature has been on trying to explain the underlying mechanisms for the coexistence of migrants and residents. in addition, there has been an increasing number of reports on the prevalence and frequency of partially migratory populations. one possible explanation for the occurrence of partial migration, which has received no attention in the literature, is that of ... | 2014 | 24722396 |
| benefits of migration in relation to nutritional condition and predation risk in a partially migratory moose population. | the costs and benefits of alternative migratory strategies are often framed in the context of top-down and bottom-up effects on individual fitness. this occurs because migration is considered a costly behavioral strategy that presumably confers explicit benefits to migrants in the form of either decreased predation risk (predation risk avoidance hypothesis) or increased nutrition (forage maturation hypothesis). to test these hypotheses, we studied a partially migratory moose (alces alces) popula ... | 2014 | 24649661 |
| where wolves kill moose: the influence of prey life history dynamics on the landscape ecology of predation. | the landscape ecology of predation is well studied and known to be influenced by habitat heterogeneity. little attention has been given to how the influence of habitat heterogeneity on the landscape ecology of predation might be modulated by life history dynamics of prey in mammalian systems. we demonstrate how life history dynamics of moose (alces alces) contribute to landscape patterns in predation by wolves (canis lupus) in isle royale national park, lake superior, usa. we use pattern analysi ... | 2014 | 24622241 |
| high-throughput dna sequencing of the ruminal bacteria from moose (alces alces) in vermont, alaska, and norway. | in the present study, the rumen bacteria of moose (alces alces) from three distinct geographic locations were investigated. moose are large, browsing ruminants in the deer family, which subsist on fibrous, woody browse, and aquatic plants. subspecies exist which are distinguished by differing body and antler size, and these are somewhat geographically isolated. seventeen rumen samples were collected from moose in vermont, alaska, and norway, and bacterial 16s ribosomal rna genes were sequenced u ... | 2014 | 24595908 |
| mercury in aquatic forage of large herbivores: impact of environmental conditions, assessment of health threats, and implications for transfer across ecosystem compartments. | mercury (hg) is a leading contaminant across u.s. water bodies, warranting concern for wildlife species that depend upon food from aquatic systems. the risk of hg toxicity to large herbivores is little understood, even though some large herbivores consume aquatic vascular plants (macrophytes) that may hyper-accumulate hg. we investigated whether total hg and methylmercury (mehg) in aquatic forage may be of concern to moose (alces alces) and beaver (castor canadensis) by measuring total hg and me ... | 2014 | 24534700 |
| invasion rate of deer ked depends on spatiotemporal variation in host density. | invasive parasites are of great global concern. understanding the factors influencing the spread of invading pest species is a first step in developing effective countermeasures. growing empirical evidence suggests that spread rates are essentially influenced by spatiotemporal dynamics of host-parasite interactions, yet approaches modelling spread rate have typically assumed static environmental conditions. we analysed invasion history of the deer ked (lipoptena cervi) in finland with a diffusio ... | 2014 | 24521661 |
| first report of taenia arctos (cestoda: taeniidae) from grizzly (ursus arctos horribilis) and black bears (ursus americanus) in north america. | the cestode taenia arctos was found at necropsy in the small intestine of a grizzly (ursus arctos horribilis) and a black bear (ursus americanus) from kananaskis country in southwestern alberta, canada. the autolysis of the tapeworm specimens precluded detailed morphological characterization of the parasites but molecular analysis based on mitochondrial dna cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 gene confirmed their identity as t. arctos. this is the first report of t. arctos from definitive hosts in no ... | 2014 | 24382413 |
| seasonal foraging ecology of non-migratory cougars in a system with migrating prey. | we tested for seasonal differences in cougar (puma concolor) foraging behaviors in the southern yellowstone ecosystem, a multi-prey system in which ungulate prey migrate, and cougars do not. we recorded 411 winter prey and 239 summer prey killed by 28 female and 10 male cougars, and an additional 37 prey items by unmarked cougars. deer composed 42.4% of summer cougar diets but only 7.2% of winter diets. males and females, however, selected different proportions of different prey; male cougars se ... | 2013 | 24349498 |
| effects of inbreeding on fitness-related traits in a small isolated moose population. | inbreeding can affect fitness-related traits at different life history stages and may interact with environmental variation to induce even larger effects. we used genetic parentage assignment based on 22 microsatellite loci to determine a 25 year long pedigree for a newly established island population of moose with 20-40 reproducing individuals annually. we used the pedigree to calculate individual inbreeding coefficients and examined for effects of individual inbreeding (f) and heterozygosity o ... | 2013 | 24324873 |
| decomposing risk: landscape structure and wolf behavior generate different predation patterns in two sympatric ungulates. | recolonizing carnivores can have a large impact on the status of wild ungulates, which have often modified their behavior in the absence of predation. therefore, understanding the dynamics of reestablished predator-prey systems is crucial to predict their potential ecosystem effects. we decomposed the spatial structure of predation by recolonizing wolves (canis lupus) on two sympatric ungulates, moose (alces alces) and roe deer (capreolus capreolus), in scandinavia during a 10-year study. we mon ... | 2013 | 24261051 |
| fast and efficient dna-based method for winter diet analysis from stools of three cervids: moose, red deer, and roe deer. | effects of cervid browsing on timber production, especially during winter, lead to economic losses in forest management. the aim of this study was to present an efficient dna-based method which allows qualitative assessment of the winter diet from stools of moose (alces alces), roe deer (capreolus capreolus), and red deer (cervus elaphus). the preliminary results of the diet composition of the three cervids from poland were also presented with a special emphasis on moose. the electropherograms o ... | 2013 | 24244041 |
| complex patterns of population genetic structure of moose, alces alces, after recent spatial expansion in poland revealed by sex-linked markers. | in recent years, human activity directly and indirectly influenced the demography of moose in poland. the species was close to extinction, and only a few isolated populations survived after the second world war; then, unprecedented demographic and spatial expansions had occurred, possibly generating a very complex pattern of population genetic structure at the present-day margins of the species range in poland. over 370 moose from seven populations were collected from poland, and partial sequenc ... | 2013 | 24244040 |
| salt licks do not increase local densities of the deer ked, lipoptena cervi, an abundant ectoparasite of cervids. | the deer ked, lipoptena cervi (diptera: hippoboscidae), is a common ectoparasite of the moose, alces alces (artiodactyla: cervidae). salt licks are widely used to manipulate moose movements to prevent damage to saplings and traffic accidents. they may cause moose to gather in small areas, which could create aggregates of deer ked pupae as the parasite is a short-distance flyer and its dispersion depends on its hosts. we investigated whether the population density of flying deer keds could be inf ... | 2014 | 24131141 |
| moose (alces alces) reacts to high summer temperatures by utilizing thermal shelters in boreal forests - an analysis based on airborne laser scanning of the canopy structure at moose locations. | the adaptation of different species to warming temperatures has been increasingly studied. moose (alces alces) is the largest of the ungulate species occupying the northern latitudes across the globe, and in finland it is the most important game species. it is very well adapted to severe cold temperatures, but has a relatively low tolerance to warm temperatures. previous studies have documented changes in habitat use by moose due to high temperatures. in many of these studies, the used areas hav ... | 2014 | 24115403 |
| short-term digestible energy intake in captive moose (alces alces) on different diets. | moose (alces alces) are regularly described as problematic animals in captivity, mainly because of their particular digestive physiology and resulting feeding demands. according to the literature, moose regularly reject non-browse forages offered in captivity, which may indirectly lead to an overproportional ingestion of easily digestible feeds and thus chronic acidosis, which may in turn be the cause of their low life expectancy in captivity. by feeding experiments in four animals, this study a ... | 2013 | 23801273 |
| high elaeophorosis prevalence among harvested colorado moose. | infection with elaeophora schneideri, a filarial parasite, occurs commonly in mule deer (odocoileus hemionus) and elk (cervus elaphus nelsoni), but seemingly less so in moose (alces alces). of 109 carotid artery samples from moose harvested throughout colorado, usa, in 2007, 14 (13%; 95% binomial confidence interval [bci]=7-21%) showed gross and 91 (83%; 95% bci=75-90%) showed histologic evidence of elaeophorosis. although neither blindness nor other clinical signs associated with elaeophorosis ... | 2013 | 23778618 |
| behavioural responses to thermal conditions affect seasonal mass change in a heat-sensitive northern ungulate. | empirical tests that link temperature-mediated changes in behaviour (activity and resource selection) to individual fitness or condition are currently lacking for endotherms yet may be critical to understanding the effect of climate change on population dynamics. moose (alces alces) are thought to suffer from heat stress in all seasons so provide a good biological model to test whether exposure to non-optimal ambient temperatures influence seasonal changes in body mass. seasonal mass change is a ... | 2013 | 23776584 |
| multi-trophic resource selection function enlightens the behavioural game between wolves and their prey. | 1. habitat selection strategies translate into movement tactics, which reckon with the predator-prey spatial game. strategic habitat selection analysis can therefore illuminate behavioural games. cover types at potential encounter sites (i.e. intersections between movement paths of predator and prey) can be compared with cover types available (i) within the area of home-range-overlap (hro) between predator and prey; and (ii) along the path (mp) of each species. unlike the hro scale, cover-type a ... | 2013 | 23701257 |
| ixodes ricinus infestation in free-ranging cervids in norway--a study based upon ear examinations of hunted animals. | prevalence, abundance and instar composition of ixodes ricinus as found on one ear collected from 1019 moose (alces alces), red deer (cervus elaphus) and roe deer (capreolus capreolus), shot during hunting (august-december) 2001-2003, are reported. the animals originated from 15 coastal municipalities (cm), seven municipalities bordering to coastal municipalities (bcm) and four inland municipalities (im), in norway, between latitudes 58-66° n. i. ricinus occurred endemically in all cm and bcm up ... | 2013 | 23541678 |
| understanding scales of movement: animals ride waves and ripples of environmental change. | animal movements are the primary behavioural adaptation to spatiotemporal heterogeneity in resource availability. depending on their spatiotemporal scale, movements have been categorized into distinct functional groups (e.g. foraging movements, dispersal, migration), and have been studied using different methodologies. we suggest striving towards the development of a coherent framework based on the ultimate function of all movement types, which is to increase individual fitness through an optima ... | 2013 | 23414218 |
| assessment of doses to game animals in finland. | a study was carried out to assess the dose rates to game animals in finland affected by the radioactive caesium deposition that occurred after the accident at the chernobyl nuclear power plant in ukraine in 1986. the aim of this assessment was to obtain new information on the dose rates to mammals and birds under finnish conditions. dose rates were calculated using the erica assessment tool developed within the ec 6th framework programme. the input data consisted of measured activity concentrati ... | 2013 | 23395135 |
| effects of tree species richness and composition on moose winter browsing damage and foraging selectivity: an experimental study. | the optimal foraging theory, the nutrient balance hypothesis, and the plant association theories predict that foraging decisions and resulting tree damage by large mammalian browsers may be influenced by the species richness and species composition of forest stands. this may lead to either associational susceptibility (increased damage on a focal plant in a mixed stand) or associational resistance (reduced damage in a mixed stand). better understanding of the mechanisms and the relative importan ... | 2013 | 23363076 |
| gastrointestinal nematodes of moose (alces alces) in relation to supplementary feeding. | winter supplementary feeding of wildlife is controversial because it may promote parasite and disease transmission by host aggregation. we investigated the effect of winter supplemental feeding of scandinavian moose (alces alces) on gastrointestinal (gi) parasite infection in two counties of southern norway by comparing fecal egg counts of moose using, and not using, feeding stations between january 2007 and march 2010. we identified three different gi nematodes based on egg morphology. all thre ... | 2013 | 23307373 |
| physiological evaluation of free-ranging moose (alces alces) immobilized with etorphine-xylazine-acepromazine in northern sweden. | evaluation of physiology during capture and anesthesia of free-ranging wildlife is useful for determining the effect that capture methods have on both ecological research results and animal welfare. this study evaluates capture and anesthesia of moose (alces alces) with etorphine-xylazine-acepromazine in northern sweden. | 2012 | 23276208 |
| reproductive success and failure: the role of winter body mass in reproductive allocation in norwegian moose. | a life history strategy that favours somatic growth over reproduction is well known for long-lived iteroparous species, especially in unpredictable environments. risk-sensitive female reproductive allocation can be achieved by a reduced reproductive effort at conception, or the subsequent adjustment of investment during gestation or lactation in response to unexpected environmental conditions or resource availability. we investigated the relative importance of reduced investment at conception co ... | 2013 | 23223863 |
| from migration to nomadism: movement variability in a northern ungulate across its latitudinal range. | understanding the causes and consequences of animal movements is of fundamental biological interest because any alteration in movement can have direct and indirect effects on ecosystem structure and function. it is also crucial for assisting spatial wildlife management under variable environmental change scenarios. recent research has highlighted the need of quantifying individual variability in movement behavior and how it is generated by interactions between individual requirements and environ ... | 2012 | 23210316 |
| the influence of winter severity, predation and senescence on moose habitat use. | habitat use is widely known to be influenced by abiotic and biotic factors, such as climate, population density, foraging opportunity and predation risk. the influence of the life-history state of an individual organism on habitat use is less well understood, especially for terrestrial mammals. there is good reason to expect that life-history state would affect habitat use. for example, organisms exhibiting poor condition associated with senescence have an increased vulnerability to predation an ... | 2013 | 23205630 |
| simulated moose (alces alces l.) browsing increases accumulation of secondary metabolites in bilberry (vaccinium myrtillus l.) along gradients of habitat productivity and solar radiation. | we have addressed the impact of moose (alces alces l.) on accumulation of secondary metabolites, lignin, and nitrogen in bilberry (vaccinium myrtillus l.) along gradients of habitat productivity and solar radiation. the study was conducted within a long-term research project on direct and indirect impacts of moose on the ecosystem. in the experiment, browsing, defecation, and urination corresponding to four different moose densities were simulated for eight years before bilberry tissue was colle ... | 2012 | 23143636 |
| [reduction of plant fibers in the digestive tract of the moose and the red deer]. | a comparative study of the reduction of plant fibers moving in the digestive tract of nine red deer (cervus elaphus) and six moose (alces alces) was made. in the winter season, the character of fiber reduction in the moose and the red deer was similar. in the deer obtained in the early autumn, the relative concentration of small-sized fractions was significantly higher. a sharp decrease in the share oflarge-sized fibers was observed in the omasum as compared to the rumen and the reticulum. it wa ... | 2016 | 23136740 |
| sufentanil citrate immobilization of alaskan moose calves. | free-ranging alaskan moose calves (alces alces gigas) were immobilized with 0.12 mg/kg sufentanil (s; n=16), 0.12 mg/kg sufentanil plus 0.27 mg/kg xylazine (sx; n=11), or 0.007 mg/kg carfentanil plus 0.36 mg/kg xylazine (cx; n=13). immobilants were antagonized with 1.2 mg/kg naltrexone (s) or 1.2 mg/kg naltrexone plus 2.4 mg/kg tolazoline (sx, cx). there were no differences in induction (p ≥ 0.29) or processing (p ≥ 0.44) times between groups. moose given either s or sx had significantly shorter ... | 2012 | 23060515 |
| trophic cascades, invasive species and body-size hierarchies interactively modulate climate change responses of ecotonal temperate-boreal forest. | as the climate warms, boreal tree species are expected to be gradually replaced by temperate species within the southern boreal forest. warming will be accompanied by changes in above- and below-ground consumers: large moose (alces alces) replaced by smaller deer (odocoileus virginianus) above-ground, and small detritivores replaced by larger exotic earthworms below-ground. these shifts may induce a cascade of ecological impacts across trophic levels that could alter the boreal to temperate fore ... | 2012 | 23007083 |
| estimation of body-size traits by photogrammetry in large mammals to inform conservation. | photography, including remote imagery and camera traps, has contributed substantially to conservation. however, the potential to use photography to understand demography and inform policy is limited. to have practical value, remote assessments must be reasonably accurate and widely deployable. prior efforts to develop noninvasive methods of estimating trait size have been motivated by a desire to answer evolutionary questions, measure physiological growth, or, in the case of illegal trade, asses ... | 2012 | 22834930 |
| browsed twig environmental dna: diagnostic pcr to identify ungulate species. | ungulate browsing can have a strong effect on ecological processes by affecting plant community structure and composition, with cascading effects on nutrient cycling and animal communities. however, in the absence of direct observations of foraging, species-specific foraging behaviours are difficult to quantify. we therefore know relatively little about foraging competition and species-specific browsing patterns in systems with several browsers. however, during browsing, a small amount of saliva ... | 2012 | 22813481 |
| hematology and serum chemistry reference ranges of free-ranging moose (alces alces) in norway. | baseline reference ranges of serum chemistry and hematology data can be important indicators for the status of both individuals or populations of wild animals that are affected by emerging pathogens, toxicants, or other causes of disease. frequently, reference ranges for these values are not available for wildlife species or subspecies. we present hematologic and serum chemistry reference ranges for moose (alces alces) adults, yearlings, and calves in norway sampled from 1992-2000. additionally, ... | 2012 | 22740520 |
| lead concentration in meat from lead-killed moose and predicted human exposure using monte carlo simulation. | lead-based hunting ammunitions are still common in most countries. on impact such ammunition releases fragments which are widely distributed within the carcass. in norway, wild game is an important meat source for segments of the population and 95% of hunters use lead-based bullets. in this paper, we have investigated the lead content of ground meat from moose (alces alces) intended for human consumption in norway, and have predicted human exposure through this source. fifty-two samples from dif ... | 2012 | 22651819 |
| the effects of an abundant ectoparasite, the deer ked (lipoptena cervi), on the health of moose (alces alces) in finland. | the deer ked (lipoptena cervi, diptera, hippoboscidae) is a haematophagous parasitic fly of the moose (alces alces) and other cervids, and it is very common in southern and central parts of finland. the aim of this study was to determine how the intensive parasitism caused by the deer ked affects the health and welfare of the moose. moose blood samples (n = 78) were collected from deer ked-infested and ked-free regions at 62-68° n and analysed for haematology and clinical chemistry. in addition, ... | 2012 | 22645032 |
| polymorphisms and variants in the prion protein sequence of european moose (alces alces), reindeer (rangifer tarandus), roe deer (capreolus capreolus) and fallow deer (dama dama) in scandinavia. | the prion protein (prp) sequence of european moose, reindeer, roe deer and fallow deer in scandinavia has high homology to the prp sequence of north american cervids. variants in the european moose prp sequence were found at amino acid position 109 as k or q. the 109q variant is unique in the prp sequence of vertebrates. during the 1980s a wasting syndrome in swedish moose, moose wasting syndrome (mws), was described. snp analysis demonstrated a difference in the observed genotype proportions of ... | 2012 | 22441661 |
| spatial and temporal predictions of moose winter distribution. | herbivores are usually distributed unevenly across the landscape often because of variation in resource availability. we used zero-inflated generalised additive models (to account for data with a high number of zeros) that include georeferences to predict winter distribution of a large herbivore (moose alces alces). moose distribution was analysed in relation to forage availability and distance to neighbouring sites. our results showed that the ability to explain moose distribution indexed by pe ... | 2012 | 22437909 |
| vole preference of bilberry along gradients of simulated moose density and site productivity. | browsing by large herbivores might either increase or decrease preference for the plant by other herbivores, depending on the plant response. using a cafeteria test, we studied the preference by root voles (microtus oeconomus [pallas, 1776]) for bilberry (vaccinium myrtillus l.) previously subjected to 4 levels of simulated moose (alces alces [linnaeus, 1758]) density. the different levels of moose density were simulated at population densities relevant for fennoscandian conditions, in exclosure ... | 2011 | 22182326 |
| chemical and structural composition of atlantic canadian moose (alces alces) incisors with patterns of high breakage. | analysis of mammalian teeth can provide information regarding local environmental conditions. for example, a high incidence of breakage and wear within a population may indicate poor food quality. individuals consuming a diet causing high mechanical stress on their teeth, and/or lacking the appropriate minerals for proper development, could experience degradation of tooth condition. previously, we documented a high rate of incisor tooth breakage, with age, in two genetically distinct moose popul ... | 2011 | 21945187 |
| patterns and causes of demographic variation in a harvested moose population: evidence for the effects of climate and density-dependent drivers. | 1. better understanding of the mechanisms affecting demographic variation in ungulate populations is needed to support sustainable management of harvested populations. while studies of moose alces alces l. populations have previously explored temporal variation in demographic processes, managers responsible for populations that span large heterogeneous landscapes would benefit from an understanding of how demography varies across biogeographical gradients in climate and other population drivers. ... | 2011 | 21668892 |
| what determines variation in home range size across spatiotemporal scales in a large browsing herbivore? | 1. most studies of intraspecific variation in home range size have investigated only a single or a few factors and often at one specific scale. however, considering multiple spatial and temporal scales when defining a home range is important as mechanisms that affect variation in home range size may differ depending on the scale under investigation. 2. we aim to quantify the relative effect of various individual, forage and climatic determinants of variation in home range size across multiple sp ... | 2011 | 21388373 |
| winter body condition of moose (alces alces) in a declining population in northeastern minnesota. | assessments of the condition of moose (alces alces) may be particularly informative to understanding the dynamics of populations and other influential factors. during february-march 2003 to 2005, we assessed the nutritional condition of 79 moose (39 females, 40 males) in northeastern minnesota by body condition scoring (bcs(f), scale of 0-10); 67 of these by were assessed by ultrasonographic measurements of rump fat (maxfat), which was used to estimate ingesta-free body fat (ifbf) in all but two ... | 2011 | 21269994 |
| the occurrence and morphology of a lateral metatarsal splint bone in moose (alces alces). | moose (alces alces) appear to be different from most other cervids in that a well-developed metatarsal splint bone is present. it is found apposed to the plantolateral portion of the cannon bone in over 70 % of adults. it averages 3.3 mm in width and extends about 22% of the total length of the metatarsal. it may be derived through calcification of connective tissue or by elongation of the vestigial metatarsal v. | 2011 | 21234996 |
| a model-driven approach to quantify migration patterns: individual, regional and yearly differences. | 1. animal migration has long intrigued scientists and wildlife managers alike, yet migratory species face increasing challenges because of habitat fragmentation, climate change and over-exploitation. central to the understanding migratory species is the objective discrimination between migratory and nonmigratory individuals in a given population, quantifying the timing, duration and distance of migration and the ability to predict migratory movements. 2. here, we propose a uniform statistical fr ... | 2011 | 21105872 |
| ecology of arthritis. | osteoarthritis (oa) is a widespread degenerative disease of skeletal joints and is often associated with senescence in vertebrates. oa commonly results from excessive or abnormal mechanical loading of weight-bearing joints ('wear-and-tear'), arising from heavy long-term use or specific injuries; yet, in the absence of injury, the aetiology of oa remains obscure. we show that poor nutritional conditions experienced by moose (alces alces) early in life are linked to greater prevalence of oa during ... | 2010 | 20618843 |
| road and rail side vegetation management implications of habitat use by moose relative to brush cutting season. | plants cut at different times produce resprouts that vary in their nutritional value relative to when they are cut. to determine how vegetation management in transportation (road and rail) corridors at different times of the year could influence browse quality in the years following cutting, and how this could potentially influence encounters between herbivores and vehicles, we undertook a 3-year study. in 2001, at a wildlife viewing area near prince george, british columbia, canada, we establis ... | 2010 | 20473783 |
| mercury, lead and lead isotope ratios in the teeth of moose (alces alces) from isle royale, u.s. upper midwest, from 1952 to 2002. | assessing the effect of recent reductions in atmospheric pollution on metal concentrations in wildlife in north america has been difficult because of the sparse availability of historical samples with which to establish a "pre-regulation" baseline, and because many ecosystems may be affected by local point sources which could obscure broader-scale trends. here we report a recent 50 yr annual record of hg, pb and pb isotope ratios in the teeth of a resident population of moose (alces alces) in is ... | 2009 | 20449224 |
| depression of belowground respiration rates at simulated high moose population densities in boreal forests. | large herbivores can affect the carbon cycle in boreal forests by changing productivity and plant species composition, which in turn could ultimately alter litter production, nutrient cycling, and the partitioning between aboveground and belowground allocation of carbon. here we experimentally tested how moose (alces alces) at different simulated population densities affected belowground respiration rates (estimated as co2 flux) in young boreal forest stands situated along a site productivity gr ... | 2009 | 19886482 |
| plasma lactate concentrations in free-ranging moose (alces alces) immobilized with etorphine. | to investigate plasma lactate concentrations of etorphine-immobilized moose in relation to environmental, temporal and physiological parameters. | 2009 | 19845927 |
| organization of the chemosensory neuroepithelium of the vomeronasal organ of the scandinavian moose alces alces. | a functional vomeronasal organ is present in most land-living vertebrates, but not in all. studies in a limited number of mammals have shown that stimulation of the vomeronasal neurons by odorous cues from conspecifics can lead to changes in innate behaviors in association to e.g. mating and aggression. given the role of the organ in detecting odorous molecules important for species-specific communication, investigations of the structure of the vomeronasal organ within the mammalian group are wa ... | 2010 | 19833105 |
| large herbivores and aquatic-terrestrial links in southern boreal forests. | 1. concurrent measurement of population dynamics and associated spatio-temporal patterns of resource flow across aquatic-terrestrial boundaries are rare, yet necessary to understand the consequences of cross-habitat resource flux. long-term study of the moose alces alces (l.) population in isle royale national park (lake superior, usa) provides an opportunity to examine the patterns of resource flux from aquatic to terrestrial habitats over approximately50 years. 2. we analysed the spatio-tempor ... | 2009 | 19021781 |
| population structure and genetic diversity of moose in alaska. | moose (alces alces) are highly mobile mammals that occur across arboreal regions of north america, europe, and asia. alaskan moose (alces alces gigas) range across much of alaska and are primary herbivore consumers, exerting a prominent influence on ecosystem structure and functioning. increased knowledge gained from population genetics provides insights into their population dynamics, history, and dispersal of these unique large herbivores and can aid in conservation efforts. we examined the ge ... | 2009 | 18836148 |
| acute yew (taxus) poisoning in moose (alces alces). | acute yew (taxus) intoxication in a free-ranging moose (alces alces) is reported. the moose was found dead without any signs of struggle and post mortem examination revealed general congestion, bilateral heart dilatation, and the presence of yew in rumen. the animal was found adjacent to a housing estate with unfenced gardens, surrounded by woods and open fields without native yew. the vast majority of the gardens contained cultivars of yew that had frequently been browsed upon. these were the m ... | 2008 | 18793664 |
| an approach toward understanding wildlife-vehicle collisions. | among the most conspicuous environmental effects of roads are vehicle-related mortalities of wildlife. research to understand the factors that contribute to wildlife-vehicle collisions can be partitioned into several major themes, including (i) characteristics associated with roadkill hot spots, (ii) identification of road-density thresholds that limit wildlife populations, and (iii) species-specific models of vehicle collision rates that incorporate information on roads (e.g., proximity, width, ... | 2008 | 18427884 |
| summer kill rates and predation pattern in a wolf-moose system: can we rely on winter estimates? | so far the vast majority of studies on large carnivore predation, including kill rates and consumption, have been based on winter studies. because large carnivores relying on ungulates as prey often show a preference for juveniles, kill rates may be both higher and more variable during the summer season than during the rest of the year leading to serious underestimates of the total annual predation rate. this study is the first to present detailed empirical data on kill rates and prey selection ... | 2008 | 18270746 |
| antler stiffness in moose (alces alces): correlated evolution of bone function and material properties? | the material properties of bone can vary considerably among skeletal elements from different parts of the body that serve different functions. however, functional demands placed on a specific type of skeletal element also can vary at a variety of scales, such as between different parts of the element, among individuals of a species, and across species. variation in bone material properties might be correlated with differing functional demands at any of these scales. in this study we performed th ... | 2006 | 16752424 |
| the many faces of population density. | population density, one of the most fundamental demographic attributes, may vary systematically with spatial scale, but this scale-sensitivity is incompletely understood. we used a novel approach-based on fully censused and mapped distributions of eastern grey squirrel (sciurus carolinensis) dreys, beaver (castor canadensis) lodges, and moose (alces alces)--to explore the scale-dependence of population density and its relationship to landscape features. we identified population units at several ... | 2005 | 16001227 |
| the costs and benefits of a migratory species under different management schemes. | this paper analyses how different management schemes influence the exploitation and economics of a wildlife population--the moose (alces alces)--that is both a value (harvesting income) and a pest (forestry damage). two regimes are explored; the unified management scheme where the wildlife manager aims to find harvesting quotas that maximise the overall benefit of the moose population, and the market solution where the landowners follow their narrow self-interests and maximise their private prof ... | 2005 | 15939129 |
| heavy metals in tissue samples of finnish moose, alces alces. | | 2005 | 15903187 |
| consumption guideline for cadmium in moose meat in northern british columbia, canada. | disturbed by reports of high concentrations of cadmium in large land mammals in arctic canada, community members wondered if they should eat less moose (alces alces). | 2004 | 15736645 |
| seasonal concentrations of cadmium and zinc in native pasture plants: consequences for grazing animals. | aboveground concentrations of cd and zn in various grazing plants at three stages of the growing season are reported. the plants were collected at a natural habitat exposed to extensive atmospheric deposition of heavy metals from other parts of europe. concentrations of both metals varied considerably among species, also among morphologically similar species growing in the same soil. the two metals correlated in the material as a whole, but the concentration variations were most pronounced for c ... | 2004 | 15142774 |
| [genetic diversity of moose (alces alces l.) in eurasia]. | polymorphism of nucleotide sequence of d-loop fragment of the mitochondrial dna was studied in 20 moose from several local populations on the territory of eurasia. three main haplotype variants of d-loop were detected by molecular phylogenetic method, which formed three clusters named european, asian and american. intraspecies variation in the length of hvsi of d-loop of the mitochondrial dna of moose was revealed. in the far eastern and yakutian moose, haplotypes with a 75-bp deletion were foun ... | 2002 | 12244697 |
| mitochondrial phylogeography of moose (alces alces): late pleistocene divergence and population expansion. | we examined phylogeographic relationships of moose (alces alces) worldwide to test the proposed existence of two geographic races and to infer the timing and extent of demographic processes underpinning the expansion of this species across the northern hemisphere in the late pleistocene. sequence variation within the left hypervariable domain of the control region occurred at low or moderate levels worldwide and was structured geographically. partitioning of genetic variance among regions indica ... | 2002 | 11884162 |
| range-body mass interactions of a northern ungulate - a test of hypothesis. | summer diet, summer temperature, length of the growth season and animal density appeared to best explain annual and regional differences in calf and yearling body mass in moose from southeastern norway. in general animals inhabiting steep, alpine landscapes had less body mass than animals using flat, low-altitude habitats. autumn body mass of calves and yearlings decreased with increasing snow depth during the preceding winter and spring. however, calf body mass was more influenced by the summer ... | 1999 | 28307755 |
| relative efficiency of succinylcholine, xylazine, and carfentanil/xylazine mixtures to immobilize free-ranging moose. | we compared the efficiency of succinylcholine chloride, xylazine hydrochloride and carfentanil/xylazine mixtures in immobilizing 364 free-ranging moose (alces alces) between 1987 and 1997 in québec (canada). with succinylcholine chloride (0.070, 0.062, 0.051 mg/kg of estimated body weight for calves, juveniles and adults), 63% of the 252 immobilization attempts led to complete immobilization and marking, whereas 7% of the darted animals died of respiratory paralysis during handling. the moose to ... | 1999 | 10073344 |
| probable elaeophorosis in a moose (alces alces) from eastern washington state. | | 1998 | 9526866 |
| [chromosomal differences in moose (mammalia, artiodactyla, alces alces l.)]. | earlier studies on differences in moose (alces alces) chromosome sets concerned only european (scandinavia, finland, the volga region, and western siberia) and american (the united states and canada) forms. the first group had a 68-chromosome set, and the second group, a 70-chromosome set. these differences were considered interspecies chromosomal polymorphism. however, the chromosome number in a. alces living in eastern and northeastern siberia remains unknown, although these data are important ... | 1997 | 9378292 |
| microanatomy of the moose temporomandibular joint (alces alces; linnaeus, 1758). | temporomandibular joint (tmj) histology was investigated in 8 female scandinavian moose. 5 were 1-year-old with a carcass weight (cw) of 125-140 kg, and 3 were 2-years-old (160-175 kg cw). the condylar articular surface consisted of a connective tissue lining with parallel collagen fibres. numerous blood vessels were observed adjacent to the joint chamber. below the fibrous layer, a proliferative cellular zone of undifferentiated mesenchymal cells was situated. these cells differentiated into ch ... | 2011 | 9021330 |
| life history patterns in female moose (alces alces): the relationship between age, body size, fecundity and environmental conditions. | i examined the relationship between age, body size and fecundity in 833 female moose (alces alces) from 14 populations in sweden sampled during 1989-1992. data on population density, food availability and climatic conditions were also collected for each population. age and body mass were both significantly positively related to fecundity, measured as ovulation rate, among female moose. the relationship between the probability of ovulation and body mass was dependent on age with (1) a higher body ... | 1996 | 28307646 |
| osteoporotic skull lesions in moose at isle royale national park. | osteoporotic lesions were evaluated in the skulls of moose (alces alces) collected in isle royale national park, michigan (usa), from 1958 to 1994. circular lesions which penetrated the outer table of the skull were distributed over the frontal and nasal bones asymmetrically in both sexes. about 32% of skulls recovered had some porotic lesions with slightly greater prevalence among males. | 1996 | 8627919 |
| anatomy of the moose craniomandibular joint (alces alces, linnaeus, 1758). | the craniomandibular joints (cmj) were investigated in 10 swedish mooses (eight cows: five 1-year-old, two two-year-old, and one 7-year-old) together with one bull moose (2 years) and a yearling. the cmjs, situated at a high distance from the occlusal plane of the tooth rows, comprised a temporal component, a disc and a condyle. the temporal component lacked a mandibular fossa as well as articular eminence. the joint surface was oval, almost flat and convex. the condyle had about two-thirds of i ... | 1995 | 7472736 |
| geographical and latitudinal variation in growth patterns and adult body size of swedish moose (alces alces). | we examined the geographical pattern in growth and adult body size among 14 populations of swedish moose (alces alces) using data from 4,294 moose (≥1.5 years old) killed during the hunting season in 1989-1992. in both sexes, adult body mass was significantly positively correlated with latitude. moose in northern populations had a 15-20% larger adult body mass than moose in the south. juvenile body mass was correlated with neither latitude nor adult body mass. thus, variation in time (years) and ... | 1995 | 28306886 |
| influence of herbivory on caesium turnover in a forest ecosystem. | the effect of herbivory by bank vole (clethrionomys glareolus) and moose (alces alces) in relation to litterfall in a boreal forest is analysed. the main purpose is to estimate the relative importance of these processes for the transfer of caesium-137 to soil. biomasses of litterfall and food consumption were selected from different forest biotopes. the analysis of the input and output of caesium-137 in the vole and moose populations is based on mass balance calculations for caesium-137 in stead ... | 1994 | 7839117 |
| cerebellar abiotrophy in a moose (alces alces l) related to copper deficiency. a case report. | | 1994 | 8209814 |
| postpartum immobilization of adult female moose using xylazine, ketamine and yohimbine hydrochlorides. | twenty-two free-ranging adult female moose (alces alces) were immobilized with a 1:4 mixture of xylazine hydrochloride (xh) and ketamine hydrochloride (kh). mean (sd) dosages/animal for xh and kh were 419 (148) and 1565 (433) mg, respectively. mean (sd) induction time was 18.4 (9.7) minutes. reversal with yohimbine hydrochloride using a mean dosage of 83 mg/animal resulted in a mean (sd) recovery time of 22.8 (28.5) minutes. | 1994 | 8151816 |
| moose herbivory, browse quality, and nutrient cycling in an alaskan treeline community. | moose (alces alces) browsing on diamondleaf willow (salix planifolia pulchra) caused significant increases in subsequent growth of stems and leaves in treeline plant communities in central alaska, usa. willows growing in the shade were significantly more palatable for moose than those growing in the sun. moose density had strong effects on rates of nutrient cycling, ostensibly through effects of browsing and inputs from fecal and urinary nitrogen. moose are a keystone herbivore that likely media ... | 1993 | 28313986 |
| [karyotype of moose (alces alces l.) from northeastern asia]. | | 1993 | 8495204 |
| application of dna fingerprinting to enforcement of hunting regulations in ontario. | dna fingerprinting has been used in investigations of 40 cases of infractions of hunting regulations involving white-tailed deer (odocoileus virginianus) and moose (alces alces) in ontario. in most of these cases, individual-specific dna fingerprints obtained with the jeffrey's 33.15 multilocus probe were used to link the animal remains found at the illegal kill site to blood and tissue samples of the dead animal associated with a suspect. dna fingerprints from 27 white-tailed deer and 19 moose ... | 1993 | 8426157 |
| occurrence of a postpermanent mandibular fourth premolar in a moose bull (alces alces l.). | by a number of diagnostic criteria a supplemental premolar in the right hemimandible of a 6-yr-old moose bull from bielorussia was identified as a postpermanent fourth premolar. its development, which must have started at least 3 yr after the permanent fourth premolar had reached its functional position, resulted in rotation of the p4 by 80 degrees, as well as extensive resorption on both root and crown. | 1992 | 1471958 |
| wolf predation and snow cover as mortality factors in the ungulate community of the bialowieża national park, poland. | wolf-ungulate interactions were studied in the pristine deciduous and mixed forests of the bialowieża national park in 1985-1989. the study period included two severe and two mild winters. the community of ungulates inhabiting bialowieża national park consisted of red deer cervus elaphus, 55% of all ungulates; wild boar sus scrofa, 42%; and roe deer capreolus capreolus, moose alces alces, and european bison bison bonasus, about 1% each. the average size of red deer groups increased from 2.7 (sd ... | 1992 | 28312267 |
| characterization of the heterochromatin in moose (alces alces) chromosomes. | the karyotype of moose (2n = 68) is characterized by very large c-bands close to the centromeres of most chromosomes. the c-banded material represents 40% of the genome. for further characterization of the heterochromatin chromosome spreads were treated with restriction endonucleases and the restriction enzyme (re) banding pattern was analyzed. haeiii, alui, mboi, rsai and hinfi produced informative re-bands. ddei induced an even digestion with no banding. staining with chromomycin a3 produced b ... | 1990 | 2157629 |
| structural variation in the nasal bone region of european moose (alces alces l.). | the ontogeny of typical (normal) nasal bone region of the european moose (alces alces l.) and the 3 variants of the pattern, was studied. the variants, named as "extra bone type", "punctured type" and "open type" referring the morphology of the internasal suture, were originally observed in finnish male and female moose skulls in 1971. all of the variants were later found in hunting trophy exhibitions presenting male moose trophies from sweden, norway, baltic republics of ussr and poland. the fr ... | 1990 | 2099615 |
| increased osteoarthritis in moose from isle royale. | over the past 30 yr, moose (alces alces) in isle royale national park (michigan, usa) exhibited a several-fold increase in the prevalence of osteoarthritis, or degenerative joint disease (djd). available evidence points to an environmental explanation for this change. greater physical activity among afflicted moose is not a likely contributing factor, nor is genetic change in the population. the possible introduction of an unspecified disease agent cannot be dismissed at this time. moose exhibit ... | 1988 | 3411702 |
| mineral licks as a sodium source for isle royale moose. | natural mineral licks and their use by moose (alces alces) on isle royale national park, michigan, were studied during 1982-85. the distribution of known licks suggested that they occurred in association with glacial debris, primarily in the western portions of the island. moose utilized mineral springs extensively during the spring-summer period, and at least 5 licks were used year-round. during summer, a pronounced diel pattern of moose visitation was apparent, with peak use occurring between ... | 1986 | 28312093 |
| serologic studies of select infectious diseases of moose (alces alces l.) from alaska. | | 1986 | 3735591 |
| use of yohimbine and 4-aminopyridine to antagonize xylazine-induced immobilization in north american cervidae. | four captive moose (alces alces), 4 mule deer (odocoileus hemionus), and 5 white-tailed deer (odocoileus virginianus) were immobilized with xylazine (0.63 to 1.29 mg/kg of body weight, im). mean induction times for the moose were 17 minutes and for the deer, 14 and 10 minutes, respectively. according to published data and past experience, the dosage of xylazine used would be expected to provide 115, 120, and 100 minutes of immobilization in captive moose, mule deer, and white-tailed deer, respec ... | 1985 | 2867079 |
| cutaneous fibromas of moose (alces alces). | | 1985 | 2987549 |
| carfentanil and xylazine for immobilization of moose (alces alces) on isle royale. | twenty-one moose were captured on isle royale between 28 may and 2 june 1984 at licks on the western end of the island. the animals were darted, at ranges of 10 to 35 m, with 3-cc dart syringes containing 3 or 4 mg of carfentanil and 100 or 175 mg of xylazine. three animals were drugged with carfentanil alone. immobilization time ranged from 2.5 to 6 min. there was no excitement phase evident in 18 of the animals and they rarely moved more than 30 m after darting. reversal was begun at 30 to 90 ... | 1985 | 3981744 |
| spontaneous aortic lesions in moose (alces alces l). | | 1985 | 3836572 |
| onchocerca lesions in moose (alces alces l.). | inflammatory discolorated granulomas occurred in 98% of investigated moose, 1.5 years of age or older. in moose calves no lesions were observed. the lesions were mainly located in tendineous tissues. predilection sites were the insertions of m. sartorius and m. semitendinosus at the tibia. lesions also occurred in peritendineous and subcutaneous tissues. the lesions were caused by onchocerca worms. the character of the inflammatory reaction was benign and onchocercal lesions in moose appeared to ... | 2003 | 6531209 |
| baseline body temperatures, heart rates, and respiratory rates of moose in alaska. | baseline body temperatures (bt), heart rates (hr) and respiratory rates (rr) were obtained from alaskan moose (alces alces gigas miller) at the moose research center (mrc), alaska. excitability, seasons and drugs influenced the values to varying degrees. excitability was the most influential factor. safe expected ranges were: bt 38.4 to 38.9 c, hr 70 to 91 beats/min (b/min), and rr 13 to 40 respirations/min (r/min). these ranges incorporated all seasons, a central nervous system depressant drug ... | 1984 | 6530720 |
| moose and snowshoe hare competition and a mechanistic explanation from foraging theory. | moose (alces alces) and snowshoe hare (lepus americanus) appear to compete with each other. this was determined using the "natural experiments" of populations found in sympatry and allopatry on islands at isle royale national park, michigan, and manipulated exclosures. the population densities from these areas are fit to a series of competition models based upon different competitive mechanisms (schoener 1974a), using non-linear regression techniques. a model of competition for food where the fo ... | 1984 | 28309404 |
| fibre distribution and fibre diameters in two muscles of swedish moose (alces alces l.). | 1. muscle samples from m. semitendinosus (s) and m. longissimus (l) were taken by autopsy, shortly after killing from 36 moose ranging approximately from 5 months to 6 yr of age. 2. the moose muscle contains three populations of fibres namely beta r, alpha r and alpha w. the muscles have a high proportion of beta r and alpha r fibres which indicates a dependence on oxidative metabolism for muscle function. 3. the moose have developed their ultimate fibre distribution at about the age of 5 months ... | 1982 | 6126305 |
| note on parasitic granulomas in the liver of swedish moose (alces alces l). | | 2003 | 7322866 |
| optimal activity times and habitat choice of moose. | a set of concepts was presented which could be used to model an animal's activity cycle and habitat choice as an optimization process. the model was applied to moose (alces alces) summer activity and its predictions were consistent with observed feeding times and habitat selections. the optimization model had a goal of maximizing daily feeding time at the least possible energetic cost. this goal was consistent with a foraging strategy that maximized the intake of some nutritional component, i.e. ... | 1981 | 28309929 |