Thompson Daniel P, Crouse John A, Barboza Perry S, Spathelf Miles O, Herberg Andrew M, Parker Stephanie D, Morris Max A
Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Kenai Moose Research Center, 43961 Kalifornsky Beach Road, Suite B, AK 99669, Soldotna, USA.
Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences, Texas A&M University, TAMU 2258 Bldg. 1537, 534 John Kimbrough Blvd., College Station, TX 77843, USA.
Conserv Physiol. 2021 Jan 8;9(1):coaa130. doi: 10.1093/conphys/coaa130. eCollection 2021.
Management of large herbivores depends on providing habitats for forage supply and refuge from risks of temperature, predation and disease. Moose () accumulate body energy and nutrient stores during summer, while reducing the impact of warm temperatures through physiological and behavioural thermoregulation. Building on the animal indicator concept, we used rumen temperature sensors and GPS collars on captive moose ( = 6) kept in large natural enclosures to evaluate how behaviour and habitat selection influence the rate of change in rumen temperature during the growing season on the Kenai Peninsula, Alaska, USA. We compared movement and habitat selection of individual females during tolerance days (daily amplitude in rumen temperature was ≥1.2°C in 24 h) with those of control days (daily amplitude in rumen temperature was < 1.2°C) before and after the tolerance day. Moose moved more during tolerance days (172 m • h; 95% confidence intervals (CI) = 149-191 m • h) than on control days (151 m • h; 95% CI = 128-173 m • h). The rate of change in rumen temperature (°C • h) declined with low to moderate movement rates that were probably associated with foraging in all habitats. Movement only increased the rate of change in rumen temperature at high activity (~ > 500 m • h). Additionally, the relationship between rate of change in rumen temperature and movement rate was different during tolerance and control days in open meadow and wetland habitats. In all habitats except wetlands, the rate of change in rumen temperature increased while resting, which probably is a result of diet-induced thermogenesis. Our study demonstrates that the behavioural choices of moose on the landscape are associated with the rate of change in rumen temperature and their ability to thermoregulate. Wildlife managers must consider high-value habitats where wildlife can employ both behavioural and physiological mechanisms to tolerate warm ambient conditions in a landscape of forage, predators and pests.
大型食草动物的管理依赖于提供觅食栖息地以及躲避温度、捕食和疾病风险的庇护所。驼鹿在夏季积累身体能量和营养储备，同时通过生理和行为体温调节来减轻高温的影响。基于动物指标概念，我们在美国阿拉斯加基奈半岛的大型自然围栏中，对圈养的6头驼鹿佩戴瘤胃温度传感器和GPS项圈，以评估行为和栖息地选择如何影响生长季节瘤胃温度的变化率。我们比较了耐受日（24小时内瘤胃温度日振幅≥1.2°C）前后个体雌性驼鹿在耐受日与对照日（瘤胃温度日振幅<1.2°C）的活动和栖息地选择。驼鹿在耐受日的移动距离（172米/小时；95%置信区间（CI）=149 - 191米/小时）比对照日（151米/小时；95%CI = 128 - 173米/小时）更远。瘤胃温度变化率（°C/小时）随着低到中等移动速度而下降，这可能与在所有栖息地觅食有关。只有在高活动量（~>500米/小时）时，移动才会增加瘤胃温度变化率。此外，在开阔草地和湿地栖息地，耐受日和对照日瘤胃温度变化率与移动速度之间的关系有所不同。在除湿地外的所有栖息地，休息时瘤胃温度变化率都会增加，这可能是饮食诱导产热的结果。我们的研究表明，驼鹿在景观中的行为选择与瘤胃温度变化率及其体温调节能力有关。野生动物管理者必须考虑高价值栖息地，在这样的栖息地中，野生动物可以利用行为和生理机制在有觅食地、捕食者和害虫的景观中耐受温暖的环境条件。
