Ranking Alaska Moose Nutrition: Signals to Begin Liberal Antlerless Harvests

Abstract: We focused on describing low nutritional status in an increasing moose (Alces alces gigas) population with reduced predation in Game Management Unit (GMU) 20A near Fairbanks, Alaska, USA. A skeptical public disallowed liberal antlerless harvests of this moose population until we provided convincing data on low nutritional status. We ranked nutritional status in 15 Alaska moose populations (in boreal forests and coastal tundra) based on multiyear twinning rates. Data on age-of-first-reproduction and parturition rates provided a ranking consistent with twinning rates in the 6 areas where comparative data were available. Also, short-yearling mass provided a ranking consistent with twinning rates in 5 of the 6 areas where data were available. Data from 5 areas implied an inverse relationship between twinning rate and browse removal rate. Only in GMU 20A did nutritional indices reach low levels where justification for halting population growth was apparent, which supports prior findings that nutrition is a minor factor limiting most Alaska moose populations compared to predation. With predator reductions, the GMU 20A moose population increased from 1976 until liberal antlerless harvests in 2004. During 1997-2005, GMU 20A moose exhibited the lowest nutritional status reported to date for wild, noninsular, North American populations, including 1) delayed reproduction until moose reached 36 months of age and the lowest parturition rate among 36-month-old moose (29%, n = 147); 2) the lowest average multiyear twinning rates from late-May aerial surveys (x = 7%, SE = 0.9%, n = 9 yr, range = 3-10%) and delayed twinning until moose reached 60 months of age; 3) the lowest average mass of female short-yearlings in Alaska (x̄ = 155 ± 1.6 [SE] kg in the Tanana Flats subpopulation, up to 58 kg below average masses found elsewhere); and 4) high removal (42%) of current annual browse biomass compared to 9-26% elsewhere in boreal forests. When average multiyear twinning rates in GMU 20A (sampled during 1960-2005) declined to <10% in the mid- to late 1990s, we began encouraging liberal antlerless harvests, but only conservative annual harvests of 61-76 antlerless moose were achieved during 1996-2001. Using data in the context of our broader ranking system, we convinced skeptical citizen advisory committees to allow liberal antlerless harvests of 600-690 moose in 2004 and 2005, with the objective of halting population growth of the 16,000-17,000 moose; total harvests were 7-8% of total prehunt numbers. The resulting liberal antlerless harvests served to protect the moose population's health and habitat and to fulfill a mandate for elevated yield. Liberal antlerless harvests appear justified to halt population growth when multiyear twinning rates average ≤10% and ≥1 of the following signals substantiate low nutritional status: <50% of 36-month-old moose are parturient, average multiyear short-yearling mass is <175 kg, or >35% of annual browse biomass is removed by moose.     

Rio Grande Wild Turkey Habitat Selection in the Southern Great Plains

ABSTRACT We recorded telemetry locations from 1,129 radiotagged turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo intermedia) on 4 study areas in the Texas Panhandle and southwestern Kansas, USA, from 2000 to 2004. Analyses of telemetry locations indicated both sexes selected riparian vegetative zones. Females did not select grazed or nongrazed pastures for daily movements. However, females did select nongrazed pastures for nest sites on 2 study areas and males selected for grazed pastures at one study area during the breeding season. We compared nest sites (n = 351) to random sites using logistic regression, which indicated height of visual obstruction, percent canopy cover, and percent bare ground provided the highest predictive power (P ≤ 0.003) for characteristics describing nest-site selection. Nest-site vegetative characteristics between vegetative zones differed primarily in composition: upland zone nest sites had more (P ≤ 0.001) shrubs and riparian zone nest sites had more (P ≤ 0.001) grass. There were no differences in measured nest site vegetative characteristics between pasture types, but there were differences between available nesting cover in grazed and nongrazed pastures. Random plots in grazed pastures had less grass cover (P ≤ 0.001) and more bare ground (P = 0.002). Because of cattle impacts on average grass height and availability, grazing would likely have the highest impact on nesting in riparian zones due to turkey use of grass as nesting cover. An appropriate grazing plan to promote Rio Grande turkey nesting habitat would include grazing upland zones in the spring, when it likely has little impact on nesting-site selection, and grazing riparian zones following breeding season completion. Grazing at light to moderate intensities with periods of rest did not affect male turkey pasture use and may have continued to maintain open areas used by male turkeys for displaying purposes.     

Aerial Surveys for Estimating Wild Turkey Abundance in the Texas Rolling Plains

Abstract: Aerial surveys have been used to estimate abundance of several wild bird species including wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo). We used inflatable turkey decoys at 3 study sites in the Texas Rolling Plains to simulate Rio Grande wild turkey (M. g. intermedia) flocks. We evaluated detectability of flocks and errors in counting flock size during fixed-wing (Cessna 172) aerial surveys using logistic and linear regression models. Flock detectability was primarily influenced by flock size and vegetative cover, and errors in counting flock size were primarily influenced by size of flocks. We conducted computer simulations to evaluate the accuracy and precision of fixed-wing aerial surveys and examined power to detect trends in population change. Our simulations suggested abundance estimates from fixed-wing aerial surveys may be underestimated by 10-15% (2.0-4.8% CV). Power analyses suggested that fixed-wing aerial surveys can provide sufficient power (>0.80) to detect a population change of 10-25% over a 4-5-year period. We concluded fixed-wing aerial surveys are feasible on ecoregion scales.     

Quantitative trait loci and candidate genes underlying genotype by environment interaction in the response of Arabidopsis thaliana to drought

Drought stress was imposed on two sets of Arabidopsis thaliana genotypes grown in sand under short‐day conditions and analysed for several shoot and root growth traits. The response to drought was assessed for quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping in a genetically diverse set of Arabidopsis accessions using genome‐wide association (GWA) mapping, and conventional linkage analysis of a recombinant inbred line (RIL) population. Results showed significant genotype by environment interaction (G×E) for all traits in response to different watering regimes. For the RIL population, the observed G×E was reflected in 17 QTL by environment interactions (Q×E), while 17 additional QTLs were mapped not showing Q×E. GWA mapping identified 58 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNPs) associated with loci displaying Q×E and an additional 16 SNPs associated with loci not showing Q×E. Many candidate genes potentially underlying these loci were suggested. The genes for RPS3C and YLS7 were found to contain conserved amino acid differences when comparing Arabidopsis accessions with strongly contrasting drought response phenotypes, further supporting their candidacy. One of these candidate genes co‐located with a QTL mapped in the RIL population.     

Semiempirical modeling of abiotic and biotic factors controlling ecosystem respiration across eddy covariance sites

In this study we examined ecosystem respiration (R_ECO) data from 104 sites belonging to FLUXNET, the global network of eddy covariance flux measurements. The goal was to identify the main factors involved in the variability of R_ECO: temporally and between sites as affected by climate, vegetation structure and plant functional type (PFT) (evergreen needleleaf, grasslands, etc.). We demonstrated that a model using only climate drivers as predictors of R_ECO failed to describe part of the temporal variability in the data and that the dependency on gross primary production (GPP) needed to be included as an additional driver of R_ECO. The maximum seasonal leaf area index (LAI_MAX) had an additional effect that explained the spatial variability of reference respiration (the respiration at reference temperature T_ref=15 °C, without stimulation introduced by photosynthetic activity and without water limitations), with a statistically significant linear relationship (r²=0.52, P<0.001, n=104) even within each PFT. Besides LAI_MAX, we found that reference respiration may be explained partially by total soil carbon content (SoilC). For undisturbed temperate and boreal forests a negative control of total nitrogen deposition (N_depo) on reference respiration was also identified. We developed a new semiempirical model incorporating abiotic factors (climate), recent productivity (daily GPP), general site productivity and canopy structure (LAI_MAX) which performed well in predicting the spatio‐temporal variability of R_ECO, explaining >70% of the variance for most vegetation types. Exceptions include tropical and Mediterranean broadleaf forests and deciduous broadleaf forests. Part of the variability in respiration that could not be described by our model may be attributed to a series of factors, including phenology in deciduous broadleaf forests and management practices in grasslands and croplands.     

Genetic variation in expression of defense phenotype may mediate evolutionary adaptation of Asclepias syriaca to elevated CO2

How species interactions may modify the effects of environmental change on evolutionary adaptation is poorly understood. Elevated CO₂ is known to alter plant–herbivore interactions, but the evolutionary consequences for plant populations have received little attention. We conducted an experiment to determine the effects of elevated CO₂ and herbivory by a specialist insect herbivore (Danaus plexippus) on the expression of constitutive and induced plant defense traits in five genotypes of Asclepias syriaca, and assessed the heritability of these traits. We also examined changes in relative fitness among plant genotypes in response to altered CO₂ and herbivory. The expression of plant defense traits varied significantly among genotypes. Elevated CO₂ increased plant growth and physical defenses (toughness and latex), but decreased investment in chemical defenses (cardenolides). We found no effect of elevated CO₂ on plant induction of cardenolides in response to caterpillar herbivory. Elevated CO₂ decreased the expression of chemical defenses (cardenolides) to a different extent depending on plant genotype. Differential effects of CO₂ on plant defense expression, rather than direct effects on relative fitness, may alter A. syriaca adaptation to changing climate.     

Coordinated approaches to quantify long‐term ecosystem dynamics in response to global change

Many serious ecosystem consequences of climate change will take decades or even centuries to emerge. Long‐term ecological responses to global change are strongly regulated by slow processes, such as changes in species composition, carbon dynamics in soil and by long‐lived plants, and accumulation of nutrient capitals. Understanding and predicting these processes require experiments on decadal time scales. But decadal experiments by themselves may not be adequate because many of the slow processes have characteristic time scales much longer than experiments can be maintained. This article promotes a coordinated approach that combines long‐term, large‐scale global change experiments with process studies and modeling. Long‐term global change manipulative experiments, especially in high‐priority ecosystems such as tropical forests and high‐latitude regions, are essential to maximize information gain concerning future states of the earth system. The long‐term experiments should be conducted in tandem with complementary process studies, such as those using model ecosystems, species replacements, laboratory incubations, isotope tracers, and greenhouse facilities. Models are essential to assimilate data from long‐term experiments and process studies together with information from long‐term observations, surveys, and space‐for‐time studies along environmental and biological gradients. Future research programs with coordinated long‐term experiments, process studies, and modeling have the potential to be the most effective strategy to gain the best information on long‐term ecosystem dynamics in response to global change.     

Temperature cues phenological synchrony in ant‐mediated seed dispersal

Species‐specific climate responses within ecological communities may disrupt the synchrony of co‐evolved mutualisms that are based on the shared timing of seasonal events, such as seed dispersal by ants (myrmecochory). The spring phenology of plants and ants coincides with marked changes in temperature, light and moisture. We investigate how these environmental drivers influence both seed release by early and late spring woodland herb species, and initiation of spring foraging by seed‐dispersing ants. We pair experimental herbaceous transplants with artificial ant bait stations across north‐ and south‐facing slopes at two contrasting geographic locations. This use of space enables robust identification of plant fruiting and ant foraging cues, and the use of transplants permits us to assess plasticity in plant phenology. We find that warming temperatures act as the primary phenological cue for plant fruiting and ant foraging. Moreover, the plasticity in plant response across locations, despite transplants being from the same source, suggests a high degree of portability in the seed‐dispersing mutualism. However, we also find evidence for potential climate‐driven facilitative failure that may lead to phenological asynchrony. Specifically, at the location where the early flowering species (Hepatica nobilis) is decreasing in abundance and distribution, we find far fewer seed‐dispersing ants foraging during its fruit set than during that of the later flowering Hexastylis arifolia. Notably, the key seed disperser, Aphaenogaster rudis, fails to emerge during early fruit set at this location. At the second location, A. picea forages equally during early and late seed release. These results indicate that climate‐driven changes might shift species‐specific interactions in a plant–ant mutualism resulting in winners and losers within the myrmecochorous plant guild.