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Elaphus L. (elaphu + l)

Distribution by Scientific Domains
Life Sciences100%

Kinds of Elaphus L.

  • cervus elaphu l.
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    Selected Abstracts

    Climate predictability and breeding phenology in red deer: timing and synchrony of rutting and calving in Norway and France

    JOURNAL OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY, Issue 4 2005
    L. E. LOE
    Summary 1Timing and synchrony of reproduction are regarded as crucially important factors for fitness in seasonal environments. Natural selection has probably favoured temperate and arctic female herbivores that match reproduction with onset of plant growth in spring. However, breeding synchrony may also be affected by variation in phenotypic quality of females in a population, because females in poor body condition have been found to delay ovulation and subsequent calving. 2We compared breeding phenology, i.e. the timing and synchrony of rutting (roaring, sexual aggregation) and calving of red deer (Cervus elaphus L.) in France (latitude: 49°N) and Norway (latitude: 63°N). We hypothesized (H1) that calving and rutting were later at the site with latest onset of plant growth. 3We further quantified overall environmental predictability as the sum of annual constancy and seasonality and tested three different (not mutually exclusive) hypotheses about breeding synchrony: (H2a) the population experiencing most seasonal plant phenology should show the highest breeding synchrony; (H2b) overall predictability of plant phenology should determine breeding synchrony; and (H2c) breeding should be more synchronized in the population with lowest female body weight variation within age classes because they ovulate more synchronously. 4Calving and rutting, as well as onset of plant phenology, were later in Norway than in France, complying with the first hypothesis. Plant growth in spring was overall more predictable and also more seasonal in Norway than France. Hence we expected higher breeding synchrony in Norway than in France according to H2a and H2b. Variance in female body weight was slightly higher in France than in Norway, which should also cause more synchronized breeding in Norway than in France (H2c). Contrary to all predictions, variance in rutting and calving dates was around two times higher in Norway than in France. 5We suggest two alternative explanations of breeding synchrony. A more variable topography in Norway can make optimal birth date more variable on a local scale than in France, thereby maintaining a higher genetic variance for calving date in Norwegian red deer. Further, population age structure may play a role, as ovulation varies according to female age. Clearly, processes of breeding synchrony are far more complex than previously realized. [source]

    Thresholds in landscape connectivity and mortality risks in response to growing road networks

    JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY, Issue 5 2008
    Jacqueline L. Frair
    Summary 1The ecological footprint of a road may extend for several kilometres with overlapping effects from neighbouring roads causing a nonlinear accumulation of road effects in the landscape. Availability of preferred habitat, spatial dependencies between roads and habitat types, and fidelity to traditionally used areas further confound our ability to predict population-level responses of animals to growing road networks. 2To isolate these effects, we developed an individually based movement model using elk Cervus elaphus L. as a model system. Empirically derived movement rules redistributed elk under different amounts of preferred habitat (clearcuts), road densities, and road development schemes. We tracked potential mortality risk (given time spent near roads) and emigration rates (given declining accessibility of foraging habitat). 3Design of the road network accounted for up to 30,55% difference in mortality risk and emigration rates, with the largest differences occurring at intermediate road densities (1,1·5 km km,2) when road effects began to saturate the landscape. Maintaining roads in association with clearcuts caused a decline in habitat accessibility equivalent to replacing 50,75% of these foraging patches with conifer forest. A nine-fold difference in potential emigration was observed after varying elk tolerance for declining habitat accessibility despite holding local movement biases constant. 4Elk responses to growing road networks were non-linear, exposing thresholds for road density that were reflected in the home range occupancy patterns of a large sample of elk in the region. 5Synthesis and applications. Our approach provides a means of scaling-up complex movement decisions to population-level redistribution, separating the confounding effects of landscape context from road effects, and exposing thresholds in connectivity and mortality risks for wildlife caused by infrastructure growth. Our model indicated that road densities , 0·5 km km,2 yielded the highest probability of elk occurrence where elk were hunted (and sensitive to roads), but disassociating roads from foraging habitats or managing human access to roads may maintain effective elk habitat at substantially higher road densities. [source]

    Variations of diet composition of Red Deer (Cervus elaphus L.) in Europe

    MAMMAL REVIEW, Issue 3-4 2001
    Claudia Gebert
    ABSTRACT To define the food resources of Red Deer (Cervus elaphus L.) in Europe and to detect the principal sources of variations in their diet, we reviewed field studies based on stomach content analysis. The study areas were classified into three main habitat groups (mixed-coniferous forest, mixed-deciduous forest, moorland), the food items into 13 plant categories, and we used five seasonal classes (winter, spring, summer, autumn, hunting season) for analysing the data set. For statistical analyses we used correspondence analysis and analysis of variance. Red Deer eat a varied diet comprising at least 145 plant species. The main sources of diet variation were due to habitat, leading us to identify three habitat types characterized by the consumption of a few key species. Clear seasonal variation was observed only for the seed and fruit items which were used mainly during the hunting season. Our results confirm that Red Deer can be classified among the intermediate feeders, with a mixed diet of grass & sedges (29%) and concentrate food items (63%). However, they also show Red Deer to be primarily a concentrate feeder (max. 75%) with no significant seasonal variation between the quantities of grass or sedges and concentrate food in the diet. In the light of these results, we discuss potential competition with other sympatric ungulates (wild and domestic). We suggest that it may be useful to take into account key food resources in modelling population dynamics and in taking management decisions. [source]