Reproductive strategies of Dicrostonyx groenlandicus and Lemmus sibiricus in high-arctic tundra
From 1981 to 1984, a field study of reproductive strategies of Lemmus sibiricus and Dicrostonyx groenlandicus in high-arctic tundra was undertaken at Igloolik Island and the Melville Peninsula, Northwest Territories. Both species of lemmings were scarce in 1981 and 1982 and increased rapidly in abun...
Published in: | Canadian Journal of Zoology |
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Language: | English |
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Canadian Science Publishing
1998
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Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z97-226 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/z97-226 |
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crcansciencepubl:10.1139/z97-226 2023-12-17T10:25:35+01:00 Reproductive strategies of Dicrostonyx groenlandicus and Lemmus sibiricus in high-arctic tundra Negus, Norman C Berger, Patricia J 1998 http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z97-226 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/z97-226 en eng Canadian Science Publishing http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/page/about/CorporateTextAndDataMining Canadian Journal of Zoology volume 76, issue 3, page 390-399 ISSN 0008-4301 1480-3283 Animal Science and Zoology Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics journal-article 1998 crcansciencepubl https://doi.org/10.1139/z97-226 2023-11-19T13:39:15Z From 1981 to 1984, a field study of reproductive strategies of Lemmus sibiricus and Dicrostonyx groenlandicus in high-arctic tundra was undertaken at Igloolik Island and the Melville Peninsula, Northwest Territories. Both species of lemmings were scarce in 1981 and 1982 and increased rapidly in abundance in 1983 and 1984. In 1983, D. groenlandicus began breeding in March under the snow, whereas L. sibiricus did not commence breeding until meltoff in early June. Breeding in L. sibiricus was coincident with the appearance of the first sprouts of Dupontia fisheri and Carex stans, two of its preferred monocotyledonous food plants. A survey of tundra plants revealed that 6-methoxybenzoxlazolinone (6-MBOA) was present in the monocotyledons that are the preferred food plants of L. sibiricus, but not in those that are not preferred. With one exception, stoloniferous species contained 6-MBOA but caespitose species did not. Dupontia fisheri showed considerable yearly variation in 6-MBOA content, consistent with low and high population years for L. sibiricus. None of the dicotyledons preferred by D. groenlandicus contained 6-MBOA. Laboratory assays demonstrated that L. sibiricus responds reproductively (increased uterine mass) to 6-MBOA, but D. groenlandicus does not. We conclude that D. groenlandicus uses photoperiod to cue its reproductive effort, while plant chemical cues are an important component of the reproductive strategy of L. sibiricus. Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic Dicrostonyx groenlandicus Dupontia fisheri Igloolik Lemmus sibiricus Melville Peninsula Northwest Territories Tundra Canadian Science Publishing (via Crossref) Arctic Northwest Territories Igloolik ENVELOPE(-81.800,-81.800,69.378,69.378) Melville Peninsula ENVELOPE(-83.999,-83.999,68.001,68.001) Canadian Journal of Zoology 76 3 390 399 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Canadian Science Publishing (via Crossref) |
op_collection_id |
crcansciencepubl |
language |
English |
topic |
Animal Science and Zoology Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics |
spellingShingle |
Animal Science and Zoology Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics Negus, Norman C Berger, Patricia J Reproductive strategies of Dicrostonyx groenlandicus and Lemmus sibiricus in high-arctic tundra |
topic_facet |
Animal Science and Zoology Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics |
description |
From 1981 to 1984, a field study of reproductive strategies of Lemmus sibiricus and Dicrostonyx groenlandicus in high-arctic tundra was undertaken at Igloolik Island and the Melville Peninsula, Northwest Territories. Both species of lemmings were scarce in 1981 and 1982 and increased rapidly in abundance in 1983 and 1984. In 1983, D. groenlandicus began breeding in March under the snow, whereas L. sibiricus did not commence breeding until meltoff in early June. Breeding in L. sibiricus was coincident with the appearance of the first sprouts of Dupontia fisheri and Carex stans, two of its preferred monocotyledonous food plants. A survey of tundra plants revealed that 6-methoxybenzoxlazolinone (6-MBOA) was present in the monocotyledons that are the preferred food plants of L. sibiricus, but not in those that are not preferred. With one exception, stoloniferous species contained 6-MBOA but caespitose species did not. Dupontia fisheri showed considerable yearly variation in 6-MBOA content, consistent with low and high population years for L. sibiricus. None of the dicotyledons preferred by D. groenlandicus contained 6-MBOA. Laboratory assays demonstrated that L. sibiricus responds reproductively (increased uterine mass) to 6-MBOA, but D. groenlandicus does not. We conclude that D. groenlandicus uses photoperiod to cue its reproductive effort, while plant chemical cues are an important component of the reproductive strategy of L. sibiricus. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Negus, Norman C Berger, Patricia J |
author_facet |
Negus, Norman C Berger, Patricia J |
author_sort |
Negus, Norman C |
title |
Reproductive strategies of Dicrostonyx groenlandicus and Lemmus sibiricus in high-arctic tundra |
title_short |
Reproductive strategies of Dicrostonyx groenlandicus and Lemmus sibiricus in high-arctic tundra |
title_full |
Reproductive strategies of Dicrostonyx groenlandicus and Lemmus sibiricus in high-arctic tundra |
title_fullStr |
Reproductive strategies of Dicrostonyx groenlandicus and Lemmus sibiricus in high-arctic tundra |
title_full_unstemmed |
Reproductive strategies of Dicrostonyx groenlandicus and Lemmus sibiricus in high-arctic tundra |
title_sort |
reproductive strategies of dicrostonyx groenlandicus and lemmus sibiricus in high-arctic tundra |
publisher |
Canadian Science Publishing |
publishDate |
1998 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z97-226 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/z97-226 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-81.800,-81.800,69.378,69.378) ENVELOPE(-83.999,-83.999,68.001,68.001) |
geographic |
Arctic Northwest Territories Igloolik Melville Peninsula |
geographic_facet |
Arctic Northwest Territories Igloolik Melville Peninsula |
genre |
Arctic Dicrostonyx groenlandicus Dupontia fisheri Igloolik Lemmus sibiricus Melville Peninsula Northwest Territories Tundra |
genre_facet |
Arctic Dicrostonyx groenlandicus Dupontia fisheri Igloolik Lemmus sibiricus Melville Peninsula Northwest Territories Tundra |
op_source |
Canadian Journal of Zoology volume 76, issue 3, page 390-399 ISSN 0008-4301 1480-3283 |
op_rights |
http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/page/about/CorporateTextAndDataMining |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1139/z97-226 |
container_title |
Canadian Journal of Zoology |
container_volume |
76 |
container_issue |
3 |
container_start_page |
390 |
op_container_end_page |
399 |
_version_ |
1785577219605659648 |