Population Ecology of Scandinavian

• Main Authors: Jens Persson, Acta Universitatis, Agriculturae Sueciae
• Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Subjects: Gulo gulo
• Online Access: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.493.2457; http://www.carnivoreconservation.org/files/thesis/persson_2003_phd.pdf

In this thesis I examine reproductive patterns, test for effects of reproductive costs and winter food availability on female reproduction, estimate rates and causes of juvenile mortality, examine dispersal patterns and analyze population viability. Wolverine (Gulo gulo) females reached the reproductive stage no earlier than 3 years of age and the minimum average age at first reproduction was 3.4 years. Each year about every second female reproduced and produced an average of 0.8 kits per female. Reproduction incurred costs on females that affected reproduction the subsequent year. Experimental food-supplementation of females in early winter enhanced reproductive rates, even though all food-supplemented females had reproduced the preceding year. I therefore suggest that reproductive success of wolverine females is determined by the combined effect of reproductive costs and winter food availability. The survival rate of radio-marked juveniles from May to February was about 70%. Intraspecific predation was the most important cause of juvenile mortality (50%), and occurred in May-June when juveniles are dependent on their mother and in August-September after independence.