A camera trap‐based assessment of climate‐driven phenotypic plasticity of seasonal moulting in an endangered carnivore
Abstract For many species, the ability to rapidly adapt to changes in seasonality is essential for long‐term survival. In the Arctic, seasonal moulting is a key life‐history event that provides year‐round camouflage and thermal protection. However, increased climatic variability of seasonal events c...
Published in: | Remote Sensing in Ecology and Conservation |
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:d54e7fb614bc499c984f461cb051186a 2023-06-11T04:08:38+02:00 A camera trap‐based assessment of climate‐driven phenotypic plasticity of seasonal moulting in an endangered carnivore Lucie Laporte‐Devylder Kristine R. Ulvund Lars Rød‐Eriksen Ola Olsson Øystein Flagstad Arild Landa Nina E. Eide Craig R. Jackson 2023-04-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.1002/rse2.304 https://doaj.org/article/d54e7fb614bc499c984f461cb051186a EN eng Wiley https://doi.org/10.1002/rse2.304 https://doaj.org/toc/2056-3485 2056-3485 doi:10.1002/rse2.304 https://doaj.org/article/d54e7fb614bc499c984f461cb051186a Remote Sensing in Ecology and Conservation, Vol 9, Iss 2, Pp 210-221 (2023) camera trapping camouflage climate change colour polymorphism phenological mismatch phenotypic plasticity Technology T Ecology QH540-549.5 article 2023 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.1002/rse2.304 2023-04-23T00:30:52Z Abstract For many species, the ability to rapidly adapt to changes in seasonality is essential for long‐term survival. In the Arctic, seasonal moulting is a key life‐history event that provides year‐round camouflage and thermal protection. However, increased climatic variability of seasonal events can lead to phenological mismatch. In this study, we investigated whether winter‐white (white morph) and winter‐brown (blue morph) Arctic foxes (Vulpes lagopus) could adjust their winter‐to‐summer moult to match local environmental conditions. We used camera trap images spanning an eight‐year period to quantify the timing and rate of fur change in a polymorphic subpopulation in south‐central Norway. Seasonal snow cover duration and temperature governed the phenology of the spring moult. We observed a later onset and longer moulting duration with decreasing temperature and longer snow season. Additionally, white foxes moulted earlier than blue in years with shorter periods of snow cover and warmer temperatures. These results suggest that phenotypic plasticity allows Arctic foxes to modulate the timing and rate of their spring moult as snow conditions and temperatures fluctuate. With the Arctic warming at an unprecedented rate, understanding the capacity of polar species to physiologically adapt to a changing environment is urgently needed in order to develop adaptive conservation efforts. Moreover, we provide the first evidence for variations in the moulting phenology of blue and white Arctic foxes. Our study underlines the different intraspecific selective pressures that can exist in populations where several morphs co‐occur, and illustrates the importance of integrating morph‐based differences in future management strategies of such polymorphic species. Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic Climate change Vulpes lagopus Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Arctic Norway Remote Sensing in Ecology and Conservation 9 2 210 221 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
camera trapping camouflage climate change colour polymorphism phenological mismatch phenotypic plasticity Technology T Ecology QH540-549.5 |
spellingShingle |
camera trapping camouflage climate change colour polymorphism phenological mismatch phenotypic plasticity Technology T Ecology QH540-549.5 Lucie Laporte‐Devylder Kristine R. Ulvund Lars Rød‐Eriksen Ola Olsson Øystein Flagstad Arild Landa Nina E. Eide Craig R. Jackson A camera trap‐based assessment of climate‐driven phenotypic plasticity of seasonal moulting in an endangered carnivore |
topic_facet |
camera trapping camouflage climate change colour polymorphism phenological mismatch phenotypic plasticity Technology T Ecology QH540-549.5 |
description |
Abstract For many species, the ability to rapidly adapt to changes in seasonality is essential for long‐term survival. In the Arctic, seasonal moulting is a key life‐history event that provides year‐round camouflage and thermal protection. However, increased climatic variability of seasonal events can lead to phenological mismatch. In this study, we investigated whether winter‐white (white morph) and winter‐brown (blue morph) Arctic foxes (Vulpes lagopus) could adjust their winter‐to‐summer moult to match local environmental conditions. We used camera trap images spanning an eight‐year period to quantify the timing and rate of fur change in a polymorphic subpopulation in south‐central Norway. Seasonal snow cover duration and temperature governed the phenology of the spring moult. We observed a later onset and longer moulting duration with decreasing temperature and longer snow season. Additionally, white foxes moulted earlier than blue in years with shorter periods of snow cover and warmer temperatures. These results suggest that phenotypic plasticity allows Arctic foxes to modulate the timing and rate of their spring moult as snow conditions and temperatures fluctuate. With the Arctic warming at an unprecedented rate, understanding the capacity of polar species to physiologically adapt to a changing environment is urgently needed in order to develop adaptive conservation efforts. Moreover, we provide the first evidence for variations in the moulting phenology of blue and white Arctic foxes. Our study underlines the different intraspecific selective pressures that can exist in populations where several morphs co‐occur, and illustrates the importance of integrating morph‐based differences in future management strategies of such polymorphic species. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Lucie Laporte‐Devylder Kristine R. Ulvund Lars Rød‐Eriksen Ola Olsson Øystein Flagstad Arild Landa Nina E. Eide Craig R. Jackson |
author_facet |
Lucie Laporte‐Devylder Kristine R. Ulvund Lars Rød‐Eriksen Ola Olsson Øystein Flagstad Arild Landa Nina E. Eide Craig R. Jackson |
author_sort |
Lucie Laporte‐Devylder |
title |
A camera trap‐based assessment of climate‐driven phenotypic plasticity of seasonal moulting in an endangered carnivore |
title_short |
A camera trap‐based assessment of climate‐driven phenotypic plasticity of seasonal moulting in an endangered carnivore |
title_full |
A camera trap‐based assessment of climate‐driven phenotypic plasticity of seasonal moulting in an endangered carnivore |
title_fullStr |
A camera trap‐based assessment of climate‐driven phenotypic plasticity of seasonal moulting in an endangered carnivore |
title_full_unstemmed |
A camera trap‐based assessment of climate‐driven phenotypic plasticity of seasonal moulting in an endangered carnivore |
title_sort |
camera trap‐based assessment of climate‐driven phenotypic plasticity of seasonal moulting in an endangered carnivore |
publisher |
Wiley |
publishDate |
2023 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.1002/rse2.304 https://doaj.org/article/d54e7fb614bc499c984f461cb051186a |
geographic |
Arctic Norway |
geographic_facet |
Arctic Norway |
genre |
Arctic Climate change Vulpes lagopus |
genre_facet |
Arctic Climate change Vulpes lagopus |
op_source |
Remote Sensing in Ecology and Conservation, Vol 9, Iss 2, Pp 210-221 (2023) |
op_relation |
https://doi.org/10.1002/rse2.304 https://doaj.org/toc/2056-3485 2056-3485 doi:10.1002/rse2.304 https://doaj.org/article/d54e7fb614bc499c984f461cb051186a |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1002/rse2.304 |
container_title |
Remote Sensing in Ecology and Conservation |
container_volume |
9 |
container_issue |
2 |
container_start_page |
210 |
op_container_end_page |
221 |
_version_ |
1768382014682038272 |