FECUNDITY AND SUMMER CALF SURVIVAL OF MOOSE DURING 3 SUCCESSIVE YEARS OF WINTER TICK EPIZOOTICS
Moose (Alces alces) populations in northern New Hampshire and western Maine experienced 3 successive years of high winter tick infestations (epizootics) in 2014–2016 that resulted in late-winter calf mortality rates >70%. To assess productivity in these populations, we measured fecundity rates of...
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ftjalces:oai:ojs.pkp.sfu.ca:article/224 2023-05-15T13:13:17+02:00 FECUNDITY AND SUMMER CALF SURVIVAL OF MOOSE DURING 3 SUCCESSIVE YEARS OF WINTER TICK EPIZOOTICS Jones, Henry Pekins, Peter J. Kantar, Lee E. O'Neil, Matt Ellingwood, Daniel 2017-08-21 application/pdf http://alcesjournal.org/index.php/alces/article/view/224 eng eng Lakehead University http://alcesjournal.org/index.php/alces/article/view/224/252 http://alcesjournal.org/index.php/alces/article/view/224 Alces: A Journal Devoted to the Biology and Management of Moose; Vol. 53 (2017); 85-98 2293-6629 0835-5851 Reproduction info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion Peer-reviewed Article 2017 ftjalces 2022-02-12T19:35:43Z Moose (Alces alces) populations in northern New Hampshire and western Maine experienced 3 successive years of high winter tick infestations (epizootics) in 2014–2016 that resulted in late-winter calf mortality rates >70%. To assess productivity in these populations, we measured fecundity rates of yearling and adult cow moose, and neonatal and summer calf survival. Parturition, fecundity, and survival were measured via direct observation by stalking VHF and GPS radio-collared cows (n = 177) in May-August, 2014–2016. Calving rates for yearlings and adults averaged 0 and 57%, respectively; there was no twinning documented. Summer calf survival to August was high overall (83%), with 85% of the mortality occurring in the first week of life. Calving and twinning rates declined since last measured in New Hampshire in 2002–2005 and were below the North American average; conversely, summer survival of calves was considered normal. Given that optimal habitat has increased in the past 15 years in the study area that is dominated by commercial forestry, lower productivity is presumably related to the additive impacts of successive winter tick epizootics on year-round condition of cows. Article in Journal/Newspaper Alces alces Alces (A Journal Devoted to the Biology and Management of Moose) |
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Open Polar |
collection |
Alces (A Journal Devoted to the Biology and Management of Moose) |
op_collection_id |
ftjalces |
language |
English |
topic |
Reproduction |
spellingShingle |
Reproduction Jones, Henry Pekins, Peter J. Kantar, Lee E. O'Neil, Matt Ellingwood, Daniel FECUNDITY AND SUMMER CALF SURVIVAL OF MOOSE DURING 3 SUCCESSIVE YEARS OF WINTER TICK EPIZOOTICS |
topic_facet |
Reproduction |
description |
Moose (Alces alces) populations in northern New Hampshire and western Maine experienced 3 successive years of high winter tick infestations (epizootics) in 2014–2016 that resulted in late-winter calf mortality rates >70%. To assess productivity in these populations, we measured fecundity rates of yearling and adult cow moose, and neonatal and summer calf survival. Parturition, fecundity, and survival were measured via direct observation by stalking VHF and GPS radio-collared cows (n = 177) in May-August, 2014–2016. Calving rates for yearlings and adults averaged 0 and 57%, respectively; there was no twinning documented. Summer calf survival to August was high overall (83%), with 85% of the mortality occurring in the first week of life. Calving and twinning rates declined since last measured in New Hampshire in 2002–2005 and were below the North American average; conversely, summer survival of calves was considered normal. Given that optimal habitat has increased in the past 15 years in the study area that is dominated by commercial forestry, lower productivity is presumably related to the additive impacts of successive winter tick epizootics on year-round condition of cows. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Jones, Henry Pekins, Peter J. Kantar, Lee E. O'Neil, Matt Ellingwood, Daniel |
author_facet |
Jones, Henry Pekins, Peter J. Kantar, Lee E. O'Neil, Matt Ellingwood, Daniel |
author_sort |
Jones, Henry |
title |
FECUNDITY AND SUMMER CALF SURVIVAL OF MOOSE DURING 3 SUCCESSIVE YEARS OF WINTER TICK EPIZOOTICS |
title_short |
FECUNDITY AND SUMMER CALF SURVIVAL OF MOOSE DURING 3 SUCCESSIVE YEARS OF WINTER TICK EPIZOOTICS |
title_full |
FECUNDITY AND SUMMER CALF SURVIVAL OF MOOSE DURING 3 SUCCESSIVE YEARS OF WINTER TICK EPIZOOTICS |
title_fullStr |
FECUNDITY AND SUMMER CALF SURVIVAL OF MOOSE DURING 3 SUCCESSIVE YEARS OF WINTER TICK EPIZOOTICS |
title_full_unstemmed |
FECUNDITY AND SUMMER CALF SURVIVAL OF MOOSE DURING 3 SUCCESSIVE YEARS OF WINTER TICK EPIZOOTICS |
title_sort |
fecundity and summer calf survival of moose during 3 successive years of winter tick epizootics |
publisher |
Lakehead University |
publishDate |
2017 |
url |
http://alcesjournal.org/index.php/alces/article/view/224 |
genre |
Alces alces |
genre_facet |
Alces alces |
op_source |
Alces: A Journal Devoted to the Biology and Management of Moose; Vol. 53 (2017); 85-98 2293-6629 0835-5851 |
op_relation |
http://alcesjournal.org/index.php/alces/article/view/224/252 http://alcesjournal.org/index.php/alces/article/view/224 |
_version_ |
1766257407532466176 |