A camera trap-based assessment of climate-driven phenotypic plasticity of seasonal moulting in an endangered carnivore
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 t...
Published in: | Remote Sensing in Ecology and Conservation |
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Language: | English |
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Wiley-Blackwell
2023
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Online Access: | https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/a2814f89-1a94-4548-b344-33b66e2fc164 https://doi.org/10.1002/rse2.304 |
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ftulundlup:oai:lup.lub.lu.se:a2814f89-1a94-4548-b344-33b66e2fc164 2023-11-12T04:11:25+01:00 A camera trap-based assessment of climate-driven phenotypic plasticity of seasonal moulting in an endangered carnivore Laporte-Devylder, Lucie Ulvund, Kristine R. Rød-Eriksen, Lars Olsson, Ola Flagstad, Øystein Landa, Arild Eide, Nina E. Jackson, Craig R. 2023 https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/a2814f89-1a94-4548-b344-33b66e2fc164 https://doi.org/10.1002/rse2.304 eng eng Wiley-Blackwell https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/a2814f89-1a94-4548-b344-33b66e2fc164 http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/rse2.304 scopus:85138244343 Remote Sensing in Ecology and Conservation; 9(2), pp 210-221 (2023) ISSN: 2056-3485 Climate Research camera trapping camouflage climate change colour polymorphism phenological mismatch phenotypic plasticity contributiontojournal/article info:eu-repo/semantics/article text 2023 ftulundlup https://doi.org/10.1002/rse2.304 2023-11-01T23:29:03Z 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 Lund University Publications (LUP) Arctic Norway Remote Sensing in Ecology and Conservation |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Lund University Publications (LUP) |
op_collection_id |
ftulundlup |
language |
English |
topic |
Climate Research camera trapping camouflage climate change colour polymorphism phenological mismatch phenotypic plasticity |
spellingShingle |
Climate Research camera trapping camouflage climate change colour polymorphism phenological mismatch phenotypic plasticity Laporte-Devylder, Lucie Ulvund, Kristine R. Rød-Eriksen, Lars Olsson, Ola Flagstad, Øystein Landa, Arild Eide, Nina E. Jackson, Craig R. A camera trap-based assessment of climate-driven phenotypic plasticity of seasonal moulting in an endangered carnivore |
topic_facet |
Climate Research camera trapping camouflage climate change colour polymorphism phenological mismatch phenotypic plasticity |
description |
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 |
Laporte-Devylder, Lucie Ulvund, Kristine R. Rød-Eriksen, Lars Olsson, Ola Flagstad, Øystein Landa, Arild Eide, Nina E. Jackson, Craig R. |
author_facet |
Laporte-Devylder, Lucie Ulvund, Kristine R. Rød-Eriksen, Lars Olsson, Ola Flagstad, Øystein Landa, Arild Eide, Nina E. Jackson, Craig R. |
author_sort |
Laporte-Devylder, Lucie |
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-Blackwell |
publishDate |
2023 |
url |
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/a2814f89-1a94-4548-b344-33b66e2fc164 https://doi.org/10.1002/rse2.304 |
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; 9(2), pp 210-221 (2023) ISSN: 2056-3485 |
op_relation |
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/a2814f89-1a94-4548-b344-33b66e2fc164 http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/rse2.304 scopus:85138244343 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1002/rse2.304 |
container_title |
Remote Sensing in Ecology and Conservation |
_version_ |
1782330531957964800 |