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Winter climate, age, and population density affect the timing of conception in female moose (Alces alces)

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Abstract

Phenological events such as conception or parturition dates may have profound impact on several key life-history traits of ungulates at the individual as well as the population level. However, relatively little is known about the causes of variation in the timing of reproduction. Based on a 17-year survey of reproductive tracts, we investigated the effect of climate, population density, and age on the conception date of female moose (Alces alces) harvested in Estonia. Ninety-five percent of studied moose cows were conceived within a period of 9 weeks (29 August–30 October), while more than 45 % of all moose cows were conceived from 19 September to 2 October. Conception date was negatively related to population density and nonlinearly to the regional measure of winter climate reflecting the maximal extent of ice on the Baltic Sea (MIE) in the previous winter. High air temperatures during rut (in September) delayed the conception date. The timing of conception also depended on female age. Yearlings conceived significantly later as compared to females of all other age groups. Our findings corroborate the importance of density-dependent as well density-independent processes on the timing of conception of this ungulate. We also propose that the effect of population density on conception date may be mediated by increasing ecological carrying capacity concurrent with increasing population abundance.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Jaak Jaagus, Margo Tannik, Tanel Türna, Merit Kreitsberg, Leeni Seppel, Raivo Mänd, Tiit Randveer, and Peep Männil for their help and support. We also thank two anonymous referees for ideas, comments, and suggestions on previous draft of this work. Financial support for this study was provided by the Estonian Environmental Investment Centre, the Estonian Science Foundation (grant number 8376 to V.T.), the Estonian Ministry of Education and Science (target-financing project number 0180004s09), and the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund (Center of Excellence FIBIR).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Zoology, Institute of Ecology and Earth Science, University of Tartu, Vanemuise 46, 51014, Tartu, Estonia

    Rauno Veeroja, Anne Kirk & Vallo Tilgar

  2. Estonian Environment Information Centre, Rõõmu tee 2, Tartu, 51013, Estonia

    Rauno Veeroja & Jüri Tõnisson

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  1. Rauno Veeroja
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Correspondence to Rauno Veeroja.

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Communicated by: Kris Hundertmark

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Veeroja, R., Kirk, A., Tilgar, V. et al. Winter climate, age, and population density affect the timing of conception in female moose (Alces alces). Acta Theriol 58, 349–357 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13364-012-0106-9

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