Abstract
Teeth are vital for mammal performance and especially in ungulates relying on mechanical decomposition of plant material for effective microbial digestion and energy uptake. The main focus of the role of teeth in ungulate life histories has been on tooth wear, while no one has addressed to what extent deviation from the natural set of teeth (maldentition) causes variation in individual fitness components. Based on mandibles from 41,066 individual red deer (Cervus elaphus L.) collected from 1969 to 2001, we tested whether maldentition had an effect on individual body condition and whether this effect depended on environmental harshness. Females with maldentition (0.6% of the population) were in a poorer condition than individuals without tooth anomalies and the effect increased during unfavorable climatic conditions. The effect of maldentition in males was less clear. This study indicates that a well-functioning set of teeth is essential for mammal performance, and that selection pressure against (dental) anomalies is more pronounced when climate is unfavorable.
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Acknowledgements
We gratefully acknowledge the financial support provided by the AURORA grant from the Research Council of Norway (NFR) and EGIDE (French Ministry for Foreign Affairs) to L.E.L and C.B. We thank David Firth, Nigel G. Yoccoz, Torbjørn Ergon, and Jon Olav Vik for valuable statistical advice, and Jean-Michel Gaillard and the two anonymous referees for valuable comments on an earlier draft. We declare that no action associated with this work violates the current laws of Norway.
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Loe, L.E., Bonenfant, C., Langvatn, R. et al. Increased effect of harsh climate in red deer with a poor set of teeth. Oecologia 147, 24–30 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-005-0172-7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-005-0172-7