AMoveE 2014: Navinder Singh
Channel: Movebank
Date: 2014-05-23

This talk was presented by Navinder Singh on 5 May 2014 as part of the Symposium on Animal Movement and the Environment, held at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences in Raleigh.

Singh N, Arnemo JM, Evans A, Stenbacka F, Ericsson G, 2014, "Internal state versus external environment: combining eco-physiology and movement ecology of a large herbivore"

Abstract: How will animals respond to changing climate is a fundamental question in ecology and evolution. Large animals in northern latitudes are especially vulnerable as they are heat sensitive and may require a variety of adaptations (internal and external) to cope with the warming north. Such studies require novel methods of monitoring animals. We tracked moose (Alces alces) equipped with GPS collars and novel abdominal temperature loggers for a two-year period to understand their movement patterns and simultaneous changes in body temperatures. These patterns were then related to external environmental variables to study the changes in internal state in response to external environment, using generalized additive mixed models (GAMMs). The mean daily body temperature of individuals ranged from 37.09°C to 39.92°C. The lowest body temperatures were recorded in March and April and highest during July, when ambient temperatures were also highest. The body temperatures started rising around mid April and increased till late June and started to drop at the end of July and continued to drop until end of September. There were no significant differences in body temperatures between migratory and resident moose, however across areas; the body temperature was on an average slightly higher in the area at a higher elevation. In this first study measuring the internal state of a northern herbivore, we discuss our results in context of movement and habitat use of moose at multiple scales and relate them to changes in ambient temperature, snow regimes, habitat composition and individual fitness.