Publications
NIBIOs employees contribute to several hundred scientific articles and research reports every year. You can browse or search in our collection which contains references and links to these publications as well as other research and dissemination activities. The collection is continously updated with new and historical material.
2024
Authors
Kamal Atmeh Christophe Bonenfant Jean-Michel Gaillard Mathieu Garel A. J. Mark Hewison Pascal Marchand Nicolas Morellet Pia Anderwald Bayarbaatar Buuveibaatar Jeffrey L. Beck Matthew S. Becker Floris M. van Beest Jodi Berg Ulrika A. Bergvall Randall B. Boone Mark S. Boyce Simon Chamaillé-Jammes Yannick Chaval Chimeddorj Buyanaa David Christianson Simone Ciuti Steeve D. Côté Duane R. Diefenbach Egil Droge Johan T. du Toit Samantha Dwinnell Julian Fennessy Flurin Filli Daniel Fortin Emma E. Hart Matthew Hayes Mark Hebblewhite Morten Heim Ivar Herfindal Marco Dietmar Heurich Christian von Hoermann Katey Huggler Craig Ryan Jackson Andrew F. Jakes Paul F. Jones Petra Kaczensky Matthew Kauffman Petter Kjellander Tayler LeSharr Leif Egil Loe Roelof Frans May Philip McLoughlin Erling Meisingset Evelyn Merrill Kevin L. Monteith Thomas Mueller Atle Mysterud Dejid Nandintsetseg Kirk Olson John Payne Scott Pearson Åshild Ønvik Pedersen Dustin Ranglack Adele K. Reinking Thomas Rempfler Clifford G. Rice Eivin Røskaft Bernt-Erik Sæther Sonia Saïd Hugo Santacreu Niels Martin Schmidt Daan Smit Jared A. Stabach Martin-Hugues St-Laurent Joëlle Taillon W. David Walter Kevin White Guillaume Péron Anne LoisonAbstract
Caring for newborn offspring hampers resource acquisition of mammalian females, curbing their ability to meet the high energy expenditure of early lactation. Newborns are particularly vulnerable, and, among the large herbivores, ungulates have evolved a continuum of neonatal antipredator tactics, ranging from immobile hider (such as roe deer fawns or impala calves) to highly mobile follower offspring (such as reindeer calves or chamois kids). How these tactics constrain female movements around parturition is unknown, particularly within the current context of increasing habitat fragmentation and earlier plant phenology caused by global warming. Here, using a comparative analysis across 54 populations of 23 species of large herbivores from 5 ungulate families (Bovidae, Cervidae, Equidae, Antilocapridae and Giraffidae), we show that mothers adjust their movements to variation in resource productivity and heterogeneity according to their offspring’s neonatal tactic. Mothers with hider offspring are unable to exploit environments where the variability of resources occurs at a broad scale, which might alter resource allocation compared with mothers with follower offspring. Our findings reveal that the overlooked neonatal tactic plays a key role for predicting how species are coping with environmental variation.
Authors
Galina Gusarova Hedvig Elisabeth Mjøen Magali Corti Frédéric Mahé Pernille Meyer Lilja Steinthorsdottir Marie Kristine Føreid Merkel Stefaniya Kamenova Kamenova Gabriela Wagner Monica Alterskjær Sundset Lars Folkow Tove Hilde Ågnes Utsi Tommi Nyman Cornelya Klutsch Torkild Tveraa Anne Krag Brysting Sylvain Monteux Youri Lammers Eric Coissac Pierre Robert Michel Taberlet Roberto Cazzolla Gatti Inger Greve AlsosAbstract
No abstract has been registered
Authors
Annika M. Felton Hilde Karine Wam Zbigniew Borowski Aksel Granhus Laura Juvany Juho Matala Markus Melin Märtha Wallgren Anders MårellAbstract
Climate change causes far-reaching disruption in nature, where tolerance thresholds already have been exceeded for some plants and animals. In the short term, deer may respond to climate through individual physiological and behavioral responses. Over time, individual responses can aggregate to the population level and ultimately lead to evolutionary adaptations. We systematically reviewed the literature (published 2000–2022) to summarize the effect of temperature, rainfall, snow, combined measures (e.g., the North Atlantic Oscillation), and extreme events, on deer species inhabiting boreal and temperate forests in terms of their physiology, spatial use, and population dynamics. We targeted deer species that inhabit relevant biomes in North America, Europe, and Asia: moose, roe deer, wapiti, red deer, sika deer, fallow deer, white-tailed deer, mule deer, caribou, and reindeer. Our review (218 papers) shows that many deer populations will likely benefit in part from warmer winters, but hotter and drier summers may exceed their physiological tolerances. We found support for deer expressing both morphological, physiological, and behavioral plasticity in response to climate variability. For example, some deer species can limit the effects of harsh weather conditions by modifying habitat use and daily activity patterns, while the physiological responses of female deer can lead to long-lasting effects on population dynamics. We identified 20 patterns, among which some illustrate antagonistic pathways, suggesting that detrimental effects will cancel out some of the benefits of climate change. Our findings highlight the influence of local variables (e.g., population density and predation) on how deer will respond to climatic conditions. We identified several knowledge gaps, such as studies regarding the potential impact on these animals of extreme weather events, snow type, and wetter autumns. The patterns we have identified in this literature review should help managers understand how populations of deer may be affected by regionally projected futures regarding temperature, rainfall, and snow.
Authors
Annika M. Felton Hilde Karine Wam Zbigniew Borowski Aksel Granhus Laura Juvany Canovas Juho Matala Markus Melin Märtha Wallgren Anders MårellAbstract
Climate change causes far-reaching disruption in nature, where tolerance thresholds already have been exceeded for some plants and animals. In the short-term, deer may respond to climate through individual physiological and behavioral responses. Over time, individual responses can aggregate to the population level and ultimately lead to evolutionary adaptations. Because responses by deer to climate change may take many paths - both positive and negative - it is generally difficult to predict outcomes. Here we take the first step to understanding these complexities by systematically synthesizing the literature (published 2000-2022) regarding direct effects of temperature, rainfall and snow on deer inhabiting boreal and temperate regions of the northern hemisphere. Our review (based on N= 219 papers) shows that while many deer populations will likely benefit from warmer winters, hotter and drier summers may exceed their physiological tolerances, causing northwards shifts in distributional ranges. We found support for deer expressing both phenotypic and behavioral plasticity in response to climate variability at different temporal and spatial scales. We identified 20 general patterns, among which some illustrate antagonistic pathways, suggesting that detrimental effects will cancel out some of the benefits of climate change. Our findings highlight the importance of local variables for any predictions of future responses by a given deer population. We identified several knowledge gaps, such as studies regarding the potential impact on these animals of extreme weather events, snow type and wetter autumns.
Authors
Tilde Hjermann Nikolai Antonsen Bilet Inger Maren Rivrud Erling Meisingset Pål Thorvaldsen Atle MysterudAbstract
Grazing by wildlife on agricultural land is widespread across geographical regions, and can cause human–wildlife conflicts due to reduced crop yield when the grazing pressure is high. Growing red deer (Cervus elaphus) populations in Europe call for an increased understanding of their grazing patterns to mitigate damages. We quantified how red deer grazing pressure (grazing presence and grazing level) on agricultural grass meadows (n = 60) in Norway varied across multiple spatial scales. We used a nested, hierarchical study design transcending from a broad scale (meadows across the landscape) to intermediate (between nearby meadows) and local (within-meadow) scales, allowing us to identify at which scale the variation in grazing pressure was strongest. We estimated how grazing was determined by broad-scale factors influencing forage availability and quality through population density, distance to coastline, and differences between the first versus second harvest, by intermediate-scale factors in terms of meadow management causing differences in botanical composition and quality, and by local-scale factors in terms of perceived predation risk and disturbance. At a broad scale, higher population densities were associated with higher grazing pressure, and more grazing occurred before the first compared to the second harvest. Intermediate-scale factors explained the most variation of grazing pressure from red deer, with higher grazing pressure on newly renewed meadows compared to other nearby meadows. On a local scale, more grazing occurred closer to the forest edge, providing cover, and further away from infrastructure, with increased risk and disturbance. Overall, our study highlights how drivers of grazing pressure on agricultural land vary across spatial scales. Population reductions on a broader scale may have some effect in reducing the grazing pressure, but renewed meadows will nevertheless attract red deer, causing higher grazing pressure compared to neighbouring meadows. This insight is crucial for determining effective mitigation strategies facing rising red deer populations across Europe.
Abstract
No abstract has been registered
Abstract
Ruminants, including sheep, contribute significantly to methane emissions, thus resulting in high emissions per kg of product. However, they can utilise plant material unsuitable for human consumption, thereby transforming it into valuable, protein-rich food. Grazing also preserves cultural landscapes and can contribute to carbon sequestration. Under¬standing the balance between these factors within the climate change context is crucial. This study inves-tigates the environmental impact of meat, milk, and wool production from sheep farming in Norway and Slovenia.
Abstract
Ruminants, including sheep, significantly contribute to methane emissions, which results in high emissions per kg of product. Conversely, ruminants can utilise plant material unsuitable for human consumption, effectively converting it into valuable, protein-rich food. Grazing also maintains cultural landscapes and contributes to carbon sequestration. Therefore, under- standing the balance between these factors in the context of climate change is essential. This study analyses the environmental impact of meat, milk, and wool production from sheep farming in Norway and Slovenia.
Authors
C. Morgan-Davies G. Tesnière J.M. Gautier Grete H. M. Jørgensen E. González-García S.I. Patsios E.N. Sossidou T.W.J. Keady B. McClearn F. Kenyon G. Caja Lise Grøva M. Decandia L. Cziszter I. Halachmi C.M. DwyerAbstract
Small ruminant (sheep and goat) production of meat and milk is undertaken in diverse topographical and climatic environments and the systems range from extensive to intensive. This could lead to different types of welfare compromise, which need to be managed. Implementing Precision Livestock Farming (PLF) and other new or innovative technologies could help to manage or monitor animal welfare. This paper explores such opportunities, seeking to identify promising aspects of PLF that may allow improved management of welfare for small ruminants using literature search (two reviews), workshops in nine countries (France, Greece, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Norway, Romania, Spain, and the United Kingdom) with 254 stakeholders, and panels with 52 experts. An investigation of the main welfare challenges that may affect sheep and goats across the different management systems in Europe was undertaken, followed by a prioritisation of animal welfare issues obtained in the nine countries. This suggested that disease and health issues, feed access and undernutrition/malnutrition, maternal behaviour/offspring losses, environmental stressors and issues with agonistic behavioural interactions were important welfare concerns. These welfare issues and their indicators (37 for sheep, 25 for goats) were categorised into four broad welfare indicator categories: weight loss or change in body state (BWC), behavioural change (BC), milk yield and quality (MY), and environmental indicators (Evt). In parallel, 24 potential PLF and innovative technologies (8 for BWC; 10 for BC; 4 for MY; 6 for Evt) that could be relevant to monitor these broad welfare indicator categories and provide novel approaches to manage and monitor welfare have been identified. Some technologies had the capacity to monitor more than one broad indicator. Out of the 24 technologies, only 12 were animal-based sensors, or that could monitor the animal individually. One alternative could be to incorporate a risk management approach to welfare, using aspects of environmental stress. This could provide an early warning system for the potential risks of animal welfare compromise and alert farmers to the need to implement mitigation actions.
2023
Abstract
Supplemental feeding of cervids during winter is a widespread management practice, but feeding may increase the risk of disease transmission. Therefore, legal regulations to limit supplemental feeding are often implemented when dealing with severe infectious diseases, such as chronic wasting disease (CWD) in cervids. However, it is currently unclear whether these regulations result in decreased spatial clustering and aggregation as intended. Supplemental feeding is expected to restrict the movement of cervids. Therefore, a ban on feeding may also result in wider space use and a risk of geographic spread of disease. The space use of 63 GPS-marked red deer (Cervus elaphus) was investigated before (n = 34) and after (n = 29) the implementation of a legal regulation aimed at limiting the supplemental feeding of cervids during winter in a CWD-affected region of Nordfjella, Norway. Snow depth was the main determinant of the space use for red deer. A moderate reduction in the number of GPS positions in spatial clusters was evident during periods of deep snow once the ban was in place. Sizes of core areas (Kernel 50%), home ranges (Kernel 95%), and dispersion (MCP 100%, number of 1 km2 pixels visited per deer) declined from January to March and with increasing snow depth. Dispersion (number of 1 km2 pixels visited per deer) did not depend on snow depth after the ban, and red deer used larger areas when snow depth was high after the ban compared to before. The ban on supplementary feeding had no effect on size of core areas or home ranges. Several potential factors can explain the overall weak effect of the ban on space use, including the use of agricultural fields by red deer, other anthropogenic feeding, and landscape topography. This study highlights that snow depth is the main factor determining space use during winter, and it remains to be determined whether the moderate reduction in spatial clustering during deep snow after the ban was sufficient to lower the risk of disease transmission.