Environmental correlates of activity and energetics in a wide-ranging social carnivore

Caleb M. Bryce,Bridget L. Borg,Anthony M. Pagano,Yiwei Wang,Stephen M. Arthur,Terrie M. Williams,Carolyn E. Dunford

doi:10.1186/s40317-021-00272-w

Abstract

BackgroundEnvironmental conditions can influence animal movements, determining when and how much animals move. Yet few studies have quantified how abiotic environmental factors (e.g., ambient temperature, snow depth, precipitation) may affect the activity patterns and metabolic demands of wide-ranging large predators. We demonstrate the utility of accelerometers in combination with more traditional GPS telemetry to measure energy expenditure, ranging patterns, and movement ecology of 5 gray wolves (Canis lupus), a wide-ranging social carnivore, from spring through autumn 2015 in interior Alaska, USA.ResultsWolves exhibited substantial variability in home range size (range 500–8300 km2) that was not correlated with daily energy expenditure. Mean daily energy expenditure and travel distance were 22 MJ and 18 km day−1, respectively. Wolves spent 20% and 17% more energy during the summer pup rearing and autumn recruitment seasons than the spring breeding season, respectively, regardless of pack reproductive status. Wolves were predominantly crepuscular but during the night spent 2.4 × more time engaged in high energy activities (such as running) during the pup rearing season than the breeding season.ConclusionIntegrating accelerometry with GPS telemetry can reveal detailed insights into the activity and energetics of wide-ranging predators. Heavy precipitation, deep snow, and high ambient temperatures each reduced wolf mobility, suggesting that abiotic conditions can impact wolf movement decisions. Identifying such patterns is an important step toward evaluating the influence of environmental factors on the space use and energy allocation in carnivores with ecosystem-wide cascading effects, particularly under changing climatic conditions.

Highlights

Environmental conditions can influence animal movements, determining when and how much animals move
Data were collected from four adult male wolves in Denali National Park and Preserve (DNPP, Alaska, USA) via ACC-Global positioning system (GPS) collars from March through October 2015 (208–211 days wolf−1; Table 1)
Data were collected from one male wolf that was monitored from March until it was killed adjacent to DNPP in early May (50 days); our results, describe a total of 887 wolf-days

Summary

Introduction

Environmental conditions can influence animal movements, determining when and how much animals move. Few studies have quantified how abiotic environmental factors (e.g., ambient temperature, snow depth, precipitation) may affect the activity patterns and metabolic demands of wide-ranging large predators. We demonstrate the utility of accelerometers in combination with more traditional GPS telemetry to measure energy expenditure, ranging patterns, and movement ecology of 5 gray wolves (Canis lupus), a wide-ranging social carnivore, from spring through autumn 2015 in interior Alaska, USA. Wolves spent 20% and 17% more energy during the summer pup rearing and autumn recruitment seasons than the spring breeding season, respectively, regardless of pack reproductive status. In optimizing movement and hunting success, wolves are affected by both abiotic (e.g., temperature, snow depth, precipitation) and biotic (e.g., prey movement and vulnerability, proximity of rival packs) factors [38,39,40,41,42]. Given that climate change is rapidly warming northern latitudes and impacting ambient temperature [e.g., 41] and the timing, type and location of precipitation [44, 45], it is especially important to understand how wolves currently respond to these variables

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Discussion

Conclusion