SELECTIVE HABITAT USE BY MOOSE DURING CRITICAL PERIODS IN THE WINTER TICK LIFE CYCLE
High calf mortality attributed to winter tick (Dermacentor albipictus) parasitism occurs in moose (Alces alces) populations along their southern range in the northeastern United States. We analyzed habitat use of cow and calf moose during the critical drop-off and questing periods in the winter tick...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Lakehead University
2018-01-01
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| Series: | Alces |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://alcesjournal.org/index.php/alces/article/view/241/268 |
| _version_ | 1818522772247150592 |
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| author | Christine Healy Peter J. Pekins Lee Kantar Russell G. Congalton Shadi Atallah |
| author_facet | Christine Healy Peter J. Pekins Lee Kantar Russell G. Congalton Shadi Atallah |
| author_sort | Christine Healy |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | High calf mortality attributed to winter tick (Dermacentor albipictus) parasitism occurs in moose (Alces alces) populations along their southern range in the northeastern United States. We analyzed habitat use of cow and calf moose during the critical drop-off and questing periods in the winter tick life cycle to determine a potential relationship between tick density and habitat. We measured habitat use using geospatial analyses of locational data from > 200 radio-marked animals at 3 sites in New Hampshire and Maine. Moose selected for optimal habitat, defined as 4–16 year-old forest openings, regardless of season or site; this was the only land cover type used more than available (1.1–2.1X availability in home range, 1.2–3.1X availability in core range). Further, the proportional availability of optimal habitat within overlapping portions of seasonal home and core ranges exceeded the absolute proportion of optimal habitat within any one range. Temporal use of optimal habitat, which is available in relatively low proportion (15–20%) across the landscape, likely exceeds the geospatial estimates of use because moose spend 30–40% of daily activity foraging. We conclude that disproportionally abundant densities of winter ticks exist in this preferred cover type because of its selective use during the drop-off and questing periods of winter ticks. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-11T05:37:25Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-bb3551569c3d43909213febf0f3adf63 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0835-5851 0835-5851 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-11T05:37:25Z |
| publishDate | 2018-01-01 |
| publisher | Lakehead University |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Alces |
| spelling | doaj.art-bb3551569c3d43909213febf0f3adf632022-12-22T01:19:15ZengLakehead UniversityAlces0835-58510835-58512018-01-015485100SELECTIVE HABITAT USE BY MOOSE DURING CRITICAL PERIODS IN THE WINTER TICK LIFE CYCLEChristine Healy0Peter J. Pekins1Lee Kantar2Russell G. Congalton3Shadi Atallah4Department of Natural Resources and the Environment, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, 03824, USADepartment of Natural Resources and the Environment, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, 03824, USAMaine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, Research and Assessment Section: Bangor, Maine, 04401, USADepartment of Natural Resources and the Environment, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, 03824, USADepartment of Natural Resources and the Environment, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, 03824, USAHigh calf mortality attributed to winter tick (Dermacentor albipictus) parasitism occurs in moose (Alces alces) populations along their southern range in the northeastern United States. We analyzed habitat use of cow and calf moose during the critical drop-off and questing periods in the winter tick life cycle to determine a potential relationship between tick density and habitat. We measured habitat use using geospatial analyses of locational data from > 200 radio-marked animals at 3 sites in New Hampshire and Maine. Moose selected for optimal habitat, defined as 4–16 year-old forest openings, regardless of season or site; this was the only land cover type used more than available (1.1–2.1X availability in home range, 1.2–3.1X availability in core range). Further, the proportional availability of optimal habitat within overlapping portions of seasonal home and core ranges exceeded the absolute proportion of optimal habitat within any one range. Temporal use of optimal habitat, which is available in relatively low proportion (15–20%) across the landscape, likely exceeds the geospatial estimates of use because moose spend 30–40% of daily activity foraging. We conclude that disproportionally abundant densities of winter ticks exist in this preferred cover type because of its selective use during the drop-off and questing periods of winter ticks.http://alcesjournal.org/index.php/alces/article/view/241/268Alces alcesDermacentor albipictusGIShome rangeMaineNew Hampshireoptimal habitatquesting |
| spellingShingle | Christine Healy Peter J. Pekins Lee Kantar Russell G. Congalton Shadi Atallah SELECTIVE HABITAT USE BY MOOSE DURING CRITICAL PERIODS IN THE WINTER TICK LIFE CYCLE Alces Alces alces Dermacentor albipictus GIS home range Maine New Hampshire optimal habitat questing |
| title | SELECTIVE HABITAT USE BY MOOSE DURING CRITICAL PERIODS IN THE WINTER TICK LIFE CYCLE |
| title_full | SELECTIVE HABITAT USE BY MOOSE DURING CRITICAL PERIODS IN THE WINTER TICK LIFE CYCLE |
| title_fullStr | SELECTIVE HABITAT USE BY MOOSE DURING CRITICAL PERIODS IN THE WINTER TICK LIFE CYCLE |
| title_full_unstemmed | SELECTIVE HABITAT USE BY MOOSE DURING CRITICAL PERIODS IN THE WINTER TICK LIFE CYCLE |
| title_short | SELECTIVE HABITAT USE BY MOOSE DURING CRITICAL PERIODS IN THE WINTER TICK LIFE CYCLE |
| title_sort | selective habitat use by moose during critical periods in the winter tick life cycle |
| topic | Alces alces Dermacentor albipictus GIS home range Maine New Hampshire optimal habitat questing |
| url | http://alcesjournal.org/index.php/alces/article/view/241/268 |
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