A5079785798- Indigenous Studies and Ecology
- Peatlands and Wetlands Ecology
- Climate change and permafrost
- Botany and Plant Ecology Studies
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
- Marine animal studies overview
- Isotope Analysis in Ecology
- Species Distribution and Climate Change
- Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies
- Plant and animal studies
- Cryospheric studies and observations
- Geology and Paleoclimatology Research
- Rangeland and Wildlife Management
- Polar Research and Ecology
- Ecology and biodiversity studies
- Zoonotic diseases and public health
- Animal Disease Management and Epidemiology
- Brucella: diagnosis, epidemiology, treatment
- Mercury impact and mitigation studies
- Animal health and immunology
- Heavy Metal Exposure and Toxicity
- Animal Diversity and Health Studies
- Cephalopods and Marine Biology
- Reproductive Physiology in Livestock
- Veterinary Pharmacology and Anesthesia
Norwegian Polar Institute
2020-2025
The FRAM Centre
2023-2025
Aarhus University
2014-2022
University of Calgary
2019-2022
Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research
2016
University of Copenhagen
2013
Most ecological networks are analysed as static structures, where all observed species and links present simultaneously. However, this is over-simplified, because temporally dynamical. We resolved an arctic, entire-season plant-flower visitor network into a temporal series of 1-day compared the properties with its equivalent based on data pooled over entire season. Several differed. The nested link pattern in was blurred dynamical version, characteristic long nestedness tail flower–visitor...
How species interact modulate their dynamics, response to environmental change, and ultimately the functioning stability of entire communities. Work conducted at Zackenberg, Northeast Greenland, has changed our view on how networks arctic biotic interactions are structured, they vary in time, changing with current change: firstly, high interaction webs much more complex than previously envisaged, a structure mainly dictated by its arthropod component. Secondly, dynamics within these reflect...
Muskoxen (Ovibos moschatus) are an integral component of Arctic biodiversity. Given low genetic diversity, their ability to respond future and rapid change is unknown, although paleontological history demonstrates adaptability within limits. We discuss status limitations current monitoring, summarize circumpolar recent variations, delineating all 55 endemic or translocated populations. Acknowledging uncertainties, global abundance ca 170 000 muskoxen. Not populations thriving. Six in...
For more than five decades, research has been conducted at Ny-Ålesund, in Svalbard, Norway, to understand the structure and functioning of High-Arctic ecosystems profound impacts on them environmental change. Terrestrial, freshwater, glacial marine are accessible year-round from providing unique opportunities for interdisciplinary observational experimental studies along physical, chemical, hydrological climatic gradients. Here, we synthesize terrestrial freshwater Ny-Ålesund review current...
Detailed knowledge on movement behaviour of free‐ranging muskoxen Ovibos moschatus is currently lacking. Quantifying variation in individual and the variables driving such patterns important to understand how they meet their basic requirements inform management. Because exist nutrient‐poor systems with extreme climatic seasonal variability, are expected be largely dependent environmental conditions therein. We analysed high‐resolution location data 14 adult female roaming around Zackenberg...
The muskox (Ovibos moschatus), a key species in the arctic tundra, is only large-bodied herbivore Northeast Greenland. Here, we quantify biomass removal and fecal deposition by muskoxen during snow-free period years 1996 to 2013 high tundra ecosystem at Zackenberg, We show that despite densities, removed 0.17% 0.04% of available forage graminoid-dominated areas Salix snowbeds (including dominated heaths), respectively, main plant growing season (from mid-June end August). Into autumn,...
Effective wildlife management requires accurate and timely information on conservation status trends, knowledge of the factors driving population change. Reliable monitoring health, including disease, body condition, trends demographics, is central to achieving this, but conventional scientific alone often not sufficient. Combining different approaches types can provide a more holistic understanding than science bridge gaps in remote sparsely populated areas. Inclusion traditional ecological...
The nutritional state of animals is tightly linked to the ambient environment, and for northern ungulates strongly influences vital population demographics, such as pregnancy rates. Continuously growing tissues, hair, can be viewed dietary records over longer temporal scales. Using sequential data on nitrogen stable isotopes (δ15N) in muskox guard hairs from ten individuals high arctic Northeast Greenland, we were able reconstruct history muskoxen approximately 2.5 years with a resolution...
Grazing herbivores may affect soil microbial communities indirectly by impacting structure and vegetation composition. In high arctic environments, this impact is poorly elucidated, while having potentially wide-reaching effects on the ecosystem. This study examines how a key herbivore, muskox Ovibos moschatus, affects community in fen. Environmental DNA was extracted from samples taken grazed control plots exclosures established 5 years prior. We sequenced amplicons of 16S rRNA gene to...
ABSTRACT Understanding the drivers influencing ungulate population dynamics is crucial for developing conservation and management strategies to support wildlife health. Trace macro elements are vital growth, reproduction survival. Thus, trajectory of populations may be associated with element imbalances. Element concentrations can measured in hair, an increasingly recognised bio‐monitoring tool. However, a better understanding relevance wild needed. This study aimed assess if profiles hair...
The normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) is a critical tool for studying Arctic patterns and changes, but more knowledge needed about its links with plant biomass disturbances, especially in sparsely vegetated habitats the High Arctic. Here, we investigate relationship between NDVI vascular biomass, summer temperature, goose disturbance, winter damage Dryas ridge moss tundra on Svalbard, all recorded corresponding year across 5-year time series. We test these relationships using...
Communities are assembled from species that evolve or colonise a given geographic region, and persist in the face of abiotic conditions interactions with other species. The evolutionary colonisation histories communities characterised by phylogenetic diversity, while functional diversity is indicative biotic conditions. relationship between infers whether traits divergent (differing related species) convergent (similar among distantly species). Biotic known to influence macroecological...
Abstract For free-ranging animals living in seasonal environments, hypometabolism (lowered metabolic rate) and hypothermia body temperature) can be effective physiological strategies to conserve energy when forage resources are low. To what extent such adopted by large mammals under extreme conditions, as those encountered the high Arctic, is largely unknown, especially for species where gestation period overlaps with of lowest resource availability (i.e. winter). Here we investigated first...
Trace mineral imbalances can have significant effects on animal health, reproductive success, and survival. Monitoring their status in wildlife populations is, therefore, important for management conservation. Typically, livers kidneys are sampled to measure status, but biopsies lethal-sampling not always possible, particularly Species at Risk. We aimed to: 1) determine baseline levels Northern Mountain caribou ( Rangifer tarandus ; Gmelin, 1788) northwestern British Columbia, Canada, 2) if...
Abstract Background Herbivores modify the structure and function of tundra ecosystems. Understanding their impacts is necessary to assess responses these ecosystems ongoing environmental changes. However, effects herbivores on plants ecosystem vary across Arctic. Strong spatial variation in herbivore implies that results individual studies herbivory depend local conditions, i.e., ecological context. An important first step assessing whether generalizable conclusions can be produced identify...
The bioavailability of essential and non-essential elements in vegetation is expected to influence the performance free-ranging terrestrial herbivores. However, attempts relate use geochemical landscapes by animal populations directly reproductive output are currently lacking. Here we measured concentrations 14 soil samples collected Zackenberg valley, northeast Greenland, linked these environmental conditions spatially predict map landscapes. We then used long-term (1996-2021) survey data...
Muskoxen (Ovibos moschatus) are ruminants adapted to a high-fibre diet. There is increasing interest in the role that gut microbes play digestion and utilization of these specialized diets but only limited data available on microbiome high-Arctic animals. In this study, we metabarcoded 16S rRNA region faecal samples from muskoxen Northeast Greenland, Northwest Greenland Norway, quantified effects physiological temporal factors bacterial composition. We found significant body mass, year...
Mammal herbivores may exert strong impacts on plant communities, and are often key drivers of vegetation composition diversity. We tested whether such mammal-induced changes to a high Arctic community reflected in the structure other trophic levels. Specifically, we substantial following experimental exclusion muskoxen ( Ovibos moschatus ) altered arthropod predator–prey interactions therein. Overall, found no impact muskox community: diversity abundance both predators (spiders) their prey...
Foraging is a key behaviour, and several aspects of foraging remain to be investigated in many wild species. Low energy gain or reduced protein, nutrient, mineral intake may explain poor individual condition, low reproductive output, high mortality, and, extreme cases, population declines. Our study explores how ecology, diet composition, nutritional status could influence performance an endangered caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou). We measured stable isotope ratios carbon (δ13C) nitrogen...