A fine‐scale examination of parturition timing in temperate ungulates
Abstract Parturition timing has long been a topic of interest in ungulate research. However, few studies have examined parturition timing at fine scale (e.g., <1 day). Predator activity and environmental conditions can vary considerably with diel timing, which may result in selective pressure for...
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| Format: | Article |
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Wiley
2024-07-01
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| Series: | Ecology and Evolution |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.11703 |
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| author | Matthew T. Turnley Tabitha A. Hughes Randy T. Larsen Kent R. Hersey Matthew S. Broadway M. Colter Chitwood W. Sue Fairbanks Robert C. Lonsinger Brock R. McMillan |
| author_facet | Matthew T. Turnley Tabitha A. Hughes Randy T. Larsen Kent R. Hersey Matthew S. Broadway M. Colter Chitwood W. Sue Fairbanks Robert C. Lonsinger Brock R. McMillan |
| author_sort | Matthew T. Turnley |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Parturition timing has long been a topic of interest in ungulate research. However, few studies have examined parturition timing at fine scale (e.g., <1 day). Predator activity and environmental conditions can vary considerably with diel timing, which may result in selective pressure for parturition to occur during diel times that maximize the likelihood of neonate survival. We monitored parturition events and early‐life survival of elk (Cervus canadensis) and mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) in Utah, USA to better understand diel timing of parturition in temperate ungulates. Diel timing of parturition was moderately synchronous among conspecifics and influenced by environmental variables on the date of parturition. For elk, parturition events were most common during the morning crepuscular period and generally occurred later (i.e., closer to 12:00) when a relatively large proportion of the moon was illuminated. For mule deer, parturition events were most common during the diurnal period and generally occurred later (i.e., closer to 15:00) on cold, wet dates. Diel timing of parturition did not influence neonate survival, but larger datasets may be required to verify the apparent lack of influence. Although additional work could evaluate alternative variables that might affect parturition timing, our data provide an improved and finer scale understanding of reproductive ecology and phenology in ungulates. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-9b7bf2d2932f4859bb33a1eee2fcc16a |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2045-7758 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-07-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Ecology and Evolution |
| spelling | doaj-art-9b7bf2d2932f4859bb33a1eee2fcc16a2025-08-20T03:30:55ZengWileyEcology and Evolution2045-77582024-07-01147n/an/a10.1002/ece3.11703A fine‐scale examination of parturition timing in temperate ungulatesMatthew T. Turnley0Tabitha A. Hughes1Randy T. Larsen2Kent R. Hersey3Matthew S. Broadway4M. Colter Chitwood5W. Sue Fairbanks6Robert C. Lonsinger7Brock R. McMillan8Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management Oklahoma State University Stillwater Oklahoma USASchool of Natural Resources University of Nebraska‐Lincoln Lincoln Nebraska USADepartment of Plant and Wildlife Sciences Brigham Young University Provo Utah USAUtah Division of Wildlife Resources Salt Lake City Utah USADepartment of Natural Resource Ecology and Management Oklahoma State University Stillwater Oklahoma USADepartment of Natural Resource Ecology and Management Oklahoma State University Stillwater Oklahoma USADepartment of Natural Resource Ecology and Management Oklahoma State University Stillwater Oklahoma USAU.S. Geological Survey, Oklahoma Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit Oklahoma State University Stillwater Oklahoma USADepartment of Plant and Wildlife Sciences Brigham Young University Provo Utah USAAbstract Parturition timing has long been a topic of interest in ungulate research. However, few studies have examined parturition timing at fine scale (e.g., <1 day). Predator activity and environmental conditions can vary considerably with diel timing, which may result in selective pressure for parturition to occur during diel times that maximize the likelihood of neonate survival. We monitored parturition events and early‐life survival of elk (Cervus canadensis) and mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) in Utah, USA to better understand diel timing of parturition in temperate ungulates. Diel timing of parturition was moderately synchronous among conspecifics and influenced by environmental variables on the date of parturition. For elk, parturition events were most common during the morning crepuscular period and generally occurred later (i.e., closer to 12:00) when a relatively large proportion of the moon was illuminated. For mule deer, parturition events were most common during the diurnal period and generally occurred later (i.e., closer to 15:00) on cold, wet dates. Diel timing of parturition did not influence neonate survival, but larger datasets may be required to verify the apparent lack of influence. Although additional work could evaluate alternative variables that might affect parturition timing, our data provide an improved and finer scale understanding of reproductive ecology and phenology in ungulates.https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.11703diel timingelkmule deerparturitionphenologysurvival |
| spellingShingle | Matthew T. Turnley Tabitha A. Hughes Randy T. Larsen Kent R. Hersey Matthew S. Broadway M. Colter Chitwood W. Sue Fairbanks Robert C. Lonsinger Brock R. McMillan A fine‐scale examination of parturition timing in temperate ungulates Ecology and Evolution diel timing elk mule deer parturition phenology survival |
| title | A fine‐scale examination of parturition timing in temperate ungulates |
| title_full | A fine‐scale examination of parturition timing in temperate ungulates |
| title_fullStr | A fine‐scale examination of parturition timing in temperate ungulates |
| title_full_unstemmed | A fine‐scale examination of parturition timing in temperate ungulates |
| title_short | A fine‐scale examination of parturition timing in temperate ungulates |
| title_sort | fine scale examination of parturition timing in temperate ungulates |
| topic | diel timing elk mule deer parturition phenology survival |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.11703 |
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