Alces (A Journal Devoted to the Biology and Management of Moose)
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45TH NORTH AMERICAN MOOSE CONFERENCE AND WORKSHOP
Get PDF45TH NORTH AMERICAN MOOSE CONFERENCE AND WORKSHO
ALCES 45 (2009) EDITORS
No full textNames of chief editor, submissions editor, business editor, and associate editors for Alces 45 (2009)
DISTINGUISHED MOOSE BIOLOGIST - 2009 RECIPIENT (Kenneth N. Child)
No full textThe Distinguished Moose Biologist Award was presented to Kenneth N. Child at the 44th North American Moose Conference and Workshop, held at the University of Idaho, in Pocatello, Idaho, USA, 14-17 June 2009, in recognition of his contribution to moose management
ACTIVITY PATTERNS, FORAGING ECOLOGY, AND SUMMER RANGE CARRYING CAPACITY OF MOOSE (ALCES ALCES SHIRASI) IN ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK, COLORADO
Get PDFTo ensure sustainable populations of native animals and plants, managers of protected areas must understand carrying capacity of large wild herbivores. Estimates of carrying capacity and how large herbivores may influence native vegetation require knowledge of their activity and forag­ing patterns. Therefore, we examined activity patterns and foraging behavior of adult male moose (Alces alces shirasi) in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado by following individual animals and counting bites during the summer and fall of 2003 and 2004. Mean active time per day peaked in late June at 11.3 h and declined to 8.9 h in early fall preceding the breeding season. Moose averaged 6.7 feeding periods/d, each lasting 79 min; feeding bouts were longer around sunrise and sunset and were shorter midday presumably because of high ambient temperature. Activities associated with feeding and resting constituted 94.0% of daily time budgets. Feeding declined and social behavior and move­ment increased in fall with the onset of the breeding season. Food consumption increased steadily through early summer peaking at 126.8 g/kg BW0.75 in early August, followed by a sharp decline to a low of 69.1 g/kg BW0.75 in early September. Daily digestible energy intake was estimated at 1191 kJ/kg BW0.75/d. Maximum rates of instantaneous intake were recorded in early August at 22.3 g/min. Because intake rates of willow (Salix spp.) increased from June-August, but nutritional quality peaked in mid-June, increases in daily and instantaneous intake rates during summer seemed more related to forage availability than protein and energy content of willow leaves. The nutritional carrying capacity of summer range in Rocky Mountain National Park in 2004 was estimated from the range supply of metabolizable energy, digestible energy, and available nitrogen. Based on the digestible energy intake and energy requirements of a 344 kg male moose, the summer range carrying capacity was estimated at 0.21 moose/km2. Nitrogen based estimates were considerably higher at 0.32 moose/km2
43RD NORTH AMERICAN MOOSE CONFERENCE AND WORKSHOP
Get PDFPRINCE GEORGE, BRITISH COLUMBIA2 - 7 JUNE 2007The 43rd Annual Moose Conference and Workshop was held at the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC), June 2-7, 2007. UNBC hosted the conference with the BC Ministry of Forests and Range, the BC Ministry of Environment, the Peace/Williston Fish and Wildlife Compensation Program, and the John Prince Research Forest. The conference was attended by 102 delegates from Canada, the United States, and Finland who met to exchange ideas and share new developments in moose research, management, and biology
MORPHOMETRY OF MOOSE ANTLERS IN CENTRAL BRITISH COLUMBIA
Get PDFWe analyzed the morphometry of 1,965 sets of antlers from hunter-harvested moose (Alces alces andersoni) taken in the central interior of British Columbia. We describe the variation and age-related changes in antler and brow palm form, number of points on both main and brow palms, maximum spread, height and width of palmations, distance between innermost points on the brow palms, and shaft circumference. Architecturally 25% were cervicorn pole type (PT); 75% were palmicorn with 67% split palm (SP) and 8% full palm (FP). Palmicorn antlers were most common in all age classes. Cervicorn antlers were most common in younger moose (1.5-3.5 years), and rare in moose >4.5 years. Of all antlers collected, 30% had forked brows and 12% had palmated brows. Forked brow palms increased with age; they occurred in 10% of moose 1.5 years old and 40-50% of moose >4.5 years old. The frequency of palmated brow palms increased quickly from 1.5 (2.5%) to 5.5 years (25%), peaked at 13.5 years (40%), before declining in later years. The number of points generally increased from 1.5-7.5 years, and remained stable thereafter. Maximum spread and shaft circumference generally increased from 1.5-13.5 years and decreased thereafter. Maximum antler height and width of main palms increased from 1.5-9.5 years; the first remained stable and the latter declined thereafter. Distance between the inner most points on the brow palms narrowed from 1.5-4.5 years, remained constant to 11.5 years, and then widened thereafter. Antler point counts were the most variable, whereas shaft circumference was the least variable form
THE IMPACT OF MOOSE (Alces alces andersoni) ON FOREST REGENERATION FOLLOWING A SEVERE SPRUCE BUDWORM OUTBREAK IN THE CAPE BRETON HIGHLANDS, NOVA SCOTIA, CANADA
Get PDFTwo interacting disturbances such as stand-level defoliation by spruce budworm (Choristoneura fumiferana) and subsequent herbivory by moose (Alces alces) may affect landscapes differently than if they occurred in isolation. We studied moose (A. a. andersoni) browsing on sites disturbed approximately 25 years ago by a severe spruce budworm outbreak in a region historically dominated by balsam fir (Abies balsamea) forest on northern Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, Canada. Our objectives were to 1) describe the impact of a large resident moose population on post-budworm regeneration of balsam fir and white birch (Betula papyrifera), and 2) to examine the interplay between moose abundance, site conditions, and variation in post-budworm forest regeneration. Fifty-eight ran­domly located sites were sampled for composition and structural characteristics, moose browse severity, moose pellet group density, and site conditions. We used univariate general linear modelling (GLM) and multivariate redundancy analysis (RDA) to examine relationships between moose abundance as indicated by pellet-groups, site conditions, and post-budworm regeneration. Approximately 65% of all balsam fir and white birch saplings tallied were severely browsed by moose, exhibiting stunted, abnormal growth forms. Both the GLM and the RDA indicated that moose abundance was the best predictor of variation in the density of post-budworm regeneration of balsam fir and white birch. Site conditions were less useful predictors of variation in regeneration. The relationship between moose abundance and regeneration of balsam fir and white birch was positive, suggesting that moose may be more abundant in areas where regeneration is denser. Sustained, severe browsing in areas regenerating after spruce budworm outbreak may significantly inhibit future forest development and alter the well documented spruce budworm-balsam fir cyclic successional system of northern Cape Breton Island
IN MEMORIAM - Albert W. Franzmann (1930-2009)
No full textDr. Albert W. (Al) Franzmann, age 78, of Soldotna, Alaska, died unexpectedly at his winter home in Green Valley, Arizona on February 13, 2009. Everyone who ever knew Al feels a deep sense of loss, but we are extremely grateful for having known him. Al was a pioneer in wildlife management, particularly in moose management, and cared deeply about our wildlife resources, hunting and trapping, and future wildlife management. Al was a mentor and friend to many and words alone cannot express how he affected our lives, careers, and just how much he meant to us. What follows is Dr. Franzmann’s obituary, which he wrote. His accomplishments and life are well represented
YOUTUBE (TM) INSIGHTS INTO MOOSE-TRAIN INTERACTIONS
Get PDFTo gain a better understanding of the behavioral aspects of moose-train encounters, we reviewed videos of ungulate-train interactions available on YouTubetmand from train operators. Video footage consisted of 21 animal-train encounters including moose (Alces alces; 47.4%), cattle (Bos taurus; 15.8%), deer (Odocoileus spp.; 10.5%), elk (Cervus elaphus; 10.5%), camels (Camelus dromedarius; 10.5%), and sheep (Ovis aries; 5.3%). Footage was recorded predominantly in snow-free conditions, but most moose-train interactions were in winter when moose appeared to be trapped by deep snow banks along rail beds. Moose, elk, and deer all ran along the rail bed primarily inside of the tracks and nearer the rails than track center. Collision mortality generally occurred on straight stretches of track. Escapes occurred where a discontinuity in the habitat/setting occurred and/or when train speed was reduced. We suggest that videos can provide a valuable resource for interpreting ungulate reactions to trains and that videos gathered purposefully on railways and posted on open source databases will be useful for studying the dynamics of moose-train collisions for mitigation planning