French Polar Institute Literature Database -- Query Results

. (2022). Developing common protocols to measure tundra herbivory across spatial scales (Vol. 8). Programme: 1036 http://publi.ipev.fr/polar_references/show.php?record=8339
. (2019). First pre-modern record of the gyrfalcon (Falco rusticolus) in north-east Greenland (Vol. 38). Keywords: Arctic Arctic Circle Arctic ecology cave climate change geochronology Programme: 1036 http://publi.ipev.fr/polar_references/show.php?record=8363
. (2021). Incisor microwear of Arctic rodents as a proxy for microhabitat preference (Vol. 101). Abstract: Changing environmental conditions in the Arctic make it important to document and understand habitat preferences and flexibility of vulnerable high-latitude mammals. Indirect proxies are especially useful for elusive species, such as rodents. This study explores incisor microwear as an indicator of variation in behavior and microhabitat use in Siberian lemmings (Lemmus sibiricus) and narrow-headed voles (Lasiopodomys gregalis) from the Yamal Peninsula, Russia. Fifty-nine individuals were sampled at four sites along a latitudinal gradient from forest-tundra ecotone to high-Arctic tundra. Lemmings are present at the northernmost site, voles at the southernmost site, and both species at the middle two. Lemmus sibiricus prefers wet, mossy lowland, whereas La. gregalis favors drier thickets and more open microhabitats and burrows underground. Feature-based analyses indicate higher densities of features and more uniformly oriented striations for voles than lemmings at sites with both species. The species also differ significantly in microwear texture attributes suggesting larger features for lemmings, and smaller ones, but more of them, for voles. While no texture differences were found between sites within species, voles from sites with open tundra have higher striation densities than those from the forest-tundra ecotone. Furthermore, lemmings from open tundra sites have higher striation densities than those from the water-saturated, moss-covered northernmost site. While microhabitat preferences and burrowing by voles likely contribute to differences between species, variation within seems to reflect habitat variation given differences in abrasive loads between sites. This suggests that incisor microwear patterning can be used to track microhabitat differences among Arctic rodent populations. Keywords: Arctic Environment Habitats Narrow-headed vole Russia Siberian lemming Tooth wear Tundra Yamal Peninsula Programme: 1036 http://publi.ipev.fr/polar_references/show.php?record=8377
. (2021). Location of studies and evidence of effects of herbivory on Arctic vegetation: a systematic map (Vol. 10). Programme: 1036 http://publi.ipev.fr/polar_references/show.php?record=8386
. (2022). Spatio-temporal patterns in arctic fox (Vulpes alopex) diets revealed by molecular analysis of scats from Northeast Greenland (Vol. 32). Abstract: The arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus) is endemic to the Arctic where it holds a central position in the trophic interactions. The diet of the species has previously been described as being highly flexible, but whether this flexibility is a constant trait through time, or merely reflects fast temporal changes in abundance among prey taxa, has so far been poorly resolved. Using molecular analyses of arctic fox scats from Northeast Greenland, we first examined the temporal dynamics of arctic fox diets during the short snow-free season, and then examined whether local food availability at different sites affected arctic fox dependence on lemmings. Arctic fox diets included most terrestrial vertebrate species found in the region, and exhibited substantial temporal changes, generally reflecting the dynamic changes in prey availability from late winter through autumn. This dietary flexibility was also reflected geographically, with arctic foxes consuming a variety of local prey (mainly waterfowl and lemmings) in summer. Moreover, the dietary response of arctic foxes to changes in lemming abundance depended on access to non-lemming prey. Based on these findings, we discuss whether varying degrees of lemming-dependency, combined with geographical differences in winter food availability, may explain previously published differences in arctic fox breeding patterns in high arctic Greenland. Keywords: Greenland Metabarcoding Predation Trophic interactions Tundra Programme: 1036 http://publi.ipev.fr/polar_references/show.php?record=8406
. (2022). Long-term monitoring reveals topographical features and vegetation that explain winter habitat use of an Arctic rodent (Vol. 8). Abstract: The quality of wintering habitats, such as depth of snow cover, plays a key role in sustaining population dynamics of Arctic lemmings. However, few studies so far investigated habitat use during the Arctic winter. Here, we used a unique long-term time series to test whether lemmings are associated with topographical and vegetational habitat features for their wintering sites. We examined yearly numbers and distribution of 22 769 winter nests of the collared lemming Dicrostonyx groenlandicus (Traill, 1823) from an ongoing long-term research on Traill Island, Northeast Greenland, collected between 1989 and 2019, and correlated this information with data on dominant vegetation types, elevation, and slope. We found that the number of lemming nests was highest in areas with a high proportion of Dryas heath, but was also correlated with other vegetation types, suggesting some flexibility in resource use of wintering lemmings. Furthermore, lemmings showed a higher use for sloped terrain, probably as it enhances the formation of deep snow drifts, which increases the insulative characteristics of the snowpack and protection from predators. With global warming, prime lemming winter habitats may become scarce through alteration of snow physical properties, potentially resulting in negative consequence for the whole community of terrestrial vertebrates. Programme: 1036 http://publi.ipev.fr/polar_references/show.php?record=8426
Von Beckerath, X., Eitzinger, B., Sittler, B., Gilg, O., Yannic, G., Klein, A.-M., Benadi, G. (2021). Long-term monitoring reveals topographical features and vegetation explain winter habitat use of an Arctic rodent. Programme: 1036 http://publi.ipev.fr/polar_references/show.php?record=8450
Fort, J., Grémillet, D., Helgason, H.H., Albert, C., Ame?lineau, F., Anker-Nilssen, T., Angelier, F., Bra?then, V.S., Bringsvor, I.S., Carlsen, T.H., Chastel, O., Cherenkov, A., Christensen-Dalsgaard, S., Danielsen, J., Daunt, F., Descamps, S., Dietz, R., Elliott, K., Erikstad, K.E., Eulaers, I., Ezhov, A., Fauchald, P., Fifield, D., Frederiksen, M., Gabrielsen, G.W., Gavrilo, M., Gilchrist, G., Gilg, O., Giraudeau, M., Gíslason, S., Golubova, E., Hallgrimsson, G.T., Hansen, E.S., S.A., H., Hatch, S., Helberg, M., Huffeldt, N.P., Jónsson, J.E., Kitaysky, A., Kolbeinsson, Y., Krasnov, Y., Langset, M., Latty, C., Leclaire, S., Lorentsen, S.H., Lorentzen, E., Love, O., Mallory, M., Merkel, B., Merkel, F., Moe, B., Montevecchi, W.A., Mosbech, A., Newell, M., Olsen, B., Orben, R., Parkinson, K., Patterson, A., Pratte, I., Provencher, J., Ragnarsdottir, S.B., Reiertsen, T.K., Renner, H., Robertson, G.J., Rojek, N., M, R., Sagerup, K., Semashko, V., Sepp, T., Sonne, C., Systad, G.H., Takahashi, A., Tarroux, A., Tertitski, G., Thompson, P., Tolmacheva, E., Will, A., Wojczulanis-Jakubas, K., Tórarinsson, T.L., Bustamante, P. & Strøm, H. (2020). Mercury contamination of Arctic seabirds : spatio-temporal trends and impacts. Programme: 1036 http://publi.ipev.fr/polar_references/show.php?record=8451
Niels M. Schmidt, Olivier Gilg, Jon Aars, Rolf A. Ims. (2021). Fat, Furry, Flexible, and Functionally Important: Characteristics of Mammals Living in the Arctic. Abstract: Mammals constitute a group of vertebrates that share a number of unique characteristics,such as nursing their young with milk, and having hair. The pattern of low mammal species diversity in the Arctic probably reflects a combination of mainly two driving factors: first, being homeotherms, mammals require a substantial amount of energy to sustain the various life processes, and the arctic regions are characterized by a very low availability of energy due to short seasons for primary production. Secondly, the occurrence of arctic mammals today reflects the reinvasion of the mammal species into the Arctic as the ecosystems were re-established following the deglaciation. This chapter discusses the characteristics of the arctic mammals, including their unique adaptations to life, and their role as both consumer and food base in the arctic ecosystems. Climate change in the Arctic may also alter the interactions within food webs. Keywords: arctic ecosystems Arctic mammals climate change deglaciation food webs homeotherms low mammal species diversity primary production Programme: 1036 http://publi.ipev.fr/polar_references/show.php?record=8489
. (2022). The Traill island model for lemming dynamics, how it compares to Fennoscandian vole dynamics models, and a proposed simplification (Vol. 2205.09441). Abstract: The Traill island model of Gilg et al. (2003) is a landmark attempt at mechanistic modelling of the cyclic population dynamics of rodents, focusing on a high Arctic community. It models the dynamics of one prey, the collared lemming, and four predators : the stoat, the Arctic fox, the long-tailed skua and the snowy owl. In the present short note, we first summarize how the model works in light of theory on seasonally forced predator-prey systems, with a focus on the temporal dynamics of predation rates. We show notably how the impact of generalist predation, which is able here to initiate population declines, differs slightly from that of generalist predation in other mechanistic models of rodent-mustelid interactions such as Turchin & Hanski (1997). We then provide a low-dimensional approximation with a single generalist predator compartment that mimics the essential features of the Traill island model: cycle periodicity, amplitude, shape, as well as generalist-induced declines. This simpler model should be broadly applicable to model other lemming populations that predominantly grow under the snow during the winter period. Matlab computer codes for Gilg et al. (2003), its two-dimensional approximation, as well as alternative lemming population dynamics models are provided. Keywords: Quantitative Biology – Populations and Evolution Programme: 1036 http://publi.ipev.fr/polar_references/show.php?record=8596

. (2022). Developing common protocols to measure tundra herbivory across spatial scales (Vol. 8).

. (2019). First pre-modern record of the gyrfalcon (Falco rusticolus) in north-east Greenland (Vol. 38).

. (2021). Incisor microwear of Arctic rodents as a proxy for microhabitat preference (Vol. 101).

Abstract: Changing environmental conditions in the Arctic make it important to document and understand habitat preferences and flexibility of vulnerable high-latitude mammals. Indirect proxies are especially useful for elusive species, such as rodents. This study explores incisor microwear as an indicator of variation in behavior and microhabitat use in Siberian lemmings (Lemmus sibiricus) and narrow-headed voles (Lasiopodomys gregalis) from the Yamal Peninsula, Russia. Fifty-nine individuals were sampled at four sites along a latitudinal gradient from forest-tundra ecotone to high-Arctic tundra. Lemmings are present at the northernmost site, voles at the southernmost site, and both species at the middle two. Lemmus sibiricus prefers wet, mossy lowland, whereas La. gregalis favors drier thickets and more open microhabitats and burrows underground. Feature-based analyses indicate higher densities of features and more uniformly oriented striations for voles than lemmings at sites with both species. The species also differ significantly in microwear texture attributes suggesting larger features for lemmings, and smaller ones, but more of them, for voles. While no texture differences were found between sites within species, voles from sites with open tundra have higher striation densities than those from the forest-tundra ecotone. Furthermore, lemmings from open tundra sites have higher striation densities than those from the water-saturated, moss-covered northernmost site. While microhabitat preferences and burrowing by voles likely contribute to differences between species, variation within seems to reflect habitat variation given differences in abrasive loads between sites. This suggests that incisor microwear patterning can be used to track microhabitat differences among Arctic rodent populations.

Keywords: Arctic Environment Habitats Narrow-headed vole Russia Siberian lemming Tooth wear Tundra Yamal Peninsula

Programme: 1036

http://publi.ipev.fr/polar_references/show.php?record=8377

. (2021). Location of studies and evidence of effects of herbivory on Arctic vegetation: a systematic map (Vol. 10).

. (2022). Spatio-temporal patterns in arctic fox (Vulpes alopex) diets revealed by molecular analysis of scats from Northeast Greenland (Vol. 32).

. (2022). Long-term monitoring reveals topographical features and vegetation that explain winter habitat use of an Arctic rodent (Vol. 8).

Von Beckerath, X., Eitzinger, B., Sittler, B., Gilg, O., Yannic, G., Klein, A.-M., Benadi, G. (2021). Long-term monitoring reveals topographical features and vegetation explain winter habitat use of an Arctic rodent.

Fort, J., Grémillet, D., Helgason, H.H., Albert, C., Ame?lineau, F., Anker-Nilssen, T., Angelier, F., Bra?then, V.S., Bringsvor, I.S., Carlsen, T.H., Chastel, O., Cherenkov, A., Christensen-Dalsgaard, S., Danielsen, J., Daunt, F., Descamps, S., Dietz, R., Elliott, K., Erikstad, K.E., Eulaers, I., Ezhov, A., Fauchald, P., Fifield, D., Frederiksen, M., Gabrielsen, G.W., Gavrilo, M., Gilchrist, G., Gilg, O., Giraudeau, M., Gíslason, S., Golubova, E., Hallgrimsson, G.T., Hansen, E.S., S.A., H., Hatch, S., Helberg, M., Huffeldt, N.P., Jónsson, J.E., Kitaysky, A., Kolbeinsson, Y., Krasnov, Y., Langset, M., Latty, C., Leclaire, S., Lorentsen, S.H., Lorentzen, E., Love, O., Mallory, M., Merkel, B., Merkel, F., Moe, B., Montevecchi, W.A., Mosbech, A., Newell, M., Olsen, B., Orben, R., Parkinson, K., Patterson, A., Pratte, I., Provencher, J., Ragnarsdottir, S.B., Reiertsen, T.K., Renner, H., Robertson, G.J., Rojek, N., M, R., Sagerup, K., Semashko, V., Sepp, T., Sonne, C., Systad, G.H., Takahashi, A., Tarroux, A., Tertitski, G., Thompson, P., Tolmacheva, E., Will, A., Wojczulanis-Jakubas, K., Tórarinsson, T.L., Bustamante, P. & Strøm, H. (2020). Mercury contamination of Arctic seabirds : spatio-temporal trends and impacts.

Niels M. Schmidt, Olivier Gilg, Jon Aars, Rolf A. Ims. (2021). Fat, Furry, Flexible, and Functionally Important: Characteristics of Mammals Living in the Arctic.

. (2022). The Traill island model for lemming dynamics, how it compares to Fennoscandian vole dynamics models, and a proposed simplification (Vol. 2205.09441).