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Research article2005Peer reviewed

Female wolverine (Gulo gulo) reproduction: reproductive costs and winter food availability

Persson, J

Abstract

An individual has only a given amount of resources, and therefore an increase in one demographic trait results in a trade-off that necessitates a decrease in a different demographic trait. In general, the main factor determining an individual mammal's reproductive investment is food supply. This study addresses how female wolverine (Gulo gulo (L., 1758)) reproduction is limited. I tested two complementary hypotheses: (1) current reproduction is affected by the costs of reproduction in the preceding year and (2) current reproduction is affected by food availability in the current winter. I addressed the first hypothesis by comparing reproductive rates of females in relation to their reproductive effort in the preceding year. I experimentally tested the second hypothesis by comparing reproductive rates of food-supplemented females versus non-supplemented females. Reproduction incurred costs on female wolverines that affected future reproduction, and reproductive costs appeared to be related to the duration of parental care. Reproduction was higher for food-supplemented females than for non-supplemented females, even though all food-supplemented females had reproduced the preceding year. This study suggests that reproduction is limited by winter food availability and that additional food can compensate for reproductive costs. Thus, I suggest that female wolverine reproduction is determined by their condition in winter, which is a result of the combined effect of reproductive costs and winter food availability

Published in

Canadian Journal of Zoology
2005, Volume: 83, number: 11, pages: 1453-1459 Publisher: NATL RESEARCH COUNCIL CANADA

      SLU Authors

    • Persson, Jens

      • Department of Conservation Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences

    UKÄ Subject classification

    Environmental Sciences related to Agriculture and Land-use

    Publication identifier

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1139/Z05-143

    Permanent link to this page (URI)

    https://res.slu.se/id/publ/6477