Navinder Singh | Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (original) (raw)
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Papers by Navinder Singh
Ecology and Evolution, Mar 4, 2021
Biological Conservation, Feb 1, 2022
Diversity and Distributions, May 12, 2010
Social Science Research Network, 2022
Diversity and Distributions, Jul 5, 2021
Functional Ecology, Feb 17, 2023
Differences in botanical diet compositions among a large number of moose faecal samples collected... more Differences in botanical diet compositions among a large number of moose faecal samples collected during winter correlated with the nutritional differences identified in the same samples (Mantel‐r = 0.89, p = 0.001), but the nutritional differences were significantly smaller (p < 0.001). Nutritional geometry revealed that moose mixed Scots pine Pinus sylvestris and Vaccinium spp. as nutritionally complementary foods to reach a nutritional target resembling Salix spp. twigs, and selected for Salix spp. browse (Jacob's D > 0). Available protein (AP) and total non‐structural carbohydrates (TNC) were significantly correlated in observed diets but not in hypothetical diets based on food availability. The level of Acetoacetate in moose serum (i.e. ‘starvation’) was weakly negatively associated with digestibility of diets (p = 0.08) and unrelated to increasing AP:TNC and AP:NDF ratios in diets (p > 0.1). Our study is the first to demonstrate complementary feeding in free‐ranging moose to attain a nutritional target that has previously been suggested in a feeding trial with captive moose. Our results add support to the hypothesis of nutritional balancing as a driver in the nutritional strategy of moose with implications for both the management of moose and food resources. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
Nature Communications, Dec 7, 2022
Vector-borne and Zoonotic Diseases, May 1, 2022
Ecology and Society, 2022
Journal of Applied Ecology, 2021
European Journal of Wildlife Research, 2020
Most European ungulate species are increasing in numbers and expanding their range. For the manag... more Most European ungulate species are increasing in numbers and expanding their range. For the management and monitoring of these species, 64% of European countries rely on indirect proxies of abundance (e.g., hunting bag statistics). With increasing ungulate numbers, data on ungulate-vehicle collisions (UVC) may provide an important and inexpensive, complementary data source. Currently, it is unclear how bag statistics compare with UVC. A direct comparison of these two indices is important because both are used in ungulate management. We evaluated the relationship between UVC and ungulate hunting bags across bioclimatic, regional, and local scales, using five time lags (t−3 to t+1) for the five most common wild ungulate species in Sweden. For all species, hunting bags and UVC correlated positively, but correlation strength and time lags varied across scales and among species. The two indices correlated most strongly at the local management scale. Correlation between both indices was s...
Science advances, 2018
In 2015, more than 200,000 saiga antelopes died in 3 weeks in central Kazakhstan. The proximate c... more In 2015, more than 200,000 saiga antelopes died in 3 weeks in central Kazakhstan. The proximate cause of death is confirmed as hemorrhagic septicemia caused by the bacteriumtype B, based on multiple strands of evidence. Statistical modeling suggests that there was unusually high relative humidity and temperature in the days leading up to the mortality event; temperature and humidity anomalies were also observed in two previous similar events in the same region. The modeled influence of environmental covariates is consistent with known drivers of hemorrhagic septicemia. Given the saiga population's vulnerability to mass mortality and the likely exacerbation of climate-related and environmental stressors in the future, management of risks to population viability such as poaching and viral livestock disease is urgently needed, as well as robust ongoing veterinary surveillance. A multidisciplinary approach is needed to research mass mortality events under rapid environmental change.
Frontiers in Zoology, 2016
Environmental science & technology, Jan 26, 2017
Lead poisoning of animals due to ingestion of fragments from lead-based ammunition in carcasses a... more Lead poisoning of animals due to ingestion of fragments from lead-based ammunition in carcasses and offal of shot wildlife is acknowledged globally and raises great concerns about potential behavioral effects leading to increased mortality risks. Lead levels in blood were correlated with progress of the moose hunting season. Based on analyses of tracking data, we found that even sublethal lead concentrations in blood (25 ppb, wet weight), can likely negatively affect movement behavior (flight height and movement rate) of free-ranging scavenging Golden Eagles (Aquila chrysaetos). Lead levels in liver of recovered post-mortem analyzed eagles suggested that sublethal exposure increases the risk of mortality in eagles. Such adverse effects on animals are probably common worldwide and across species, where game hunting with lead-based ammunition is widespread. Our study highlights lead exposure as a considerably more serious threat to wildlife conservation than previously realized and su...
Scientific reports, Mar 9, 2017
An assessment of historical distribution patterns and potential reintroduction sites is important... more An assessment of historical distribution patterns and potential reintroduction sites is important for reducing the risk of reintroduction failure of endangered species. The saiga antelope, Saiga tatarica, was extirpated in the mid-20th century in China. A captive population was established in the Wuwei Endangered Wildlife Breeding Centre (WEWBC) in the 1980s. Reintroduction is planned, but so far, no action has been taken. In this study, we delineated the historical distribution and potential reintroduction areas of saigas in China, using a literature review, interviews and predictive modelling. Results suggest that most of the seasonally suitable areas are non-overlapping, and China may have been a peripheral part of the main saiga range. WEWBC is not an ideal reintroduction site due to its low habitat suitability. Furthermore, we infer that two different movement patterns existed historically (regular migration and nomadic wandering). Our results demonstrate the challenges of rest...
Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, 2016
Ecology and Society, 2014
Ecology and Evolution, Mar 4, 2021
Biological Conservation, Feb 1, 2022
Diversity and Distributions, May 12, 2010
Social Science Research Network, 2022
Diversity and Distributions, Jul 5, 2021
Functional Ecology, Feb 17, 2023
Differences in botanical diet compositions among a large number of moose faecal samples collected... more Differences in botanical diet compositions among a large number of moose faecal samples collected during winter correlated with the nutritional differences identified in the same samples (Mantel‐r = 0.89, p = 0.001), but the nutritional differences were significantly smaller (p < 0.001). Nutritional geometry revealed that moose mixed Scots pine Pinus sylvestris and Vaccinium spp. as nutritionally complementary foods to reach a nutritional target resembling Salix spp. twigs, and selected for Salix spp. browse (Jacob's D > 0). Available protein (AP) and total non‐structural carbohydrates (TNC) were significantly correlated in observed diets but not in hypothetical diets based on food availability. The level of Acetoacetate in moose serum (i.e. ‘starvation’) was weakly negatively associated with digestibility of diets (p = 0.08) and unrelated to increasing AP:TNC and AP:NDF ratios in diets (p > 0.1). Our study is the first to demonstrate complementary feeding in free‐ranging moose to attain a nutritional target that has previously been suggested in a feeding trial with captive moose. Our results add support to the hypothesis of nutritional balancing as a driver in the nutritional strategy of moose with implications for both the management of moose and food resources. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
Nature Communications, Dec 7, 2022
Vector-borne and Zoonotic Diseases, May 1, 2022
Ecology and Society, 2022
Journal of Applied Ecology, 2021
European Journal of Wildlife Research, 2020
Most European ungulate species are increasing in numbers and expanding their range. For the manag... more Most European ungulate species are increasing in numbers and expanding their range. For the management and monitoring of these species, 64% of European countries rely on indirect proxies of abundance (e.g., hunting bag statistics). With increasing ungulate numbers, data on ungulate-vehicle collisions (UVC) may provide an important and inexpensive, complementary data source. Currently, it is unclear how bag statistics compare with UVC. A direct comparison of these two indices is important because both are used in ungulate management. We evaluated the relationship between UVC and ungulate hunting bags across bioclimatic, regional, and local scales, using five time lags (t−3 to t+1) for the five most common wild ungulate species in Sweden. For all species, hunting bags and UVC correlated positively, but correlation strength and time lags varied across scales and among species. The two indices correlated most strongly at the local management scale. Correlation between both indices was s...
Science advances, 2018
In 2015, more than 200,000 saiga antelopes died in 3 weeks in central Kazakhstan. The proximate c... more In 2015, more than 200,000 saiga antelopes died in 3 weeks in central Kazakhstan. The proximate cause of death is confirmed as hemorrhagic septicemia caused by the bacteriumtype B, based on multiple strands of evidence. Statistical modeling suggests that there was unusually high relative humidity and temperature in the days leading up to the mortality event; temperature and humidity anomalies were also observed in two previous similar events in the same region. The modeled influence of environmental covariates is consistent with known drivers of hemorrhagic septicemia. Given the saiga population's vulnerability to mass mortality and the likely exacerbation of climate-related and environmental stressors in the future, management of risks to population viability such as poaching and viral livestock disease is urgently needed, as well as robust ongoing veterinary surveillance. A multidisciplinary approach is needed to research mass mortality events under rapid environmental change.
Frontiers in Zoology, 2016
Environmental science & technology, Jan 26, 2017
Lead poisoning of animals due to ingestion of fragments from lead-based ammunition in carcasses a... more Lead poisoning of animals due to ingestion of fragments from lead-based ammunition in carcasses and offal of shot wildlife is acknowledged globally and raises great concerns about potential behavioral effects leading to increased mortality risks. Lead levels in blood were correlated with progress of the moose hunting season. Based on analyses of tracking data, we found that even sublethal lead concentrations in blood (25 ppb, wet weight), can likely negatively affect movement behavior (flight height and movement rate) of free-ranging scavenging Golden Eagles (Aquila chrysaetos). Lead levels in liver of recovered post-mortem analyzed eagles suggested that sublethal exposure increases the risk of mortality in eagles. Such adverse effects on animals are probably common worldwide and across species, where game hunting with lead-based ammunition is widespread. Our study highlights lead exposure as a considerably more serious threat to wildlife conservation than previously realized and su...
Scientific reports, Mar 9, 2017
An assessment of historical distribution patterns and potential reintroduction sites is important... more An assessment of historical distribution patterns and potential reintroduction sites is important for reducing the risk of reintroduction failure of endangered species. The saiga antelope, Saiga tatarica, was extirpated in the mid-20th century in China. A captive population was established in the Wuwei Endangered Wildlife Breeding Centre (WEWBC) in the 1980s. Reintroduction is planned, but so far, no action has been taken. In this study, we delineated the historical distribution and potential reintroduction areas of saigas in China, using a literature review, interviews and predictive modelling. Results suggest that most of the seasonally suitable areas are non-overlapping, and China may have been a peripheral part of the main saiga range. WEWBC is not an ideal reintroduction site due to its low habitat suitability. Furthermore, we infer that two different movement patterns existed historically (regular migration and nomadic wandering). Our results demonstrate the challenges of rest...
Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, 2016
Ecology and Society, 2014
Credits: 60 HEC Level: A2E Course title: Master degree thesis in Biology at the Department of Wil... more Credits: 60 HEC Level: A2E Course title: Master degree thesis in Biology at the Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies Course code: EX0595 Programme/education: Etologi och djurskydd Place of publication: Umeå Year of publication: 2014 Cover picture: Jeff Kidd Title of series: Examensarbete i ämnet biologi Number of part of series: 2014:16 Online publication: http://stud.epsilon.slu.se
Migration and giving birth are crucial decisions for animals during their life cycle, which may h... more Migration and giving birth are crucial decisions for animals during their life cycle, which may have lasting consequences on their population demography and fitness. Migration can entail a variety of possible effects for an individual, such as access to high quality food and reduced risk for predation. The moose (Alces alces) in northern Sweden is partially migratory and moose females are known to give birth to one or two calves. The synchrony between time of calving and timing of migration has not been compared before, especially in terms of energy maximizing and time minimizing perspectives, which may provide vital cues for fitness benefits of migration. I investigated effect of timing of birth and individual life history on distance, timing, stopovers and duration of 190 individually marked female moose that have been tracked for multiple years in ten different areas in northern Sweden. The effects of the life history variables (area, age, body mass, litter size) were tested by using Generalized Linear Mixed Models (GLMMs), and ANOVAs together with Turkey’s HSD tests were used to explain variation in movement between females of different reproductive status. Females that gave birth during migration had the longest duration of spring migration and used the most stopovers than others. Females that gave birth before spring migration arrived later in the summer ranges than other female groups. However, those that gave birth after spring migration had the quickest spring migrations. Younger females migrated earlier in autumn than older females and females with twins migrated earlier during autumn than other female groups. Such timing adjustments between migration and reproduction demonstrate that the time minimizing versus energy maximizing behavioural trade-offs can exist within a species, where individuals make trade-offs depending upon their life history and life cycle events.
Moose (Alces alces), the largest among the deer, have both high recreational and economic value i... more Moose (Alces alces), the largest among the deer, have both high recreational and economic value in Scandinavia and elsewhere. To efficiently manage such a valuable species, the key factors affecting their fitness and performance must be understood. Moose generally have high productivity and calf survival in predator free areas, however in recent years, populations at the southern edge of their distribution, such as on the predator free island of Ӧland in Sweden, there have been reports of low calf survival. Individuals are found to carry Anaplasma phagocytophilum, which has been thought to be one of the factors causing the low survival. The aim of this study was to identify what abiotic and biotic factors may also be affecting female moose performance and their calf survival. GPS data from 18 collared moose was used in conjunction with home range, activity, diet, survival and habitat analysis. Moose did not alter the size of their seasonal home ranges or their activity level. Agricultural areas and feeding stations have become the preferred areas in the core home ranges during the winter season. The diet analysis revealed that nearly two thirds of the moose’s winter diet contained agricultural produce. Moose are having to utilise areas where in other populations, individuals tend to avoid. This could probably be one of the reasons for females to be of lower quality and therefore not being able to ensure calf survival. With changing climates and human land use moose continue to be under such environmental pressures, which may therefore jeopardize their future survival and reproduction.
Credits: 30 HEC Level: A2E Course title: Master degree thesis in Biology at the Department of Wil... more Credits: 30 HEC Level: A2E Course title: Master degree thesis in Biology at the Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies Course code: EX0764 Programme/education: Jägmästarprogrammet Place of publication: Umeå Year of publication: 2014 Cover picture: Ragna Wennström (left) and Jeff Kidd (right) Title of series: Examensarbete i ämnet biologi Number of part of series: 2014:3 Online publication: http://stud.epsilon.slu.se
Human wildlife conflicts are common in both the developed and the developing world, especially in... more Human wildlife conflicts are common in both the developed and the developing world, especially in the scenario where habitat loss is rampant and human populations are surging. One of the most frequent form of conflict reported, is the large carnivore predation on domestic livestock. This conflict has implications on conservation of biodiversity and tolerance of humans towards wildlife.
Migration is a worldwide phenomenon that has occurred for thousands of years in a vast variety of... more Migration is a worldwide phenomenon that has occurred for thousands of years in a vast variety of species. The general knowledge of migrating animals is poor even though billions of animals from a range of different groups migrate every year. The human impact on migrating ungulates is high and many populations are declining globally due to direct and indirect causes. Hence it becomes vital to study the migration phase and the habitat and resources selected during migration. The objective with this study was to identify the habitat characteristics and resource selection of moose during migration and compare the selection between different seasons and utilization distribution (relative frequency distribution for the points of location of an animal over a period of time) categories. The study area is located in northern Sweden stretching from 64-67 O N in the inland and mountain regions of Västerbotten county. I used GPS tracking data from 49 individual moose represented by 87 moose-years between 2004 and 2010. BBMM (Brownian bridge movement model) and buffer zones were used to describe used and available habitat. BBMM was used since it takes the time interval and trajectory between the locations into account unlike many other models for estimating utilization distribution. The results show that there are differences both between different seasons and different utilization categories. Some individuals select different migration paths depending on season but also that many migration routes were being used both seasons. Moose seems to use migration paths that results in a low cost of energy and where there is a good amount of high quality food. Sometimes it's unclear when a moose begins or end its migration and therefore problematic to delimit the whole migration path. The definition used in this study can possibly be improved by defining the home ranges in a different way. It would be interesting to analyse the ratio between the different habitat variables in order to see how they affect each other.
Fakulteten för skogsvetenskap Institutionen för vilt, fisk och miljö Examensarbete i biologi, 30 ... more Fakulteten för skogsvetenskap Institutionen för vilt, fisk och miljö Examensarbete i biologi, 30 hp, A2E Umeå 2013 Examensarbete i ämnet biologi 2013:1 Site fidelity of a migratory species towards its annual range Ortstrohet hos en migrerande art till specifika delar av dess hemområde Peter Lojander