Muskox status, recent variation, and uncertain future

Christine Cuyler; Janice Rowell; Jan Adamczewski; Morgan Anderson; John Blake; Tord Bretten; Vincent Brodeur; Mitch Campbell; Sylvia L. Checkley; H. Dean Cluff; Steeve D. Côté; Tracy Davison; Mathieu Dumond; Barrie Ford; Alexander Gruzdev; Anne Gunn; Patrick Jones; Susan Kutz; Lisa Marie Leclerc; Conor Mallory; Fabien Mavrot; Jesper Bruun Mosbacher; Innokentiy Mikhailovich Okhlopkov; Patricia Reynolds; Niels Martin Schmidt; Taras Sipko; Mike Suitor; Matilde Tomaselli; Bjørnar Ytrehus

doi:10.1007/s13280-019-01205-x

Muskox status, recent variation, and uncertain future

Christine Cuyler^*, Janice Rowell, Jan Adamczewski, Morgan Anderson, John Blake, Tord Bretten, Vincent Brodeur, Mitch Campbell, Sylvia L. Checkley, H. Dean Cluff, Steeve D. Côté, Tracy Davison, Mathieu Dumond, Barrie Ford, Alexander Gruzdev, Anne Gunn, Patrick Jones, Susan Kutz, Lisa Marie Leclerc, Conor MalloryFabien Mavrot, Jesper Bruun Mosbacher, Innokentiy Mikhailovich Okhlopkov, Patricia Reynolds, Niels Martin Schmidt, Taras Sipko, Mike Suitor, Matilde Tomaselli, Bjørnar Ytrehus

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal/Conference contribution in journal/Contribution to newspaper › Journal article › Research › peer-review

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Abstract

Muskoxen (Ovibos moschatus) are an integral component of Arctic biodiversity. Given low genetic diversity, their ability to respond to future and rapid Arctic change is unknown, although paleontological history demonstrates adaptability within limits. We discuss status and limitations of current monitoring, and summarize circumpolar status and recent variations, delineating all 55 endemic or translocated populations. Acknowledging uncertainties, global abundance is ca 170 000 muskoxen. Not all populations are thriving. Six populations are in decline, and as recently as the turn of the century, one of these was the largest population in the world, equaling ca 41% of today’s total abundance. Climate, diseases, and anthropogenic changes are likely the principal drivers of muskox population change and result in multiple stressors that vary temporally and spatially. Impacts to muskoxen are precipitated by habitat loss/degradation, altered vegetation and species associations, pollution, and harvest. Which elements are relevant for a specific population will vary, as will their cumulative interactions. Our summaries highlight the importance of harmonizing existing data, intensifying long-term monitoring efforts including demographics and health assessments, standardizing and implementing monitoring protocols, and increasing stakeholder engagement/contributions.

Original language	English
Journal	AMBIO
Volume	49
Pages (from-to)	805-819
Number of pages	15
ISSN	0044-7447
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s13280-019-01205-x
Publication status	Published - 1 Mar 2020

Keywords

Abundance
Circumpolar
Drivers
Ovibos
Population status
Trends

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Cuyler2020_Article_MuskoxStatusRecentVariationAndFinal published version, 1.26 MBLicence: CC BY

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Cuyler, C., Rowell, J., Adamczewski, J., Anderson, M., Blake, J., Bretten, T., Brodeur, V., Campbell, M., Checkley, S. L., Cluff, H. D., Côté, S. D., Davison, T., Dumond, M., Ford, B., Gruzdev, A., Gunn, A., Jones, P., Kutz, S., Leclerc, L. M., ... Ytrehus, B. (2020). Muskox status, recent variation, and uncertain future. AMBIO, 49, 805-819. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13280-019-01205-x

@article{b0c995dd767a4468b8700f15af448e04,

title = "Muskox status, recent variation, and uncertain future",

abstract = "Muskoxen (Ovibos moschatus) are an integral component of Arctic biodiversity. Given low genetic diversity, their ability to respond to future and rapid Arctic change is unknown, although paleontological history demonstrates adaptability within limits. We discuss status and limitations of current monitoring, and summarize circumpolar status and recent variations, delineating all 55 endemic or translocated populations. Acknowledging uncertainties, global abundance is ca 170 000 muskoxen. Not all populations are thriving. Six populations are in decline, and as recently as the turn of the century, one of these was the largest population in the world, equaling ca 41% of today{\textquoteright}s total abundance. Climate, diseases, and anthropogenic changes are likely the principal drivers of muskox population change and result in multiple stressors that vary temporally and spatially. Impacts to muskoxen are precipitated by habitat loss/degradation, altered vegetation and species associations, pollution, and harvest. Which elements are relevant for a specific population will vary, as will their cumulative interactions. Our summaries highlight the importance of harmonizing existing data, intensifying long-term monitoring efforts including demographics and health assessments, standardizing and implementing monitoring protocols, and increasing stakeholder engagement/contributions.",

keywords = "Abundance, Circumpolar, Drivers, Ovibos, Population status, Trends",

author = "Christine Cuyler and Janice Rowell and Jan Adamczewski and Morgan Anderson and John Blake and Tord Bretten and Vincent Brodeur and Mitch Campbell and Checkley, {Sylvia L.} and Cluff, {H. Dean} and C{\^o}t{\'e}, {Steeve D.} and Tracy Davison and Mathieu Dumond and Barrie Ford and Alexander Gruzdev and Anne Gunn and Patrick Jones and Susan Kutz and Leclerc, {Lisa Marie} and Conor Mallory and Fabien Mavrot and Mosbacher, {Jesper Bruun} and Okhlopkov, {Innokentiy Mikhailovich} and Patricia Reynolds and Schmidt, {Niels Martin} and Taras Sipko and Mike Suitor and Matilde Tomaselli and Bj{\o}rnar Ytrehus",

year = "2020",

month = mar,

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doi = "10.1007/s13280-019-01205-x",

language = "English",

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Cuyler, C, Rowell, J, Adamczewski, J, Anderson, M, Blake, J, Bretten, T, Brodeur, V, Campbell, M, Checkley, SL, Cluff, HD, Côté, SD, Davison, T, Dumond, M, Ford, B, Gruzdev, A, Gunn, A, Jones, P, Kutz, S, Leclerc, LM, Mallory, C, Mavrot, F, Mosbacher, JB, Okhlopkov, IM, Reynolds, P, Schmidt, NM, Sipko, T, Suitor, M, Tomaselli, M & Ytrehus, B 2020, 'Muskox status, recent variation, and uncertain future', AMBIO, vol. 49, pp. 805-819. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13280-019-01205-x

TY - JOUR

T1 - Muskox status, recent variation, and uncertain future

AU - Cuyler, Christine

AU - Rowell, Janice

AU - Adamczewski, Jan

AU - Anderson, Morgan

AU - Blake, John

AU - Bretten, Tord

AU - Brodeur, Vincent

AU - Campbell, Mitch

AU - Checkley, Sylvia L.

AU - Cluff, H. Dean

AU - Côté, Steeve D.

AU - Davison, Tracy

AU - Dumond, Mathieu

AU - Ford, Barrie

AU - Gruzdev, Alexander

AU - Gunn, Anne

AU - Jones, Patrick

AU - Kutz, Susan

AU - Leclerc, Lisa Marie

AU - Mallory, Conor

AU - Mavrot, Fabien

AU - Mosbacher, Jesper Bruun

AU - Okhlopkov, Innokentiy Mikhailovich

AU - Reynolds, Patricia

AU - Schmidt, Niels Martin

AU - Sipko, Taras

AU - Suitor, Mike

AU - Tomaselli, Matilde

AU - Ytrehus, Bjørnar

PY - 2020/3/1

Y1 - 2020/3/1

N2 - Muskoxen (Ovibos moschatus) are an integral component of Arctic biodiversity. Given low genetic diversity, their ability to respond to future and rapid Arctic change is unknown, although paleontological history demonstrates adaptability within limits. We discuss status and limitations of current monitoring, and summarize circumpolar status and recent variations, delineating all 55 endemic or translocated populations. Acknowledging uncertainties, global abundance is ca 170 000 muskoxen. Not all populations are thriving. Six populations are in decline, and as recently as the turn of the century, one of these was the largest population in the world, equaling ca 41% of today’s total abundance. Climate, diseases, and anthropogenic changes are likely the principal drivers of muskox population change and result in multiple stressors that vary temporally and spatially. Impacts to muskoxen are precipitated by habitat loss/degradation, altered vegetation and species associations, pollution, and harvest. Which elements are relevant for a specific population will vary, as will their cumulative interactions. Our summaries highlight the importance of harmonizing existing data, intensifying long-term monitoring efforts including demographics and health assessments, standardizing and implementing monitoring protocols, and increasing stakeholder engagement/contributions.

AB - Muskoxen (Ovibos moschatus) are an integral component of Arctic biodiversity. Given low genetic diversity, their ability to respond to future and rapid Arctic change is unknown, although paleontological history demonstrates adaptability within limits. We discuss status and limitations of current monitoring, and summarize circumpolar status and recent variations, delineating all 55 endemic or translocated populations. Acknowledging uncertainties, global abundance is ca 170 000 muskoxen. Not all populations are thriving. Six populations are in decline, and as recently as the turn of the century, one of these was the largest population in the world, equaling ca 41% of today’s total abundance. Climate, diseases, and anthropogenic changes are likely the principal drivers of muskox population change and result in multiple stressors that vary temporally and spatially. Impacts to muskoxen are precipitated by habitat loss/degradation, altered vegetation and species associations, pollution, and harvest. Which elements are relevant for a specific population will vary, as will their cumulative interactions. Our summaries highlight the importance of harmonizing existing data, intensifying long-term monitoring efforts including demographics and health assessments, standardizing and implementing monitoring protocols, and increasing stakeholder engagement/contributions.

KW - Abundance

KW - Circumpolar

KW - Drivers

KW - Ovibos

KW - Population status

KW - Trends

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85067411580&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1007/s13280-019-01205-x

DO - 10.1007/s13280-019-01205-x

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 31187429

AN - SCOPUS:85067411580

SN - 0044-7447

VL - 49

SP - 805

EP - 819

JO - AMBIO

JF - AMBIO

ER -

Muskox status, recent variation, and uncertain future

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Keywords

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