Age-specific survival and annual variation in survival of female chamois differ between populations.
In many species, population dynamics are shaped by age-structured demographic parameters, such as survival, which can cause age-specific sensitivity to environmental conditions. Accordingly, we can expect populations with different age-specific survival to be differently affected by environmental variation. However, this hypothesis is rarely tested at the intra-specific level. Using capture-mark-recapture models, we quantified age-specific survival and the extent of annual variations in survival of females of alpine chamois in two sites. In one population, survival was very high (>0.94; Bauges, France) until the onset of senescence at approximately 7 years old, whereas the two other populations (Swiss National Park, SNP) had a later onset (12 years old) and a lower rate of senescence. Senescence patterns are therefore not fixed within species. Annual variation in survival was higher in the Bauges (SD = 0.26) compared to the SNP populations (SD = 0.20). Also, in each population, the age classes with the lowest survival also experienced the largest temporal variation, in accordance with inter-specific comparisons showing a greater impact of environmental variation on these age classes. The large difference between the populations in age-specific survival and variation suggests that environmental variation and climate change will affect these populations differently.
Department of Biology, Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Norwegian University of Sciences and Technology, 7491, Trondheim, Norway. josefa.bleu@gmail.com.|Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Institut d'écologie et des sciences de l'environnement, Bat A, 7ème étage, case courrier 237, 7 quai Saint Bernard, 75252, Paris Cedex 05, France. josefa.bleu@gmail.com.
Josefa
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3403-8272
J
Bleu
Department of Biology, Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Norwegian University of Sciences and Technology, 7491, Trondheim, Norway.
Ivar
I
Herfindal
Université de Savoie, CNRS, UMR 5553 Laboratoire d'Écologie Alpine, 73376, Le Bourget du Lac, France.|LTER "Zone Atelier Alpes", 38000, Grenoble, France.
Anne
A
Loison
Department of Biology, Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Norwegian University of Sciences and Technology, 7491, Trondheim, Norway.|Institute for Water and Wetland Research, Department of Animal Ecology and Ecophysiology, Radboud University, PO Box 9100, 6500 GL, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
Anne M G
AM
Kwak
Office National de la Chasse et de la Faune Sauvage (ONCFS), ZI Mayencin, 38610, Gières, France.
Mathieu
M
Garel
Office National de la Chasse et de la Faune Sauvage (ONCFS), ZI Mayencin, 38610, Gières, France.
Carole
C
Toïgo
Swiss National Park, Chastè Planta-Wildenberg, 7530, Zernez, Switzerland.
Thomas
T
Rempfler
Swiss National Park, Chastè Planta-Wildenberg, 7530, Zernez, Switzerland.
Flurin
F
Filli
Department of Biology, Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Norwegian University of Sciences and Technology, 7491, Trondheim, Norway.
Bernt-Erik
BE
Sæther
D000818:Animals; D057231:Climate Change; D004777:Environment; D005260:Female; D005602:France; D008017:Life Expectancy; D008136:Longevity; D011157:Population Dynamics; D048608:Rupicapra / Q000502:physiology*; D013557:Switzerland
Age-specific survival; Capture–mark–recapture; Environmental variability; Rupicapra rupicapra; Senescence