the arctic lemming ( dicrostonyx torquatus ) is a species of rodents in the family cricetidae .

although generally classified as a " least concern " species , the novaya zemlya subspecies ( dicrostonyx torquatus ungulatus ) is considered a vulnerable species under russian nature conservation legislation ( included in red book of russian federation since 1998 ) .

arctic lemming

arctic lemming <EOT> of lemming is the wood lemming measuring around 8 cm . the norwegian lemming is roughly three times the

of lemming found around the arctic circle , from alaska to siberia . although many different

add tags for " arctic : journal of the arctic institute of north america . " .

or the lowly arctic lemming , life is cruel . in a flash before death , often the last things a lemming sees are the deadly talons of a majestic

arctic : journal of the arctic institute of north america . / arctic institute of north america ( calgary , alta . ) ; ; calgary : university of calgary .

multiple glacial refugia in the north american arctic : inference from phylogeography of the collared lemming ( dicrostonyx groenlandicus ) .

arctic : journal of the arctic institute of north america . ( journal , magazine , 1948 ) [ worldcat . org ]

due to irregular winters , the lemming cycle has stopped . this might in time change the whole ecosystem in the arctic .

arctic lemmings occur in the arctic tundra of eastern siberia and alaska , with a distribution extending farther north than any other rodent .

multiple glacial refugia in the north american arctic : inference from phylogeography of the collared lemming ( dicrostonyx groenlandicus ) . - pubmed - ncbi

arctic library & glossary : check this section for an index of the rest of the things you really need to know about the arctic .

arctic links : even more information ! links to sites related to the arctic and " iceberg : the story of the throps and the squallhoots " .

although lemming fluctuations have previously been reported to influence the opportunistic arctic fox reproduction elsewhere [ 22 , 30 ] , gilg et al . [ 12 ] expected arctic fox to be the least affected by reduced lemming abundance , which indeed was what we observed ( i . e . reproductive decline by 30 % ) . nevertheless , on traill island , arctic fox reproduction was still coupled to lemming abundance , whereas at zackenberg , arctic fox reproduction was not coupled to lemming abundance at all . arctic fox may generally [ 31 , 32 ] ( and at zackenberg , in particular [ 16 , 33 ] ) rely on alternative terrestrial and marine food sources , which may buffer arctic fox populations from the fluctuating lemming densities . the lack of coupling between arctic fox and its lemming prey at zackenberg may also explain why no clear pattern of predation on alternative prey species , such as ground - nesting birds ( including long - tailed skua ) , is found there [ 34 ] , while it is observed elsewhere in the arctic [ 35 , 36 ] .

the lemming is a tiny rodent that is found in or near the arctic circle and are thought to be related to voles and muskrats . the smallest

zoology student alfredo soto examines a lemming on the coastal plain of the arctic national wildlife refuge . / courtesy u . s . fish and wildlife service

lemmings are a vital prey species of great ecological importance in the arctic . lemmings support the arctic food chain ; they are the only naturally occurring small rodent species in the high arctic , and their population provides food for the majority of arctic predators . the arctic fox and the snowy owl feed on them , as do stoats , weasels , and predatory birds like the long - tailed skua .

) in an arctic pre - breeding area . polar res 29 : 404–412 .

arctic maps & weather reports : maps of the northwest passage , explorers ' routes , iceberg sources , nunavut , the arctic by treeline , temperature . . .

the arctic lemming has blackish grey heads and backs in the summer . around their neck they have a rust - red area , almost looking like a collar . in the winter they have a white coat . the arctic lemming has long , soft fur , and very short tails . the arctic lemming weighs around 1 . 1 to 4 . 0 oz ( 30 - 112 g ) and is about 2 . 8 to 5 . 9 in ( 7 to15 cm ) long .

bilodeau f , gauthier g , berteaux d ( 2013a ) the effect of snow cover on lemming population cycles in the canadian high arctic . oecologia 172 : 1007–1016

sittler b , gilg o , berg tb ( 2000 ) low abundance of king eider nests during low lemming years in northeast greenland . arctic 53 : 53–60 .

in the qarlikturvik valley , we observed that collared and brown lemmings are synchronised , but the brown lemming cycle is more accentuated than that of the collared lemming .

maclean sfj , fitzgerald bm , pitelka fa ( 1974 ) population cycles in arctic lemmings : winter reproduction and predation by weasels . arctic alpine res 6 : 1–12 .

bilodeau f , gauthier g , fauteux d , berteaux d ( 2014 ) does lemming winter grazing impact vegetation in the canadian arctic ? polar biol 37 : 845–857 .

arctic lemmings , lemmus spp . and dicrostonyx spp . : integrating ecological and evolutionary perspectives

to allow the lemming to conserve heat more easily in the bitter arctic winters . lemmings also have sharp little teeth which helps the lemmings to gnaw through tangles of roots .

ketcham , sandra . " lemming animal facts " accessed july 09 , 2018 . urltoken

oksanen l ( 1983 ) trophic exploitation and arctic phytomass patterns . am nat 122 : 45–52

however no one knows if the greening of the arctic will cause global warming or cooling .

two species of lemmings are found on bylot island : the collared lemming ( dicrostonyx groenlandicus ) and the brown lemming ( lemmus sibiricus ) . the brown lemming is typically found in wetlands where it feeds on plants such as sedges and grasses . in contrast , the collared lemming prefers a dryer habitat ( uplands ) where it mainly feeds on forbs and shrubs .

bilodeau f , gauthier g , berteaux d ( 2013 ) the effect of snow cover on lemming population cycles in the canadian high arctic . oecologia 172 : 1007–1016 . pmid : 23232938

primer pairs and corresponding coi - fragment used for detection of lemming genera lemmus and dicrostonyx .

the eyes of this lemming stare into your very soul . it knows all your secrets .

the arctic lemming , being herbivorous , lives on a diet of various plants . they dig tunnels in the ground during summer and they live in burrows in the snow during the winter .

ketcham , sandra . " lemming animal facts . " animals - urltoken , http : / / animals . urltoken / lemming - animal - 3759 . html . accessed 09 july 2018 .

nils : a lemming is a small rodent and the norwegian lemming is a very charismatic one , yellow and black . it used to be that every three to four years , there were massive numbers of lemmings in the mountains and then the next year it was gone . that is what we refer to as the lemming cycle . and the lemming cycle occurs for lemmings as well as for many other small rodent species , and the lemming cycle was a characteristic feature .

arctic temperatures are warming at twice the rate of lower latitudes’ , making the area one of the most rapidly changing regions on earth . arctic ecosystems are facing radical alteration . and , surprisingly , a tiny furry rodent may be a major player in those changes . lemming populations have a powerful impact on arctic flora and fauna . due to their influences and those of the rapid climate change the arctic is experiencing , we are beginning to see ecosystem level and even global level changes .

cryptic northern refugia beyond the ice limit of the pleistocene glaciations may have had significant influence on the current pattern of biodiversity in arctic regions . in order to evaluate whether northern glacial refugia existed in the canadian arctic , we examined mitochondrial dna phylogeography in the northernmost species of rodents , the collared lemming ( dicrostonyx groenlandicus ) sampled across its range of distribution in the north american arctic and greenland . the division of the collared lemming into the canadian arctic and eastern beringia phylogroups does not support postglacial colonization of the north american arctic from a single eastern beringia refugium . rather , the phylogeographical structure and sparse fossil records indicate that , during the last glaciation , some biologically significant refugia and important sources of postglacial colonization were located to the northwest of the main ice sheet in the canadian arctic .

most active during storms , the static - charged lemming can deal a nasty shock to predators .

ketcham , sandra . ( n . d . ) . lemming animal facts . animals - urltoken . retrieved from http : / / animals . urltoken / lemming - animal - 3759 . html

berg tb ( 2003 ) catechin content and consumption ratio of the collared lemming . oecologia 135 : 242–249

arctic permafrost , the frozen layer of ground that covers much of the far north arctic , is also reacting to warming temperatures . when permafrost melts it releases carbon ( co2 ) and methane ( ch4 ) .

nils : the red fox is competitively superior to the arctic fox . unless there are lots of lemmings , the arctic fox does well . so it will change the whole ecosystem . so maybe the arctic fox will go extinct on the mainland and only survive on the small part of spitsbergen in the norwegian territories .

both lemming species found on bylot island play major ecological roles in the terrestrial ecosystem . they are the main preys of many arctic predators such as arctic foxes , weasels and snowy owls , which largely depend on them . brown and collared lemmings also influence tundra vegetation by dispersing seeds or devastating plants when overgrazing them .

‘lemmings ( lemmus and dicrostonyx spp . ) ’ d . g . reid et . al , for arctic report card : update for 2012 under the national oceanic and atmospheric administration’s arctic theme page ( 2012 ) urltoken

fedorov vb , stenseth nc ( 2002 ) multiple glacial refugia in the north american arctic : inference from phylogeography of the collared lemming ( dicrostonyx groenlandicus ) . p roy soc b - biol sci 269 : 2071–2078 .

even though bylot island arctic foxes can rely on alternative preys when there are few lemmings , their population remains largely driven by lemming abundance . in fact , fox reproductive effort ( number and size of litters ) seems to be closely related to lemming availability . in years following high peaks in lemming populations , foxes are in better physical condition , so many fox litters are found and the number of pups in each litter is high . in contrary , in years following very low lemming abundance , only few litters are found and litter sizes are small .

from 1996 to 2000 , relationships between arctic foxes , lemmings and geese were more thoroughly investigated . as a result , many questions related to the impact of arctic fox predation on bylot island greater snow geese population were elucidated .

guthrie rd ( 1968 ) paleoecology of a late pleistocene small mammal community from interior alaska . arctic 21 : 223–244 .

lemmings do not hibernate and instead endure the tough arctic winters , with the lemming having special protection from the cold from its thick fur . the lemmings spend the winter searching for bulbs and shoots that are often buried beneath the snow .

the arctic lemming is a highly important food source for numerous species including : stoat , arctic fox , snowy owl , gyrfalcon , glaucous gull , long - tailed skua and raven . in good lemming years these natural enemies produce large litters of young . the arctic lemming is a solitary animal by nature . they only meet to mate and then go their separate ways , but like all rodents they have a high reproductive rate and can breed rapidly when food is plentiful . in exceptional years , females produce a litter of young every month from march to april through to september . because young females are already procreative at four weeks , populations can grow at enormous speed . typically , these large populations collapse very rapidly and hardly any lemmings are seen in following years . like other small arctic rodents , the arctic lemming population fluctuates wildly , usually in a 4 - year cycle . these rodents do not hibernate during the long harsh northern winter . instead , they remain active in finding food by digging through the snow and using the grass that they have previously stored .

" arctic and sub - arctic tundra and forest - tundra in the palearctic , from white sea , w russia , to chukotski peninsula , ne siberia , and kamchatka ; including novaya zemlya and new siberian islands , arctic ocean " ( wilson and reeder 2005 ) , but excluding wrangel island ( gromov and erbaeva 1995 , pavlinov et al . 2002 ) .

a fun fact about the arctic lemming is that they have been known to migrate when population density becomes too great . they can and do swim in search of a new habitat and will cross a large body of water to do so .

i thought you might be interested in this item at urltoken title : arctic : journal of the arctic institute of north america . publisher : calgary : university of calgary . isbn / issn : 1923 - 1245 , 0004 - 0843 oclc : 888540186

klein dr , bay c ( 1994 ) resource partitioning by mammalian herbivores in the high arctic . oecologia 97 : 439–450 .

snowy owl in flight , photographed in the arctic national wildlife refuge . / courtesy u . s . fish and wildlife service

researchers found that large populations of lemmings are turning the arctic green as the herbivores graze on plants and fertilise the soils .

but the population booms that feed the big snowy - owl irruptions might not last in an era of global warming . the arctic landscape is changing , and there are early signs that it has caused lemming populations to dip in scandinavia and greenland .

brassard gr , fife aj , webber j ( 1979 ) mosses from baffin island , arctic canada . lindbergia 5 : 99–104 .

before snowy owls start heading back to the arctic , scientists want to fit as many as possible with transmitters and gps devices .

their flights , covering thousands of kilometres , were fuelled by a steady diet of lemmings . the lemming population spikes about every four years in the arctic , and last summer it rose off the charts on canada ' s bylot island in the nunavut territory .

tiny lemmings impact population levels and lifestyle of both predators and prey animals . they alter the vegetative cover in the arctic , encouraging plants to thrive or not as they feed . this keystone species has ecological impacts on nearly the entirety of the arctic . as climate change drives amplified warming in the arctic , we can expect to see larger and more impactful consequences , even from small sources .

ims ra , yoccoz ng , killengreen st ( 2011 ) determinants of lemming outbreaks . pnas 108 : 1970–1974 . pmid : 21245340

the worry that lemming populations will fall is speculation , " an unknown situation " , smith said . but the future is a concern . " one thing we know with the lemming population , they need that snow cover to survive , " he said .

current research on lemmings has been fueled by two recent discoveries made in the case of the norwegian lemming lemmus lemmus , the most renowned lemming species ( 3 ) . the first is that its outbreak trajectory is differently shaped from that of the gray - sided vole ( myodes rufocanus ) , the often codominant rodent species , which always exhibits population peaks synchronously with the lemming . specifically , the lemming population erupts more steeply than the vole population . this discrepancy in “outbreak topology” has been suggested to result from different trophic interactions ; the “sharp” lemming outbreaks from an interaction with food plants , the “blunt” vole peaks from an interaction with predators ( 7 , 8 ) . however , there are still contrasting views on which factors regulate lemming populations ( 4 , 6 , 9 ) .

as it was previously mentioned , the breeding effort of arctic and red foxes seems to be closely related to lemming abundance . however , since the expansion of our den monitoring area in 2003 , this relationship seems less visible and little is known yet about the lemming abundance in these new areas . it may be different or non - synchronized with that observed in the traditionally surveyed areas ( see

the collared lemming , being adapted to arctic environments will most likely face a further demographic decline and range contraction or even extinction , when the average temperature continues to rise . such a climate - driven demographic decline and range contraction of the collared lemming , which is a key member of northern communities , would have strong consequences for trophic interactions and ecosystem processes in the arctic [ 11 ] , [ 24 ] – [ 30 ] . since collared lemmings are the main prey for four predators ( the snowy owl , the arctic fox , the long - tailed skua and the stoat ) , a strong climate - driven population decline in this species would most likely cause a severe reduction in predator populations and may lead to local extinction of the predators themselves [ 30 ] . thus , a proper understanding of the effects and responses of this arctic key species is crucial for predictions of possible future scenarios in the arctic biota .

satellite imagery has already confirmed that arctic regions are becoming covered with grasses and shrubs , as increasing temperatures make the areas more habitable .

arctic foxes are the main predators found on bylot island and their favourite preys are small rodents called lemmings . lemming populations are however cyclic , meaning that they go through phases of really high to really low densities , every 3 - 5 years ( see lemmings ) .

to let the younger lemming generations have full access to food and shelter etc is a myth . this may have originated from the mass

source / reference article learn how you can use or cite the lemming article in your website content , school work and other projects .

olofsson j , tømmervik h , callaghan tv ( 2012 ) vole and lemming activity observed from space . nat clim change 2 : 880–883

brassard gr ( 1976 ) the mosses of northern ellesmere island , arctic canada iii . new or additional records . bryologist 79 : 480–487 .

“we are not saying that lemmings are causing the greening , because greening is occurring in areas where lemmings don’t occur at high densities and we are not sure how lemming populations across the arctic are themselves responding to warmer conditions . however , it is clear from our study that lemmings , and other herbivores , are more important in some of these arctic ecosystems than people historically give them credit for , ” he said .

contrasting the mean annual reproductive output on traill island before and after the lemming cycle collapse demonstrates that the three predator species were differentially negatively impacted in the order snowy owl ( most ) , long - tailed skua ( intermediate ) and arctic fox ( least ; table 1 ) .

so far , little is known about species responses to climate change in the arctic . our study aims to fill this gap and improve the understanding of past population responses of arctic species to climate change . in the case of the collared lemmings this is particularly important since demographic changes in this species have strong consequences for trophic interactions and ecosystem processes in the arctic [ 11 ] , [ 24 ] – [ 30 ] .

olofsson j , tommervik h , callaghan tv ( 2012 ) vole and lemming activity observed from space . nature clim change 12 : 880–883 .

wilson dj , krebs cj , sinclair are ( 1999 ) limitation of collared lemming populations during a population cycle . oikos 87 : 382–398 .

in summary , we found indication that diet of both lemming species on bylot island is heavily affected by food availability , which adds to increasing evidence showing that availability is an important determinant of small rodent diets [ 3 , 8 , 41 ] . furthermore , the large differences between locations revealed by our study may imply that both competitive interactions between lemmings species and lemming - vegetation interactions may vary greatly across the arctic tundra .

brassard gr ( 1971 ) the mosses of northern ellesmere island , arctic canada ii . annotated list of the taxa . bryologist 74 : 282–311 .

…species , rangifer tarandus , whereas the lemmings of the eurasian arctic are a closely related but distinct species from those of northern north america and greenland . this similarity in arctic mammalian fauna is a result of the lower sea levels of the pleistocene glaciations , when a broad land connection , known as…

‘linking climate change to lemming cycles’ kyrre l . kausrud et . al . , published in nature , international journal of science ( 2008 ) urltoken

tape kd , hallinger m , welker jm , ruess rw ( 2012 ) landscape heterogeneity of shrub expansion in arctic alaska . ecosystems 15 : 711–724 .

duchesne d , gauthier g , berteaux d ( 2011 ) habitat selection , reproduction and predation of wintering lemmings in the arctic . oecologia 167 : 967–980

“our paper confirms that we really need to be careful attributing the greening of the arctic to global warming alone . we have shown that lemmings can promote similar greening , through the increase of grasses and sedges , as warming does in arctic regions where lemmings are present and go through dramatic population cycles . ”

lemming in mount njuolja , abisko national park in sweden . / attribution david mintz ( creative commons attribution - share alike 3 . 0 unported license )

the recent abundance of snowy owl sightings in the us and canada is linked to a spike in the lemming population . photograph : yves herman / reuters

citation : prost s , smirnov n , fedorov vb , sommer rs , stiller m , nagel d , et al . ( 2010 ) influence of climate warming on arctic mammals ? new insights from ancient dna studies of the collared lemming dicrostonyx torquatus . plos one 5 ( 5 ) : e10447 . urltoken

) , thus representing sampling before , during and after climatic events that , based on the ecological preferences of this arctic species should have generated demographic changes .

seldal t , andersen kj , hogstedt g ( 1994 ) grazing - induced proteinase inhibitors : a possible cause for lemming population cycles . oikos 70 : 3–11

dr david johnson , lead author of the study , said the paper shows the impact the lemming population has on the local ecosystem and even the climate .

during 2006 to 2007 a large - scale norwegian lemming outbreak arose in finnmark , in sub - and low - arctic fennoscandia , for the first time in at least two decades . based on spatially extensive monitoring of rodent populations at 109 tundra sites spanning an area of 10 000 km 2 , we were able to encompass substantial spatial variation in outbreak amplitude along replicated climatic ( i . e . , altitudinal ) gradients in lemmings and gray - sided voles . here we provide an analysis of this variation that sheds light on the differences and interrelations between lemming and vole dynamics and which factors may impede lemming outbreaks for decades .

ainu alutiiq dance arctic crashes arctic social sciences crossroads / continents inuit studies conference labrador repatriation saint lawrence gateways the search for a past ( saami ) sharing knowledge alaska sharing knowledge : collections yakutat seal camps yamal yup ' ik masks get plug - ins help printing credits copyright © smithsonian institution , 2004 . all rights reserved .

maclean sf , fitzgerald bm , pitelka fa ( 1974 ) population cycles in arctic lemmings : winter reproduction and predation by weasels . arct alp res 6 : 1–12

we were able to test genetically the lemming species identified in the field based on pellet size , shape and color for 74 of our 76 pellet samples ( 54 brown and 20 collared lemmings ) . the genetic identification was based on the difference between amplicon size . the amplicone sizes estimated by the qiaxcel system were on average 128 bp for collared lemming and 146 bp for brown lemming . while these were longer than presumed ( see methods ) , the relative difference remained . ( s1 fig . ) . the genetic analysis confirmed field species identification in 98 . 6 % of the cases . only one pellet sample identified as brown lemming in the field turned out to be a collared lemming according to the genetic analysis . all muscle samples ( n = 12 ) were identified to the correct species .

moen j , lundberg pa , oksanen l ( 1993 ) lemming grazing on snowbed vegetation during a population peak , northern norway . arct alp res 25 : 130–135

oksanen l , oksanen t ( 1992 ) long - term microtine dynamics in north fennoscandian tundra : the vole cycle and the lemming chaos . ecography 15 : 226–236

maclean sf , fitzgerald bm , pitelka fa ( 1974 ) population cycles in arctic lemmings : winter reproduction and predation by weasels . arc alp res 6 : 1–12 .

fortier d , allard m ( 2004 ) late holocen syngenetic ice - wedge polygons development , bylot island , canadian arctic archipelago . can j earth sci 41 : 997–1012

gilg o , sittler b , hanski i ( 2009 ) climate change and cyclic predator - prey population dynamics in the high arctic . glob change biol 15 : 2634–2652

pouliot r , rochefort l , gauthier g ( 2009 ) moss carpets constrain the fertilizing effects of herbivores on graminoid plants in arctic polygon fens . botany 87 : 1209–1222

population outbreaks in tundra rodents have intrigued scientists for a century as a result of their spectacular appearances and their general lessons in ecology . one outstanding question that has led to competing hypotheses is why sympatric lemmings and voles differ in regularity and shape of their outbreaks . lemming outbreaks may be lost for decades while vole populations maintain regular population cycles . moreover , when lemming populations eventually irrupt , they do so more steeply than the vole populations . norwegian lemmings exhibited a large - scale outbreak synchronously with gray - sided voles in finnmark , northern fennoscandia , during 2006 to 2007 for the first time in two decades . analyses of spatial variability of this outbreak across altitudinal gradients allowed us to identify determinants of the contrasting lemming and vole dynamics . the steeper lemming outbreak trajectories were caused by breeding and population growth during winter , when nonbreeding vole populations consistently declined . the differently shaped lemming and vole outbreaks appear to result from a particular demographic tactic of lemmings that evolved as an adaptation to the long and cold arctic–alpine winters . the lemming outbreak amplitude increased with altitude and vole density , indicating that lemming outbreaks are jointly facilitated by low temperatures and apparent mutualism with voles mediated by shared predators . high sensitivity to variation in climate and predation is likely to be the reasons why lemmings have more erratic population dynamics than sympatric voles . the combination of continued climatic warming and dampened vole cycles is expected to further decrease the frequency , amplitude , and geographic range of lemming outbreaks in tundra ecosystems .

moen j , lundberg pa , oksanen l ( 1993 ) lemming grazing on snowbed vegetation during a population peak , northern norway . arc alp res 25 : 130–135 .

gruyer n , gauthier g , berteaux d ( 2008 ) cyclic dynamics of sympatric lemming populations on bylot island , nunavut , canada . can j zool 86 : 910–917

the lemming is a heavily furred and tiny rodent that is said to resemble a small guinea pig or a mouse . the three lemming species native to the arctic are the brown , collared , and ungava lemmings , according to polar life . depending on the season , lemmings ' coats may be grayish , brown , white , or mixed brown and white . the animals have short tails , clawed feet , and tiny ears hidden in fur . the lemming grows up to 6 inches in length , and an adult weighs from 40 to 112 grams , with the average mature weight being 78 grams , according to the alaska department of fish and game ( adfg ) .

of around three weeks . baby lemmings are born in burrows under the snow which helps to keep the baby lemmings warm and away from the arctic winter . the mother lemming gives birth to around 7 baby lemmings and feeds the baby lemmings on her milk until they are big enough and strong enough to start looking for food by themselves .

lemming populations shrink and swell depending on how many plants and berries are available . one type of lemming , the scandinavian lemming , migrates in a huge group when food becomes scarce . they will run in one direction through meadows , woods and towns . if they come to a large body of water they will swim and swim looking for land . the stories about lemmings jumping off cliffs are a myth . other types of lemmings simply move away when the food gets scarce . wouldn ' t you ?

duchesne d , gauthier g , berteaux d ( 2011 ) habitat selection , reproduction and predation of wintering lemmings in the arctic . oecologia 167 : 967–980 . pmid : 21701915

høye tt , post e , meltofte h , schmidt nm , forchhammer mc ( 2007 ) rapid advancement of spring in the high arctic . curr biol 17 : 449–451 .

the collapse of the lemming cycles in northeast greenland has already affected the tundra ecosystem , here demonstrated by reduced reproductive performance and declining populations of high - arctic predators . if the lemming populations remain at the same non - cyclic , low - density state as during the last decade , the result will probably be population extinctions and further impoverishment of this arctic endemic predator guild . ultimately , this may cause cascading impacts on the entire tundra food web , with unknown consequences [ 1 , 3 , 13 ] . our results also demonstrate that the nature of such trophic cascades is contingent on site - specific food web structure—characteristics of tundra ecosystems that are known to vary spatially [ 37 ] . thus , improving our ability to predict the impacts of climate change on the vulnerable arctic ecosystems will require enhanced and coordinated spatial replication of long - term monitoring programmes .

gruyer n , gauthier g , berteaux d ( 2008 ) cyclic dynamics of sympatric lemming populations on bylot island , nunavut , canada . can j zool 86 : 910–917 .

there are many stories written about this . a translation of the bible to the nordic languages , the swarms of grasshoppers in the middle east , there was a footnote by the translator saying that this is like lemming cycles . so , it’s a well - known phenomenon . since the mid ‘90s , there have been no regular lemming cycles .

the other issue renewing ecologists’ search for circumstances causing cyclic population outbreaks is the recent emergence of collapsed cycles in several species ( 10 ) . one well documented case of a recent absence of outbreaks is that of a local norwegian lemming population in alpine southern norway , where cyclic outbreaks at regular 3 - to 4 - y intervals prevailed until the past 15 y ( 11 ) . however , this recent incident is not unprecedented . in large tracts of sub - and low - arctic fennoscandian tundra , the norwegian lemming population has erupted only two times since the 1970s , during which time , interestingly , the sympatric gray - sided vole has maintained a regular 5 - y population cycle ( 7 , 8 ) . thus , the northern fennoscandian tundra offers opportunities to elucidate why lemming and vole outbreak trajectories differ and why lemming outbreaks may get lost for long time periods .

gauthier g , berteaux d , krebs cj , reid d ( 2009 ) arctic lemmings are not simply food limited—a comment on oksanen et al . evol ecol res 11 : 483–484

gilg o , sittler b , hanski i ( 2009 ) climate change and cyclic predator - prey population dynamics in the high - arctic . glob change biol 15 : 2634–2652 .

but for all it appears the the retreat of arctic the tundra is encouraging global warming it may actually cool down the climate as plants can grow bigger and store more carbon .

because lemmings have important ecological roles , cycles in their populations have large impacts on arctic ecosystems ( see arctic fox and snowy owl sections ) . for this reason , the bylot island environmental monitoring project participates in the small - mammal survey coordinated across the northwest territories and nunavut ( canada ) by the renewable resources office in yellowknife , a governmental agency .

this baseline model was fitted with site - specific altitude and vole density ( in case of the lemming ) as additional predictor terms . altitude served as a proxy for spatial variation in climate ( as detailed earlier ) . density of voles was predicted to affect lemming growth rate only indirectly through shared predators , as lemmings are competitively dominant to voles (

when lemmings are abundant , arctic foxes can survive by mainly feeding on them , but in period of low lemming densities , foxes have to put more effort in preying upon alternative preys such as goose eggs and goslings . since geese fiercely defend their nests against predators , catching eggs and goslings is however a more difficult and risky task than catching lemmings .

lemmings only consume living vegetation . the abundant herbivores have a strong impact on the arctic biome , especially in years with high populations . their impact on arctic vegetation is so extreme that it is visible to satellites . their voracious appetites seem detrimental , but once the plant life is decimated it has the potential to return even stronger . an examination of fenced plots in barrow , alaska , that lemmings were excluded from ( kept out of ) for the last 50 years suggested that sustained lemming activity actually promotes the growth of many plants .

kausrud kl , mysterud a , steen h , vik jo , ostbye e , et al . ( 2008 ) linking climate change to lemming cycles . nature 456 : 93–98 .

pitelka fa ( 1957 ) some aspects of population structure in the short - term cycle of the brown lemming in northern alaska . springs harb symp quant biol 22 : 237–251 .

studies have shown that lemming populations have not peaked in more than a decade . the flat tundra now sprouts willows and shrubs that compete with the grasses and mosses lemmings prefer .

bilodeau f , gauthier g , berteaux d ( 2013 ) effect of snow cover on the vulnerability of lemmings to mammalian predators in the canadian arctic . j mammal 94 : 813–819 .

one year ago , i predicted that there would be a lemming peak all over norway , as a matter of fact , all over scandinavia because the previous year had been very cold , with very good snow conditions and we were then in the middle of a good winter . and true enough , there was a lemming peak last year all over norway .

of the scandinavian lemming when food becomes scarce , that run in their hundreds through the surrounding terrain in search of food , with a few unlucky individuals finding their way off cliffs .

as an index of collared lemming abundance , we used the number of winter nests within designated census areas [ 16 , 19 ] . each year after snowmelt , the entire census area was searched closely for fresh winter nests . upon examination , nests were destroyed to avoid double counts . at both sites , the lemming census area was located on relatively flat tundra , and covered a variety of habitat types . the census area at zackenberg may , however , be regarded as richer and more homogeneous than that on traill island [ 16 ] . for comparison between sites , we therefore applied the site - specific correction factor previously developed by gilg et al . [ 12 ] to convert the lemming winter nest density into lemming density .

gornall jl , jonsdottir is , woodin sj , van der wal r ( 2007 ) arctic mosses govern below - ground environment and ecosystem processes . oecologia 153 : 931–941 . pmid : 17618466

the 20 lemming species belong to 6 genera , which , along with voles and muskrats , are classified in the subfamily arvicolinae of the mouse family ( muridae ) within the order rodentia .

krebs c , danell k , angerbjörn a , agrell j , berteaux d , et al . ( 2003 ) terrestrial trophic dynamics in the canadian arctic . can j zool 81 : 827–843 .

moen j , oksanen l ( 1998 ) long - term exclusion of folivorous mammals in two arctic - alpine plant communities : a test of the hypothesis of exploitation ecosystems . oikos 82 : 333–346

therrien jf , gauthier g , korpimäki e , bêty j ( 2014 ) predation pressure imposed by avian predators suggests summer limitation of small mammal populations in the canadian arctic . ecology 95 : 56–67

fedorov vb , goropashnaya a ( 1999 ) the importance of ice ages in diversification of arctic collared lemmings ( dicrostonyx ) : evidence from the mitochondrial cytochrome b region . hereditas 130 : 301–307 .

lemmings in canada ' s portion of the arctic have yet to show signs of a downturn . the irruption they fuelled last summer has raised public awareness and revolutionised the study of snowy owls .

the team from the university of texas at el paso found when lemmings are excluded from the arctic environment in enclosures in alaska there is an increase in certain plant types called lichens and bryophytes .

soininen em , ravolainen vt , bråthen ka , yoccoz ng , gielly l , et al . ( 2013 ) arctic small rodents have diverse diets and flexible food selection plos one 8 : e68128 .

bilodeau f , kenney aj , gilbert bs , hofer e , gauthier g , et al . ( 2013 ) evaluation of a technique to trap lemmings under the snow . arctic 66 : 32–36 .

rodgers ar , lewis mc ( 1986 ) diet selection in arctic lemmings ( lemmus sibiricus and dicrostonyx groenlandicus ) : demography , home range , and habitat use . can j zool 64 : 2717–2727 .

nils : i think the lemming cycle will come back if the climate changes , but it might take quite a bit of time for the whole ecosystem to recover because when the lemmings are gone , that affects the ptarmigan because when predators have no lemmings to eat then they ' ll go to other species including ptarmigan . it also affects the interaction between the arctic fox and the red fox .

our spatially extensive seasonal monitoring , which happened to encompass the now rare event of a proper lemming outbreak in northern fennoscandia , allowed us to provide a detailed comparison of the topology of the lemming outbreak with the simultaneous dynamics of the gray - sided vole . in accordance with previous studies ( 7 , 8 ) , the lemming exhibited a steeper increase phase than that of the vole . however , the previous studies based their analysis of population growth rates taken at an annual time scale ( fall to fall ) ; i . e . , the population dynamics were not separated into seasonal components . in contrast , we analyzed growth rates for summers ( spring to fall ) and winters ( fall to spring ) separately and thereby can provide unique insights into the basis for the lemming–vole dichotomy .

besides the possibility that lemming–plant interactions are more prone to irregularities ( including a more variable outbreak amplitude ) than vole–predator interactions ( 8 ) , there are two other hypotheses explaining why cyclic lemming outbreaks are impeded while sympatric voles maintain cycling . one assumes that lemmings are more sensitive than voles to climate variation ( 10 , 12 ) . the other emphasizes community processes and predicts that lemming outbreaks are limited by indirect interaction with voles mediated by shared predators ( 13 – 15 ) . to our knowledge , no previous study has evaluated the relative merits of these ( not necessarily mutually exclusive ) hypotheses .

meanwhile plants are creeping inexorably north . the arctic is slowly becoming more green . plants uptake carbon dioxide ( co2 ) when they perform photosynthesis , but release it through respiratory processes and when they decompose .

henttonen h , kaikusalo a ( 1993 ) lemming movements . in : stenseth nc , ims ra ( eds ) the biology of lemmings . linnean society of london . academic press , london , pp 157–186

) was not considered as we analyzed growth rates only during the lemming outbreak period ( fall 2006 to fall 2007 ) . the model considering dynamics during the outbreak summer ( i . e . , r

fedorov vb , stenseth nc ( 2001 ) glacial survival of the norwegian lemming ( lemmus lemmus ) in scandinavia : inference from mitochondrial dna variation . p roy soc b - biol sci 268 : 809–814 .

in conclusion , our study points to the particular adaptations and sensitivities of lemmings to conditions during the alpine–arctic winters , including climate and predation , as the main reason for why lemmings differ from voles in terms of topology and regularity of their outbreaks . continued climatic warming and dampening of vole cycles in tundra ecosystems can be expected to decrease the frequency , amplitude , and geographic range of lemming outbreaks in the future .

willerslev e , davison j , moora m , zobel m , coissac e , et al . ( 2014 ) fifty thousand years of arctic vegetation and megafaunal diet . nature 506 : 47–51 . pmid : 24499916

post e , forchhammer mc , bret - harte ms , callaghan tv , christensen tr , et al . ( 2009 ) ecological dynamics across the arctic associated with recent climate change . science 325 : 1355–1358 .

fedorov vb , fredga k , jarrell gh ( 1999 ) mitochondrial dna variation and the evolutionary history of chromosome races of collared lemmings ( dicrostonyx ) in the eurasian arctic . j evolution biol 12 : 134–145 .

the percentage of known dens that present signs of activity ( either diggings or fresh prey remains ) greatly vary from year to year and can be considered as an indicator of fox abundance . however , the variability of reproductive foxes is not similar but may be explained by the cyclic nature of lemming populations . years with the lowest percentages of dens with pups are years when lemming abundance was the lowest as well .

our study is the first to examine the winter diet of lemmings using dna metabarcoding techniques , as all previous studies have relied on microhistological analysis . due to this novel method , we were able to elucidate lemming winter diets at an unprecedented level of details . our analysis of two sympatric lemming species revealed similarities with previous studies but also some startling differences . interestingly , our results do not fit our prediction that these sympatric species should have clearly different winter diets , as the diet of both species showed a high degree of overlap . diets of both lemming species were by far dominated by salix and moss consumption was relatively low .

fedorov vb ( 1999 ) contrasting mitochondrial dna diversity estimates in two sympatric genera of arctic lemmings ( dicrostonyx : lemmus ) indicate different responses to quaternary environmental fluctuations . p roy soc lond b bio 266 : 621–626 .

reid dg , bilodeau f , krebs cj , gauthier g , kenney aj , et al . ( 2012 ) lemming winter habitat choice : a snow - fencing experiment . oecologia 168 : 935–946 . pmid : 22042523

we used the number of collared lemming winter nests taken over by stoats within the lemming census areas as a proxy of stoat abundance in winter [ 16 , 19 ] , as direct measures are virtually impossible to obtain . in addition , each year , we located all nests of long - tailed skuas and snowy owls within the designated bird census areas . avian productivity ( i . e . number of fledged young produced per hectare ) was estimated from multiple visits to the nests . known arctic fox dens were surveyed multiple times early in the season to verify breeding , while the number of weaned cubs was estimated from visits to the dens in late july . the arctic fox productivity ( i . e . number of weaned cubs produced per ha ) was then estimated by multiplying the density of fox dens known at each site by the mean annual number of weaned young per den . as the survey of dens was not always exhaustive ( see the electronic supplementary material , table s1 ) , arctic fox productivity was in some years weighted by the fraction of dens surveyed [ 17 ] .

tarroux a , bety j , gauthier g , berteaux d ( 2012 ) the marine side of a terrestrial carnivore : intra - population variation in use of allochthonous resources by arctic foxes . plos one 7 : e2427 .

oksanen t , oksanen l , dahlgren j , olofsson j , kyrö k ( 2009 ) on the implications of currently available data on population fluctuations of arctic lemmings—reply to gauthier et al . evol ecol res 11 : 485–487

callaghan tv , björn lo , chernov y , chapin t , christensen tr , et al . ( 2004 ) biodiversity , distributions and adaptations of arctic species in the context of environmental change . ambio 33 : 404–417 .

to provide a quantitative , comparative assessment of population trajectories and their potential determinants in lemmings and voles , we analyzed site - specific seasonal ( winter and summer ) growth rates during the lemming outbreak period ( fall 2006 to fall 2007 ) . on average , the norwegian lemming had positive winter growth rates , whereas they were consistently negative in the gray - sided vole ( table 1 and fig . 1 ) . summer growth rates in lemmings and voles were positive , although somewhat lower in the lemmings ( table 1 ) . the degree of spatial coherence in growth rates was assessed by computing moran i statistics . also , this spatial aspect of the seasonal dynamics differed between the lemming and the vole . lemming growth rates exhibited spatial autocorrelation in winter , but not in summer , whereas the gray - sided vole had the opposite seasonal difference ( table 1 ) .

a particular characteristic of these two lemming species is the cyclic nature of their populations . simply , this means the brown and collared lemming populations go through phases of very low to very high densities , depending on food availability . if conditions are good , lemmings can reproduce and have many large litters every year . as a result , their population grows and grows until it reaches a point at which there are not enough plants anymore to sustain all the animals . at this point the population crashes , the vegetation regenerates and the cycle starts over again . on bylot island , 3 to 4 years can pass between two peaks in the lemming population .

shape , size and color of fecal pellets collected in the field have been used as criteria to identify lemming species in previous studies when both brown and collared are present [ 20 , 32 , 52 ] . for the first time , we validated this technique using genetic techniques and showed that it was highly reliable ( > 98 % correct identification ) . thus , misidentification of lemming fecal pellets was not an issue in our study .

to visually illustrate the spatiotemporal features of the lemming outbreak compared with the dynamics of the gray - sided vole in the entire monitoring area , we display spatially averaged outbreak trajectories for six separate subregions ( fig . 1 ) . although all rodent populations simultaneously had converged on very low postoutbreak densities by spring 2008 , the incipient stage of the lemming outbreak differed markedly from that of the gray - sided vole . the onset of the lemming irruption was delayed compared with the onset of the increase phase of voles . from its onset , the lemming outbreak arose steeply to reach sharp peaks simultaneously across the study region in fall 2007 , although with large spatial variation in outbreak amplitude ( i . e . , peak densities ; fig . 1 ) . peak densities also varied in voles , but were reached more gradually , and the dynamics were more spatially asynchronous than in lemmings .

data availability : bryophyte reference library and lemming diet data are deposited at dryad digital repository ( urltoken ) , doi : 10 . 5061 / dryad . 4rr39 . all other relevant data are available as supporting information files .

proximately , the more rapid increase in the lemming was a result of population increase in winter , when the vole populations steeply decreased . population increase during winter in lemmings results from winter reproduction ( 4 , 16 ) —a demographic trait virtually absent in the gray - sided vole ( 14 ) . the recruitment component of lemming winter growth can also explain why only lemmings exhibited density - dependent growth rate in winter , as recruitment in northern rodents appears to be more sensitive to density than adult survival ( 17 ) . in essence , our analysis suggests that the contrasting topologies of the population peaks in lemmings and voles are more likely caused by different intrinsic demographic tactics than different trophic interactions . winter reproduction in lemmings , the only truly arctic small rodent taxon , is likely to have evolved as an adaptation to the 9 - to 10 - mo winter at high latitudes and altitudes . thus , it appears to us that a taxon - specific demographic tactics is the most parsimonious explanation for the propensity for irruptive outbreak dynamics across all lemming species and a range of food web contexts in the circumpolar arctic ( 8 ) .


the pied triller ( lalage nigra ) is a species of bird in the campephagidae family .

it is found in brunei , india , indonesia , malaysia , the philippines , singapore , and thailand .

pied triller

pied triller <EOT> pied trillers measure between 6 . 3 - 7 inches ( 16 to 18 cm ) in length .

pied trillers occur naturally in brunei , india , indonesia , malaysia , the philippines , singapore and thailand .

“spotted a pied triller ( lalage nigra ) nest with two chicks , the usual brood number ( above ) . i was watching another bird and was already close to the nest ( 4 - 5 meters ) before i spotted it .

pied trillers feed on various insects , which are taken on the ground , picked up from foliage , or are caught in mid - air .

their plumage on top is boldly patterned in brownish / black and white ( commonly referred to as " pied " - hence their common time ) and whitish below .

two trips with dev ' s tours firstly birdwatching with wendy who was very knowledgeable and enthusiastic . she was very excited when we saw a pied triller and we were very excited by three species of hornbill . we saw 42 species in a morning . binoculars can be supplied and wendy brought her telescope to help us see the birds more clearly . secondly . . .

taylor , b . ( 2018 ) . pied triller ( lalage nigra ) . in : del hoyo , j . , elliott , a . , sargatal , j . , christie , d . a . & de juana , e . ( eds . ) . handbook of the birds of the world alive . lynx edicions , barcelona . ( retrieved from urltoken on 9 july 2018 ) .

they are closely related to the white - rumped trillers ( lalage leucopygialis ) and some authorities lump them together into one species . however , based on plumage differences , some feel they are more closely related to the white - shouldered triller ( lalage sueurii ) .

hd video footage of a pied triller ( lalage nigra chilensis , endemic race , male ) calling from the top of a tall gmelina tree , filmed in habitat under available light . capture info - canon 7d + 400 2 . 8 l is + stacked canon 2x / sigma 1 . 4x tcs , 1120 mm , f / 11 , 1 / 125 sec , iso 400 , 475b / 3421 support , manual exposure in available light , captured in 1080 / 30p , played as 720 / 30p , paranaque city , philippines , dec . 30 , 2009

cebuano : bugaungon . . . chinese : ? ? ? ? . . . czech : housen ? ík ? ernoh ? betý , housencík cerný . . . danish : broget triller . . . dutch : bonte triller . . . finnish : kurnulivertäjä . . . french : échenilleur térat . . . german : weißstirnlalage , weißstirn - lalage . . . indonesian : kapasan , kapasan kemir . . . italian : mangiabruchi gazza . . . japanese : madaranakisanshoukui . . . malay : rembah kening putih . . . norwegian : parktrillefugl . . . polish : gasienicojad srokaty , g ? sienicojad srokaty . . . russian : ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? - ? ? ? ? ? ? ? , ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? . . . slovak : húseniciarka bielocelá . . . spanish : gorjeador pálido . . . swedish : svartvit drillfågel . . . thai : ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

previously published on avocet as av10569 . certainty : 100 % . id determined by : not specifically indicated ; recordist normally sees birds recorded and indicates if any question . gps : xeno - canto .

this juvenile was found on the ground and when i made this recording it was sitting on my finger chirping away .

sonogram images © xeno - canto foundation . sonogram images share the same license terms as the recording they depict .

kloss , 1926 – c nicobar is ( camorta , katchall , trinkat ) .

( horsfield , 1821 ) – s thailand , peninsular malaysia , singapore , sumatra ( including nias i ) , bangka , belitung and w java ( including karimunjawa is ) .

( j . r . forster , 1781 ) – borneo and adjacent islands , and philippines .

) ; 20–31 g . male nominate race has forehead , crown , nape , mantle and scapulars . . .

has rather nasal chuckles , e . g . “chaka - chevu” , “whéék - chuk” and similar ; rattling “wheek . . .

open woodland , forest edge , farmland , roadsides and gardens in villages and towns , cultivation , . . .

food arthropods , mainly caterpillars ( lepidoptera ) and “hard insects” ; some fruit , mostly small berries ( e . g . of euphorbs such as

breeds may in nicobars , feb–aug in malay peninsula , feb–apr and jun–aug in sumatra , jun in borneo and may–jun in . . .

primarily resident . recorded seasonal changes in abundance in singapore are suggestive of migration . . .

not globally threatened . in peninsular malaysia , regular and common in s and on w coastal plain , but local and uncommon to rare elsewhere ; locally common to uncommon in s . . .

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hbw alive contains information on descriptive notes , voice , habitat , food and feeding , breeding , movements , status and conservation plus a list of bibliographical references for this species account .

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aviceda , juan sanabria , desmond allen , josep del hoyo , paul clarke .

william ip , zotyesz , joe kelly , tomas grim , dannie polley , manakincarmelo , khamikaze , natthaphat chotjuckdikul , yvonne stevens , hickson fergusson , marco valentini , jainymaria .

life in shah alam lake garden - canon 7d + sigma 100 - 300 f4 + sigma 1 . 4x

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this species has an extremely large range , and hence does not approach the thresholds for vulnerable under the range size criterion ( extent of occurrence < 20 , 000 km2 combined with a declining or fluctuating range size , habitat extent / quality , or population size and a small number of locations or severe fragmentation ) . the population trend appears to be stable , and hence the species does not approach the thresholds for vulnerable under the population trend criterion ( > 30 % decline over ten years or three generations ) . the population size has not been quantified , but it is not believed to approach the thresholds for vulnerable under the population size criterion ( < 10 , 000 mature individuals with a continuing decline estimated to be > 10 % in ten years or three generations , or with a specified population structure ) . for these reasons the species is evaluated as least concern .

recommended citation birdlife international ( 2018 ) species factsheet : lalage nigra . downloaded from urltoken on 09 / 07 / 2018 . recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species : birdlife international ( 2018 ) iucn red list for birds . downloaded from urltoken on 09 / 07 / 2018 .

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howard and moore 4th edition ( incl . corrigenda vol . 1 - 2 ) :

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found on the island of borneo ( located north of java island , indonesia ) and adjacent islands , and the philippines .

found in southern andaman islands and central nicobar islands ( camorta , katchall , trinkat ) .

found in southern thailand , peninsular malaysia , singapore , sumatra ( including nias island ) , bangka , belitung and western java ( including karimunjawa islands ) .

the face is white with one black stripe through each eye . the bill is black and the legs and feet greyish .

the open cup nest is constructed out of twigs , mosses and other plant material and usually attached to a branch . a clutch consists of 1 - 2 eggs .

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throughout history , crows , ravens and other black birds were feared as symbols of evil or death . …

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“decided to just stay still and the parents accepted my presence . they both brought insects prey frequently to feed the nestlings . above image shows the male with a grasshopper , below the female with a caterpillar for the chicks .

at times the chicks were unable to handle a large prey , like a grasshopper , and the parent had to retrieve the prey and re - process it before re - feeding ( below ) .

it was chilly morning so the female also remained at times at the nest to keep the chicks warm ( below ) .

“the nest was located on the forked branch of a very young rain tree ( albizia saman ) approximately 3 . 5 meters above the ground level ( below ) . the nest construction included a strip of creeping ficus ( ficus pumila ) .

“one of the fascinating observations was how the adults and chicks dealt with waste . just after feeding the female positioned herself at the rear of one of the chick in anticipation of receiving a faecal sac .

“there was some unspoken signal given for this to happen but i did not spot it . when the faecal sac , covered by a gelatinous membrane , was partially ejected ( above ) , the female picked it up ( below ) for disposal some distance from the nest . i did not see the parents consuming any faecal sacs . ”

the first part of the series can be read here . note : see this excellent write . . .

all the way from northern india , near to the foothills of the himalayas , specifically dehradun . . .

dato’ dr amar - singh hss was at the kledang - sayong forest reserve in ipoh , malaysia on 29th . . .

a black - headed bulbul ( pycnonotus atriceps caecilii ) was observed collecting nesting material by dato’ dr amar - singh . . .

“i was out today to re - visit old locations in the city , with secondary jungle / scrub , that . . .

in the avian world , it is the law of the jungle , the survival of the . . .