An evaluation of the costs and responses of coat colour mismatch in snowshoe hares

Kennah, Joanie (2022) An evaluation of the costs and responses of coat colour mismatch in snowshoe hares. Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

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Abstract

Animals that change colour seasonally to match the presence and absence of snow are becoming increasingly mismatched with their environment in many parts of the world. We evaluated the direct and indirect impacts of coat colour mismatch in snowshoe hares in two contrasting geographies, and further investigated the mechanisms that may be driving these impacts. First, we examined the impact of coat colour mismatch on snowshoe hare mortality risk and foraging behaviour in southwestern Yukon. We found that white mismatched hares survived better than their matched counterparts, presumably due to energetic benefits related to winter white coats that allowed hares to spend less time foraging. Next, we experimentally manipulated coat colour mismatch and perceived predation risk in central-eastern Newfoundland. We found that mismatched hares in risky situations experience increased body mass loss, which they may compensate for by altering their forage selection and intake rate. Our results shine light on the mechanisms that govern coat colour mismatch impacts across populations in different geographies, and how animals may compensate for these impacts.

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