ADAPTATION OF SOME LARGE NORTH AMERICAN MAMMALS FOR SURVIVAL IN SNOW

摘要: Chest heights, foot loading, and behavior of moose (Alces alces), caribou (Rangifer tarandus), wapiti (Cervus canadensis), white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), Dall sheep (Ovis dalli), bighorn pronghorn antelope (Antilocapra americana), bison (Bison bison) were used to calculate indices snow-coping ability for each species. When species grouped into regional faunas, those with higher occurred in more snowy regions. Within a local area, variety can survive winter by living feeding different habitats defined on the basis snow conditions. Bison, deer, have considerable sexual dimorphism chest height loading. These differences between sexes potential value individual survival permitting use food1 resources over greater proportion species' home range. Wolves (Canis lupus), coyotes (C. latrans), wolverine (Gulo luscus) showed similar levels morpho- logical adaptation snow, than all but two ungulates studied (caribou moose); predation appears been factor influencing evolution ungulate snow.