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Woodland expansion is widely promoted to address the effects of climate change and biodiversity loss. Woodland expansion undoubtedly delivers biodiversity and other ecosystem service benefits, but there is debate about where to place extensive new woodland in multi-use landscapes without negatively affecting existing biodiversity, and there is a need to better understand the biodiversity trade-offs associated with woodland expansion. Using the Cairngorm National Park (CNP) in northeast Scotland as a case study, we assessed how proposed woodland expansion targets might affect the distribution of mountain hares, an open moorland species strongly associated with moorland management. Using mountain hare survey, bioclimatic and land use data, we built a Species Distribution Model of mountain hares within the CNP and used this to predict their occurrence under current and proposed woodland expansion scenarios. Simulating the effects of an additional 70 and 350 km2 of new woodland cover showed that combined, these targets would see hares lost from 246 1-km squares, a 7% reduction in their occurrence compared to their 2006/2007 distribution. Changes in hare occurrence were driven by changes in management associated with landcover change more than by landcover change itself. Our results show that afforestation can negatively affect species occurrence directly through changes in landcover, and indirectly through changes in management associated with land landcover change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genetic exchanges between species provide valuable opportunities to dissect the relative importance of neutral and selective processes driving introgression events and to test their functional relevance. In the northern half of the Iberian Peninsula, the Iberian hare, Lepus granatensis, presents extensive patterns of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) introgression from the mountain hare, L. timidus, a species that disappeared from the region after the Last Glacial Maximum. Here, we test whether mtDNA introgression affects reproductive success and body condition of Iberian hare individuals. For that end, hares (n = 149) were sampled from populations along the mtDNA introgression gradient during the 2013–2014 and 2014–2015 hunting seasons. Reproductive performance indicators, including pregnancy status and testicular weight, were recorded, while body condition was measured as kidney fat (our response variables). Predictors included individual traits (sex and age), sampling period (month and hunting season), mtDNA introgression, occurrence or burden of different endoparasites and environmental factors. Our results showed that mtDNA introgression was negatively associated with pregnancy in females and body condition in males, while a positive association was found with body condition in females. These results suggest that carrying the mountain hare mtDNA has physiological effects in Iberian hares, but that the allospecific mtDNA type may not always be beneficial for the individual. This study shows that the patterns of mtDNA introgression seen in the Iberian hare today may result from a complex balance between deleterious and beneficial individual effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mountain hares (Lepus timidus L., 1758) in the Faroe Islands, an archipelago located in the North Atlantic, are known to be commonly infected by tapeworms, the identity of which was unknown. The mountain hare, which now populates 15 of the 18 islands, was introduced from Norway in 1855. In this study, tapeworms collected from four mountain hares from four geographic areas of the Faroe Islands were subjected to molecular identification using the nuclear ribosomal DNA (28S), the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) and the NADH dehydrogenase subunit 1 (nad1) genes. The results indicate unambiguously that the tapeworms were Mosgovoyia pectinata (Goeze, 1782) (Cestoda: Anoplocephalidae sensu stricto). The phylogenetic position and origin of the Faroese M. pectinata are discussed. Given that the parasite is quite common in Norway, from where the mountain hares were introduced, it is conceivable that co-introduction of M. pectinata from Norway to the Faroe Islands took place. The phylogenetic analyses revealed high similarity of the M. pectinata sequences from three regions and the position of the Faroese isolate as the sister lineage of the isolates from Finland and East Siberia.

In the European Alps, where the mountain hare Lepus timidus partly overlaps with the European hare (L. europaeus), climate change, hybridization and gene introgression are thought to interact, with synergic adverse effects on the mountain hare. However, to depict future scenarios for conserving the mountain hare is not feasible without knowledge of the magnitude and geographical pattern of hare distribution. As a first attempt to fill this gap and assess the impacts of climate change, we investigated the distributional pattern of hare species in a valley in the Western Italian Alps using non-invasive genetic techniques based on mtDNA, and resampling the same locations after 12 years (2009–2021). The mountain hare was more common as altitude increases, in pioneer vegetation and rocky areas. However, we also detected the European hare at high altitudes, in atypical landscapes for this lowland species, and the overlap area between hares was quite broad. The proportion of European hare samples increased in time, and the co-occurrence pattern changed, with an increase of the European hare at intermediate-high altitudes. Our data allowed us to assess directly, and for the first time, the impact of climate change on hare species in the Italian Alps. The mountain hare-only areas seem restricted to a very narrow, high-altitude strip. The considerable spatial overlap suggests that the European-mountain hare system could evolve towards a complete admixture situation. Conservation measures should aim to mitigate climate change effects and appropriately manage European hare populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Relevant data on trace elements and toxic metals in game meat make it possible to monitor chemical pollution, as well as to detect risks to human and animal health. The authors used atomic absorption spectrometry to study iron, copper, zinc, lead, and cadmium in the skeletal muscles, liver, and kidneys of mountain hares (Lepus timidus L.) (n = 107). The animals were caught during two seasons on reference sites and technogenic territories in the northern Krasnoyarsk Region. The samples obtained from the hares that lived on the reference sites had a much lower content of toxic metals. The tissues that belonged to the hares from the polluted habitats contained more lead and cadmium while the samples from the reference sites demonstrated traces of such biogenic elements as copper, zinc, and iron. The differences may be associated with the antagonism of biogenic elements and toxic metals in the body. The correlations between various metals probably meant that they came from one and the same pollution source. The levels of cadmium and lead in the samples from the technogenic areas were not hazardous to animal health. However, their meat and liver were unfit to eat. Therefore, hunting in the areas of technogenic pollution can pose a toxic hazard to indigenous hunters and their families.

The mountain hares (Lepus timidus L., 1758) in the Faroe Islands, an archipelago located in the North Atlantic, are known to be commonly infected by tapeworms, the identity of which was unknown. The mountain hare, which now populates 15 of the 18 islands, was introduced from Norway in 1855. In this study, tapeworms collected from four mountain hares from four geographic areas of the Faroe Islands were subjected to molecular identification using the nuclear ribosomal DNA (28S), the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) and the NADH dehydrogenase subunit 1 (nad1) genes. The results indicate unambiguously that the tapeworms were Mosgovoyia pectinata (Goeze, 1782) (Cestoda: Anoplocephalidae sensu stricto). The phylogenetic position and origin of the Faroese M. pectinata are discussed. Given that the parasite is quite common in Norway, from where the mountain hares were introduced, it is conceivable that co-introduction of M. pectinata from Norway to the Faroe Islands took place. The phylogenetic analyses revealed high similarity of the M. pectinata sequences from three regions and the position of the Faroese isolate as the sister lineage of the isolates from Finland and East Siberia. [Display omitted] • Little has been known about parasites of mountain hares (Lepus timidus) in the Faroe Islands. • We describe the first application of molecular methods to identify tapeworms from the hares. • This is the first report of Mosgovoyia pectinata from the Faroe Islands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a glacial relict species, mountain hares are adapted to cold and snowy conditions. Conversely, European hares originate from the grasslands of the Middle East and spread from there throughout low‐lying agricultural areas of Europe. Mountain hares and European hares generally occur allopatrically, however, sympatry occurs in some areas. In sympatric areas, introgressive hybridisation poses a threat to the Alpine mountain hare by reducing its genetic integrity. Introgressed individuals can be found in both species but are far more frequent in European hares than in mountain hares. The ecology of hybrids is poorly known in these species. To examine the Alpine mountain hare and European hare populations in the Alps with a particular focus on the occurrence and ecology of their hybrids, we performed molecular genetic analysis of hare faecal samples collected in four study areas in the Alps in South Tyrol for three winters and compared habitat associations of the genotyped samples. We recorded 150 individuals (i.e. 14 hybrids, 25 European hares and 111 Alpine mountain hares). Four introgressed individuals were at levels consistent with F2 hybrids, whereas the others showed an older interspecific gene flow. We found that hybrid faeces tended to be at lower elevations compared to those of Alpine mountain hare but at higher elevations than those of the European hare. The frequency of Alpine mountain hares decreased as the proportion of Alpine grassland increased but was positively correlated with the proportion of dwarf shrub heaths. No effect of vegetation type was found for the frequency of European hares and hybrids. Our results support the widely raised concerns that the European hare, as a generalist, is a strong competitor with the Alpine mountain hare in the Alpine ecosystem in the time of global climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assessing the underlying mechanisms of species co-occurrence patterns can be challenging as biotic and abiotic factors are hard to disentangle. To date, few studies have investigated co-occurrence patterns of mammals within urban areas. As urban areas are increasingly used as habitat by wildlife, there is a need for a better understanding of urban ecology to facilitate human-wildlife co-existence. Here, we investigated co-occurrence patterns and habitat selection of the European hare (Lepus europaeus), mountain hare (L. timidus), and European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) inside urban areas of Sweden, using joint species distribution models and generalized linear mixed models based on citizen science observations. All three species were observed within urban areas, but European hares and rabbits appear to be more successful urban colonizers compared to mountain hares. Overall, our findings suggested that urban occurrence by all three lagomorphs was related to suitable conditions within the distribution of each species (e.g., climate and elevation), rather than by the presence of other lagomorph species or specific land cover types within urban areas. On a finer spatial scale, European hares and rabbits generally selected for green urban areas and mountain hares for residential gardens, which likely constitute suitable foraging sites. Moreover, overlap in activity times between European hares and rabbits was mediated by land cover type and sympatry. Our findings contribute to the understanding of urban ecology and provide insights for management measures of the three lagomorphs in urban areas of Sweden. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In female mammals, reproduction requires high‐energy expenditure because of gestation and lactation; therefore, a fitness cost of current reproduction may lead to a decrease in future survival or reproduction. The reproductive cost differs between short‐lived species with a fast life history strategy compared to long‐lived species with a slow life history strategy. We used harvest data on reproduction and body mass from two small‐sized and short‐lived mammals, mountain and European hare (Lepus timidus and Lepus europaeus) to explore the cost of reproduction and determine how the number of newborns produced in the current breeding season affects female body mass at the end of the reproductive season. Within a reproductive season, female hares experienced a reproductive cost: current litter size was negatively affected by the number of newborns produced in the current breeding season until the current litter. In the given reproductive season, females that had had more litters also had the highest reproductive output and had higher body mass at the end of the breeding season. The presence of a reproductive cost and the high reproductive performance of heavier female hares suggest a strategy of reproduction more conservative than expected for a species with a relatively small size and fast life history strategy. Heavier female hares seemed to be able to face the cost of reproduction, produce more offspring and remain larger at the end of the reproductive season: a strategy that is more conservative than risky. We believe female hares adopt, at least in part, a conservative strategy of reproduction characterized by an increased number of litters per season because of the positive fitness payoff gained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The research presented in this paper provides an insight into the behavioral ecology of mountain hares on heather moorland in the Lammermuir Hills of southeast Scotland. We examine the seasonal and diel activity patterns using camera traps over a period of 12 months. The rate of camera detections was calculated for the different divisions of the 24‐hr cycle (daylight, dusk, night, and dawn). During autumn and winter (October–February), the activity pattern was crepuscular with greater activity at dusk than at dawn. Daylight activity was relatively low, and there was a regular pattern of small peaks of activity during the night. In spring and summer (March–September), peaks of crepuscular activity remained evident but daylight activity was much more prevalent than during autumn and winter, and night activity was lower. We discuss the problematic definition of twilight and present an explanation for seasonal changes in the pattern of diel activity that is linked to the reproductive cycle of the mountain hare.

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Understanding the evolution of local adaptations is a central aim of evolutionary biology and key for the identification of unique populations and lineages of conservation relevance. By combining RAD sequencing and whole‐genome sequencing, we identify genetic signatures of local adaptation in mountain hares (Lepus timidus) from isolated and distinctive habitats of its wide distribution: Ireland, the Alps and Fennoscandia. Demographic modelling suggested that the split of these mountain hares occurred around 20 thousand years ago, providing the opportunity to study adaptive evolution over a short timescale. Using genome‐wide scans, we identified signatures of extreme differentiation among hares from distinct geographic areas that overlap with area‐specific selective sweeps, suggesting targets for local adaptation. Several identified candidate genes are associated with traits related to the uniqueness of the different environments inhabited by the three groups of mountain hares, including coat colour, ability to live at high altitudes and variation in body size. In Irish mountain hares, a variant of ASIP, a gene previously implicated in introgression‐driven winter coat colour variation in mountain and snowshoe hares (L. americanus), may underlie brown winter coats, reinforcing the repeated nature of evolution at ASIP moulding adaptive seasonal colouration. Comparative genomic analyses across several hare species suggested that mountain hares' adaptive variants appear predominantly species‐specific. However, using coalescent simulations, we also show instances where the candidate adaptive variants have been introduced via introgressive hybridization. Our study shows that standing adaptive variation, including that introgressed from other species, was a crucial component of the post‐glacial dynamics of species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mountain hare (Lepus timidus) is a widespread species that lives throughout the continental tundra zone of Eurasia, as well as over the greater part of the northern forest zone. For a long time, the presence of the mountain hare in the fauna of the Novaya Zemlya Archipelago was assumed. However, documented evidence from the archipelago was lacking. In 2017, two fragments of the lower jaw of a single specimen were found in the Bezymyannaya Bay area on Yuzhny Island, Novaya Zemlya, Russia. This record confirms the presence of the species on the archipelago, while its status remains unclear. The jaw fragments from Novaya Zemlya contained dry meat remnants, indicating that this individual died relatively recently (i.e., no more than 10 years ago). It is likely that the species periodically visits the archipelago, without forming a viable population there.

The paper is devoted to the role of hares in the composition of hunter's prey in the Upper Palaeolithic of the Russian (East European) Plain. Mammoths and hoofed mammals are traditionally considered as main hunting species for these sites. However, sometimes completely different species come to the fore, while the bones of the "main hunting animals" are presented only in small amounts. We have analyzed the faunistic materials of the sites confined to the basins of the main rivers of the Russian Plain (Dnieper, Desna, Seym, Oka, Don), the chronostratigraphic position of which is justified by radiocarbon dates. As a result of quantitative analysis, the sites were divided into 4 groups, where group 1 comprises the sites with the content of hare bones in relation to all definable bone residues of more than 50%, and group 4 - which does not contain them at all. A set of skeletal elements was also studied and their percentage in the collection was determined. Correlation of the data with the Late Pleistocene event scale showed the absence of a direct relationship between the number of hare bones in sites with climate changes. Throughout the entire Upper Palaeolithic, hares were part of the environment of the ancient population, spreading widely in forest landscapes and decreasing in the tundra-steppes. Hares served as universal game, especially when other types of hunting were limited (for example, during seasonal migrations of other species). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research presented in this paper provides an insight into the behavioral ecology of mountain hares on heather moorland in the Lammermuir Hills of southeast Scotland. We examine the seasonal and diel activity patterns using camera traps over a period of 12 months. The rate of camera detections was calculated for the different divisions of the 24‐hr cycle (daylight, dusk, night, and dawn). During autumn and winter (October–February), the activity pattern was crepuscular with greater activity at dusk than at dawn. Daylight activity was relatively low, and there was a regular pattern of small peaks of activity during the night. In spring and summer (March–September), peaks of crepuscular activity remained evident but daylight activity was much more prevalent than during autumn and winter, and night activity was lower. We discuss the problematic definition of twilight and present an explanation for seasonal changes in the pattern of diel activity that is linked to the reproductive cycle of the mountain hare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Prior to 2010, the lagoviruses that cause rabbit hemorrhagic disease (RHD) in European rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) and European brown hare syndrome (EBHS) in hares (Lepus spp.) were generally genus-specific. However, in 2010, rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus 2 (RHDV2), also known as Lagovirus europaeus GI.2, emerged and had the distinguishing ability to cause disease in both rabbits and certain hare species. The mountain hare (Lepus timidus) is native to Sweden and is susceptible to European brown hare syndrome virus (EBHSV), also called Lagovirus europaeus GII.1. While most mountain hare populations are found on the mainland, isolated populations also exist on islands. Here we investigate a mortality event in mountain hares on the small island of Hallands Väderö where other leporid species, including rabbits, are absent. Results Post-mortem and microscopic examination of three mountain hare carcasses collected from early November 2016 to mid-March 2017 revealed acute hepatic necrosis consistent with pathogenic lagovirus infection. Using immunohistochemistry, lagoviral capsid antigen was visualized within lesions, both in hepatocytes and macrophages. Genotyping and immunotyping of the virus independently confirmed infection with L. europaeus GI.2, not GII.1. Phylogenetic analyses of the vp60 gene grouped mountain hare strains together with a rabbit strain from an outbreak of GI.2 in July 2016, collected approximately 50 km away on the mainland. Conclusions This is the first documented infection of GI.2 in mountain hares and further expands the host range of GI.2. Lesions and tissue distribution mimic those of GII.1 in mountain hares. The virus was most likely initially introduced from a concurrent, large-scale GI.2 outbreak in rabbits on the adjacent mainland, providing another example of how readily this virus can spread. The mortality event in mountain hares lasted for at least 4.5 months in the absence of rabbits, which would have required virus circulation among mountain hares, environmental persistence and/or multiple introductions. This marks the fourth Lepus species that can succumb to GI.2 infection, suggesting that susceptibility to GI.2 may be common in Lepus species. Measures to minimize the spread of GI.2 to vulnerable Lepus populations therefore are prudent.

Leporids (Lagomorpha, Mammalia), especially the mountain hare (Lepus timidus) and the European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus), have been among the most abundant small game in western Europe since the Pleistocene. These animals are preferred prey for more than 40 predators, which increases the chances of finding their skeletal remains at archaeological or natural sites, and in particular karstic formations alternately occupied by Palaeolithic human societies and other predators. Moreover, specific eco‐ethological characteristics for both species also offer the possibility to produce a substantial quantity of their bones accumulated by natural mortality without predation, making it more difficult to identify their origin in the fossil record. Despite this fact, the taphonomic signature of accidental‐natural accumulations of leporids in karsts, such as pitfalls, has never been properly characterised. In order to address these issues, we carried out a detailed taphonomic study of leporid remains in a pitfall without any evidence of human activity, namely at Coulet des Roches (Monieux, Vaucluse, south‐eastern France). At this site, leporids are the most abundant species throughout the Last Glacial Maximum sedimentary sequence. The bone accumulation was analysed in order to determine the most relevant criteria to identify a natural accumulation that results from the accidental fall of individuals in the pitfall. The relative proportions of each species are consistent with their current ethology, and their mortality profiles are compatible with the structure of a living natural population. The completeness rate of the different skeletal portions for both species is relatively high, bones are less fragmented and, unlike what might be expected, very few anatomical connections were preserved. The observed anatomical representation, breakage, and bone surface modification patterns are discussed and compared with available data concerning accumulations with predation. Taken together, the identified criteria contribute valuable help in the recognition of accidental mortality in the fossil record, as well as to evaluate the proportion of leporid bones accumulated naturally and those accumulated by predation, human or not, in a deposit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Changing from summer-brown to winter-white pelage or plumage is a crucial adaptation to seasonal snow in more than 20 mammal and bird species. Many of these species maintain nonwhite winter morphs, locally adapted to less snowy conditions, which may have evolved independently. Mountain hares (Lepus timidus) from Fennoscandia were introduced into the Faroe Islands in 1855. While they were initially winter-white, within ~65 y all Faroese hares became winter-gray, a morph that occurs in the source population at low frequency. The documented population historymakes this a valuable model for understanding the genetic basis and evolution of the seasonal trait polymorphism. Through whole-genome scans of differentiation and single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotyping, we associated winter coat color polymorphism to the genomic region of the pigmentation gene Agouti, previously linked to introgression-driven winter coat color variation in the snowshoe hare (Lepus americanus). Lower Agouti expression in the skin of winter-gray individuals during the autumn molt suggests that regulatory changes may underlie the color polymorphism. Variation in the associated genomic region shows signatures of a selective sweep in the Faroese population, suggesting that positive selection drove the fixation of the variant after the introduction. Wholegenome analyses of several hare species revealed that the winter-gray variant originated through introgression from a noncolor changing species, in keeping with the history of ancient hybridization between the species. Our findings show the recurrent role of introgression in generating winter coat color variation by repeatedly recruiting the regulatory region of Agouti to modulate seasonal coat color change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mountain hare (Lepus timidus) is a widespread species that lives throughout the continental tundra zone of Eurasia, as well as over the greater part of the northern forest zone. For a long time, the presence of the mountain hare in the fauna of the Novaya Zemlya Archipelago was assumed. However, documented evidence from the archipelago was lacking. In 2017, two fragments of the lower jaw of a single specimen were found in the Bezymyannaya Bay area on Yuzhny Island, Novaya Zemlya, Russia. This record confirms the presence of the species on the archipelago, while its status remains unclear. The jaw fragments from Novaya Zemlya contained dry meat remnants, indicating that this individual died relatively recently (i.e., no more than 10 years ago). It is likely that the species periodically visits the archipelago, without forming a viable population there. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recreational hunting is widespread and can benefit nature conservation when well‐practised, monitored, and regulated. Management for recreational red grouse Lagopus lagopus scotica shooting on upland heathland in the UK causes conservation conflict because the intensive habitat, predator, and disease management needed to maintain high‐grouse densities for "driven" shooting has detrimental environmental impacts, notably for raptor populations.Sustainable management of mountain hares Lepus timidus scoticus, a game species in the same landscapes, poses a challenge. Control of transmission to grouse of a viral disease, louping‐ill, for which mountain hares are a host, has become an additional motivation to kill mountain hares since research during 1993–2001 suggested that culls might reduce infection rates in grouse.We analysed population trends of mountain hares from spring counts on moorland managed for grouse shooting and on contiguous alpine land. On moorland sites, a long‐term decline (4.6% per annum) from 1954 to 1999 increased to 30.7% per annum from then until 2017, with a density index falling to <1% of initial levels after 2008. Before 1999, declines were associated with conifer planting and were least severe where heather burning characteristic of grouse management was present. Grouse moors had the highest rate of decline after 1999.On alpine sites, the density index increased by 2.0% per annum from 1954 to 2007, then declined by 12.3% per annum but remained within the previous range of variation.Despite lack of evidence that it increases grouse numbers, reduction of louping‐ill transmission to grouse became a more frequent justification for mountain hare culls at a time consistent with it causing these recent, rapid mountain hare declines on grouse moors.Synthesis and applications. Long‐term field counts suggest that intensification of game bird management has resulted in severe, recent declines in mountain hare numbers, exacerbating longer term declines associated with land‐use change. Management practices founded on misinterpretation of earlier research are the probable cause. Regulation of hare culling would provide a framework for formal tests of whether culls affect grouse surpluses. It would also provide an opportunity to examine mountain hare populations' resilience to culls of varying size and seasonal timing. Long‐term field counts suggest that intensification of game bird management has resulted in severe, recent declines in mountain hare numbers, exacerbating longer term declines associated with land‐use change. Management practices founded on misinterpretation of earlier research are the probable cause. Regulation of hare culling would provide a framework for formal tests of whether culls affect grouse surpluses. It would also provide an opportunity to examine mountain hare populations' resilience to culls of varying size and seasonal timing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Alpine and Arctic species are considered to be particularly vulnerable to climate change, which is expected to cause habitat loss, fragmentation and—ultimately—extinction of cold‐adapted species. However, the impact of climate change on glacial relict populations is not well understood, and specific recommendations for adaptive conservation management are lacking. We focused on the mountain hare (Lepus timidus) as a model species and modelled species distribution in combination with patch and landscape‐based connectivity metrics. They were derived from graph‐theory models to quantify changes in species distribution and to estimate the current and future importance of habitat patches for overall population connectivity. Models were calibrated based on 1,046 locations of species presence distributed across three biogeographic regions in the Swiss Alps and extrapolated according to two IPCC scenarios of climate change (RCP 4.5 & 8.5), each represented by three downscaled global climate models. The models predicted an average habitat loss of 35% (22%–55%) by 2100, mainly due to an increase in temperature during the reproductive season. An increase in habitat fragmentation was reflected in a 43% decrease in patch size, a 17% increase in the number of habitat patches and a 34% increase in inter‐patch distance. However, the predicted changes in habitat availability and connectivity varied considerably between biogeographic regions: Whereas the greatest habitat losses with an increase in inter‐patch distance were predicted at the southern and northern edges of the species’ Alpine distribution, the greatest increase in patch number and decrease in patch size is expected in the central Swiss Alps. Finally, both the number of isolated habitat patches and the number of patches crucial for maintaining the habitat network increased under the different variants of climate change. Focusing conservation action on the central Swiss Alps may help mitigate the predicted effects of climate change on population connectivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change enables expansion of southern species whereas many boreal species retreat northwards. Range shifts create novel interactions that can affect abundance and distribution via competition and/or hybridization. It is possible that the mountain hare ( Lepus timidus) long-term decline in northern Europe is linked to competition with the brown hare ( L. europaeus). In order to understand consequences of hare interactions at high latitudes, we determined geographical extent of hybridization using mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) introgression as a proxy. Additionally, we compared species distribution and snow conditions in Finland with introgression frequency. We found that introgression is bidirectional but direction is mostly from the mountain hare to the brown hare. Approximately 10% of brown hares have introgressed mtDNA, being most common at the northern expansion front of their distribution range. Introgression is likely linked to brown hare expansion facilitated by climate change, but due to complex nature of evolutionary processes, selective advantage cannot be fully excluded. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary Tularaemia is an emerging zoonotic infectious disease caused by the bacterium Francisella tularensis . In Sweden, hares are considered to be key species in the epidemiology of tularaemia. The aim of this study was to characterize the pathology of natural tularaemia infection in European brown hares (EBHs) ( Lepus europaeus ) and mountain hares (MHs) ( Lepus timidus ) in Sweden, in order to better understand the presentation of disease and the routes of infection, body dissemination and shedding of F. tularensis . During 2000–2013, 49 EBHs and 37 MHs were diagnosed with tularaemia. Enlargement of the spleen was seen in 80% of EBHs and 62% of MHs. Necrosis was often obvious in the bone marrow, liver, lung and spleen, but 30% of the hares had no lesions or minimal gross lesions. On microscopical examination of tissues from 27 EBHs and three MHs, necrosis was seen in the majority of samples of liver, spleen, bone marrow, lymph node and adrenal glands and was common in the lungs and brain meninges. Immunohistochemistry for Francisella spp. detected bacteria in association with necrosis and inflammation. In several cases, Francisella spp. were also found inside blood vessels, in the renal pelvis, in lactating mammary glands, in bronchioles and in the skin, associated with tick bites. Using quantitative polymerase chain reaction, two genotypes of F. tularensis subsp. holarctica were found; canSNP group B.6, all belonging to subgroup B.7, and canSNP group B.12. There were no differences in pathology between the genotypes. Our results indicate that the urinary tract and mammary glands are important routes for the shedding of F. tularensis . Hunters may not be aware of the risks of contracting tularaemia while handling hares, since infected hares do not always show noticeable gross lesions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses a study by P.S. Thompson and others published in the April 2016 issue of the periodical related to environmental impacts of management for providing shooting of Red Grouse Lagopus lagopus scotica in the uplands of Great Britain. Topics discussed include not considering shooting of Red Grouse as environmentally sustainable, no significant difference in Merlin, Falco columbarius and no positive link between grouse moors and Mountain Hare, Lepus timidus prevalence.

Throughout time, climate changes have caused substantial rearrangements of habitats which have alternately promoted and disfavoured different types of taxa. At first glance, the mountain hare (Lepus timidus) shows the typical hallmarks of a cold-adapted species that has retreated to refugia since the onset of the current Holocene interglacial. In contrary to expectations, however, the species has a high contemporary genetic diversity with no clear differentiation between geographically isolated populations. In order to clarify the phylogeographic history of European mountain hares, we here analysed ancient DNA from the glacial populations that inhabited the previous midlatitude European tundra region. Our results reveal that the Ice Age hares had similar levels of genetic variation and lack of geographic structure as observed today, and the ancient samples were intermingled with modern individuals throughout the reconstructed evolutionary tree. This suggests a temporal genetic continuity in Europe, where the mountain hares were able to keep pace with the rapid changes at the last glacial/interglacial transition and successfully track their shifting habitat to northern and alpine regions. Further, the temporal demographic analyses showed that the species' population size in Europe appears to have been tightly linked with palaeoclimatic fluctuations, with increases and declines occurring during periods of global cooling and warming, respectively. Taken together, our results suggest that neither habitat shifts nor demographic fluctuations have had any substantial impact on the genetic diversity of European mountain hares. This remarkable resilience, which contrasts to a majority of previously investigated coldadapted species, is likely due to its generalist nature that makes it less vulnerable to environmental changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development and evaluation of a reliable non-invasive genetic sampling (NIGS) is a crucial step towards accurately and reliably estimating population size for the long-term monitoring of wildlife species. We used NIGS data to obtain population density estimates of a mountain hare ( Lepus timidus) population in the Swiss Alps. We evaluated and compared the effectiveness of systematic and opportunistic NIGS and their combination in spring 2014. Extraction success rate of DNA from faeces, hair and urine samples, their age-dependent variation as well as the completeness of microsatellite genotyping data were used as measures of effectiveness. We applied a spatially explicit capture-recapture (SECR) approach to estimate the minimum population size. We found that the extraction success of faecal samples decreased with the time since excretion and that urine and hair samples mostly yielded insufficient DNA for the successful genotyping of individuals. Mountain hare faeces up to 5 days old are most appropriate for NIGS because the risk of unsuccessful DNA extraction or genotyping errors/failure is considerably lower in these samples. Systematic sampling revealed more genotypes than opportunistic sampling, but the latter resulted in higher numbers of recapture and thus, increased the spatial resolution of the data. Depending on the sampling design, the population density estimates ranged from 3.2 to 3.6 mountain hares per 100 ha. This study informs ecologists and wildlife managers about suitable survey techniques for the monitoring of free-ranging lagomorph populations and addresses important principles for the development of accurate survey methods for other elusive wildlife species that inhabit difficult, mountainous terrain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim The majority of the non-volant mammals now present on the island of Gotland, Sweden, have been introduced in modern times. One exception is the mountain hare ( Lepus timidus), which was present on the island more than 9000 years ago. This paper investigates the origins of the Gotland hares and temporal changes in their genetic structure, and considers how they may have reached the island. Location The island of Gotland, Sweden (57°30′ N, 18°20′ E). Methods Two fragments of the mitochondrial D-loop 130 + 164 base pairs in length from skeletal remains from 40 ancient mountain hares from Gotland, 38 from the Swedish mainland and five from Lithuania were analysed and compared with 90 modern L. timidus haplotypes from different locations in Eurasia and five haplotypes of the Don-hare ( Lepus tanaiticus) morphotype. Results The Mesolithic hares from Gotland (7304 bc-5989 bc) cluster with modern hares from Russia, Scotland, the Alps and Fennoscandia whereas the Gotland hares from the Neolithic and onwards (2848 bc-1641 ad) cluster with Neolithic hares from the Swedish mainland and modern hares from Fennoscandia. The Neolithic haplotypes from Lithuania and the Don-hare haplotypes were dispersed within the network. The level of differentiation ( FST) between the Mesolithic and Neolithic hares on Gotland was twice as great as that observed on the mainland. Main conclusions The ancient hares on Gotland fall into two haplogroups separated in time, indicating that the mountain hare became extinct at one point, with subsequent re-colonization events. In view of the isolated location of Gotland, it is probable that the hares were brought there by human means of transport. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Climate warming has been causing an increase in tall shrub cover around the Arctic, however, mammalian herbivory has been shown to inhibit shrub expansion. Though the effect of reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) and many other mammals has been widely studied in this context, the role of the mountain hare (Lepus timidus) in subarctic Scandinavia remains unknown. Aims: To quantify browsing from mountain hare and reindeer on tall shrubs in different vegetation types and to investigate differences in shrub preference between the two. Methods: In the summers of 2013 and 2014, we counted signs of browsing by hare and reindeer on tall shrub species in 31 study plots at three alpine locations in the Scandes range, Sweden. Results: Hare browsing was significantly more frequent than that by reindeer in two (dry-mesic heath and dry meadow) out of seven vegetation types studied. Reindeer browsing was significantly higher in the low herb meadow and Långfjället shrub heath. Two shrub species,Betula nanaandSalix hastata, were significantly more browsed by hare, while reindeer browsing was significantly higher onS. phylicifoliaandS. lapponum. Conclusions: Our results show that mountain hares can cause extensive damage to tall shrubs in the subarctic and may have a stronger impact on shrub communities than previously recognised. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

A preliminary study was undertaken to determine post-mining baseline accumulation of selected trace metals, and histopathological alterations in free-living arctic hares ( Lepus arcticus ) inhabiting the vicinity of a former lead-zinc mine located on North Baffin Island in the Canadian High Arctic. Trace metal analysis included measurement of As, Cd, Fe, Pb and Zn in tissues, and histopathological assessment comprised of evaluation and scoring the severity of metal-induced hepatic and renal lesions. Metal contents in hepatic and renal tissues from hares from the mine area compared with the reference locations did not differ significantly suggesting that the animals are not uniformly exposed to background levels of metals in the environment. However, relatively higher accumulation pattern of Pb and Cd were noted in liver tissues of hare from the mine area compared to the background area, but did not induce increased lesions. Surface soils near the mine area contained relatively higher levels of trace metals (Zn > Mn > Pb > Cd > As) compared to reference soils, and with soil levels of Cd showing strong correlation with Cd accumulation in kidney tissues. Generally, both case and reference animals showed similar but varying severities of hepatic and renal lesions at the sublethal level, notably vascular congestion, occasional large hepatocyte nuclei, binucleate hepatocytes, yellow-brown pigmentation in the cytoplasm of hepatocytes and clustering of lymphocytes. Only hares with relatively higher accumulation of Pb from the mine area showed evidence of renal edema and hemorrhage of the capsular surface. This study constitutes the first assessment of metal induced histopathological alterations in arctic hares exposed to a historical mining area in the high arctic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Louping ill virus (LIV) is a tick-borne flavivirus that is part of the tick-borne encephalitis complex of viruses (TBEV) and has economic and welfare importance by causing illness and death in livestock, especially sheep, Ovies aries, and red grouse, Lagopus lagopus scoticus, an economically valuable gamebird. Unlike Western TBEV which is found primarily in woodlands and is reservoired by small rodents, LIV is not generally transmitted by small rodents but instead by sheep, red grouse and mountain hares and, therefore, is associated with upland heather moorland and rough grazing land. Red grouse are a particularly interesting transmission host because they may acquire most of their LIV infections through eating ticks rather than being bitten by ticks. Furthermore, the main incentive for the application of LIV control methods is not to protect sheep, but to protect red grouse, which is an economically important gamebird. The widespread intensive culling of mountain hares which has been adopted in several areas of Scotland to try to control ticks and LIV has become an important issue in Scotland in recent years. This review outlines the reservoir hosts and transmission cycles of LIV in the UK, then describes the various control methods that have been tried or modelled, with far-reaching implications for conservation and public opinion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim A striking case of mitochondrial DNA (mt DNA) introgression occurs in the Iberian Peninsula: the mt DNA of Lepus timidus, a species that inhabited this territory during the Last Glacial Maximum ( LGM), is almost fixed in the Iberian range of Lepus europaeus, is very frequent in the northern half of Iberia within Lepus granatensis, and is fixed in Lepus castroviejoi. Here, we used a transdisciplinary approach to understand the ecological drivers of the distribution of this introgressed mt DNA in the Iberian hare species. Location Europe, with an emphasis on the Iberian Peninsula. Methods First, we modelled the climatic niche of L. timidus to predict the favourability for the species during the LGM. Second, we gathered data regarding L. timidus mt DNA introgression for 1137 individuals (139 populations) from the Iberian Peninsula. We tested whether the climatic favourability for L. timidus during the LGM reflects the frequency of the introgressed mt DNA in the carrier hare populations. Results The climatic favourability for the LGM is positively related to the presence of individuals with L. timidus mt DNA, and discriminates better than by chance between individuals with and without this lineage. At the population level, the favourability values relate to the observed frequencies of mt DNA introgression and discriminate between populations with and without L. timidus mt DNA. Main conclusions The results suggest that the geographical distribution of L. timidus mt DNA introgression is linked to L. timidus distribution in Iberia during the LGM. Our study helps to improve our understanding of the role of climate in the reticulated evolutionary history of hares, and is a first step towards understanding the ecological impact of mt DNA introgression on Iberian hares. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CO 2 levels and consequently temperatures are expected to increase in the next years. Such quick and drastic changes in climate are likely to affect species distribution. According to future climate scenarios some species will have the possibility to colonise new areas, mainly due to expansion of suitable habitat conditions, whereas other species could be negatively affected due to habitat reduction. In this study, we analysed, in the perspective stated above, the distribution of two hare species: the mountain hare ( Lepus timidus ) and the brown hare ( Lepus europaeus ), across Central Italian Alps. Mountain hare on the Alps is a relict species, while brown hare is widespread all over Italy and also across the Alps at lower elevations. We applied future climate scenarios to both hare species to understand how climate change could affect their distribution in the next 70 years. Mountain hare distribution surface area is predicted to decrease in the next few years at its southern edge, but the species should expand its range in northern areas. Interestingly, brown hare distribution seems to be unaffected by climate changes, since no evident “area of substitution” appeared in our simulations. Hence, contrary to one's expectations based on the two species different niches, while we were able to predict a reduction in mountain hare distribution, our simulations did not show a substitution of the mountain hare by the more generalist brown hare at the southern margins of its distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Differences in body sizes of mountain hares ( Lepus timidus L., 1758) and moose ( Alces alces (L., 1758)) affect their ability to perceive and respond to environmental heterogeneity and plant density. Therefore, we expect these species to show niche separation at different scales in the same environment. Results showed that the numbers of mountain birches ( Betula pubescens subsp. czerepanovii L.) browsed by moose per unit area was inversely related to hare browsing. Moose browsed larger birches compared with hares, and while hares targeted areas with high birch densities regardless of tree sizes, moose preferentially browsed areas with high densities of large birches. Moose browsing was clustered at spatial intervals of 1000-1500 m, while hare browsing was clustered at intervals of less than 500 m. Willows (genus Salix L.) in the study area were heavily browsed by moose, while few observations of hare browsing on willow were made. Regarding both hare and moose, numbers of birch stems with new browsing per sample plot were positively correlated with the numbers of birch stems with old browsing, indicating that hare and moose preferred the same foraging sites from year to year. These findings have implications for management of the species because they show the importance of scale and landscape perspectives in planning and actions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]