Asheley Brydges

MSc Student

Contact Information

Department of Biology
Concordia University (Loyola Campus)
7141 Sherbrooke St. W. H4B 1R6
Montreal, QC, Canada

Office: SP434
Lab: SP434
(514) 848-2424 (ext. 4021)

Asheley.brydges@mail.concordia.ca

Education

2024 – Present: MSc in Biology, Concordia University, Montreal, Canada
2017-2022: BSc in Ecology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada

My Project

Effect of supplemental feeding on the life history strategies of reindeer (Rangifer tarandus)

Background

Reindeer experience extreme variation in environmental conditions with limited resources in the winter, as a result, they are capital breeders, relying mainly on energy stores acquired during the summer to allocate between reproductive effort and maternal survival. Reindeer husbandry is an important cultural practice to the indigenous Sami people, but because of increased human development on reindeer pasture, the quality of summer and winter forage has been reduced affecting the survival and body condition of semi-domestic reindeer in Fennoscandia. To buffer against reduced pasture quality some reindeer herders have begun supplemental feeding in the winter. This research aims to understand how winter supplemental feeding affects the trade-off between reproductive allocation and maternal growth or survival.

Field Work

This study will be utilizing long term data collected from 1969 – present, on an experimental herd at the Kutuharju Reindeer Research Station in Kaamanen, Finland (69°N, 27°E). There is low predation on the herd and it is free ranging over a range of 45 km2. Supplemental feeding began in 1986 and is done ad libitum depending on winter conditions. The data has been collected by the Finish Reindeer Herders Association which is responsible for this population.

Objectives

The goal of this research is to assess how supplemental feeding influences different life history traits associated with reproductive trade-offs:

  • Allocation to Female size relative to calf size
  • Allocation to Female size relative to female age
  • Allocation to Calf size relative to female age

Publications

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