Cervids in a dynamic northern landscape: Holocene changes in the relative abundance of moose and red deer at the limits of their distributions

Abstract

It is predicted that future climate change will have a significant impact on the distribution of large ungulates on a continental scale. At the same time, changes in human land use on a more local scale may affect their distribution and dispersal abilities, possibly confounding the effects of climate. We analyze changes in the Holocene distribution and relative abundance of Alces alces (moose) and Cervus elaphus (red deer) skeletal remains along an overlapping range boundary of these species in western Norway. As moose and red deer are adapted to different climatic conditions we would expect the distribution of finds to reflect large-scale changes in climate. In accordance with this prediction our results indicate that red deer became the predominant ungulate in this area during the mid-Holocene warm period, c. 8000–4000 cal. BP. Contrary to this, remains of moose became even less abundant in the subsequent colder period to the present. This decrease seems tied to the spread of agriculture and deforestation, indicating the importance of considering changes in land use when predicting future changes in ungulate distribution.