Data from: Back to the roots: Fine-scale insights into adaptive foraging by a high-Arctic large herbivore
Data files
Sep 10, 2026 version files 284.10 MB
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Fecal_metabarcoding_2022.2023.csv
417.68 KB
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FeedingPatchObs_2022.2023.csv
133.98 KB
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ibuttons_groundtemperature_to_summer2024.txt
283.54 MB
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README.md
3.72 KB
Abstract
To understand how flexible foraging strategies may be to shifting conditions, we examined how Svalbard reindeer track food resources, at the bite level, within the fastest-warming region on Earth. We focused on late summer and autumn, a period characterized by generally accessible food but declining nutritional quality. In 2022 and 2023, we recorded forage selection across 26 individually marked female reindeer (of which 13 were sampled in both years) in Nordenskiöld Land, Svalbard (78° N, 15° E). Between August and October, we recorded the species and phenological stages of plants eaten by each reindeer at their exact foraging patch (10 x 10 cm sample area), while matching fecal samples from the same individuals, during the same time of the foraging observation, were collected and frozen for DNA metabarcoding diet analysis. An observer using a spotting scope (mean distance 331 m; SD 160 m) identified exact foraging patches from a distance, directing other team members with VHF radios to the precise feeding location, with feeding identified by bite marks.
Dataset DOI: 10.5061/dryad.vhhmgqp9t
Description of the data and file structure
All data were collected from Reindalen and Semmeldalen in Nordenskiöld Land, Svalbard, in 2022 and 2023.
Ground surface temperatures were collected from 128 iButtons placed at the ground surface across an elevational gradient throughout the study area.
Bite selection observations were collected from 26 individually marked female reindeer. An observer using a spotting scope identified exact foraging patches from a distance, directing other team members to the precise feeding location. At each feeding location, we recorded the species and phenological stages of plants eaten by each reindeer at their exact foraging patch (10 x 10 cm sample area), with feeding identified by bite marks.
Fecal samples were collected from the focal reindeer at each bite selection observation and were stored frozen until DNA metabarcoding was used to evaluate diet composition. Any NA represent missing data.
Files and variables
File: FeedingPatchObs_2022.2023.csv
Description: Bite selection observations from Svalbard reindeer
Variables
- Date: date of observation
- Animal.ID: unique animal identity
- Collar.ID: unique collar identity
- Calf: Y/N if focal animal had a calf
- Poop: Y/N if a fecal sample was collected
- Distance: distance of observer to focal animal
- UTM.E: GPS location, UTM easting
- UTM.N: GPS location, UTM northing
- Veg.type: vegetation classification of patch
- Patch.class: Grazed patch (G) or random paired patch (R)
- Above.Below.ground: Bite taken above (A) or below (B) ground
- Species: Plant species eaten
- Total.units: Total number of shoots of plant species
- New.grazed: Total number of shoots of plant species newly grazed
- Old.grazed: Total number of shoots of plant species grazed before the observation
- Flower.new.grazed: Total number of flowers newly grazed
- Flower.ungrazed: Total number of flowers
- Start.senescence: Percent of plant species senesced (not green)
- Lichen.grazed: Y/N if lichen grazed
- Mushroom.grazed: Y/N if mushrooms grazed
- Roots.grazed: Y/N if roots grazed
- Frozen.green: Y/N if vegetation was frozen green
File: ibuttons_groundtemperature_to_summer2024.txt
Description: iButton measurements every 4 hours collected from locations in Colesdalen, Reindalen, and Semmeldalen on Svalbard
Variables
- id: unique iButton identity
- area: general valley of location
- rel.elevation: description of elevation of the location relative to other sites (low or high)
- exposure: ridge or sub-ridge
- east: GPS location, UTM easting
- north: GPS location, UTM northing
- datetime: date and time of measurement
- temp: temperature (degree C)
File: Fecal_metabarcoding_2022.2023.csv
Description: DNA metabarcoding results from fecal samples collected from Svalbard reindeer
Variables
- funct_cat: Functional grouping
- family: Plant family
- id: unique animal identity
- day: day of fecal sample collection
- month: month of fecal sample collection
- year: year of fecal sample collection
- location: general study area
- sampletype: feces
- sampleID: unique identity of fecal sample
- prop: proportion of fecal sample
- iddate: unique animal identity and date of collection
- valley: general valley of collection
- east: GPS location, UTM easting
- north: GPS location, UTM northing
Access information
Other publicly accessible locations of the data:
- N/A
Data were derived from the following sources:
- Data were collected by our research team