Dental microwear foraging ecology of a large browsing ruminant in Northern Hemisphere: The European moose (Alces alces)

Years of studies have already highlighted the complex combination, in moose feeding ecology, a marked selectivity coupled with significant dietary adaptability toward changes local resource availability. Dental textures resulting from masticatory movements and properties ingested food items constitute link between animal, its ecology environment it occupies. This approach is efficient to decipher subtle variations diet, at interspecific but also intra-populational scales. In this study, we explore inter intra population among six Northern European populations using DMTA. We show that spans continuum diet dominated by tender leaves consisting lignified tissues. The structure habitats main driver these differences populations. absence variation males females or seasons interpreted as reflection deer on finer scale. has long common history humans, constituting certain times places populations, adapting other contexts repercussions increasing anthropization global climate change. aim here characterizing dental microwear texture diversity hidden within “browsing” category. work intended be used reference for future paleontological archeological investigations. believe will contribute better understanding the(paleo)ecology species through time.