Table 1.
Variables, and their respective abbreviations, descriptions and sample sizes, evaluated as potential predictors of qiviut cortisol levels in the 211 muskoxen. None of the continuous variables were normally distributed, so all are summarized as median (range). Missing values (i.e. insufficient sample for all laboratory analyses or information not recorded on data sheet), except those for back fat thickness and incisor breakage score, were estimated through the Bayesian analyses
| Information | Variable | Variable description | Number of muskoxen (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General | Season (season) |
Categorical
Fall–early winter Mid-winter–late winter |
75 136 |
(35.5) (64.5) |
| Year (i.e. hair growth year) (year) |
Categorical
2015 2016 2017 2018 |
28 41 80 62 |
(13.3) (19.4) (37.9) (29.4) |
|
| Sex (sex) |
Categorical
Female Male |
91 120 |
(43.1) (56.9) |
|
| Age (age) |
Categorical
Adult Juvenile |
191 20 |
(90.5) (9.5) |
|
| Specific geographical location |
Categorical
Ekaluktutiak Kent Peninsula Kugluktuk Lady Franklin Point Ulukhaktok |
39 30 70 13 59 |
(18.5) (14.2) (33.2) (6.2) (27.9) |
|
| Broad geographical location (location) |
Categorical
East mainland (Kent Peninsula) Victoria Island (Ekaluktutiak, Lady Franklin Point and Ulukhaktok) West mainland (Kugluktuk) |
30 111 70 |
(14.2) (52.6) (33.2) |
|
| Lungworms | U. pallikuukensis larval counts (Up_lpg) |
Continuous
43.1 lpg (0–1669.8) Missing |
200 11 |
(94.8) (5.2) |
| V. eleguneniensis larval counts (Ve_lpg) |
Continuous
1.3 lpg (0–442.7) Missing |
200 11 |
(94.8) (5.2) |
|
| Lungworm richness (lung_richness) |
Categorical
0 (no lungworms detected) 1 (Up or Ve detected) 2 (both Up and Ve detected) Missing |
28 54 118 11 |
(13.3) (25.6) (55.9) (5.2) |
|
| GI parasites | Moniezia spp. infection (moniezia_YN) |
Categorical
No Yes Missing |
152 23 36 |
(72.0) (10.9) (17.1) |
| Eimeria spp. oocyst counts (eimeria_epg) |
Continuous
2.5 epg (0–822.6) Missing |
175 36 |
(82.9) (17.1) |
|
| Nematodirines egg counts (nematodirines_epg) |
Continuous
0 epg (0–16.1) Missing |
175 36 |
(82.9) (17.1) |
|
| M. marshalli egg counts (marshallagia_epg) |
Continuous
0 epg (0–10.4) Missing |
175 36 |
(82.9) (17.1) |
|
| GI parasite richness (GI_richness) |
Categorical
0 (no GI parasites detected) 1 (1 GI parasite species/group detected) 2 (2 GI parasite species/groups detected) 3 (3 GI parasite species/groups detected) 4 (4 GI parasite species/groups detected) Missing |
5 61 58 41 10 36 |
(2.4) (28.9) (27.5) (19.4) (4.7) (17.1) |
|
| Body condition | Metatarsus percentage marrow fat (marrow_fat) |
Continuous
91.1% (9.9–94.8)a Missing |
197 14 |
(93.4) (6.6) |
| Hunter condition assessment (condition_hunter) |
Categorical
Skinny Not bad Fat Really fat Missing |
21 53 93 20 24 |
(9.9) (25.1) (44.1) (9.5) (11.4) |
|
| Back fat thickness (back_fat) |
Continuous
2 cm (0–6.4) Missingb |
145 66 |
(68.7) (31.3) |
|
| Bacteria exposure | E. rhusiopathiae percentage positivity (erysipelothrix_PP) |
Continuous
22.4% (1–496.1)a Missing |
203 8 |
(96.2) (3.8) |
| Brucella serology (brucella_serology) |
Categorical
Negative Positive Missing |
192 11 8 |
(91.0) (5.2) (3.8) |
|
| Jaw health | Incisor breakage score (incisor_breakage) |
Continuous
0 (0–1) Missingb |
152 59 |
(72.0) (28.0) |
| Hormone levels (outcome) | Qiviut cortisol levels (qiviut_cortisol) |
Continuous
16.3 (3.8–84.5) |
||
aThese values were divided by 100 for the statistical analyses.
bNot estimated through Bayesian analyses.