Moose, the king of the boreal forest, is facing fast and drastic changes as a consequence of global warming. Increasing temperatures in combination with a changed precipitation pattern affects the physiology of moose both directly and indirectly through plant production and snow conditions. Another indirect effect of global warming is the need for renewable energy and building materials. The boreal forest provides important ecosystem services, such as timber, bio-energy and cellulose. With an increase in global demand for tree-based products, forestry industry is intensified and therefore changes the availability of forage. In addition, roads to support timber harvesting fragment the forests and increase human access to moose habitat. Windmill parks are
increasingly developed in the vast forests of Scandinavia. Due to conservation efforts, large carnivores are currently returning to their original range of distribution, while human hunt has become more effective due to technological advancements. All these changes may have long-term consequences for reproduction, survival and migration of moose.
The objective of Moose on the Move is to generate detailed knowledge on how moose physiology and behavior relates to various weather and snow conditions, proximity of wolves, hunters and infrastructure, and how migration patterns and forage selection depends on the phenology of plants.
