Cumulative effects of human footprint, natural features and predation risk best predict seasonal resource selection by white-tailed deer

Scientific Reports, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 12(1)

Published: Jan. 20, 2022

Abstract Land modified for human use alters matrix shape and composition is a leading contributor to global biodiversity loss. It can also play key role in facilitating range expansion ecosystem invasion by anthrophilic species, as it alter food abundance distribution while influencing predation risk; the relative roles of these processes are habitat selection theory. We researched influences examining footprint, natural habitat, predator occurrence on seasonal range-expanding boreal white-tailed deer ( Odocoileus virginianus ) oil sands western Canada. hypothesized that polygonal industrial features (e.g. cutblocks, well sites) drive distributions sources early seral forage, linear e.g. roads, trails, seismic lines) associated with predators avoided deer. developed 2nd -order resource models from three years GPS-telemetry data, camera-trap-based model occurrence, landscape spatial data weigh evidence six competing hypotheses. Deer was best explained combination features, intact deciduous forest, wolf Canis lupus occurrence. strongly selected such roads despite potential increased risk encounters. Linear may attract providing high density forage opportunity heavily exploited landscapes, into north.

Language: Английский

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Predator control alters wolf interactions with prey and competitor species over the diel cycle

Oikos, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 2022(8)

Published: May 13, 2022

Predator control remains one of the most common strategies for conservation threatened prey species. Despite significant and ongoing efforts to reduce predator populations, little is known about impacts on behaviour interactions target non‐target species following numerical potentially behavioural suppression predators. We used camera‐trap data collected before after an intensive wolf program in northeastern Alberta's boreal forest evaluate changes activity patterns overlap wolves, competitors prey. hypothesized wolves would shift their toward increased nocturnality avoid diurnal efforts, thereby cause a cascade where other maintain temporal segregation from wolves. Wolves shifted into nighttime control, reducing with other, mostly diurnal, members community. Decreases between indicates reduced potential ungulate large competitor may therefore not only release top down regulation competition predators, but also through de‐coupling overlap, effects interactions. Understanding indirect such as both provides insight disruptions top–down associated that shape community structure.

Language: Английский

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Ungulate occurrence in forest harvest blocks is influenced by forage availability, surrounding habitat and silviculture practices

Ecological Solutions and Evidence, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 4(2)

Published: April 1, 2023

Abstract Forest harvesting causes habitat loss and alteration can change predator–prey dynamics. In Canada, forest has shifted the distribution abundance of ungulates (deer, elk moose) that prefer early seral forest, resulting in unsustainable caribou predation by shared predators (bears, cougars wolves). Long‐term solutions for recovery require management to reduce ungulate prey species within ranges. Silviculture practices applied after directly affect amount forage available harvested areas, therefore influence distribution, but few studies have completed detailed assessments on how specific treatments site preparation, planting stand tending use harvest blocks. We used camera traps, silviculture data, GIS‐derived disturbance vegetation data collected at field sites investigate occurrence blocks west‐central Alberta, Canada. compared seasonal investigated site‐specific characteristics, surrounding density, fine‐scale influenced Deer, moose was higher summer winter. Elk, white‐tailed deer with greater availability species. Moose a lower road density area, further from seismic lines proportion area. younger Mule densities lodgepole pine, mule also had been tended. Our study provides information response methods linking wildlife forestry practices, providing practical scientific inform sustainable forestry. Translating this research into landscape decisions could benefit boreal biodiversity, including threatened like caribou, culturally economically important deer, moose.

Language: Английский

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Response of moose to forest harvest and management: a literature review

Canadian Journal of Forest Research, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 54(4), P. 366 - 388

Published: Oct. 31, 2023

Moose are an iconic symbol of northern forests. In many jurisdictions, the management moose has focused on regulating harvest with less emphasis understanding moose–habitat relationships. We reviewed literature and summarised effects forest ecology moose. Greater than 50 years scientific studies document both positive negative associated activities such as silviculture road building. require spatially adjacent patches younger plant communities for forage older forests thermal security cover. Extensive rapid can result in prevalence young a corresponding reduction fitness populations. A warming climate likely will exacerbate broad-scale removal Resource roads create edge habitat that may serve forage, but those features increased hunting collisions vehicles facilitate movement predators. Post-harvest silviculture, including application herbicides, stand conditions provide very little or low-quality forage. The ecological societal benefits dependent provides mix old forest, employs retains adequate cover plants, minimises development roads.

Language: Английский

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Local weather interacts with human disturbances to shape the behaviour of boreal caribou across a large climate gradient

Biodiversity and Conservation, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: Jan. 20, 2025

Language: Английский

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Winter diet of five sympatric ungulates in west-central Alberta, Canada—inference from DNA metabarcoding of fecal pellets

FACETS, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 10, P. 1 - 13

Published: Jan. 1, 2025

Diet is one of the determinants ungulate ecology. However, there have been few studies diet sympatric ungulates in western Canada. We used DNA metabarcoding fecal samples to evaluate winter white-tailed deer ( Odocoileus virginianus), mule O. hemionus), moose Alces americanus), elk Cervus canadensis), and caribou Rangifer tarandus caribou) west-central Alberta. found that forbs comprised 53%–82% reads from plant DNA, while mosses, sedges, grasses, shrubs made up relatively little each ungulate’s diet. There was considerable overlap five (Horn-Morisita index = 42%–64% overlap; Bray-Curtis 20%–45% overlap). Moose had most distinct diet, least distinct. our analysis restricted a coarse taxonomic resolution (family). Lichen species were not identifiable, beyond their fungal component number assignments difficult rationalise given knowledge ecology Alberta, efficient, but apparent limitations with technique restrict description quantification we studied.

Language: Английский

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Predator–prey co‐occurrence in harvest blocks: Implications for caribou and forestry

Conservation Science and Practice, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 4(12)

Published: Nov. 19, 2022

Abstract Forest harvesting alters habitat, impacts wildlife, and disrupts ecosystem function. Across the boreal forest of Canada, affects ungulate prey species their predators, with cascading on other species, including threatened woodland caribou. We used camera vegetation data occupancy modeling to investigate what characteristics in around forestry harvest blocks influenced co‐occurrence primary (elk, moose, mule deer, white‐tailed deer) predators (black bear, cougar, grizzly wolf) blocks. Occupancy was linked forage, surrounding habitat anthropogenic disturbance, silviculture practices. Black bear by presence bear–deer site‐specific practices disturbance. In context caribou recovery, our results indicate that within ranges could consider landscape‐level planning reduce use prey. Future recovery efforts may also roles deer bears predation risk. Our study provides first insights into predator–prey practical management applications mitigate activities future.

Language: Английский

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A synthetic review of terrestrial biological research from the Alberta oil sands region: 10 years of published literature

Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management, Journal Year: 2021, Volume and Issue: 18(2), P. 388 - 406

Published: Sept. 12, 2021

In the past decade, a large volume of peer-reviewed papers has examined potential impacts oil and gas resource extraction in Canadian sands (OS). A proportion focuses on terrestrial biology: wildlife, birds, vegetation. We provide qualitative synthesis condition environment region (OSR) from 2009 to 2020 identify gaps progress cumulative effects assessments. Our objectives were (1) qualitatively synthesize critically review knowledge OSR; (2) consistent trends generalizable conclusions; (3) pinpoint need greater monitoring or research effort. visualize foci by allocating conceptual model for OS. Despite recent increase publications, focus remained concentrated few key stressors, especially landscape disturbance, taxa interest. Stressor response is well represented, but direct pathways (linkages between stressors responses) limited. Important include understanding at multiple spatial scales, mammal health monitoring, focused local resources important Indigenous communities, geospatial coverage availability, including higher attribute resolution human footprint, comprehensive land cover mapping, up-to-date LiDAR coverage. Causal attribution based proximity operations orientation common may be limited strength inference that it provides. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2022;18:388-406. © 2021 The Authors. Integrated Environmental Assessment Management published Wiley Periodicals LLC behalf Society Toxicology & Chemistry (SETAC).

Language: Английский

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Spatial structure of reproductive success infers mechanisms of ungulate invasion in Nearctic boreal landscapes

Ecology and Evolution, Journal Year: 2020, Volume and Issue: 11(2), P. 900 - 911

Published: Dec. 17, 2020

Abstract Landscape change is a key driver of biodiversity declines due to habitat loss and fragmentation, but spatially shifting resources can also facilitate range expansion invasion. Invasive populations are reproductively successful, landscape may buoy this success. We show how modeling the spatial structure reproductive success elucidate mechanisms shifts sustained invasions for mammalian species with attendant young. use an example white‐tailed deer (deer; Odocoileus virginianus ) in Nearctic boreal forest, North American phenomenon implicated severe threatened woodland caribou ( Rangifer tarandus ). hypothesized that linked forage subsidies provided by extensive via resource extraction. measured occurrence using data from 62 camera traps northern Alberta, Canada, over three years. weighed support multiple competing hypotheses about multistate occupancy models generalized linear AIC‐based model selection framework. Spatial patterns were best explained features associated petroleum exploration extraction, which offer early‐seral vegetation subsidies. Effect sizes anthropogenic eclipsed natural heterogeneity two orders magnitude. conclude high springtime success, mitigating or exceeding winter losses, maintaining populations. Synthesis Applications . Modeling structuring become goal remote camera‐based global networks, yielding ecological insights into invasion inform effective decision‐making conservation.

Language: Английский

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Lethal wolf control elicits change in moose habitat selection in unexpected ways

Journal of Wildlife Management, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 88(7)

Published: July 11, 2024

Abstract Moose ( Alces alces ) and woodland caribou Ranger tarandus are the 2 large prey species for wolves Canis lupus in Nearctic boreal forest North America. Caribou have declined, with widespread anthropogenic disturbance as ultimate cause wolf predation proximal cause. To conserve government of Alberta, Canada initiated a control program to reduce rates on populations contribute population recovery. Predators play an important role shaping structure function ecosystems through top‐down forces. We hypothesized that strongest factors influencing moose occurrences would reflect changes risk before after onset control. weighed evidence competing hypothesis by deploying cameras across highly industrialized landscape Alberta 3 years (2017–2020), capitalizing existing data (2011–2014). created generalized linear models representing hypotheses about response natural features control, examining support each information‐theoretic framework. Prior model containing providing security cover was best‐supported, but this scale‐dependent. After offer increased forage opportunities best‐supported. Unexpectedly, direction effect often opposite predictions, avoiding some thought provide forage. demonstrate lethal predator affects spatial distribution its primary ways we do not fully comprehend, highlighting need better understanding community dynamics following

Language: Английский

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