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Walker PD, Rodgers AR, Shuter J, Fryxell JM, Merrill EH. Woodland caribou calving fidelity: Spatial location, habitat, or both? Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e11480. [PMID: 38826167 PMCID: PMC11139972 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.11480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2023] [Revised: 05/03/2024] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 06/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Individuals that isolate themselves to give birth can use more than one strategy in choosing birth sites to maximize reproductive success. Previous research has focused on the consistency in the use of the same birth-site across years (i.e., spatial fidelity), but individuals alternatively may use similar habitat conditions across years (i.e., habitat fidelity). Using GPS telemetry, we determined whether woodland caribou expressed spatial or habitat fidelity during calving, and evaluated intrinsic and extrinsic factors associated with expressing either type of fidelity. We identified 56 individuals with ≥2 putative birth events, via a movement-based model, across northern Ontario between 2010 and 2014. Individuals were classified as expressing (1) spatial fidelity by comparing sequential calving locations to a random spatial distribution of available calving locations, (2) habitat fidelity using a logistic use model compared to a null (intercept only) model, (3) no fidelity (neither criterion met), or (4) both spatial and habitat fidelity (both criteria met). Across all individuals, 37% expressed no fidelity (36 of 98), 15% expressed only spatial fidelity (15 of 99), 35% expressed only habitat fidelity (34 of 98), and 14% expressed both spatial and habitat fidelity (14 of 98). Older individuals were more likely to express spatial fidelity, whereas lower availability of upland and lowland conifer forests without linear features increased the probability an individual expressed habitat fidelity. Our results indicate that managing for caribou calving needs to consider protecting both specific, known birthing sites, but also broad-scale areas of preferred habitat for calving. Understanding the mechanisms that influence caribou expressing calving fidelity, and associated fitness costs, is crucial for the conservation of the species.
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Affiliation(s)
- P. D. Walker
- Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of AlbertaEdmontonAlbertaCanada
| | - A. R. Rodgers
- Centre for Northern Forest Ecosystem ResearchOntario Ministry of Natural Resources and ForestryThunder BayOntarioCanada
| | - J. Shuter
- Centre for Northern Forest Ecosystem ResearchOntario Ministry of Natural Resources and ForestryThunder BayOntarioCanada
| | - J. M. Fryxell
- Department of Integrative BiologyUniversity of GuelphGuelphOntarioCanada
| | - E. H. Merrill
- Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of AlbertaEdmontonAlbertaCanada
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Vanlandeghem V, Drapeau P, Prima M, St‐Laurent M, Fortin D. Management‐mediated predation rate in the caribou–moose–wolf system: spatial configuration of logging activities matters. Ecosphere 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - Pierre Drapeau
- Département des Sciences Biologique Université du Québec à Montréal Montreal QuebecH3C 3P8Canada
| | | | - Martin‐Hugues St‐Laurent
- Département de Biologie, Chimie et Géographie Université du Québec à Rimouski Rimouski QuebecG5L 3A1Canada
| | - Daniel Fortin
- Département de Biologie Université Laval Quebec QuebecG1V 0A6Canada
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Eisaguirre JM, Booms TL, Barger CP, Lewis SB, Breed GA. Novel step selection analyses on energy landscapes reveal how linear features alter migrations of soaring birds. J Anim Ecol 2020; 89:2567-2583. [PMID: 32926415 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2020] [Accepted: 08/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Human modification of landscapes includes extensive addition of linear features, such as roads and transmission lines. These can alter animal movement and space use and affect the intensity of interactions among species, including predation and competition. Effects of linear features on animal movement have seen relatively little research in avian systems, despite ample evidence of their effects in mammalian systems and that some types of linear features, including both roads and transmission lines, are substantial sources of mortality. Here, we used satellite telemetry combined with step selection functions designed to explicitly incorporate the energy landscape (el-SSFs) to investigate the effects of linear features and habitat on movements and space use of a large soaring bird, the golden eagle Aquila chrysaetos, during migration. Our sample consisted of 32 adult eagles tracked for 45 spring and 39 fall migrations from 2014 to 2017. Fitted el-SSFs indicated eagles had a strong general preference for south-facing slopes, where thermal uplift develops predictably, and that these areas are likely important aspects of migratory pathways. el-SSFs also provided evidence that roads and railroads affected movement during both spring and fall migrations, but eagles selected areas near roads to a greater degree in spring compared to fall and at higher latitudes compared to lower latitudes. During spring, time spent near linear features often occurred during slower-paced or stopover movements, perhaps in part to access carrion produced by vehicle collisions. Regardless of the behavioural mechanism of selection, use of these features could expose eagles and other soaring species to elevated risk via collision with vehicles and/or transmission lines. Linear features have previously been documented to affect the ecology of terrestrial species (e.g. large mammals) by modifying individuals' movement patterns; our work shows that these effects on movement extend to avian taxa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph M Eisaguirre
- Department of Biology & Wildlife, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, USA.,Department of Mathematics & Statistics, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, USA
| | | | | | | | - Greg A Breed
- Department of Biology & Wildlife, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, USA.,Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, USA
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Mutz J, Underwood N, Inouye BD. Integrating top-down and bottom-up effects of local density across scales and a complex life cycle. Ecology 2020; 101:e03118. [PMID: 32531072 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.3118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2019] [Revised: 03/25/2020] [Accepted: 05/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Effects of group size (local conspecific density) on individual performance can be substantial, yet it is unclear how these translate to larger-scale and longer-term outcomes. Effects of group size can be mediated by both top-down and bottom-up interactions, can change in type or direction across the life cycle, and can depend on the spatial scale at which group size is assessed. Only by determining how these different processes combine can we make predictions about how selection operates on group size or link hierarchical patterns of density dependence with population dynamics. We manipulated the density of a leaf beetle, Leptinotarsa juncta, at three nested spatial scales (patch, plant within a patch, and leaf within plant) to investigate how conspecific density affects predator-mediated survival and resource-mediated growth during different life stages and across multiple spatial scales. We then used data from field predation experiments to assess how L. juncta densities at hierarchical scales affect different aspects of predation. Finally, we incorporated predator- and resource-mediated effects of density in a model to explore how changes in group size due to density-dependent predation might affect mass at pupation for survivors. The effects of L. juncta density on predation risk differed among scales. Per capita predation risk of both eggs and late instars was lowest at high patch-scale densities, but increased with plant-scale density. The final mass of late instars declined with increasing plant-scale larval density, potentially because of truncated development of high-density larvae. Predation incidence (i.e., group attack rate) increased with larval density at all spatial scales. A high coefficient of variation (i.e., greater aggregation) of L. juncta density was associated with lower predation incidence at some scales. Our model suggested that predator- and resource-mediated effects of density interact: lower survival at high larval density is mitigated by high final mass of larvae in the resulting smaller groups. Our results emphasize the importance of spatial scale and demonstrate that effects of top-down and bottom-up interactions are not necessarily independent. To understand how group size influences fitness, predator- and resource-mediated effects of density should be measured in their demographic and spatial context, and not in isolation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessie Mutz
- Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, 32306, USA
| | - Nora Underwood
- Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, 32306, USA
| | - Brian D Inouye
- Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, 32306, USA
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Slowing down wolves to protect boreal caribou populations: a spatial simulation model of linear feature restoration. Ecosphere 2019. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.2904] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
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DeMars C, Serrouya R, Mumma M, Gillingham M, McNay R, Boutin S. Moose, caribou, and fire: have we got it right yet? CAN J ZOOL 2019. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2018-0319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Natural disturbance plays a key role in shaping community dynamics. Within Canadian boreal forests, the dominant form of natural disturbance is fire, and its effects are thought to influence the dynamics between moose (Alces alces (Linnaeus, 1758)) and the boreal ecotype of woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou (Gmelin, 1788)). Boreal caribou are considered “threatened” and population declines are attributed, at least in part, to disturbance-mediated apparent competition (DMAC) with moose. Here, we tested a primary prediction of the DMAC hypothesis: that moose respond positively to burns within and adjacent to the caribou range. We assessed moose selection for ≤25-year-old burns (when selection is predicted to be strongest) at multiple spatial scales and evaluated whether moose density was correlated with the extent of ≤40-year-old burns (a time frame predicted to negatively affect caribou). Against expectation, moose showed avoidance and low use of ≤25-year-old burns at all scales, regardless of burn age, season, and type of land cover burned. These findings mirrored the demographic response, as we found no correlation between ≤40-year-old burns and moose density. By contradicting the prevailing hypothesis linking fires to caribou population declines, our results highlight the need to understand regional variation in disturbance impacts on caribou populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- C.A. DeMars
- Caribou Monitoring Unit, Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - R. Serrouya
- Caribou Monitoring Unit, Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - M.A. Mumma
- Ecosystem Science and Management, University of Northern British Columbia, Prince George, B.C., Canada
| | - M.P. Gillingham
- Ecosystem Science and Management, University of Northern British Columbia, Prince George, B.C., Canada
| | - R.S. McNay
- Wildlife Infometrics, Inc., Mackenzie, B.C., Canada
| | - S. Boutin
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
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Jakes AF, Gates CC, DeCesare NJ, Jones PF, Goldberg JF, Kunkel KE, Hebblewhite M. Classifying the migration behaviors of pronghorn on their northern range. J Wildl Manage 2018. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.21485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Andrew F. Jakes
- Faculty of Environmental Design; University of Calgary; 2500 University Drive NW Calgary, AB T2N 1N4 Canada
| | - C. Cormack Gates
- Faculty of Environmental Design; University of Calgary; 2500 University Drive NW Calgary, AB T2N 1N4 Canada
| | | | - Paul F. Jones
- Alberta Conservation Association; 817 4th Avenue South #400 Lethbridge, AB T1J 0P3 Canada
| | - Joshua F. Goldberg
- Wildlife Biology Program, W. A. Franke College of Forestry and Conservation, University of Montana; 32 Campus Drive Missoula MT 59812 USA
| | - Kyran E. Kunkel
- World Wildlife Fund-Northern Great Plains; 1875 Gateway South Gallatin Gateway MT 59730 USA
| | - Mark Hebblewhite
- Wildlife Biology Program, W. A. Franke College of Forestry and Conservation, University of Montana; 32 Campus Drive Missoula MT 59812 USA
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