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Aguirre I, Hood GA, Westbrook CJ. Short-term dynamics of beaver dam flow states. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 919:170825. [PMID: 38340831 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.170825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2023] [Revised: 02/06/2024] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
Beavers (Castor canadensis and C. fiber) build dams that modify catchment and pond water balances, and it has been suggested that they can be a nature-based solution for reducing flood hydrographs, enhancing low flow hydrographs and restoring hydrological functioning of degraded streams. How water moves through a beaver dam is determined by its flow state (e.g., overflow, underflow). However, current conceptual models only consider flow state as changing over the beaver site occupation-abandonment cycle. To assess whether flow state changes at shorter timescales and identify possible triggers (e.g., rainfall, animals), we integrated camera trap imagery, machine learning, water level measurements, and hydrometeorological data at beaver dams in a montane peatland in the Canadian Rocky Mountains. Contrary to current models, we found that flow states changed frequently, changing a maximum 12 times during the 139-day study period, but that changes had limited synchronicity amongst the dams in the same stream. More than two-thirds of the changes coincided with rainfall events. We observed no changes in flow state in response to beaver activity or wildlife crossings perhaps due to the camera positioning. Our findings augment the long-term oriented framework, which links changes to the occupancy cycle of a beaver pond and frequent and hydrological-driven changes. To develop realistic predictions of hydrological impacts of beaver dams, ecohydrological models should update their representation of the influence of beaver dams to include short-term dynamism of flow states and potential triggers. Our study advances the understanding of the important, yet understudied, role of beaver dams in stream restoration and climate change initiatives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ignacio Aguirre
- Department of Geography and Planning, Centre for Hydrology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5C8, Canada.
| | - Glynnis A Hood
- Department of Science, University of Alberta, Augustana Faculty, 4901 - 46 Avenue Camrose, Alberta T4V 2R3, Canada.
| | - Cherie J Westbrook
- Department of Geography and Planning, Centre for Hydrology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5C8, Canada.
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Gable TD, Johnson-Bice SM, Homkes AT, Fieberg J, Bump JK. Wolves alter the trajectory of forests by shaping the central place foraging behaviour of an ecosystem engineer. Proc Biol Sci 2023; 290:20231377. [PMID: 37935367 PMCID: PMC10645084 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.1377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Predators can directly and indirectly alter the foraging behaviour of prey through direct predation and the risk of predation, and in doing so, initiate indirect effects that influence myriad species and ecological processes. We describe how wolves indirectly alter the trajectory of forests by constraining the distance that beavers, a central place forager and prolific ecosystem engineer, forage from water. Specifically, we demonstrate that wolves wait in ambush and kill beavers on longer feeding trails than would be expected based on the spatio-temporal availability of beavers. This pattern is driven by temporal dynamics of beaver foraging: beavers make more foraging trips and spend more time on land per trip on longer feeding trails that extend farther from water. As a result, beavers are more vulnerable on longer feeding trails than shorter ones. Wolf predation appears to be a selective evolutionary pressure propelled by consumptive and non-consumptive mechanisms that constrain the distance from water beavers forage, which in turn limits the area of forest around wetlands, lakes and rivers beavers alter through foraging. Thus, wolves appear intricately linked to boreal forest dynamics by shaping beaver foraging behaviour, a form of natural disturbance that alters the successional and ecological states of forests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas D. Gable
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, University of Minnesota, 2003 Upper Buford Circles, St Paul, MN 55108, USA
| | - Sean M. Johnson-Bice
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, 50 Sifton Road, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, R3T 2N2
| | - Austin T. Homkes
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, University of Minnesota, 2003 Upper Buford Circles, St Paul, MN 55108, USA
| | - John Fieberg
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, University of Minnesota, 2003 Upper Buford Circles, St Paul, MN 55108, USA
| | - Joseph K. Bump
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, University of Minnesota, 2003 Upper Buford Circles, St Paul, MN 55108, USA
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3
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Gable TD, Johnson-Bice SM, Homkes AT, Bump JK. Differential provisioning roles, prey size, and prey abundance shape the dynamic feeding behavior of gray wolves. Commun Biol 2023; 6:1045. [PMID: 37838820 PMCID: PMC10576808 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-05419-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/16/2023] Open
Abstract
The demands of raising dependent young can influence the feeding behaviors of social carnivores, especially for individuals that are primarily responsible for provisioning young. We investigated how the feeding and provisioning behavior of a social carnivore, gray wolves (Canis lupus), are connected and shaped by extrinsic and intrinsic factors, and whether and how these patterns changed throughout the pup-rearing season (April-August). We found breeding wolves had shorter handling times of prey, lower probability of returning to kills, and greater probability of returning to homesites after kills compared to subordinate individuals. However, the feeding and provisioning behaviors of breeding individuals changed considerably over the pup-rearing season. Wolves had longer handling times and returned to provision pups directly after kills less frequently as annual prey abundance decreased. These patterns indicate that adult wolves prioritize meeting their own energetic demands over those of their pups when prey abundance decreases. We suggest that differential provisioning of offspring based on prey abundance is a behavioral mechanism by which group size adjusts to available resources via changes in neonate survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas D Gable
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Biology, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, USA.
| | - Sean M Johnson-Bice
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Austin T Homkes
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Biology, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, USA
| | - Joseph K Bump
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Biology, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, USA
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Johnson-Bice SM, Gable TD, Homkes AT, Windels SK, Bump JK, Bruggink JG. Logging, linear features, and human infrastructure shape the spatial dynamics of wolf predation on an ungulate neonate. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2023; 33:e2911. [PMID: 37602927 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2911] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2023] [Revised: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 07/26/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023]
Abstract
Humans are increasingly recognized as important players in predator-prey dynamics by modifying landscapes. This trend has been well-documented for large mammal communities in North American boreal forests: logging creates early seral forests that benefit ungulates such as white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), while the combination of infrastructure development and resource extraction practices generate linear features that allow predators such as wolves (Canis lupus) to travel and forage more efficiently throughout the landscape. Disturbances from recreational activities and residential development are other major sources of human activity in boreal ecosystems that may further alter wolf-ungulate dynamics. Here, we evaluate the influence that several major types of anthropogenic landscape modifications (timber harvest, linear features, and residential infrastructure) have on where and how wolves hunt ungulate neonates in a southern boreal forest ecosystem in Minnesota, USA. We demonstrate that each major anthropogenic disturbance significantly influences wolf predation of white-tailed deer fawns (n = 427 kill sites). In contrast with the "human shield hypothesis" that posits prey use human-modified areas as refuge, wolves killed fawns closer to residential buildings than expected based on spatial availability. Fawns were also killed within recently-logged areas more than expected. Concealment cover was higher at kill sites than random sites, suggesting wolves use senses other than vision, probably olfaction, to detect hidden fawns. Wolves showed strong selection for hunting along linear features, and kill sites were also closer to linear features than expected. We hypothesize that linear features facilitated wolf predation on fawns by allowing wolves to travel efficiently among high-quality prey patches (recently logged areas, near buildings), and also increase encounter rates with olfactory cues that allow them to detect hidden fawns. These findings provide novel insight into the strategies predators use to hunt ungulate neonates and the many ways human activity alters wolf-ungulate neonate predator-prey dynamics, which have remained elusive due to the challenges of locating sites where predators kill small prey. Our research has important management and conservation implications for wolf-ungulate systems subjected to anthropogenic pressures, particularly as the range of overlap between wolves and deer expands and appears to be altering food web dynamics in boreal ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean M Johnson-Bice
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Thomas D Gable
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Biology, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA
| | - Austin T Homkes
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Biology, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA
- Department of Biology, Northern Michigan University, Marquette, Michigan, USA
| | - Steve K Windels
- Voyageurs National Park, International Falls, Minnesota, USA
| | - Joseph K Bump
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Biology, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA
| | - John G Bruggink
- Department of Biology, Northern Michigan University, Marquette, Michigan, USA
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Campbell JJN. Comments on: Braccia, Amy, Jamie Lau, Jesse Robinson, Michael Croasdaile, Jeong Park, and Art Parola (2023). "Macroinvertebrate assemblages from a stream-wetland complex: a case study with implications for assessing restored hydrologic functions". ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2023; 195:1196. [PMID: 37698702 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-023-11671-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 09/13/2023]
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Sovie AR, Romanski MC, Orning EK, Marneweck DG, Nichols R, Moore S, Belant JL. Temporal variation in translocated Isle Royale wolf diet. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e9873. [PMID: 36937055 PMCID: PMC10019911 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.9873] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2022] [Revised: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Wolves (Canis lupus) can exert top-down pressure and shape ecological communities through the predation of ungulates and beavers (Castor spp.). Therefore, understanding wolf foraging is critical to estimating their ecosystem-level effects. Specifically, if wolves are consumers that optimize tradeoffs between the cost and benefits of prey acquisition, changes in these factors may lead to prey-switching or negative-density dependent selection with potential consequences for community stability. For wolves, factors affecting cost and benefits include prey vulnerability, risk, reward, and availability, which can vary temporally. We described the wolf diet by the frequency of occurrence and percent biomass and characterized the diet using prey remains found in wolf scats on Isle Royale National Park, Michigan, USA, during May-October 2019 and 2020. We used logistic regression to estimate prey consumption over time. We predicted prey with temporal variation in cost (availability and/or vulnerability) such as adult moose (Alces alces), calf moose, and beaver (Castor canadensis) to vary in wolf diets. We analyzed 206 scats and identified 62% of remains as beaver, 26% as moose, and 12% as other species (birds, smaller mammals, and wolves). Adult moose were more likely to occur in wolf scats in May when moose are in poor condition following winter. The occurrence of moose calves peaked during June-mid-July following birth but before calf vulnerability declined as they matured. By contrast, beaver occurrence in wolf scat did not change over time, reflecting the importance of low-handling cost prey items for recently introduced lone or paired wolves. Our results demonstrate that the wolf diet is responsive to temporal changes in prey costs. Temporal fluctuation in diet may influence wolves' ecological role if prey respond to increased predation risk by altering foraging or breeding behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adia R. Sovie
- Department of Fisheries and WildlifeMichigan State UniversityEast LansingMichiganUSA
| | - Mark C. Romanski
- National Park ServiceIsle Royale National ParkHoughtonMichiganUSA
| | - Elizabeth K. Orning
- College of Environmental Science and ForestryState University of New YorkSyracuseNew YorkUSA
| | | | - Rachel Nichols
- Department of Biology and EnvironmentGrand Portage Band of Lake Superior ChippewaGrand PortageMinnesotaUSA
| | - Seth Moore
- Department of Biology and EnvironmentGrand Portage Band of Lake Superior ChippewaGrand PortageMinnesotaUSA
| | - Jerrold L. Belant
- Department of Fisheries and WildlifeMichigan State UniversityEast LansingMichiganUSA
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Bonin M, Dussault C, Taillon J, Pisapio J, Lecomte N, Côté SD. Diet flexibility of wolves and black bears in the range of migratory caribou. J Mammal 2023. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyad002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Abstract
The diet of predators can be highly variable, which is exemplified by their ability to acclimate to a wide range of ecological conditions. Such flexibility in foraging may be a key aspect of their performance in unpredictable environments such as at the edge of the range of a species or where food availability varies greatly in time and space. Gaining information on the diets of predators under such conditions could foster our comprehension of their ecological flexibility and the potential role of predation on the population dynamics of prey. We determined the diet of wolves (Canis lupus) and black bears (Ursus americanus) in northern Québec and Labrador (Canada) within the range of two migratory caribou (Rangifer tarandus) herds: the high-abundance Rivière-aux-Feuilles herd (RFH) and low-abundance Rivière-George herd (RGH). Worldwide, decline in caribou populations has become a concern, stressing the need to better understand the factors involved in these declines, including predation. In northern Québec (RFH range), caribou was the primary year-round prey of wolves while moose (Alces alces) and muskoxen (Ovibos moschatus) were consumed in some sectors. The diet of wolves in northern Labrador (RGH range) varied seasonally, with caribou, moose, and fish as main prey during different periods throughout the year. Black bear diets varied seasonally and regionally. Among the foods we analyzed, caribou was the main source of animal protein for bears in northern Québec and northern Labrador, except during a high abundance of Ungava collared lemming (Dicrostonyx hudsonius). Only bears in northern Québec ate caribou during late summer/fall. Our results highlight the diet flexibility of wolves and black bears in northern food webs, and how their diets change in relation to the distribution and abundance of prey. Our results will help quantify the potential impact of these predators on prey populations in northern systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michaël Bonin
- Caribou Ungava, département de biologie, Université Laval , 1045 avenue de la Médecine, Québec City, Québec G1V 0A6 , Canada
- Centre d’études nordiques, Université Laval , 2405 rue de la Terrasse, Québec City, Québec G1V 0A6 , Canada
| | - Christian Dussault
- Caribou Ungava, département de biologie, Université Laval , 1045 avenue de la Médecine, Québec City, Québec G1V 0A6 , Canada
- Direction de l’expertise sur la faune terrestre, l’herpétofaune et l’avifaune, Ministère des Forêts, de la Faune et des Parcs du Québec, 880 chemin Sainte-Foy , Québec City, Québec G1S 4X4 , Canada
| | - Joëlle Taillon
- Caribou Ungava, département de biologie, Université Laval , 1045 avenue de la Médecine, Québec City, Québec G1V 0A6 , Canada
- Direction de l’expertise sur la faune terrestre, l’herpétofaune et l’avifaune, Ministère des Forêts, de la Faune et des Parcs du Québec, 880 chemin Sainte-Foy , Québec City, Québec G1S 4X4 , Canada
| | - John Pisapio
- Caribou Ungava, département de biologie, Université Laval , 1045 avenue de la Médecine, Québec City, Québec G1V 0A6 , Canada
- Wildlife Division, Newfoundland and Labrador Department of Fisheries, Forests and Agriculture , Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador A0P 1E0 , Canada
| | - Nicolas Lecomte
- Caribou Ungava, département de biologie, Université Laval , 1045 avenue de la Médecine, Québec City, Québec G1V 0A6 , Canada
- Centre d’études nordiques, Université Laval , 2405 rue de la Terrasse, Québec City, Québec G1V 0A6 , Canada
- Chaire de recherche du Canada en écologie polaire et boréale et Centre d’études nordiques, département de biologie, Université de Moncton , 18 avenue Antonine-Maillet, Moncton, New Brunswick E1A 3E9 , Canada
| | - Steeve D Côté
- Caribou Ungava, département de biologie, Université Laval , 1045 avenue de la Médecine, Québec City, Québec G1V 0A6 , Canada
- Centre d’études nordiques, Université Laval , 2405 rue de la Terrasse, Québec City, Québec G1V 0A6 , Canada
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Fedyń I, Przepióra F, Sobociński W, Wyka J, Ciach M. Eurasian beaver - A semi-aquatic ecosystem engineer rearranges the assemblage of terrestrial mammals in winter. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 831:154919. [PMID: 35364166 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.154919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2022] [Revised: 03/25/2022] [Accepted: 03/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
There is increasing awareness of the ecosystem engineering services provided by recovering populations of Eurasian beaver. By modifying aquatic environments, this species has a significant, positive influence on biodiversity. Beaver activity affects not only aquatic ecosystems but also terrestrial habitats and organisms. Our study compares and evaluates the species richness and activity of terrestrial mammals in winter at beaver ponds (N = 65) and randomly-selected reference sites along nearby watercourses unmodified by beavers (N = 65) in Poland (central Europe). Mammal assemblages were investigated near pond/watercourse edges, and also at some distance from them. The species richness of mammal and numbers of their tracks were respectively 25% and 33% greater on the beaver than on the reference sites. The higher species richness on beaver sites extended to areas 40-60 m distant from ponds, devoid any signs of beaver activity. Twenty-three mammal species were recorded on beaver sites (mean species richness 3.8 ± 1.6 SD), and 20 on reference ones (3.0 ± 1.5 SD). The numbers of tracks of grey wolf, least weasel and European polecat were higher on beaver than reference sites. Mammal species richness and activity were related to the existence of beaver ponds, but were also correlated with the numbers of snags and coverage of grass, bramble and coniferous saplings in neighbouring terrestrial habitats. Large and small carnivores occurred more frequently and were more active on beaver sites. The frequencies of occurrence of mesocarnivores, mesoherbivores and small herbivores were correlated with habitat characteristics, regardless of whether beavers were present or not. Our results highlight the fact that both pond creation and the habitat changes resulting from the presence of beavers rearrange the occurrence and activity of the terrestrial mammal assemblage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Izabela Fedyń
- Department of Forest Biodiversity, Faculty of Forestry, University of Agriculture, al. 29 Listopada 46, 31-425 Kraków, Poland
| | - Fabian Przepióra
- Department of Forest Biodiversity, Faculty of Forestry, University of Agriculture, al. 29 Listopada 46, 31-425 Kraków, Poland
| | - Wojciech Sobociński
- Institute of Biology, University of Bialystok, ul. Ciołkowskiego 1J, 15-245 Białystok, Poland
| | - Jakub Wyka
- Department of Forest Biodiversity, Faculty of Forestry, University of Agriculture, al. 29 Listopada 46, 31-425 Kraków, Poland
| | - Michał Ciach
- Department of Forest Biodiversity, Faculty of Forestry, University of Agriculture, al. 29 Listopada 46, 31-425 Kraków, Poland.
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9
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Thompson CA, Benson JF, Patterson BR. A novel survey design for modeling species distribution of beavers in Algonquin Park, Canada. WILDLIFE SOC B 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/wsb.1322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - John F. Benson
- School of Natural Resources University of Nebraska–Lincoln 3300 Holdrege Street Lincoln NE 68583 USA
| | - Brent R. Patterson
- Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry 2140 East Bank Drive Peterborough ON K9L 1Z8 Canada
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10
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Petroelje TR, Fowler NL, Orning EK, Patterson BR, Romanski MC, Belant JL. Interspecific Killing of Vulpes vulpes (Red Fox) Kits at a Den Site by Canis lupus (Gray Wolf) in Isle Royale National Park, Michigan. Northeast Nat (Steuben) 2022. [DOI: 10.1656/045.029.0113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Tyler R. Petroelje
- Global Wildlife Conservation Center, State University of New York, College of Environmental Science and Forestry, 1 Forestry Drive, Syracuse, NY 13210
| | - Nicholas L. Fowler
- Global Wildlife Conservation Center, State University of New York, College of Environmental Science and Forestry, 1 Forestry Drive, Syracuse, NY 13210
| | - Elizabeth K. Orning
- Global Wildlife Conservation Center, State University of New York, College of Environmental Science and Forestry, 1 Forestry Drive, Syracuse, NY 13210
| | - Brent R. Patterson
- Wildlife Research and Monitoring Section, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, Peterborough, ON K9L 1Z8, Canada
| | - Mark C. Romanski
- US Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Isle Royale National Park, Houghton, MI 49931
| | - Jerrold L. Belant
- Global Wildlife Conservation Center, State University of New York, College of Environmental Science and Forestry, 1 Forestry Drive, Syracuse, NY 13210
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11
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Borg BL, Schirokauer DW. The Role of Weather and Long-Term Prey Dynamics as Drivers of Wolf Population Dynamics in a Multi-Prey System. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.791161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
As climate change accelerates in northern latitudes, there is an increasing need to understand the role of climate in influencing predator-prey systems. We investigated wolf population dynamics and numerical response in Denali National Park and Preserve in Alaska, United States from 1986 to 2016 under a long-term range of varying climatic conditions and in the context of prey vulnerability, abundance, and population structure using an integrated population modeling approach. We found that wolf natality, or the number of wolves added to packs, increased with higher caribou population size, calf:cow ratio, and hare numbers, responding to a 1-year lag. Apparent survival increased in years with higher calf:cow ratios and cumulative snowfall in the prior winter, indicators of a vulnerable prey base. Thus, indices of prey abundance and vulnerability led to responses in wolf demographics, but we did not find that the wolf population responded numerically. During recent caribou and moose population increases wolf natality increased yet wolf population size declined. The decline in wolf population size is attributed to fewer packs in recent years with a few very large packs as opposed to several packs of comparable size. Our results suggest that territoriality can play a vital role in our study area on regulating population growth. These results provide a baseline comparison of wolf responses to climatic and prey variability in an area with relatively low levels of human disturbance, a rare feature in wolf habitat worldwide.
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12
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Hernández DL, Bump JK. Predation of a Beaver (Castor canadensis) by a Gray Wolf (Canis lupus) during Winter. AMERICAN MIDLAND NATURALIST 2022. [DOI: 10.1674/0003-0031-187.1.97] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel L. Hernández
- Biology Department, Carleton College, 1 North College Street, Northfield, MN 55057
| | - Joseph K. Bump
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, University of Minnesota 2003 Upper Buford Circle, St. Paul, MN 5510
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13
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Mysłajek RW, Romański M, Kwiatkowska I, Stępniak KM, Figura M, Nowak-Brzezińska A, Diserens TA, Nowak S. Temporal changes in the wolf Canis lupus diet in Wigry National Park (northeast Poland). ETHOL ECOL EVOL 2021. [DOI: 10.1080/03949370.2021.1907787] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Robert W. Mysłajek
- Department of Ecology, Institute of Functional Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Biological and Chemical Research Centre, Żwirki i Wigury 101, Warszawa 02-089, Poland
| | | | - Iga Kwiatkowska
- Department of Ecology, Institute of Functional Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Biological and Chemical Research Centre, Żwirki i Wigury 101, Warszawa 02-089, Poland
| | - Kinga M. Stępniak
- Department of Ecology, Institute of Functional Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Biological and Chemical Research Centre, Żwirki i Wigury 101, Warszawa 02-089, Poland
| | - Michał Figura
- Association for Nature “Wolf”, Cynkowa 4, Twardorzeczka 34-324, Poland
| | - Agnieszka Nowak-Brzezińska
- Institute of Computer Science, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Silesia, Bankowa 12, Katowice 40-007, Poland
| | - Tom A. Diserens
- Mammal Research Institute Polish Academy of Sciences, Stoczek 1, Białowieża 17-230, Poland
- Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Miecznikowa 1, Warsaw 02-089, Poland
| | - Sabina Nowak
- Association for Nature “Wolf”, Cynkowa 4, Twardorzeczka 34-324, Poland
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14
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Bouchard É, Schurer JM, Kolapo T, Wagner B, Massé A, Locke SA, Leighton P, Jenkins EJ. Host and geographic differences in prevalence and diversity of gastrointestinal helminths of foxes ( Vulpes vulpes), coyotes ( Canis latrans) and wolves ( Canis lupus) in Québec, Canada. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR PARASITOLOGY-PARASITES AND WILDLIFE 2021; 16:126-137. [PMID: 34552844 PMCID: PMC8441108 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2021.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2021] [Revised: 09/02/2021] [Accepted: 09/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Abstract
Wild canids are hosts to a wide range of parasites and can play a role in transmission of zoonoses. As many parasites are transmitted through food webs, and wild canids are at high trophic levels, parasite prevalence and diversity in wild canids can serve as excellent indicators of ecosystem health. Our main objectives were to update knowledge on the composition of gastrointestinal helminths in wild canids from Québec, Canada, and to describe differences in parasite prevalence and diversity among canid species and regions. Hunters and trappers provided whole carcasses of red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) (N = 176), and intestinal tracts of coyotes (Canis latrans) (N = 77) and gray wolves (Canis lupus) (N = 23) harvested for non-research purposes over the winter of 2016-2017. A modified Stoll's centrifugation sucrose flotation on feces of 250 wild canids was used, and eggs of one family and eight genera of parasitic helminths were recovered: diphyllobothriids, Taenia/Echinococcus spp., Capillaria spp., Toxascaris sp., Toxocara sp., Trichuris sp., Uncinaria sp., and Metorchis sp. Adult Taenia spp. cestodes were recovered from 61 of 276 (22%) canids. Six different species (T. hydatigena, T. twitchelli, T. crassiceps, T. polyacantha, T. krabbei, and T. pisiformis-"like") were differentiated based on DNA sequenced from 65 individual adult cestodes using primers for the nicotinamide adenosine dinucleotide dehydrogenase subunit 1 (ND1) and cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (CO1) mitochondrial DNA loci. Alaria sp. trematodes infected 89 of 276 canids (32%). A subset were identified as A. americana at the CO1 locus. The marine trematode Cryptocotyle lingua was reported for the first time in foxes in the province of Québec. These results help us understand more fully the predator-prey relationships within this group of canids. This baseline data in regional parasite prevalence and intensity is critical in order to detect future changes following ecological disturbances due to climate and landscape alterations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Émilie Bouchard
- University of Saskatchewan, Department of Veterinary Microbiology, 52 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5B4, Canada.,Research Group on Epidemiology of Zoonoses and Public Health (GREZOSP), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Université de Montréal, 3200 Rue Sicotte, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC, J2S 2M2, Canada
| | - Janna M Schurer
- University of Global Health Equity, Center for One Health, Kigali, Rwanda
| | - Temitope Kolapo
- University of Saskatchewan, Department of Veterinary Microbiology, 52 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5B4, Canada
| | - Brent Wagner
- University of Saskatchewan, Department of Veterinary Microbiology, 52 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5B4, Canada
| | - Ariane Massé
- Ministère des Forêts, de La Faune et des Parcs, 880 Chemin Sainte-Foy, Québec, QC, G1S 4X4, Canada.,Research Group on Epidemiology of Zoonoses and Public Health (GREZOSP), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Université de Montréal, 3200 Rue Sicotte, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC, J2S 2M2, Canada
| | - Sean A Locke
- University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez, Department of Biology, Box 9000, Mayagüez 00681, 9000, Puerto Rico
| | - Patrick Leighton
- Research Group on Epidemiology of Zoonoses and Public Health (GREZOSP), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Université de Montréal, 3200 Rue Sicotte, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC, J2S 2M2, Canada
| | - Emily J Jenkins
- University of Saskatchewan, Department of Veterinary Microbiology, 52 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5B4, Canada
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15
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Lodberg-Holm HK, Teglas BS, Tyers DB, Jimenez MD, Smith DW. Spatial and temporal variability in summer diet of gray wolves ( Canis lupus) in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. J Mammal 2021; 102:1030-1041. [PMID: 34393668 PMCID: PMC8362331 DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyab060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2020] [Accepted: 04/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The role of predation by large carnivores in suppressing prey populations and structuring ecosystems is highly debated, calling for a detailed understanding of carnivore diets. Wolves (Canis lupus) roam across three continents and persist throughout widely different ecosystems. Their diet is flexible and may vary spatially as well as seasonally, which requires analysis of diet on different spatial and temporal scales. Few studies have investigated the summer diet of wolves, which is more variable, consists of smaller prey, and requires different methods than studying their winter diet. To better understand the summer diet of wolves, we combined three independently collected wolf scat data sets from three distinctly different portions of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem: Yellowstone National Park (2009), Grand Teton National Park (2003 – 2009), and the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness (2009 – 2010). These areas represent different ecological conditions and management regimes, which may impact wolf diet. We estimated relative biomass and compared occurrence of different prey species among packs, years, as well as the three regions. In total, we analyzed 1,906 wolf scats and found that neonate cervids, adult elk, and adult deer were the most important prey species in the summer diet of the wolves. We found dietary variation among packs residing in the same area, as well as across years. The occurrence of neonate cervids displayed the most variation, and low occurrence of this prey type often was associated with a more diverse diet. Wolf packs within the national parks had a higher occurrence of medium-sized prey (~ 50 – 70 kg) and lower occurrence of small-sized prey (≤ 20 kg) compared to wolves in the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness. These results demonstrate flexibility in summer diet across packs, years, and between regions within the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanna K Lodberg-Holm
- Faculty of Technology, Natural Sciences and Maritime Sciences, Department of Natural Sciences and Environmental Health, University of South-Eastern Norway, P.O. Box 5003, NO-3800 Bø, Norway
| | - Bonnie S Teglas
- Department of Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557, USA
| | - Daniel B Tyers
- US Forest Service, Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team, Northern Rockies Science Center, Bozeman, MT 59715, USA
| | | | - Douglas W Smith
- Yellowstone Wolf Project, Yellowstone Center for Resources, P.O. Box 168, Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190, USA
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16
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Adams SB, Gelbard EM. American Beavers (Castor canadensis) Use a Hollow Baldcypress Snag as a Lodge. SOUTHEAST NAT 2021. [DOI: 10.1656/058.020.0116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Susan B. Adams
- USDA Forest Service, Southern Research Station, Center for Bottomland Hardwoods Research, Aquatic Conservation and Ecology Team, 1000 Front Street, Oxford, MS 38655
| | - Elaine M. Gelbard
- USDA Forest Service, Southern Research Station, Center for Bottomland Hardwoods Research, Aquatic Conservation and Ecology Team, 1000 Front Street, Oxford, MS 38655
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17
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Gable TD, Homkes AT, Johnson-Bice SM, Windels SK, Bump JK. Wolves choose ambushing locations to counter and capitalize on the sensory abilities of their prey. Behav Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/araa147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Comprehensive knowledge of ambush behavior requires an understanding of where a predator expects prey to be, which is generally unknowable because ambush predators often hunt mobile prey that exhibit complex, irregular, or inconspicuous movements. Wolves (Canis lupus) are primarily cursorial predators, but they use ambush strategies to hunt beavers (Castor canadensis). Terrestrial beaver activity is predictable because beavers use well-defined, conspicuous habitat features repeatedly. Thus, studying where wolves wait-in-ambush for beavers provides a unique opportunity to understand how predators choose ambush locations in relation to prey activity. We searched 11 817 clusters of GPS locations from wolves in the Greater Voyageurs Ecosystem, International Falls, MN, and documented 748 ambushing sites and 214 instances where wolves killed beavers. Wolves chose ambush locations: 1) with olfactory concealment to avoid detection from the highly developed olfactory senses of beavers and 2) close (generally <5 m) to beaver habitat features to take advantage of beavers’ inability to visually detect motionless predators. Our work describes in detail the ambush strategies wolves use to hunt beavers and continues to overturn the traditional notion that wolves rely solely on cursorial hunting strategies. We also demonstrate that ambush predators can anticipate the movements and behavior of their prey due to a fundamental understanding of their prey’s sensory abilities. Wolves, therefore, and likely ambush predators in general, appear capable of simultaneously accounting for abiotic and biotic factors when choosing ambush locations, ultimately allowing them to counter and capitalize on the sensory abilities of their prey.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas D Gable
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, USA
| | - Austin T Homkes
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, USA
| | - Sean M Johnson-Bice
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Steve K Windels
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, USA
- Voyageurs National Park, National Park Service, International Falls, MN, USA
| | - Joseph K Bump
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, USA
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18
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Roffler GH, Allen JM, Massey A, Levi T. Metabarcoding of fecal DNA shows dietary diversification in wolves substitutes for ungulates in an island archipelago. Ecosphere 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Gretchen H. Roffler
- Alaska Department of Fish and Game Division of Wildlife Conservation 802 3rd Street Douglas Alaska99824USA
| | - Jennifer M. Allen
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife Oregon State University Corvallis Oregon97331USA
| | - Aimee Massey
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife Oregon State University Corvallis Oregon97331USA
| | - Taal Levi
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife Oregon State University Corvallis Oregon97331USA
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19
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Johnson‐Bice SM, Ferguson JM, Erb JD, Gable TD, Windels SK. Ecological forecasts reveal limitations of common model selection methods: predicting changes in beaver colony densities. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2021; 31:e02198. [PMID: 32583507 PMCID: PMC7816246 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2019] [Revised: 03/13/2020] [Accepted: 03/30/2020] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Over the past two decades, there have been numerous calls to make ecology a more predictive science through direct empirical assessments of ecological models and predictions. While the widespread use of model selection using information criteria has pushed ecology toward placing a higher emphasis on prediction, few attempts have been made to validate the ability of information criteria to correctly identify the most parsimonious model with the greatest predictive accuracy. Here, we used an ecological forecasting framework to test the ability of information criteria to accurately predict the relative contribution of density dependence and density-independent factors (forage availability, harvest, weather, wolf [Canis lupus] density) on inter-annual fluctuations in beaver (Castor canadensis) colony densities. We modeled changes in colony densities using a discrete-time Gompertz model, and assessed the performance of four models using information criteria values: density-independent models with (1) and without (2) environmental covariates; and density-dependent models with (3) and without (4) environmental covariates. We then evaluated the forecasting accuracy of each model by withholding the final one-third of observations from each population and compared observed vs. predicted densities. Information criteria and our forecasting accuracy metrics both provided strong evidence of compensatory density dependence in the annual dynamics of beaver colony densities. However, despite strong within-sample performance by the most complex model (density-dependent with covariates) as determined using information criteria, hindcasts of colony densities revealed that the much simpler density-dependent model without covariates performed nearly as well predicting out-of-sample colony densities. The hindcast results indicated that the complex model over-fit our data, suggesting that parameters identified by information criteria as important predictor variables are only marginally valuable for predicting landscape-scale beaver colony dynamics. Our study demonstrates the importance of evaluating ecological models and predictions with long-term data and revealed how a known limitation of information criteria (over-fitting of complex models) can affect our interpretation of ecological dynamics. While incorporating knowledge of the factors that influence animal population dynamics can improve population forecasts, we suggest that comparing forecast performance metrics can likewise improve our knowledge of the factors driving population dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean M. Johnson‐Bice
- Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of Manitoba50 Sifton RoadWinnipegManitobaR3T 2N2Canada
- Natural Resources Research InstituteUniversity of Minnesota Duluth5013 Miller Trunk HighwayDuluthMinnesota55812USA
| | - Jake M. Ferguson
- Department of BiologyUniversity of Hawai`i at Mānoa2538 McCarthy MallHonoluluHawaii96822USA
| | - John D. Erb
- Forest Wildlife Populations and Research GroupMinnesota Department of Natural Resources1201 E. highway 2Grand RapidsMinnesota55744USA
| | - Thomas D. Gable
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation BiologyUniversity of Minnesota Twin Cities2003 Upper Buford CircleSt. PaulMinnesota55108USA
| | - Steve K. Windels
- Natural Resources Research InstituteUniversity of Minnesota Duluth5013 Miller Trunk HighwayDuluthMinnesota55812USA
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation BiologyUniversity of Minnesota Twin Cities2003 Upper Buford CircleSt. PaulMinnesota55108USA
- Voyageurs National Park360 Highway 11 E.International FallsMinnesota56649USA
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20
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Oliveira T, Benson JF, Thompson C, Patterson BR. Resource selection at homesites by wolves and eastern coyotes in a
Canis
hybrid zone. Ecosphere 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Teresa Oliveira
- Department of Forestry and Renewable Forest Resources Biotechnical Faculty University of Ljubljana Večna pot 83 Ljubljana1000Slovenia
| | - John F. Benson
- School of Natural Resources University of Nebraska Lincoln Nebraska68583USA
| | - Connor Thompson
- Environmental and Life Sciences Graduate Program Trent University Peterborough OntarioK9L 0G2Canada
| | - Brent R. Patterson
- Environmental and Life Sciences Graduate Program Trent University Peterborough OntarioK9L 0G2Canada
- Wildlife Research and Monitoring Section Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry Peterborough OntarioK9L 1Z8Canada
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21
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Gable TD, Johnson-Bice SM, Homkes AT, Windels SK, Bump JK. Outsized effect of predation: Wolves alter wetland creation and recolonization by killing ecosystem engineers. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2020; 6:6/46/eabc5439. [PMID: 33188026 PMCID: PMC7673763 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abc5439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2020] [Accepted: 09/30/2020] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Gray wolves are a premier example of how predators can transform ecosystems through trophic cascades. However, whether wolves change ecosystems as drastically as previously suggested has been increasingly questioned. We demonstrate how wolves alter wetland creation and recolonization by killing dispersing beavers. Beavers are ecosystem engineers that generate most wetland creation throughout boreal ecosystems. By studying beaver pond creation and recolonization patterns coupled with wolf predation on beavers, we determined that 84% of newly created and recolonized beaver ponds remained occupied until the fall, whereas 0% of newly created and recolonized ponds remained active after a wolf killed the dispersing beaver that colonized that pond. By affecting where and when beavers engineer ecosystems, wolves alter all of the ecological processes (e.g., water storage, nutrient cycling, and forest succession) that occur due to beaver-created impoundments. Our study demonstrates how predators have an outsized effect on ecosystems when they kill ecosystem engineers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas D Gable
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, University of Minnesota, 2003 Upper Buford Circle, St. Paul, MN 55801, USA.
| | - Sean M Johnson-Bice
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, 50 Sifton Road, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T 2N2, Canada
| | - Austin T Homkes
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, University of Minnesota, 2003 Upper Buford Circle, St. Paul, MN 55801, USA
| | - Steve K Windels
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, University of Minnesota, 2003 Upper Buford Circle, St. Paul, MN 55801, USA
- Voyageurs National Park, 360 Highway 11 E, International Falls, MN 56649, USA
| | - Joseph K Bump
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, University of Minnesota, 2003 Upper Buford Circle, St. Paul, MN 55801, USA
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22
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Malcolm K, Cheveau M, St-Laurent MH. Wolf habitat selection in relation to recreational structures in a national park. J Mammal 2020. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyaa115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Although most predators usually avoid human activity, some individuals instead will habituate to it. Habituation to human presence and infrastructure by predator species such as wolves may lead to conflicts implicating serious risks for public safety and for the survival of the animals involved. Accordingly, this research project aims to shed light on the relationship between wolves and recreational structures using telemetry data from 10 wolves located in the Parc National du Mont-Tremblant (Québec, Canada) and its surrounding area. Using resource selection functions (RSFs), we observed wolf habitat selection in relation to these structures during three biological periods (denning: May–June; rendezvous: June–October; and nomadic: October–April). Our results revealed that wolves selected proximity to linear structures (roads and trails) during the denning and rendezvous periods, but this selection depended on the density of such structures in the surroundings (i.e., functional response in habitat selection): wolves selected proximity to linear structures when these structures were present at greater densities. Wolves avoided housing structures (campsites, cabins, park facilities), especially when these structures were present at greater densities, suggesting that wolves perceived them as a risk. These results suggest that conflicts between visitors and wolves were unlikely to occur in campgrounds during the time of our study. This could indicate that the management measures implemented by the park following the past episodes of conflict were effective. However, wolves’ use of linear structures could lead to increased tolerance to human proximity if left unmanaged.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kimberly Malcolm
- Département de Biologie, Chimie et Géographie, Center for Forest Research, Université du Québec à Rimouski, Allée des Ursulines, Rimouski, Québec, Canada
| | - Marianne Cheveau
- Direction de l’expertise sur la faune terrestre, l’herpétofaune et l’avifaune, Ministère des Forêts, de la Faune et des Parcs, chemin Sainte-Foy, 2e étage, Québec City, Québec, Canada
| | - Martin-Hugues St-Laurent
- Département de Biologie, Chimie et Géographie, Centre for Northern Studies and Center for Forest Research, Université du Québec à Rimouski, Allée des Ursulines, Rimouski, Québec, Canada
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23
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Scrafford MA, Nobert BR, Boyce MS. Beaver (Castor canadensis) use of borrow pits in an industrial landscape in northwestern Alberta. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2020; 269:110800. [PMID: 32561009 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2020.110800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2019] [Revised: 05/15/2020] [Accepted: 05/16/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Borrow pits, dug by industry to provide substrate for infrastructure such as roads and well sites, are prevalent throughout the boreal forest of western Canada yet little is known about their use by wildlife. During field surveys in Rainbow Lake, Alberta, we found that beavers (Castor canadensis) used inundated borrow pits extensively for foraging and over wintering, suggesting that borrow pits increase beaver populations above their natural carrying capacity in industrial landscapes. We visited a random sample of 90 borrow pits in the field and categorized them as having active beaver lodges with caches (n = 16), inactive lodges (n = 13), cutting (n = 29), no activity (n = 13), or as not inundated or not a borrow pit (n = 19). We then used this sample to model where beavers established lodges versus where they were inactive or were only cutting. We found that borrow pits with active lodges had unique characteristics from other pits in our sample and were closer to streams, marshes, and swamps and had greater vegetation concealment from roads. These models can be used by managers to develop methods for increasing or decreasing the abundance of beavers living at borrow pits. Wildlife managers might want to use borrow pits to increase beaver abundance because of the positive effects beavers can have on ecosystems and because beavers are an important source of food for boreal carnivores. For example, we found that wolverines (Gulo gulo) used borrow pits as hunting grounds for beavers and one wolverine denned within a beaver lodge at a borrow pit. Conversely, managers might want to reduce beaver populations living at borrow pits because of the damage that beavers can cause to infrastructure and because subsidized beaver populations might alter predator-prey dynamics. To accomplish this, we suggest reducing available vegetation around borrow pits, isolating new borrow pits from natural beaver habitats, digging borrow pits where there is less chance of having surface water, filling in borrow pits with substrate, or not creating borrow pits and using a centralized gravel pit or mine for substrate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew A Scrafford
- Wildlife Conservation Society Canada, Thunder Bay, Ontario, P7A 4K9, Canada.
| | - Barry R Nobert
- Alberta Environment and Parks, Operations Division - Resource Management, Grande Prarie, Alberta, T8V 6J4, Canada
| | - Mark S Boyce
- University of Alberta, Department of Biological Sciences, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2E9, Canada
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McClanahan K, Rosell F, Mayer M. Minding your own business: low pair cohesion in a territorial, monogamous mammal. Anim Behav 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2020.05.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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25
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Ulicsni V, Babai D, Juhász E, Molnár Z, Biró M. Local knowledge about a newly reintroduced, rapidly spreading species (Eurasian beaver) and perception of its impact on ecosystem services. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0233506. [PMID: 32437396 PMCID: PMC7241770 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0233506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2019] [Accepted: 05/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Conflicts caused by reintroduced native species are increasing; however, there is a knowledge gap concerning ecological knowledge and perception of local community members regarding the impact of these species on local ecosystem services and livelihoods. We studied local knowledge about beavers and the perception of their impact on ecosystem services and local livelihoods, and the perception of their general harmfulness and usefulness in Hungary and Romania in three ecologically distinct, diverse rural landscapes. Structured interviews were carried out with 45 knowledgeable and 45 randomly selected local informants. We found that locals were knowledgeable about legal status, biology and behavior of beavers and their diverse impact on nature and ecosystem services. Perceptions included mostly negative impacts on provisioning services, while both negative and positive impacts on regulating and cultural services were perceived, including some contradictory impacts of the species. In spite of the actual and anticipated potential future harms caused by beavers, most people appreciated its precise building mastery and ‘cute’ nature. We argue that communication between nature conservationists and locals should reflect this complexity of perceptions, while reciprocal learning could help to moderate local conflicts and develop adaptive management strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viktor Ulicsni
- Institute of Ecology and Botany, MTA Centre for Ecological Research, Vácrátót, Hungary
- GINOP Sustainable Ecosystems Group, MTA Centre for Ecological Research, Tihany, Hungary
- * E-mail:
| | - Dániel Babai
- Institute of Ethnology, MTA Research Centre for the Humanities, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Erika Juhász
- Department of Plant Systematics, Eötvös Loránd University, Ecology and Theoretical Biology, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Zsolt Molnár
- Institute of Ecology and Botany, MTA Centre for Ecological Research, Vácrátót, Hungary
| | - Marianna Biró
- Institute of Ecology and Botany, MTA Centre for Ecological Research, Vácrátót, Hungary
- GINOP Sustainable Ecosystems Group, MTA Centre for Ecological Research, Tihany, Hungary
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26
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Homkes AT, Gable TD, Windels SK, Bump JK. Berry Important? Wolf Provisions Pups with Berries in Northern Minnesota. WILDLIFE SOC B 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/wsb.1065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Austin T. Homkes
- Voyageurs National Park 360 Highway 11 E International Falls MN 56649 USA
| | - Thomas D. Gable
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation BiologyUniversity of Minnesota 2003 Upper Buford Circle St. Paul MN 55108 USA
| | - Steve K. Windels
- Voyageurs National Park 360 Highway 11 E International Falls MN 56649 USA
| | - Joseph K. Bump
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation BiologyUniversity of Minnesota 2003 Upper Buford Circle St. Paul MN 55108 USA
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27
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Wróbel M, Krysztofiak-Kaniewska A. Long-term dynamics of and potential management strategies for the beaver ( Castor fiber) population in Poland. THE EUROPEAN ZOOLOGICAL JOURNAL 2020. [DOI: 10.1080/24750263.2020.1727969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- M. Wróbel
- Department of Forest Ecology, Forest Research Institute, Sękocin Stary, Poland
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28
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Mysłajek RW, Tomczak P, Tołkacz K, Tracz M, Tracz M, Nowak S. The best snacks for kids: the importance of beaversCastor fiberin the diet of wolfCanis lupuspups in north-western Poland. ETHOL ECOL EVOL 2019. [DOI: 10.1080/03949370.2019.1624278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Robert W. Mysłajek
- Institute of Genetics and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Pawińskiego 5a, Warszawa 02-106, Poland
| | - Patrycja Tomczak
- Association for Nature “Wolf”, Twardorzeczka, Cynkowa 4, Lipowa 34-324, Poland
- Institute of Romance Studies, Faculty of Modern Languages and Literature, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, Al. Niepodległości 4, Poznań 61-874, Poland
| | - Katarzyna Tołkacz
- Departament of Parasitology, Institute of Zoology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Miecznikowa 1, Warszawa 02-096, Poland
| | - Maciej Tracz
- Western Pomeranian Natural Society, Dłusko 14, Węgorzyno 73-155, Poland
| | - Magdalena Tracz
- Western Pomeranian Natural Society, Dłusko 14, Węgorzyno 73-155, Poland
| | - Sabina Nowak
- Association for Nature “Wolf”, Twardorzeczka, Cynkowa 4, Lipowa 34-324, Poland
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Fussell EF, Krause AL, Van Gorder RA. Hybrid approach to modeling spatial dynamics of systems with generalist predators. J Theor Biol 2019; 462:26-47. [PMID: 30385311 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtbi.2018.10.054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2018] [Revised: 10/06/2018] [Accepted: 10/29/2018] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
We consider hybrid spatial modeling approaches for ecological systems with a generalist predator utilizing a prey and either a second prey or an allochthonous resource. While spatial dispersion of populations is often modeled via stepping-stone (discrete spatial patches) or continuum (one connected spatial domain) formulations, we shall be interested in hybrid approaches which we use to reduce the dimension of certain components of the spatial domain, obtaining either a continuum model of varying spatial dimensions, or a mixed stepping-stone-continuum model. This approach results in models consisting of partial differential equations for some of the species which are coupled via reactive boundary conditions to lower dimensional partial differential equations or ordinary differential equations for the other species. In order to demonstrate the use of this approach, we consider two case studies. In the first case study, we consider a one-predator two-prey interaction between beavers, wolves and white-tailed deer in Voyageurs National Park. In the second case study, we consider predator-prey-allochthonous resource interactions between bears, berries and salmon on Kodiak Island. For each case study, we compare the results from the hybrid modeling approach with corresponding stepping-stone and continuum model results, highlighting benefits and limitations of the method. In some cases, we find that the hybrid modeling approach allows for solutions which are easier to simulate (akin to stepping-stone models) while maintaining seemingly more realistic spatial dynamics (akin to full continuum models).
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth F Fussell
- Mathematical Institute, University of Oxford, Andrew Wiles Building, Radcliffe Observatory Quarter, Woodstock Road, Oxford, OX2 6GG, UK
| | - Andrew L Krause
- Mathematical Institute, University of Oxford, Andrew Wiles Building, Radcliffe Observatory Quarter, Woodstock Road, Oxford, OX2 6GG, UK
| | - Robert A Van Gorder
- Mathematical Institute, University of Oxford, Andrew Wiles Building, Radcliffe Observatory Quarter, Woodstock Road, Oxford, OX2 6GG, UK.
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Gable TD, Stanger T, Windels SK, Bump JK. Do wolves ambush beavers? Video evidence for higher‐order hunting strategies. Ecosphere 2018. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.2159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Thomas D. Gable
- University of Minnesota 2003 Buford Circle St. Paul Minnesota 55108 USA
| | | | - Steve K. Windels
- Voyageurs National Park 360 Highway 11 E International Falls Minnesota 56649 USA
| | - Joseph K. Bump
- University of Minnesota 2003 Buford Circle St. Paul Minnesota 55108 USA
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