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Poquérusse J, Brown CL, Gaillard C, Doughty C, Dalén L, Gallagher AJ, Wooller M, Zimov N, Church GM, Lamm B, Hysolli E. Assessing contemporary Arctic habitat availability for a woolly mammoth proxy. Sci Rep 2024; 14:9804. [PMID: 38684726 PMCID: PMC11058768 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-60442-7] [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: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Interest continues to grow in Arctic megafaunal ecological engineering, but, since the mass extinction of megafauna ~ 12-15 ka, key physiographic variables and available forage continue to change. Here we sought to assess the extent to which contemporary Arctic ecosystems are conducive to the rewilding of megaherbivores, using a woolly mammoth (M. primigenius) proxy as a model species. We first perform a literature review on woolly mammoth dietary habits. We then leverage Oak Ridge National Laboratories Distributive Active Archive Center Global Aboveground and Belowground Biomass Carbon Density Maps to generate aboveground biomass carbon density estimates in plant functional types consumed by the woolly mammoth at 300 m resolution on Alaska's North Slope. We supplement these analyses with a NASA Arctic Boreal Vulnerability Experiment dataset to downgrade overall biomass estimates to digestible levels. We further downgrade available forage by using a conversion factor representing the relationship between total biomass and net primary productivity (NPP) for arctic vegetation types. Integrating these estimates with the forage needs of woolly mammoths, we conservatively estimate Alaska's North Slope could support densities of 0.0-0.38 woolly mammoth km-2 (mean 0.13) across a variety of habitats. These results may inform innovative rewilding strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Camille Gaillard
- School of Informatics, Computing, and Cyber Systems, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, 86011, USA
| | - Chris Doughty
- School of Informatics, Computing, and Cyber Systems, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, 86011, USA
| | - Love Dalén
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
- Centre for Palaeogenetics, Svante Arrhenius Väg 20C, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Bioinformatics and Genetics, Swedish Museum of Natural History, Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | - Matthew Wooller
- College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, 99775, USA
| | - Nikita Zimov
- North-East Science Station, Pacific Institute of Geography, Russian Academy of Sciences, Chersky, Russia
| | - George M Church
- Colossal Biosciences Inc, Austin, TX, 78701, USA
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Harvard-MIT Program in Health Sciences and Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Ben Lamm
- Colossal Biosciences Inc, Austin, TX, 78701, USA.
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Barboza PS, Shively RD, Thompson DP. Robust Responses of Female Caribou to Changes in Food Supply. ECOLOGICAL AND EVOLUTIONARY PHYSIOLOGY 2024; 97:29-52. [PMID: 38717369 DOI: 10.1086/729668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/26/2024]
Abstract
AbstractUngulates can respond to changes in food supply by altering foraging behavior, digestive function, and metabolism. A multifaceted response to an environmental change is considered robust. Short seasons of plant growth make herbivores sensitive to changes in food supply because maintenance and production must be accomplished in less time with fewer options in a more fragile response. Caribou live at high latitudes where short summers constrain their response to changes in food supply. We measured the ability of female caribou to resist and tolerate changes in the quality and quantity of their food supply during winter and summer. Caribou resisted changes in food abundance and quality by changing food intake and physical activity with changes in daily temperature within each season. Peak food intake rose by 134% from winter pregnancy to summer lactation (98 vs. 229 g kg-0.75 d-1), as digestible requirements to maintain the body increased by 85% for energy (1,164 vs. 2,155 kJ kg-0.75 d-1) and by 266% for N (0.79 vs. 2.89 g N kg-0.75 d-1). Caribou required a diet with a digestible content of 12 kJ g-1 and 0.8% N in pregnancy, 18 kJ g-1 and 1.9% N in early lactation, and 11 kJ g-1 and 1.2% N in late lactation, which corresponds with the phenology of the wild diet. Female caribou tolerated restriction of ad lib. food intake to 58% of their energy requirement (680 vs. 1,164 kJ kg-0.75 d-1) during winter pregnancy and to 84% of their energy requirement (1,814 vs. 2,155 kJ kg-0.75 d-1) during summer lactation without a change in stress level, as indicated by fecal corticosterone concentration. Conversely, caribou can respond to increased availability of food with a spare capacity to process digestible energy and N at 123% (2,642 vs. 2,155 kJ kg-0.75 d-1) and 145% (4.20 vs. 2.89 g N kg-0.75 d-1) of those respective requirements during lactation. Robust responses to changes in food supply allow caribou to sustain reproduction, which would buffer demographic response. However, herds may decline when thresholds of behavioral resistance and physiological tolerance are frequently exceeded. Therefore, the challenge for managing declining populations of caribou and other robust species is to identify declines in robustness before their response becomes fragile.
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Béland S, Vuillaume B, Leclerc M, Bernier M, Côté SD. Selection of summer feeding sites and food resources by female migratory caribou (Rangifer tarandus) determined using camera collars. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0294846. [PMID: 38019854 PMCID: PMC10686509 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0294846] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Migratory caribou (Rangifer tarandus) is a socioeconomically and culturally key species for northern communities in the Arctic, and most of its populations are experiencing a sharp decline. Female migratory caribou depend on the availability of summer habitat resources to meet the needs associated with lactation and the accumulation of fat reserves to survive when resources are less abundant. Because of the large scales at which habitat and resource data are usually available, information on how female migratory caribou select habitat and resources at fine scales in the wild is lacking. To document selection of summer feeding sites, we equipped 60 female caribou with camera collars from 2016 to 2018. We collected a total of 65,150 10-sec videos between June 1st and September 1st for three years with contrasted spring phenology. We determined the selection at the feeding site scale (3rd scale of Johnson) and food item scale (4th scale of Johnson) using resource selection probability functions. Wetlands were highly selected as feeding sites in June and July while they were avoided in August. Shrublands were mostly selected in July and August. At the resources scale, lichen, birch, willow, and mushrooms were the most strongly selected resources. Our results provide precise and novel information on habitat selection at feeding sites and food resources selected by female caribou in the wild. This information will help understand foraging patterns and habitat selection behavior of female migratory caribou and will contribute to the management and conservation of its declining populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophiane Béland
- Département de Biologie & Centre d’études Nordiques, Université Laval, Québec, Québec, Canada
| | - Barbara Vuillaume
- Département de Biologie & Centre d’études Nordiques, Université Laval, Québec, Québec, Canada
| | - Martin Leclerc
- Département de Biologie & Centre d’études Nordiques, Université Laval, Québec, Québec, Canada
- Département des Sciences Fondamentales & Centre d’étude de la Forêt, Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, Chicoutimi, Québec, Canada
| | - Martin Bernier
- Département de Physique, de Génie Physique et d’optique, Université Laval, Québec, Québec, Canada
| | - Steeve D. Côté
- Département de Biologie & Centre d’études Nordiques, Université Laval, Québec, Québec, Canada
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Johnson HE, Lenart EA, Gustine DD, Adams LG, Barboza PS. Survival and reproduction in Arctic caribou are associated with summer forage and insect harassment. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.899585] [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
Investigators have speculated that the climate-driven “greening of the Arctic” may benefit barren-ground caribou populations, but paradoxically many populations have declined in recent years. This pattern has raised concerns about the influence of summer habitat conditions on caribou demographic rates, and how populations may be impacted in the future. The short Arctic summer provides caribou with important forage resources but is also the time they are exposed to intense harassment by insects, factors which are both being altered by longer, warmer growing seasons. To better understand the effects of summer forage and insect activity on Arctic caribou demographic rates, we investigated the influence of estimated forage biomass, digestible energy (DE), digestible nitrogen (DN), and mosquito activity on the reproductive success and survival of adult females in the Central Arctic Herd on the North Slope of Alaska. We tested the hypotheses that greater early summer DN would increase subsequent reproduction (parturition and late June calving success) while greater biomass and DE would increase adult survival (September–May), and that elevated mosquito activity would reduce both demographic rates. Because the period when abundant forage DN is limited and overlaps with the period of mosquito harassment, we also expected years with low DN and high harassment to synergistically reduce caribou reproductive success. Examining these relationships at the individual-level, using GPS-collared females, and at the population-level, using long-term monitoring data, we generally found support for our expectations. Greater early summer DN was associated with increased subsequent calving success, while greater summer biomass was associated with increased adult survival. Mosquito activity was associated with reductions in adult female parturition, late June calving success, and survival, and in years with low DN, had compounding effects on subsequent late June calving success. Our findings indicate that summer nutrition and mosquito activity collectively influence the demographic rates of Arctic caribou, and may impact the dynamics of populations in the future under changing environmental conditions.
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McNay RS, Lamb CT, Giguere L, Williams SH, Martin H, Sutherland GD, Hebblewhite M. Demographic responses of nearly extirpated endangered mountain caribou to recovery actions in Central British Columbia. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2022; 32:e2580. [PMID: 35319129 PMCID: PMC9285560 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2021] [Revised: 01/12/2022] [Accepted: 01/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Recovering endangered species is a difficult and often controversial task that challenges status quo land uses. Southern Mountain caribou are a threatened ecotype of caribou that historically ranged in southwestern Canada and northwestern USA and epitomize the tension between resource extraction, biodiversity conservation, and Indigenous Peoples' treaty rights. Human-induced habitat alteration is considered the ultimate cause of caribou population declines, whereby an increased abundance of primary prey-such as moose and deer-elevates predator populations and creates unsustainable caribou mortality. Here we focus on the Klinse-Za and Quintette subpopulations, part of the endangered Central Group of Southern Mountain caribou in British Columbia. These subpopulations were trending toward immediate extirpation until a collaborative group initiated recovery by implementing two short-term recovery actions. We test the effectiveness of these recovery actions-maternity penning of adult females and their calves, and the reduction of a primary predator, wolves-in increasing vital rates and population growth. Klinse-Za received both recovery actions, whereas Quintette only received wolf reductions, providing an opportunity to test efficacy between recovery actions. Between 1995 and 2021, we followed 162 collared female caribou for 414 animal-years to estimate survival and used aerial counts to estimate population abundance and calf recruitment. We combined these data in an integrated population model to estimate female population growth, total population abundance, and recovery action effectiveness. Results suggest that the subpopulations were declining rapidly (λ = 0.90-0.93) before interventions and would have been functionally extirpated (<10 animals) within 10-15 years. Wolf reduction increased population growth rates by ~0.12 for each subpopulation. Wolf reduction halted the decline of Quintette caribou and allowed them to increase (λ = 1.05), but alone would have only stabilized the Klinse-Za (λ = 1.02). However, maternity penning in the Klinse-Za increased population growth by a further ~0.06, which when combined with wolf reductions, allowed populations to grow (λ = 1.08). Taken together, the recovery actions in these subpopulations increased adult female survival, calf recruitment, and overall population growth, more than doubling abundance. Our results suggest that maternity penning and wolf reductions can be effective at increasing caribou numbers in the short term, while long-term commitments to habitat protection and restoration are made.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Clayton T. Lamb
- Department of BiologyUniversity of British ColumbiaKelownaBritish ColumbiaCanada
- Department of Ecosystem and Conservation SciencesUniversity of MontanaMissoulaMontanaUSA
| | - Line Giguere
- Wildlife Infometrics IncMackenzieBritish ColumbiaCanada
| | - Sara H. Williams
- Department of Ecosystem and Conservation SciencesUniversity of MontanaMissoulaMontanaUSA
| | - Hans Martin
- Department of Ecosystem and Conservation SciencesUniversity of MontanaMissoulaMontanaUSA
| | | | - Mark Hebblewhite
- Department of Ecosystem and Conservation SciencesUniversity of MontanaMissoulaMontanaUSA
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Elliott T, Truong C, Jackson S, Zúñiga C, Trappe J, Vernes K. Mammalian Mycophagy: a Global Review of Ecosystem Interactions Between Mammals and Fungi. Fungal Syst Evol 2022; 9:99-159. [PMID: 36072820 PMCID: PMC9402283 DOI: 10.3114/fuse.2022.09.07] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2021] [Accepted: 04/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
The consumption of fungi by animals is a significant trophic interaction in most terrestrial ecosystems, yet the role mammals play in these associations has been incompletely studied. In this review, we compile 1 154 references published over the last 146 years and provide the first
comprehensive global review of mammal species known to eat fungi (508 species in 15 orders). We review experimental studies that found viable fungal inoculum in the scats of at least 40 mammal species, including spores from at least 58 mycorrhizal fungal species that remained viable after
ingestion by mammals. We provide a summary of mammal behaviours relating to the consumption of fungi, the nutritional importance of fungi for mammals, and the role of mammals in fungal spore dispersal. We also provide evidence to suggest that the morphological evolution of sequestrate fungal
sporocarps (fruiting bodies) has likely been driven in part by the dispersal advantages provided by mammals. Finally, we demonstrate how these interconnected associations are widespread globally and have far-reaching ecological implications for mammals, fungi and associated plants in most
terrestrial ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- T.F. Elliott
- Ecosystem Management, School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, NSW 2351, Australia
| | - C. Truong
- Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria, Birdwood Ave, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia
| | - S.M. Jackson
- Australian Museum Research Institute, Australian Museum, 1 William St., Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - C.L. Zúñiga
- Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Tercer Circuito s/n, Ciudad Universitaria, 04510 Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - J.M. Trappe
- Department of Botany and Plant Pathology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon 97331, USA
| | - K. Vernes
- Ecosystem Management, School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, NSW 2351, Australia
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Leffler AJ, Becker HA, Kelsey KC, Spalinger DA, Welker JM. Short‐term effects of summer warming on caribou forage quality are mitigated by long‐term warming. Ecosphere 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.4104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- A. Joshua Leffler
- Department of Natural Resource Management South Dakota State University Brookings South Dakota USA
| | - Heidi A. Becker
- Department of Natural Resource Management South Dakota State University Brookings South Dakota USA
| | - Katharine C. Kelsey
- Department of Geography and Environmental Science University of Colorado‐Denver Denver Colorado USA
| | - Donald A. Spalinger
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Alaska‐Anchorage Anchorage Alaska USA
| | - Jeffrey M. Welker
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Alaska‐Anchorage Anchorage Alaska USA
- Ecology and Genetics Research Unit and UArctic University of Oulu Oulu Finland
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Monzingo DS, Shipley LA, Cook RC, Cook JG. Factors influencing predictions of understory vegetation biomass from visual cover estimates. WILDLIFE SOC B 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/wsb.1300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Deborah S. Monzingo
- Washington State University, 1229 Webster Hall, School of the Environment Pullman WA 99164‐2812 USA
| | - Lisa A. Shipley
- Washington State University, 1229 Webster Hall, School of the Environment Pullman WA 99164‐2812 USA
| | - Rachel C. Cook
- National Council for Air and Stream Improvement, 1401 Gekeler Lane La Grande OR 97850 USA
| | - John G. Cook
- National Council for Air and Stream Improvement, 1401 Gekeler Lane La Grande OR 97850 USA
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Palm EC, Suitor MJ, Joly K, Herriges JD, Kelly AP, Hervieux D, Russell KLM, Bentzen TW, Larter NC, Hebblewhite M. Increasing fire frequency and severity will increase habitat loss for a boreal forest indicator species. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2022; 32:e2549. [PMID: 35094462 PMCID: PMC9286541 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2021] [Revised: 09/14/2021] [Accepted: 10/06/2021] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Climate change will lead to more frequent and more severe fires in some areas of boreal forests, affecting the distribution and availability of late-successional forest communities. These forest communities help to protect globally significant carbon reserves beneath permafrost layers and provide habitat for many animal species, including forest-dwelling caribou. Many caribou populations are declining, yet the mechanisms by which changing fire regimes could affect caribou declines are poorly understood. We analyzed resource selection of 686 GPS-collared female caribou from three ecotypes and 15 populations in a ~600,000 km2 region of northwest Canada and eastern Alaska. These populations span a wide gradient of fire frequency but experience low levels of human-caused habitat disturbance. We used a mixed-effects modeling framework to characterize caribou resource selection in response to burns at different seasons and spatiotemporal scales, and to test for functional responses in resource selection to burn availability. We also tested mechanisms driving observed selection patterns using burn severity and lichen cover data. Caribou avoided burns more strongly during winter relative to summer and at larger spatiotemporal scales relative to smaller scales. During the winter, caribou consistently avoided burns at both spatiotemporal scales as burn availability increased, indicating little evidence of a functional response. However, they decreased their avoidance of burns during summer as burn availability increased. Burn availability explained more variation in caribou selection for burns than ecotype. Within burns, caribou strongly avoided severely burned areas in winter, and this avoidance lasted nearly 30 years after a fire. Caribou within burns also selected higher cover of terrestrial lichen (an important caribou food source). We found a negative relationship between burn severity and lichen cover, confirming that caribou avoidance of burns was consistent with lower lichen abundance. Consistent winter avoidance of burns and severely burned areas suggests that caribou will experience increasing winter habitat loss as fire frequency and severity increase. Our results highlight the potential for climate-induced alteration of natural disturbance regimes to affect boreal biodiversity through habitat loss. We suggest that management strategies prioritizing protection of core winter range habitat with lower burn probabilities would provide important climate-change refugia for caribou.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric C. Palm
- Wildlife Biology Program, Department of Ecosystem and Conservation Sciences, W. A. Franke College of Forestry and ConservationUniversity of MontanaMissoulaMontanaUSA
| | - Michael J. Suitor
- Department of EnvironmentYukon GovernmentDawson CityYukon TerritoriesCanada
| | - Kyle Joly
- Yukon‐Charley Rivers National Preserve, National Park ServiceFairbanksAlaskaUSA
| | | | - Allicia P. Kelly
- Department of Environment and Natural ResourcesGovernment of the Northwest TerritoriesFort SmithNorthwest TerritoriesCanada
| | - Dave Hervieux
- Alberta Environment and Parks − Operations DivisionGrande PrairieAlbertaCanada
| | | | | | - Nicholas C. Larter
- Department of Environment and Natural ResourcesGovernment of the Northwest TerritoriesFort SimpsonNorthwest TerritoriesCanada
| | - Mark Hebblewhite
- Wildlife Biology Program, Department of Ecosystem and Conservation Sciences, W. A. Franke College of Forestry and ConservationUniversity of MontanaMissoulaMontanaUSA
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Chagnon C, Bouchard M, Pothier D. Impacts of spruce budworm defoliation on the habitat of woodland caribou, moose, and their main predators. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e8695. [PMID: 35342555 PMCID: PMC8932078 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2021] [Revised: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 02/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Forest logging has contributed to the decline of several woodland caribou populations by causing the fragmentation of mature coniferous stands. Such habitat alterations could be worsened by spruce budworm (SBW) outbreaks. Using 6201 vegetation plots from provincial inventories conducted after the last SBW outbreak (1968–1992) in boreal forests of Québec (Canada), we investigated the influence of SBW‐caused tree defoliation and mortality on understory vegetation layers relevant to woodland caribou and its main predators. We found a positive association between severe outbreaks and the cover of most groups of understory plant species, especially in stands that were dominated by balsam fir before the outbreak, where a high canopy openness particularly benefited relatively fast‐growing deciduous plants. Such increases in early successional vegetation could provide high‐quality forage for moose, which is likely to promote higher wolf densities and increase predation pressure on caribou. SBW outbreaks may thus negatively affect woodland caribou by increasing predation risk, the main factor limiting caribou populations in managed forests. For the near future, we recommend updating the criteria used to define critical caribou habitat to consider the potential impacts of spruce budworm defoliation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine Chagnon
- Département des sciences du bois et de la forêt Centre d’étude de la forêt Université Laval Québec Quebec Canada
| | - Mathieu Bouchard
- Département des sciences du bois et de la forêt Centre d’étude de la forêt Université Laval Québec Quebec Canada
| | - David Pothier
- Département des sciences du bois et de la forêt Centre d’étude de la forêt Université Laval Québec Quebec Canada
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Denryter K, Cook RC, Cook JG, Parker KL. Animal‐defined resources reveal nutritional inadequacies for woodland caribou during summer–autumn. J Wildl Manage 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.22161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kristin Denryter
- Natural Resources and Environmental Studies University of Northern British Columbia 3333 University Way Prince George V2N 4Z9 BC Canada
| | - Rachel C. Cook
- National Council for Air and Stream Improvement, Forestry and Range Sciences Laboratory 1401 Gekeler Lane La Grande 97850 OR USA
| | - John G. Cook
- National Council for Air and Stream Improvement, Forestry and Range Sciences Laboratory 1401 Gekeler Lane La Grande 97850 OR USA
| | - Katherine L. Parker
- Natural Resources and Environmental Studies University of Northern British Columbia 3333 University Way Prince George V2N 4Z9 BC Canada
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12
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Stronen AV, Norman AJ, Vander Wal E, Paquet PC. The relevance of genetic structure in ecotype designation and conservation management. Evol Appl 2022; 15:185-202. [PMID: 35233242 PMCID: PMC8867706 DOI: 10.1111/eva.13339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2020] [Revised: 12/02/2021] [Accepted: 12/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The concept of ecotypes is complex, partly because of its interdisciplinary nature, but the idea is intrinsically valuable for evolutionary biology and applied conservation. The complex nature of ecotypes has spurred some confusion and inconsistencies in the literature, thereby limiting broader theoretical development and practical application. We provide suggestions for how incorporating genetic analyses can ease confusion and help define ecotypes. We approach this by systematically reviewing 112 publications across taxa that simultaneously mention the terms ecotype, conservation and management, to examine the current use of the term in the context of conservation and management. We found that most ecotype studies involve fish, mammals and plants with a focus on habitat use, which at 60% was the most common criterion used for categorization of ecotypes. Only 53% of the studies incorporated genetic analyses, and major discrepancies in available genomic resources among taxa could have contributed to confusion about the role of genetic structure in delineating ecotypes. Our results show that the rapid advances in genetic methods, also for nonmodel organisms, can help clarify the spatiotemporal distribution of adaptive and neutral genetic variation and their relevance to ecotype designations. Genetic analyses can offer empirical support for the ecotype concept and provide a timely measure of evolutionary potential, especially in changing environmental conditions. Genetic variation that is often difficult to detect, including polygenic traits influenced by small contributions from several genes, can be vital for adaptation to rapidly changing environments. Emerging ecotypes may signal speciation in progress, and findings from genome‐enabled organisms can help clarify important selective factors driving ecotype development and persistence, and thereby improve preservation of interspecific genetic diversity. Incorporation of genetic analyses in ecotype studies will help connect evolutionary biology and applied conservation, including that of problematic groups such as natural hybrid organisms and urban or anthropogenic ecotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Astrid V. Stronen
- Department of Biology Biotechnical Faculty University of Ljubljana Ljubljana Slovenia
- Department of Biotechnology and Life Sciences Insubria University Varese Italy
- Department of Chemistry and Bioscience Aalborg University Aalborg Denmark
| | - Anita J. Norman
- Department of Fish, Wildlife and Environmental Studies Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences Umeå Sweden
| | - Eric Vander Wal
- Department of Biology Memorial University of Newfoundland St. John’s NL Canada
| | - Paul C. Paquet
- Department of Geography University of Victoria Victoria BC Canada
- Raincoast Conservation Foundation Sidney BC Canada
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Webber QM, Ferraro K, Hendrix J, Vander Wal E. What do caribou eat? A review of the literature on caribou diet. CAN J ZOOL 2022. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2021-0162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Historically the study of diet caribou and reindeer (Rangifer tarandus (Gmelin, 1788)) has been specific to herds and few comprehensive circumpolar analyses of Rangifer diet exist. As a result, the importance of certain diet items may play an outsized role in the caribou diet zeitgeist, e.g., lichen. It is incumbent to challenge this notion and test the relevant importance of various diet items within the context of prevailing hypotheses. We provide a systematic overview of 30 caribou studies reporting caribou diet and test biologically relevant hypotheses about spatial and temporal dietary variation. Our results indicate that in the winter caribou primarily consume lichen, but in warmer seasons, and primary productivity is lower, caribou primarily consume graminoids and other vascular plants. In more productive environments, where caribou have more competitors and predators, consumption of lichen increased. Overall, our description of caribou diet reveals that caribou diet is highly variable, but in circumstances where they can consume vascular plants, they will. As climate change affects Boreal and Arctic ecosystems, the type and volume of food consumed by caribou has become an increasingly important focus for conservation and management of caribou.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quinn M.R. Webber
- Memorial University of Newfoundland, 7512, Cognitive and Behavioural Ecology, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
- University of Colorado Boulder, 1877, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Boulder, Colorado, United States
| | - Kristy Ferraro
- Yale University, 5755, School of the Environment, New Haven, Connecticut, United States
| | - Jack Hendrix
- Memorial University of Newfoundland, 7512, Cognitive and Behavioural Ecology, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
| | - Eric Vander Wal
- Memorial University of Newfoundland, 7512, Biology, 232 Elizabeth Ave, Saint John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, A1B 3X9,
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Mitchell G, Wilson PJ, Manseau M, Redquest B, Patterson BR, Rutledge LY. DNA metabarcoding of faecal pellets reveals high consumption of yew ( Taxus spp.) by caribou ( Rangifer tarandus) in a lichen-poor environment. Facets (Ott) 2022. [DOI: 10.1139/facets-2021-0071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Woodland caribou ( Rangifer tarandus caribou) are threatened in Canada because of the drastic decline in population size caused primarily by human-induced landscape changes that decrease habitat and increase predation risk. Conservation efforts have largely focused on reducing predators and protecting critical habitat, whereas research on dietary niches and the role of potential food constraints in lichen-poor environments is limited. To improve our understanding of dietary niche variability, we used a next-generation sequencing approach with metabarcoding of DNA extracted from faecal pellets of woodland caribou located on Lake Superior in lichen-rich (mainland) and lichen-poor (island) environments. Amplicon sequencing of fungal ITS2 region revealed lichen-associated fungi as predominant in samples from both populations, but amplification at the chloroplast trnL region, which was only successful on island samples, revealed primary consumption of yew ( Taxus spp.) based on relative read abundance (83.68%) with dogwood ( Cornus spp.; 9.67%) and maple ( Acer spp.; 4.10%) also prevalent. These results suggest that conservation efforts for caribou need to consider the availability of food resources beyond lichen to ensure successful outcomes. More broadly, we provide a reliable methodology for assessing ungulate diet from archived faecal pellets that could reveal important dietary shifts over time in response to climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Greniqueca Mitchell
- Biology Department, Trent University, Life and Health Sciences Building, 2089 East Bank Drive, Peterborough, ON K9L 1Z8, Canada
| | - Paul J. Wilson
- Biology Department, Trent University, Life and Health Sciences Building, 2089 East Bank Drive, Peterborough, ON K9L 1Z8, Canada
| | - Micheline Manseau
- Biology Department, Trent University, Life and Health Sciences Building, 2089 East Bank Drive, Peterborough, ON K9L 1Z8, Canada
- Landscape Science and Technology Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON K1S 5R1, Canada
| | - Bridgett Redquest
- Biology Department, Trent University, Life and Health Sciences Building, 2089 East Bank Drive, Peterborough, ON K9L 1Z8, Canada
| | - Brent R. Patterson
- Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, Trent University, DNA Building, Peterborough, ON K9L 1Z8, Canada
| | - Linda Y. Rutledge
- Biology Department, Trent University, Life and Health Sciences Building, 2089 East Bank Drive, Peterborough, ON K9L 1Z8, Canada
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15
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Konkolics S, Dickie M, Serrouya R, Hervieux D, Boutin S. A Burning Question: What are the Implications of Forest Fires for Woodland Caribou? J Wildl Manage 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.22111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sean Konkolics
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Alberta Edmonton AB T6G 2E9 Canada
| | - Melanie Dickie
- Caribou Monitoring Unit, Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute Edmonton AB T6G 2E9 Canada
| | - Robert Serrouya
- Caribou Monitoring Unit, Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute Edmonton AB T6G 2E9 Canada
| | - Dave Hervieux
- Resource Stewardship Division Alberta Environment and Parks Grande Prairie AB T8V 6J8 Canada
| | - Stan Boutin
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Alberta Edmonton AB T6G 2E9 Canada
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16
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Cook JG, Kelly AP, Cook RC, Culling B, Culling D, McLaren A, Larter NC, Watters M. Seasonal patterns in nutritional condition of caribou (Rangifer tarandus) in the southern Northwest Territories and northeastern British Columbia, Canada. CAN J ZOOL 2021. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2021-0057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Evaluating nutritional condition provides insights of nutritional influences on wildlife populations. We sampled three measures of condition — body fat, body mass, and loin thickness — of adult female caribou (Rangifer tarandus (Linnaeus, 1758)) in boreal settings in the Northwest Territories (NT), Canada, in December and March, 2016–2018, and in mountain and boreal settings in British Columbia (BC), Canada, in December and February, 2014–2015. We evaluated the effect of calf-rearing on condition in December, compared influences of summer–autumn versus winter on condition over winter, and developed an annual profile of nutritional condition with estimates from caribou dying in summer. Mean December body fat was 8.4% in females with calves and 11.4% in females without calves, demonstrating the influence of lactation on condition. Over winter, nutritional condition did not decline in northeastern BC and it declined slightly in NT: body fat by 0.55 percentage points, mass by 2.8 kg, and loin thickness did not change. Body fat peaked in December, changed little over winter, but declined to a minimum by early summer, temporally coinciding with elevated rates of adult female mortality. Consistent with those of other ungulate studies worldwide, our findings suggest a need to focus on nutritional limitations operating in late spring through early autumn.
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Affiliation(s)
- John G. Cook
- Forestry and Range Sciences Laboratory, National Council for Air and Stream Improvement, 1401 Gekeler Lane, La Grande, OR 1401 Gekeler Lane, USA
| | - Allicia P. Kelly
- Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Government of the Northwest Territories, Box 900, Fort Smith, NT X0E 0P0, Canada
| | - Rachel C. Cook
- Forestry and Range Sciences Laboratory, National Council for Air and Stream Improvement, 1401 Gekeler Lane, La Grande, OR 1401 Gekeler Lane, USA
| | - Brad Culling
- Diversified Environmental, Box 6263, Fort St. John, BC V1J 4X7, Canada
| | - Diane Culling
- Diversified Environmental, Box 6263, Fort St. John, BC V1J 4X7, Canada
| | - Ashley McLaren
- Wildlife Research and Monitoring Section, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, Peterborough, ON K9L 1Z8, Canada
| | - Nicholas C. Larter
- Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Government of the Northwest Territories, Fort Simpson, NT X0E 0N0, Canada
| | - Megan Watters
- British Columbia Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development, Fort St. John, BC V1J 6M7, Canada
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17
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Johnson HE, Golden TS, Adams LG, Gustine DD, Lenart EA, Barboza PS. Dynamic selection for forage quality and quantity in response to phenology and insects in an Arctic ungulate. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:11664-11688. [PMID: 34522332 PMCID: PMC8427565 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7852] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2020] [Revised: 06/03/2021] [Accepted: 06/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Spatiotemporal variation in forage is a primary driver of ungulate behavior, yet little is known about the nutritional components they select, and how selection varies across the growing season with changes in forage quality and quantity. We addressed these uncertainties in barren-ground caribou (Rangifer tarandus), which experience their most important foraging opportunities during the short Arctic summer. Recent declines in Arctic caribou populations have raised concerns about the influence of climate change on summer foraging opportunities, given shifting vegetation conditions and insect harassment, and their potential effects on caribou body condition and demography. We examined Arctic caribou selection of summer forage by pairing locations from females in the Central Arctic Herd of Alaska with spatiotemporal predictions of biomass, digestible nitrogen (DN), and digestible energy (DE). We then assessed selection for these nutritional components across the growing season at landscape and patch scales, and determined whether foraging opportunities were constrained by insect harassment. During early summer, at the landscape scale, caribou selected for intermediate biomass and high DN and DE, following expectations of the forage maturation hypothesis. At the patch scale, however, caribou selected for high values of all forage components, particularly DN, suggesting that protein may be limiting. During late summer, after DN declined below the threshold for protein gain, caribou exhibited a switch at both spatial scales, selecting for higher biomass, likely enabling mass and fat deposition. Mosquito activity strongly altered caribou selection of forage and increased their movement rates, while oestrid fly activity had little influence. Our results demonstrate that early and late summer periods afford Arctic caribou distinct foraging opportunities, as they prioritize quality earlier in the summer and quantity later. Climate change may further constrain caribou access to DN as earlier, warmer Arctic summers may be associated with reduced DN and increased mosquito harassment.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Trevor S. Golden
- Alaska Science CenterU.S. Geological SurveyAnchorageAlaska
- Present address:
Axiom Data Science1016 West 6th AvenueAnchorageAlaska99501
| | - Layne G. Adams
- Alaska Science CenterU.S. Geological SurveyAnchorageAlaska
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18
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Dabros A, Higgins KL, Pinzon J. Seismic line edge effects on plants, lichens and their environmental conditions in boreal peatlands of Northwest Alberta (Canada). Restor Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/rec.13468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Anna Dabros
- Natural Resources Canada Canadian Forest Service 580 Booth Street Ottawa Ontario K1A 0E4 Canada
| | - Kellina L. Higgins
- Natural Resources Canada Canadian Forest Service 580 Booth Street Ottawa Ontario K1A 0E4 Canada
| | - Jaime Pinzon
- Natural Resources Canada Canadian Forest Service, Northern Forestry Center 5320 – 122 Street Edmonton Alberta T6H 3S5 Canada
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19
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Snowier winters extend autumn availability of high‐quality forage for caribou in Arctic Alaska. Ecosphere 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
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20
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Watkinson AD, Virgl J, Miller VS, Naeth MA, Kim J, Serben K, Shapka C, Sinclair S. Effects of dust deposition from diamond mining on subarctic plant communities and barren-ground caribou forage. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY 2021; 50:990-1003. [PMID: 34105162 DOI: 10.1002/jeq2.20251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2020] [Accepted: 05/14/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Dust produced from mining has the potential to reduce plant cover, alter plant communities, and increase metal concentrations in vegetation-changes that may affect the amount, type, and quality of forage for barren-ground caribou (Rangifer tarandus groenlandicus). We quantified dust deposition from Diavik Diamond Mine (Northwest Territories, Canada) and investigated the changes on forage quality, type, and quantity for caribou. From 2002 to 2016, dust deposition was measured, and vegetation cover and richness were assessed in permanent plots established adjacent to the mine and in reference areas 1-6 km from the mine. Lichen was collected from areas up to 100 km from the mine to determine metal concentrations. Dust deposition rapidly decreased within 4 km of the mine. Plant communities adjacent to the mine (within 500 m) had disproportionately increased cover of vascular plants and decreased bryophyte and lichen cover. Lichen sampled within 4 km from the mine had greater metal concentrations than those sampled farther afield. Concentrations of Al in lichen collected within 40 km of the mine exceeded safe exposure limits for consumption, assuming lichen comprised 100% of caribou diet. We conclude that dust deposition from mining is altering adjacent vegetation communities but that such changes to forage are unlikely to cause negative effects to caribou due to reduced lichen intake in summer and autumn, their migratory nature, and avoidance of mine-influenced areas. However, minimization and reclamation of mine-related disturbances will be important for maintaining sufficient quality forage and available habitat or space in caribou ranges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Autumn D Watkinson
- Dep. of Renewable Resources, Faculty of Agricultural, Life and Environmental Science, Univ. of Alberta, 751 General Services Bldg., Edmonton, AB, T6G 2H1, Canada
| | - John Virgl
- Golder Associates Ltd., 1721 8th St. E., Saskatoon, SK, S7H 0T4, Canada
| | - Valerie S Miller
- Dep. of Renewable Resources, Faculty of Agricultural, Life and Environmental Science, Univ. of Alberta, 751 General Services Bldg., Edmonton, AB, T6G 2H1, Canada
| | - M Anne Naeth
- Dep. of Renewable Resources, Faculty of Agricultural, Life and Environmental Science, Univ. of Alberta, 751 General Services Bldg., Edmonton, AB, T6G 2H1, Canada
| | - Jaewoo Kim
- Golder Associates Ltd., 102, 2535 3rd Ave. SE, Calgary, AB, T2A 7W5, Canada
| | - Kerrie Serben
- Golder Associates Ltd., 1721 8th St. E., Saskatoon, SK, S7H 0T4, Canada
| | - Chris Shapka
- Golder Associates Ltd., 4905 48 St. NT, Yellowknife, X1A 3S3, Canada
| | - Sean Sinclair
- Rio Tinto-Diavik Diamond Mines (2012) Inc., 5201 50th Ave. NT, Yellowknife, X1A 2P8, Canada
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21
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Silva J, Nielsen S, McLoughlin P, Rodgers A, Hague C, Boutin S. Comparison of pre-fire and post-fire space use reveals varied responses by woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) in the Boreal Shield. CAN J ZOOL 2020. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2020-0139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
By regulating successional dynamics in Canada’s boreal forest, fires can affect the distribution of the Threatened woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou (Gmelin, 1788)). Caribou tend to avoid areas burned within the last 40 years; however, few studies have compared pre-fire and post-fire caribou observations. In this study, we used caribou GPS locations from the Boreal Shield of Saskatchewan, Canada, to assess the short-term response of caribou to areas that burned while they were collared (hereafter recent burns). We used a “before–after, control–impact” design to compare the overlap of pre-fire and post-fire seasonal home ranges to the overlap of year-to-year seasonal home ranges. Caribou rarely encountered recent burns and when they did, they adjusted their space use in variable and complex ways that were largely indistinguishable from regular, interannual variation. Caribou tended to reduce use of recent burns in summer–autumn and winter, but not during the calving season, in some cases shifting their home range to incorporate more burned habitat. We conclude that recently burned areas (<5 years) may provide habitat value to woodland caribou, particularly during the calving season, requiring a more flexible approach to interpret fire in habitat management strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- J.A. Silva
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, CW 405 Biological Sciences Building, Edmonton, AB T6G 2E9, Canada
| | - S.E. Nielsen
- Department of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta, 751 General Services Building, Edmonton, AB T6G 2H1, Canada
| | - P.D. McLoughlin
- Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan, 112 Science Place, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E2, Canada
| | - A.R. Rodgers
- Centre for Northern Forest Ecosystem Research, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, 421 James Street South, Thunder Bay, ON P7E 2V6, Canada
| | - C. Hague
- Ontario Parks, Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks, 227 Howey Street, Red Lake, ON P0V 2M0, Canada
| | - S. Boutin
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, CW 405 Biological Sciences Building, Edmonton, AB T6G 2E9, Canada
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22
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Walker PD, Rodgers AR, Shuter JL, Thompson ID, Fryxell JM, Cook JG, Cook RC, Merrill EH. Comparison of Woodland Caribou Calving Areas Determined by Movement Patterns Across Northern Ontario. J Wildl Manage 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.21961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Philip D. Walker
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Alberta Edmonton AB T6G 2E9 Canada
| | - Arthur R. Rodgers
- Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry Centre for Northern Forest Ecosystem Research 103‐421 James Street South Thunder Bay ON P7E 2V6 Canada
| | - Jennifer L. Shuter
- Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry Centre for Northern Forest Ecosystem Research 103‐421 James Street South Thunder Bay ON P7E 2V6 Canada
| | - Ian D. Thompson
- Canadian Forest Service (Retired) 1219 Queen Street E, Sault Ste. Marie ON P6A 2E5 Canada
| | - John M. Fryxell
- Department of Integrative Biology University of Guelph Guelph ON N1G 2W1 Canada
| | - John G. Cook
- National Council for Air and Stream Improvement Forestry and Range Science Laboratory 1401 Gekeler Lane La Grande OR 97850 USA
| | - Rachel C. Cook
- National Council for Air and Stream Improvement Forestry and Range Science Laboratory 1401 Gekeler Lane La Grande OR 97850 USA
| | - Eveyln H. Merrill
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Alberta Edmonton AB T6G 2E9 Canada
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23
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Rioux È, Pelletier F, St-Laurent MH. From diet to hair and blood: empirical estimation of discrimination factors for C and N stable isotopes in five terrestrial mammals. J Mammal 2020. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyaa108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
AbstractCarbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios are used widely to describe wildlife animal diet composition and trophic interactions. To reconstruct consumer diet, the isotopic differences between consumers and their diet items—called the trophic discrimination factor (TDF)—must be known. Proxies of diet composition are sensitive to the accuracy of TDFs. However, specific TDFs are still missing for many species and tissues because only a few controlled studies have been carried out on captive animals. The aim of this study was to estimate TDFs for hair and blood for carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes for caribou, moose, white-tailed deer, eastern coyote, and black bear. We obtained stable isotope ratios for diet items, hair, and blood samples, of 21 captive adult mammals. Diet–tissue discrimination factors for carbon in hair (∆ 13CLE) ranged from 0.96‰ to 3.72‰ for cervids, 3.01‰ to 3.76‰ for coyote, and 5.15‰ to 6.35‰ for black bear, while nitrogen discrimination factors (∆ 15N) ranged from 2.58‰ to 5.95‰ for cervids, 2.90‰ to 3.13‰ for coyote, and 4.48‰ to 5.44‰ for black bear. The ∆ 13CLE values in coyote blood components ranged from 2.20‰ to 2.69‰ while ∆ 15N ranged from 3.30‰ to 4.41‰. In caribou serum, ∆ 13CLE reached 3.34 ± 1.28‰ while ∆ 15N reached 5.02 ± 0.07‰. The TDFs calculated in this study will allow the evaluation of diet composition and trophic relationships between these five mammal species and will have important implications for the study of endangered caribou populations for which the use of noninvasive tissue sampling is highly relevant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ève Rioux
- Centre for Northern Studies & Centre for Forest Research, Département de Biologie, Chimie et Géographie, Université du Québec à Rimouski, allée des Ursulines, Rimouski, Québec, Canada
| | - Fanie Pelletier
- Centre for Northern Studies, Département de Biologie, Université de Sherbrooke, boul. de l’Université, Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada
| | - Martin-Hugues St-Laurent
- Centre for Northern Studies & Centre for Forest Research, Département de Biologie, Chimie et Géographie, Université du Québec à Rimouski, allée des Ursulines, Rimouski, Québec, Canada
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24
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Denryter K, Cook RC, Cook JG, Parker KL, Gillingham MP. State-dependent foraging by caribou with different nutritional requirements. J Mammal 2020; 101:544-557. [PMID: 32454534 PMCID: PMC7236907 DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyaa003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2019] [Accepted: 01/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Foraging by animals is hypothesized to be state-dependent, that is, varying with physiological condition of individuals. State often is defined by energy reserves, but state also can reflect differences in nutritional requirements (e.g., for reproduction, lactation, growth, etc.). Testing hypotheses about state-dependent foraging in ungulates is difficult because fine-scale data needed to evaluate these hypotheses generally are lacking. To evaluate whether foraging by caribou (Rangifer tarandus) was state-dependent, we compared bite and intake rates, travel rates, dietary quality, forage selection, daily foraging time, and foraging strategies of caribou with three levels of nutritional requirements (lactating adults, nonlactating adults, subadults 1–2 years old). Only daily foraging times and daily nutrient intakes differed among nutritional classes of caribou. Lactating caribou foraged longer per day than nonlactating caribou—a difference that was greatest at the highest rates of intake, but which persisted even when intake was below requirements. Further, at sites where caribou achieved high rates of intake, caribou in each nutritional class continued foraging even after satisfying daily nutritional requirements, which was consistent with a foraging strategy to maximize energy intake. Foraging time by caribou was partially state-dependent, highlighting the importance of accounting for physiological state in studies of animal behavior. Fine-scale foraging behaviors may influence larger-scale behavioral strategies, with potential implications for conservation and management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristin Denryter
- Natural Resources and Environmental Studies, University of Northern British Columbia, Prince George, British Columbia, Canada.,Wildlife Branch-Elk and Pronghorn Antelope Program, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - Rachel C Cook
- National Council for Air and Stream Improvement, Forestry and Range Sciences Laboratory, La Grande, OR, USA
| | - John G Cook
- National Council for Air and Stream Improvement, Forestry and Range Sciences Laboratory, La Grande, OR, USA
| | - Katherine L Parker
- Natural Resources and Environmental Studies, University of Northern British Columbia, Prince George, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Michael P Gillingham
- Natural Resources and Environmental Studies, University of Northern British Columbia, Prince George, British Columbia, Canada
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25
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Caribou in the cross-fire? Considering terrestrial lichen forage in the face of mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae) expansion. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0232248. [PMID: 32353088 PMCID: PMC7192387 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0232248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2019] [Accepted: 04/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Mountain pine beetle (MPB) has become an invasive forest pest of mature pine in western North America as it spreads beyond its former endemic range. Management actions such as timber harvest can reduce the spread of MPB but may affect species of conservation concern like woodland caribou. Our goal was to inform MPB management within caribou ranges by exploring the impacts of MPB on caribou habitat-focusing on terrestrial lichens, an important winter food for caribou. We evaluated differences in lichen cover among four MPB management actions: timber harvest, wildfires, leaving MPB killed trees as-is, and single-tree cut-and-burn control. We found little evidence that leaving MPB killed trees as-is or controlling MPB using single-tree cut-and-burn impacted lichen cover. However, we found that lichen cover was lower in timber harvested and burned areas compared to intact undisturbed forest but only 10 to 20 years post-disturbance, respectively. Our results suggest that despite short-term reductions in lichen cover, using timber harvesting and prescribed burns to control MPB may balance management needs for MPB while maintaining lichen cover over time. However, using timber harvesting and prescribed burns to manage MPB is likely to have detrimental population-level effects on caribou by increasing the proportion of disturbed habitat and thus predators within caribou ranges. Among the four management actions that we evaluated, the cut-and-burn control program balances the need to limit the spread of MPB while also limiting negative impacts on caribou food. Our work addresses some of the challenges of managing competing forest and ecosystem values by evaluating the consequence of forest pest management actions on an important food resource for a species-at-risk.
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26
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Gurarie E, Hebblewhite M, Joly K, Kelly AP, Adamczewski J, Davidson SC, Davison T, Gunn A, Suitor MJ, Fagan WF, Boelman N. Tactical departures and strategic arrivals: Divergent effects of climate and weather on caribou spring migrations. Ecosphere 2019. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.2971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Eliezer Gurarie
- Department of Biology University of Maryland College Park Maryland 20742 USA
- Wildlife Biology Program Department of Ecosystem and Conservation Sciences W.A. Franke College of Forestry and Conservation University of Montana Missoula Montana 59812 USA
| | - Mark Hebblewhite
- Wildlife Biology Program Department of Ecosystem and Conservation Sciences W.A. Franke College of Forestry and Conservation University of Montana Missoula Montana 59812 USA
| | - Kyle Joly
- National Park Service Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve Arctic Inventory and Monitoring Network Fairbanks Alaska 99709 USA
| | - Allicia P. Kelly
- Department of Environment and Natural Resources Government of the Northwest Territories Fort Smith Northwest Territories Canada
| | - Jan Adamczewski
- Department of Environment and Natural Resources Government of the Northwest Territories Yellowknife Northwest Territories Canada
| | - Sarah C. Davidson
- Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior Am Obstberg 1 Radolfzell 78315 Germany
- Department of Civil, Environmental and Geodetic Engineering The Ohio State University Columbus Ohio 43210 USA
| | - Tracy Davison
- Department of Environment and Natural Resources Government of the Northwest Territories Inuvik Northwest Territories Canada
| | - Anne Gunn
- Circumarctic Rangifer Monitoring and Assessment Network (CARMA) Salt Spring Island British Columbia V8K 1V1 Canada
| | - Michael J. Suitor
- Fish and Wildlife Branch Environment Yukon, Yukon Government Dawson City Yukon Canada
| | - William F. Fagan
- Department of Biology University of Maryland College Park Maryland 20742 USA
| | - Natalie Boelman
- Lamont‐Doherty Earth Observatory Columbia University Palisades New York 10964 USA
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27
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Is summer food intake a limiting factor for boreal browsers? Diet, temperature, and reproduction as drivers of consumption in female moose. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0223617. [PMID: 31596894 PMCID: PMC6785127 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0223617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2019] [Accepted: 09/24/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Food intake may limit the ability of browsing mammals to gain body mass during the growing season when the leaves and stems of woody plants are most abundant. Moose are highly productive browsers with high demands for energy and nutrients, particularly during lactation. Using an indigestible marker, we estimated dry matter intake of free ranging adult female moose with and without calves over three growing seasons. During the same period, we analyzed forage quality. Intakes were highest in late spring (280 ± 19 g·kg-0.75·d-1) when forage quality peaked; however, intakes declined by 39% throughout the summer as temperatures increased and as acid detergent fiber content of browse increased. Digestibility of dry matter declined over summer from 71% to 57% among browse. Intakes were similar for moose with and without calves. Heat loads may impair the ability of moose to consume sufficient energy and nutrients. Warming and habitat change can adversely affect browser populations when poor forage qualities and low dry matter intakes combine to suppress digestible intakes of energy and nutrients.
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28
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Berry SL, Shipley LA, Long RA, Loggers C. Differences in dietary niche and foraging behavior of sympatric mule and white‐tailed deer. Ecosphere 2019. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.2815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie L. Berry
- School of the Environment Washington State University Pullman Washington 99164 USA
| | - Lisa A. Shipley
- School of the Environment Washington State University Pullman Washington 99164 USA
| | - Ryan A. Long
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Sciences University of Idaho Moscow Idaho 83844 USA
| | - Chris Loggers
- Colville National Forest U.S. Forest Service Kettle Falls Washington 99141 USA
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Barber QE, Parisien MA, Whitman E, Stralberg D, Johnson CJ, St-Laurent MH, DeLancey ER, Price DT, Arseneault D, Wang X, Flannigan MD. Potential impacts of climate change on the habitat of boreal woodland caribou. Ecosphere 2018. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.2472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Quinn E. Barber
- Northern Forestry Centre; Canadian Forest Service; Natural Resources Canada; 5320 122 St. NW Edmonton Alberta T6H 3S5 Canada
| | - Marc-André Parisien
- Northern Forestry Centre; Canadian Forest Service; Natural Resources Canada; 5320 122 St. NW Edmonton Alberta T6H 3S5 Canada
| | - Ellen Whitman
- Northern Forestry Centre; Canadian Forest Service; Natural Resources Canada; 5320 122 St. NW Edmonton Alberta T6H 3S5 Canada
- Department of Renewable Resources; University of Alberta; 751 General Services Building Edmonton Alberta T6G 2H1 Canada
| | - Diana Stralberg
- Department of Renewable Resources; University of Alberta; 751 General Services Building Edmonton Alberta T6G 2H1 Canada
| | - Chris J. Johnson
- Natural Resources and Environmental Studies Institute; University of Northern British Columbia; 3333 University Way Prince George British Columbia V2N 4Z9 Canada
| | - Martin-Hugues St-Laurent
- Département de Biologie; Centre for Northern Studies and Centre for Forest Research; Chimie et Géographie; Université du Québec à Rimouski; 300 Allée des Ursulines Rimouski Québec G5L 3A1 Canada
| | - Evan R. DeLancey
- Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute; University of Alberta; Edmonton Alberta T6G 2R3 Canada
| | - David T. Price
- Northern Forestry Centre; Canadian Forest Service; Natural Resources Canada; 5320 122 St. NW Edmonton Alberta T6H 3S5 Canada
| | - Dominique Arseneault
- Département de Biologie; Centre for Northern Studies and Centre for Forest Research; Chimie et Géographie; Université du Québec à Rimouski; 300 Allée des Ursulines Rimouski Québec G5L 3A1 Canada
| | - Xianli Wang
- Great Lakes Forestry Centre; Canadian Forest Service; Natural Resources Canada; 1219 Queen Street East Sault Ste. Marie Ontario P6A 2E5 Canada
| | - Mike D. Flannigan
- Department of Renewable Resources; University of Alberta; 751 General Services Building Edmonton Alberta T6G 2H1 Canada
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Barboza PS, Van Someren LL, Gustine DD, Bret‐Harte MS. The nitrogen window for arctic herbivores: plant phenology and protein gain of migratory caribou (
Rangifer tarandus
). Ecosphere 2018. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.2073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Perry S. Barboza
- Department of Biology and Wildlife University of Alaska Fairbanks Fairbanks Alaska 99775 USA
- Institute of Arctic Biology University of Alaska Fairbanks Fairbanks Alaska 99775 USA
- Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences Texas A&M University College Station Texas 77843 USA
| | - Lindsay L. Van Someren
- Department of Biology and Wildlife University of Alaska Fairbanks Fairbanks Alaska 99775 USA
| | - David D. Gustine
- U.S. Geological Survey Alaska Science Center 4210 University Drive Anchorage Alaska 99508 USA
| | - M. Syndonia Bret‐Harte
- Department of Biology and Wildlife University of Alaska Fairbanks Fairbanks Alaska 99775 USA
- Institute of Arctic Biology University of Alaska Fairbanks Fairbanks Alaska 99775 USA
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