Indigenous knowledge and science unite to reveal spatial and temporal dimensions of distributional shift in wildlife of conservation concern

Broadening the spectrum of conflict and coexistence: A case study example of human-wolf interactions in British Columbia, Canada

Coexistence has seen an explosive rise within conservation social science scholarship. While this represents an exciting shift in the field, many academics are still skeptical. Some scholars have expressed concerns around the omission of "conflict", naïveté, and impracticality associated with coexistence literature. In this paper, we aim to demonstrate that critiques of coexistence often stem from reductionism and decontextualization, process inefficiencies and/or inequities, failure to address and prioritize human well-being as a goal, and a lack of tools to foster open, collaborative dialogue. We draw on a case study of human-wolf interactions in the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve Region, British Columbia, Canada, to illustrate how coexistence efforts can, and should, prioritize "conflict", be attentive to the real challenges of sharing spaces with wildlife, and encourage collaborative, inclusive processes that work toward tangible, actionable outcomes. We conducted 32 semi-structured interviews with residents from diverse backgrounds and levels of experience with wolves in the region. From these interviews, we articulated novel, co-developed, contextual definitions of human-wolf conflict and coexistence in the region. We then developed a collaborative tool for visualizing behavioral and cognitive elements of human-wildlife interactions through open and inclusive dialogue, using real examples from these research interviews. The research findings highlight three main principles: (1) that conflict and coexistence are contextual and should be understood as such, (2) that coexistence requires collaborative processes that pay attention to equity and inclusivity, and (3) that there are frameworks or tools that can help facilitate discussions toward practical outcomes of coexistence projects. We believe that this paper helps to disambiguate coexistence and reinforce that coexistence requires focused attention to the well-being of people as much as wildlife.

Monkeys Swimming Across Rivers Refine Questions About the Riverine Barrier Hypothesis

The Riverine Barrier Hypothesis posits that species distributions are limited by large rivers acting as geographical barriers. Accordingly, large rivers have long been thought to be a major driver of the extensive speciation and high levels of biodiversity among platyrrhine primates in South and Central America. Direct observations of river crossings provide evidence that complements studies of genetic diversity that can together shed new light on this hypothesis. Here, we discuss recent video evidence of howler monkeys successfully swimming across the Rupununi River in Guyana and the Panama Canal. The footage clearly reveals that howler monkeys can and do cross such bodies of water. These video observations help to refine questions about the species and circumstances under which rivers are barriers to gene flow. We end by joining other scientists who call for increased collaborations with local people living near river crossing sites to improve our knowledge and understanding of the frequency, contexts, and traits of the rivers and animals that characterize river crossings. Local knowledge provides new answers and helps refine questions about the river barrier hypothesis.

M̓ṇúxvʔit model for centering Indigenous knowledge and governance

The importance of Indigenous (and local) knowledge and governance systems for addressing social and ecological crises is increasingly recognized. Unfortunately, attempts to incorporate Indigenous knowledge into Western approaches, often without the full leadership, consent, and participation of the peoples holding those knowledges, can cause harm and can constitute extractive activities. However, there remains considerable potential in collaborations bringing together multiple perspectives and knowledges. We introduce the M̓ṇúxvʔit model, which centers Indigenous governance systems as the natural starting point for respectful, cross-knowledge system collaborations. M̓ṇúxvʔit means "to become one" in Haíɫzaqvḷa, the language of the Haíɫzaqv Nation from which this model originates, in this case referring to outside knowledges being incorporated into Indigenous systems (not vice versa). In collaborations following this model, Indigenous communities and governments lead the overall direction, Indigenous knowledge systems are foundational, local protocols are followed, benefits flow at least as much to communities as to collaborators, and collaborations are authentic and transparent. M̓ṇúxvʔit can occur at scales including a single person, such as Q̓íx̌itasu (Elroy White) complementing his Haíɫzaqv knowledge with Western archeology; a project, such as the Xvíɫm̓ístaƛ Hákq̓áṃ Qṇtxv Bákvḷásu (our foods will return) multispecies restoration program led by the Haíɫzaqv Nation and supported by invited collaborators; and a community, exemplified by the Heiltsuk (Haíɫzaqv) Integrated Resource Management Department leading resource stewardship collaborations across Haíɫzaqv Territory. Collaborations following the model uphold Indigenous and local sovereignty while avoiding superficial or tokenistic approaches. We share this model as a successful, locally born approach that we hope provides inspiration elsewhere and as a contribution to the conversation about how Western actors can work with local and Indigenous systems such that their collaborations constructively add to, not harmfully extract from, those systems.

Comparing Historical and Contemporary Observations of Avian Fauna on the Yáláƛi (Goose Island) Archipelago, British Columbia, Canada

In an era of global change, historical natural history data can improve our understanding of ecological phenomena, particularly when evaluated with contemporary Indigenous and place-based knowledge. The Yáláƛi (Goose Island) Archipelago is a group of islands in Heiltsuk (Haíɫzaqv) territory on the Central Coast of British Columbia, Canada. Not only has this region been important to the Heiltsuk for millennia but also it is both a federally and internationally recognized important bird area. In this study, we compare data collected by Charles J. Guiguet, a biologist who documented bird communities at Yáláƛi in the summer of 1948, to three different contemporary surveys and to citizen-science data. We find that the relative abundances of forest bird species (i.e., birds that use the terrestrial island ecosystems) in 1948 differed to those observed in systematic surveys in 2011. While Orange-crowned Warblers, Dark-eyed Juncos, and Red Crossbills comprised 55% of detections by Guiguet in 1948, the three most abundant species in 2011 were Bald Eagles, Varied Thrushes, and Pacific Wrens, and these accounted for only 25% of detections. Although we could not make a quantitative comparison, we provide summaries of each species observed in surveys or reported on eBird. We also incorporate Heiltsuk place-based knowledge to enrich our discussion of the variability in bird communities over time, from how changes in mammal communities and human use may have shaped vegetation dynamics to how large-scale natural phenomena impacted topography. To understand which birds are present and how their communities are changing over time, we recommend continued monitoring of the bird communities at Yáláƛi.

Introducing a new special section-Indigenous Science and Practice in Ecology and Evolution

Editorial introducing a new special issue in the journal.

Weather and nest cavity characteristics influence fecundity in mountain chickadees

Background

Examining direct and indirect effects on reproduction at multiple scales allows for a broad understanding of species' resilience to environmental change. We examine how the fecundity of the mountain chickadee (Poecile gambeli), a secondary cavity-nesting, insectivorous bird, varied in relation to factors at three scales: regional weather conditions, regional- and site-level food availability, site-level community dynamics, and nest-level cavity characteristics. We hypothesized that earlier laying dates and higher fecundity (clutch size, nest survival, brood size) would be associated with milder climatic conditions, increased food from insect outbreaks, lower densities of conspecifics and nest predators (red squirrel; Tamiasciurus hudsonicus), and safer (smaller, higher) cavities.

Methods

We collected data on laying date, clutch size, brood size, nest fate (success/failure), and cavity characteristics from 513 mountain chickadee nests in tree cavities in temperate mixed coniferous-broadleaf forest in interior British Columbia, Canada, from 2000 to 2011. We surveyed annual abundances of mountain chickadees and squirrels using repeated point counts, and mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae) and lepidopteran defoliators by monitoring host trees and by using regional-scale aerial overview forest insect survey data. We used weather data (temperature, rain, snow) from a local Environment and Climate Change Canada weather station. We modeled laying date, clutch size, daily nest survival, and brood size as a function of predictors at regional-, site-, and nest-scales.

Results and Conclusions

Measures of fecundity varied dramatically across years and spatial scales. At the regional (study-wide) scale, chickadees laid earlier and larger first clutches in warmer springs with minimal storms, and daily nest survival (DSR) increased with a 2-year lag in growing season temperature. Despite a doubling of mountain chickadee density that roughly accompanied the outbreaks of mountain pine beetle and lepidopteran defoliators, we found little evidence at the site scale that fecundity was influenced by insect availability, conspecific density, or predator density. At the nest scale, DSR and brood size increased with clutch size but DSR declined with nest cavity size indicating a positive reproductive effect of small-bodied cavity excavators. Double-brooding, rare in chickadees, occurred frequently in 2005 and 2007, coinciding with early breeding, high food availability from insect outbreaks, and warm spring temperatures with 0-1 spring storms. Our results support the idea that fecundity in secondary cavity-nesting species is impacted directly and indirectly by weather, and indirectly through changes in community dynamics (via cavity resource supply). We stress the importance of adopting holistic, community-level study frameworks to refine our understanding of fecundity in opportunistic and climate-sensitive species in future.

A Systematic Review on the Local Wisdom of Indigenous People in Nature Conservation

The local wisdom of indigenous people in nature conservation plays a critical part in protecting the planet’s biodiversity and the overall health of the ecosystems. However, at the same time, indigenous people and their lands are facing immense threats through modernization and globalization. This study aims to systematically review and analyze the local wisdom of the indigenous people in nature conservation. The present study integrated multiple research designs, and the review was based on the published standard, namely the PRISMA statement (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses). This study used Web of Science (WoS) and Scopus as the main databases in searching for the required articles. Through content analysis, this study can be divided into seven main categories: (a) forest management, (b) flora and fauna conservation, (c) food security, (d) water management, (e) land management, (f) weather forecasting, and (g) others. The findings offer some basics on how academics can adopt and adapt the existing local wisdom of indigenous people in nature conservation into the scientific framework and design to answer the Sustainable Development 2030 Agenda.

Weaving place‐based knowledge for culturally significant species in the age of genomics: Looking to the past to navigate the future

Relationships with place provide critical context for characterizing biocultural diversity. Yet, genetic and genomic studies are rarely informed by Indigenous or local knowledge, processes, and practices, including the movement of culturally significant species. Here, we show how place‐based knowledge can better reveal the biocultural complexities of genetic or genomic data derived from culturally significant species. As a case study, we focus on culturally significant southern freshwater kōura (crayfish) in Aotearoa me Te Waipounamu (New Zealand, herein Aotearoa NZ). Our results, based on genotyping‐by‐sequencing markers, reveal strong population genetic structure along with signatures of population admixture in 19 genetically depauperate populations across the east coast of Te Waipounamu. Environment association and differentiation analyses for local adaptation also indicate a role for hydroclimatic variables—including temperature, precipitation, and water flow regimes—in shaping local adaptation in kōura. Through trusted partnerships between community and researchers, weaving genomic markers with place‐based knowledge has both provided invaluable context for the interpretation of data and created opportunities to reconnect people and place. We envisage such trusted partnerships guiding future genomic research for culturally significant species in Aotearoa NZ and beyond.

Now you see me: "first" records of the greater amberjack Seriola dumerili at Rapa Nui range extension or increased scientific effort?

We report new records of the fisheries-harvested subtropical greater amberjack Seriola dumerili for the south-east Pacific Ocean. Despite local fishers' asserting that three Seriola morphotypes exist in the region, only one species (the yellowtail amberjack Seriola lalandi) was previously scientifically recorded for Rapa Nui (also known as Easter Island). Whilst we present the first "scientific record", S. dumerili, traditional ecological knowledge suggests that this is likely a pre-existing (albeit transient) species of the Rapa Nui ecoregion. Establishing the existing/historic distributional limits of commercially and ecologically valuable species is key for observing climate-driven distribution shifts, and the inclusion of traditional ecological knowledge is particularly important in areas with relatively lower scientific effort.

New migration and distribution patterns of Atlantic walruses (Odobenus rosmarus rosmarus) around Nunavik (Québec, Canada) identified using Inuit Knowledge

Environmental changes are affecting the Arctic at an unprecedented rate, but limited scientific knowledge exists on their impacts on species such as walruses (Odobenus rosmarus). Inuit Traditional and Local Ecological Knowledge (Inuit TEK/LEK) held by Inuit walrus harvesters could shed light on walrus ecology and related environmental changes. Our main objective was to study spatial and temporal changes in Atlantic walrus (Odobenus rosmarus rosmarus) distribution in Nunavik (northern Québec, Canada) using Inuit TEK/LEK. To do so, we documented the knowledge and observations of 33 local hunters and Elders as part of a larger project on Atlantic walruses in Nunavik. We first gathered information on changes in Inuit land use patterns and harvesting practices through time and space, which was a crucial step to avoid potential biases in interpreting local observations on walrus distribution. We found that walrus hunters are now covering smaller hunting areas over shorter time periods, reducing in space and time their observations of Atlantic walruses around Nunavik. While clearly taking these limitations into account, we learned from interviews that some areas abandoned by Atlantic walruses in the past were now being re-occupied. Importantly, Atlantic walruses, which migrate following the melting ice, are now traveling along the eastern coast of Nunavik one month earlier, suggesting that Atlantic walrus migration has changed due to variations in sea-ice coverage around Nunavik. Our study not only highlighted important changes in Atlantic walrus distribution and migration in Nunavik, but also sheds light on the importance of documenting temporal and spatial changes in Inuit land use patterns and harvesting practices to understand the ecology of Arctic species using Inuit Knowledge.

Adaptive management as a foundational framework for developing collaborative estuary management programs

Collaborative nonregulatory programs can benefit the long-term sustainability of environmental resources. Such programs benefit from extensive planning and assessment relative to ecological systems as well as public participation. While many programs use adaptive management as a guiding programmatic framework, few programs successfully integrate social and human context into their adaptive management frameworks. While this adaptive governance framework can be successful, many potential challenges arise when incorporating public stakeholders into the adaptive management framework. To reduce those challenges, programs need participation from diverse stakeholder groups that represent multiple communities of interest, place, and identity. The participatory process benefits from a diverse group of stakeholders and can result in successful management of environmental resources. We highlight the participatory co-management process of three newly developing nonregulatory programs that are modeled after the United States EPA's National Estuary Program in the Perdido and Pensacola Bay systems, Choctawhatchee Bay, and the St. Andrew and St. Joseph Bay systems (Florida USA). This case study illustrates how collaborative nonregulatory programs can be implemented not only in the United States, but also in other regions of the world.

Decoloniality and anti-oppressive practices for a more ethical ecology

Ecological research and practice are crucial to understanding and guiding more positive relationships between people and ecosystems. However, ecology as a discipline and the diversity of those who call themselves ecologists have also been shaped and held back by often exclusionary Western approaches to knowing and doing ecology. To overcome these historical constraints and to make ecology inclusive of the diverse peoples inhabiting Earth's varied ecosystems, ecologists must expand their knowledge, both in theory and practice, to incorporate varied perspectives, approaches and interpretations from, with and within the natural environment and across global systems. We outline five shifts that could help to transform academic ecological practice: decolonize your mind; know your histories; decolonize access; decolonize expertise; and practise ethical ecology in inclusive teams. We challenge the discipline to become more inclusive, creative and ethical at a moment when the perils of entrenched thinking have never been clearer.

Intrapopulation foraging niche variation between phenotypes and genotypes of Spirit bear populations

Foraging niche variation within a species can contribute to the maintenance of phenotypic diversity. The multiniche model posits that phenotypes occupying different niches can contribute to the maintenance of balanced polymorphisms. Using coastal populations of black bears (Ursus americanus kermodei) from British Columbia, Canada, we examined potential foraging niche divergence between phenotypes (black and white "Spirit" coat color) and between genotypes (black-coated homozygote and heterozygous). We applied the Bayesian multivariate models, with biotracers of diet (δ13C and δ15N) together comprising the response variable, to draw inference about foraging niche variation. Variance-covariance matrices from multivariate linear mixed-effect models were visualized as the Bayesian standard ellipses in δ13C and δ15N isotopic space to assess potential seasonal and annual niche variation between phenotypes and genotypes. We did not detect a difference in annual isotopic foraging niche area in comparisons between genotypes or phenotypes. Consistent with previous field experimental and isotopic analyses, however, we found that white phenotype Spirit bears were modestly more enriched in δ15N during the fall foraging season, though with our modest sample sizes these results were not significant. Although also not statistically significant, variation in isotopic niches between genotypes revealed that heterozygotes were moderately more enriched in δ13C along hair segments grown during fall foraging compared with black-coated homozygotes. To the extent to which the pattern of elevated δ15N and δ13C may signal the consumption of salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.), as well as the influence of salmon consumption on reproductive fitness, these results suggest that black-coated heterozygotes could have a minor selective advantage in the fall compared with black-coated homozygotes. More broadly, our multivariate approach, coupled with knowledge of genetic variation underlying a polymorphic trait, provides new insight into the potential role of a multiniche mechanism in maintaining this rare morph of conservation priority in Canada's Great Bear Rainforest and could offer new understanding into polymorphisms in other systems.

Grizzly and polar bears as nonconsumptive cultural keystone species

Grizzly bears and polar bears often serve as ecological “flagship species” in conservation efforts, but although consumptively used in some areas and cultures they can also be important cultural keystone species even where not hunted. We extend the application of established criteria for defining cultural keystone species to also encompass species with which cultures have a primarily nonconsumptive relationship but that are nonetheless disproportionately important to well-being and identity. Grizzly bears in coastal British Columbia are closely linked to many Indigenous Peoples (including the Haíɫzaqv (Heiltsuk), Kitasoo/Xai’xais, and Nuxalk First Nations), where they are central to the identity, culture, and livelihoods of individuals, families, Chiefs, and Nations. Polar bears in Churchill, Manitoba, provide another example as a cultural keystone species for a mixed Indigenous and non-Indigenous community in which many of the livelihood benefits from the species are mediated by economic transactions in a globalized tourism market. We discuss context specificity and questions of equity in sharing of benefits from cultural keystone species. Our expanded definition of cultural keystone species gives broader recognition of the beyond-ecological importance of these species to Indigenous Peoples, which highlights the societal and ecological importance of Indigenous sovereignty and could facilitate the increased cross-cultural understanding critical to reconciliation.

Indigenous Systems of Management for Culturally and Ecologically Resilient Pacific Salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.) Fisheries

Pacific salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.) are at the center of social–ecological systems that have supported Indigenous peoples around the North Pacific Rim since time immemorial. Through generations of interdependence with salmon, Indigenous Peoples developed sophisticated systems of management involving cultural and spiritual beliefs, and stewardship practices. Colonization radically altered these social–ecological systems, disrupting Indigenous management, consolidating authority within colonial governments, and moving most harvest into mixed-stock fisheries. We review Indigenous management of salmon, including selective fishing technologies, harvest practices, and governance grounded in multigenerational place-based knowledge. These systems and practices showcase pathways for sustained productivity and resilience in contemporary salmon fisheries. Contrasting Indigenous systems with contemporary management, we document vulnerabilities of colonial governance and harvest management that have contributed to declining salmon fisheries in many locations. We suggest that revitalizing traditional systems of salmon management can improve prospects for sustainable fisheries and healthy fishing communities and identify opportunities for their resurgence.

Community Ecology and Conservation of Bear-Salmon Ecosystems

Apex predators play keystone roles in ecosystems through top-down control, but the effects of apex omnivores on ecosystems could be more varied because changes in the resource base alter their densities and reverberate through ecosystems in complex ways. In coastal temperate ecosystems throughout much of the Northern Hemisphere, anadromous salmon once supported abundant bear populations, but both taxa have declined or been extirpated from large parts of their former ranges with limited research on the consequences of diminished or absent interactions among species. Here we review the biogeography of bear-salmon interactions and the role of salmon-subsidized bears in (1) resource provisioning to plants and scavengers through the distribution of salmon carcasses, (2) competition among bears and other large carnivores, (3) predation of ungulate neonates, (4) seed dispersal, and (5) resource subsidies to rodents with seed-filled scats. In addition to our review of the literature, we present original data to demonstrate two community-level patterns that are currently unexplained. First, deer densities appear to be consistently higher on islands with abundant brown bears than adjacent islands with black bears and wolves, and moose calf survival is higher at low bear densities (<∼25 bears per 100 km2) but is constant across the vast majority of bear densities found in the wild (i.e., ∼>25 bears per 100 km2). Our review and empirical data highlight key knowledge gaps and research opportunities to understand the complex ecosystem effects related to bear-salmon interactions.

Inuit knowledge of Arctic Terns (Sterna paradisaea) and perspectives on declining abundance in southeastern Hudson Bay, Canada

The Arctic Tern (Sterna paradisaea; takatakiaq in Inuttitut) breeds in the circumpolar Arctic and undertakes the longest known annual migration. In recent decades, Arctic Tern populations have been declining in some parts of their range, and this has been a cause of concern for both wildlife managers and Indigenous harvesters. However, limited scientific information is available on Arctic Tern abundance and distribution, especially within its breeding range in remote areas of the circumpolar Arctic. Knowledge held by Inuit harvesters engaged in Arctic Tern egg picking can shed light on the ecology, regional abundance and distribution of this marine bird. We conducted individual interviews and a workshop involving 12 Inuit harvesters and elders from Kuujjuaraapik, Nunavik (northern Québec), Canada, to gather their knowledge of Arctic Tern cultural importance, ecology, and stewardship. Interview contributors reported a regional decline in Arctic Tern numbers which appeared in the early 2000s on nesting islands near Kuujjuaraapik. Six possible factors were identified: (1) local harvest through egg picking; (2) nest disturbance and predation; (3) abandonment of tern nesting areas (i.e., islands that have become connected to the mainland due to isostatic rebound); (4) climate change; (5) natural abundance cycles within the Arctic Tern population; and (6) decline of the capelin (Mallotus villosus) in the region. Recommendations from Inuit contributors related to Arctic Tern stewardship and protection included: (1) conduct more research; (2) let nature take its course; (3) conduct an awareness campaign; (4) implement an egg picking ban; (5) coordinate local egg harvest; (6) start ‘tern farming’; (7) protect Arctic Terns across their migration route; and (8) harvest foxes predating on terns. Our study highlighted complementarities between Inuit knowledge and ecological science, and showed that Inuit harvesters can make substantial contributions to ongoing and future Arctic tern research and management initiatives.

Indigenous knowledge and federal environmental assessments in Canada: applying past lessons to the 2019 impact assessment act

Policy-makers ideally pursue well-informed, socially just means to make environmental decisions. Indigenous peoples have used Indigenous knowledge (IK) to inform decisions about environmental management for millennia. In the last 50 years, many western societies have used environmental assessment (EA) processes to deliberate on industrial proposals, informed by scientific information. Recently EA processes have attempted to incorporate IK in some countries and regions, but practitioners and scholars have criticized the ability of EA to meaningfully engage IK. Here we consider these tensions in Canada, a country with economic focus on resource extraction and unresolved government-to-government relationships with Indigenous Nations. In 2019, the Canadian government passed the Impact Assessment Act, reinvigorating dialogue on the relationship between IK and EA. Addressing this opportunity, we examined obstacles between IK and EA via a systematic literature review, and qualitative analyses of publications and the Act itself. Our results and synthesis identify obstacles preventing the Act from meaningfully engaging IK, some of which are surmountable (e.g., failures to engage best practices, financial limitations), whereas others are substantial (e.g., knowledge incompatibilities, effects of colonization). Finally, we offer recommendations for practitioners and scholars towards ameliorating relationships between IK and EA towards improved decision-making and recognition of Indigenous rights.

Bridging conservation science and traditional knowledge of wild animals: The need for expert guidance and inclusion of local knowledge holders

Many people call for strengthening knowledge co-production between academic science and indigenous and local knowledge systems. A major barrier to cooperation seems to be a lack of experience regarding where and how traditional knowledge can be found and obtained. Our key question was whether the expert judgment of academic zoologists or a feature-based linear model is better at predicting the observed level of local familiarity with wild animal species. Neither the zoologists nor the model proved sufficiently accurate (70 and 60%, respectively), with the inaccuracy probably resulting from inadequate knowledge of the local ecological and cultural specificities of the species. This indicates that more knowledge is likely to come from local knowledge than zoologists would expect. Accuracy of targeting the relevant species for knowledge co-production could be improved through specific understanding of the local culture, provided by experts who study traditional zoological knowledge and by local knowledge holders themselves.

Salmonid species diversity predicts salmon consumption by terrestrial wildlife

Resource waves—spatial variation in resource phenology that extends feeding opportunities for mobile consumers—can affect the behaviour and productivity of recipient populations. Interspecific diversity among Pacific salmon species (Oncorhynchus spp.) creates staggered spawning events across space and time, thereby prolonging availability to terrestrial wildlife.

We sought to understand how such variation might influence consumption by terrestrial predators compared with resource abundance and intra‐ and interspecific competition.

Using stable isotope analysis, we investigated how the proportion of salmon in the annual diet of male black bears (Ursus americanus; n = 405) varies with species diversity and density of spawning salmon biomass, while also accounting for competition with sympatric black and grizzly bears (U. arctos horribilis), in coastal British Columbia, Canada.

We found that the proportion of salmon in the annual diet of black bears was ≈40% higher in the absence of grizzly bears, but detected little effect of relative black bear density and salmon biomass density. Rather, salmon diversity had the largest positive effect on consumption. On average, increasing diversity from one salmon species to ~four (with equal biomass contributions) approximately triples the proportion of salmon in diet.

Given the importance of salmon to bear life histories, this work provides early empirical support for how resource waves may increase the productivity of consumers at population and landscape scales. Accordingly, terrestrial wildlife management might consider maintaining not only salmon abundance but also diversity.

Combining local knowledge and occupancy analysis for a rapid assessment of the forest elephant Loxodonta cyclotis in Cameroon's timber production forests

Information on the distribution and abundance of the forest elephant Loxodonta cyclotis is needed to allocate limited resources appropriately and set conservation goals for the species. However, monitoring at large scales in forest habitats is complicated, expensive and time consuming. We investigated the potential of applying interview-based occupancy analysis as a tool for the rapid assessment of the distribution and relative abundance of forest elephants in eastern Cameroon. Using single-season occupancy models, we explored the covariates that affect forest elephant occupancy and detectability, and identified spatial and temporal patterns in population change and occupancy. Quantitative and qualitative socio-demographic data offer additional depth and understanding, placing the occupancy analysis in context and providing valuable information to guide conservation action. Detectability of forest elephants has decreased since 2008, which is consistent with the decline in perceived abundance in occupied sites. Forest elephants occupy areas outside protected areas and outside the known elephant range defined by IUCN. Critical conservation attention is required to assess forest elephant populations and the threats they face in these poorly understood areas. Interview-based occupancy analysis is a reliable and suitable method for a rapid assessment of forest elephant occupancy on a large scale, as a complement to, or the first stage in, a monitoring process.

Towards a Better Understanding of the Effects of UV on Atlantic Walruses, Odobenus rosmarus rosmarus: A Study Combining Histological Data with Local Ecological Knowledge

Walruses, Odobenus rosmarus, play a key role in the Arctic ecosystem, including northern Indigenous communities, which are reliant upon walruses for aspects of their diet and culture. However, walruses face varied environmental threats including rising sea-water temperatures and decreasing ice cover. An underappreciated threat may be the large amount of solar ultraviolet radiation (UV) that continues to reach the Arctic as a result of ozone loss. UV has been shown to negatively affect whales. Like whales, walrus skin is unprotected by fur, but in contrast, walruses spend long periods of time hauled-out on land. In this study, we combined the results of histological analyses of skin sections from five Atlantic walruses, Odobenus rosmarus rosmarus, collected in Nunavik (Northern Quebec, Canada) with qualitative data obtained through the interviews of 33 local walrus hunters and Inuit Elders. Histological analyses allowed us to explore UV-induced cellular lesions and interviews with experienced walrus hunters and Elders helped us to study the incidences and temporal changes of UV-induced gross lesions in walruses. At the microscopic scale, we detected a range of skin abnormalities consistent with UV damage. However, currently such UV effects do not seem to be widely observed at the whole-animal level (i.e., absence of skin blistering, erythema, eye cataract) by individuals interviewed. Although walruses may experience skin damage under normal everyday UV exposure, the long-term data from local walrus hunters and Inuit Elders did not report a relation between the increased sun radiation secondary to ozone loss and walrus health.