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Interspecific interactions are an integral aspect of ecosystem functioning that may be disrupted in an increasingly anthropocentric world. Industrial landscape change creates a novel playing field on which these interactions take place, and a key question for wildlife managers is whether and how species are able to coexist in such working landscapes. Using camera traps deployed in northern Alberta, we surveyed boreal predators to determine whether interspecific interactions affected occurrences of black bears (Ursus americanus), coyotes (Canis latrans), and lynx (Lynx canadensis) within a landscape disturbed by networks of seismic lines (corridors cut for seismic exploration of oil and gas reserves). We tested hypotheses of species interactions across one spatial‐only and two spatiotemporal (daily and weekly) scales. Specifically, we hypothesized that (1) predators avoid competition with the apex predator, gray wolf (Canis lupus), (2) they avoid competition with each other as intraguild competitors, and (3) they overlap with their prey. All three predators overlapped with wolves on at least one scale, although models at the daily and weekly scale had substantial unexplained variance. None of the predators showed avoidance of intraguild competitors or overlap with prey. These results show patterns in predator space use that are consistent with both facilitative interactions or shared responses to unmeasured ecological cues. Our study provides insight into how predator species use the working boreal landscape in relation to each other, and highlights that predator management may indirectly influence multiple species through their interactions.

The restoration of habitats degraded by industrial disturbance is essential for achieving conservation objectives in disturbed landscapes. In boreal ecosystems, disturbances from seismic exploration lines and other linear features have adversely affected biodiversity, most notably leading to declines in threatened woodland caribou. Large‐scale restoration of disturbed habitats is needed, yet empirical assessments of restoration effectiveness on wildlife communities remain rare. We used 73 camera trap deployments from 2015 to 2019 and joint species distribution models to investigate how habitat use by the larger vertebrate community (>0.2 kg) responded to variation in key seismic line characteristics (line‐of‐sight, width, density and mounding) following restoration treatments in a landscape disturbed by oil and gas development in northeastern Alberta. The proportion of variation explained by line characteristics was low in comparison to habitat type and season, suggesting short‐term responses to restoration treatments were relatively weak. However, we found that lines with characteristics consistent with restored conditions were predicted to support an altered community composition, with reduced use by wolf and coyote, thereby indicating that line restoration will result in reduced contact rates between caribou and these key predators. Synthesis and applications. Our analysis provides a framework to assess and predict wildlife community responses to emerging restoration efforts. With the growing importance of habitat restoration for caribou and other vertebrate species, we recommend longer‐term monitoring combined with landscape‐scale comparisons of different restoration approaches to more fully understand and direct these critical conservation investments. Only by combining rigorous multispecies monitoring with large‐scale restoration, will we effectively conserve biodiversity within rapidly changing environments.

Habitat restoration is a necessary component of wildlife conservation in anthropogenic landscapes. To ensure restoration initiatives achieve the desired effects on wildlife communities, it is useful to investigate how animals use landscape features. Understanding the relationships between wildlife use and ecological cues provides specific and measurable targets that can be used to measure restoration success. In western Canada, linear feature networks formed by seismic lines, pipelines and roads have altered the boreal forest landscape and resulted in population declines for woodland caribou. Restoration is aimed at supporting caribou recovery by deterring linear feature use by caribou predators and ungulate competitors. Information on how linear feature characteristics facilitate or deter wildlife use supports restoration initiatives by providing specific targets for restoration. Here, we used wildlife track and sign data to investigate biophysical characteristics related to the use of linear features by canines, bears, deer, elk and moose in caribou ranges of west‐central and north‐western Alberta and British Columbia. We built generalized linear mixed models consistent with three hypotheses that could explain likely mechanisms for use: (1) ease of movement, (2) risk avoidance and (3) resource availability (prey and forage). Moose, deer, elk and bears were more likely to use linear features with either human or game trails. Bears and canines were less likely to use seismic lines with greater lateral vegetation cover and taller vegetation, respectively. Moose, deer and elk were more likely to use linear features with a greater cover of ungulate forage taxa such as willow, birch, sedges and forbs. These results suggest that restoration focusing on trails, online vegetation structure and online vegetation type should deter predators and ungulate prey species to the overall benefit of caribou. Our study corroborates the findings of other research recommending structural and functional restoration using high‐intensity line blocking and vegetative regeneration. We provide specific targets for linear feature restoration to assist in prioritization according to restoration objectives, which translates to a broader goal of linking local‐level restoration actions to landscape‐level conservation goals. This approach to restoration has implications for any major system experiencing anthropogenic landscape change.

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