In western Canada, anthropogenic disturbances resulting from resource extraction activities are associated with habitat loss and altered predator–prey dynamics. These habitat changes are linked to increased predation risk and unsustainable mortality rates for caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou). To inform effective habitat restoration, our goal was to examine whether specific linear disturbance features were associated with caribou predation in central mountain caribou ranges. We used predation‐caused caribou mortalities and caribou GPS‐collar data collected between 2008 and 2015 to assess caribou predation risk within and outside of protected areas at four spatio‐temporal scales: habitat use during the (a) 30 days, (b) 7 days, and (c) 24 hours prior to caribou being killed, and (d) characteristics at caribou kill site locations. Outside of protected areas, predation risk increased closer to pipelines, seismic lines, and streams. Within protected areas, predation risk increased closer to alpine habitat. Factors predicting predation risk differed among spatio‐temporal scales and linear feature types: predation risk increased closer to pipelines during the 30 and 7 days prior to caribou being killed and closer to seismic lines during the 30 days, 7 days, and 24 hours prior, but decreased closer to roads during the 30 days prior to being killed. By assessing habitat use prior to caribou being killed, we identified caribou predation risk factors that would not have been detected by analysis of kill site locations alone. These results provide further evidence that restoration of anthropogenic linear disturbance features should be an immediate priority for caribou recovery in central mountain caribou ranges.
Oil and gas development is increasing in areas of Alberta, Canada that are also home to threatened grizzly bear (Ursus arctos) populations. While impacts of forest disturbances on bears have been heavily studied, research on the impacts of oil and gas activities is limited. Our research goal was to test the hypothesis that grizzly bears select locations of oil and gas development randomly, using grizzly bear telemetry data collected from 2005 to 2010 in the Kakwa region of Alberta. Maps of probability of resource use by bears were generated and used to conditionally randomize telemetry data to classify bear locations as being closer, farther, or no different than expected from oil and gas features. Our results indicated that bears were generally observed closer to oil and gas features during spring. Adult males were farther than expected to all features during the summer season. During fall, adult females showed avoidance of all oil and gas features during the day, but were closer at night. Active wellsites were avoided by all bears in the fall, and roads were avoided more than pipelines. Spatial analysis and geographic information science are ideal tools for examining the influence of landscape features on wildlife.
Forest harvesting alters habitat, impacts wildlife, and disrupts ecosystem function. Across the boreal forest of Canada, forest harvesting affects ungulate prey species and their predators, with cascading impacts on other species, including threatened woodland caribou. We used camera and vegetation data and occupancy modeling to investigate what characteristics in and around forestry harvest blocks influenced the occupancy and co‐occurrence of primary prey (elk, moose, mule deer, white‐tailed deer) and predators (black bear, cougar, grizzly bear, wolf) in harvest blocks. Occupancy was linked to forage, the surrounding habitat and anthropogenic disturbance, and silviculture practices. Black and grizzly bear occupancy was influenced by the presence of deer, and bear–deer co‐occurrence was influenced by site‐specific silviculture practices and surrounding anthropogenic disturbance. In the context of caribou recovery, our results indicate that forestry within caribou ranges could consider site‐specific silviculture practices and landscape‐level planning to reduce use of harvest blocks by primary prey. Future caribou recovery efforts may also consider the roles of deer and bears in caribou predation risk. Our study provides the first insights into the impacts of forestry and silviculture on boreal forest predator–prey co‐occurrence and provides practical management applications to mitigate the impacts of anthropogenic activities on the boreal forest ecosystem into the future.
Oil and gas development is widespread in west—central Alberta, yet little is known about the potential impacts of oil and gas activities on grizzly bear habitat use. Focusing on the impacts of one component of energy development, we studied the selection patterns of radio‐collared grizzly bears in relation to oil and gas wellsites in the Kakwa region of west—central Alberta. For each grizzly bear foraging season (spring, summer, and fall), we calculated a population level resource selection function (RSF) to assess the probability that bears would select for wellsites versus non‐wellsite habitat. We used mixed‐effects logistic regression and model selection to examine factors that could influence the probability of wellsite use, including: grizzly bear reproductive status, wellsite age, wellsite operational status, surrounding road and wellsite densities, adjacent forest canopy cover, and adjacent habitat. Bear reproductive status, surrounding road and wellsite densities, and adjacent canopy cover had the most influence on the probability of wellsite use. Females used wellsites more than expected in all seasons, and males selected for wellsites in summer and fall. Males used wellsites less than females, and females with young used wellsites more than both single females and males. Bears were more likely to use wellsites that had lower densities of disturbance (roads and wellsites) in the surrounding area. In the fall, older wellsites were also more likely to be used by bears. In areas with human access, grizzly bears attracted to anthropogenic features are at a higher risk of human‐caused mortality; therefore, their use of wellsites could have negative results for this threatened population.
Forest harvesting causes habitat loss and alteration and can change predator–prey dynamics. In Canada, forest harvesting has shifted the distribution and abundance of ungulates (deer, elk and moose) that prefer early seral forest, resulting in unsustainable caribou predation by shared predators (bears, cougars and wolves). Long‐term solutions for caribou recovery require management to reduce ungulate prey species within caribou ranges. Silviculture practices applied after forest harvesting directly affect the amount of forage available in harvested areas, and therefore influence ungulate distribution, but few studies have completed detailed assessments on how specific treatments of site preparation, planting and stand tending influence ungulate use of harvest blocks. We used camera traps, silviculture data, GIS‐derived habitat and disturbance data, and detailed vegetation data collected at field sites to investigate ungulate occurrence in harvest blocks in west‐central Alberta, Canada. We compared seasonal ungulate occurrence and investigated how site‐specific characteristics, the surrounding habitat and disturbance density, and fine‐scale silviculture treatments influenced ungulate occurrence in blocks. Deer, elk and moose occurrence was higher in summer compared to winter. Elk, moose and white‐tailed deer occurrence was higher in blocks with greater availability of specific forage species. Moose occurrence was higher in blocks with a lower road density in the surrounding area, and white‐tailed deer occurrence was higher in blocks further from seismic lines and with a lower proportion of harvest blocks in the surrounding area. Deer, elk and moose occurrence was higher in younger harvest blocks. Mule deer and white‐tailed deer occurrence was lower in blocks with higher planting densities of lodgepole pine, and mule deer occurrence was also lower in blocks that had been stand tended. Our study provides detailed information on ungulate response to fine‐scale silviculture methods used in Alberta, directly linking wildlife occurrence to forestry practices, and providing practical scientific information to inform sustainable forestry. Translating this research into practical landscape management decisions could benefit boreal biodiversity, including threatened species like caribou, and culturally and economically important species like deer, elk and moose.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.