Demography of Black Bears in Hunted and Unhunted Areas of the Boreal Forest of Ontario

Obbard, Martyn E.; Howe, Eric J.

doi:10.2193/2006-158

Cited by 47 publications

(57 citation statements)

References 51 publications

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“…The number of scats collected varied somewhat among periods. For example, during the August and september-October periods, no live-trapping was conducted (Obbard and Howe 2008), and fewer scats were found on roads during this period, as some American Black Bears had left the study area on foraging excursions . Of the 1023 scats, we randomly chose 103 for analysis (Tables 1-2).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…During may-October 1990-1992, we collected scats daily along a 30-km network of tertiary gravel roads throughout the study area, and occasionally from live traps used to capture American Black Bears for a demographic study (Obbard and Howe 2008). in order to limit bias from anthropogenic sources, we did not collect scats from within a 2-km radius of a small landfill in the study area; this approximated the average radius of the home range of adult female American Black Bears in the area (schenk et al 1998).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, a long-term demographic study of the population of American Black Bears in the chapleau crown Game Preserve showed that cub survival was lower during years of food shortages (such as 1992) and litter production rate was lower in years immediately following food shortages (Obbard and Howe 2008). Therefore, in the boreal forest zone of Ontario, where few alternate food crops are available and there can be considerable annual variation in blueberry production (Usui et al 2005), American Black Bears may not always be able to compensate for the loss of the blueberry crop.…”

Section: Variation Among Yearsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Nevertheless, such studies should be replicated geographically and temporally because the type, phenology, and relative abundance of foods consumed by American Black Bears vary from location to location and season to season. Natural foods can also vary in abundance among years, significantly affecting survival and reproductive success of American Black Bears (rogers 1976czetwertynski et al 2007;Obbard and Howe 2008) as well as space use patterns (Powell et al 1997).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…As a result, in Ontario, wildlife managers monitor both the total number of American Black Bears harvested and the proportion of females in that harvest to ensure they remain within sustainable levels (mcLaren et al 2009*). Due to the importance of adult females in the population dynamics of American Black Bears (Obbard and Howe 2008), outfitters and other hunters are encouraged to direct harvest towards males ).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Temporal variation in food habits of the American Black Bear (<em>Ursus americanus</em>) in the boreal forest of northern Ontario

Romain¹,

Obbard²,

Atkinson³

2013

Can Field Nat

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We used scat analysis to investigate temporal variation in the food habits of American Black Bears (Ursus americanus) in the boreal forest of northern Ontario. Specifically, we examined whether there was a seasonal shift in foraging over three years (1990–1992) and which foods, if any, varied in occurrence among years. American Black Bears ate foods ranging from green vegetation in the spring to ants in mid-summer and berries and nuts in late summer and fall. Late summer berry forage, especially blueberries (Vaccinium spp.), varied greatly among years. American Black Bears in northern Ontario consumed a variety of foods opportunistically. Understanding how American Black Bears in northern Ontario exploit food resources and how these food items vary among years can provide insights into demographic processes and help wildlife managers better anticipate changes in the structure of the harvest of American Black Bears and in human–bear conflict levels. In northern Ontario, forest management practices that increase the availability of early successional species would be beneficial to American Black Bear populations.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Variation Among Yearsmentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Temporal variation in food habits of the American Black Bear (<em>Ursus americanus</em>) in the boreal forest of northern Ontario

Romain¹,

Obbard²,

Atkinson³

2013

Can Field Nat

Self Cite

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Integrating video and genetic data to estimate annual age‐structured apparent survival of American black bears

Reynolds‐Hogland¹,

Ramsey²,

Muench³

et al. 2022

Population Ecology

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Camera or genetic data are increasingly used to estimate wildlife abundance and density. We integrated video camera data with genetic data over 7 years to estimate annual age‐structured apparent survival of American black bears (Ursus americanus). We identified 70 individuals through meticulous scrutiny of 7531 video captures, cross‐referenced with 721 genetic captures from hair samples concurrently collected from stations in view of cameras. We used the Cormack–Jolly–Seber model in Program Mark to estimate annual age‐structured apparent survival for yearling males, yearling females, 2+ year‐old males, and 2+ year‐old females. We manually calculated cub survival. We compared parameter estimates based on combined video and genetic data with those based on only genetic data. Combining video and genetic data provided a means to test video‐based identification accuracy, which was highest for females (97%–100%). Annual apparent survival was highest for yearling females (φ = 0.92, SE = 0.07), followed by 2+ year‐old females (φ = 0.88, SE = 0.05), 2+ year‐old males (φ = 0.84, SE = 0.06), and yearling males (φ = 0.80, SE = 0.14). Annual cub survival (φ = 0.86, SE = 0.07) was likely biased because we could not account for mortality that occurred in‐den through early spring. Annual apparent survival and recapture probabilities derived from only genetic data were lower than those derived from combined video and genetic data. Our finding that noninvasive data can be used to estimate annual age‐structured apparent survival of a species with relatively indistinct traits is broadly relevant to wildlife research and conservation.

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Incorporating citizen science data in spatially explicit integrated population models

Sun

Royle

Fuller

2019

Ecology

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Information about population abundance, distribution, and demographic rates is critical for understanding a species’ ecology and for effective conservation and management. To collect data over large spatial and temporal extents for such inferences, especially for species with low densities or wide distributions, citizen science can be an efficient approach. Integrated models have also emerged as an important methodology to estimate population parameters by combining multiple types of data, including citizen science data. We developed a spatially explicit integrated model that combines opportunistically collected presence–absence (PA) data, commonly collected in citizen science efforts, with systematically collected spatial capture–recapture (SCR) data, which are often limited to small spatial and temporal extents. We conducted single and multi‐season simulations with parameters informed by North American black bear (Ursus americanus) populations, to evaluate the influence of varying amounts of opportunistic PA data collected at larger spatial and temporal extents on the estimation of population‐level parameters. Integrating opportunistic PA data increased the precision and accuracy of posterior estimates of abundance, and survival and recruitment rates. In some cases, adding PA locations improved abundance estimates more than increasing PA detection probability. Posterior estimates were as precise and unbiased as when higher quality, but sparse, SCR data were available. We also applied the integrated model to SCR and citizen science PA data collected on black bears in New York, with results consistent with our simulations. Our findings indicate that citizen science in integrated models can be a cost‐efficient way to improve estimates of population parameters and increase the spatiotemporal extent of inference. Continued developments with integrated models and citizen science data will offer additional ways to improve our understanding of population structure and demographics.

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Demography of Black Bears in Hunted and Unhunted Areas of the Boreal Forest of Ontario

Cited by 47 publications

References 51 publications

Temporal variation in food habits of the American Black Bear (<em>Ursus americanus</em>) in the boreal forest of northern Ontario

Temporal variation in food habits of the American Black Bear (<em>Ursus americanus</em>) in the boreal forest of northern Ontario

Integrating video and genetic data to estimate annual age‐structured apparent survival of American black bears

Incorporating citizen science data in spatially explicit integrated population models

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