Effects of Petroleum Exploration on Woodland Caribou in Northeastern Alberta

Bradshaw, Corey J. A.; Boutin, Stan; Hebert, Daryll M.

doi:10.2307/3802110

Cited by 79 publications

(56 citation statements)

References 13 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…Of course, there are many examples of researchers using very-high-frequency (VHF) radio telemetry (see Plate 1) to determine the movement patterns of terrestrial and marine animals (e.g., Tew and Macdonald 1994, Bradshaw et al 1997, Wilson et al 2002, Dahle and Swenson 2003, Baubet et al 2004, although the technique appears to be used less frequently in recent years with the advent of cheaper and more reliable satellite-based methods. The approach uses regular pulses of VHF radio signals transmitted from the animal and received by a directional antenna that is either held in the hand or mounted on a vehicle or aircraft.…”

Section: Location Errorsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Measurement Error Causes Scale-Dependent Threshold Erosion of Biological Signals in Animal Movement Data

Bradshaw

Sims

Hays

2007

Ecological Applications

Self Cite

102

112

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Abstract. Recent advances in telemetry technology have created a wealth of tracking data available for many animal species moving over spatial scales from tens of meters to tens of thousands of kilometers. Increasingly, such data sets are being used for quantitative movement analyses aimed at extracting fundamental biological signals such as optimal searching behavior and scale-dependent foraging decisions. We show here that the location error inherent in various tracking technologies reduces the ability to detect patterns of behavior within movements. Our analyses endeavored to set out a series of initial ground rules for ecologists to help ensure that sampling noise is not misinterpreted as a real biological signal. We simulated animal movement tracks using specialized random walks known as Le´vy flights at three spatial scales of investigation: 100-km, 10-km, and 1-km maximum daily step lengths. The locations generated in the simulations were then blurred using known error distributions associated with commonly applied tracking methods: the Global Positioning System (GPS), Argos polarorbiting satellites, and light-level geolocation. Deviations from the idealized Le´vy flight pattern were assessed for each track after incrementing levels of location error were applied at each spatial scale, with additional assessments of the effect of error on scale-dependent movement patterns measured using fractal mean dimension and first-passage time (FPT) analyses. The accuracy of parameter estimation (Le´vy l, fractal mean D, and variance in FPT) declined precipitously at threshold errors relative to each spatial scale. At 100-km maximum daily step lengths, error standard deviations of !10 km seriously eroded the biological patterns evident in the simulated tracks, with analogous thresholds at the 10-km and 1-km scales (error SD ! 1.3 km and 0.07 km, respectively). Temporal subsampling of the simulated tracks maintained some elements of the biological signals depending on error level and spatial scale. Failure to account for large errors relative to the scale of movement can produce substantial biases in the interpretation of movement patterns. This study provides researchers with a framework for understanding the limitations of their data and identifies how temporal subsampling can help to reduce the influence of spatial error on their conclusions.

show abstract

Section: Location Errorsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Measurement Error Causes Scale-Dependent Threshold Erosion of Biological Signals in Animal Movement Data

Bradshaw

Sims

Hays

2007

Ecological Applications

Self Cite

102

112

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Most of the boreal herds of Alberta have not been adequately inventoried. However, baseline inventory and research studies of Alberta's woodland caribou populations have increased substantially in the past five years so the knowledge base has improved for understanding population numbers, trends, and limiting factors (Edmonds & Smith, 1991;Bradshaw, 1994;Brown etal., 1994;Hornbeck & Moyles, 1995;Bradshaw et al, 1995;Stuart-Smith^/., 1997).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Status of woodland caribou in Alberta

Edmonds¹

1998

Ran

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

A recent review of woodland caribou {Rangifer tarandus caribou) status in Alberta estimated that there are between 3600 and 6700 caribou occupying 113 000 km 2 of habitat. There are two ecotypes of caribou in Alberta; the mountain ecotype in the west central region and the boreal ecotype primarily in the north. Mountain caribou populations are stable or declining and boreal populations, where data are available, appear to be stable or declining slowly. A major initiative in caribou management in Alberta has been the development of the Woodland Caribou Conservation Strategy. This document was developed over two and a half years by a committee of multi-stakeholder representatives. The past five years has seen an increase in baseline inventory and applied research jointly funded by government, industry and universities, addressing a wide range of management issues from caribou response to logging to interactions of moose, wolves and caribou in the boreal ecosystem. Land use conflicts on caribou range remain high with timber harvesting, oil and gas development, peat moss extraction, coal mining, agricultural expansion and increasing road access overlapping. Cumulative effects of these disturbances are poorly understood and have received little attention to date.

show abstract

“…In Alberta, Canada, exploration and development for oil and gas have been a major contributing factor towards cumulative effects that are responsible for habitat loss and population declines of woodland caribou (Sorensen et al 2008;Komers and Stanojevic 2013). Development activities can affect regular patterns of behavior and physiological conditions, increase movement rates and disrupt feeding cycles, increase energy expenditures and mass loss in winter, force caribou to alter traditional habitats, and decrease calf production and survival (Bradshaw et al 1997(Bradshaw et al , 1998. Consequently, caribou tend to avoid industrial features, especially when human activity levels are high (Dyer et al 2001).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Potential conflict between future development of natural resources and high-value wildlife habitats in boreal landscapes

Suzuki

Parker

2016

Biodivers Conserv

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

We used the Muskwa-Kechika Management Area in northeast British Columbia, Canada as a case study to determine potential conflicts between future resource development and high-value habitats of large mammals in an undeveloped boreal landscape. More than 50 % of high-value habitats for caribou, moose, elk, wolves and grizzly bears were located in Special Resource Management Zones, where natural resource developments could occur. We developed geographic information system (GIS) layers of potential forest resources, oil and gas, minerals, wind power, all resources combined, and roads; and quantified the proportions of high-value habitats overlapping these potentials. Greater proportions of high-value habitats across seasons for moose, elk, and wolves overlapped areas with high cumulative resource potential (winter, 49-70 %, growing season, 35-63 %) more than for three other species (grizzly bears, Stone's sheep, mountain goats). This pattern was similar for forest resources, oil and gas, wind power, and roads. Caribou were more seasonally influenced. The proportions of their high-value habitat in areas with high cumulative resource potential (winter, 53 %, growing season, 16 %), as well as high forest and oil and gas potentials, were greatest in winter; in contrast, overlap with high mineral potential was greatest during the growing season. We recommend a quantitative and visual GIS approach to scenario planning in the Muskwa-Kechika to maintain the abundance and diversity of wildlife populations there. Resource development would likely increase early seral habitats, presumably benefiting moose, elk, and wolves, but could adversely affect caribou and grizzly bears through habitat loss and increased access.

show abstract

Effects of Petroleum Exploration on Woodland Caribou in Northeastern Alberta

Cited by 79 publications

References 13 publications

Measurement Error Causes Scale-Dependent Threshold Erosion of Biological Signals in Animal Movement Data

Measurement Error Causes Scale-Dependent Threshold Erosion of Biological Signals in Animal Movement Data

Status of woodland caribou in Alberta

Potential conflict between future development of natural resources and high-value wildlife habitats in boreal landscapes

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About