Lynx Demography during a Snowshoe Hare Decline in Alberta

Brand, Chris; Keith, Lloyd B.

doi:10.2307/3808267

Cited by 118 publications

(119 citation statements)

References 22 publications

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“…Lynx numbers fluctuate in synchrony over vast areas in response to population levels of hares; the decline in lynx numbers generally lags 1-2 years behind the decline in hare numbers (Elton and Nicholson 1942;Butler 1953;Keith 1963;Brand and Keith 1979;Boutin et al 1995). Lynx densities in most central and northern populations change 3 to 17-fold during a cyclic fluctuation (Keith et al 1977;Poole 1994;Slough and Mowat 1996;O'Donoghue et al 1997).…”

Section: General Biologymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Placental scar counts suggest that at high hare densities pregnancy rates of lynx range from 73-93% for adults and 33-100% for yearlings (Brand and Keith 1979;Parker et al 1983;O'Connor 1984;Quinn and Thompson 1987;Slough and Mowat 1996). Field observations suggest that birth rates range from 73 to 100% for adults and 33 to 100% for yearlings during this period (Poole 1994;Mowat et al 1996b; and see Table 3 in Mowat et al 1996a:438).…”

Section: Reproductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Yearling females reproduce when hares are abundant (Brand and Keith 1979;Quinn and Thompson 1987;Slough and Mowat 1996); parturition by yearling lynx may be delayed approximately 2-3 weeks compared to adults (Mowat et al 1996b;Slough and Mowat 1996). Few if any yearlings conceive during periods of low hare density (Parker et al 1983).…”

Section: Reproductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A Review of the Canada Lynx, <em>Lynx canadensis</em>, in Canada

Poole¹

2003

Can Field Nat

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The Canada Lynx (Lynx canadensis) is the most common and widespread member of the cat family in Canada. Lynx are distributed throughout forested regions of Canada and Alaska and into portions of the northern contiguous United States, closely paralleling the range of its primary prey, the Snowshoe Hare (Lepus americanus). They are most common in the boreal, sub-boreal and western montane forests, preferring older regenerating forests (>20 years) and generally avoiding younger stands, and occupy roughly 95% of their former range in Canada. Lynx population size fluctuates 3–17 fold over an 8–11 year cycle, tracking the abundance of Snowshoe Hares with a 1–2 year lag. During increasing and high hare abundance, lynx have high reproductive output and high kit and adult survival. The decline phase is characterized by reproductive failure, increased natural mortality, and high rates of dispersal. Dispersal distances of over 1000 km have been recorded. During the cyclic low, kit recruitment essentially fails for 2–3 years, and is followed by several years of modest reproductive output. Reproductive parameters in southern lynx populations appear similar to those found during the cyclic low and early increase phase in more northern populations. Trapping is a significant source of mortality in some areas. Field studies have documented from 2–45 lynx/100 km2 at various times in the cycle and in various habitats. Although the amplitude of the cyclic fluctuations in lynx numbers may have decreased somewhat in recent decades, there is no evidence to suggest a significant decline in numbers in Canada. Lynx are managed as a furbearer in Canada, with harvest regulated primarily by seasons, quotas, and closures. The harvest over the past decade has declined concurrent with declining pelt prices, and is currently a fraction of historic levels. Lynx are fully protected in less than 2–3% of their range in Canada. There is no evidence to suggest that overall lynx numbers or distribution across Canada have declined significantly over the past two decades, although loss of habitat through increased urbanization and development and forestry is likely affecting lynx populations along the southern fringe of its range. Its high potential to increase in numbers and propensity to disperse long distances suggest that the species is relatively resilient to localized perturbations and reductions, given time and removal of the factors that cause the initial decrease. Lowered lynx harvests, coupled with a greater awareness of the need for proactive lynx management, suggests that the overall future of lynx in Canada is secure.

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Section: General Biologymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Reproductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A Review of the Canada Lynx, <em>Lynx canadensis</em>, in Canada

Poole¹

2003

Can Field Nat

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“…There is considerable evidence that furbearer-predator populations are proximately food-regulated (Brand and Keith 1979, Erlinge 1983, Anglestam et al 1984, Thompson and Colgan 1987a. Numerical responses of the various predator species to food shortages are remarkably similar including: reduced production (either through lower ovulation rates or post-parturition mortality of young), increased home range size or abandonment of home range at extremely low prey levels, increased mortality of adults, and reduced total population (lynx: - For personal use only.…”

Section: Predator-prey Interactionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…;Fielevant papers from North Amerlca many of the studes were not conducted In boreal forest Not from boreal Canada and 1s Inferred from Great Lakes -St Lawrence Acad~an or Montane areas ecotone near Rochester, Alberta (Nellis et a/. 1972, Brand andKeith 1979) and this habitat information is of limited value in boreal systems. There are no data on preferred maternal den sites.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Habitat Needs of Furbearers in Relation to Logging in Boreal Ontario

Thompson¹

1988

The Forestry Chronicle

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A literature review of boreal furbearers in Ontario indicates a substantial lack of a scientific basis on which to manage habitat or populations except for marten (Martes americana) and beaver (Castor canadensis). A review of known habitat requirements is presented for marten, lynx (Felis lynx), snowshoe hare (Lepus americanus), red fox (Vulpes vulpes), ermine (Mustela erminea), mink (Mustela vision), beaver, otter (Lutra canadensis), and muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus), including known impacts of timber harvesting. Use of fur harvest statistics as indicators of population and ultimately habitat is questionable because catch integrates many variables and habitat change occurs slowly. Considerable data suggest that management for relatively few prey species may be an alternative to attempting to manage habitat for individual furbearers. Data from Manitouwadge, Ontario show marten prefer old growth forests and occur at extremely low densities up to 40 years after logging. Fox and lynx were most abundant in 20-30-year-old successional stands. Ermine occurred in all ages of stands that were censused. Access by logging roads is a negative factor for populations of all furbearers as it enhances morality from trapping, particularly if pelt prices are high.

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Forest structure provides the income for reproductive success in a southern population of Canada lynx

Kosterman

Squires

Holbrook

et al. 2018

Ecological Applications

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Understanding intrinsic and extrinsic drivers of reproductive success is central to advancing animal ecology and characterizing critical habitat. Unfortunately, much of the work examining drivers of reproductive success is biased toward particular groups of organisms (e.g., colonial birds, large herbivores, capital breeders). Long-lived mammalian carnivores that are of conservation concern, solitary, and territorial present an excellent situation to examine intrinsic and extrinsic drivers of reproductive success, yet they have received little attention. Here, we used a Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis) data set, from the southern periphery of their range, to determine if reproductive success in a solitary carnivore was consistent with capital or income breeding. We radio-marked and monitored 36 female Canada lynx for 98 lynx years. We evaluated how maternal characteristics and indices of food supply (via forest structure) in core areas influenced variation in body condition and reproductive success. We characterized body condition as mass/length and reproductive success as whether a female produced a litter of kittens for a given breeding season. Consistent with life-history theory, we documented a positive effect of maternal age on body condition and reproductive success. In contrast to predictions of capital breeding, we observed no effect of pre-pregnancy body condition on reproductive success in Canada lynx. However, we demonstrated statistical effects of forest structure on reproductive success in Canada lynx, consistent with predictions of income breeding. The forest characteristics that defined high success included (1) abundant and connected mature forest and (2) intermediate amounts of small-diameter regenerating forest. These attributes are consistent with providing abundant, temporally stable, and accessible prey resources (i.e., snowshoe hares; Lepus americanus) for lynx and reinforce the bottom-up mechanisms influencing Canada lynx populations. Collectively, our results suggest that lynx on the southern range periphery exhibit an income breeding strategy and that forest structure supplies the income important for successful reproduction. More broadly, our insights advance the understanding of carnivore ecology and serve as an important example on integrating long-term field studies with ecological theory to improve landscape management.

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Lynx Demography during a Snowshoe Hare Decline in Alberta

Cited by 118 publications

References 22 publications

A Review of the Canada Lynx, <em>Lynx canadensis</em>, in Canada

A Review of the Canada Lynx, <em>Lynx canadensis</em>, in Canada

Habitat Needs of Furbearers in Relation to Logging in Boreal Ontario

Forest structure provides the income for reproductive success in a southern population of Canada lynx

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