Using movement behaviour to define biological seasons for woodland caribou

Rudolph, Tyler D.; Drapeau, Pierre

doi:10.7557/2.32.2.2277

Cited by 8 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 69 publications

(73 reference statements)

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“…; Appendix ). To account for dynamics in the spatial distribution of caribou throughout the year, we defined seasons using an individual‐based recursive partitioning method that identifies seasonal onset dates (i.e., transition dates between seasons) based on inflection points in daily movement rates (Rudolph and Drapeau ). Methods for season delineation are detailed in Appendix .…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…We retained GPS telemetry locations for analysis if the recorded dilution of precision (DOP) was less than 10, resulting in 566,134 locations with a positional error of <35 m 95% of the time (Dussault et al 2001; Appendix 1). To account for dynamics in the spatial distribution of caribou throughout the year, we defined seasons using an individual-based recursive partitioning method that identifies seasonal onset dates (i.e., transition dates between seasons) based on inflection points in daily movement rates (Rudolph and Drapeau 2012). Methods for season delineation are detailed in Appendix 2.…”

Section: Telemetry Data Seasons and Caribou Udsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Appendix 2: Delineation of seasonal periods using recursive partitioning Methods Recursive partitioning is an objective method to evaluate the modal pattern of movement rates while accounting for variation between individuals (Rudolph and Drapeau 2012). Movement patterns provide a biologically relevant link to seasonality, and transition periods are identifiable through temporarily elevated movement rates that indicate movement between seasonal ranges as opposed to smaller, within-range movements (Ferguson and Elkie 2004).…”

Section: Conflict Of Interestmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Heading for the hills? Evaluating spatial distribution of woodland caribou in response to a growing anthropogenic disturbance footprint

MacNearney¹,

Pigeon²,

Stenhouse³

et al. 2016

Ecology and Evolution

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Anthropogenic landscape change (i.e., disturbance) is recognized as an important factor in the decline and extirpation of wildlife populations. Understanding and monitoring the relationship between wildlife distribution and disturbance is necessary for effective conservation planning. Many studies consider disturbance as a covariate explaining wildlife behavior. However, we propose that there are several advantages to considering the spatial relationship between disturbance and wildlife directly using utilization distributions (UDs), including objective assessment of the spatially explicit overlap between wildlife and disturbance, and the ability to track trends in this relationship over time. Here, we examined how central mountain woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) distribution changed over time in relation to (i) anthropogenic disturbance, baseline range (defined using telemetry data from 1998 to 2005), and alpine habitat; and (ii) interannual climate variation (North Pacific Index; NPI). We developed seasonal UDs for caribou in west‐central Alberta and east‐central British Columbia, Canada, monitored with GPS collars between 1998 and 2013. We mapped the cumulative annual density of disturbance features within caribou range and used indices of overlap to determine the spatial relationship and trend between caribou UDs, anthropogenic disturbance, baseline range, alpine habitat, and the NPI. Anthropogenic disturbance increased over time, but the overlap between caribou UDs and disturbance did not. Caribou use of alpine habitat during spring, fall, and late winter increased over time, concurrent with a decrease in use of baseline range. Overlap between caribou UDs and disturbance increased during spring and fall following relatively cold, snowy winters (high NPI), but overall, climate did not explain changes in caribou distribution over time. We provide evidence supporting the hypothesis that caribou populations adjust their spatial distribution in relation to anthropogenic landscape change. Our findings could have implications for population persistence if distributional shifts result in greater use of alpine habitat during winter. Monitoring long‐term changes in the distribution of populations is a valuable component of conservation planning for species at risk in disturbed landscapes.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Telemetry Data Seasons and Caribou Udsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Conflict Of Interestmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Heading for the hills? Evaluating spatial distribution of woodland caribou in response to a growing anthropogenic disturbance footprint

MacNearney¹,

Pigeon²,

Stenhouse³

et al. 2016

Ecology and Evolution

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“…We constructed caribou-calving season home ranges using GPS-collar locations spanning from the start of the spring migratory period until the date of parturition. We considered 5 May and 10 May as the start of spring migration for the Narraway and Redrock-Prairie Creek herds, respectively, based on a concurrent study by MacNearney et al (2016), where seasons for these herds were defined using an individual-based recursive partitioning method that identifies transition dates between seasons based on inflection points in daily movement rates (Rudolph and Drapeau 2012). We pooled all location data from both herds to increase the sample size for the calving site selection analysis.…”

Section: Calving-site Selectionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Seeking sanctuary: the neonatal calving period among central mountain woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou)

Nobert¹,

Milligan²,

Stenhouse³

et al. 2016

Can. J. Zool.

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Woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou (Gmelin, 1788)) populations have declined throughout their range. With the goal of better understanding habitat selection and fidelity during the neonatal calving period (0-4 weeks), we applied a noninvasive method that estimates calving events and subsequent survival based on changes in movement rates among GPS-collared female caribou. We examined a long-term GPS-collar data set (1998)(1999)(2000)(2001)(2002)(2003)(2004)(2005)(2006)(2007)(2008)(2009)(2010)(2011)(2012)(2013)(2014) collected from 81 adult female caribou in two central mountain herds in Alberta and British Columbia, Canada. Although we were unable to validate our results with aerial surveys and pregnancy tests, our estimates of parturition rates, survival rates, calving dates, and habitat selection were consistent with previous studies. We identified 83 calving sites. Female caribou selected calving sites and postparturition habitat on high-elevation ridgetops with gradual slopes and avoided anthropogenic linear features. Female caribou displayed low fidelity to interannual calving ranges with a mean distance of 8.7 km between calving ranges. Fidelity was lower in areas with high seismic-line density. Conservation of high-elevation habitat with limited anthropogenic disturbance is likely to provide the greatest benefit to central mountain caribou during the neonatal calving period, and represents a potential management strategy for population recovery efforts.

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“…). We combined calf monitoring information and biologically defined summer and winter periods for caribou (see Courtois ; Rudolph & Drapeau ; Leblond, Dussault & Ouellet ). The calving/summer period started on calving date specific to each individual (21 May–13 June) and ended on 14 September.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Many places called home: the adaptive value of seasonal adjustments in range fidelity

Lafontaine

Drapeau

Fortin

et al. 2017

Journal of Animal Ecology

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The vast majority of animal species display range fidelity, a space-use behaviour enhancing familiarity with local habitat features. While the fitness benefits of this behaviour have been demonstrated in a variety of taxa, some species or populations rather display infidelity, displacing their home range over time. Others, such as many ungulate species, show seasonal adjustments in their range fidelity to accommodate changes in the dominance of limiting factors or in the distribution of resources. Few empirical studies have explored the adaptive value of seasonal adjustments in range fidelity. Using boreal populations of woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) as a biological model, we evaluated how range fidelity impacted individual performance during two seasons where juvenile and adult survival are limited by different predation pressures. Between 2004 and 2013, we monitored the survival, reproductive success, habitat selection and range fidelity of female caribou in the boreal forest of eastern Canada. Using resource selection functions, we assessed how seasonal range fidelity was linked to two fitness correlates: calf survival in summer and adult female survival in winter. Females displayed season-specific space use tactics: they selected previously used areas during calving and summer, but tended to shift their winter range from 1 year to the next. During calving and summer, range fidelity yielded relatively high fitness benefits, as females that did not lose their calf displayed stronger fidelity than females that did. In winter, however, adult survival was negatively linked to range fidelity, as females that survived selected areas further away from their seasonal range of the previous year than females that died. We provide one of the first evidences that making seasonal adjustments in range fidelity can be an adaptive behaviour influencing the spatial distribution of a threatened species. Assessing the seasonal nature of range fidelity tactics may improve our predictions of space use and associated fitness implications for species displaying this behaviour.

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Using movement behaviour to define biological seasons for woodland caribou

Cited by 8 publications

References 69 publications

Heading for the hills? Evaluating spatial distribution of woodland caribou in response to a growing anthropogenic disturbance footprint

Heading for the hills? Evaluating spatial distribution of woodland caribou in response to a growing anthropogenic disturbance footprint

Seeking sanctuary: the neonatal calving period among central mountain woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou)

Many places called home: the adaptive value of seasonal adjustments in range fidelity

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