Wildlife Ecology And Management

From migration to nomadism: movement variability in a northern ungulate across its latitudinal range

by Luca Börger

Ecological Applications (in print) Co-authored with Navinder Singh (first author), Nils Bunnefeld, Holger Detki, and Goran Ericsson.

This is the first proper application of my net-squared displacement approach for modelling animal movements (Borger & Fryxell 2012).
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Understanding the causes and consequences of animal movements is of fundamental biological interest because any... more Understanding the causes and consequences of animal movements is of fundamental biological interest because any alteration in movement can have direct and indirect effects on ecosystem structure and function. It is also crucial for assisting spatial wildlife management under variable environmental change scenarios. Recent research has highlighted the need of quantifying individual variability in movement behavior and how it is generated by interactions between individual requirements and environmental conditions, to understand the emergence of population level patterns. Using a multi-annual movement dataset of 213 individual moose (Alces alces) across a latitudinal gradient (from 56° to 67° N) that spans over 1,100 km of varying environmental conditions, we analyze the differences in individual and population level movements. We tested the effect of climate, risk and human presence in the landscape on moose movements. The variation in these factors explained the existence of multiple movements (migration, nomadism, dispersal, sedentary) among individuals and seven populations. Hence, heterogeneity in the immediate environment can result in multiple movements within a species. Population differences were primarily related to latitudinal variation in snow depth and road density. Individuals showed both fixed and flexible behaviors across years, and were less likely to migrate with age in interaction with snow and roads. For the predominant movement strategy, migration, the distance, timing and duration at all latitudes varied between years. Males traveled longer distances and began migrating earlier in spring than females. Our study provides strong quantitative evidence for the dynamics of animal movements in response to changes in environmental conditions along with varying risk from human influence across the landscape. For moose, given its wide distributional range, changes in the distribution and migratory behavior are expected under future warming scenarios.

Mammals of Lanjak Entimau Wildlife Sanctuary, Malaysian Borneo. 2011

by M.T. Abdullah, PhD

Some important species observed during the expedition.

We observed some species of small mammals  of Lanjak Entimau Wildlife Sanctuary, Malaysian Borneo.
2011.... more We observed some species of small mammals  of Lanjak Entimau Wildlife Sanctuary, Malaysian Borneo.
2011. Malaysian Academy of Science

Fisher, J.T., and S. Bradbury. 2006. Understorey protection harvest expedites recolonisation of boreal forest stands by North American red squirrels. Forest Ecology and Management 234: 40-47.

by Jason T. Fisher

Clearcut harvesting removes old-forest structure from stands, rendering these habitats unsuitable for tree-dependent... more Clearcut harvesting removes old-forest structure from stands, rendering these habitats unsuitable for tree-dependent mammal species such as North American red squirrels (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus). Unsuitability of boreal mixedwood forest clearcuts may persist for almost a century, longer than most harvest rotations in this region. In these systems, one alternative to clearcutting is mixedwood understorey protection (MUP)
harvesting. MUP harvesting selectively removes mature deciduous canopy trees, retaining some mature and immature trees in the overstorey and understorey, and promoting release of understorey conifers. Live tree retention may also serve to promote early recolonisation by tree squirrels.We
compared red squirrel abundance and demography before and after MUP harvest, and between different stand types, in the boreal forest of northern Alberta, Canada. Red squirrels were mark-recaptured in MUP, mixedwood reserve, deciduous, and conifer stands June–July 2001–2003. Red squirrel abundance and masses differed between stand types within years. Abundance and masses did not differ between pre- and post-harvest mixedwood stands across years. Across all stand types, red squirrel abundance was predicted by abundance of spruce trees and fungi. Our results indicate that MUP harvesting retains forest structure required by red squirrels, thus allowing persistence of red squirrel populations; it thus holds
promise as a component of the natural disturbance model for maintaining arboreal sciurid populations in managed landscapes.

Fisher, J.T., C. Twitchell, E. Jenson, W. Barney, and J. Sharpe. 2005. Utilizing behavioral biophysics to mitigate accidental mortality of snared endangered Newfoundland marten. Journal of Wildlife Management 69(4): 1743-1746.

by Jason T. Fisher

Fisher, J.T., and L. Wilkinson. 2005. The response of mammals to forest fire and timber harvesting in the North American boreal forest. Mammal Review 35(1): 51-81.

by Jason T. Fisher

La alimentación suplementaria como herramienta de conservación de la cigüeña negra (Ciconia nigra)

by Francisco Guil Celada

V Congreso Forestal Español

La cigüeña negra Ciconia nigra es una especie considerada en peligro de extinción en España. Una de las principales... more La cigüeña negra Ciconia nigra es una especie considerada en peligro de extinción en España. Una de las principales amenazas que se reconocen para la especie es la ausencia de áreas de alimentación adecuadas. Dentro de un programa de conservación general de especies amenazadas del monte mediterráneo se ensayó, en 2006, la alimentación suplementaria de la cigüeña negra por primera vez, aunque dicha actuación está contemplada en las herramientas de planificación para su preservación. Dicho ensayo se efectuó a través de aportes de peces vivos en charcas de Extremadura y Castilla-La Mancha. Tuvo un triple objetivo: mejorar la calidad del hábitat de alimentación, dirigir sus  concentraciones premigratorias a lugares tranquilos y favorecer la integración en el medio de ejemplares rehabilitados en Centros de Recuperación. En este trabajo se exponen los principales resultados obtenidos al respecto de la mejora de la calidad del hábitat de alimentación y de la adecuación de zonas de concentración.

Gestión de la predación natural: el caso del lince ibérico, el zorro y el conejo de monte

by Francisco Guil Celada

V Congreso Forestal Español

La incidencia que la gestión cinegética ha tenido sobre los carnívoros del monte mediterráneo ha sido más que... more La incidencia que la gestión cinegética ha tenido sobre los carnívoros del monte mediterráneo ha sido más que considerable. Entre las prácticas más habituales para el fomento de la caza menor se encontraba y se encuentra el control de predadores. Pero hay algunos lugares que cuentan con controladores naturales de carnívoros. Dentro del seguimiento de las poblaciones de conejo y carnívoros realizado entre 2003 y 2008 en la Sª de Andújar se ha observado una fuerte interrelación entre la presencia de lince, conejo y zorro. Las interacciones entre lince y zorro ya han sido descritas en Doñana, aunque en dicho enclave no se han descrito relaciones con el conejo de monte. En este trabajo se describen dichas interacciones y se dan posibles opciones para el fomento del lince ibérico, especie en peligro crítico de extinción.

Les debemos algo a los animales salvajes-Torres Aldave

by Mikel Torres Aldave

Hawar Islands Protected Area (Kingdom of Bahrain) - Management Plan

by Mark Beech

Pilcher, N., R. Phillips, S. Aspinall, I. Al-Madany, H. King, P. Hellyer, M. Beech, C. Gillespie, S. Wood, H. Schwarze, M. Al Dosary, I. Al Farraj, A. Khalifa & B. Boer. 2003. UNESCO Office Doha, UNESCO World Heritage, Paris, and NCWP, Manama. First Draft, January 2003. 61pp.

UNESCO - Hawar Islands Biosphere Reserve Study, Bahrain

by Mark Beech

Aspinall,S., Al Madany, I., King, H., Pilcher, N., Phillips, R., Dosari, M., Al Farraj, A., Gillespie, C., Schwarze, H., Wood, S. & Boer, B (with assistance from Mark Beech & Peter Hellyer). 2003. Project Document - Assessment of the Hawar Islands and Al Areen Wildlife Park, Bahrain, as a potential Biosphere Reserve. Prepared for National Commission for Wildlife Protection, Kingdom of Bahrain - February 2003. 44 pages.

The even darker side of the eastern gray squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis): a review of global introductions, invasion biology, and pest management strategies

by Cody Thompson

Conformation to Bergmann's Rule in White-tailed Deer can be Explained by Food Availability

by Steve Wolverton

Wolverton et al. 2009

The body size of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) increases with latitude and thus exhibits the pattern... more The body size of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) increases with latitude and thus exhibits the pattern predicted by Bergmann's rule on the basis of surface to volume ratios and heat loss. This pattern is more simply explained by the distribution of food available per individual animal, which is driven by two factors, the net primary production (NPP) of plants and deer population density. Food availability is often overlooked as a cause of an increase in body size in large terrestrial herbivores in temperate latitudes because of a fundamental misconception about the global distribution of plant productivity. Within a small latitudinal range, white-tailed deer body size as evidenced by modern deer and Holocene paleozoological remains is inversely related to population density and directly related to food availability. Food availability per animal is a product of plant productivity and population density, and is correlated with both local and regional body size variability. These local and regional food-body size patterns are consistent with recent analyses of global NPP datasets which show that ecologically relevant NPP is highest in the north temperate latitudes where white-tailed deer attain their largest body size.

Ethnobiology as a Bridge between Science and Ethics: An Applied Paleozoological Perspective

by Steve Wolverton

In Ethnobiology. Edited by E. N. Anderson, D. Pearsall, E. Hunn, and N. Turner 2011, pp. 115-132. Wiley-Blackwell. John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

In the face of the global environmental crisis, ethnobiologists find themselves in a potentially helpful position.... more In the face of the global environmental crisis, ethnobiologists find themselves in a potentially helpful position. Ethnobiology represents one of a few bridging disciplines between the philosophical foundations of environmental ethics and the scientific foundations of environmental science. Environmental philosophers study what ought to be done to address environmental problems at multiple spatial and temporal scales (Borgerhoff-Mulder and Coppolillo 2005; Rolston 1988), focusing on what it means to value nature, how humans do value and should go about valuing nature, and how these ethical footings should inform science and policy. Environmental science incorporates functional roles for many scientific disciplines (Miller 2007). Environmental science and environmental ethics share the goal of curbing the environmental crisis through communication among practitioners from different fields, appreciation of diverse perspectives, and incorporation of vested parties in policies and management decisions (Penn and Mysterud 2007a). Practitioners of ethnobiology communicate and interact across disciplinary, cultural, and temporal boundaries (Lepofsky 2009; Nabhan 2009).Within ethnobiology, applied zooarchaeology (or “applied paleozoology” to include paleontology)—the study of animal remains from archaeological and paleontological sites to provide baseline information relevant to restoration ecology and conservation biology—transcends temporal boundaries and offers an example of a bridging perspective that links ethics to science.

How many dimensions of biodiversity do we need?

by Keith Farnsworth

Ecological Indicators, 18: 485-492.  Published online as (doi:10.1016/j.ecolind.2011.12.016)

Co-authored with Olga Lyashevska
This paper is one of the impirical adjuncts to the development of a new understanding of what biodiversity really is and why it matters.

Biodiversity is a measure of the total difference within a biological system. It is understood to arise at genetic,... more Biodiversity is a measure of the total difference within a biological system. It is understood to arise at genetic, species and multiple levels of community organisation, hence is multidimensional in nature. Biodiversity indices have proliferated in attempts to capture this complexity but may now have confounded it. Here we attempt a reduction to the minimal set of metrics needed to describe biodiversity (often by default taken to be species richness). 1000 model communities with realistic taxonomic composition were synthesised using databases of marine benthic species. A battery of 19 biodiversity indices were calculated for every community and analysed by PCA to show inter-dependence and sensitivity to variation in taxonomic (a surrogate for genetic), functional (based on ecological roles) and structural (based on species abundance) diversity. We found the three major axes of biodiversity were (a) structural complexity, and (b) two different mixtures of taxonomic and functional diversity: it was well approximated by a three-dimensional space of these variables. A scalar distance from the origin of this space could serve as a single valued summary where needed, for example in economic valuations. The most widely used single biodiversity measure – species richness – missed 88.6% of the diversity, emphasising the importance of additional characters and the need for species databases to record functional traits, presence and abundance in communities, and phylogenetic information.

HUNTING AND MORALITY AS ELEMENTS OF TRADITIONAL ECOLOGICAL KNOWLEDGE

by Nick Reo

The legitimacy of contemporary subsistence hunting practices of North American Indians has been questioned because of... more The legitimacy of contemporary subsistence hunting practices of North American Indians has been questioned because of hunters’ use of modern technologies and integration of wage-based and subsistence livelihoods. The legitimacy of tribal traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) has been questioned on similar grounds and used as justification for ignoring tribal perspectives on critical natural resource conservation and development issues. This paper examines hunting on the Lac du Flambeau Indian Reservation in North Central Wisconsin, USA. The study documents contemporary hunting practices and the traditional moral code that informs hunting-related behaviors and judgments. Subsistence hunting is framed in the context of TEK and attention focused on the interplay between TEK’s practical and moral dimensions. Results indicate the importance of traditional moral codes in guiding a community’s contemporary hunting practices and the inseparability and interdependence of epistemological, practical, and ethical dimensions of TEK.

Effects of species ecology and urbanization on accuracy of a cover-type model: A test using GAP analysis

by Chris McClure

McClure, C. J. W., L. K. Estep, and G. E. Hill. 2012 Effects of species ecology and urbanization on accuracy of a cover-type model: A test using GAP analysis. Landscape Urban Planning. doi:10.1016/j.landurbplan.2012.01.011

Models of vertebrate distributions based on dominant vegetation cover or land-use classification are commonly used for... more Models of vertebrate distributions based on dominant vegetation cover or land-use classification are commonly used for conservation planning, but these models may be inappropriate for species that choose sites based on criteria other than land cover or within urban areas that are not adequately described by cover-type alone. We compared the accuracy of predicted occupancy of birds for a set of cover-type models—Alabama Gap Analysis Program's (ALGAP) vertebrate distribution maps—between an urban and a rural landscape in east-central Alabama. We performed analysis at two scales of investigation—0.03-km2 point-count surveys or 28.26-km2 landscapes—using point counts conducted during summers 2004–2006. We tested ALGAP's ability to predict the occupancy of habitat by birds grouped by life-history parameters: migrant, resident, insectivore, carnivore, and omnivore, forest dweller, and cavity nester. ALGAP performed well at the scale of entire landscapes but poorly at the scale of individual point counts. At the point-count scale, ALGAP was most accurate for species requiring interior forest conditions. At the landscape scale, ALGAP was more accurate in the rural landscape than the urban landscape, and it had higher commission errors in the urban landscape. Variation in the ability of ALGAP to predict species occupancy was likely due to (1) poor model performance when applied to species that choose sites using criteria other than cover type and (2) the inadequacy of ALGAP to describe a heterogeneous urbanized landscape. Our results highlight pitfalls of using land cover information to model species distributions in situations where it may be inappropriate.

Taking Charge of the Bras d'Or: Ecological Politics in the "Land of Fog"

by William T. Hipwell

Author's PhD thesis, 2001

Climate change and the decline of a once common bird

by Chris McClure

    Christopher J. W. McClure, Brian W. Rolek, Kenneth McDonald, and Geoffrey E. Hill

Published online in Ecology and Evolution (open access)

Climate change is predicted to negatively impact wildlife through a variety of mechanisms including retraction of... more Climate change is predicted to negatively impact wildlife through a variety of mechanisms including retraction of range. We used data from the North American Breeding Bird Survey and regional and global climate indices to examine the effects of climate change on the breeding distribution of the Rusty Blackbird (Euphagus carolinus), a formerly common species that is rapidly declining. We found that the range of the Rusty Blackbird retracted northward by 143 km since the 1960s and that the probability of local extinction was highest at the southern range margin. Furthermore, we found that the mean breeding latitude of the Rusty Blackbird was significant and positively correlated with the Pacific Decadal Oscillation with a lag of six years. Because the annual distribution of the Rusty Blackbird is affected by annual weather patterns produced by the Pacific Decadal Oscillation, our results support the hypothesis that directional climate change over the past 40 years is contributing to the decline of the Rusty Blackbird. Our study is the first to implicate climate change, acting through range retraction, in a major decline of a formerly common bird species.

Negative Effects of Wildlife Tourism on Wildlife

by Ronda Green

Reviews mechanisms by which wildlife tourism can have negative effects on wildlife and the management practices that can be used to mitigate these effects with a focus on practices relevant to Australia.

Wildlife tourism is often considered environmentally friendly, but it has the potential to cause various negative... more Wildlife tourism is often considered environmentally friendly, but it has the potential to cause various negative effects on populations, behaviour and welfare of wildlife. A search of local and international literature, coupled with interviews with personnel from government conservation agencies, identified many potential and actual problems. These effects can be grouped into: disruption of activity, direct killing or injury, and habitat alteration (including provision of food). The magnitude and seriousness of negative effects can vary enormously depending on species, life-cycle stages, habitats and other variables. Management processes that identify potential and actual negative effects and implement actions to correct them are critical to sustainable wildlife tourism, particularly if there is further growth of this sector. Management actions designed to mitigate negative effects of wildlife tourism on wildlife typically focus on management of visitors, and can use a variety of different methods. Monitoring of wildlife that could be affected by wildlife tourism activities is particularly critical to sustainability, and should incorporate well- established statistical principles where possible. However there is a need for a user-friendly guide to wildlife monitoring for Australian conditions and specifically relating to the tourism industry. Some species and situations may need to be precluded from wildlife tourism altogether. Overall, there is a need for more comprehensive and better funded management and monitoring of the effects of wildlife tourism on wildlife if we are to assure its long-term sustainability.

A Framework for Managing the Negative Impacts of Wildlife Tourism on Wildlife

by Ronda Green