Download or read book The Influence of Migratory and Resident Elk Movements on Seasonal Wolf Habitat Selection and Depredation Patterns written by Abigail A. Nelson and published by . This book was released on 2011 with total page 74 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Human conflict is a unique and persistent driver of management and conservation of large mammalian carnivores. Understanding these conflicts in space and time can assist in appropriate decision-making as managers seek to balance the population viability of carnivore species with management that curbs carnivore impacts on human livelihoods. The patchy distribution of prey-rich habitat across landscapes influences abundance and movements of wolves; however, many ungulate populations are partially migratory, and it is unclear how wolves respond behaviorally to the seasonal movements of migratory versus nonmigratory prey. In this context, wolf selection for prey-rich habitat can influence seasonal encounter rates and thus depredation rates on domestic livestock. In this study, conducted in northwest Wyoming, USA, we use three years of fine-scale wolf (n = 14) and elk (n = 70) movement information to evaluate the influence of elk distribution and other landscape features on wolf habitat selection and patterns of depredation on domestic livestock.

Download or read book Elk Migration Patterns and Human Activity Influence Wolf Habitat Use in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem written by Nelson Abigail A. and published by . This book was released on 2012 with total page 15 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Identifying the ecological dynamics underlying human-wildlife conflicts is important for the management and conservation of wildlife populations. In landscapes still occupied by large carnivores, many ungulate prey species migrate seasonally, yet little empirical research has explored the relationship between carnivore distribution and ungulate migration strategy. In this study, we evaluate the influence of elk (Cervus elaphus) distribution and other landscape features on wolf (Canis lupus) habitat use in an area of chronic wolf-livestock conflict in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, USA. Using three years of fine-scale wolf (n = 14) and elk (n = 81) movement data, we compared the seasonal habitat use of wolves in an area dominated by migratory elk with that of wolves in an adjacent area dominated by resident elk. Most migratory elk vacate the associated winter wolf territories each summer via a 40-60 km migration, whereas resident elk remain accessible to wolves year-round. We used a generalized linear model to compare the relative probability of wolf use as a function of GIS-based habitat covariates in the migratory and resident elk areas. Although wolves in both areas used elk-rich habitat all year, elk density in summer had a weaker influence on the habitat use of wolves in the migratory elk area than the resident elk area. Wolves employed a number of alternative strategies to cope with the departure of migratory elk. Wolves in the two areas also differed in their disposition toward roads. In winter, wolves in the migratory elk area used habitat close to roads, while wolves in the resident elk area avoided roads. In summer, wolves in the migratory elk area were indifferent to roads, while wolves in resident elk areas strongly avoided roads, presumably due to the location of dens and summering elk combined with different traffic levels. Study results can help wildlife managers to anticipate the movements and establishment of wolf packs as they expand into areas with migratory or resident prey populations, varying levels of human activity, and front-country rangelands with potential for conflicts with livestock.

Download or read book Seasonal Movements and Distribution of Migratory Roosevelt Elk in the Olympic Mountains Washington written by Gregory L. Schroer and published by . This book was released on 1986 with total page 172 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Seasonal movements, home ranges, core areas and habitat use patterns of hunted, migratory Roosevelt elk (Cervus elaphus roosevelti) were investigated on the Olympic Peninsula, Washington. Radio telemetry was used to obtain more than 3,100 locations of 9 elk from May 1984 - March 1985, and November - December, 1985. Radio-collared elk were in 2 herds that migrated approximately 32 km, and 1500 m in elevation, between winter ranges at sea level to summer ranges at timberline. Migratory routes primarily were in riparian areas on narrow valley floors. Home ranges were largest during late autumn ([x-bar] = 43.1 square km) and smallest during summer ([x-bar] = 5.9 square km). Minimum daily movements of elk followed a similar seasonal pattern and were largest during late autumn ([x-bar] = 1119 m) and smallest during summer ([x-bar] = 602 m). Core areas in summer and rutting seasons occurred in subalpine parklands among precipitous, rocky ridges. Core areas during winter and calving seasons were primarily on the valley floors and lower portions of valley walls, areas that also have the greatest degree of human development. Elk used areas less than 300 m from residences and paved roads in winter core areas primarily at night. In addition, distances of elk from paved roads and residences were significantly greater during day-time hours, which was also the period with the greatest amount of motor vehicle traffic. In summer and rutting seasons, elk selected subalpine parkland habitats, and used coniferous forests in proportions less than expected on the basis of availability. In winter, deciduous and deciduous/coniferous forests were used in greater proportions than expected, whereas coniferous forests (

Download or read book Weather and Sex Influence Migratory Behaviors and Habitat Selection in Mule Deer written by Patrick A. Rodgers and published by . This book was released on 2020 with total page 70 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Seasonal migrations along elevational and latitudinal gradients allow a diversity of wildlife species to persist in the face of dramatic seasonal shifts in habitat quality. Recent work to better understand ungulate migration has produced a suite of analytical tools for identifying the mechanisms behind migration and quantifying associated behaviors. While environmental variables like weather and plant phenology are thought to be the main drivers of migration, emergent evidence suggests that anthropogenic disturbances, such as hunting, as well as intrinsic factors like age and sex can also influence migratory patterns. However, critical gaps in understanding of the influence of both the intrinsic and extrinsic factors that influence migratory behaviors remain common. We used three years (2016–2018) of GPS-collar data for a herd of migratory mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) in south-central Wyoming to compare key migratory behaviors between sexes, identify factors that influence the timing of migration, and evaluate habitat selection in and around the autumn hunting season. Overall, migratory behaviors were sex specific. Both sexes showed high-fidelity to their migratory routes, but route fidelity was more variable in males. Males also migrated 30% farther on average, spent 14% more time on stopover sites, and took twice as long in spring and 44% longer in autumn to complete migration. Additionally, we found that weather, mainly precipitation events (i.e., snowfall), not hunting disturbance, was the main driver of autumn migration, increasing the likelihood of migration in both males and females by 14%. Our findings suggest that response to disturbance from hunting season is sex-specific. The hunted sex (males) more intensively sought refugia, whereas the less-hunted sex continued to use areas with good forage. Overall, our findings contribute to a broader understanding of migration ecology and the factors that influence migration and habitat selection of wild ungulates in western landscapes.

Download or read book Summer fall Movements Migrations Seasonal Ranges and Habitat Selection of the Middle Fork Elk Herd written by Carey Stanton Smith and published by . This book was released on 1978 with total page 91 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Native Prey Distribution and Migration Mediates Wolf Canis Lupus Predation on Domestic Livestock in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem written by Abigail A. Nelson and published by . This book was released on 2016 with total page 9 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Little research has evaluated how the migration and distribution of native prey influence patterns of livestock depredation by large carnivores. Previous research suggests that the presence of native prey can increase depredation rates by attracting predators (prey tracking hypothesis). Alternatively, the absence of native prey may facilitate predation on livestock (prey scarcity hypothesis). In this study, we evaluated support for these competing hypotheses through analysis of 4 years of cattle (Bos taurus L., 1758) depredation data (n = 39 kills), 2 years of summer and fall wolf (Canis lupus L., 1758) predation and tracking data (n = 4 wolves), and 3 years of elk (Cervus elaphus L., 1758) movement data (n = 70 elk). We used logistic regression to compare the relative influence of landscape features and elk distribution on the risk of livestock depredation in areas with migratory and resident elk. Cattle depredations occurred in habitats with increased encounter rates between wolves and livestock. In resident elk areas, depredation sites were associated with elk distribution and open roads. In migratory elk areas, depredation sites were associated with wolf dens, streams, and open habitat. Patterns of carnivore?livestock conflicts are complex, and using ungulate distribution data can predict and minimize such instances.

Download or read book Seasonal Movements Habitat Use Patterns and the Effects of Human Disturbances on Elk in Custer State Park South Dakota written by Joshua J. Millspaugh and published by . This book was released on 1995 with total page 332 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Seasonal Movements and Habitat Use of Migratory Elk in Mount Rainier National Park written by Kevin Craig Cooper and published by . This book was released on 1987 with total page 168 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Seasonal movements, habitat use, home range selection, and group interactions of Roosevelt elk (Cervus elaphus roosevelti) were studied in the upper White River watershed in west-central Washington. Over 2000 locations of 14 elk were recorded by radio-telemetry from April 1983 to December 1984. During winter, two herds used clearcut lands near the mouth of the West Fork of the White River (about 610m MSL). One herd migrated four km to a clearcut spring range at 1070m MSL, whereas the other remained on the winter range during spring. Both herds migrated 15 km up river corridors to subalpine parklands within Mount Rainier National Park where they remained from July to October. A third herd wintered in unmanaged old-growth forest within Mount Rainier National Park along bottomlands of the White River Valley (915m MSL). That herd then moved 5-10 km upriver toward summer range during June, and arrived on subalpine summer range the first week in July. All herds migrated back to winter ranges via river corridors following heavy snowfall on November 15, 1983 and October 15, 1984. Winter ranges of elk in both the managed and unmanaged segments of the study area were oriented along the valley floodplain. Consequently, ranges of elk in the managed forest contained greater proportions of old-clearcuts (12-30 years) and alder habitats (which occurred primarily on the floodplains) than existed in the valley. Preferred old-clearcut habitats contained a mosaic of dense, regenerating douglas-fir interspersed with open-canopied foraging areas. Old-growth and young clearcuts, which were located primarily on upland sites, were underrepresented in elk home ranges compared to their availability in the valley. Elk were generally unselective of habitats within the home range. On the spring range of one herd, mid-age clearcuts (4-12 years) and young clearcuts (0-4 years) occurred in a greater proportions than in the valley. Preferred habitats contained many mesic seeps and draws. Spring range in the unmanaged forests consisted of old-growth valley bottom habitats. Habitat preferences of elk varied between two summer ranges within Mount Rainier National Park. In general, elk preferred open subalpine forests, Abies lasiocarpa/Valeriana sitchensis habitat, and alder slide habitats. Additionally, Dry Grass, and Lush-low Herbaceous habitats tended to be used in proportions greater than availability.

Download or read book Seasonal Habitat Selection and Movements of the Spotted Bear Elk Herd written by Dean Edwin Biggins and published by . This book was released on 1975 with total page 180 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Refinement of the Arc Habcap Model to Predict Habitat Effectiveness for Elk written by Lakhdar Benkobi and published by . This book was released on 2004 with total page 24 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Wildlife habitat modeling is increasingly important for managers who need to assess the effects of land management activities. We evaluated the performance of a spatially explicit deterministic habitat model (Arc-Habcap) that predicts habitat effectiveness for elk. We used five years of radio-telemetry locations of elk from Custer State Park (CSP), South Dakota, to test predicted habitat effectiveness by the model. Arc-Habcap forage and cover forage proximity components predicted elk distribution in CSP. However, the cover component failed to predict elk distribution in CSP. Habitat effectiveness calculated as the geometric mean of the model components failed to predict elk distribution and resulted in under-utilization of habitats predicted to be good and over-utilization of habitats predicted to be poor. We developed a new formula to calculate habitat effectiveness as an arithmetic average of the model components that weighted forage more than cover or cover-forage proximity. The new formula predicted actual elk distribution across categories of habitat effectiveness. Elk selected cover and forage areas 100 m from cover-forage edges. Arc-Habcap predicted that areas adjacent to roads were not usable by elk. Elk used areas adjacent to primary roads, but use was less than the proportional area comprised for primary roads, and about equal to proportional area adjacent to secondary roads and primitive roads. All sapling/pole and mature structural stages of ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) were considered as both forage and cover by Arc-Habcap and consequently considered optimal in the cover-forage model component. We suggested revisions for both the cover-forage proximity component and areas adjacent to roads.

Download or read book Influence of Beetle killed Forests on Elk and Hunter Habitat Selection and Interactions written by Bryan G. Lamont and published by . This book was released on 2018 with total page 83 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Forests of the Rocky Mountains (USA and Canada) have experienced a large-scale bark-beetle epidemic that has led to widespread mortality of pine trees, followed by dramatic structural and compositional changes to the forest. The millions of dead trees resulting from this event likely have an effect on ecosystem processes, but currently those effects are mostly unclear. Changes to forest canopy and understory structure are likely to affect behavior and space use of large ungulates as forage abundance, thermal cover, and locomotive costs are presumably altered. We developed and tested hypotheses for how resource selection in summer of female elk (Cervus canadensis), the primary large mammal in our study area, was influenced by changes in canopy, understory vegetation and downed logs in bark-beetle affected forest in south-central Wyoming. Additionally, we assessed how the movements of elk hunters and their interactions with elk were influenced by beetle-killed forest during elk hunting seasons. We employed global positioning system (GPS) technology, an imagery-derived land cover classification specifically depicting beetle-affected forest, and on-the-ground forest measurements to develop resource and step selection functions. At the study area scale during the summer, elk avoided beetle-killed forest during nearly all parts of the day and selected for intact conifer forest during the day. At the micro-habitat scale during the summer, as canopy cover decreased in beetle-killed forest, there was a concomitant increase in grass biomass and downed logs. Nevertheless, while in the forest, elk did not alter resource selection relative to changes in understory vegetation or downed logs. Elk increased use of beetle-kill during hunting seasons as did hunters during the archery season, however during the rifle season, hunters avoided beetle-kill. Nevertheless, during the rifle season, areas of beetle-kill with a high probability of elk occurrence dampened the aversion hunters had towards beetle-kill. Therefore, in contrast to our expectations, forests that have been severely altered by the bark-beetle epidemic may only function marginally as a refuge for elk. The bark-beetle epidemic has not only altered how elk use the landscape during the summer, but also has resulted in a potential loss of forest habitat that elk use during the day. Moreover, rifle hunters seem to limit their use of beetle-killed forest and as more standing dead trees fall this trend may be further exacerbated. Our results indicate that habitat treatments (i.e., fire, or harvest) that remove standing dead trees and downed logs in beetle-killed forest would facilitate additional understory growth (i.e., forage for elk) while reducing locomotion costs for elk and hunters.

Download or read book Seasonal Distribution and Habitat Use Patterns of Elk in the Jack Morrow Hills Planning Area Wyoming written by and published by . This book was released on 2005 with total page 28 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This study was designed to identify and describe the distribution and habitat selection patterns of the Steamboat elk herd before mineral development, such that subsequent comparisons can be made if or when development occurs. The JMH Planning Area encompasses approximately 972 square miles in southwest Wyoming and the study area includes portions of 3 counties (Fremont, Sweetwater, and Sublette), 5 Areas of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC) (Steamboat Mountain, Greater Sand Dunes, White Mountain Petroglyphs, Oregon Buttes, and South Pass Historic Landscape), and 7 Wilderness Study Areas (WSA) (Oregon Buttes, Honeycomb Buttes, Greater Sand Dunes, Buffalo Hump, Whitehorse Creek, South Pinnacles, and Alkali Draw). The study area contains a variety of minerals, including potash, gold, coal, oil shale, oil, natural gas, and coalbed methane. While the existing mineral development is limited, the potential for increased oil and gas development is high.

Download or read book The Elk of North America written by Olaus J. Murie and published by Stackpole Books. This book was released on 2017-09-15 with total page 418 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This is an outstanding treatise on one of America’s most widely hunted and most important big-game animals. Although thousands of sportsmen take to the field each year in quest of trophies, the perpetuation of elk hunting in America depends entirely upon proper management of the herds. Whether management succeeds or fails in future years will depend upon how well the public understands the problems of the game administrators and of the animals themselves. Everything the sportsman or naturalist would wish to know about the elk in included in this new volume. Habits, food preferences, seasonal movements, anatomy, antler development, and management problems are interestingly and thoroughly discussed. Written by one of America’s greatest field naturalists, this new book has behind it a lifetime spent in intimate study of the subject. Dr. Murie is recognized as the world’s foremost authority on the American elk and his comprehensive research on elk in the Jackson Hole National Monument forms the basis for this book. Everyone interested in America’s wildlife will want this volume in his library. The book is copiously illustrated with half-tone and original line drawings by the author.

Download or read book A Tale of Two Cervids written by Adam S. Mohr and published by . This book was released on 2020 with total page 116 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: California’s Roosevelt (Cervus canadensis rooseveltii) and tule elk (C. c. nannodes) populations have experienced a remarkable recovery after over-hunting and habitat loss nearly extirpated them from the state. Greater clarity of Roosevelt and tule elk habitat selection patterns would help managers continue to effectively support the recovery of these two iconic subspecies. As the manner in which elk populations balance their competing resource needs is unique to each population (Skovlin et al. 2002), I have examined Roosevelt and tule elk habitat selection patterns in separate analyses and present these results in independent chapters. In both cases, I examine the role behavior can play in influencing habitat selection and fitness. Habitat selection models rely on a number of assumptions, which have proven difficult to test, particularly in regards to how behavior relates to perceived habitat suitability and resource availability. In this thesis, I address some of these assumptions by accounting for variation in elk behavior and changing resource conditions. My results demonstrate the effect of behavioral and seasonal resource variation on habitat suitability predictions and its importance for consideration in population management decisions.

Download or read book Strategy specific Differentiation in Response to Resources and Drivers of Spring Migration Phenology in Rocky Mountain Elk written by Storm A. Crews and published by . This book was released on 2023 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Elk (Cervus canadensis) are known to exhibit high movement strategy diversity compared to other ungulate species. Most elk populations are migratory or partially migratory, presenting unique conservation and management challenges. For example, successful maintenance of multiple seasonal ranges and connectivity between them is necessary to conserve populations with migratory behaviors. Further study of the structure and maintenance of movement strategy diversity within partially migratory populations is needed to assist management and refine fundamental ecological theory. Improved understanding of the determinants of elk migratory timing is also important, with the dynamics of significant drivers likely to shift under future climate change and anthropogenic expansion. I investigated strategy-specific environmental responses in multiple Rocky Mountain elk populations and found evidence for a differentiation in resource use and selection among sympatric individuals using differing strategies. This result suggests a potential mechanism for the reduction of intraspecific competition and heightened population densities in partially migratory herds. However, the nature and strength of differentiation was found to be context dependent. I found that elk avoid human development and seasonally select for forage quantity over quality at relatively fine scales, highlighting some consistent selection responses as well. Overall, this analysis demonstrated intrapopulation response heterogeneity in partially migratory elk populations and characterized strategy-specific patterns of resource use and selection. I investigated how spring migratory timing and duration relate to spatiotemporal forage dynamics, finding that departure dates are affected by vegetative green-up along migratory corridors, while the duration of migration is influenced by the timing of green-up at the summer range. These results highlight a form of migratory plasticity, wherein migrants modulate both their departure date and the duration of their migration as a function of vegetative phenology. Additionally, I present a framework to quantify optimality of migratory movements in relation to peak forage conditions. On average, elk were found to exhibit high optimality, with interindividual variability along a gradient. My findings suggest a variety of responses to green-wave phenology, with optimality of movements differing as a function of individual and study area. This work contributes to the growing understanding of migratory plasticity as multidimensional and highlights the variability of migratory behavior within and among populations.

Download or read book Helena National Forest N F Warm Springs Habitat Enhancement Project written by and published by . This book was released on 2010 with total page 594 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book The Influence of Large Carnivore Recovery and Summer Conditions on the Migratory Elk of Wyoming s Absaroka Mountains written by Arthur Dehon Middleton and published by . This book was released on 2012 with total page 144 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: I studied the Clarks Fork elk herd, a population of 4,000 elk whose migratory individuals winter in outlying areas of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE), and summer in core areas of Yellowstone National Park (YNP). I first evaluated the long-term ecological context of the Clarks Fork herd's changing demography. Migratory have elk experienced a 21-year, 70% reduction in recruitment and a 4-year, 19% depression in the pregnancy rate, caused largely by infrequent reproduction of females that were young or lactating. Over the same period, resident elk have experienced increasing recruitment and a high pregnancy rate. Large-scale changes in predation and habitat quality appear responsible for the declining productivity of migratory elk. Migrants are now exposed to four times as many grizzly bears and wolves as residents. Both predators consume migratory elk calves at high rates in the Yellowstone wilderness, but occur less frequently in the year-round habitats of resident elk, due to lethal management and human disturbance. Migratory elk have also recently experienced a shorter spring green-up, consistent with recent drying and warming trends in the region. These findings suggest that large carnivore recovery and drought, operating simultaneously along an elevation gradient, have disproportionately influenced the demography of migratory elk. Next, I evaluated the hypothesis that the risk of wolf predation is contributing to the low productivity of migratory elk, via changes in winter behavior that reduce individual females' nutrition and pregnancy probability. Although such 'non-consumptive' effects (NCEs) of predators have been studied extensively in small-scale, experimental systems, NCEs have never been comprehensively evaluated among wide-ranging large mammals. I found that during the 24 h after wolves approached within 1 km, elk increased their rates of movement, displacement, and vigilance, but did not reduce their feeding rates or change their habitat use. The late-winter body fat and pregnancy probability of elk were not related to wolf predation risk, and were instead a function of autumn body fat and age. These findings suggest that wolves influence elk demography through direct killing, not NCEs. One of my observations - that migratory elk experienced 1-km wolf encounters only once every 9 days - suggests that the current conceptualization of risk effects, developed in smaller-scale study systems, obscures important effects of spatiotemporal scale. Next, I further explored the context-dependency of predation risk effects, evaluating the limiting role of prey body condition. Population- and community-level risk effects hinge on strong antipredator behaviors expressed by individual prey animals, but these behaviors might be limited by the countervailing influence of hunger and starvation, which can result from many biological and ecological processes that operate independently of predation risk. In a synthesis of the literature, I found that in 96% (44/46) of behavioral studies - including experiments conducted with mammals, birds, insects, fish, reptiles, and amphibians - prey body condition mediated the strength of antipredator behavior. This suggests that a predictive theory of predation risk effects can be improved by integrating the important role of individual prey condition, alongside other factors identified by prior work - such as prey social behavior, predator hunting strategy, and spatial scale. Finally, I considered the influence of human-caused ecological changes on the predation rates of the dominant elk calf predator in the GYE, the grizzly bear. Over the past two decades, the availability of key grizzly bear diet items has declined. In particular, an invasion of non-native lake trout has driven a dramatic decline of native cutthroat trout that migrate up the shallow tributaries of Yellowstone Lake to spawn each spring. I explored whether this decline has amplified the effect of the omnivorous grizzly bear on populations of migratory elk that summer inside YNP. My synthesis of research conducted over three decades on grizzly diets and elk populations, including recent study of four elk migrations, indicates that the invasion by lake trout has contributed to increased predation by grizzly bears on the calves of migratory elk. Additionally, a demographic model that incorporates two independent estimates of this increase in predation suggests that its magnitude has been sufficient to reduce the calf recruitment (4-16%) and population growth (2-11%) of migratory elk. The disruption of this important aquatic-terrestrial linkage may hinder the restoration of historic species interactions in YNP, highlighting the urgency of efforts to suppress lake trout in Yellowstone Lake and the importance of preventing such invasions elsewhere. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)