Diel movement patterns influence daily variation in wolf kill rates on moose

Vennen, Lucas M. Vander; Patterson, Brent R.; Rodgers, Arthur R.; Moffatt, Scott; Anderson, Mark C.; Fryxell, John M.

doi:10.1111/1365-2435.12642

Cited by 39 publications

(45 citation statements)

References 34 publications

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“…All else being equal, an increase in the instantaneous search rate results in a higher kill rate, and consequently, the predation rate is expected to increase (Messier & Crête 1985). This relationship has been suggested using simulations (McKenzie et al 2012), and recent work shows wolf kill rates of moose was strongly related to wolf movement rates (Vander Vennen et al 2016). However, the instantaneous search rate may increase without increasing kill rates if prey saturate the landscape (Holling 1959b).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 91%

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Faster and farther: wolf movement on linear features and implications for hunting behaviour

Dickie

Serrouya

McNay³

et al. 2016

Journal of Applied Ecology

250

314

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Summary Predation by grey wolves Canis lupus has been identified as an important cause of boreal woodland caribou Rangifer tarandus caribou mortality, and it has been hypothesized that wolf use of human‐created linear features such as seismic lines, pipelines and roads increases movement, resulting in higher kill rates. We tested if wolves select linear features and whether movement rates increased while travelling on linear features in north‐eastern Alberta and north‐western Saskatchewan using 5‐min GPS (Global Positioning System) locations from twenty‐two wolves in six packs. Wolves selected all but two linear feature classes, with the magnitude of selection depending on feature class and season. Wolves travelled two to three times faster on linear features compared to the natural forest. Increased average daily travelling speed while on linear features and increased proportion of steps spent travelling on linear features increased net daily movement rates, suggesting that wolf use of linear features can increase their search rate. Synthesis and applications. Our findings that wolves move faster and farther on human‐created linear features can inform mitigation strategies intended to decrease predation on woodland caribou, a threatened species. Of the features that can realistically be restored, mitigation strategies such as silviculture and linear deactivation (i.e. tree‐felling and fencing) should prioritize conventional seismic lines (i.e. cleared lines used for traditional oil and gas exploration) and pipelines, as they were selected by wolves and increased travelling speed, before low‐impact seismic lines.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 91%

“…), and recent work shows wolf kill rates of moose was strongly related to wolf movement rates (Vander Vennen et al . ). However, the instantaneous search rate may increase without increasing kill rates if prey saturate the landscape (Holling ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Faster and farther: wolf movement on linear features and implications for hunting behaviour

Dickie

Serrouya

McNay³

et al. 2016

Journal of Applied Ecology

250

314

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“…Wolves may use vegetation to ambush prey in a variety of landscapes and seasons (Kunkel and Pletscher , Gable et al ). Wolf movement rate explained more variation in kill rates of moose in winter (Vander Vennen et al ), yet protective cover can aid prey in avoiding detection (Kunkel and Pletscher ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Association of moose parturition and post‐parturition habitat with calf survival

2018

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Habitat use during calving and the energetically demanding post‐parturition period can be an important determinant of neonatal survival. The moose (Alces alces) population in northeastern Minnesota, USA declined 65% from 2006 to 2018. During 2013–2015, annual survival of calves was estimated as low as 28%. We remotely monitored global positioning system (GPS)‐collared adult female moose and their neonates during the calving and post‐parturition seasons to examine calving movements, birth‐sites, habitat use, survival, and cause‐specific mortality of neonates. Identifying the association of specific landscape characteristics with neonate survival should yield insight into mechanisms contributing to the declining moose population and serve as a basis for an ecologically sound management response. We compared habitat characteristics of pre‐calving, calving, peak‐lactation, and mortality sites at a fine and broad scale. We also compared calving sites of females that successfully reared a calf to winter to those that did not. In general, females tended to move to areas of more conifer cover to calve. During peak‐lactation, females and their calves used steeper areas with abundant forage and high concealment but less conifer cover. Mortalities occurred at sites that were more level than other site types. Females that successfully reared a calf to 1 February typically calved in areas with more deciduous forest and less forested wetland cover than females whose calves died before 9 months of age. Habitat improvement projects for moose should consider forage requirements and placement on the landscape in relation to cover and slope. © 2018 The Wildlife Society.

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“…) and that increased wolf movement rates are linked to increased kill rates (Vander Vennen et al. , but see DeCesare ). Because of these mechanistic links and the ubiquity of LFs within caribou range, significant effort has been placed on restoring LFs (Pyper et al.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluating functional recovery of habitat for threatened woodland caribou

et al. 2017

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Abstract. Habitat restoration is a core element for the recovery of many declining species. In western Canada, habitat restoration for the recovery of woodland caribou is focused on linear features (LFs) created by oil and gas exploration. At present, the only established criterion for LF restoration is when vegetation structure on LFs is similar to surrounding vegetation. Human-mediated habitat alteration impacts caribou population dynamics by increasing caribou predation rates in two ways: increasing alternate prey populations leading to higher predator numbers and increasing predator hunting efficiency. Linear features increase the movement rates-and may thus increase hunting efficiency-of wolves, a primary predator of caribou and a main hypothesized mechanism for population declines. One approach to determine LF recovery is to identify potential thresholds in the characteristics of regenerating LFs where efficiencies in wolf movement rates are no longer evident. We examined how vegetation affects wolf selection of, and movement on, LFs in northeastern Alberta using five-minute Global Positioning System locations from 20 wolves. Wolves selected LFs with shorter vegetation and traveled faster on LFs with shorter, sparser vegetation and increased vegetation variability. Travel speeds were reduced by 1.5-1.7 km/h when vegetation exceeded heights of 0.50 m, but at least 30% of a LF required vegetation exceeding 4.1 m to slow movement rates to those traveled while in forest. Policy implications: Most of the movement efficiency afforded to wolves by LFs is mediated when vegetation exceeds 0.50 m, and therefore, active restoration could be focused in areas that have not met this value. Rather than treating this value as a clear threshold equating to functional recovery, multiple metrics across trophic levels must also be evaluated to assess population recovery for caribou.

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Diel movement patterns influence daily variation in wolf kill rates on moose

Cited by 39 publications

References 34 publications

Faster and farther: wolf movement on linear features and implications for hunting behaviour

Faster and farther: wolf movement on linear features and implications for hunting behaviour

Association of moose parturition and post‐parturition habitat with calf survival

Evaluating functional recovery of habitat for threatened woodland caribou

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