Elk parturition site selection at local and landscape scales

Barbknecht, Andrea E.; Fairbanks, W. Sue; Rogerson, Jared D.; Maichak, Eric J.; Scurlock, Brandon M.; Meadows, Laura L.

doi:10.1002/jwmg.100

Cited by 61 publications

(86 citation statements)

References 53 publications

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“…Elk captured in the Jemez Mountains had [50 % of locations in Ponderosa pine and mixed conifer during calving (May-June) and summer (July-August) seasons (Biggs et al 2001), when calves are most vulnerable to predation. In western Wyoming, cow elk sought habitat with cover (deciduous, shrubland or conifer) for parturition (Barbknecht et al 2011). During the pup-rearing season (April-July) we observed 12 % of coyote locations in forest and 88 % in open habitats (dry meadow, wet meadow and riparian).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 92%

Space use and social ecology of coyotes (Canis latrans) in a high-elevation ecosystem: relative stability in a changing environment

Gifford

Gese

Parmenter³

2016

J Ethol

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Coyote (Canis latrans) spatial and social ecology are variable, but have been little studied in high-elevation environments. In these temperate ecosystems, large ungulates are prevalent and coyote pack size may be large in order for them to scavenge and defend ungulate carcasses from conspecifics in neighboring packs. We initiated a study to understand the spatial and social ecology of coyotes on the Valles Caldera National Preserve, a high-elevation (2450-3400 m) protected area in northern New Mexico. Our objectives were to (1) describe the home range size and habitat use of coyotes in the preserve, (2) describe coyote movements within and outside of packs, and (3) to evaluate the relationship between coyote social cohesion and the amount of elk (Cervus elaphus) in the coyote diet. We acquired global positioning system and telemetry locations from 33 coyotes from August 2005 to July 2009. We classified 23 coyotes (70 % of individuals) as residents (i.e., territorial) during at least part of the study and ten coyotes (30 %) as transients. Overall mean home range size of resident packs was 10.6 ± 2.2 (SD) km 2 . Home range size varied between packs, but did not vary by season or year. Coyotes used dry and wet meadow habitats as expected based on availability; coyotes used riparian habitat more than expected, and forests less than expected. Social cohesion did not vary among biological seasons. Alpha coyotes were more socially cohesive with each other than with other pack members, and a transient exhibited temporal-spatial avoidance of pack members while inside the pack's territory followed by integration into the pack. Contrary to expectations, we found no relationship between coyote social cohesion and the proportion of elk in coyote diets. We concluded that coyote space use and sociality on the preserve were relatively stable year-round despite changes in biological needs, snow depth, and utilization of variously sized prey.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 92%

Space use and social ecology of coyotes (Canis latrans) in a high-elevation ecosystem: relative stability in a changing environment

Gifford

Gese

Parmenter³

2016

J Ethol

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“…; Barbknecht et al . ). Stopover sites were classified as the highest 25% quartile in the UD, whereas the 50–75% quartiles were considered movement corridors (Sawyer et al .…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 97%

A framework for understanding semi‐permeable barrier effects on migratory ungulates

Sawyer

Kauffman

Middleton

et al. 2012

Journal of Applied Ecology

136

226

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Summary1. Impermeable barriers to migration can greatly constrain the set of possible routes and ranges used by migrating animals. For ungulates, however, many forms of development are semi-permeable, and making informed management decisions about their potential impacts to the persistence of migration routes is difficult because our knowledge of how semi-permeable barriers affect migratory behaviour and function is limited. 2. Here, we propose a general framework to advance the understanding of barrier effects on ungulate migration by emphasizing the need to (i) quantify potential barriers in terms that allow behavioural thresholds to be considered, (ii) identify and measure behavioural responses to semi-permeable barriers and (iii) consider the functional attributes of the migratory landscape (e.g. stopovers) and how the benefits of migration might be reduced by behavioural changes. 3. We used global position system (GPS) data collected from two subpopulations of mule deer Odocoileus hemionus to evaluate how different levels of gas development influenced migratory behaviour, including movement rates and stopover use at the individual level, and intensity of use and width of migration route at the population level. We then characterized the functional landscape of migration routes as either stopover habitat or movement corridors and examined how the observed behavioural changes affected the functionality of the migration route in terms of stopover use. 4. We found migratory behaviour to vary with development intensity. Our results suggest that mule deer can migrate through moderate levels of development without any noticeable effects on migratory behaviour. However, in areas with more intensive development, animals often detoured from established routes, increased their rate of movement and reduced stopover use, while the overall use and width of migration routes decreased. 5. Synthesis and applications. In contrast to impermeable barriers that impede animal movement, semi-permeable barriers allow animals to maintain connectivity between their seasonal ranges. Our results identify the mechanisms (e.g. detouring, increased movement rates, reduced stopover use) by which semi-permeable barriers affect the functionality of ungulate migration routes and emphasize that the management of semi-permeable barriers may play a key role in the conservation of migratory ungulate populations.

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“…In a conifer dominated landscape, parturient elk resource selection varied depending on scale (Rearden et al ). In 1 sagebrush‐dominated landscape, elk selected for greater hiding cover at parturition sites at all scales (Barbknecht et al ).…”

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confidence: 99%

Elk resource selection at parturition sites, Black Hills, South Dakota

et al. 2015

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We studied elk (Cervus canadensis nelsoni) parturition sites at coarse (314-km 2 and 7-km 2 ) and fine (0.2-ha) scales in the Black Hills, South Dakota, 2011, following a period of population decline and poor calf recruitment. Our objective was to test whether female elk selected parturition sites across spatial scales in association with forage, terrain ruggedness, road density, or hiding and security cover. At coarse scales in forests and grasslands, female elk selected sites in areas with greater proportions of vegetation communities that provided forage (56-74% of area) and more rugged topography (194-248 m) than found at random. At coarse scales in grasslands, elk selected sites in areas with lower road densities ( 1.24 km/plot). At the fine scale in forests and grasslands, female elk selected sites in areas with intermediate slope (19%), closer to water (355-610 m), and far from roads (541-791 m). Further, elk in forests and grasslands selected sites with intermediate security cover (50-88 m). We hypothesize elk selected for intermediate rugged terrain at larger scales for security from high road densities and human disturbance, but these areas may have placed elk in riskier environments for puma (Puma concolor) predation. Forest management that maintains opencanopied vegetation communities in less rugged areas and prevents ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) encroachment of meadows to provide forage may be beneficial for elk. Further, elk parturition sites occurred close to roads, particularly on public lands, and agencies should consider road-use restrictions and vegetation buffers beside roads in areas with less rugged terrain, which may provide favorable calving habitat. Ó 2015 The Wildlife Society.

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Elk parturition site selection at local and landscape scales

Cited by 61 publications

References 53 publications

Space use and social ecology of coyotes (Canis latrans) in a high-elevation ecosystem: relative stability in a changing environment

Space use and social ecology of coyotes (Canis latrans) in a high-elevation ecosystem: relative stability in a changing environment

A framework for understanding semi‐permeable barrier effects on migratory ungulates

Elk resource selection at parturition sites, Black Hills, South Dakota

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