Human-mediated shifts in animal habitat use: Sequential changes in pronghorn use of a natural gas field in Greater Yellowstone

Beckmann, Jon P.; Murray, Kim M.; Seidler, Renee G.; Berger, Joël

doi:10.1016/j.biocon.2012.01.003

Cited by 74 publications

(97 citation statements)

References 21 publications

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“…For example, mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) in Wyoming could experience up to 60% habitat loss through avoidance of high-density natural gas drilling operations (Sawyer et al, 2009). Similarly, pronghorn (Antilocapra americana) were predicted to experience a five-fold reduction in high-value habitat as a result of natural gas facilities (Beckmann et al, 2012). Compared to these losses, the amount of habitat we expect to be lost as a FIG.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluating Potential Effects of an Industrial Road on Winter Habitat of Caribou in North-Central Alaska

Wilson¹,

Gustine²,

Joly³

2014

ARCTIC

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ABSTRACT. Worldwide, some caribou (Rangifer tarandus) populations are experiencing declines due partially to the expansion of industrial development. Caribou can exhibit behavioral avoidance of development, leading to indirect habitat loss, even if the actual footprint is small. Thus, it is important to understand before construction begins how much habitat might be affected by proposed development. In northern Alaska, an industrial road that has been proposed to facilitate mining transects a portion of the Western Arctic caribou herd's winter range. To understand how winter habitat use might be affected by the road, we estimated resource selection patterns during winter for caribou in a study area surrounding the proposed road. We assessed the reductions of habitat value associated with three proposed routes at three distance thresholds for disturbance. High-value winter habitat tended to occur in locally rugged areas that have not burned recently and have a high density of lichen and early dates of spring snowmelt. We found that 1.5% to 8.5% (146-848 km 2 ) of existing high-value winter habitat in our study area might be reduced in quality. The three alternative routes were only marginally different. Our results suggest that the road would have minimal direct effects on high-value winter habitat; however, additional cumulative impacts to caribou (e.g., increased access by recreationists and hunters) should be considered before the full effects of the road can be estimated.Key words: Alaska, caribou, development, Rangifer tarandus, resource selection, roads, winter RÉSUMÉ. À l'échelle mondiale, certaines populations de caribous (Rangifer tarandus) connaissent des déclins partiellement attribuables à l'expansion industrielle. Pour des raisons de comportement, le caribou peut éviter le développement, ce qui entraîne une perte d'habitat indirecte, et ce, même si la place réellement occupée est petite. Par conséquent, il est important de comprendre, avant même que des travaux de construction ne soient amorcés, dans quelle mesure l'habitat sera touché par les travaux proposés. Dans le nord de l'Alaska, une route industrielle dont la construction a été proposée pour faciliter l'exploitation minière coupe transversalement une partie de l'aire d'hivernage du troupeau de caribous de l'ouest de l'Arctique. Afin de comprendre comment l'utilisation de l'habitat d'hivernage pourrait être touchée par la route, nous avons estimé des modèles de sélection des ressources pendant l'hiver pour le caribou se trouvant dans une aire d'étude entourant la route proposée. Nous avons évalué la diminution de la valeur de l'habitat liée à trois routes proposées à trois seuils de distance afin d'en déterminer la perturbation. Un habitat d'hivernage de grande valeur avait tendance à se manifester dans les régions locales accidentées qui n'avaient pas fait l'objet de brûlages récents, régions caractérisées par une forte densité de lichen et une fonte des neiges hâtive au printemps. Dans le cadre de notre étude, nous avons constaté que la qual...

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluating Potential Effects of an Industrial Road on Winter Habitat of Caribou in North-Central Alaska

Wilson¹,

Gustine²,

Joly³

2014

ARCTIC

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“…Natural gas exploration has been the primary focus of that research because of the recent expansion of exploration across the western United States (Sawyer et al 2006, Sawyer et al 2009a, Beckmann et al 2012, Lendrum et al 2012, Lendrum et al 2013, Sawyer et al 2013, Buchanan et al 2014, Seidler et al 2014. Research in these areas suggests that mule deer increase their movement rates, select habitat types that provide greater amounts of concealment cover, reduce stopover use, and migration route use and width decreased when migrating through areas with high densities of well pads (Lendrum et al 2012, Lendrum et al 2013, Sawyer et al 2013).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…On winter range, mule deer avoided areas with natural gas fields and shifted habitat use away from disturbance (Sawyer et al 2006, Sawyer et al 2009a). In the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, researchers reported that pronghorn antelope (Antilocapra Americana) moved slower through disturbances, avoided patches with high levels of natural gas fields, and that these disturbances created ''hazardinduced stopovers'' where individuals used stopover locations with low greenness estimates (Beckmann et al 2012, Seidler et al 2014. Similarly, North American elk (Cervus elaphus) responded to the development of natural gas fields and increased traffic by shifting habitat use farther away from roads, and by selecting for areas with higher amounts of concealment cover (Cole et al 1997, Buchanan et al 2014.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of large‐scale gold mining on migratory behavior of a large herbivore

2015

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Abstract. Loss of migratory corridors has been identified as an important ecological issue among species that exhibit long-distance migration worldwide. Increased mineral exploration and development has raised the level of concern over the protection of terrestrial migration routes for ungulates. Mineral exploration and other types of development may adversely affect migratory corridors for large herbivores, but little is known about functional effects on migratory behavior and resource selection. To address these important questions we examined movement patterns and resource selection to understand the effects of an operating gold mine on migratory pathways of mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus). We captured and applied radio collars to female mule deer (n ¼ 43) on the migratory pathway and in the proximity of an active mine in the Ruby Mountains of eastern Nevada. We used Brownian Bridge Movement Models to delineate stopover sites for each individual during both the autumn and spring migrations. We calculated linear efficiency of movement along the migration path and movement rate between stopover locations outside and within the mining area to determine the effects of the mine on movement patterns. We also used resource selection functions to determine if mule deer avoided areas with extensive excavation and disturbance of the land surface when navigating through the mine complex. Our results indicated greater linear efficiency of movement along the migration path and movement rates between stopover locations outside the mine when compared with movement through the mine complex. Additionally, mule deer that migrated through the mine complex avoided the highest disturbance levels by spending the majority of their time in undisturbed habitat patches. These results suggest an increase in energy expenditure of mule deer navigating through highly disturbed areas, which may have fitness consequences for migratory animals. Such increases in energy expenditure during migration may decrease survival or productivity of migratory populations of large, terrestrial mammals.

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“…Aplicar el conocimiento sobre el uso de las áreas estacionales importantes y sobre el uso de las rutas durante la migración durante la planificación de la conservación futura, pueden mitigar el impacto en el hábitat del antílope americano y contribuir a su conservación a largo plazo. behavioral changes and reductions in carrying capacity across their range due to decreased habitat and fragmentation of migration routes as a result of development, fencing, and other land-use practices (e.g., Sawyer et al 2005, Boccadori et al 2008, Beckmann et al 2012, Seidler et al 2014. The challenge of conserving migratory ungulates is due to their wide-ranging seasonal movements, which occur across both a diversity of ecosystems and varying land management priorities (Copeland et al 2014).…”

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confidence: 99%

Seasonal Distribution and Routes of Pronghorn in the Northern Great Basin

Collins

2016

Western North American Naturalist

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Human-mediated shifts in animal habitat use: Sequential changes in pronghorn use of a natural gas field in Greater Yellowstone

Cited by 74 publications

References 21 publications

Evaluating Potential Effects of an Industrial Road on Winter Habitat of Caribou in North-Central Alaska

Evaluating Potential Effects of an Industrial Road on Winter Habitat of Caribou in North-Central Alaska

Effects of large‐scale gold mining on migratory behavior of a large herbivore

Seasonal Distribution and Routes of Pronghorn in the Northern Great Basin

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