The West Central Alberta Woodland Caribou Landscape Plan: Using a Modeling Approach to Develop Alternative Scenarios

Woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus) are classified as threatened in Alberta. In support of Canada's Species at Risk Act, a Recovery Plan for Woodland Caribou in Alberta was completed in 2004 which required local implementation plans to be completed within 5 areas of the province. The West Central Alberta Caribou Landscape Plan (WCCLP) is the first of these to be initiated and it addresses the recovery strategies for 4 herds. Two aspatial computer models built on the STELLA© modelling platform (ISee Systems, 2007) were used to assist the planning team in evaluating cumulative effects and alternative scenarios for caribou conservation. The ALCES© (Forem Technologies 2008) modelling tool was used to forecast potential changes in the west central Alberta landscape over time. Yearly landscape condition outputs from ALCES© were then exported into a caribou-specific population model, REMUS© (Weclaw, 2004), that was used to project potential population responses by woodland caribou, other primary prey species [moose (Alces alces), elk (Cervus elaphus) and deer (Odocoileus sp.)] and wolves (Canis lupus) (Weclaw & Hudson, 2004). Simulated habitat management strategies that resulted in the highest likelihood of caribou recovery included the maintenance of a high proportion of old forest, the aggregation of industrial footprints and the reclamation of historic seismic lines (although the latter took decades to provide real dividends). Sharing of industrial roads, protection of fragments of old-growth, and expanding an already aggressive fire control strategy in Alberta had little additional effect on caribou recovery. Simulated population management strategies that were successful all involved decades of intensive wolf control, either directly or indirectly through intensive primary prey control (with the exception of woodland caribou) until old-growth forests recovered to densities that provided caribou habitat and decreased alternate prey of wolves. Although this modelling approach makes broad assumptions, it provides simple fundamental relationships that were useful in a multi-stakeholder team setting when evaluating the efficacy of different management strategies for the conservation of woodland caribou

Development and Piloting of a Novel Evaluation Tool for Childhood Obesity Prevention Programs

Childhood obesity remains chronic and high in the U.S., driven by factors including poor dietary habits and lack of physical activity. Interventions that address multiple causal factors may be the most appropriate strategy to address rising childhood obesity rates. The Cooperative Extension Service offers programs across the country to address causal factors of childhood obesity, but few coordinated or concerted efforts have been made to determine overlap, reduce duplication, or identify best practices in programming. To fill this gap, the National Institute of Food and Agriculture Multistate Project W3005 Extension Workgroup sought to develop a novel tool to compare programs with components related to childhood obesity prevention. This manuscript details the iterative process used to develop the Childhood Obesity Prevention Program in Extension Rubric (COPPER), provides findings from the pilot process, and reveals the broad application and potential of this tool within Extension and nutrition education. The newly developed COPPER tool is multi-functional and may be beneficial in program development, implementation, adoption, and/or adaptation of programs in new settings. This tool will be useful for Extension, public health, and other community organizations focused on issues central to childhood obesity targeting children, parents, and/or caregivers

Hunting and mountain sheep: Do current harvest practices affect horn growth?

The influence of human harvest on evolution of secondary sexual characteristics has implications for sustainable management of wildlife populations. The phenotypic consequences of selectively removing males with large horns or antlers from ungulate populations have been a topic of heightened concern in recent years. Harvest can affect size of horn-like structures in two ways: (a) shifting age structure toward younger age classes, which can reduce the mean size of horn-like structures, or (b) selecting against genes that produce large, fast-growing males. We evaluated effects of age, climatic and forage conditions, and metrics of harvest on horn size and growth of mountain sheep (Ovis canadensis ssp.) in 72 hunt areas across North America from 1981 to 2016. In 50% of hunt areas, changes in mean horn size during the study period were related to changes in age structure of harvested sheep. Environmental conditions explained directional changes in horn growth in 28% of hunt areas, 7% of which did not exhibit change before accounting for effects of the environment. After accounting for age and environment, horn size of mountain sheep was stable or increasing in the majority (similar to 78%) of hunt areas. Age-specific horn size declined in 44% of hunt areas where harvest was regulated solely by morphological criteria, which supports the notion that harvest practices that are simultaneously selective and intensive might lead to changes in horn growth. Nevertheless, phenotypic consequences are not a foregone conclusion in the face of selective harvest; over half of the hunt areas with highly selective and intensive harvest did not exhibit age-specific declines in horn size. Our results demonstrate that while harvest regimes are an important consideration, horn growth of harvested male mountain sheep has remained largely stable, indicating that changes in horn growth patterns are an unlikely consequence of harvest across most of North America.Utah Division of Wildlife Resources; National Wild Sheep Foundation (WSF); Wyoming Wild Sheep Foundation; Alberta Wild Sheep Foundation; California Wild Sheep Foundation; Arizona Desert Bighorn Sheep Society; Wyoming Governor's Big Game License Coalition; Iowa Foundation for North American Wild Sheep; Utah Foundation for North American Wild Sheep; Pope and Young ClubOpen access journalThis item from the UA Faculty Publications collection is made available by the University of Arizona with support from the University of Arizona Libraries. If you have questions, please contact us at [email protected]

Hunting and mountain sheep: do current harvest practices affect horn growth?

The influence of human harvest on evolution of secondary sexual characteristics has implications for sustainable management of wildlife populations. The phenotypic consequences of selectively removing males with large horns or antlers from ungulate populations has been a topic of heightened concern in recent years. Harvest can affect size of horn‐like structures in two ways: 1) shifting age structure toward younger age classes, which can reduce the mean size of horn‐like structures; or 2) selecting against genes that produce large, fast‐growing males. We evaluated effects of age, climatic and forage conditions, and metrics of harvest on horn size and growth of mountain sheep (Ovis canadensis ssp.) in 72 hunt areas across North America from 1981 to 2016. In 50% of hunt areas, changes in mean horn size during the study period were related to changes in age structure of harvested sheep. Environmental conditions explained directional changes in horn growth in 28% of hunt areas, 7% of which did not exhibit change before accounting for effects of the environment. After accounting for age and environment, horn size of mountain sheep was stable or increasing in the majority (~78%) of hunt areas. Age‐specific horn size declined in 44% of hunt areas where harvest was regulated solely by morphological criteria, which supports the notion that harvest practices that are simultaneously selective and intensive might lead to changes in horn growth. Nevertheless, phenotypic consequences are not a foregone conclusion in the face of selective harvest; over half of the hunt areas with highly selective and intensive harvest did not exhibit age‐specific declines in horn size. Our results demonstrate that while harvest regimes are an important consideration, horn growth of harvested male mountain sheep has remained largely stable, indicating that changes in horn growth patterns are an unlikely consequence of harvest across most of North America

Effects of food and predators on the home-range sizes of arctic ground squirrels (Spermophilus parryii)

We used radiotelemetry to study the effects of food addition and predator reduction on the home-range sizes of adult arctic ground squirrels (Spermophilus parryii) on large-scale experimental grids in the boreal forest of the southwestern Yukon Territory. Home ranges were 2-7 times smaller on food-supplemented grids than on nonsupplemented grids, regardless of whether large mammalian predators were present. Similarly, core areas (where 50% of activities occur) were 8-11 times smaller on food-supplemented grids. Food availability rather than predator presence primarily determined the sizes of home ranges and core areas of arctic ground squirrels

Population limitation in arctic ground squirrels: effects of food and predation

1. We examined the relative importance of food and predators in limiting Arctic ground squirrel (Spermophilus parryii plesius Richardson) populations in the boreal forest of the southwestern Yukon during the peak and early decline of a snowshoe hare cycle (Lepus americanus Erxleben). 2. Squirrels were live-trapped from 1990 to 1992 on two control grids and three experimental treatments (food addition, mammalian and avian predator exclosure, and food addition plus mammalian predator exclosure). Adult squirrels were radiocollared on all areas in 1992. 3. Food addition increased densities 3-8 times, generally increased reproductive traits (increased proportion of females lactating, doubled recruited litter sizes, resulted in earlier emergence of juveniles), increased immigration rates (but only in 1992), resulted in heavier females though not males at emergence in spring, and resulted in more rapid growth rates of juvenile males, but not of juvenile females. It had no effect on active season or overwinter survival rates. 4. Exclusion of predators had virtually no effect on any demographic variable measured, except for population densities in 1991 when they were approximately double those of the control populations. 5. Food addition plus exclusion of mammalian predators resulted in demographic changes that were comparable to those of food addition alone. 6. Thus, it appeared that food, not predators, limited ground squirrel populations at this stage of the hare cycle. However, independent of experimental treatment, active season survival of adult squirrels declined markedly from 1990 (high hare numbers) to 1992 (low hare numbers). Most of the radiocollared squirrels disappearing in 1992 were killed by predators and this was coincident with high densities of predators. In the predator exclosures, all predation mortalities resulted from avian predators which we could not exclude. 7. We conclude that both food and predators interact to limit Arctic ground squirrel populations during the peak and early decline of the hare cycle

Indices of population size for burrowing mammals

There are few quick, precise induces for predicting population size of semifossorial mammals. We assessed the utility of powder-tracking and infrared thermal imaging to predict population size in the Arctic ground squirrel (Spermophilus parryii) in the boreal forest of southwestern Yukon. Density estimated from livetrapping was strongly and linearly correlated with both indices (r = 0.81 for powder-tracking; ,. = 091 for infrared imaging) The slope of the relationship between density and the infrared index (0.10) deviated from a .lope of 1. The slope of the relationship between density and the powder-tracking index (082) did not deviate from a slope of 1, but our power to detect departures from this slope using this index was low (0.10). We recommend infrared imaging and powder-tracking for monitoring population size of semifossorial mammal

The West Central Alberta Woodland Caribou Landscape Plan: Using a Modeling Approach to Develop Alternative Scenarios

Woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus) are classified as threatened in Alberta. In support of Canada's Species at Risk Act, a Recovery Plan for Woodland Caribou in Alberta was completed in 2004 which required local implementation plans to be completed within 5 areas of the province. The West Central Alberta Caribou Landscape Plan (WCCLP) is the first of these to be initiated and it addresses the recovery strategies for 4 herds. Two aspatial computer models built on the STELLA© modelling platform (ISee Systems, 2007) were used to assist the planning team in evaluating cumulative effects and alternative scenarios for caribou conservation. The ALCES© (Forem Technologies 2008) modelling tool was used to forecast potential changes in the west central Alberta landscape over time. Yearly landscape condition outputs from ALCES© were then exported into a caribou-specific population model, REMUS© (Weclaw, 2004), that was used to project potential population responses by woodland caribou, other primary prey species [moose (Alces alces), elk (Cervus elaphus) and deer (Odocoileus sp.)] and wolves (Canis lupus) (Weclaw & Hudson, 2004). Simulated habitat management strategies that resulted in the highest likelihood of caribou recovery included the maintenance of a high proportion of old forest, the aggregation of industrial footprints and the reclamation of historic seismic lines (although the latter took decades to provide real dividends). Sharing of industrial roads, protection of fragments of old-growth, and expanding an already aggressive fire control strategy in Alberta had little additional effect on caribou recovery. Simulated population management strategies that were successful all involved decades of intensive wolf control, either directly or indirectly through intensive primary prey control (with the exception of woodland caribou) until old-growth forests recovered to densities that provided caribou habitat and decreased alternate prey of wolves. Although this modelling approach makes broad assumptions, it provides simple fundamental relationships that were useful in a multi-stakeholder team setting when evaluating the efficacy of different management strategies for the conservation of woodland caribou

Horn growth appears to decline under intense trophy hunting, but biases in hunt data challenge the interpretation of the evolutionary basis of trends

Funding: MBM is supported by a University Research Fellowship from the Royal Society (London). M.F.‐B. is supported by NSERC.A recent article in Evolutionary Applications by LaSharr et al. reports on trends in the size of horns of bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) throughout much of the species’ range. The article concludes that there are “... stable or increasing trends in horn growth over nearly 3 decades in the majority of hunt areas throughout the western U.S. and Canada.” However, the article equates nonsignificance of predominantly negative trends in the areas with the most selective harvest as evidence for the null hypothesis of no trends and also fails to consider well‐known and serious biases in the use of data collected in size‐regulated hunts. By applying meta‐analysis to the estimates reported by LaSharr et al., we show that there has been a pervasive overall trend of declining horn sizes in Alberta, where the combination of horn size‐based legality, combined with unrestricted hunter numbers are understood to generate the greatest selective pressures. Given the nature of the biases in the underlying data, the magnitudes of the trends resulting from our re‐analysis of LaSharr et al.'s (Evolutionary Applications, 2019, 12, 1823) trend estimates are probably underestimated.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe