Variability in the Selection Patterns of Pronghorn: Are they Really Native Prairie Obligates?

In Canada, pronghorn (Antilocapra americana) are primarily considered a native prairie obligate because of their reliance on open grassland vegetation communities, although an assessment of local ecological knowledge suggests that pronghorn in Alberta select a variety of habitat from native prairie to cultivated lands. The primary objective of our study was to assess whether pronghorn in Alberta and Saskatchewan are native prairie obligates. Specifically, we addressed the following questions: 1) do individual pronghorn show similar selection patterns for native prairie and, therefore, support the notion that they are prairie obligates; 2) do pronghorn show consistent resource selection patterns at multiple scales (landscape and within-seasonal range); and 3) to what extent are selection patterns of pronghorn influenced by highways and roads. Within Alberta, we captured, collared, and monitored for one year individual female pronghorn in December 2003 (n = 24), March 2005 (n = 25), and March 2006 (n = 25). A detrended correspondence analysis of patterns of habitat selection revealed three distinct groups of pronghorn (r2 = 0.96, n = 55) that we labeled native, cultivated, and mixed, referring to the dominant land cover in their parturition ranges. We used logistic regression to model resource selection patterns of the three groups of pronghorn during the parturition and winter periods at the landscape and within-seasonal range scales. At the landscape scale, each group of pronghorn had top models consisting of the variables land cover, landform, distance to express highways, distance to arterial roads, and distance to collector roads for both periods. The native and mixed groups were less likely to use annual and perennial cropland than native prairie habitats, whereas the cultivated group was more likely to use annual and perennial cropland. At the within-seasonal range scale, the top models for each group in both seasons consisted of one or more road variables, but the top models exhibited poor model fit. Our results do not show a clear association for native prairie, which we would have expected if pronghorn were native prairie obligates, suggestive of plasticity in behavior. We acknowledge that patterns of habitat selection do not indicate habitat quality or fitness; therefore, to understand the individual- and population-level consequences of selecting sub-optimal habitats, such as agricultural landscapes, further research is needed

Muskox Health Ecology Symposium 2016: Gathering to Share Knowledge on Umingmak in a Time of Rapid Change

The Muskox, Ovibos moschatus, also known as Umingmak ‘the Bearded One,’ is a taxonomically unique, cold-adapted, ice-age survivor. Originally native to Canada and Greenland, it has established a circum-Arctic distribution via introduced populations. As a key resident herbivore in northern ecosystems, the muskox has importance that should not be underestimated. Muskoxen play an important role in the cultural identity of Arctic Indigenous peoples and provide a healthy source of country food. More recently, recognition of the economic potential of the species through tourism, sport hunting, and the traditional sale of handicrafts has generated renewed interest in muskoxen and their ecology. Recent documentation of diseases, including several zoonoses, regional mortality events, and population declines have highlighted knowledge gaps in both our understanding of the drivers of muskox population fluctuations and the potential sensitivity of this species to a rapidly changing climate (Kutz et al., 2013, 2015; Handeland et al., 2014; Ytrehus et al., 2015; Tomaselli et al., 2016c; Afema et al., 2017)

Variability in the Selection Patterns of Pronghorn: Are they Really Native Prairie Obligates?

In Canada, pronghorn (Antilocapra americana) are primarily considered a native prairie obligate because of their reliance on open grassland vegetation communities, although an assessment of local ecological knowledge suggests that pronghorn in Alberta select a variety of habitat from native prairie to cultivated lands. The primary objective of our study was to assess whether pronghorn in Alberta and Saskatchewan are native prairie obligates. Specifically, we addressed the following questions: 1) do individual pronghorn show similar selection patterns for native prairie and, therefore, support the notion that they are prairie obligates; 2) do pronghorn show consistent resource selection patterns at multiple scales (landscape and within-seasonal range); and 3) to what extent are selection patterns of pronghorn influenced by highways and roads. Within Alberta, we captured, collared, and monitored for one year individual female pronghorn in December 2003 (n = 24), March 2005 (n = 25), and March 2006 (n = 25). A detrended correspondence analysis of patterns of habitat selection revealed three distinct groups of pronghorn (r2 = 0.96, n = 55) that we labeled native, cultivated, and mixed, referring to the dominant land cover in their parturition ranges. We used logistic regression to model resource selection patterns of the three groups of pronghorn during the parturition and winter periods at the landscape and within-seasonal range scales. At the landscape scale, each group of pronghorn had top models consisting of the variables land cover, landform, distance to express highways, distance to arterial roads, and distance to collector roads for both periods. The native and mixed groups were less likely to use annual and perennial cropland than native prairie habitats, whereas the cultivated group was more likely to use annual and perennial cropland. At the within-seasonal range scale, the top models for each group in both seasons consisted of one or more road variables, but the top models exhibited poor model fit. Our results do not show a clear association for native prairie, which we would have expected if pronghorn were native prairie obligates, suggestive of plasticity in behavior. We acknowledge that patterns of habitat selection do not indicate habitat quality or fitness; therefore, to understand the individual- and population-level consequences of selecting sub-optimal habitats, such as agricultural landscapes, further research is needed

Modeling Fence Location and Density at a Regional Scale for Use in Wildlife Management

<div><p>Barbed and woven wire fences, common structures across western North America, act as impediments to wildlife movements. In particular, fencing influences pronghorn (<i>Antilocapra americana</i>) daily and seasonal movements, as well as modifying habitat selection. Because of fencing's impacts to pronghorn and other wildlife, it is a potentially important factor in both wildlife movement and habitat selection models. At this time, no geospatial fencing data is available at regional scales. Consequently, we constructed a regional fence model using a series of land tenure assumptions for the Hi-Line region of northern Montana – an area consisting of 13 counties over 103,400 km². Randomized 3.2 km long transects (n = 738) on both paved and unpaved roads were driven to collect information on habitat, fence densities and fence type. Using GIS, we constructed a fence location and a density model incorporating ownership, size, neighboring parcels, township boundaries and roads. Local knowledge of land ownership and land use assisted in improving the final models. We predict there is greater than 263,300 km of fencing in the Hi-Line region, with a maximum density of 6.8 km of fencing per km² and mean density of 2.4 km of fencing per km². Using field data to assess model accuracy, Cohen's Kappa was measured at 0.40. On-the-ground fence modification or removal could be prioritized by identifying high fence densities in critical wildlife areas such as pronghorn migratory pathways or sage grouse lekking habitat. Such novel fence data can assist wildlife and land managers to assess effects of anthropogenic features to wildlife at various scales; which in turn may help conserve declining grassland species and overall ecological functionality.</p></div

Accuracy assessment results for the fence layer without large croplands.

<p>*95% confidence intervals.</p

Accuracy assessment results for the complete fence layer.

<p>*95% confidence intervals.</p

GPS locations of sampled fence transects during Summer 2009.

<p>Each GPS location represents a change in fence structure type or addition/deletion of fence along the sampled transect within four counties in northern Montana. Red outline – location of GPS sampling, Blue outline – the study area.</p

Modeled fences in the Montana Hi-Line region using land tenure, land cover and roads data.

<p>Modeled fences in the Montana Hi-Line region using land tenure, land cover and roads data.</p

Land ownership within the Hi-Line region.

<p>Land ownership within the Hi-Line region.</p

Average fence density by county within the Hi-Line region.

<p>Average fence density by county within the Hi-Line region.</p