Functional response of wolves to human development across boreal North America

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dc.contributor.authorMuhly, Tyler B.
dc.contributor.authorJohnson, Cheryl A.
dc.contributor.authorHebblewhite, Mark
dc.contributor.authorNeilson, Eric W.
dc.contributor.authorFortin, Daniel
dc.contributor.authorFryxell, John M.
dc.contributor.authorLatham, Andrew David M.
dc.contributor.authorLatham, Maria C.
dc.contributor.authorMcLoughlin, Philip D.
dc.contributor.authorMerrill, Evelyn
dc.contributor.authorPaquet, Paul C.
dc.contributor.authorPatterson, Brent R.
dc.contributor.authorSchmiegelow, Fiona
dc.contributor.authorScurrah, Fiona
dc.contributor.authorMusiani, Marco
dc.date.accessioned2020-06-18T22:14:47Z
dc.date.available2020-06-18T22:14:47Z
dc.date.copyright2019en_US
dc.date.issued2019
dc.description.abstractAim: The influence of humans on large carnivores, including wolves, is a worldwide conservation concern. In addition, human‐caused changes in carnivore density and distribution might have impacts on prey and, indirectly, on vegetation. We therefore tested wolf responses to infrastructure related to natural resource development (i.e., human footprint). Location Our study provides one of the most extensive assessments of how predators like wolves select habitat in response to various degrees of footprint across boreal ecosystems encompassing over a million square kilometers of Canada. Methods We deployed GPS‐collars on 172 wolves, monitored movements and used a generalized functional response (GFR) model of resource selection. A functional response in habitat selection occurs when selection varies as a function of the availability of that habitat. GFRs can clarify how human‐induced habitat changes are influencing wildlife across large, diverse landscapes. Results Wolves displayed a functional response to footprint. Wolves were more likely to select forest harvest cutblocks in regions with higher cutblock density (i.e., a positive functional response to high‐quality habitats for ungulate prey) and to select for higher road density in regions where road density was high (i.e., a positive functional response to human‐created travel routes). Wolves were more likely to use cutblocks in habitats with low road densities, and more likely to use roads in habitats with low cutblock densities, except in winter when wolves were more likely to use roads regardless of cutblock density. Main conclusions These interactions suggest that wolves trade‐off among human‐impacted habitats, and adaptively switch from using roads to facilitate movement (while also risking encounters with humans), to using cutblocks that may have higher ungulate densities. We recommend that conservation managers consider the contextual and interacting effects of footprints when assessing impacts on carnivores. These effects likely have indirect impacts on ecosystems too, including on prey species.en_US
dc.description.reviewstatusRevieweden_US
dc.description.scholarlevelFacultyen_US
dc.description.sponsorshipWe thank all our collaborators who provided wolf telemetry data for this study (Table S1). We thank Jason Matthiopolous for early discussion and assistance with the functional response models. T.B.M. was partially funded by Alberta Innovates–Technology Futures. Funding for M. Hebblewhite was provided by University of Montana and NASA through the Arctic Boreal Vulnerability Experiment (ABoVE) grant #NNX15AW71A. Funding for E. Merrill, N. Webb and P. Knamiller was provided by Alberta Conservation Association, Alberta Outfitters Association, Wildsheep Foundation Alberta, Safari Club International Northern Alberta Chapter, Alberta Fish and Game Association, NSERC Collaborative Research Grant No. 261091‐02 to E. Merrill). D. Fortin was supported by The Chaire de Recherche Industrielle, CRSNG‐Université Laval en Sylviculture et Faune, NSERC Discovery Grants (like M. Musiani), and Parks Canada. C.A.J. and T.B.M. would like to thank Jon Pasher and Jason Duffe for their help summarizing the anthropogenic disturbance data. Special thanks to Dean Cluff, Peter Knamiller, Nathan Webb, Stan Boutin, Holger Bohm, Alicia Goddard, Gerry Racey, Nancy Berglund, Ryan Brook, Brian Joynt, Vicki Trim, Hank P. Hristienko, Dennis Brannen, Ken Rebizant, Daniel Dupont, Daryll Hedman, Mark Bradley, and Layla Neufield for their contributions to the project.en_US
dc.identifier.citationMuhly, T. B., Johnson, C. A., Hebblewhite, M., Neilson, E. W., Fortin, D., Fryxell, J. M. … Musiani, M. (2019). Functional response of wolves to human development across boreal North America. Ecology and Evolution, 9(18), 10801-10815. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.5600.en_US
dc.identifier.urihttps://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.5600
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/1828/11852
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.publisherEcology and Evolutionen_US
dc.subjectboreal forest
dc.subjectecosystem conservation
dc.subjectforestry
dc.subjectfunctional response
dc.subjecthabitat selection
dc.subjectroads
dc.subjecttrade-offs
dc.subjectwolves
dc.subject.departmentDepartment of Geography
dc.titleFunctional response of wolves to human development across boreal North Americaen_US
dc.typeArticleen_US

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