Effects of predation risk on elk ( Cervus elaphus ) landscape use in a wolf ( Canis lupus ) dominated system
Food acquisition and predation avoidance are key drivers of herbivore behaviour. We investigated the interaction of top-down (predator) and bottom-up (food, fire, thermal) effects by measuring the relationship between wolf (Canis lupus L., 1758) predation risk perceived by elk (Cervus elaphus L., 17...
Published in: | Canadian Journal of Zoology |
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Canadian Science Publishing
2015
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Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/cjz-2014-0138 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/full-xml/10.1139/cjz-2014-0138 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/cjz-2014-0138 |
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crcansciencepubl:10.1139/cjz-2014-0138 2023-12-17T10:28:34+01:00 Effects of predation risk on elk ( Cervus elaphus ) landscape use in a wolf ( Canis lupus ) dominated system Eisenberg, Cristina Hibbs, David E. Ripple, William J. 2015 http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/cjz-2014-0138 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/full-xml/10.1139/cjz-2014-0138 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/cjz-2014-0138 en eng Canadian Science Publishing http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/page/about/CorporateTextAndDataMining Canadian Journal of Zoology volume 93, issue 2, page 99-111 ISSN 0008-4301 1480-3283 Animal Science and Zoology Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics journal-article 2015 crcansciencepubl https://doi.org/10.1139/cjz-2014-0138 2023-11-19T13:39:35Z Food acquisition and predation avoidance are key drivers of herbivore behaviour. We investigated the interaction of top-down (predator) and bottom-up (food, fire, thermal) effects by measuring the relationship between wolf (Canis lupus L., 1758) predation risk perceived by elk (Cervus elaphus L., 1758) and elk landscape use. We conducted fecal pellet and wolf scat surveys in three valleys with three wolf population levels (Saint Mary: low; Waterton: moderate; North Fork: high). In the North Fork, 90% of quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.) stands burned recently; the other valleys had no fire. We created predictive models of elk pellet density that incorporated bottom-up and top-down variables. All valleys had a high elk pellet density (≥10 per 100 m 2 ). Wolf scat density was similar where there was no fire, but one order of magnitude greater in burned areas. Elk pellet density was lower in the North Fork, a predation-related response. In all valleys, site-specific elk density declined as impediments to detecting or escaping wolves increased, and elk avoided aspen, except for North Fork unburned areas. Models that best predicted elk density contained bottom-up and top-down effects. At local scales, high predation risk negatively influence elk occurrence, suggesting that even with minimal wolf exposure elk avoid risky sites. Article in Journal/Newspaper Canis lupus Canadian Science Publishing (via Crossref) North Fork ENVELOPE(161.250,161.250,-77.533,-77.533) Canadian Journal of Zoology 93 2 99 111 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Canadian Science Publishing (via Crossref) |
op_collection_id |
crcansciencepubl |
language |
English |
topic |
Animal Science and Zoology Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics |
spellingShingle |
Animal Science and Zoology Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics Eisenberg, Cristina Hibbs, David E. Ripple, William J. Effects of predation risk on elk ( Cervus elaphus ) landscape use in a wolf ( Canis lupus ) dominated system |
topic_facet |
Animal Science and Zoology Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics |
description |
Food acquisition and predation avoidance are key drivers of herbivore behaviour. We investigated the interaction of top-down (predator) and bottom-up (food, fire, thermal) effects by measuring the relationship between wolf (Canis lupus L., 1758) predation risk perceived by elk (Cervus elaphus L., 1758) and elk landscape use. We conducted fecal pellet and wolf scat surveys in three valleys with three wolf population levels (Saint Mary: low; Waterton: moderate; North Fork: high). In the North Fork, 90% of quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.) stands burned recently; the other valleys had no fire. We created predictive models of elk pellet density that incorporated bottom-up and top-down variables. All valleys had a high elk pellet density (≥10 per 100 m 2 ). Wolf scat density was similar where there was no fire, but one order of magnitude greater in burned areas. Elk pellet density was lower in the North Fork, a predation-related response. In all valleys, site-specific elk density declined as impediments to detecting or escaping wolves increased, and elk avoided aspen, except for North Fork unburned areas. Models that best predicted elk density contained bottom-up and top-down effects. At local scales, high predation risk negatively influence elk occurrence, suggesting that even with minimal wolf exposure elk avoid risky sites. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Eisenberg, Cristina Hibbs, David E. Ripple, William J. |
author_facet |
Eisenberg, Cristina Hibbs, David E. Ripple, William J. |
author_sort |
Eisenberg, Cristina |
title |
Effects of predation risk on elk ( Cervus elaphus ) landscape use in a wolf ( Canis lupus ) dominated system |
title_short |
Effects of predation risk on elk ( Cervus elaphus ) landscape use in a wolf ( Canis lupus ) dominated system |
title_full |
Effects of predation risk on elk ( Cervus elaphus ) landscape use in a wolf ( Canis lupus ) dominated system |
title_fullStr |
Effects of predation risk on elk ( Cervus elaphus ) landscape use in a wolf ( Canis lupus ) dominated system |
title_full_unstemmed |
Effects of predation risk on elk ( Cervus elaphus ) landscape use in a wolf ( Canis lupus ) dominated system |
title_sort |
effects of predation risk on elk ( cervus elaphus ) landscape use in a wolf ( canis lupus ) dominated system |
publisher |
Canadian Science Publishing |
publishDate |
2015 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/cjz-2014-0138 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/full-xml/10.1139/cjz-2014-0138 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/cjz-2014-0138 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(161.250,161.250,-77.533,-77.533) |
geographic |
North Fork |
geographic_facet |
North Fork |
genre |
Canis lupus |
genre_facet |
Canis lupus |
op_source |
Canadian Journal of Zoology volume 93, issue 2, page 99-111 ISSN 0008-4301 1480-3283 |
op_rights |
http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/page/about/CorporateTextAndDataMining |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1139/cjz-2014-0138 |
container_title |
Canadian Journal of Zoology |
container_volume |
93 |
container_issue |
2 |
container_start_page |
99 |
op_container_end_page |
111 |
_version_ |
1785580709839110144 |