Recent porcupine expansion at tree line: a dendroecological analysis

• Published in: Canadian Journal of Zoology
• Main Author: Payette, Serge
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Canadian Science Publishing 1987
• Subjects: Animal Science and Zoology; Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics; Hudson Bay; Hudson; Tundra
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z87-085; http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/z87-085

The northernmost porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum L.) populations in the western part of northern Quebec are found at tree line along the Hudson Bay coast. A dendrochronological analysis of feeding scars produced during the dormant period indicates that this species expanded significantly during the 20th century, particularly during the last 25 years. Confined to small, marginal forest sites during the 19th century, porcupine range increased afterwards and climaxed during the 1960's and 1970's with the occupance of remote altitudinal tundra sites. This change in porcupine range coincides with the area where white spruce (Picea glauca (Moench) Voss) expanded during the last 100 years because of climatic warming. It is hypothesized that porcupine populations responded to climate change with a time lag of several decades associated with forest-niche building.