Prioritization of landscape connectivity for the conservation of Peary caribou
Abstract Adequate connectivity between discontinuous habitat patches is crucial for the persistence of metapopulations across space and time. Loss of landscape connectivity is often a direct result of fragmentation caused by human activities but also can be caused indirectly through anthropogenic cl...
Published in: | Ecology and Evolution |
---|---|
Main Authors: | , |
Other Authors: | , |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
Published: |
Wiley
2019
|
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ece3.4915 https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1002%2Fece3.4915 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/ece3.4915 |
id |
crwiley:10.1002/ece3.4915 |
---|---|
record_format |
openpolar |
spelling |
crwiley:10.1002/ece3.4915 2024-09-15T17:52:10+00:00 Prioritization of landscape connectivity for the conservation of Peary caribou Mallory, Conor D. Boyce, Mark S. Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada W. Garfield Weston Foundation 2019 http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ece3.4915 https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1002%2Fece3.4915 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/ece3.4915 en eng Wiley http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Ecology and Evolution volume 9, issue 4, page 2189-2205 ISSN 2045-7758 2045-7758 journal-article 2019 crwiley https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.4915 2024-07-04T04:30:09Z Abstract Adequate connectivity between discontinuous habitat patches is crucial for the persistence of metapopulations across space and time. Loss of landscape connectivity is often a direct result of fragmentation caused by human activities but also can be caused indirectly through anthropogenic climate change. Peary caribou ( Rangifer tarandus pearyi ) are widely dispersed across the islands of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago and rely on sea ice to move seasonally between island habitats throughout their range. Seasonal connectivity provided by sea ice is necessary to maintain genetic diversity and to facilitate dispersal and recolonization of areas from which caribou have been extirpated. We used least‐cost path analysis and circuit theory to model connectivity across Peary caribou range, and future climate projections to investigate how this connectivity might be affected by a warming climate. Further, we used measures of current flow centrality to estimate the role of High Arctic islands in maintaining connectivity between Peary caribou populations and to identify and prioritize those islands and linkages most important for conservation. Our results suggest that the Bathurst Island complex plays a critical role in facilitating connectivity between Peary caribou populations. Large islands, including Banks, Victoria, and Ellesmere have limited roles in connecting Peary caribou. Without rigorous greenhouse gas emission reductions our projections indicate that by 2100 all connectivity between the more southern Peary caribou populations will be lost for important spring and early‐winter movement periods. Continued connectivity across the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, and possibly Peary caribou persistence, ultimately hinges on global commitments to limit climate change. Our research highlights priority areas where, in addition to emission reductions, conservation efforts to maintain connectivity would be most effective. Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic Archipelago Bathurst Island Canadian Arctic Archipelago Climate change Rangifer tarandus Sea ice Wiley Online Library Ecology and Evolution 9 4 2189 2205 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Wiley Online Library |
op_collection_id |
crwiley |
language |
English |
description |
Abstract Adequate connectivity between discontinuous habitat patches is crucial for the persistence of metapopulations across space and time. Loss of landscape connectivity is often a direct result of fragmentation caused by human activities but also can be caused indirectly through anthropogenic climate change. Peary caribou ( Rangifer tarandus pearyi ) are widely dispersed across the islands of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago and rely on sea ice to move seasonally between island habitats throughout their range. Seasonal connectivity provided by sea ice is necessary to maintain genetic diversity and to facilitate dispersal and recolonization of areas from which caribou have been extirpated. We used least‐cost path analysis and circuit theory to model connectivity across Peary caribou range, and future climate projections to investigate how this connectivity might be affected by a warming climate. Further, we used measures of current flow centrality to estimate the role of High Arctic islands in maintaining connectivity between Peary caribou populations and to identify and prioritize those islands and linkages most important for conservation. Our results suggest that the Bathurst Island complex plays a critical role in facilitating connectivity between Peary caribou populations. Large islands, including Banks, Victoria, and Ellesmere have limited roles in connecting Peary caribou. Without rigorous greenhouse gas emission reductions our projections indicate that by 2100 all connectivity between the more southern Peary caribou populations will be lost for important spring and early‐winter movement periods. Continued connectivity across the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, and possibly Peary caribou persistence, ultimately hinges on global commitments to limit climate change. Our research highlights priority areas where, in addition to emission reductions, conservation efforts to maintain connectivity would be most effective. |
author2 |
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada W. Garfield Weston Foundation |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Mallory, Conor D. Boyce, Mark S. |
spellingShingle |
Mallory, Conor D. Boyce, Mark S. Prioritization of landscape connectivity for the conservation of Peary caribou |
author_facet |
Mallory, Conor D. Boyce, Mark S. |
author_sort |
Mallory, Conor D. |
title |
Prioritization of landscape connectivity for the conservation of Peary caribou |
title_short |
Prioritization of landscape connectivity for the conservation of Peary caribou |
title_full |
Prioritization of landscape connectivity for the conservation of Peary caribou |
title_fullStr |
Prioritization of landscape connectivity for the conservation of Peary caribou |
title_full_unstemmed |
Prioritization of landscape connectivity for the conservation of Peary caribou |
title_sort |
prioritization of landscape connectivity for the conservation of peary caribou |
publisher |
Wiley |
publishDate |
2019 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ece3.4915 https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1002%2Fece3.4915 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/ece3.4915 |
genre |
Arctic Archipelago Bathurst Island Canadian Arctic Archipelago Climate change Rangifer tarandus Sea ice |
genre_facet |
Arctic Archipelago Bathurst Island Canadian Arctic Archipelago Climate change Rangifer tarandus Sea ice |
op_source |
Ecology and Evolution volume 9, issue 4, page 2189-2205 ISSN 2045-7758 2045-7758 |
op_rights |
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.4915 |
container_title |
Ecology and Evolution |
container_volume |
9 |
container_issue |
4 |
container_start_page |
2189 |
op_container_end_page |
2205 |
_version_ |
1810294247139573760 |