Stable pack abundance and distribution in a harvested wolf population
ABSTRACT Harvesting gray wolves ( Canis lupus ) could affect the abundance and distribution of packs, but the frequency of change in pack occurrence (i.e., turnover) and relative effects of harvest compared to environmental factors is unclear. We used noninvasive genetic sampling, hunter surveys, an...
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crwiley:10.1002/jwmg.21616 2024-09-15T18:01:24+00:00 Stable pack abundance and distribution in a harvested wolf population Bassing, Sarah B. Ausband, David E. Mitchell, Michael S. Lukacs, Paul Keever, Allison Hale, Greg Waits, Lisette Alberta Conservation Association Alberta Environment and Parks Coypu Foundation Shikar Safari Club International Foundation University of Montana 2018 http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/jwmg.21616 https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1002%2Fjwmg.21616 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/jwmg.21616 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full-xml/10.1002/jwmg.21616 en eng Wiley http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor The Journal of Wildlife Management volume 83, issue 3, page 577-590 ISSN 0022-541X 1937-2817 journal-article 2018 crwiley https://doi.org/10.1002/jwmg.21616 2024-08-06T04:14:47Z ABSTRACT Harvesting gray wolves ( Canis lupus ) could affect the abundance and distribution of packs, but the frequency of change in pack occurrence (i.e., turnover) and relative effects of harvest compared to environmental factors is unclear. We used noninvasive genetic sampling, hunter surveys, and occupancy models to evaluate the effect of harvest on occurrence and turnover of packs in a population of wolves managed with intensive harvest in the Canadian Rocky Mountains, 2012–2014. We tested 2 alternative hypotheses: the abundance and distribution of wolf packs were dynamic because of harvest or the abundance and distribution of wolf packs were generally stable regardless of harvest. We found the mean annual probability for wolf pack occupancy ranged 0.72–0.74 and the estimated distribution of wolf packs was consistent over time, 2012–2014. Our top model indicated wolf pack occupancy was positively associated with forest cover and the probability of detecting a wolf pack was positively associated with the intensity of harvest for wolves in that area. We observed frequent turnover of individuals within packs that were genetically sampled consecutive years but not of entire packs. Because turnover of packs occurred infrequently during our study, we could not reject our hypothesis that occurrence of packs was generally stable in a harvested population of wolves. Our results suggest environmental factors have a stronger effect than harvest on the abundance and distribution of wolf packs in southwestern Alberta, but harvest appears to strongly influence turnover of individuals within packs. We hypothesize local dispersal from within the study area and neighboring packs on the periphery of the study area helped promote pack stability. © 2018 The Wildlife Society. Article in Journal/Newspaper Canis lupus Wiley Online Library The Journal of Wildlife Management 83 3 577 590 |
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Wiley Online Library |
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crwiley |
language |
English |
description |
ABSTRACT Harvesting gray wolves ( Canis lupus ) could affect the abundance and distribution of packs, but the frequency of change in pack occurrence (i.e., turnover) and relative effects of harvest compared to environmental factors is unclear. We used noninvasive genetic sampling, hunter surveys, and occupancy models to evaluate the effect of harvest on occurrence and turnover of packs in a population of wolves managed with intensive harvest in the Canadian Rocky Mountains, 2012–2014. We tested 2 alternative hypotheses: the abundance and distribution of wolf packs were dynamic because of harvest or the abundance and distribution of wolf packs were generally stable regardless of harvest. We found the mean annual probability for wolf pack occupancy ranged 0.72–0.74 and the estimated distribution of wolf packs was consistent over time, 2012–2014. Our top model indicated wolf pack occupancy was positively associated with forest cover and the probability of detecting a wolf pack was positively associated with the intensity of harvest for wolves in that area. We observed frequent turnover of individuals within packs that were genetically sampled consecutive years but not of entire packs. Because turnover of packs occurred infrequently during our study, we could not reject our hypothesis that occurrence of packs was generally stable in a harvested population of wolves. Our results suggest environmental factors have a stronger effect than harvest on the abundance and distribution of wolf packs in southwestern Alberta, but harvest appears to strongly influence turnover of individuals within packs. We hypothesize local dispersal from within the study area and neighboring packs on the periphery of the study area helped promote pack stability. © 2018 The Wildlife Society. |
author2 |
Alberta Conservation Association Alberta Environment and Parks Coypu Foundation Shikar Safari Club International Foundation University of Montana |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Bassing, Sarah B. Ausband, David E. Mitchell, Michael S. Lukacs, Paul Keever, Allison Hale, Greg Waits, Lisette |
spellingShingle |
Bassing, Sarah B. Ausband, David E. Mitchell, Michael S. Lukacs, Paul Keever, Allison Hale, Greg Waits, Lisette Stable pack abundance and distribution in a harvested wolf population |
author_facet |
Bassing, Sarah B. Ausband, David E. Mitchell, Michael S. Lukacs, Paul Keever, Allison Hale, Greg Waits, Lisette |
author_sort |
Bassing, Sarah B. |
title |
Stable pack abundance and distribution in a harvested wolf population |
title_short |
Stable pack abundance and distribution in a harvested wolf population |
title_full |
Stable pack abundance and distribution in a harvested wolf population |
title_fullStr |
Stable pack abundance and distribution in a harvested wolf population |
title_full_unstemmed |
Stable pack abundance and distribution in a harvested wolf population |
title_sort |
stable pack abundance and distribution in a harvested wolf population |
publisher |
Wiley |
publishDate |
2018 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/jwmg.21616 https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1002%2Fjwmg.21616 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/jwmg.21616 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full-xml/10.1002/jwmg.21616 |
genre |
Canis lupus |
genre_facet |
Canis lupus |
op_source |
The Journal of Wildlife Management volume 83, issue 3, page 577-590 ISSN 0022-541X 1937-2817 |
op_rights |
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1002/jwmg.21616 |
container_title |
The Journal of Wildlife Management |
container_volume |
83 |
container_issue |
3 |
container_start_page |
577 |
op_container_end_page |
590 |
_version_ |
1810438546826199040 |