Caribou nursery site habitat characteristics in two northern Ontario parks
To prevent further range recession, habitat features essential to the life-history requisites of woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) such as calving and nursery sites need to be protected for the persistence of the species. Woodland caribou may minimize predation risk during calving by eith...
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Septentrio Academic Publishing
2007
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Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.7557/2.27.4.343 https://doaj.org/article/2012d59389fb4dcf9a4167fec284020e |
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:2012d59389fb4dcf9a4167fec284020e 2023-05-15T15:53:24+02:00 Caribou nursery site habitat characteristics in two northern Ontario parks Natasha L. Carr Arthur R. Rodgers Shannon C. Walshe 2007-04-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.7557/2.27.4.343 https://doaj.org/article/2012d59389fb4dcf9a4167fec284020e EN eng Septentrio Academic Publishing https://septentrio.uit.no/index.php/rangifer/article/view/343 https://doaj.org/toc/1890-6729 doi:10.7557/2.27.4.343 1890-6729 https://doaj.org/article/2012d59389fb4dcf9a4167fec284020e Rangifer, Vol 27, Iss 4 (2007) Ontario Canada calving sites forest-dwelling woodland caribou nursery sites predator avoidance Animal culture SF1-1100 article 2007 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.7557/2.27.4.343 2022-12-31T12:39:58Z To prevent further range recession, habitat features essential to the life-history requisites of woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) such as calving and nursery sites need to be protected for the persistence of the species. Woodland caribou may minimize predation risk during calving by either spacing out or spacing away from predators in the forest to calve on islands, wetlands, or shorelines. Our objective was to determine the characteristics of shoreline habitats used as calving and nursery sites by female woodland caribou in northern Ontario. Detailed vegetation and other site characteristics were measured at nursery sites used by cow-calf pairs in Wabakimi and Woodland Caribou Provincial Parks for comparison with shoreline sites that were not used by caribou within each park. Differences in habitat variables selected by female caribou in the two study areas reflect broad ecoregional differences in vegetation and topography. In Wabakimi Provincial Park, understorey tree density and ground detection distance played key roles in distinguishing nursery sites from sites that were not used. In Woodland Caribou Provincial Park, groundcover vegetation and shrub density were important in the selection of nursery sites by female caribou. Generally, female caribou in both parks selected nursery sites with greater slope, lower shrub density but thicker groundcover vegetation, including greater lichen abundance, and higher densities of mature trees than shoreline sites that were not used. The identification of these important features for caribou nursery sites provides a basis for improving their protection in future management policies and legislation. Article in Journal/Newspaper caribou Rangifer Rangifer tarandus Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Canada Rangifer 27 4 167 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
Ontario Canada calving sites forest-dwelling woodland caribou nursery sites predator avoidance Animal culture SF1-1100 |
spellingShingle |
Ontario Canada calving sites forest-dwelling woodland caribou nursery sites predator avoidance Animal culture SF1-1100 Natasha L. Carr Arthur R. Rodgers Shannon C. Walshe Caribou nursery site habitat characteristics in two northern Ontario parks |
topic_facet |
Ontario Canada calving sites forest-dwelling woodland caribou nursery sites predator avoidance Animal culture SF1-1100 |
description |
To prevent further range recession, habitat features essential to the life-history requisites of woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) such as calving and nursery sites need to be protected for the persistence of the species. Woodland caribou may minimize predation risk during calving by either spacing out or spacing away from predators in the forest to calve on islands, wetlands, or shorelines. Our objective was to determine the characteristics of shoreline habitats used as calving and nursery sites by female woodland caribou in northern Ontario. Detailed vegetation and other site characteristics were measured at nursery sites used by cow-calf pairs in Wabakimi and Woodland Caribou Provincial Parks for comparison with shoreline sites that were not used by caribou within each park. Differences in habitat variables selected by female caribou in the two study areas reflect broad ecoregional differences in vegetation and topography. In Wabakimi Provincial Park, understorey tree density and ground detection distance played key roles in distinguishing nursery sites from sites that were not used. In Woodland Caribou Provincial Park, groundcover vegetation and shrub density were important in the selection of nursery sites by female caribou. Generally, female caribou in both parks selected nursery sites with greater slope, lower shrub density but thicker groundcover vegetation, including greater lichen abundance, and higher densities of mature trees than shoreline sites that were not used. The identification of these important features for caribou nursery sites provides a basis for improving their protection in future management policies and legislation. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Natasha L. Carr Arthur R. Rodgers Shannon C. Walshe |
author_facet |
Natasha L. Carr Arthur R. Rodgers Shannon C. Walshe |
author_sort |
Natasha L. Carr |
title |
Caribou nursery site habitat characteristics in two northern Ontario parks |
title_short |
Caribou nursery site habitat characteristics in two northern Ontario parks |
title_full |
Caribou nursery site habitat characteristics in two northern Ontario parks |
title_fullStr |
Caribou nursery site habitat characteristics in two northern Ontario parks |
title_full_unstemmed |
Caribou nursery site habitat characteristics in two northern Ontario parks |
title_sort |
caribou nursery site habitat characteristics in two northern ontario parks |
publisher |
Septentrio Academic Publishing |
publishDate |
2007 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.7557/2.27.4.343 https://doaj.org/article/2012d59389fb4dcf9a4167fec284020e |
geographic |
Canada |
geographic_facet |
Canada |
genre |
caribou Rangifer Rangifer tarandus |
genre_facet |
caribou Rangifer Rangifer tarandus |
op_source |
Rangifer, Vol 27, Iss 4 (2007) |
op_relation |
https://septentrio.uit.no/index.php/rangifer/article/view/343 https://doaj.org/toc/1890-6729 doi:10.7557/2.27.4.343 1890-6729 https://doaj.org/article/2012d59389fb4dcf9a4167fec284020e |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.7557/2.27.4.343 |
container_title |
Rangifer |
container_volume |
27 |
container_issue |
4 |
container_start_page |
167 |
_version_ |
1766388531476824064 |