Population Ecology of Caribou Populations without Predators: Southampton and Coats Island Herds
This paper is a review of the ecology of two caribou populations inhabiting predator-free northern islands, Coats and Southampton Island. Findings are analyzed in light of the hypothesis that in absence of prédation or high human harvest, food competition results in delayed puberty, reduced calf pro...
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Septentrio Academic Publishing
1996
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Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.7557/2.16.4.1216 https://doaj.org/article/494d67cd79bd4ffb91ebfa860f97b192 |
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:494d67cd79bd4ffb91ebfa860f97b192 2023-05-15T15:15:07+02:00 Population Ecology of Caribou Populations without Predators: Southampton and Coats Island Herds Jean-Pierre Quellet Douglas C. Heard Robert Mulders 1996-01-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.7557/2.16.4.1216 https://doaj.org/article/494d67cd79bd4ffb91ebfa860f97b192 EN eng Septentrio Academic Publishing https://septentrio.uit.no/index.php/rangifer/article/view/1216 https://doaj.org/toc/1890-6729 doi:10.7557/2.16.4.1216 1890-6729 https://doaj.org/article/494d67cd79bd4ffb91ebfa860f97b192 Rangifer, Vol 16, Iss 4 (1996) Rangifer caribou Arctic caribou population Canada population dynamics food Animal culture SF1-1100 article 1996 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.7557/2.16.4.1216 2022-12-31T11:52:12Z This paper is a review of the ecology of two caribou populations inhabiting predator-free northern islands, Coats and Southampton Island. Findings are analyzed in light of the hypothesis that in absence of prédation or high human harvest, food competition results in delayed puberty, reduced calf production, increased winter starvation of caribou and regulates populations at high densities (>2 km-2). Caribou were hunted to extinction on Southampton Island (Northwest Territories, Canada) by mid-century. In 1967, 48 caribou were captured on neighbouring Coats Island and released on Southampton Island. Southampton Island is characterized by a high per capita winter food availability in summer and in winter. The population on Southampton Island has been increasing at a rapid rate of growth since re-introduction (Lamba=1.27). Fast population growth was possible because females invested early in reproduction and over winter survival rate was high. The population on Coats Island is also characterized by high per capita food availability in summer but low food availability in winter. The population size has undergone some marked fluctuations, abrupt declines followed by relatively rapid recovery and, contrary to predictions, densities were always less than 1 km-2. Low population densities on Coats Island result primarily from low food availability. This review suggests that in the absence of prédation or high human harvest competition for food regulates caribou population abundance. However, caribou numbers can fluctuate markedly among years because inter-annual variation of weather conditions affects forage accessibility in winter. This review also emphasizes the importance of distinguishing between factors that determine absolute population density and variation in density among years (in our case probably plant production and winter weather conditions which influence forage accessibility) from the regulatory factors, processes that stop population increase (competition for winter food leading primarily to density ... Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic caribou Coats Island Northwest Territories Rangifer Southampton Island Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Arctic Canada Coats Island ENVELOPE(-82.974,-82.974,62.620,62.620) Northwest Territories Southampton Island ENVELOPE(-84.501,-84.501,64.463,64.463) Rangifer 16 4 17 |
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Open Polar |
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Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
Rangifer caribou Arctic caribou population Canada population dynamics food Animal culture SF1-1100 |
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Rangifer caribou Arctic caribou population Canada population dynamics food Animal culture SF1-1100 Jean-Pierre Quellet Douglas C. Heard Robert Mulders Population Ecology of Caribou Populations without Predators: Southampton and Coats Island Herds |
topic_facet |
Rangifer caribou Arctic caribou population Canada population dynamics food Animal culture SF1-1100 |
description |
This paper is a review of the ecology of two caribou populations inhabiting predator-free northern islands, Coats and Southampton Island. Findings are analyzed in light of the hypothesis that in absence of prédation or high human harvest, food competition results in delayed puberty, reduced calf production, increased winter starvation of caribou and regulates populations at high densities (>2 km-2). Caribou were hunted to extinction on Southampton Island (Northwest Territories, Canada) by mid-century. In 1967, 48 caribou were captured on neighbouring Coats Island and released on Southampton Island. Southampton Island is characterized by a high per capita winter food availability in summer and in winter. The population on Southampton Island has been increasing at a rapid rate of growth since re-introduction (Lamba=1.27). Fast population growth was possible because females invested early in reproduction and over winter survival rate was high. The population on Coats Island is also characterized by high per capita food availability in summer but low food availability in winter. The population size has undergone some marked fluctuations, abrupt declines followed by relatively rapid recovery and, contrary to predictions, densities were always less than 1 km-2. Low population densities on Coats Island result primarily from low food availability. This review suggests that in the absence of prédation or high human harvest competition for food regulates caribou population abundance. However, caribou numbers can fluctuate markedly among years because inter-annual variation of weather conditions affects forage accessibility in winter. This review also emphasizes the importance of distinguishing between factors that determine absolute population density and variation in density among years (in our case probably plant production and winter weather conditions which influence forage accessibility) from the regulatory factors, processes that stop population increase (competition for winter food leading primarily to density ... |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Jean-Pierre Quellet Douglas C. Heard Robert Mulders |
author_facet |
Jean-Pierre Quellet Douglas C. Heard Robert Mulders |
author_sort |
Jean-Pierre Quellet |
title |
Population Ecology of Caribou Populations without Predators: Southampton and Coats Island Herds |
title_short |
Population Ecology of Caribou Populations without Predators: Southampton and Coats Island Herds |
title_full |
Population Ecology of Caribou Populations without Predators: Southampton and Coats Island Herds |
title_fullStr |
Population Ecology of Caribou Populations without Predators: Southampton and Coats Island Herds |
title_full_unstemmed |
Population Ecology of Caribou Populations without Predators: Southampton and Coats Island Herds |
title_sort |
population ecology of caribou populations without predators: southampton and coats island herds |
publisher |
Septentrio Academic Publishing |
publishDate |
1996 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.7557/2.16.4.1216 https://doaj.org/article/494d67cd79bd4ffb91ebfa860f97b192 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-82.974,-82.974,62.620,62.620) ENVELOPE(-84.501,-84.501,64.463,64.463) |
geographic |
Arctic Canada Coats Island Northwest Territories Southampton Island |
geographic_facet |
Arctic Canada Coats Island Northwest Territories Southampton Island |
genre |
Arctic caribou Coats Island Northwest Territories Rangifer Southampton Island |
genre_facet |
Arctic caribou Coats Island Northwest Territories Rangifer Southampton Island |
op_source |
Rangifer, Vol 16, Iss 4 (1996) |
op_relation |
https://septentrio.uit.no/index.php/rangifer/article/view/1216 https://doaj.org/toc/1890-6729 doi:10.7557/2.16.4.1216 1890-6729 https://doaj.org/article/494d67cd79bd4ffb91ebfa860f97b192 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.7557/2.16.4.1216 |
container_title |
Rangifer |
container_volume |
16 |
container_issue |
4 |
container_start_page |
17 |
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1766345494324314112 |