Resource Selection of Free-ranging Horses Influenced by Fire in Northern Canada
Free-ranging or feral horses (Equus ferus caballus) were important to the livelihood of First Nations and indigenous communities in Canada. The early inhabitants of the boreal region of British Columbia (BC) capitalized on naturally occurring wildfires and anthropogenic burning to provide forage for...
Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
---|---|
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
Published: |
Utah State University
2018
|
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.26077/j5px-af63 https://doaj.org/article/e497853a231f4ac4b2c9cc3a43ee6814 |
id |
ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:e497853a231f4ac4b2c9cc3a43ee6814 |
---|---|
record_format |
openpolar |
spelling |
ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:e497853a231f4ac4b2c9cc3a43ee6814 2023-05-15T16:17:09+02:00 Resource Selection of Free-ranging Horses Influenced by Fire in Northern Canada Sonja E. R. Leverkus Samuel D. Fuhlendorf Marten Geertsema Brady W. Allred Mark Gregory Alexandre R. Bevington David M. Engle J. Derek Scasta 2018-04-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.26077/j5px-af63 https://doaj.org/article/e497853a231f4ac4b2c9cc3a43ee6814 EN eng Utah State University https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/hwi/vol12/iss1/10 https://doaj.org/toc/2155-3874 doi:10.26077/j5px-af63 2155-3874 https://doaj.org/article/e497853a231f4ac4b2c9cc3a43ee6814 Human-Wildlife Interactions, Vol 12, Iss 1 (2018) boreal forests canada equus ferus caballus fire guide outfitters horses pyric herbivory rangelands Environmental sciences GE1-350 General. Including nature conservation geographical distribution QH1-199.5 article 2018 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.26077/j5px-af63 2022-12-31T09:09:44Z Free-ranging or feral horses (Equus ferus caballus) were important to the livelihood of First Nations and indigenous communities in Canada. The early inhabitants of the boreal region of British Columbia (BC) capitalized on naturally occurring wildfires and anthropogenic burning to provide forage for free-ranging horses and manage habitat for wildlife. This form of pyric herbivory, or grazing driven by fi re via the attraction to the palatable vegetation in recently burned areas, is an evolutionary disturbance process that occurs globally. However, its application to manage forage availability for free-ranging horses has not been studied in northern Canada. Across Canada, there are varying levels of governance for feral and free-ranging horses depending on the provincial jurisdiction and associated legislation. The BC Range Act (Act) allows range tenure holders to free-range horses that they own for commercial operations on Crown land. Big-game guide outfitters as range tenure holders are provided grazing licences or grazing permits under the Act with an approved range use plan. Guide outfitters and other range tenure holders have incorporated fi re ecology as part of their rangeland management in mountainous portions of the boreal forest of northeastern BC to promote mosaics of vegetation height and species composition across the landscape to meet nutritional requirements of their free-ranging horses. Using resource selection function models, we evaluated the influence of pyric herbivory on boreal vegetation and use by horse herds occupying 4 distinct landscapes. We found that horses preferentially selected recently burned areas and areas that burned more frequently when they were available. We also found that horses avoided steep slopes and forest cover types. Fire and the ecological processes associated with it, including pyric herbivory, are important considerations when managing boreal rangelands in northeastern BC. Because historical fi re regimes of the boreal region of Canada differ from the arid regions ... Article in Journal/Newspaper First Nations Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Canada British Columbia ENVELOPE(-125.003,-125.003,54.000,54.000) |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
boreal forests canada equus ferus caballus fire guide outfitters horses pyric herbivory rangelands Environmental sciences GE1-350 General. Including nature conservation geographical distribution QH1-199.5 |
spellingShingle |
boreal forests canada equus ferus caballus fire guide outfitters horses pyric herbivory rangelands Environmental sciences GE1-350 General. Including nature conservation geographical distribution QH1-199.5 Sonja E. R. Leverkus Samuel D. Fuhlendorf Marten Geertsema Brady W. Allred Mark Gregory Alexandre R. Bevington David M. Engle J. Derek Scasta Resource Selection of Free-ranging Horses Influenced by Fire in Northern Canada |
topic_facet |
boreal forests canada equus ferus caballus fire guide outfitters horses pyric herbivory rangelands Environmental sciences GE1-350 General. Including nature conservation geographical distribution QH1-199.5 |
description |
Free-ranging or feral horses (Equus ferus caballus) were important to the livelihood of First Nations and indigenous communities in Canada. The early inhabitants of the boreal region of British Columbia (BC) capitalized on naturally occurring wildfires and anthropogenic burning to provide forage for free-ranging horses and manage habitat for wildlife. This form of pyric herbivory, or grazing driven by fi re via the attraction to the palatable vegetation in recently burned areas, is an evolutionary disturbance process that occurs globally. However, its application to manage forage availability for free-ranging horses has not been studied in northern Canada. Across Canada, there are varying levels of governance for feral and free-ranging horses depending on the provincial jurisdiction and associated legislation. The BC Range Act (Act) allows range tenure holders to free-range horses that they own for commercial operations on Crown land. Big-game guide outfitters as range tenure holders are provided grazing licences or grazing permits under the Act with an approved range use plan. Guide outfitters and other range tenure holders have incorporated fi re ecology as part of their rangeland management in mountainous portions of the boreal forest of northeastern BC to promote mosaics of vegetation height and species composition across the landscape to meet nutritional requirements of their free-ranging horses. Using resource selection function models, we evaluated the influence of pyric herbivory on boreal vegetation and use by horse herds occupying 4 distinct landscapes. We found that horses preferentially selected recently burned areas and areas that burned more frequently when they were available. We also found that horses avoided steep slopes and forest cover types. Fire and the ecological processes associated with it, including pyric herbivory, are important considerations when managing boreal rangelands in northeastern BC. Because historical fi re regimes of the boreal region of Canada differ from the arid regions ... |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Sonja E. R. Leverkus Samuel D. Fuhlendorf Marten Geertsema Brady W. Allred Mark Gregory Alexandre R. Bevington David M. Engle J. Derek Scasta |
author_facet |
Sonja E. R. Leverkus Samuel D. Fuhlendorf Marten Geertsema Brady W. Allred Mark Gregory Alexandre R. Bevington David M. Engle J. Derek Scasta |
author_sort |
Sonja E. R. Leverkus |
title |
Resource Selection of Free-ranging Horses Influenced by Fire in Northern Canada |
title_short |
Resource Selection of Free-ranging Horses Influenced by Fire in Northern Canada |
title_full |
Resource Selection of Free-ranging Horses Influenced by Fire in Northern Canada |
title_fullStr |
Resource Selection of Free-ranging Horses Influenced by Fire in Northern Canada |
title_full_unstemmed |
Resource Selection of Free-ranging Horses Influenced by Fire in Northern Canada |
title_sort |
resource selection of free-ranging horses influenced by fire in northern canada |
publisher |
Utah State University |
publishDate |
2018 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.26077/j5px-af63 https://doaj.org/article/e497853a231f4ac4b2c9cc3a43ee6814 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-125.003,-125.003,54.000,54.000) |
geographic |
Canada British Columbia |
geographic_facet |
Canada British Columbia |
genre |
First Nations |
genre_facet |
First Nations |
op_source |
Human-Wildlife Interactions, Vol 12, Iss 1 (2018) |
op_relation |
https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/hwi/vol12/iss1/10 https://doaj.org/toc/2155-3874 doi:10.26077/j5px-af63 2155-3874 https://doaj.org/article/e497853a231f4ac4b2c9cc3a43ee6814 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.26077/j5px-af63 |
_version_ |
1766002991341502464 |