Use of space by caribou in northern Canada

• Main Author: Nagy, John Andrew Stephen
• Other Authors: Derocher, Andrew (Biological Sciences), Case, Ray (Government of Northwest Territories, Yellowknife, Northwest Territories), Schaefer, James (Biology Department, Trent University, Peterborough, Ontario), Merrill, Evelyn (Biological Sciences), Schmiegelow, Fiona (Renewable Resources), Bayne, Erin (Biological Sciences)
• Format: Thesis
• Language: English
• Published: University of Alberta. Department of Biological Sciences. 2011
• Subjects: geo; envir; Canada; Cape Bathurst; Maude; Northwest Territories; Nunavut; Union Island; Rangifer tarandus; Tundra; Wager Bay
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10048/1963

Degree: Doctor of Philosophy Abstract: Understanding how populations are structured and how they use natural and anthropogenic spaces is essential for effective wildlife management. A total of 510 barren-ground (Rangifer tarandus groenlandicus), 176 boreal (R. t. caribou), 11 mountain woodland (R. t. caribou), and 39 island (R. t. groenlandicus x pearyi) caribou were tracked with satellite collars in 1993-2009 in the Northwest Territories, Nunavut, and northern Alberta. Using satellite location data and hierarchical and fuzzy cluster analyses, I verified that Cape Bathurst, Bluenose-West, Bluenose-East, Bathurst, Beverly, Qamanirjuaq, and Lorillard barren-ground subpopulations were robust; the Queen Maude Gulf and Wager Bay barren-ground subpopulations were distinct. Dolphin and Union island caribou formed one population; boreal caribou formed two distinct subpopulations. Females in robust subpopulations were structured by strong annual spatial affiliation; those in distinct subpopulations were spatially independent and structured by migratory connectivity, movement barriers, and/or habitat discontinuity. An east-west cline in annual-range sizes and path lengths supported the subpopulation structure identified for migratory barren-ground caribou. I analyzed satellite location data to determine parturition dates and activity periods for all caribou ecotypes. For parturition dates I found a north-south cline for boreal caribou, west-east cline for migratory barren-ground caribou, and ecotype and subspecies clines for boreal and barren-ground caribou. Based on annual changes in movement rates I identified eight activity periods for boreal and tundra-wintering, 10 for mountain woodland, and 12 for migratory barren-ground caribou. Based distribution and movements, boreal caribou avoided seismic lines during periods when females and calves were most vulnerable to predators or hunters. They crossed fewer seismic lines and travelled faster when they crossed them than expected. Caribou avoided areas ≤400 m from seismic ...