Groups versus individuals in the determination of caribou distribution

• Published in: Rangifer
• Main Authors: Whitten, K. R., Cameron, R. D.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Septentrio Academic Publishing 1986
• Subjects: caribou; distribution; groups; habitat selection; sampling; Rangifer; Rangifer tarandus
• Online Access: https://septentrio.uit.no/index.php/rangifer/article/view/666; https://doi.org/10.7557/2.6.2.666

Studies of caribou (Rangifer tarandus) habitat selection based on group analyses have led to erroneous conclusions. Convenient designations such as «male-» or «female-dominated» group encompass a wide array of possible sizes and compositions which change continuously and erratically. Whenever individuals of at particular sex/age class can occur in more than one group type, and/or whenever groups within a type vary in size, an analysis based on groups alone is fallacious. Data must be based on individual caribou for most, if not all, determinations of distribution.