Increases in residential and energy development are associated with reductions in recruitment for a large ungulate

Land‐use change due to anthropogenic development is pervasive across the globe and commonly associated with negative consequences for biodiversity. While land‐use change has been linked to shifts in the behavior and habitat‐use patterns of wildlife species, little is known about its influence on animal population dynamics, despite the relevance of such information for conservation. We conducted the first broad‐scale investigation correlating temporal patterns of land‐use change with the demographic rates of mule deer, an iconic species in the western United States experiencing wide‐scale population declines. We employed a unique combination of long‐term (1980–2010) data on residential and energy development across western Colorado, in conjunction with congruent data on deer recruitment, to quantify annual changes in land‐use and correlate those changes with annual indices of demographic performance. We also examined annual variation in weather conditions, which are well recognized to influence ungulate productivity, and provided a basis for comparing the relative strength of different covariates in their association with deer recruitment. Using linear mixed models, we found that increasing residential and energy development within deer habitat were correlated with declining recruitment rates, particularly within seasonal winter ranges. Residential housing had two times the magnitude of effect of any other factor we investigated, and energy development had an effect size similar to key weather variables known to be important to ungulate dynamics. This analysis is the first to correlate a demographic response in mule deer with residential and energy development at large spatial extents relevant to population performance, suggesting that further increases in these development types on deer ranges are not compatible with the goal of maintaining highly productive deer populations. Our results underscore the significance of expanding residential development on mule deer populations, a factor that has received little research attention in recent years, despite its rapidly increasing footprint across the landscape.     

Distribution and Abundance of Endangered Florida Key Deer on Outer Islands

ABSTRACT Status assessment of endangered Florida Key deer (Odocoileus virginianus clavium) is currently limited by a paucity of information regarding population estimates for outer islands, which collectively comprise approximately 70% of potential habitat within the Key deer range. Practical limitations and financial considerations render traditional survey techniques impractical for application on remote outer islands. Our objective was to evaluate the utility of infrared-triggered cameras to estimate Key deer abundance on outer islands. We used digital infrared-triggered cameras and mark-resight methods to estimate Key deer abundance on 20 outer islands. Abundance estimates for primary subpopulations ranged from 15 to 16 for Howe Key, 5 to 10 for Knockemdown complex, and 13 to 17 for Little Pine Key. Other island complexes such as Ramrod Key, Water Key, and Annette complex maintain only small subpopulations (i.e., ≤5 individuals) and other previously inhabited island complexes (e.g., Johnson complex and Summerland Key) no longer maintain subpopulations. Key deer abundance was well below estimated carrying capacities on all outer islands, with larger natural populations occurring closest to Big Pine Key. Our results suggest that camera-based surveys offer a practical method to monitor abundance and population trends of Key deer on outer islands. Our study is the first to estimate Key deer abundance in these areas using technically structured model-based methods and provides managers with current and baseline information regarding Key deer subpopulations.     

Effects of US 1 Project on Florida Key Deer Mortality

ABSTRACT Approximately 26% of annual mortality for the endangered Florida Key deer (Odocoileus virginianus clavium) occurs as deer-vehicle collisions (DVCs) on the 5.6-km section of United States Highway 1 (US 1) on Big Pine Key (BPK), but extensive urban development adjacent to sections of US 1 complicates efforts to reduce DVCs. Our objective was to evaluate the effectiveness of the US 1 Project (continuous 2.6-km system of 2.4-m fencing, 2 underpasses, and 4 experimental deer guards constructed on US 1 on BPK) in reducing DVCs along US 1. Deer used the underpasses all 3 postproject years (2003–2005); however, we observed higher underpass use in 2004 and 2005 compared to 2003. Exclusion fencing reduced deer intrusions onto the fenced section of US 1 during the 3-year period (2003, n = 7 deer; 2004, n = 4; 2005, n = 12). With a reduction of deer intrusions onto this section of US 1, DVCs decreased in the fenced area by 73–100%; however, US 1 DVCs within the unfenced sections of US 1 also increased (40%) as expected. In controlling for effects of increasing deer density and traffic volume, study results suggest that highway improvements have decreased the net risk of DVCs along US 1, which indicates that use of deer fencing, deer guards, and underpasses is applicable in other urban communities experiencing unacceptable levels of DVCs.     

Cougar Prey Selection in a White-Tailed Deer and Mule Deer Community

Abstract Widespread mule deer (Odocoilus hemionous) declines coupled with white-tailed deer (O. virginianus) increases prompted us to investigate the role of cougar (Puma concolor) predation in a white-tailed deer, mule deer, and cougar community in northeast Washington, USA. We hypothesized that cougars select for and disproportionately prey on mule deer in such multiple-prey communities. We estimated relative annual and seasonal prey abundance (prey availability) and documented 60 cougar kills (prey usage) from 2002 to 2004. White-tailed deer and mule deer comprised 72% and 28% of the total large prey population and 60% and 40% of the total large prey killed, respectively. Cougars selected for mule deer on an annual basis (α_md = 0.63 vs. α_wt = 0.37; P = 0.066). We also detected strong seasonal selection for mule deer with cougars killing more mule deer in summer (α_md = 0.64) but not in winter (α_md = 0.53). Cougars showed no seasonal selection for white-tailed deer despite their higher relative abundance. The mean annual kill interval of 6.68 days between kills varied little by season (winter = 7.0 days/kill, summer = 6.6 days/kill; P = 0.78) or prey species (white-tailed deer = 7.0 days/kill, mule deer = 6.1 days/kill; P = 0.58). Kill locations for both prey species occurred at higher elevations during summer months (summer = 1,090 m, winter = 908 m; P = 0.066). We suspect that cougars are primarily subsisting on abundant white-tailed deer during winter but following these deer to higher elevations as they migrate to their summer ranges, resulting in a greater spatial overlap between cougars and mule deer and disproportionate predation on mule deer.     

Evaluation of Accuracy and Precision of Downing Population Reconstruction

ABSTRACT Downing population reconstruction uses harvest-by-age data and backward addition of cohorts to estimate minimum population size over time. Although this technique is currently being used for management of black bear (Ursus americanus) and white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) populations, it had not undergone a rigorous evaluation of accuracy. We used computer simulations to evaluate the impacts of collapsing age classes and violating the assumptions of this technique on population reconstruction estimates and trends. Changes in harvest rate or survival over time affected accuracy of reconstructed population estimates and trends. The technique was quite robust to collapsing age classes as far as 3+ for bears and deer. This method would be suitable for estimating population growth rate (λ) for populations experiencing no trend in harvest rate or natural mortality rate over time. Our evaluation showed Downing population reconstruction to be a potentially valuable tool for managing harvested species with high harvest rates and low natural mortality, with possible application to black bear and white-tailed deer populations.     

Evaluation of Techniques for Categorizing Group Membership of White-Tailed Deer

Abstract: We studied sexual segregation, particularly patterns of group membership for white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), in Lincoln County, Minnesota, USA, to evaluate current techniques used to categorize animals when studying sexual segregation. We categorized group membership according to Hirth (1977) and grouped individuals using our solitary categorization method. Our solitary method was most sensitive to changes in behavior and physiology exhibited by reproductively active females and their association with other deer during sexual segregation.     

新疆卡拉麦里山有蹄类野生动物自然保护区夏季蒙古野驴适宜生境与种群数量评估

蒙古野驴(Equus hemionus hemionus)是亚洲内陆荒漠、半荒漠和荒漠草原区域的代表性物种。开展其种群数量调查和适宜生境研究可以为该物种的保护管理提供科学决策依据。本研究于2018和2019年夏季,采用样线法对新疆卡拉麦里山有蹄类自然保护区蒙古野驴的地理分布现状和种群数量进行了调查,采用Distance 7.0软件估算了蒙古野驴的种群密度和数量,并通过MaxEnt模型分析筛选环境变量,确定保护区蒙古野驴的适宜生境及其主要影响因子。结果表明: 调查中发现蒙古野驴718群、共4782头,有效分布位点363个。夏季蒙古野驴适宜生境主要位于保护区的中东部,面积为6737.5 km²,占整个保护区的45.4%,估算保护区夏季蒙古野驴的种群密度为(0.5±0.1)头·km^-2,保护区内蒙古野驴种群数量为(3246±575)头。MaxEnt模型的预测准确性较高,AUC的平均值为0.890。影响蒙古野驴分布的主要环境因子依次为: 距水源点距离、植被类型、距人类活动区距离、距G216国道的距离、海拔和最干季的降水量。最后,从水源点保护、核心区调整、野生动物通道监测和交通建设4个方面,对蒙古野驴种群的保护管理提出了建议。     

卡拉麦里山有蹄类自然保护区蒙古野驴和鹅喉羚种群密度和数量

2006年9月至2007年12月, 在卡拉麦里山有蹄类自然保护区采用截线取样法调查了蒙古野驴(Equus hemionus)和鹅喉羚(Gazella subgutturosa sairensis)的种群密度。蒙古野驴野外调查样线总长6,696.4 km, 发现7,758 匹蒙古野驴; 鹅喉羚样线总长8,428.84 km, 发现8,586头鹅喉羚。采用Distance 5.0估算了蒙古野驴和鹅喉羚的密度和遇见率。从春季到秋季, 蒙古野驴遇见率在0.058–0.092匹/km之间变化, 而鹅喉羚遇见率则在0.096–0.342头/ km之间变化。春季蒙古野驴种群密度为0.55 ± 0.20 匹/km2 (平均数 ± 标准差,下同), 夏季为0.60 ± 0.13 匹/km2, 秋季为0.78 ± 0.19匹/km2和冬季为0.54 ± 0.14 匹/km2。蒙古野驴适宜栖息面积5,800 km2。春季到冬季, 蒙古野驴种群数量在3,379到5,318匹之间变化。鹅喉羚春季、夏季、秋季和冬季种群密度分别为1.14 ± 0.18头/km2, 0.95 ± 0.12头/km2, 1.08 ± 0.18头/km2和1.54 ± 0.31头/km2。该保护区的鹅喉羚冬季和春季适宜栖息面积均为10,000 km2, 夏季为12,000 km2, 秋季为15,000 km2。估算该区域春季鹅喉羚数量为14,286头, 夏季为6,628头, 秋季为8,337头, 冬季为19,677头。本研究的结果将为卡拉麦里山有蹄类自然保护区蒙古野驴和鹅喉羚长期监测提供基础数据。     

Effects of Impact Perception on Acceptance Capacity for White-Tailed Deer

ABSTRACT Wildlife professionals require conceptually sound methods to integrate biological and social insights for management of wildlife. The concept of acceptance capacity has been suggested to stimulate integration, although methods to link measures of acceptance capacity with measures of wildlife populations are not fully developed. To clarify relationships between acceptance capacity, wildlife populations, and human values, we explored effects of stakeholder characteristics and impact perception (the recognized, important effects arising from interactions with wildlife) on acceptance capacity. We used a mail-back questionnaire (n = 2,190 responses) to rural residents of southern Michigan 1) to examine whether 3 commonly identified stakeholder groups (hunters, farmers, and nonhunting, nonfarming rural residents) that share a common landscape also perceive similar suites of impacts and hold comparable acceptance capacities for white-tailed deer, and 2) to develop an explanatory model of acceptance capacity for deer. Comparisons among stakeholder groups revealed differences in perception of impacts resulting from interactions with deer; however, participation in hunting and farming were poor predictors of acceptance capacity for deer. Model selection criteria indicate that total effect of impacts perceived explains a majority of variation in acceptance capacity. We conclude that impact perception is a meaningful concept for integration of human values into management of wildlife populations because impacts relate to effects of current wildlife populations and can lead to management actions that address needs and interests of multiple stakeholder groups in changing landscapes.