Resource separation analysis with moose indicates threats to caribou in human altered landscapes

摘要: Species recovery is often impeded by inadequate knowledge on mechanisms of community interactions that cause and exacerbate species endangerment. Caribou wild reindeer Rangifer tarandus are declining in many regions their circumpolar range likely because human-induced landscape changes. In general, niche specialization enables to survive nutrient-poor habitats spatially separated from other ungulates shared predators. Research has indicated shifts primary prey distribution following human alteration may result spatial overlap with Rangifer. We studied relationships woodland caribou R. t. moose Alces alces, quantified differential use environmental resources, evaluated the role separation south-western Canada. Anthropogenic conversion old-growth forests early seral stands hypothesized decrease between moose, dominant for wolves Canis lupus, contributing increased mortality. Redundancy analysis (RDA) was first used examine coarse scale resource across our study area. Second, at a finer scale, we logistic regression compare resource- sympatric pairs 17 caribou. Finally, tested if frequency predator-caused mortalities higher use. Although strong coarser observed substantial (>50%) scale. summer reported significant positive relationship degree alteration. Most importantly, locations corresponded areas high summer. Thus, consistent hypothesis, research suggests successional forest stages resulting mortality risk threatened