Rapid landscape alteration associated with human activity is currently challenging the evolved dynamical stability of many predator–prey systems by forcing species to behaviourally respond to novel environmental stimuli. In many forested systems, linear features (LFs) such as roads, pipelines and resource exploration lines (i.e. seismic lines) are a ubiquitous form of landscape alteration that have been implicated in altering predator–prey dynamics. One hypothesized effect is that LFs facilitate predator movement into and within prey refugia, thereby increasing predator–prey spatial overlap. We evaluated this hypothesis in a large mammal system, focusing on the interactions between boreal woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) and their two main predators, wolves (Canis lupus) and black bears (Ursus americanus), during the calving season of caribou. In this system, LFs extend into and occur within peatlands (i.e. bogs and nutrient-poor fens), a habitat type highly used by caribou due to its refugia effects. Using resource selection analyses, we found that LFs increased predator selection of peatlands. Female caribou appeared to respond by avoiding LFs and areas with high LF density. However, in our study area, most caribou cannot completely avoid exposure to LFs and variation in female response had demographic effects. In particular, increasing proportional use of LFs by females negatively impacted survival of their neonate calves. Collectively, these results demonstrate how LFs can reduce the efficacy of prey refugia. Mitigating such effects will require limiting or restoring LFs within prey refugia, although the effectiveness of mitigation efforts will depend upon spatial scale, which in turn will be influenced by the life-history traits of predator and prey.
Related Resources
No Statistical Support for Wolf Control and Maternal Penning as Conservation Measures for Endangered Mountain Caribou
Resource Date:
July
2020
Tree Regeneration on Industrial Linear Disturbances in Treed Peatlands is Hastened by Wildfire and Delayed by Loss of Microtopography
Resource Date:
July
2020
Organization
Large Stocks of Peatland Carbon and Nitrogen are Vulnerable to Permafrost Thaw
Resource Date:
August
2020
Organization
Foestland-Peatland Hygrologic Connectivity in Water-Limited Environment: Hydraulic Gradients Often Oppose Topography
Resource Date:
February
2020
Organization
Ethics in Community Based Monitoring and Knowledge Coproduction
Resource Date:
2019
Was this helpful?
|