Nested population structure of threatened boreal caribou revealed by network analysis
Delineating relevant local populations of widely distributed species is a common challenge in conservation ecology. Caribou and reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) are in general decline throughout their global range, despite ongoing conservation efforts. In Canada, recovery actions for the threatened bore...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2022-12-01
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| Series: | Global Ecology and Conservation |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2351989422003298 |
| _version_ | 1828095625327017984 |
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| author | Steven F. Wilson Wendy Crosina Elston Dzus Dave Hervieux Philip D. McLoughlin Laura M. Trout Thomas D. Nudds |
| author_facet | Steven F. Wilson Wendy Crosina Elston Dzus Dave Hervieux Philip D. McLoughlin Laura M. Trout Thomas D. Nudds |
| author_sort | Steven F. Wilson |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Delineating relevant local populations of widely distributed species is a common challenge in conservation ecology. Caribou and reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) are in general decline throughout their global range, despite ongoing conservation efforts. In Canada, recovery actions for the threatened boreal population of woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) are stratified by ‘local population units’ (LPUs) on ranges distributed across 2.4 × 10 km2 of the species’ geographic range. To estimate local population dynamics, LPUs are assumed to be geographically closed, though supporting evidence varies widely. We assembled an exceptionally large database of GPS telemetry locations (891,306 telemetry days, 1998–2020) from 1586 adult female caribou across the 19 northwesternmost LPUs. We generated a many-to-many Gaussian Bayesian Network to identify candidate local populations at range-level extents, as well as subpopulations, termed ‘communities’ in network analysis. We detected local population boundaries that in some cases were consistent with accepted LPUs and consistent with the assumption of geographic closure. In other cases, local population boundaries did not map well to currently delineated LPUs. Several communities at smaller spatial extents were consistent with expert and local knowledge of caribou movements and support recovery planning and actions “stepped down” from entire ranges. Evidence consistent with population fragmentation was confirmed along the southern and southwestern boundaries of the species’ geographic range within the study area, as were more continuous distributions confirmed to the north. We suggest that network analysis can help to inform conservation planning for boreal caribou and other wide-ranging species that would benefit from data-driven characterizations of multiscale population spatial structure. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T07:16:15Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-0c1005c7811a4cb18c3a66430a65cea2 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2351-9894 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T07:16:15Z |
| publishDate | 2022-12-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Global Ecology and Conservation |
| spelling | doaj.art-0c1005c7811a4cb18c3a66430a65cea22022-12-22T04:37:56ZengElsevierGlobal Ecology and Conservation2351-98942022-12-0140e02327Nested population structure of threatened boreal caribou revealed by network analysisSteven F. Wilson0Wendy Crosina1Elston Dzus2Dave Hervieux3Philip D. McLoughlin4Laura M. Trout5Thomas D. Nudds6EcoLogic Research, 302-99 Chapel Street, Nanaimo, British Columbia, V9R 5H3 Canada; Corresponding author.Weyerhaeuser Company, 11553 154 St NW, Edmonton, Alberta, T5M 3N7 CanadaAlberta-Pacific Forest Industries Inc., 684009 R.R. 195, Boyle, Alberta, T0A 0M0 CanadaAlberta Environment and Parks, 1601-10320 - 99 Street, Grande Prairie, Alberta, T8V 6J4 CanadaDepartment of Biology, University of Saskatchewan, 112 Science Place, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, S7N 5E2 CanadaWest Fraser Timber Co. Ltd., 760 Switzer Drive, Hinton, Alberta, T7V 1V7 CanadaDepartment of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road E., Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1 CanadaDelineating relevant local populations of widely distributed species is a common challenge in conservation ecology. Caribou and reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) are in general decline throughout their global range, despite ongoing conservation efforts. In Canada, recovery actions for the threatened boreal population of woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) are stratified by ‘local population units’ (LPUs) on ranges distributed across 2.4 × 10 km2 of the species’ geographic range. To estimate local population dynamics, LPUs are assumed to be geographically closed, though supporting evidence varies widely. We assembled an exceptionally large database of GPS telemetry locations (891,306 telemetry days, 1998–2020) from 1586 adult female caribou across the 19 northwesternmost LPUs. We generated a many-to-many Gaussian Bayesian Network to identify candidate local populations at range-level extents, as well as subpopulations, termed ‘communities’ in network analysis. We detected local population boundaries that in some cases were consistent with accepted LPUs and consistent with the assumption of geographic closure. In other cases, local population boundaries did not map well to currently delineated LPUs. Several communities at smaller spatial extents were consistent with expert and local knowledge of caribou movements and support recovery planning and actions “stepped down” from entire ranges. Evidence consistent with population fragmentation was confirmed along the southern and southwestern boundaries of the species’ geographic range within the study area, as were more continuous distributions confirmed to the north. We suggest that network analysis can help to inform conservation planning for boreal caribou and other wide-ranging species that would benefit from data-driven characterizations of multiscale population spatial structure.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2351989422003298Boreal woodland caribouRangifer tarandus caribouSpatial analysisGaussian Bayesian NetworksCommunity detectionSpecies recovery planning |
| spellingShingle | Steven F. Wilson Wendy Crosina Elston Dzus Dave Hervieux Philip D. McLoughlin Laura M. Trout Thomas D. Nudds Nested population structure of threatened boreal caribou revealed by network analysis Global Ecology and Conservation Boreal woodland caribou Rangifer tarandus caribou Spatial analysis Gaussian Bayesian Networks Community detection Species recovery planning |
| title | Nested population structure of threatened boreal caribou revealed by network analysis |
| title_full | Nested population structure of threatened boreal caribou revealed by network analysis |
| title_fullStr | Nested population structure of threatened boreal caribou revealed by network analysis |
| title_full_unstemmed | Nested population structure of threatened boreal caribou revealed by network analysis |
| title_short | Nested population structure of threatened boreal caribou revealed by network analysis |
| title_sort | nested population structure of threatened boreal caribou revealed by network analysis |
| topic | Boreal woodland caribou Rangifer tarandus caribou Spatial analysis Gaussian Bayesian Networks Community detection Species recovery planning |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2351989422003298 |
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