scholarly journals Accuracy and performance of low-feature GPS collars deployed on bison Bison bison and caribou Rangifer tarandus

2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas S. Jung ◽  
Troy M. Hegel ◽  
Torsten W. Bentzen ◽  
Katherina Egli ◽  
Lars Jessup ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rangifer Tarandus ◽  
Bison Bison ◽  
Gps Collars ◽  
And Performance

scholarly journals An Evaluation of the Accuracy and Performance of Lightweight GPS Collars in a Suburban Environment

PLoS ONE ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 8 (7) ◽  
pp. e68496 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amy L. Adams ◽  
Katharine J. M. Dickinson ◽  
Bruce C. Robertson ◽  
Yolanda van Heezik
Keyword(s):  
Gps Collars ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Suburban Environment

Competition potential between sympatric woodland caribou and wood bison in southwestern Yukon, Canada

2005 ◽  
Vol 83 (9) ◽  
pp. 1162-1173 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa A Fischer ◽  
C Cormack Gates
Keyword(s):  
Resource Selection ◽  
Rangifer Tarandus ◽  
Aerial Survey ◽  
Bison Bison ◽  
Late Winter ◽  
Lake Area ◽  
Woodland Caribou ◽  
Winter Diet ◽  
Wood Bison ◽  
Utilization Distributions

Wood bison (Bison bison athabascae Rhoads, 1898) were reintroduced to the Aishihik Lake area in the southwestern Yukon, where a population of woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou (Gmelin, 1788)) existed. These species co-occurred in nearby Beringia over several hundred thousand years and in the study area throughout most of the Holocene. We hypothesized that resource-selection patterns should differ widely between species at all scales because co-evolution should have resulted in strong patterns of resource partitioning. We compared winter utilization distributions of both species based on aerial survey data and assessed differential resource selection at the scales of landscape and distributional overlap. We also assessed differential resource use within feeding sites and compared late-winter diets of the two species. We found 41% overlap in 95% utilization distributions but only 6% overlap in 50% utilization distributions. Strong differences were measured for use of space and terrain, including elevation, slope, and distance from permanent water bodies. Bison strongly selected for or used graminoids, while caribou selected for or used lichens at each scale. Overlap in winter diet between the two species was 10%. At current densities, exploitative competition in winter between these species is unlikely.

Performance of GPS collars on free-ranging bison (Bison bison) in north-western Canada

2015 ◽  
Vol 42 (4) ◽  
pp. 315 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas S. Jung ◽  
Kazuhisa Kuba
Keyword(s):  
Animal Ecology ◽  
Temporal Variation ◽  
Field Studies ◽  
Bison Bison ◽  
Adult Males ◽  
Success Rates ◽  
Gps Collar ◽  
Gps Collars ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Free Ranging

Context Global positioning system (GPS) collars are increasingly used to study animal ecology. However, understanding their real-world performance is important so that biases in data collection can be addressed. These biases may be species specific. Few studies have examined the influence of sex or temporal variation on locational fix success rates (FSR), and none has assessed GPS-collar performance on bison (Bison bison). Aims To test for sex- and temporal-based biases on the performance of GPS collars on free-ranging bison. Methods Data from 59 deployments of 37 GPS collars on 27 female and seven male bison was used to test for temporal variation and differences between sexes on collar-deployment success rates and four fix acquisition metrics. Key results Most (72.9%) of the 55 GPS collars retrieved malfunctioned before reaching their expected deployment schedule (2 years). We observed a significant difference in the performance of GPS collars deployed on male and females, with those on females functioning almost three times longer. All four fix metrics differed between sexes, with males having significantly better metrics. For females, nightly fix metrics were better than the daytime ones, whereas for males, there was no difference. We observed a significant difference in fix metrics between seasons for females, but not males. Conclusions Although the data from GPS collars may be useful in understanding animal ecology, understanding associated biases can aid in the design of field studies using, and the interpretation of results stemming from, GPS collars. Temporal variation in our study was apparent for females, but not males, and likely related to differences in habitat use and movements. Overall, sex had a significant influence on the success of GPS-collar deployments on bison, and should be examined for other species as well. Implications Bison damage to the collars was the main reason for collar failures. Researchers should plan for catastrophic failures and malfunctions when deploying GPS collars on bison, particularly adult males. Significant differences observed between daily and seasonal FSR for females were small (≤4.9%), and do not warrant post hoc treatment before analyses.

scholarly journals Movements of boreal caribou in the James Bay lowlands

Rangifer ◽  
2011 ◽  
pp. 63-73 ◽  
Author(s):  
Megan E. Hazell ◽  
Mark E. Taylor
Keyword(s):  
Home Range ◽  
Site Fidelity ◽  
Rangifer Tarandus ◽  
Satellite System ◽  
Home Range Size ◽  
James Bay ◽  
Daily Movement ◽  
Gps Collars ◽  
Wintering Areas ◽  
James Bay Lowlands

Little is known about the movements and home range of boreal woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus) in the James Bay lowlands, northern Ontario. Our preliminary study involves the use of GPS collars with Argos satellite system uplink to monitor movements of caribou and 10 animals were collared in December 2004. Animals appeared to have reduced rates of daily movement starting approximately in mid to late December and stretching until late February. Similarly, most animals appeared to have very reduced rates of movement from the beginning of May to the end of June indicating that this is their calving period (includes both parturition as well as the period immediately after parturition). Thus the over-wintering range was assumed to be where the animals were from mid-December to late February and the calving range was defined as the area they were in from the beginning of May to the end of June. Individual home-ranges were typically large, the mean 90% kernel home range for 2004 - 2007 was 41 579 km2. Over wintering areas and calving areas were small when compared to annual home-range size and reflect the reduced rates of movement during these time periods. Female caribou show site fidelity to calving grounds, using the same core areas year after year. However, the same level of site fidelity was not observed in over-wintering areas. The caribou in the James Bay lowlands display behaviours that are characteristic of both the forest-tundra and forest-forest ecotypes which may warrant the reconsideration of the validity of proposed ecotypes with respect to protection under species-at-risk legislation.

scholarly journals The Sustainability of Bison Production in North America: A Scoping Review

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (24) ◽  
pp. 13527
Author(s):  
Simon Tielkes ◽  
Brianne A. Altmann
Keyword(s):  
North America ◽  
Great Plains ◽  
Scoping Review ◽  
Bison Bison ◽  
Meat Production ◽  
Positive Contribution ◽  
Ruminant Species ◽  
Large Ruminant ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Near Extinction

The American bison (Bison bison) is iconic of the Great Plains of North America, yet the genus has had to overcome near extinction in the recent past prior to being re-established for food production. This scoping review summarizes the literature on the Plains Bison as a large ruminant species adequate for modern-day meat production in order to evaluate the species’ appropriateness as a sustainable meat source and to identify knowledge gaps hindering the sustainability evaluation of bison production. To date, we can anecdotally assume that bison husbandry could contribute to sustainability based on its positive contribution to biodiversity, physiological robustness, economically higher price per kg, and nutritive values, despite their decreased growth and performance rates compared to beef cattle. However, targeted and system-based research is required in order to unequivocally assess the sustainability of bison production in North America.

Effects of linear features on resource selection and movement rates of wood bison (Bison bison athabascae)

2020 ◽  
Vol 98 (1) ◽  
pp. 21-31
Author(s):  
C.A. DeMars ◽  
S.E. Nielsen ◽  
M.A. Edwards
Keyword(s):  
Boreal Forests ◽  
Native Species ◽  
Resource Selection ◽  
Rangifer Tarandus ◽  
Bison Bison ◽  
Weak Selection ◽  
Linear Features ◽  
Wood Bison ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Northeastern Alberta

Human-mediated disturbances can lead to novel environmental features that can affect native biota beyond simple habitat loss. In boreal forests of western Canada, linear features (LFs; e.g., pipelines, seismic lines, and roads) are known to alter behaviour, movements, and interactions among species. Understanding LF impacts on native species has therefore been a management priority. Here, we investigate how LFs affect the spatial behaviour of wood bison (Bison bison athabascae Rhoads, 1898), which are designated as “threatened” in Canada. Using data collected from the Ronald Lake population in northeastern Alberta, we assessed how LFs influenced habitat selection and movement of bison by testing support among three hypotheses explaining whether LFs (i) increased forage availability, (ii) enhanced movement efficiency, or (iii) increased predation risk. Results supported the movement efficiency hypothesis as bison were generally ambivalent toward LFs, showing weak selection or avoidance depending on land-cover type, but moved slightly faster when on them. These findings contrast with avoidance behaviours reported for sympatric woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou (Gmelin, 1788)), which are also “threatened.” Our results should inform critical habitat decisions for wood bison, but we caution that further research is needed to understand the effects of LFs on bison demography.

scholarly journals Black Bear, Ursus americanus, Ecology on the Northeast Coast of Labrador

2005 ◽  
Vol 119 (2) ◽  
pp. 164
Author(s):  
Keith Chaulk ◽  
Soren Bondrup-Nielsen ◽  
Fred Harrington
Keyword(s):  
Goodness Of Fit ◽  
Rangifer Tarandus ◽  
Ursus Americanus ◽  
Black Bear ◽  
Goodness Of Fit Test ◽  
Chi Square ◽  
Gps Collars ◽  
Location Data ◽  
Adult Females ◽  
Body Sizes

Twenty-three Black Bears (Ursus americanus) were captured, 20 were measured, marked and/or radio collared, in northeastern Labrador, between 1996 and 1997. Bears used sea ice for travel, coastal islands for denning, hunted adult Caribou (Rangifer tarandus), and were the possible cause of Moose (Alces alces) calf mortality. Body sizes were small, median weight of adult females was 48 kg, and the sex ratio for captured subjects was 1:1. Four of six radio-collared females gave birth during the winter of 1997, female reproductive histories suggest delayed sexual maturity. Den entry occurred between October and December 1996; spring emergence occurred between April and May 1997, with estimated denning period ranging from 148-222 days. Visual observations of habitat use by radio collared subjects (n = 10) were not tested statistically but suggest that barren areas are used nearly as much as forest. Location data from three GPS collars deployed on three adult females were analysed using Chi-square goodness-of-fit test with Bonferroni correction; two females appeared to prefer forest habitats (p < 0.05).

scholarly journals A road in the middle of one of the last wild reindeer migration routes in Norway: crossing behaviour and threats to conservation

Rangifer ◽  
2013 ◽  
pp. 15-26 ◽  
Author(s):  
Manuela Panzacchi ◽  
Bram Van Moorter ◽  
Olav Strand
Keyword(s):  
Rangifer Tarandus ◽  
Step Length ◽  
Travel Speed ◽  
Spring Migration ◽  
Migration Routes ◽  
Migration Patterns ◽  
Gps Collars ◽  
The Road ◽  
High Traffic Volume ◽  
Wild Reindeer

The development of roads and associated infrastructure has interrupted several traditional migrations of wild reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus) in Norway. The population in the Setesdal Austhei wild reindeer area still migrates from winter to calving grounds by semi-annually crossing a cabin-lined road through a narrow corridor, in which further anthropogenic development is planned. To understand if and how infrastructure affected reindeer migration patterns we studied the movements of 10 female reindeer equipped with GPS collars between 2002 and 2010. First, we identified the start and end of the migration period, and then we compared trajectory parameters (net displacement, step length and turning angles) recorded during migration with those recorded in proximity of the road. The analysis of the net displacement indicated that during spring migration reindeer moved at a constant pace towards the calving ground covering a net linear distance of 25 km in 40 days. In the middle of migration, reindeer changed travel direction and roamed parallel to the road for ca. 5 days without approaching further, possibly searching for an undisturbed place and time to cross. Reindeer finally crossed the road before daylight with highly directed movements, increasing their travel speed up to the highest values recorded during migration (4 km/3 hrs vs. 0.5 km/3 hrs). After crossing, reindeer moved quickly toward their calving ground covering the remaining 25 km net distance in less than a week. Migration patterns were markedly affected by disturbance during spring, as the road crossings occurred in the period characterized by the high traffic volume and intense human activities related to Easter holidays; during autumn, on the contrary, the hampering effect of the road was minimal. The results suggest that the current disturbance associated to the road hampers spring migration and might delay the arrival to the calving ground. The planned construction of a large number of recreational cabins in the migration corridor has the potential to threaten the migration and obstruct the access to the calving ground.

scholarly journals Using temporary dye marks to estimate ungulate population abundance in southwest Yukon, Canada

Rangifer ◽  
2012 ◽  
pp. 219-226 ◽  
Author(s):  
Troy M. Hegel ◽  
Kyle Russell ◽  
Thomas S. Jung
Keyword(s):  
Wildlife Management ◽  
Rangifer Tarandus ◽  
Management Plan ◽  
Yukon Territory ◽  
Bison Bison ◽  
Annual Growth Rate ◽  
Woodland Caribou ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Wood Bison ◽  
The Mean

We describe the protocols of two mark-resight abundance surveys, using temporary dye-marks, for the Aishihik woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) and wood bison (Bison bison athabascae) populations (herds) in the southwest Yukon Territory, Canada. We also provide recommendations based on experiences from these surveys for biologists and managers considering this approach. The Aishihik woodland caribou herd was the focus of intensive management in the 1990s aimed at recovering the herd. Following recovery activities, a target size of 2000 animals was determined and the Champagne-Aishihik Traditional Territory Community-Based Wildlife Management Plan recommended an estimate of the herd’s size be completed before the year 2013. We used an aerial mark-resight approach to estimate the herd’s size in March 2009. Caribou (n = 59) were marked from a helicopter with temporary dye, delivered via a CO2-powered rifle. Two independent resighting sessions were subsequently carried out via helicopter. The herd was estimated at 2044 animals (90% CI: 1768 – 2420) with an overall resighting rate of 0.47. The mean annual growth rate (λ) of the herd from 1997 – 2009 was 1.05 (SE = 0.01). The Aishihik wood bison herd was estimated at 1151 (90% CI: 998 – 1355). Our study suggests that ungulates temporarily marked with dye can be successfully used to obtain statistically sound population estimates.

scholarly journals Movements of boreal caribou in the James Bay lowlands

Rangifer ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 247
Author(s):  
M. E. Taylor ◽  
M. Ruthven
Keyword(s):  
Home Range ◽  
Rangifer Tarandus ◽  
Satellite System ◽  
Late Winter ◽  
Woodland Caribou ◽  
James Bay ◽  
Regional Environment ◽  
North West ◽  
Gps Collars ◽  
James Bay Lowlands

Little is known about the movements and home range of boreal woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus) in the James Bay lowlands. As part of ongoing studies to measure the potential effects of the De Beers Victor Project on the local and regional environment, a study of woodland caribou was initiated. This study involves the use of GPS collars with Argos satellite system uplink to monitor movements of caribou. Additional aerial surveys of a study area (22 000 km2) in the early and late winter are used to provide an overall indication of the usage of the area around Victor by caribou and other wildlife. Animals were collared in December 2004 at varying distances from the Victor site (max. 60 km). Preliminary data for 2005 has been analysed. During 2005, some animals moved large distances >480 km from Victor, while others were relatively sedentary. One animal (from the total of ten) was harvested by a hunter in March. The only obvious trend in movement patterns occurred in the middle of November when all the collared animals began to move north-west. The daily distances moved in November were much greater (10-20 km/d) than earlier in the year (0.5-10 km/d) and by mid December they were all north and west of their locations when first collared, in some cases more than 480 km to the northwest of their initial capture sites. The minimum annual distances covered for the nine remaining animals ranged between 900 and 1500 km. The home ranges of the caribou ranged from 8000 km2 to 56 380 km2 with a mean home range of 23 434 km2, which is much greater than boreal woodland caribou in other parts of Ontario.

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