Elk Island National Park Research Articles

Evaluating the winter diet of elk using DNA metabarcoding analysis

North American elk Cervus canadensis inhabited portions of the eastern United States until extirpation in the mid‐1800s. From 2000 to 2008, 201 elk were reintroduced to the North Cumberland Wildlife Management Area (NCWMA), Tennessee. The stocking source was Elk Island National Park, Alberta Canada where there are two distinct genetic populations isolated from the north and south. This genetic structure has largely persisted in the population after translocation. Food habits were evaluated in the early stages of restoration, but the population has had approximately 20 years to adapt to the landscape, and current food habits are unknown. To assess diet composition using DNA metabarcoding, we collected fecal pellets of elk from 65 openings within the 79 318 ha NCWMA weekly from February to April of 2019. We targeted the ITS2 region of the nuclear ribosomal DNA to amplify vegetation sequences found in the internal portion of the elk feces. DNA metabarcoding of feces was linked to results from an accompanying elk population genetics study to investigate food habits between sexes from the two different genetic groups. The majority (80.298%) of sequences matched plants from 21 genera. The top genera (> 5.000%) represented were Vaccinium (15.216%), Festuca (8.446%), Rosa (6.358%), Robinia (5.793%), and Eleagnus (5.186%). Elk heavily used woody plants before and after spring green‐up (> 50% of diet). However, the quantity of forbs in their diet more than doubled after emergence in the spring. The sex‐genetic groups consumed similar vegetation in approximately proportionate amounts. Diversity analyses revealed a significant difference in plant genera sequence detection between males from the two genetic groups, although this finding is likely explained by limited sample size. NCWMA elk used a variety of forage in the winter and DNA metabarcoding analysis allows for a comprehensive analysis of food habits useful for monitoring how elk respond dietarily to habitat management.

No long‐term effect of black bear removal on elk calf recruitment in the southern Appalachians

AbstractIn 2001 and 2002, 52 elk (Cervus canadensis; 21 males, 31 females), originally obtained from Elk Island National Park, Alberta, Canada, were transported and released into Cataloochee Valley in the northeastern portion of Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GRSM, Park), North Carolina, USA. The annual population growth rate (λ) was negative (0.996, 95% CI = 0.945–1.047) and predation by black bears (Ursus americanus) on elk calves was identified as an important determinant of population growth. From 2006 to 2008, 49 bears from the primary elk calving area (i.e., Cataloochee Valley) were trapped and translocated about 70 km to the southwestern portion of the Park just prior to elk calving. Per capita recruitment (i.e., the number of calves produced per adult female that survive to 1 year of age) increased from 0.306 prior to bear translocation (2001–2005) to 0.544 during years when bears were translocated (2006–2008) and λ increased to 1.118 (95% CI = 1.096–1.140). Our objective was to determine whether per capita calf recruitment rates after bear removal (2009–2019) at Cataloochee were similar to the higher rates estimated during bear removal (i.e., long‐term response) or if they returned to rates before bear removal (i.e., short‐term response), and how those rates compared with recruitment from portions of our study area where bears were not relocated. We documented 419 potential elk calving events and monitored 129 yearling and adult elk from 2001 to 2019. Known‐fate models based on radio‐telemetry and observational data supported calf recruitment returning to pre‐2006 levels at Cataloochee (short‐term response); recruitment of Cataloochee elk before and after bear relocation was lower (0.184) than during bear relocation (0.492). Recruitment rates of elk outside the removal area during the bear relocation period (0.478) were similar to before and after rates (0.420). In the Cataloochee Valley, cause‐specific annual calf mortality rates due to predation by bears were 0.319 before, 0.120 during, and 0.306 after bear relocation. In contrast, the cause‐specific annual mortality rate of calves in areas where bears were not relocated was 0.033 after the bear relocation period, with no bear predation on calves before or during bear relocation. The mean annual population growth rate for all monitored elk was 1.062 (95% CI = 0.979–1.140) after bear relocation based on the recruitment and survival data. Even though the effects of bear removal were temporary, the relocations were effective in achieving a short‐term increase in elk recruitment, which was important for the reintroduction program given that the elk population was small and vulnerable to extirpation.

Lessons for becoming bison wise and bear aware in Elk Island National Park

ABSTRACT Biospheres are working landscapes that promote conservation and sustainable land-use while also providing space for outdoor recreation, environmental education, and research. This study focuses on Elk Island National Park in Alberta, Canada, which is part of the Beaver Hills Biosphere. The park is home to bison and black bears and growing visitor numbers have increased the potential for human-wildlife conflict. With a focus on the promotion of human-wildlife coexistence, this study takes a mixed-methods approach to develop and evaluate an environmental education program targeted to improve visitor awareness about safety around bison and bears at Elk Island National Park. The program was found to be effective in teaching visitors about safe behaviors around wildlife and key themes arose about important learning outcomes. In particular, the findings indicate interpretation and environmental education programs have the potential to increase awareness about safety for both humans and wildlife and shift away from more human-centric perceptions.

Bison and elk spatiotemporal interactions in Elk Island National Park

Elk Island National Park (EINP) is a fenced park in the Beaver Hills UNESCO Biosphere Reserve of central Alberta where aspen parkland is being conserved. This area maintains high densities of native ungulates including elk (Cervus elaphus), bison (Bison bison bison, B. bison athabascae), moose (Alces alces), white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), and mule deer (O. hemionus). Our objective was to evaluate spatiotemporal overlap and interspecific interactions between bison and elk in EINP using camera traps. Bison and elk have overlapping habitat use and diet and are the primary focus of ungulate management in EINP. We examined distributions of both species in relation to season, landscape characteristics, anthropogenic features, and heterospecifics using generalized linear models (GLMs). We then examined seasonal daily activity patterns of bison and elk and calculated the degree of overlap. The spatial analysis revealed that bison counts were positively associated with higher proportions of open habitats across seasons and in areas farther from water in summer and fall but had no associations with distance to water during winter. Bison removal year (years during which bison removals were conducted by Parks Canada) was a significant predictor variable for bison counts in winter when the bison roundup takes place. Elk avoided areas with high linear feature density across seasons. During fall and winter, we observed higher elk counts associated with bison presence. Temporal activity patterns revealed that elk were crepuscular in all three seasons, but bison activity patterns varied with diurnal activity being more common in the summer, crepuscular activity in winter, and intermediate activity patterns during fall. Coefficients of overlap between elk and bison were high in all three seasons with the greatest difference in daily activity patterns in summer and the highest overlap in winter when both species showed strong crepuscular activity. Despite the fenced perimeter in EINP resulting in high ungulate densities, limited dispersal, and low predation, our data show patterns of habitat use and interactions between bison and elk that were similar to those in other systems. Spatiotemporal partitioning does not appear necessary for coexistence of bison and elk in the aspen parkland.

Elk Island (Losinyi Ostrov) national park: transformation of regulations in urban environment

To take into account both ecosystem and socio-economic functions, it is necessary to carry out functional zoning of specially protected natural areas (SPNA). The dynamics of zoning of the Losiny Ostrov National Park from 1988 to 2012 was assessed from the position of environmental regimes using open-access data. Using GIS technologies, the estimated dynamic schemes of environmental restrictions were obtained. The tendency to easing regulations clearly exists: the weighted average dynamic parameter of environmental value is -3.27 (possible values vary from -20 to 20). The 2012 version established stronger transformations of environmental restrictions than in 2010 (dynamic indicators are -0.62 and -2.65, respectively). The greatest negative changes for natural complexes are associated with the allocation of a historical and cultural zone, the transformation of third-party user sites into economic zones, the expansion of the recreational zone, and the disappearance of the educational and excursion zone. Differences between Moscow city and the adjacent Moscow region are negligible. However, there is considerable disparity between current zoning of urban and regional parts of the park (restriction indicators are 7.41 and 12.17, respectively). Urban space is more oriented towards recreation, indicating an incompatibility with the status of a national park. In contrast to the outer 1000-meter belt, the central part of the park has had greater deterioration of nature restrictions. The weighted average indicator of ecosystem compliance (environmental restrictions and vulnerability of natural complexes) is 3.3 (possible values range from -20 to 20), which points to a sufficient level of compliance with the functional zoning of landscape vulnerability. This accordance is more typical of inner part of the park inner and territories within the boundary of Moscow.

C3 plant isotopic variability in a boreal mixed woodland: implications for bison and other herbivores.

Plant isotopic baselines are critical for accurately reconstructing ancient diets and environments and for using stable isotopes to monitor ecosystem conservation. This study examines the stable carbon and nitrogen isotope compositions (δ13C, δ15N) of terrestrial C3 plants in Elk Island National Park (EINP), Alberta, Canada, with a focus on plants consumed by grazers. EINP is located in a boreal mixed woodland ecozone close to the transition area between historic wood and plains bison habitats, and is currently home to separate herds of wood and plains bison. For this study, 165 C3 plant samples (grasses, sedges, forbs, shrubs, and horsetail) were collected from three habitat types (open, closed, and wet) during two seasons (summer and fall). There were no statistically significant differences in the δ13C or δ15N values of grasses, sedges, shrubs and forbs. On the other hand, plant δ13C and δ15N values varied among habitats and plant parts, and the values increased from summer to fall. These results have several implications for interpreting herbivore tissue isotopic compositions: (1) consuming different proportions of grasses, sedges, shrubs, and forbs might not result in isotopic niche partitioning, (2) feeding in different microhabitats or selecting different parts of the same types of plants could result in isotopic niche partitioning, and (3) seasonal isotopic changes in herbivore tissues could reflect seasonal isotopic changes in dietary plants rather than (or in addition to) changes in animal diet or physiology. In addition, the positively skewed plant δ15N distributions highlight the need for researchers to carefully evaluate the characteristics of their distributions prior to reporting data (e.g., means, standard deviations) or applying statistical models (e.g., parametric tests that assume normality). Overall, this study reiterates the importance of accessing ecosystem-specific isotopic baselines for addressing research questions in archaeology, paleontology, and ecology.

Fascioloides magna in Moose (Alces alces) From Elk Island National Park, Alberta

Thirty-seven adult female moose ( Alces alces) from 2 distinct but adjacent populations in Elk Island National Park (EINP), Alberta, Canada (19 in north EINP and 18 in south EINP), were fitted with mortality-sensing VHF radio-collars, and radio signals were acquired daily to ascertain mortality status. At capture, serum, whole blood, and feces were collected; pregnancy was determined; teeth were aged by visual inspection; and a portion of liver was assessed by ultrasound examination. Postmortem examination was conducted on 20 suitable carcasses. Clinical pathological abnormalities, including eosinophilia, polycythemia, elevated levels of liver enzymes in serum, hemoglobin, hematocrit, and red blood cell distribution, and liver damage as seen in ultrasound images occurred only in moose from north EINP. Infected moose had 4.7 ± 4.8 Fascioloides magna flukes per liver (mean ± SD). The proportion of moose pregnant at capture was similar in both populations (74% in north EINP, 61% in south EINP). Proportional mortality was significantly higher in moose from the north (68%) than the south (32%). Fascioloides magna was associated as a cause of death in 7 of 14 (50%) moose in the north where cause of death was determined, while predation ( n = 1), acute toxemic syndrome ( n = 3), dystocia ( n = 1), and roadkill and undetermined causes ( n = 3) were additional causes of mortality. F. magna was associated with poor body condition and was a major cause of mortality in north EINP but not south EINP, despite very similar habitat and proximity, suggesting a significant role for these flukes in affecting health and viability of naturally infected moose populations.

The Forest in the Metropolis: Elk Island (Losinyi Ostrov) National Park and the Disappointments of the Russian National Park Movement

A 116 square-kilometer section of forest in the northwest part of Moscow, Elk Island National Park (Losynyi ostrov) became Russia’s first in 1983. Russian environmentalists became enamored with national parks through increased interaction with Western colleagues, Russian environmentalists, including the supporters of Elk Island National Park, asserted that the USSR’s lack of national parks demonstrated that Russian environmental protection efforts lagged behind the West. This strategy was successful in pushing the government to establish national parks, including Elk Island. However, Russian environmentalists have had much less success in convincing government officials to support, protect, and develop national parks, even as they frequently asserted that its failure to do so cast Russia in a bad light before the international community. Because of its highly visible location in Moscow, Elk Island’s struggles have been a particularly painful reminder for Russian environmentalists of the Russian Federation’s seeming disinterest in national parks.

High species diversity of trichostrongyle parasite communities within and between Western Canadian commercial and conservation bison herds revealed by nemabiome metabarcoding

BackgroundMany trichostrongylid nematode species are reported to infect bison, some of which are major causes of disase and production loss in North American bison herds. However, there is little information on the species distribution and relative abundance of these parasites in either commercial or conservation herds. This is largely because trichostrongylid nematode species cannot be distinguished by visual microscopic examination of eggs present in feces. Consequently, we have applied ITS2 rDNA nemabiome metabarcoding to describe the trichostrongyle parasite species diversity in 58 bison production groups derived from 38 commercial North American plains bison (Bison bison bison) herds from across western Canada, and two bison conservation herds located in Elk Island National Park (EINP) [plains bison and wood bison (Bison bison athabascae)] and one in Grasslands National Park (GNP) (plains bison).ResultsWe report much higher infection intensities and parasite species diversity in commercial bison herds than previously reported in beef cattle herds grazing similar latitudes. Predominant trichostrongyle parasite species in western Canadian commercial bison herds are those commonly associated with Canadian cattle, with Ostertagia ostertagi being the most abundant followed by Cooperia oncophora. Combined with high fecal egg counts in many herds, this is consistent with significant clinical and production-limiting gastrointestinal parasitism in western Canadian bison herds. However, Haemonchus placei was the most abundant species in five of the production groups. This is both surprising and important, as this highly pathogenic blood-feeding parasite has not been reported at such abundance, in any livestock species, at such northerly latitudes. The presence of Trichostrongylus axei as the most abundant parasite in four herds is also unusual, relative to cattle. There were striking differences in parasite communities between the EINP and commercial bison herds. Most notably, Orloffia bisonis was the predominant species in the wood bison herd despite being found at only low levels in all other herds surveyed.ConclusionsThis study represents the most comprehensive description of parasite communities in North American bison to date and illustrates the power of deep amplicon sequencing as a tool to study species diversity in gastrointestinal nematode communities.

Genetic structure in Elk persists after translocation

ABSTRACTElk (Cervus canadensis) translocation success is thought to be facilitated by high post‐release herd cohesion and limited movements; both should ensure genetic mixing following release. Such mixing is important to reduce potential effects of inbreeding or genetic drift, which can be especially important in small founding populations. We had a natural experiment where we could evaluate genetic mixing of 2 distinct lineages of elk after translocation to the same area. Founding elk ultimately came from north and south of a road barrier at Elk Island National Park (EINPN or EINPS, respectively), Alberta, Canada and the 2 groups were genetically distinct. During 2000 to 2003, elk originating from Elk Island National Park were translocated to Cumberland Mountains, Tennessee (TNCM) and Great Smoky Mountains National Park, North Carolina (GSMNP), USA (some elk spent time at Land Between the Lakes Recreation Area, Kentucky, USA, before their final translocation). At TNCM, translocated elk were hard released, whereas at GSMNP elk were held in pens up to 60 days before release (i.e., soft release). We hypothesized that associations formed in the source population would affect genetic structure in the future population. We predicted that matrilineal groups would stay closer together and have similar movements after translocation. We used 16 microsatellite markers to analyze genetic composition and structure of translocated elk and their offspring in the years after release. Most source elk used for translocation strongly assigned to either EINPN or EINPS (93.2%,n = 204). Evaluating the genetic structure of offspring after translocation, we found the 2 genetic groups mostly persisted ≥11 years following release. We measured the Euclidean distance between all possible pairs of telemetered female elk during each season and year and calculated the maximum distance moved from the release sites for females surviving >1 year. Mean Euclidean distances between pairwise locations of female elk were similar for each genetic cluster for each area. The mean distances for all paired locations (genetic clusters combined) in TNCM were 14.67 km (n = 4,576 ± 13.23 [SD]) and in GSMNP were 9.30 km (n = 1,468 ± 9.75). However, when looking at only simultaneous locations <50 m apart, the frequency of occurrence was higher (P < 0.001) for elk with the same genetic structure (71.1%) compared with those with different structure (28.9%). The maximum distance travelled from the release site was not different for the 2 genetic groups, but EINPN females tended to travel farther. Pairwise female distances were lower in GSMNP where we used a soft release. Release methodology and social structure appear to affect movements and possibly genetic mixing after translocation. Given that restoration success can depend on maintaining genetic diversity and number of founders, our analyses suggest that within‐cluster breeding bias can result in lower genetic variability and a smaller effective population size than previously assumed. © 2018 The Wildlife Society.

Genetic analyses of wild bison in Alberta, Canada: implications for recovery and disease management

In Alberta, wild bison, Bison bison ([Linnaeus 1758][1]) occurring outside protected areas are assumed to have originated from the free-ranging bison populations within Wood Buffalo National Park (WBNP). As bison in WBNP are infected with 2 diseases, it was assumed that neighboring bison outside WBNP were also diseased. However, the neighboring Harper Creek and Ronald Lake bison populations have not tested positive for either disease, suggesting limited contact with WBNP herds. To resolve this, we analyzed microsatellite genotypes from all free-ranging bison groups in Alberta and one from the Northwest Territories (NWT), Canada. In the WBNP area where bison have persisted, we recover a genetically panmictic population comprising all possible subpopulations within the park, plus the adjacent Wentzel Lake herd, all of which are diseased. In contrast, but consistent with their disease-free status, we find the Ronald Lake and Harper Creek bison herds to be genetically differentiated from this larger WBNP herd, despite their close proximity. This highlights the importance of the Ronald Lake and potentially the Harper Creek herds for bison recovery. We also document the genetic impacts of translocation on the species, as the Mackenzie, NWT, and Elk Island National Park (EINP), Alberta, bison populations founded in the 1960s from WBNP animals are now genetically differentiated, but the more recently founded Hay Zama bison population is not differentiated from its source population, the EINP wood bison. Interestingly, factorial correspondence analysis, F ST , and its high private allelic richness suggest that the Harper Creek population is significantly differentiated from all other bison populations studied. Though they are most closely related to WBNP populations, more study of this population is warranted. [1]: #ref-23

Dust is the dominant source of “heavy metals” to peat moss (Sphagnum fuscum) in the bogs of the Athabasca Bituminous Sands region of northern Alberta

Sphagnum fuscum was collected from twenty-five ombrotrophic (rain-fed) peat bogs surrounding open pit mines and upgrading facilities of Athabasca Bituminous Sands (ABS) in northern Alberta (AB) in order to assess the extent of atmospheric contamination by trace elements. As a control, this moss species was also collected at a bog near Utikuma (UTK) in an undeveloped part of AB and 264km SW of the ABS region. For comparison, this moss was also collected in central AB, in the vicinity of the City of Edmonton which is approximately 500km to the south of the ABS region, from the Wagner Wetland which is 22km W of the City, from Seba Beach (ca. 90km W) and from Elk Island National Park (ca. 45km E). All of the moss samples were digested and trace elements concentrations determined using ICP-SMS at a commercial laboratory, with selected samples also analyzed using instrumental neutron activation analysis at the University of Alberta.The mosses from the ABS region yielded lower concentrations of Ag, As, Bi, Cd, Cu, Pb, Sb, Tl, and Zn compared to the moss from the Edmonton area. Concentrations of Ni and Mo in the mosses were comparable in these two regions, but V was more abundant in the ABS samples. Compared with the surface vegetation of eight peat cores collected in recent years from British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec and New Brunswick, the mean concentrations of Ag, As, Bi, Cd, Cu, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sb, Tl and Zn in the mosses from the ABS region are generally much lower. In fact, the concentrations of these trace elements in the samples from the ABS region are comparable to the corresponding values in forest moss from remote regions of central and northern Norway.Lithophile element concentrations (Ba, Be, Ga, Ge, Li, Sc, Th, Ti, Zr) explain most of the variation in trace metal concentrations in the moss samples. The mean concentrations of Th and Zr are greatest in the moss samples from the ABS region, reflecting dust inputs to the bogs from open pit mines, aggregate quarries, and gravel roads. Linear regressions of V, Ni, and Mo (elements enriched in bitumen) versus Sc (a conservative, lithophile element) show excellent correlations in the mosses from the ABS region, but this is true also of Ag, Pb, Sb and Tl: thus, most of the variation in the trace metal concentrations can be explained simply by the abundance of dust particles on the plants of this region. Unlike the moss samples from the ABS region and from UTK where Pb/Sc ratios resemble those of crustal rocks, the moss samples from the other regions studied yielded much greater Pb/Sc ratios implying significant anthropogenic Pb contributions at these other sites.

The History of Elk (<i>Cervus canadensis</i>) Restoration in Ontario

Elk (Cervus canadensis) historically inhabited southern Quebec and central Ontario, but, by the early 1900s, the species was extirpated from this region. Attempts to re-establish an Elk population in Ontario during the first half of the 20th century had limited success. We reviewed historical documents, population census records, and a previous study pertaining to Elk reintroduced to Ontario in the early 1900s for clues to the cause(s) of their limited population growth. After an apparent rapid population increase in the 1940s followed by unregulated hunting during the subsequent 3 decades, Elk abundance in Ontario had not appreciably changed from 1970 to 1997, most likely because of the small founding population, unsustainable hunting, and accidental mortality. After the abolition of legal hunting in 1980, natural mortality appeared to be the main limiting factor. A limited sample of pregnancy and calf recruitment rates, body measurements, and physical condition parameters collected in 1993–1997, suggested that adults were healthy, reproducing successfully, and not limited by food availability; thus, it was concluded that remnant Elk populations could be augmented by introducing additional animals. A renewed Elk restoration effort, conducted from 1998 to 2001, imported 443 Elk from Elk Island national Park in Alberta to 4 release areas across central Ontario (Lake of the Woods, Lake Huron North Shore, Nipissing/French River, and Bancroft/North Hastings), resulting in a provincial population of about 800 Elk by 2013.

Serial ovarian ultrasonography in wild-caught wood bison (Bison bison athabascae)

The objectives of this study were to determine the feasibility of daily examination of wild-caught wood bison and to characterize the ovarian function using serial transrectal ultrasonography and blood hormone analysis. Ten 2-year-old wood bison heifers obtained from Elk Island National Park were placed in a corral adjacent to a handling system designed for restraining bison. The handling system was left open to the corral allowing the bison to explore it freely for 2 months. Active acclimation followed for a 2-week period, during which the bison were herded daily through the handling system and rewarded with whole oats. Finally, the bison were restrained in the handling system and rewarded with whole oats upon release. Once conditioned, daily transrectal examination of the ovaries was completed in 100% of attempts for 30 days (January–February) using a B-mode scanner with a 5 to 10-MHz linear array. Follicle size and numbers were recorded, and individual follicles were identified serially. Blood samples were collected daily and the serum was analyzed for FSH concentrations. Nonrandom changes were detected in the number of follicles ≥4 mm in diameter per day (P < 0.05). Each peak in follicle numbers was associated with the development of a single dominant follicle. The interval between the emergence of successive dominant follicles was 6.8 ± 0.6 days (mean ± SEM). The maximum diameter of the dominant follicle was 9.9 ± 0.4 mm. In conclusion, wild-caught wood bison were amenable to daily examination and blood sampling, and ovarian dynamics were characterized by wave-like development of anovulatory antral follicles. The demonstrated success of this approach to the study of ovarian function will be useful for characterizing the annual reproductive pattern in wood bison, which is necessary for the development of bison-specific protocols for controlling ovarian function for species conservation.

Trophic cascades: linking ungulates to shrub‐dependent birds and butterflies

1. Studies demonstrating trophic cascades through the loss of top-down regulatory processes in productive and biologically diverse terrestrial ecosystems are limited. 2. Elk Island National Park, Alberta and surrounding protected areas have a wide range of ungulate density due to the functional loss of top predators, management for high ungulate numbers and variable hunting pressure. This provides an ideal setting for studying the effects of hyper-abundant ungulates on vegetation and shrub-dependent bird and butterfly species. 3. To examine the cascading effects of high ungulate density, we quantified vegetation characteristics and abundances of yellow warbler Dendroica petechia and Canadian tiger swallowtail Papilio canadensis under different ungulate density in and around Elk Island National Park. 4. Using Structural Equation Models we found that ungulate density was inversely related to shrub cover, whereas shrub cover was positively related to yellow warbler abundance. In addition, chokecherry Prunus virginiana abundance was inversely related to browse impact but positively related to P. canadensis abundance. 5. These results demonstrate a cascade resulting from hyper-abundant ungulates on yellow warblers and Canadian tiger swallowtails through reductions in shrub cover and larval host plant density. The combined effect of the functional loss of top predators and management strategies that maintain high ungulate numbers can decouple top-down regulation of productive temperate ecosystems.

Introduction of the wood bison (Bison bison athabascae rhoads, 1897) in Central Yakutia

In April 2006, 30 wood bison from the Elk Island National Park (Canada) were brought to Central Yakutia. The group comprised 15 females and 15 males; 27 of them were underyearlings and two females and one male were over 1 year old. The animals started reproducing at the age of 2–3 years. Six calves were born in 2008; seven, in 2009; and nine (one calf died), in 2010. In 2008, the herd grew by 23.1%; in 2009, by 26.9%; and in 2010, by 30.8%. A comparatively high reproduction rate demonstrates their normal naturalization. In summer, bison feed on pasture forage and are provided with hay, haylage, and mixed feed in winter. Currently, the wood bison are successfully adapting to new environmental conditions with a short summer, extended winter season, and extremely low air temperatures in winter as the major factors. Their total population increased to 47 individuals, including 26 adults (55.3%) and 21 calves (44.7%) with a male to female ratio of 24 (51.1%) to 23 (48.9%). An extended reproduction of the bison stock in animal nurseries will contribute to their further natural settling in wildlife. In March 2011, a new batch of bison comprising 30 calves born in 2010 was brought to Yakutia, elevating their total population there to 77 individuals.

Population viability analysis to identify management priorities for reintroduced Elk in the Cumberland Mountains, Tennessee

AbstractWe used an individual‐based population model to perform a viability analysis to simulate population growth (λ) of 167 elk (Cervus elaphus manitobensis; 71 male and 96 female) released in the Cumberland Mountains, Tennessee, to estimate sustainability (i.e.,λ &gt; 1.0) and identify the most appropriate options for managing elk restoration. We transported elk from Elk Island National Park, Alberta, Canada, and from Land Between the Lakes, Kentucky, and reintroduced them beginning in December 2000 and ending in February 2003. We estimated annual survival rates for 156 radio‐collared elk from December 2000 until November 2004. We used data from a nearby elk herd in Great Smoky Mountains National Park to simulate pessimistic and optimistic recruitment and performed population viability analyses to evaluate sustainability over a 25‐year period. Annual survival averaged 0.799 (Total SE = 0.023). The primary identifiable sources of mortality were poaching, disease from meningeal worm (Parelaphostrongylus tenuis), and accidents (environmental causes and unintentional harvest). Population growth given pessimistic recruitment rates averaged 0.895 over 25 years (0.955 in year 1 to 0.880 in year 25); population growth was not sustainable in 100% of the runs. With the most optimistic estimates of recruitment, meanλincreased to 0.967 (1.038 in year 1 to 0.956 in year 25) with 99.6% of the runs failing to be sustainable. We suggest that further translocation efforts to increase herd size will be ineffective unless survival rates are increased in the Cumberland Mountains. © 2011 The Wildlife Society.

The Beaver Hills Country: A History of Land and Life (review)

Reviewed by: The Beaver Hills Country: A History of Land and Life Peter Fortna The Beaver Hills Country: A History of Land and Life. Graham A. MacDonald. Edmonton: Athabasca University, 2009. Pp. 253, $29.95 The Beaver Hills Country: A History of Land and Life by Graham A. MacDonald is a history of the wooded parkland located east of Edmonton, AB, bounded by the Victoria trail to the north and the Battle Hills Trail to the south. Gathering a wide range of literary, archaeological, ecological, and ethnographic sources, and using this specific area as the geographic focus of his analysis, MacDonald follows the region's history, beginning with the glaciers that covered the Hills twenty thousand years ago, and ending with a consideration of the increasing pressures that modern living placed on the unique landscape in the late twentieth century. The study's expansive scope is tied together by the theme of human interactions in the Beaver Hills over time, specifically how different land-use choices have influenced the region's character. Within this overarching theme, MacDonald divides his narrative roughly into two sections focused on the time before and after 1880, considering in both periods how natural processes helped to shape the social, economic, and environmental history of the region. The project began as an 'enquiry into the history of the bison conservation story at Elk Island National Park undertaken for Parks Canada' (vii), but as the initial project concluded, MacDonald felt that the region's 'natural, social, and economic' history deserved more attention. The book links a number of diverse disciplines, demonstrating how the Beaver Hills' ecological transitional qualities mirrored the region's cultural divisions. In the book's first chapters, MacDonald argues that the Beaver Hills served as a key meeting place for Blackfoot, Cree, and Metis peoples who utilized the area's diverse resource base. The Hills offered diverse cultures a place where they could replenish and recoup after spending extended periods on the plains, [End Page 369] a place where they could hunt, fish, and gather other needed resources. The region's ability to provide resources became even more important by the turn of the nineteenth century; the complex political situation after 1885, coupled with epidemics and the overuse of the prairie's natural resources, led to the increasing importance of the Beaver Hills for Blackfoot, Cree, and later Metis people. The Hills offered many Aboriginal people a place of last refuge, though they too eventually became strained by overuse and were ultimately transformed by the arrival of surveyors, politicians, and settlers. These newcomers had a different vision for the region that would eventually lead to the disenfranchisement of Aboriginal people in these traditional hunting grounds. The second half of the book considers the post-settlement era, with a particular focus on the region's cultural and natural landscapes. MacDonald makes good use of local community histories and newspaper sources, describing the process where settlers from Scandinavia, Ukraine, the United States, and Central Canada came together to form 'one of the most diverse patchworks of group settlements in Canada' (119). This diversity, argues MacDonald, came to form an 'egalitarian' society, connected through a broad range of cultural and religious organizations. The book moves on to consider the story of wildlife and land preservation in the Beaver Hills. Here MacDonald is most comfortable, telling the history of Elk Island National Park, which — thanks to the farsightedness and co-operation of land-owners, National Park officials, and concerned citizens — helped to preserve a significant portion of the Beaver Hills region for future generations. Woven into this broader narrative is the story of increased academic interest in bison and land conservation in the region. The book's final chapter considers how the preservation of the Beaver Hills' diverse cultural and natural landscapes has come into conflict with 'Postwar Urbanism.' Here the author brings to light the conflicting goals of a modernizing National Parks system where Elk Island National Park became 'a curious amalgam of game ranch, zoo, recreation centre, and nature area' (162). MacDonald also considers the increasing pressures facing communities attempting to modernize while maintaining their unique cultural identity preserved most notably in the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage...

Estimating Economic Carrying Capacity for an Ungulate Guild in Western Canada

Elk Island National Park in western Canada provides an ideal case study for an economic carrying capacity es- timate because it supports high density of four species of ungulates (11/km 2 ), lacks large predators, and is enclosed by a 2.1-meter mesh fence. This high density of ungulates has created persistent management challenges by altering vegetation structure and community composition. Using linear programming, we explored optimal allocation of forage resources for bison (Bison bison bison), moose (Alces andersoni), wapiti (Cervus elaphus manitobensis) and deer (Odocoileus virgini- anus and O. hemionus) to maximize ungulate biomass and numbers, when constrained by use of the major forage classes and minimum viable populations (MVP) of those ungulate species that do not cross the boundary fence (bison and wapiti). Maximum numbers of animals were achieved by a stocking combination dominated by deer and bison, whereas maximum biomass was attained when bison and moose were abundant but deer were absent. Wapiti remained at MVP during all so- lutions. Optimal solutions consistent with current ungulate densities were associated with 7 to 11% forage removal. This is less than normally assumed for sustainable forage use, and may reflect the need to account for other biotic and abiotic losses to forage in carrying capacity models for which ungulate densities can be constrained by availability of a preferred forage class (e.g., grass) as well as forage quality. This research extends the conventional animal-unit concept to multi- species systems and provides templates based on forage biomass allocation for resource managers facing similar problems of joint stocking in different environments.

The effects of high ungulate densities on foraging choices by beaver (Castor canadensis) in the mixed-wood boreal forest

In some areas of North America previous management policies have created competition between beaver ( Castor canadensis Kuhl, 1820) and ungulates, resulting in dramatic declines in beaver populations. Some authors attribute this decline to competitive exclusion. Generally, the less niche overlap between competitors, the lower potential competition between them. Differences between foraging behaviour of beaver and ungulates suggest that they could not compete to the point of either competitive exploitation or complete exclusion except in restricted habitats. We tested this assumption under two levels of foraging intensity by ungulates by examining the effects of resource competition on beaver forage choices in the context of central place foraging theory. Ungulate densities and foraging intensity within Elk Island National Park (EINP) in Alberta, Canada, were significantly higher than those immediately adjacent to the park, where foraging pressure was lower. Within EINP, forage availability (e.g., stem densities and stem diameters) of many woody plants preferred by beaver, such as Populus L. and Salix L., were depressed by intense foraging by ungulates. Beaver adapted to the effects of high ungulate densities on forage resources by adapting their foraging behaviour. This finding suggested that competitive exploitation, rather than exclusion, exists in EINP. EINP is a productive system that offers an array of forage species, which potentially buffers the effects of competition between ungulates and beaver.