West-central Alberta Research Articles

Chemical Immobilization Effects on Cougar (Felis concolor) Movement.

Capturing and handling wildlife is a common practice for both management and research. As telemetry use has become common, the need to capture and chemically immobilize wildlife has increased. Understanding how long the effects of immobilizing agents last after releasing the animal is often poorly understood but needed to ensure that analyses use data that reflect natural behavior. Between 2016 and 2021, 60 cougars (Puma concolor) were chemically immobilized with medetomidine, zolazepam, and tiletamine (MZT) and collared across west-central Alberta, Canada, 27 of which were individuals being recollared. We examined the distance an individual traveled per day and compared equivalent periods before and after the recollaring event to determine whether postcapture movement rates were significantly different from precapture rates. Within 1 d of the recollaring, daily movement rates had returned to precapture rates (t20=2.09, P=0.18). Our results provide insight on how MZT used in cougars affects their postcapture movement and thus may be helpful in interpreting movement data after release.

Mid-Rotation Impacts of Stand Tending with Glyphosate on Plant Diversity in the Boreal Forest of West-Central Alberta

Stand tending using glyphosate to promote coniferous overstory trees has been a common practice in the boreal forests of Alberta. However, there are concerns about the impact of this practice on biodiversity of understory species. This study examined the impact of broadcast glyphosate application during the active reforestation phase, two to several years post-harvest, on forest plant diversity 25 to 40 years post-harvest. Herbicide treatments had the desired effect of shifting tree layer dominance from deciduous to coniferous species, driven by a 25-fold reduction in the density of trembling aspen (3927 vs. 154 stems·ha−1, untreated and treated, respectively). However, understory plant diversity was not significantly different between treated and untreated sites as examined by the Shannon–Wiener (H) and evenness (E) indices. Shared plant species (beta) across sites was high. Of the seven site-indicator species examined, three had significantly lower cover on treated sites: Wild sarsaparilla, low bush-cranberry and oak fern. Total understory plant cover was significantly greater in the treated portion (98.0%) versus untreated (71.4%); however, this difference was not significant when bryophytes were excluded in the analysis. The establishment, maintenance and monitoring of larger long-term trials is strongly recommended.

Observational data-based sequence stratigraphy of a clastic wedge within an active foreland basin, Spirit River Formation, west-central Alberta, Canada

The Spirit River Formation forms a third-order clastic wedge that consists of strongly progradational to aggradational parasequence sets following a maximum transgression. This observed parasequence stacking pattern is opposite from the traditional sequence stratigraphic models following a maximum marine transgression. The previously recognized gas-charged but low permeability reservoir sandstone bodies of the progradational succession were disregarded as it has required the recent technological advancement of horizontal wells with multistage hydraulic fracturing to exploit them. The unusual parasequence stacking pattern of the progradational succession was unraveled by detailed logging of 10's of cored intervals and 1,000's of wells with log suites for facies analysis and sequence stratigraphy. Evaluation of the local basin controls on parasequence set stacking patterns shows a high sediment influx relative to the available and rate of creation of new accommodation space relationship controlled the initial strongly progradational stacking pattern of the lower part of the Spirit River Formation. A high sediment influx was maintained, but a significant increase in accommodation from increased tectonic activity and associated subsidence resulted in the overlying strongly aggradational parasequence set stacking pattern of the upper part of the Spirit River Formation. Understanding the local basin controls on sedimentation and accommodation that helps predict parasequence set stacking patterns leads to better unconventional exploration and exploitation opportunities worldwide of clastic wedges.

Filling the Bearpaw gap: Evidence for palaeoenvironment-driven taxon distribution in a diverse, non-marine ecosystem from the late Campanian of west-Central Alberta, Canada

Patterns of Late Cretaceous terrestrial vertebrate diversity across North America have been interpreted primarily in terms of biogeographic provincialism driven by latitude or coastal-inland habitat gradients. A major difficulty in determining the influence of these two gradients is the existence of some large gaps in the terrestrial fossil record, notably the ‘Bearpaw gap’ caused by a transgression of the inland Bearpaw Seaway during the latter part of the Campanian. In this context, the terrestrial fauna preserved in the Campanian deposits of the Wapiti Formation (west-central Alberta, Canada) is crucial for addressing the information deficit. Deposited at the edge of the palaeo-circumpolar region, Unit 3 of the strictly terrestrial Wapiti Formation (WU3) is coeval with the ‘Bearpaw gap’, a period when the terrestrial record from better-sampled areas elsewhere in Canada and the U.S.A. gives way to marine sediments. Here we show, based largely on evidence from the recently discovered DC (Dinosaur-Chelonian) Bonebed locality, that the diverse WU3 vertebrate fauna shares similarities with lowland to marginal marine ecosystems in the Oldman and Dinosaur Park formations which were deposited in southern Alberta prior to the Bearpaw gap. In addition, a major change in faunal composition demarcates the upper boundary of WU3, related to the disappearance of the Bearpaw Sea in Canada. Data presented here help, first and foremost, to bridge an ~1.2-million-year gap in the North American record of Campanian terrestrial vertebrates. Resemblances between the WU3 vertebrate fauna and slightly older assemblages from southern Alberta underscore the importance of determining the spatiotemporal changes in environmental factors (e.g., coastal proximity). The occurrence of one seemingly endemic lizard, together with differences in relative taxon abundance, suggest additional latitude-correlated factors, implicating both latitudinal and coastal-inland habitat gradients in driving the taxonomic composition of Late Cretaceous terrestrial faunas. • We introduce a new microvertebrate site from the late Campanian of western Canada. • A diverse non-marine fauna coeval with the Bearpaw Formation is discussed. • Vertebrate community is compared with others from the Campanian of Alberta. • Data help filling the information deficit related to the ‘Bearpaw Gap’.

Effects of salinity on the leaching of ionic species from hydrocarbon target formations during hydraulic fracturing

The combination of hydraulic fracturing with horizontal drilling has revolutionized oil and gas production. However, most of our understanding of the subsurface mechanisms and chemical interactions that occur during the process come from analyses of flowback and produced water (FPW). While the chemical composition of FPW can provide some information to understand water-rock interactions in the subsurface, the mechanisms by which dissolved species, including potentially toxic heavy metals (PTHM), are mobilized remain poorly constrained. In this study, we used stirred benchtop reactors to simulate the geochemical processes that occur when injected hydraulic fracturing fluid (HFF) interacts with reservoir rock formations of the Upper Devonian Duvernay Formation, a mudstone formation that is an important hydraulic fracturing target in west-central Alberta, Canada. Our aims were to: (1) assess whether our laboratory methods can be used to predict the inorganic chemistry of FPW, including concentrations of PTHM, and (2) to ascertain the reaction kinetics and mechanisms of the release of inorganic components from reservoir rocks. Our results indicate that elemental concentration data from reactor experiments coupled with saturation indices modelling can be used to predict the assemblage of solid phases that precipitates downhole, such as barite + celestine + gypsum. High salinity experiments (0.5 M NaCl), simulating FPW reuse, showed increased concentrations of many dissolved species with increasing salinity. Our findings were corroborated with geochemical modelling of FPW samples collected from operating unconventional wells in the Duvernay Formation. FPW from wells using a mixture of recycled produced water (RPW) and fresh source water to make up the injected HFF had higher concentrations of many elements, including the PTHM, Ba, Sr, and As. Our work illustrates the potential environmental risks of using RPW in hydraulic fracturing operations in the event of a spill and it provides a robust benchtop approach to predict the leaching of elements from the host rock during hydraulic fracturing.

Observational Data-Based Sequence Stratigraphy of a Clastic Wedge within an Active Foreland Basin, Spirit River Formation, West-Central Alberta, Canada

Observational Data-Based Sequence Stratigraphy of a Clastic Wedge within an Active Foreland Basin, Spirit River Formation, West-Central Alberta, Canada

Migratory Connectivity and Nesting Behavior in Harlequin Ducks (Histrionicus histrionicus) Based on Light-Level Geolocator Data

The Harlequin Duck (Histrionicus histrionicus) is a species of conservation priority in western North America. Harlequin Ducks breed in small, isolated populations and have specific nesting requirements. Archival, light-level geolocators are increasingly being used as a low-cost, non-invasive tracking technology to explore migratory connectivity. From 2015-2019, geolocators were deployed on 70 Harlequin Ducks in breeding streams of the Rocky Mountains, Canada and USA, to obtain information on connectivity (breeding to non-breeding), molt-winter sites, dispersal, and breeding phenology. Twenty-two of the 70 geolocators were retrieved from locations in the Rocky Mountains (Alberta, Canada; Montana and Wyoming, USA) and analyzed using the TwGeos and FLightR R packages. Harlequin Ducks from the warmer climate of northwest Montana migrated in spring and started incubation one to two weeks earlier than ducks in west-central Alberta and the greater Yellowstone area. During the non-breeding period, individuals dispersed along the Pacific coast, from Oregon to the Alaskan Panhandle, independent of breeding site. Females that incubated successfully spent 32-34 days incubating, which is several days longer than what is in the literature. Use of geolocators provided detailed information about migration connectivity and breeding behavior in a cost effective and relatively non-invasive manner.

Woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus) avoid wellsite activity during winter

Woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus) are threatened in Alberta in part due to the development of oil and gas resources. To inform best management practices for caribou, we assessed how proximity to wellsites influenced caribou habitat selection, and whether habitat selection varied across wellsite activity phases (i.e., drilling, producing, and inactive). We used location data from 37 GPS-collared caribou monitored between 2007 and 2013 in west-central Alberta to model habitat selection. Our results suggest the influence of wellsites on caribou habitat selection are temporally dynamic. The largest impacts occur when human activity at wellsites is greatest, however wellsites continue to influence caribou habitat selection after human activity ceases. Caribou avoided wellsites, and avoidance increased relative to the degree of activity at the nearest wellsite. During early winter, caribou avoided wellsites in the drilling phase more than inactive and producing wellsites. During late winter, caribou avoided wellsites in producing phases more than inactive wellsites. Caribou may benefit from management practices that include i) seasonal timing restrictions on drilling, ii) reductions of human activity at wellsites, whether in duration or intensity, iii) land-use planning to coordinate the placement of wellsites to minimize impacts to caribou and their habitat, and iv) prompt and effective restoration of wellsites to match original habitat conditions once production has stopped.

Space use of cougars at the northern edge of their range

AbstractThe space use strategies animals use to acquire resources needed for survival and reproduction reflect life history traits and individual behaviors. For large solitary carnivores, such as cougars (Puma concolor), prey, mates, and safe habitat in which to raise offspring, are resources that influence space use. Most animal home range studies investigate differences between sexes but fail to explore the space use patterns among individuals. We first used 95% minimum convex polygon (MCP), kernel density estimate (KDE), and Brownian bridge estimator (BB), to estimate the home range of 43 cougars satellite-collared in west-central Alberta, Canada, in 2016–2018. We found that adult males (MCP = 498 km2; KDE = 623 km2; BB = 547 km2) had home ranges that were more than twice the size of those of adult females (MCP = 181 km2; KDE = 273 km2; BB = 217 km2). We then used net squared displacement, path segmentation analysis, and multi-response permutation procedure, to examine the space use patterns of 27 female and 16 male cougars. We constructed a decision tree and found that 23% of cougars were dispersers (12% of females and 44% of males), 47% were residents (58% of females and 31% of males), 9% were seasonal home range shifters (12% of females and 6% of males), and 19% shifted to a new area during the study period (19% of females and 19% of males). We learned that dispersers all were subadults, whereas all residents, seasonal shifters, and shifters, were adults, except for one subadult male. Our study provides insights on animal home ranges with methods to categorize different space use strategies which could be used to help assess the dynamics of a population.

Unravelling the impacts of disturbance type and regeneration on movement of threatened species

Anthropogenic disturbance alters animal movements. Large mammals require vast areas to meet their needs, and they encounter anthropogenic disturbances frequently during daily movements. We assessed the impact of disturbance on the daily movement of two large threatened mammals, and examined the nuances of movement response to type and regeneration of disturbance across seasons. We calculated daily net displacement (Euclidian distance between first and last GPS location) and sinuosity (total path length divided by displacement) of grizzly bears and caribou in west-central Alberta, Canada using GPS locations. We assessed links between daily movement and densities of roads, pipelines, seismic lines, harvest blocks, and wellsites. We also considered the effect of harvest block and seismic line regeneration based on LiDAR-derived vegetation height. During early winter, net displacement of caribou increased in relation to the density of wellsites and harvest blocks. Grizzly bear net displacement increased and sinuosity decreased in relation to the density of non-linear disturbances (harvest blocks, wellsites) during spring. During summer, grizzly bear net displacement increased in relation to secondary road density and decreased in relation to wellsite density. During fall, grizzly bear net displacement decreased in relation to secondary road density and increased in relation to harvest block and pipeline density. Caribou and grizzly bears adjusted their movement in response to disturbances, but each species responded differently and in accordance with its seasonal ecology. Assessing the impacts of disturbance on threatened species across spatiotemporal scales and seasons provides useful insights for multi-species conservation strategies.

Simulating multi-scale movement decision-making and learning in a large carnivore using agent-based modelling

There is a vital need to understand wildlife movement and space-use patterns to inform conservation efforts given current rates of anthropogenic environmental change. Grizzly bears (Ursus arctos), among other large predators, are especially vulnerable to landscape change given their need to travel across large areas in search of seasonally available foods. Understanding how grizzly bears make movement decisions based on learned knowledge and how these decisions lead to home range size is key in developing effective conservation and management decisions. While previous research has provided insight into bear relationships to various landscape features, many conventional approaches are challenged by the need to understand how complex movement decisions over time allow bears to access habitat providing necessary resources and establish a home range. We present a novel agent-based model (ABM) that simulates individual bear movement decisions at multiple scales that are governed by learning and memory in a dynamic landscape. Using GPS-radio collared data of bear movement in west-central Alberta, our model successfully identifies movement behaviours that lead to the emergence of home ranges and provides new insight into how bears use previously acquired landscape data to maximize use of high-quality areas within a heterogeneous landscape. Future modelling efforts should continue to explore the intricacies of movement behaviour in wide-ranging species, including the movement-memory interface.

Mapping recreation and tourism use across grizzly bear recovery areas using social network data and maximum entropy modelling

Understanding biodiversity pressures associated with recreation and tourism is a major challenge for conservation planning and landscape management. While estimates of landscape use are often collected using mechanisms such as park entry fees and traffic density estimates, these data do not provide substantial detail about the spatial location or intensity of recreation and tourism across biodiversity management areas. To better predict patterns of recreation and tourism likelihood to support conservation planning, we used social network data from Facebook(™), Flickr(™), Google(™), Strava(™), and Wikilocs(™) along with a suite of remote-sensing-derived environmental covariates in a maximum entropy (MaxEnt) presence-only modelling framework. Social network samples were compiled and processed to reduce sampling bias and spatial autocorrelation. Road access, climate data, and remote sensing covariates describing vegetation greenness, disturbance, topography, and moisture were used as predictor variables in the MaxEnt modelling framework. Our focus site was a grizzly bear (Ursus arctos) management area in west-central Alberta, Canada. Individual models were developed for each social network dataset, as well as a combined model including all the samples . Mean cross-validated AUC, partial ROC, and true skill statistics (TSS) were used to evaluate model accuracy. Results indicated that the covariates proposed were able to best model Strava and Wikilocs activity (TSS = 0.69 and 0.50, respectively), while samples from Flickr or the combination of all social networks were least accurate (TSS = 0.32). The “access” covariate was most important for MaxEnt training gain across a number of social network models, highlighting the importance of access for recreation and tourism likelihood. The summer heat moisture index and normalized burn ratio were also useful spatial covariates in many predictions. Recreation and tourism likelihood maps were combined with grizzly bear telemetry data to examine how recreation and tourism may affect grizzly bear behaviour. All social network models found a similar influence on grizzly bear behaviour, with increasing recreation and tourism use resulting in decreased foraging behaviour and increased rapid movement, suggesting that the models developed here are useful tools for predicting grizzly bear behaviour and planning conservation strategies for the species.

Evolution of the Western Interior Seaway in west-central Alberta (late Campanian, Canada): Implications for hydrocarbon exploration

This study presents the first integrated, high-resolution stratigraphic analysis of a large area of the Cretaceous Western Interior Basin in Alberta (western Canada), providing new tools to discriminate sedimentary processes and stratigraphic patterns of transgressive-regressive (T-R) cycles in correlative marine and non-marine domains. We integrate gamma ray well-log analysis, measured sections, and paleontological data to determine sediment accumulation and distribution during the second-order T-R cycle of the late Campanian Western Interior Seaway over a previously unstudied area encompassing approximately 97,000 km2 of the Alberta foreland basin. The Bearpaw Formation, historically regarded as the product of a single transgression, is shown to include two T-R cycles, whose timing is constrained by new chronostratigraphic data that provides an unprecedented resolution (~200 kyr) for the Cretaceous of western North America. Seven reference stratigraphic markers were mapped across the study area from the marine deposits into the fluvial domains. 3D-modelled stratigraphic surfaces and stratigraphic intervals resulted in isopach maps for consecutive systems tracts, allowing detailed interpretations of their architecture and patterns of sediment accumulation. Our analysis provides paleogeographic maps for the Western Interior Seaway, focusing primarily on the evidence of the paleo-coastlines during the documented cycles. The distribution of fine-grained, primarily marine, sediments resulted in an effective seal for hydrocarbon accumulation in the Belly River Group. Further oil migration upsection, within the Edmonton group, was prevented by the occurrence of these sealing units. Data support the interpretation that eustasy provided the main control on the evolution of the Western Interior Seaway during the late Campanian.

Significance and Distribution of Apatite in the Triassic Doig Phosphate Zone, Western Canada Sedimentary Basin

The Doig Phosphate Zone (DPZ) is a phosphate-bearing marine unit located at the base of the Doig Formation, in the Triassic section of the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin. The DPZ has a maximum thickness of 90 m and extends across northeastern British Columbia and west-central Alberta. In this study, we characterize the significance and interpret the origin of apatite in the DPZ through mineralogical and geochemical analyses, thin section study, and field emission scanning electron microscopy. The occurrence of apatite in the DPZ is not evenly distributed but restricted to discrete 10 to 20 cm thick beds, located near the base of the DPZ. Phosphorites are of two types: grainstones composed primarily of unconformity-bounded coated grains, and intraclastic phosphorites composed of detrital silt-sized grains and apatite coated grains in a cryptocrystalline phosphatic matrix. The phosphorite beds are records of stratigraphic condensation due to low detrital input during transgression. The erosionally truncated phosphatic coated grains and intraclasts are interpreted to be a result of various phases of phosphatization, exhumation, erosion, reworking, winnowing, and redeposition in alternating quiescence and storms or bottom currents. The abundance of pyrite and chalcophile trace elements, as well as the low concentration of proxy elements for organic matter productivity and preservation, are further evidence of stratigraphic condensation, with sulfidic pore water development and extensive organic recycling promoted by biological activity during the long exposure times. The phosphorites were formed under oxygenated water conditions, as suggested by the depletion in Ce and the presence of a diverse benthic fauna.

Understory vegetation responses to simulated mountain pine beetle attack and salvage logging in grey attack stage lodgepole pine stands

Disturbances are an integral part of forest ecosystems and drive successional change. The boreal forest is adapted to stand-replacing fires, which have different ecological impacts than less severe disturbances, such as insect attacks. In recent years, mountain pine beetle (MPB), a bark beetle native to western North America, has undergone an unprecedented range expansion into lodgepole pine forests in west-central Alberta, Canada. MPB influences understory microclimatic conditions and above- and below-ground resources, but does not have the direct impacts on ground vegetation and the forest floor that normally accompany wildfire. The objective of this study was to quantify vegetation responses to MPB in forests for which this is a novel disturbance. Our replicated field experiment included an untreated control, medium and high tree mortality (simulated MPB-attack through stem injection of herbicide), and harvesting to simulate salvage logging. We used univariate and multivariate analyses to examine responses of understory vegetation to these treatments from pre- to seven years post-treatment. The severity of disturbance determined the magnitude of vegetation changes. Only the simulated salvage logging resulted in immediate changes post-treatment. Seven years post-treatment, vascular plant richness increased along the gradient of treatment severity. Total vegetation cover declined in the short term after salvage logging but then returned to pre-treatment levels. Notably, graminoid cover increased with the high-mortality MPB and salvage logging treatment, and remained higher in these two treatments, seven years post-treatment. Changes in species composition were most dramatic for salvage logging followed by the high mortality and then the medium mortality treatments; by seven years post-treatment there were indications that communities were beginning to recover to their pre-treatment composition. Feathermosses were indicative of the untreated control, shade-tolerant species increased their relative abundance in the medium mortality treatment, both shade-tolerant and intolerant species increased their relative abundance in the high mortality treatment, and disturbance-adapted, shade-intolerant species (including lodgepole pine) were indicators of salvage logging. We conclude that stands experiencing medium levels (~50%) of MPB-caused mortality will demonstrate resistance (change less or more slowly) and/or resilience (recover to the pre-disturbance condition more quickly) as compared to those experiencing high levels (~100%) of mortality, which show changes in understory composition that might influence stand successional trajectories. Effects of salvage logging will be much more dramatic than those of the MPB attack. Our results can help inform decisions on management or rehabilitation of stands post-MPB attack.

Forest Values & Genomic Selection: Perspectives of Stakeholder Groups in Two West-Central Alberta Communities

Forest Values & Genomic Selection: Perspectives of Stakeholder Groups in Two West-Central Alberta Communities

Detecting changes in understorey and canopy vegetation cycles in West Central Alberta using a fusion of Landsat and MODIS

AbstractAimsTo model regional vegetation cycles through data fusion methods for creating a 30‐m daily vegetation product from 2000 to 2018 and to analyze annual vegetation trends over this time period.LocationThe Yellowhead Bear Management Area, a 31,180‐km2 area in west central Alberta, Canada.MethodsIn this paper, we use Dynamic Time Warping (DTW) as a data fusion technique to combine Landsat 5, 7 and 8 satellite data and Moderate Resolution Image Spectroradiometer (MODIS) Aqua and Terra imagery, to quantify daily vegetation using Enhanced Vegetation Index at a 30‐m resolution, for the years 2000–2018. We validated this approach, entitled DRIVE (Daily Remote Inference of VEgetation), using imagery acquired from a network of ground cameras.ResultsWhen DRIVE was compared to start and end of season dates (SOS and EOS respectively) derived from ground cameras, correlations were r = 0.73 at SOS and r = 0.85 at EOS with a mean absolute error of 7.17 days at SOS and 10.76 days at EOS. Results showed that DRIVE accurately increased spatial and temporal resolution of remote‐sensing data. We demonstrated that SOS is advancing at a maximum rate of 0.78 days per year temporally over the 18‐year time period for varying elevation gradients and land cover classes over the region.ConclusionsWith DRIVE, we demonstrate the utility of DTW in quantifying vegetation cycles over a large heterogeneous region and determining how changing climate is affecting regional vegetation. DRIVE may prove to be an important method to determine how carbon sequestration is varying within fine‐scale individual plant communities in response to changing climate and likely will be beneficial to wildlife movement and habitat selection studies examining the varying response of wildlife species to changing vegetation cycles under shifting climatic conditions.

Harvested forests as a surrogate to wildfires in relation to grizzly bear food-supply in west-central Alberta

Grizzly bear (Ursus arctos) populations residing in interior ecosystems of North America are known to frequent harvested areas and areas burnt by wildfires, as both disturbances encourage growth of early seral vegetation preferred by them. This is especially evident in places where there is a paucity of large natural openings and areas with a long history of wildfire suppression, such as the foothill forests of west-central Alberta. Little has been done, however, to directly quantify and compare grizzly bear food-supply in both disturbance types and at early stages of forest regeneration. In this paper, we explore whether harvested areas can act as surrogates to wildfires for grizzly bear food-supply in west-central Alberta, Canada. We sampled known fruit-bearing and herbaceous grizzly bear foods for their occurrence, productivity, and digestible energy supply among post-harvest, post-fire, and mature forests disturbance types, and across very young (~5 yrs), young (~20 yrs), and mid (~60 yrs) age-classes for post-harvest and post-fire disturbances. A variety of foods occurred at greater frequency in post-harvest stands, with the occurrence of most foods explained by the main effects of disturbance and age-class, or in combination with one environmental covariate. Overall, fruit productivity and digestible energy from fruits were highest in the young age-class, whereas forb productivity and digestible energy from forbs were highest in the very young age-class. There were no significant differences in total available digestible energy (fruit + forb) between post-harvest and post-fire stands within any age-class, but significant differences were evident between age-classes. These results suggest that harvested areas can potentially act as a surrogate to wildfires in relation to grizzly bear food-supply, but human access remains a key challenge for harvests given their association with roads. We suggest that harvested areas could be used as management tool to maintain or enhance grizzly bear food-supply and thus contribute to population recovery efforts, especially in areas of wildfire suppression.

Predicting patterns of vegetation recovery on seismic lines: Informing restoration based on understory species composition and growth

Linear disturbances impact ecosystems and species worldwide. These impacts are perhaps most profound in forest ecosystems like the Canadian boreal forest which has been fragmented by an extensive network of seismic lines which affect a number of boreal species. Of particular concern are the impacts of seismic lines on boreal and mountain woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou), which are declining across Canada primarily because of an increase in anthropogenic habitat disturbance including seismic lines, within their ranges. Restoring seismic lines is a focus of conservation efforts for caribou, however their extensive footprint implies that restoration efforts will need to be prioritized to target the ultimate (habitat disturbance, early seral stage vegetation), and proximate (wolf predation) causes of caribou declines. To help inform restoration efforts we used field data collected in 2014 and 2015 from 291 seismic lines in west-central and north-western Alberta, Canada, and GIS-derived and remote sensing (LiDAR) data to model and map vegetation recovery (growth, structure, and composition) on seismic lines and along seismic line edges. Although we found differences among regions and taxa, generally we found that wet seismic lines and seismic lines adjacent to open forest stands were more likely to have more early seral stage vegetation that is attractive wildlife forage. We also found that in west-central Alberta, wet seismic lines had less vegetation growth and cover, while in north-western Alberta, wet seismic lines were more likely to have more vegetation cover, but there was no relationship between vegetation growth on seismic lines and seismic line wetness. Using field data we predicted that vegetation on seismic lines within our study area had grown between 1 and 2 m between 2007 and 2015; however as our models of vegetation growth did not validate well other techniques (e.g. UAVs) and studies focused at smaller scales are likely to provide accurate data on current vegetation height and cover on seismic lines. Our results combined with results from previous research provide further evidence that seismic lines, particularly wet seismic lines, need active restoration to re-establish natural vegetation trajectories. Overall, targeting seismic line restoration treatments to change vegetation composition, as well as structure and height, will likely help to restore ecosystem function for caribou and other boreal species.

Web-based application for threatened woodland caribou population modeling.

ABSTRACTWoodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) are threatened in Canada, with population and distribution declines evident in most regions of the country. Causes of declines are linked to landscape change from forest fires and human development, notably forestry oil and gas activities, which result in caribou habitat loss and affect ecosystem food webs. The Federal Species at Risk Act requires effective protection and restoration of caribou habitat, with actions to increase caribou survival. These requirements call for effective monitoring of caribou population trends to gauge success. Many woodland caribou populations are nearly impossible to count using traditional aerial survey methods, but demographic‐based monitoring approaches can be used to estimate population trends based on population modeling of vital rates from marked animals. Monitoring programs have used a well‐known simple population model (the Recruitment‐Mortality [R/M] equation) to estimate demographic rates for woodland caribou, but have faced challenges in managing large data streams and providing transparency in the demographic estimation process. We present a stand‐alone statistical software application using open‐source software to permit efficient, transparent, and replicable demographic estimation for woodland caribou populations. We developed an easy‐to‐use, interactive web‐based application for the R/M population model that uses a Bayesian estimation approach and provides the user flexibility in choice of prior distributions and other output features. We illustrate the web‐application to the A la Pêche Southern Mountain (Central Group) woodland caribou population in west‐central Alberta, Canada, during 1998–2017. Our estimates of population demographics are consistent with previous research on this population and highlight the utility of the application in assessing caribou population responses to species recovery actions. We provide example data, computer code, the web‐based application package, and a user manual to guide installation and use. We also review underlying assumptions and challenges of population monitoring in this case study. We expect our software will contribute to efficient monitoring of woodland caribou and help in the assessment of recovery actions for this species. © 2019 The Authors. Wildlife Society Bulletin Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.