What Can We Learn from Calf/Cow Ratios?

Nicholas J. DeCesare,* Wildlife Biology Program, Department of Ecosystem and Conservation Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana 59812, nick.decesare@umontana.edu

Mark Hebblewhite, Wildlife Biology Program, Department of Ecosystem and Conservation Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana 59812

Mark Bradley, Parks Canada, Jasper National Park, Box 10, Jasper, Alberta, T0E 1E0, Canada

Kirby G. Smith, Alberta Sustainable Resource Development, Edson, Alberta, T7E 1T2, Canada

David Hervieux, Alberta Sustainable Resource Development, Grande Prairie, Alberta, T8V 6J4, Canada Lalenia Neufeld, Parks Canada, Jasper National Park, Box 10, Jasper, Alberta, T0E 1E0, Canada

Abstract

Trends in population growth can be monitored with data for key vital rates without requiring knowledge of abundance. Adult female survival has the highest elasticity for ungulate population dynamics, but the more variable recruitment rates can be better predictors of local variation in growth rates. Recruitment is often monitored using young adult age ratios, which are difficult to reliably interpret given the contribution of multiple vital rates to annual ratios. We show how concurrent monitoring of adult female survival and age ratios allows both retrospective estimation of empirical population growth rates and the decomposition of recruitment-specific vital rates. We demonstrate the estimation of recruitment and population growth rates for one woodland caribou population using these methods, including elasticity and life-stage simulation analysis of the relative contribution of adult female survival and recruitment rates to variation in population growth. We show, for this woodland caribou population, that adult survival and recruitment rates are nearly equivalent drivers of population growth rates. We recommend the concurrent monitoring of adult female survival to reliably interpret age ratios when managing caribou and other ungulates.

Montana Chapter Of The Wildlife Society 49St Annual Meeting

Multiplying Human Impacts Bordering Open Space: Challenges For Wildlife Habitat And Connectivity Protection

February 22-25, 2011 Missoula, Montana

General Abstracts

Alphabetical By First Author's Last Name (* Denotes Presenter)