DOCSLIB.ORG

Are Large Predators Vital to Our Ecosphere?

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Are Large Predators Vital to Our Ecosphere? ARE LARGE PREDATORS VITAL TO OUR ECOSPHERE?: INSTITUTIONAL ANTI- PREDATOR POLICY BIAS IN ELEVEN WESTERN STATES AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPLEMENTING ETHICAL CHANGES IN LARGE MAMMAL PREDATOR MANAGEMENT POLICIES IN A CHANGING LANDSCAPE _________________________________ A Thesis Presented to the Faculty of California State University, Fullerton ___________________________________ In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Science in Environmental Studies ___________________________________ By Jay B. Litvak Approved by: ___________________________________ _ Robert A. Voeks, Committee Chair Date Department of Geography ___________________________________ _ Michael H. Horn, Member Date Department of Biological Sciences ________________________________________ Steven R. James, Member Date Department of Anthropology ABSTRACT This thesis examines the predator management policies of eleven Western States as they compare to the management policies of non-predatory game mammals. I measured for bias by determining the minimum number of discrete actions required for the legal take of each mammal under study. The results yielded qualitative numeric values indicating consistent bias against predatory mammals. I included discussions of trophic influences imparted by large mammalian predators on ecosystems, prehistorical (i.e., Clovis-era 13,000 years ago) and historical origins of anti-predator bias, historical and present-day state predator management policies, emerging multi-disciplinary policies, and suggestions for future policies based on environmental and animal rights concerns from an ethical perspective. My findings indicate both ethical and unethical biases within existing state wildlife management policies. I offer suggestions for creating predator management policies that are both ethical and take into account the necessary public safety issues that are increasingly more relevant due to an ever-expanding urban-wild interface. ii TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT ................................................................................................ ii LIST OF TABLES ........................................................................................ vi LIST OF FIGURES ...................................................................................... vii ACKNOWLEGDEMENTS .............................................................................. viii Chapter 1. INTRODUCTION................................................................................. 1 Purpose............................................................................................. 1 Definitions ......................................................................................... 15 Problems ........................................................................................... 20 2. THE PREHISTORY AND HISTORY OF HUMAN-PREDATOR INTERACTIONS.................................................................................. 22 Introduction....................................................................................... 22 Prehistory .......................................................................................... 23 First Contact (FC) .......................................................................... 23 Late Pleistocene Predator Interactions: Paleoindians and Mammalian Carnivores................................................................... 33 Second Order Predation (2OP) and the Late Pleistocene Extinction Model (PEM).................................................................. 39 The Fate of the Late Pleistocene Predatory Guild ............................. 42 Conclusions and Implications ......................................................... 46 History .............................................................................................. 49 The European Colonization of North America................................... 49 Institutional Predator [Eradication] Control...................................... 56 A Brief History of Environmental Ethics and Animal Rights..................... 66 Early Environmental Activism ......................................................... 66 Contemporary Environmental Activism ............................................ 71 Animal Rights................................................................................ 80 iii Nature’s Dark Side.............................................................................. 94 3. STATE WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT POLICY: QUALITATIVE DATA ANALYSIS.......................................................................................... 96 Introduction....................................................................................... 96 State Results...................................................................................... 99 Arizona......................................................................................... 99 California ...................................................................................... 104 Colorado....................................................................................... 104 Idaho ........................................................................................... 104 Montana ....................................................................................... 104 Nevada......................................................................................... 105 New Mexico .................................................................................. 106 Oregon......................................................................................... 107 Utah............................................................................................. 108 Washington .................................................................................. 109 Wyoming ...................................................................................... 110 Interstate Policy Comparisons ............................................................. 111 Results and Discussion ....................................................................... 116 Specific Policy Recommendations: Reducing Human-Carnivore Conflicts ............................................................................................ 123 Field Research: Policy Recommendations ............................................ 125 Domestic Studies........................................................................... 125 International Studies ..................................................................... 139 Public Attitude Assessment ............................................................ 150 4. CONSERVATION AND POLICY: A CONTEMPORARY APPROACH............. 156 Sound Ideas and Collective Misunderstanding: Is Science Being Heard? ................................................................................ 156 Conservation and Policy: Effectiveness Through Inclusiveness .............. 160 Shouting From the Wilderness: A Solution? .................................... 160 Conservation and Policy: A Contemporary Approach ....................... 162 Cougar Management Guidelines .......................................................... 174 Introduction.................................................................................. 174 Cougar-Prey Relationships ............................................................. 178 Cougar Habitat................................................................................... 179 Assessing Cougar Populations ............................................................. 181 Depredations ..................................................................................... 183 Sport Hunting .................................................................................... 186 Strategies to Manage Cougar-Human Conflicts ..................................... 189 Cougar Research and Management Information ................................... 194 Fatal Outcomes and Public Acceptance ................................................ 196 iv Summary and Conclusions .................................................................. 196 A New Beginning? .............................................................................. 198 Where are We? ............................................................................. 198 Anti-Predator Bias ......................................................................... 199 Ethical and Unethical Bias: A Conundrum? ........................................... 210 Ethical Considerations of the Eleven Western States Wildlife Management Policies .......................................................................... 212 Future Predator Management Policy: The Time is Now......................... 215 A Case of Bias in the Eleven Western States: A Hypothetical Case Study ................................................................................... 221 Conclusion ......................................................................................... 230 APPENDIX ................................................................................................. 232 1. Numeric Listings of State Statutes by State and Species................... 232 SOURCES CONSULTED............................................................................... 243 v LIST OF TABLES Table Page 3.1 DATA AND CALCULATIONS FOR ELEVEN WESTERN STATES ............... 102 3.2 MEASURES FOR IMPROVING STAKEHOLDER RELATIONSHIPS ............ 131 3.3 DIRECT AND INDIRECT HUMAN IMPACTS ON CARNIVORES ..............
Load more

Recommended publications
  • On the Validity of Equus Laurentius Hay, 1913 Eric Scott, Division of Geological Sciences, San Bernardino County Museum, Redlands, California Thomas W
    On the Validity of Equus laurentius Hay, 1913 Eric Scott, Division of Geological Sciences, San Bernardino County Museum, Redlands, California Thomas W. Stafford, Jr., Stafford Research Laboratories, Boulder, Colorado Russell W. Graham, Department of Earth and Space Sciences, Denver Museum of Nature and Sciences, Denver, Colorado Larry D. Martin, Division of Vertebrate Paleontology, Natural History Museum and Biodiversity Research Center, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas ABSTRACT BACKGROUND The species Equus laurentius Hay, 1913 has been controversial since its The species Equus laurentius was named from an associated skull and mandible recovered from a sandbar on the north side of the Kansas River near Lawrence in Douglas County, inception. Authorities have differed over the interpretation of this taxon; Kansas (Hay, 1913). The specimen (KUVP 347) was presumed to be of Pleistocene age, as it was found in apparent association with a femur assigned to Smilodon from the same some have considered it a legitimate Pleistocene horse species, while sandbar and appeared mineralized. E. laurentius was considered by Hay (1913) to be a horse similar in size to smaller domestic breeds, with rather small cheek teeth that exhibited others have proposed that the name is invalid on the basis that the relatively simple enamel infoldings or plications. Measurements provided by Hay (1913) for KUVP 347 did not distinguish the specimen from extant E. caballus (Hay, 1927). holotype specimen is a mineralized skull of a recent horse. As the taxon is still frequently employed in studies of Pleistocene equids, it is important Several subsequent authors (Matthew, 1926; Savage, 1951; Winans, 1985, 1989) considered the holotype of Equus laurentius to be a skull of a modern horse, Equus caballus to correctly assess its validity.
    [Show full text]
  • La Brea and Beyond: the Paleontology of Asphalt-Preserved Biotas
    La Brea and Beyond: The Paleontology of Asphalt-Preserved Biotas Edited by John M. Harris Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County Science Series 42 September 15, 2015 Cover Illustration: Pit 91 in 1915 An asphaltic bone mass in Pit 91 was discovered and exposed by the Los Angeles County Museum of History, Science and Art in the summer of 1915. The Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History resumed excavation at this site in 1969. Retrieval of the “microfossils” from the asphaltic matrix has yielded a wealth of insect, mollusk, and plant remains, more than doubling the number of species recovered by earlier excavations. Today, the current excavation site is 900 square feet in extent, yielding fossils that range in age from about 15,000 to about 42,000 radiocarbon years. Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County Archives, RLB 347. LA BREA AND BEYOND: THE PALEONTOLOGY OF ASPHALT-PRESERVED BIOTAS Edited By John M. Harris NO. 42 SCIENCE SERIES NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY SCIENTIFIC PUBLICATIONS COMMITTEE Luis M. Chiappe, Vice President for Research and Collections John M. Harris, Committee Chairman Joel W. Martin Gregory Pauly Christine Thacker Xiaoming Wang K. Victoria Brown, Managing Editor Go Online to www.nhm.org/scholarlypublications for open access to volumes of Science Series and Contributions in Science. Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County Los Angeles, California 90007 ISSN 1-891276-27-1 Published on September 15, 2015 Printed at Allen Press, Inc., Lawrence, Kansas PREFACE Rancho La Brea was a Mexican land grant Basin during the Late Pleistocene—sagebrush located to the west of El Pueblo de Nuestra scrub dotted with groves of oak and juniper with Sen˜ora la Reina de los A´ ngeles del Rı´ode riparian woodland along the major stream courses Porciu´ncula, now better known as downtown and with chaparral vegetation on the surrounding Los Angeles.
    [Show full text]
  • Forest Habitat Loss and Fragmentation in Central Poland During the Last 100 Years
    Silva Fennica 44(4) research notes SILVA FENNICA www.metla.fi/silvafennica · ISSN 0037-5330 The Finnish Society of Forest Science · The Finnish Forest Research Institute Forest Habitat Loss and Fragmentation in Central Poland during the Last 100 Years Tomasz D. Mazgajski, Michał Żmihorski and Katarzyna Abramowicz Mazgajski, T.D., Żmihorski, M. & Abramowicz, K. 2010. Forest habitat loss and fragmentation in Central Poland during the last 100 years. Silva Fennica 44(4): 715–723. The process of habitat fragmentation consists of two components – habitat loss and fragmenta- tion per se. Both are thought to be among the most important threats to biodiversity. However, the biological consequences of this process such as species occurrence, abundance, or genetic structure of population are driven by current, as well as previous, landscape configurations. Therefore, historical analyses of habitat distribution are of great importance in explaining the current species distribution. In our analysis, we describe the forest fragmentation process for an area of 178 km2 in the northern part of Mazowsze region of central Poland. Topographical maps from the years 1890, 1957 and 1989 were used. Over the 100-year period, forest cover- age in this area changed from 17% to 5.6%, the number of patches increased from 19 to 42, while the area of the forest interior decreased from 1933 ha to 371 ha. The two components of fragmentation were clearly separated in time. Habitat loss occurred mainly during the first period (1890–1957) and fragmentation per se in the second (1957–1989). Moreover, we recorded that only 47.7% of all the currently (in 1989) afforested areas constitute sites where forests previously occurred (in 1890 and 1957).
    [Show full text]
  • Monitoring and Indicators of Forest Biodiversity in Europe – from Ideas to Operationality
    Monitoring and Indicators of Forest Biodiversity in Europe – From Ideas to Operationality Marco Marchetti (ed.) EFI Proceedings No. 51, 2004 European Forest Institute IUFRO Unit 8.07.01 European Environment Agency IUFRO Unit 4.02.05 IUFRO Unit 4.02.06 Joint Research Centre Ministero della Politiche Accademia Italiana di University of Florence (JRC) Agricole e Forestali – Scienze Forestali Corpo Forestale dello Stato EFI Proceedings No. 51, 2004 Monitoring and Indicators of Forest Biodiversity in Europe – From Ideas to Operationality Marco Marchetti (ed.) Publisher: European Forest Institute Series Editors: Risto Päivinen, Editor-in-Chief Minna Korhonen, Technical Editor Brita Pajari, Conference Manager Editorial Office: European Forest Institute Phone: +358 13 252 020 Torikatu 34 Fax. +358 13 124 393 FIN-80100 Joensuu, Finland Email: [email protected] WWW: http://www.efi.fi/ Cover illustration: Vallombrosa, Augustus J C Hare, 1900 Layout: Kuvaste Oy Printing: Gummerus Printing Saarijärvi, Finland 2005 Disclaimer: The papers in this book comprise the proceedings of the event mentioned on the back cover. They reflect the authors' opinions and do not necessarily correspond to those of the European Forest Institute. © European Forest Institute 2005 ISSN 1237-8801 (printed) ISBN 952-5453-04-9 (printed) ISSN 14587-0610 (online) ISBN 952-5453-05-7 (online) Contents Pinborg, U. Preface – Ideas on Emerging User Needs to Assess Forest Biodiversity ......... 7 Marchetti, M. Introduction ...................................................................................................... 9 Session 1: Emerging User Needs and Pressures on Forest Biodiversity De Heer et al. Biodiversity Trends and Threats in Europe – Can We Apply a Generic Biodiversity Indicator to Forests? ................................................................... 15 Linser, S. The MCPFE’s Work on Biodiversity .............................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Report of the Workshop on Assessing the Population Viability of Endangered Marine Mammals in U.S
    Report of the Workshop on Assessing the Population Viability of Endangered Marine Mammals in U.S. Waters 13–15 September 2005 Savannah, Georgia Prepared by the Marine Mammal Commission 2007 This is one of five reports prepared in response to a directive from Congress to the Marine Mammal Commission to assess the cost-effectiveness of protection programs for the most endangered marine mammals in U.S. waters TABLE OF CONTENTS List of Tables ..................................................................................................................... iv Executive Summary.............................................................................................................v I. Introduction..............................................................................................................1 II. Biological Viability..................................................................................................1 III. Population Viability Analysis..................................................................................5 IV. Viability of the Most Endangered Marine Mammals ..............................................6 Extinctions and recoveries.......................................................................................6 Assessment of biological viability...........................................................................7 V. Improving Listing Decisions..................................................................................10 Quantifying the listing process ..............................................................................10
    [Show full text]
  • Understanding the Ecology of Extinction: Are We Close to the Critical Threshold?
    Ann. Zool. Fennici 40: 71–80 ISSN 0003-455X Helsinki 30 April 2003 © Finnish Zoological and Botanical Publishing Board 2003 Understanding the ecology of extinction: are we close to the critical threshold? Tim G. Benton Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Stirling, FK9 4LA, UK (e-mail: [email protected]) Received 25 Nov. 2002, revised version received 20 Jan. 2003, accepted 21 Jan. 2003 Benton, T. G. 2003: Understanding the ecology of extinction: are we close to the critical threshold? — Ann. Zool. Fennici 40: 71–80. How much do we understand about the ecology of extinction? A review of recent lit- erature, and a recent conference in Helsinki gives a snapshot of the “state of the art”*. This “snapshot” is important as it highlights what we currently know, the tools avail- able for studying the process of extinction, its ecological correlates, and the theory concerning extinction thresholds. It also highlights that insight into the ecology of extinction can come from areas as diverse as the study of culture, the fossil record and epidemiology. Furthermore, it indicates where the gaps in knowledge and understand- ing exist. Of particular note is the need either to generate experimental data, or to make use of existing empirical data — perhaps through meta-analyses, to test general theory and guide its future development. Introduction IUCNʼs 2002 Red List, a total of 11 167 species are currently known to be threatened (http:// Few would argue that managing natural popu- www.redlist.org/info/tables/table1.html), though lations and their habitats is one of the greatest this is a gross underestimate of the true value, as, challenges for humans in the 21st century.
    [Show full text]
  • Extinction Debt: a Challenge for Biodiversity Conservation
    This article appeared in a journal published by Elsevier. The attached copy is furnished to the author for internal non-commercial research and education use, including for instruction at the authors institution and sharing with colleagues. Other uses, including reproduction and distribution, or selling or licensing copies, or posting to personal, institutional or third party websites are prohibited. In most cases authors are permitted to post their version of the article (e.g. in Word or Tex form) to their personal website or institutional repository. Authors requiring further information regarding Elsevier’s archiving and manuscript policies are encouraged to visit: http://www.elsevier.com/copyright Author's personal copy Review Extinction debt: a challenge for biodiversity conservation Mikko Kuussaari1, Riccardo Bommarco2, Risto K. Heikkinen1, Aveliina Helm3, Jochen Krauss4, Regina Lindborg5, Erik O¨ ckinger2, Meelis Pa¨ rtel3, Joan Pino6, Ferran Roda` 6, Constantı´ Stefanescu7, Tiit Teder3, Martin Zobel3 and Ingolf Steffan-Dewenter4 1 Finnish Environment Institute, Research Programme for Biodiversity, P.O. Box 140, FI-00251 Helsinki, Finland 2 Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7044, SE-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden 3 Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Lai St 40, Tartu 51005, Estonia 4 Population Ecology Group, Department of Animal Ecology I, University of Bayreuth, Universita¨ tsstrasse 30, D-95447 Bayreuth, Germany 5 Department of System Ecology, Stockholm University, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden 6 CREAF (Center for Ecological Research and Forestry Applications) and Unit of Ecology, Department of Animal Biology, Plant Biology and Ecology, Autonomous University of Barcelona, E-08193 Bellaterra, Spain 7 Butterfly Monitoring Scheme, Museu de Granollers de Cie` ncies Naturals, Francesc Macia` , 51, E-08402 Granollers, Spain Local extinction of species can occur with a substantial proportion of natural habitats worldwide have been lost delay following habitat loss or degradation.
    [Show full text]
  • Critical Thresholds Associated with Habitat Loss for Two Vernal Pool-Breeding Amphibians
    Ecological Applications, 14(5), 2004, pp. 1547±1553 q 2004 by the Ecological Society of America CRITICAL THRESHOLDS ASSOCIATED WITH HABITAT LOSS FOR TWO VERNAL POOL-BREEDING AMPHIBIANS REBECCA NEWCOMB HOMAN,1,3 BRYAN S. WINDMILLER,2 AND J. MICHAEL REED1 1Department of Biology, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155 USA 2Hyla Ecological Services, P.O. Box 182, Lincoln, Massachusetts 01773 USA Abstract. A critical threshold exists when the relationship between the amount of suitable habitat and population density or probability of occurrence exhibits a sudden, disproportionate decline as habitat is lost. Critical thresholds are predicted by a variety of modeling approaches, but empirical support has been limited or lacking. We looked for critical thresholds in two pool-breeding amphibians that spend most of the year in adjacent upland forest: the spotted salamander (Ambystoma maculatum) and the wood frog (Rana sylvatica). These species were selected because of their reported poor dispersal capacities and their dependency on forest habitat when not breeding. Using piecewise regression and binomial change-point tests, we looked for a relationship between the probability of oc- cupancy of a site and forest cover at ®ve spatial scales, measuring forest cover in radial distances from the pond edge of suitable breeding ponds: 30 m, 100 m, 300 m, 500 m, and 1000 m. Using piecewise regression, we identi®ed signi®cant thresholds for spotted sala- manders at the 100-m and 300-m spatial scale, and for wood frogs at the 300-m scale. However, binomial change-point tests identi®ed thresholds at all spatial scales for both species, with the location of the threshold (percent habitat cover required) increasing with spatial scale for spotted salamanders and decreasing with spatial scale for wood frogs.
    [Show full text]
  • A Review of Threshold Responses of Birds to Landscape Changes Across the World
    J. Field Ornithol. 89(4):303–314, 2018 DOI: 10.1111/jofo.12272 A review of threshold responses of birds to landscape changes across the world Isabel Melo,1,5 Jose Manuel Ochoa-Quintero,1,2 Fabio de Oliveira Roque,1,3 and Bo Dalsgaard4 1Programa de Pos-graduacßao~ em Ecologia e Conservacßao,~ INBIO, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande, Mato Grosso de Sul CP 549, CEP 79070-900, Brazil 2Instituto de Investigacion de Recursos Biologicos Alexander von Humboldt, Avenida Circunvalar 16-20, Bogota D.C., Colombia 3Centre for Tropical Environmental and Sustainability Science (TESS) and College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Cairns, QLD 4878, Australia 4Center for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, Copenhagen 2100, Denmark Received 29 June 2018; accepted 26 September 2018 ABSTRACT. Identifying the threshold of habitat cover beyond which species of birds are locally lost is useful for understanding the biological consequences of landscape changes. However, there is little consensus regarding the impact of landscape changes on the likelihood of species extinctions. We conducted a literature search using Scopus and ISI Web of Knowledge databases to identify studies where bird species were used to estimate threshold responses to landscape changes. We obtained a list of 31 papers published from 1994 to 2018, with 24 studies conducted at temperate latitudes and seven in tropical regions. Nineteen studies were based on species-level assessments, and investigators used a variety of response variables such as probability of detection and occurrence to detect threshold responses. Eight studies were based on communities, and species richness and abundance were primarily used to detect threshold responses.
    [Show full text]
  • Dissertation Reproductive Ecology and Population
    DISSERTATION REPRODUCTIVE ECOLOGY AND POPULATION VIABILITY OF ALPINE-ENDEMIC PTARMIGAN POPULATIONS IN COLORADO Submitted by Gregory T. Wann Graduate Degree Program in Ecology In partial fulfillment of the requirements For the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Colorado State University Fort Collins, Colorado Fall 2017 Doctoral committee: Advisor: Cameron L. Aldridge Cameron K. Ghalambor N. Thompson Hobbs Barry R. Noon Copyright by Gregory T. Wann 2017 All Rights Reserved ABSTRACT REPRODUCTIVE ECOLOGY AND POPULATION VIABILITY OF ALPINE-ENDEMIC PTARMIGAN POPULATIONS IN COLORADO Understanding factors regulating populations is a fundamental goal of population ecology. Life-history traits such as survival and fecundity are key vital rates responsible for population change and may vary across elevational gradients. At the upper end of this gradient, the alpine zone, populations are faced with extremely short growing seasons, unpredictable winter conditions dictated by snowpack, and the continued threat of habitat loss due to temperatures increasing beyond the range that defines these cold systems. To date, few studies have addressed population regulation of alpine-endemic species in the context of the aforementioned factors. I used long-term demographic data collected over a 51-year period at two study sites (Mt. Evans and Trail Ridge) together with a contemporary field study (2013- 2015) at three sites (Mt. Evans, Trail Ridge, and Mesa Seco) to examine factors regulating alpine-endemic white-tailed ptarmigan (Lagopus leucura) in Colorado. My first research question addressed fitness consequences of reproductive timing. Past research examining data at the long-term study sites indicated populations responded to warming springs by breeding earlier, and the population that advanced its breeding phenology the most also had a concomitant decreasing trend in observed fecundity.
    [Show full text]
  • Korfanta, N., the Influence of Habitat Fragmentation on Demography And
    To the University of Wyoming: The members of the Committee approve the dissertation of Nicole Korfanta presented on January 12, 2011. Matthew J. Kauffman, Chairperson Daniel B. Tinker, External Department Member Daniel F. Doak David B. McDonald William D. Newmark APPROVED: Frank J. Rahel, Department Chair, Zoology and Physiology B. Oliver Walter, Dean, College of Arts and Sciences Korfanta, Nicole, The influence of habitat fragmentation on demography and extinction risk in a tropical understory bird community, Ph.D., Department of Zoology and Physiology, May 2011. Deforestation is the primary cause of species loss in the tropical forests that harbor much of the world’s biodiversity, and understory bird species are particularly sensitive to resulting habitat fragmentation. Ongoing extinctions long after initial fragmentation suggest that demographic consequence of habitat loss are persistent, but the particular vital rates most affected and the range of demographic responses among species are not well understood. Demographic analyses can be useful in identifying the mechanisms by which fragmentation drives extinctions, assessing extinction risk for remaining populations, and guiding effective conservation planning and reserve design. Through analysis of a long-term capture-recapture dataset for understory birds of the Usambara Mountains, Tanzania, I estimated the effects of habitat fragmentation on apparent survival, recruitment, and population growth rate for 22 species in a highly fragmented sub-montane forest. I also estimated landscape-scale effects through analysis of two disjunct communities in adjacent mountain ranges. To assess the role of depressed demographic rates on the long-term persistence of the avian community on remaining forest fragments, I used count-based population viability analysis to estimate extinction risk for eight species on small (2 ha), medium (34 ha), and (704) large forest fragments.
    [Show full text]
  • Creating Tallgrass Prairie Corridors for Species at Risk Using
    CREATING TALLGRASS PRAIRIE CORRIDORS FOR SPECIES AT RISK USING GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS IN NORFOLK COUNTY, ON Aditi Gupta A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF SCIENCE GRADUATE PROGRAM IN GEOGRAPHY YORK UNIVERSITY TORONTO, ONTARIO December 2018 © Aditi Gupta, 2018 1 ABSTRACT Anthropological land use in Norfolk County, Southwestern Ontario, has resulted in fragmentation of tallgrass prairie habitats which several species at risk are dependent upon. This research aims to create connectivity between fragmented habitats through the development of tallgrass prairie ecological corridors in Norfolk County. Using Geographic Information Systems- based Multi-Criteria Evaluation, attribute layers were weighted according to their relative importance and combined. Five models were developed to represent the varying habitat requirements for ten at-risk species. The most suitable values in each model were combined to create one habitat index map illustrating the best suitability for all species considered in the study. The habitat index map forms the cost surface used to perform a least-cost path analysis which illustrates the optimal corridor connecting core areas. Ideal lands for acquisition for corridor development are low cost, distant from urban built up areas, existing in natural landscapes, and connected to large reserve patches. ii DEDICATION This thesis is dedicated to my mother who has an unwavering belief in my abilities and understood my true passions before I could even begin to comprehend them. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First and foremost, I extend my most sincere gratitude to my supervisor, Dr.Justin Podur for his years of support and guidance.
    [Show full text]