Population Dynamics of Reintroduced Elk (Cervus Elaphus) in Eastern North America by Jesse N. Popp
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Population Dynamics of Reintroduced Elk (Cervus elaphus) in Eastern North America by Jesse N. Popp Thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Boreal Ecology Faculty of Graduate Studies Laurentian University Sudbury, Ontario © Jesse N. Popp 2017 THESIS DEFENCE COMMITTEE/COMITÉ DE SOUTENANCE DE THÈSE Laurentian Université/Université Laurentienne Faculty of Graduate Studies/Faculté des études supérieures Title of Thesis Titre de la thèse Population Dynamics of Reintroduced Elk (Cervus elaphus) in Eastern North America Name of Candidate Nom du candidat Popp, Jesse Degree Diplôme Doctor of Philosophy Department/Program Date of Defence Département/Programme PhD Boreal Ecology Date de la soutenance April 20, 2017 APPROVED/APPROUVÉ Thesis Examiners/Examinateurs de thèse: Dr. Frank F. Mallory (Supervisor/Directeur(trice) de thèse) Dr. Joseph Hamr (Co-supervisor/Co-directeur(trice) de thèse) Dr. Michael Persinger (Committee member/Membre du comité) Dr. Mark Boyce (Committee member/Membre du comité) Approved for the Faculty of Graduate Studies Dr. Jeff Larkin Approuvé pour la Faculté des études supérieures (Committee member/Membre du comité) Dr. David Lesbarrères Monsieur David Lesbarrères Dr. Arthur Rodgers Dean, Faculty of Graduate Studies (External Examiner/Examinateur externe) Doyen, Faculté des études supérieures Dr. Robert Lafrenie (Internal Examiner/Examinateur interne) ACCESSIBILITY CLAUSE AND PERMISSION TO USE I, Jesse Popp, hereby grant to Laurentian University and/or its agents the non-exclusive license to archive and make accessible my thesis, dissertation, or project report in whole or in part in all forms of media, now or for the duration of my copyright ownership. I retain all other ownership rights to the copyright of the thesis, dissertation or project report. I also reserve the right to use in future works (such as articles or books) all or part of this thesis, dissertation, or project report. I further agree that permission for copying of this thesis in any manner, in whole or in part, for scholarly purposes may be granted by the professor or professors who supervised my thesis work or, in their absence, by the Head of the Department in which my thesis work was done. It is understood that any copying or publication or use of this thesis or parts thereof for financial gain shall not be allowed without my written permission. It is also understood that this copy is being made available in this form by the authority of the copyright owner solely for the purpose of private study and research and may not be copied or reproduced except as permitted by the copyright laws without written authority from the copyright owner. ii Abstract Studies that focus on identifying factors that influence reintroduction success have often taken an individual population approach; however, investigating multiple populations can provide additional insight. The overall objective of this research was to emphasize the value of using within- and among-population approaches to identifying factors that influence the population dynamics of a reintroduced species. Elk (Cervus elaphus), a species that was extirpated from eastern North America during the late 1800s, has been reintroduced to portions of its former range over the past century through several initiatives. Today, there are several established populations across eastern regions of the USA and Canada, for which extensive monitoring data are available, creating an opportunity to investigate reintroduction success. I aimed to use these data to identify factors associated with changes in the survival and population growth rates of 10 reintroduced elk populations across eastern North America. More specifically, I: (1) performed a literature review detailing the history of elk reintroduction in eastern North America over the past century, (2) identified factors associated with the variation in population growth rates (reintroduction success) for 10 reintroduced elk populations using an among-population approach, (3) identified and assessed how climate affected the population growth rates of 7 reintroduced elk populations, and (4) investigated direct causes of mortality (predation and train collisions) associated with a single elk population experiencing low population growth. Although the number of successful elk restoration attempts has increased over the past century, there has been substantial variation in population growth rates among reintroductions. Major iii causes of elk mortality in restored populations differed between the pre- to post-acclimation phases of reintroduction. Population growth rates were negatively related to the percentage of coniferous forest within elk population range, suggesting that expansive areas of coniferous forests in eastern North America may represent sub-optimal elk habitat. The Burwash elk population in Ontario had low growth rate compared to most other populations reintroduced into eastern North America. Predation and train collisions were the most important source of mortality for this population. The number of annual elk-train collisions, as well as their locations, were monitored and recorded over 14 years. Collision locations were highly site- specific and were positively correlated to the proximity of bends in the railway. By relating the number of annual elk-train collisions to various climate factors, I found that collision rates were positively related to snow depth. By analyzing field camera data, I found that elk used the railway mostly during the fall and spring, when elk commonly travel to and from wintering grounds. However, by examining VHF telemetry locations, I determined that elk were closer to the railway in winter than in any other season. Railways likely are perceived by elk as easy travel corridors, especially in the winter, and deep snow might prevent escape from oncoming trains. Black bear (Ursus americanus) and wolves (Canis lupus) were the major predators of elk in the Burwash population. White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), elk (Cervus elaphus), and moose (Alces alces), were the ungulate prey species available to both predators. To determine if predators prefer one ungulate species over another, and to identify which predator species is likely to have a greater impact on elk survival, I investigated predator diets. To compare rates of iv ungulate use by predators in relation to prey availability, I calculated the relative abundance of each ungulate species. I found that wolves used juvenile and adult elk as their primary ungulate prey in greater proportions in comparison to their availability. Bears on the other hand, tended to use all ungulate species in proportion to their availability. Climate is well known to affect ungulate population dynamics; however, several factors (e.g.: density, predator presence), can govern the response. Relating the annual growth rates of 7 elk populations to various climate factors I found that responses were population specific. Increased annual snow fall was associated with declines in population growth rates for 2 of the 7 populations assessed and only 1 population responded negatively to increased summer temperatures. Climate likely interacts with other environmental variables to influence fluctuations in annual population growth rates which warrants further investigation. The results of this research will contribute to informed planning of future elk reintroductions and should support development through improved management. In addition, this research highlights the importance of using within- and among- populations approaches to investigating factors that influence elk reintroduction success. v Dedication Nothing has inspired me to pursue my dreams more than my children, Shyla and Hunter Popp. Their very existence is a constant reminder to me that anything is possible. My children, and my husband, Michael Popp, have made me smile every single day, supported me relentlessly, and fueled my desire to make my dreams come true. I dedicate this dissertation to the most amazing people in my world, Shyla, Hunter, and Mike. vi Acknowledgements Numerous people contributed to the development of this dissertation; however, my supervisors, Dr. Frank F. Mallory and Dr. Joseph Hamr were critical to its successful completion. Their guidance and unwavering support have been appreciated deeply throughout the years. Frank has graciously accepted my ongoing desire to work in his lab throughout several degrees and has unremittingly contributed to the development of my career. Joe has bestowed a wealth of elk knowledge upon me and in addition to contributing greatly to my new passion in life (elk!), has contributed significantly to the direction of my research. I will be forever grateful for their model supervision surrounding my project and everything they have done above and beyond what is expected. In addition, my committee members provided ongoing expertise through time spent in scheduled committee meetings, but also by making themselves available on a regular basis outside of meetings. Each of these members contributed significantly to the development of my thesis. I am very grateful for the time and expertise given to me by Dr. Mark S. Boyce, Dr. Jeff L. Larkin, and Dr. Michael Persinger. Over the years, two fellow grad students were of particular importance to the development of this dissertation. Tori Donovan and Dave McGeachy spent many days (and nights) listening to my statistics and study design rants, and were great friends