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Selection of summer feeding sites and food resources by female migratory caribou (Rangifer tarandus) determined using camera collars

Migratory caribou (Rangifer tarandus) is a socioeconomically and culturally key species for northern communities in the Arctic, and most of its populations are experiencing a sharp decline. Female migratory caribou depend on the availability of summer habitat resources to meet the needs associated w...

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Autores principales: Béland, Sophiane, Vuillaume, Barbara, Leclerc, Martin, Bernier, Martin, Côté, Steeve D.
Formato: Online Artículo Texto
Lenguaje:English
Publicado: Public Library of Science 2023
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10686509/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/38019854
http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0294846
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author Béland, Sophiane
Vuillaume, Barbara
Leclerc, Martin
Bernier, Martin
Côté, Steeve D.
author_facet Béland, Sophiane
Vuillaume, Barbara
Leclerc, Martin
Bernier, Martin
Côté, Steeve D.
author_sort Béland, Sophiane
collection PubMed
description Migratory caribou (Rangifer tarandus) is a socioeconomically and culturally key species for northern communities in the Arctic, and most of its populations are experiencing a sharp decline. Female migratory caribou depend on the availability of summer habitat resources to meet the needs associated with lactation and the accumulation of fat reserves to survive when resources are less abundant. Because of the large scales at which habitat and resource data are usually available, information on how female migratory caribou select habitat and resources at fine scales in the wild is lacking. To document selection of summer feeding sites, we equipped 60 female caribou with camera collars from 2016 to 2018. We collected a total of 65,150 10-sec videos between June 1(st) and September 1(st) for three years with contrasted spring phenology. We determined the selection at the feeding site scale (3(rd) scale of Johnson) and food item scale (4(th) scale of Johnson) using resource selection probability functions. Wetlands were highly selected as feeding sites in June and July while they were avoided in August. Shrublands were mostly selected in July and August. At the resources scale, lichen, birch, willow, and mushrooms were the most strongly selected resources. Our results provide precise and novel information on habitat selection at feeding sites and food resources selected by female caribou in the wild. This information will help understand foraging patterns and habitat selection behavior of female migratory caribou and will contribute to the management and conservation of its declining populations.
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spelling pubmed-106865092023-11-30 Selection of summer feeding sites and food resources by female migratory caribou (Rangifer tarandus) determined using camera collars Béland, Sophiane Vuillaume, Barbara Leclerc, Martin Bernier, Martin Côté, Steeve D. PLoS One Research Article Migratory caribou (Rangifer tarandus) is a socioeconomically and culturally key species for northern communities in the Arctic, and most of its populations are experiencing a sharp decline. Female migratory caribou depend on the availability of summer habitat resources to meet the needs associated with lactation and the accumulation of fat reserves to survive when resources are less abundant. Because of the large scales at which habitat and resource data are usually available, information on how female migratory caribou select habitat and resources at fine scales in the wild is lacking. To document selection of summer feeding sites, we equipped 60 female caribou with camera collars from 2016 to 2018. We collected a total of 65,150 10-sec videos between June 1(st) and September 1(st) for three years with contrasted spring phenology. We determined the selection at the feeding site scale (3(rd) scale of Johnson) and food item scale (4(th) scale of Johnson) using resource selection probability functions. Wetlands were highly selected as feeding sites in June and July while they were avoided in August. Shrublands were mostly selected in July and August. At the resources scale, lichen, birch, willow, and mushrooms were the most strongly selected resources. Our results provide precise and novel information on habitat selection at feeding sites and food resources selected by female caribou in the wild. This information will help understand foraging patterns and habitat selection behavior of female migratory caribou and will contribute to the management and conservation of its declining populations. Public Library of Science 2023-11-29 /pmc/articles/PMC10686509/ /pubmed/38019854 http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0294846 Text en © 2023 Béland et al https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) , which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
spellingShingle Research Article
Béland, Sophiane
Vuillaume, Barbara
Leclerc, Martin
Bernier, Martin
Côté, Steeve D.
Selection of summer feeding sites and food resources by female migratory caribou (Rangifer tarandus) determined using camera collars
title Selection of summer feeding sites and food resources by female migratory caribou (Rangifer tarandus) determined using camera collars
title_full Selection of summer feeding sites and food resources by female migratory caribou (Rangifer tarandus) determined using camera collars
title_fullStr Selection of summer feeding sites and food resources by female migratory caribou (Rangifer tarandus) determined using camera collars
title_full_unstemmed Selection of summer feeding sites and food resources by female migratory caribou (Rangifer tarandus) determined using camera collars
title_short Selection of summer feeding sites and food resources by female migratory caribou (Rangifer tarandus) determined using camera collars
title_sort selection of summer feeding sites and food resources by female migratory caribou (rangifer tarandus) determined using camera collars
topic Research Article
url https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10686509/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/38019854
http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0294846
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