Integration of national demographic-disturbance relationships and local data can improve caribou population viability projections and inform monitoring decisions
Across fifty-eight boreal caribou study areas in Canada, survival and recruitment decrease with the percentage of the study area that is disturbed. There is variation in demographic rates among study areas, particularly where anthropogenic disturbance is low, but no populations inhabiting areas with...
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| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Ecological Informatics |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1574954125001049 |
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| author | Josie Hughes Sarah Endicott Anna M. Calvert Cheryl A. Johnson |
| author_facet | Josie Hughes Sarah Endicott Anna M. Calvert Cheryl A. Johnson |
| author_sort | Josie Hughes |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Across fifty-eight boreal caribou study areas in Canada, survival and recruitment decrease with the percentage of the study area that is disturbed. There is variation in demographic rates among study areas, particularly where anthropogenic disturbance is low, but no populations inhabiting areas with high anthropogenic disturbance are considered viable. Demographic projections derived from local population-specific data are uncertain for populations with limited monitoring. We propose a simple Bayesian population model that integrates prior information from a national analysis of demographic-disturbance relationships with available local demographic data to improve population viability projections, and to reduce the risk that a lack of local data will be used as a reason to delay conservation action. The model also acknowledges additional uncertainty and potential bias due to misidentification of sex or missing calves, through a term derived from a simple model of the recruitment survey observation process. We combine this Bayesian model with simulations of plausible population trajectories in a value of information analysis framework to show how the need for local monitoring varies with landscape condition, and to assess the ability of alternative monitoring scenarios to reduce the risk of errors in population viability projections. Where anthropogenic disturbance is high, reasonably accurate status projections can be made using only national demographic-disturbance relationships. At lower disturbance levels where initial uncertainty is high local data improve accuracy but each additional year of monitoring provides less new information. The estimated probability of viability indicates whether more information is needed to improve accuracy of population viability projections. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-1484aa94927c4e02b0c5aa46ee252d92 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 1574-9541 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Ecological Informatics |
| spelling | doaj-art-1484aa94927c4e02b0c5aa46ee252d922025-08-20T02:27:35ZengElsevierEcological Informatics1574-95412025-07-018710309510.1016/j.ecoinf.2025.103095Integration of national demographic-disturbance relationships and local data can improve caribou population viability projections and inform monitoring decisionsJosie Hughes0Sarah Endicott1Anna M. Calvert2Cheryl A. Johnson3Corresponding author.; Landscape Science and Technology Division, National Wildlife Research Center, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 1125 Colonel By Dr, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, CanadaLandscape Science and Technology Division, National Wildlife Research Center, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 1125 Colonel By Dr, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, CanadaLandscape Science and Technology Division, National Wildlife Research Center, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 1125 Colonel By Dr, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, CanadaLandscape Science and Technology Division, National Wildlife Research Center, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 1125 Colonel By Dr, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, CanadaAcross fifty-eight boreal caribou study areas in Canada, survival and recruitment decrease with the percentage of the study area that is disturbed. There is variation in demographic rates among study areas, particularly where anthropogenic disturbance is low, but no populations inhabiting areas with high anthropogenic disturbance are considered viable. Demographic projections derived from local population-specific data are uncertain for populations with limited monitoring. We propose a simple Bayesian population model that integrates prior information from a national analysis of demographic-disturbance relationships with available local demographic data to improve population viability projections, and to reduce the risk that a lack of local data will be used as a reason to delay conservation action. The model also acknowledges additional uncertainty and potential bias due to misidentification of sex or missing calves, through a term derived from a simple model of the recruitment survey observation process. We combine this Bayesian model with simulations of plausible population trajectories in a value of information analysis framework to show how the need for local monitoring varies with landscape condition, and to assess the ability of alternative monitoring scenarios to reduce the risk of errors in population viability projections. Where anthropogenic disturbance is high, reasonably accurate status projections can be made using only national demographic-disturbance relationships. At lower disturbance levels where initial uncertainty is high local data improve accuracy but each additional year of monitoring provides less new information. The estimated probability of viability indicates whether more information is needed to improve accuracy of population viability projections.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1574954125001049Woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou)Anthropogenic disturbance scenariosPopulation viabilityValue of informationMonitoring decisionsSpecies at risk |
| spellingShingle | Josie Hughes Sarah Endicott Anna M. Calvert Cheryl A. Johnson Integration of national demographic-disturbance relationships and local data can improve caribou population viability projections and inform monitoring decisions Ecological Informatics Woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) Anthropogenic disturbance scenarios Population viability Value of information Monitoring decisions Species at risk |
| title | Integration of national demographic-disturbance relationships and local data can improve caribou population viability projections and inform monitoring decisions |
| title_full | Integration of national demographic-disturbance relationships and local data can improve caribou population viability projections and inform monitoring decisions |
| title_fullStr | Integration of national demographic-disturbance relationships and local data can improve caribou population viability projections and inform monitoring decisions |
| title_full_unstemmed | Integration of national demographic-disturbance relationships and local data can improve caribou population viability projections and inform monitoring decisions |
| title_short | Integration of national demographic-disturbance relationships and local data can improve caribou population viability projections and inform monitoring decisions |
| title_sort | integration of national demographic disturbance relationships and local data can improve caribou population viability projections and inform monitoring decisions |
| topic | Woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) Anthropogenic disturbance scenarios Population viability Value of information Monitoring decisions Species at risk |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1574954125001049 |
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