Chapter 9: Entry Deterrence and Predation 1 Entry Deterrence and Predation.
By: Eleri Davies and Victoria...
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In 2002 as a result of habitat loss and increased predation facilitated by human activity, the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) classified the woodland caribou as threatened. Due to the recent declines in population sizes, the World Wildlife Fund, COSEWIC, and the Canadian Wildlife Federation have all campaigned provincial and federal governments to enact a habitat protection and management plan to ensure the continuation of the woodland caribou species. The proper mitigation and protection of these habitats will ensure that both the wintering and breeding grounds of the woodland caribou go undisturbed by human interference. Based on the recent trends in human development, the habitat suitability analysis was conducted with the objective of determining potential areas for habitat protection and mitigation, which would support the wintering and birthing habitats of the woodland caribou. Site Selection The British Columbia Ministry of Environment, Land and Parks states that over 98 percent of the world’s mountain caribou live in British Columbia. Since the woodland caribou require broad habitat ranges, the whole of British Columbia was analyzed to ensure that the proper mitigation techniques would be implemented. Data Used Data was collected from the Global GIS North America GIS System, the British Columbia Data Distribution Service, and the GeoPortal website. The data used for the habitat suitability analysis were; - Land Cover and Type - Urban Population Census Information - Woodland Caribou Ecotype habitats By: Eleri Davies and Victoria Rauseo Figure 1: Habitat suitability analysis based of off our raster calculations. Figure 2: Habitat suitability analysis for the mountain caribou, with an overlay of the known habitat regions. Assumptions Since the land cover type data was collected in the early 1990s, the assumption has been made that the relative zones of each land cover type have remained constant. The second assumption made is that the population density of the urban regions within British Columbia have not changed since 2001. Preprocessing The British Columbia land cover layer and the British Columbia Urban Population Density layer were both clipped to the British Columbia Provincial outline layer. The urban population layer was converted from a feature to a raster and reclassified, were classified so that highly populated regions were given a ranking of 1 and least populated areas were given a ranking of 5. The Gillingham and Johnson (2005) and the Ministry of Environment, Land and Parks were referenced to determine sites in which caribou most frequently selected as their habitats. The layer was reclassified on a ranking system of 0-5, where mixed forest, deciduous broadleaf forest, deciduous needleleaf forest, coniferous broadleaf forest and coniferous needleleaf forest were given the highest ranking of 5. The land cover and type suitability raster and the urban population suitability raster were combined using the following equation; Suitability = (population density * 0.60) + (land cover suitability * 0.40) Since the objective of this study was to analyze the influence of human development on habitat suitability of the woodland caribou, the population density was ranked higher than the land cover suitability. Based on the habitat suitability model of the effects of human development on caribou habitat selection, it was determined that multiple regions within British Columbia have the potential to support caribou herds. Since heavily populated areas occurred within the southwestern region of British Columbia, these areas were ranked lower on the suitability. Central to southeastern British Columbia were ranked as the highest suitability, with an area occurring in the southeastern region, which received a medium ranking (Figure 1). The mountain woodland caribou herd data was overlaid with the suitability analysis to determine the suitability of their current habitat selection (Figure 2). The current habitat selection of the mountain woodland caribou, occurs in the southeastern region, although majority of the region has been given a high suitability ranking there are multiple habitats that fall within the low suitability ranking. Consequently, it can be assumed that due to habitat destruction and human development, the habitat of the mountain woodland caribou is at risk. We urge the British Columbia provincial government to reassess these areas to determine the proper mitigation of the mountain caribou population. Due to data collection restrictions, there are multiple limitations within the habitat suitability model that should be addressed. Research conducted by Gillingham and Johnson (2005) stressed the importance of elevation in habitat selection of the woodland caribou. However due to the unavailability of a digital elevation model for British Columbia this factor was not included in the habitat suitability model. The second variable that was not included was the proximity to roads. During data analysis, the multi-ring buffer analysis failed multiple times. As a result of this we were unable to reclass the roads layer on a suitability ranking of 0-5, therefore we were unable to include the proximity to roads in the habitat suitability model. Due to the lack of logging and forestry management data we were unable to include this in our habitat suitability model. Despite these limitations the habitat suitability model, produced sufficient data on the suitability of British Columbia for habitat selection of the woodland caribou based on human population density and land cover types.
Transcript of By: Eleri Davies and Victoria...
In 2002 as a result of habitat loss and increased predation facilitated by human activity, the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) classified the woodland caribou as threatened. Due to the recent declines in population sizes, the World Wildlife Fund, COSEWIC, and the Canadian Wildlife Federation have all campaigned provincial and federal governments to enact a habitat protection and management plan to ensure the continuation of the woodland caribou species. The proper mitigation and protection of these habitats will ensure that both the wintering and breeding grounds of the woodland caribou go undisturbed by human interference. Based on the recent trends in human development, the habitat suitability analysis was conducted with the objective of determining potential areas for habitat protection and mitigation, which would support the wintering and birthing habitats of the woodland caribou.
Site Selection The British Columbia Ministry of Environment, Land and Parks states that over 98 percent of the world’s mountain caribou live in British Columbia. Since the woodland caribou require broad habitat ranges, the whole of British Columbia was analyzed to ensure that the proper mitigation techniques would be implemented. Data Used Data was collected from the Global GIS North America GIS System, the British Columbia Data Distribution Service, and the GeoPortal website. The data used for the habitat suitability analysis were; - Land Cover and Type - Urban Population Census Information - Woodland Caribou Ecotype habitats
By: Eleri Davies and Victoria Rauseo
Figure 1: Habitat suitability analysis based of off our raster calculations.
Figure 2: Habitat suitability analysis for the mountain caribou, with an overlay of the known habitat regions.
Assumptions Since the land cover type data was collected in the early 1990s, the assumption has been made that the relative zones of each land cover type have remained constant. The second assumption made is that the population density of the urban regions within British Columbia have not changed since 2001. Preprocessing The British Columbia land cover layer and the British Columbia Urban Population Density layer were both clipped to the British Columbia Provincial outline layer. The urban population layer was converted from a feature to a raster and reclassified, were classified so that highly populated regions were given a ranking of 1 and least populated areas were given a ranking of 5. The Gillingham and Johnson (2005) and the Ministry of Environment, Land and Parks were referenced to determine sites in which caribou most frequently selected as their habitats. The layer was reclassified on a ranking system of 0-5, where mixed forest, deciduous broadleaf forest, deciduous needleleaf forest, coniferous broadleaf forest and coniferous needleleaf forest were given the highest ranking of 5.
The land cover and type suitability raster and the urban population suitability raster were combined using the following equation; Suitability = (population density * 0.60) + (land cover suitability * 0.40) Since the objective of this study was to analyze the influence of human development on habitat suitability of the woodland caribou, the population density was ranked higher than the land cover suitability.
Based on the habitat suitability model of the effects of human development on caribou habitat selection, it was determined that multiple regions within British Columbia have the potential to support caribou herds. Since heavily populated areas occurred within the southwestern region of British Columbia, these areas were ranked lower on the suitability. Central to southeastern British Columbia were ranked as the highest suitability, with an area occurring in the southeastern region, which received a medium ranking (Figure 1). The mountain woodland caribou herd data was overlaid with the suitability analysis to determine the suitability of their current habitat selection (Figure 2). The current habitat selection of the mountain woodland caribou, occurs in the southeastern region, although majority of the region has been given a high suitability ranking there are multiple habitats that fall within the low suitability ranking. Consequently, it can be assumed that due to habitat destruction and human development, the habitat of the mountain woodland caribou is at risk. We urge the British Columbia provincial government to reassess these areas to determine the proper mitigation of the mountain caribou population. Due to data collection restrictions, there are multiple limitations within the habitat suitability model that should be addressed. Research conducted by Gillingham and Johnson (2005) stressed the importance of elevation in habitat selection of the woodland caribou. However due to the unavailability of a digital elevation model for British Columbia this factor was not included in the habitat suitability model. The second variable that was not included was the proximity to roads. During data analysis, the multi-ring buffer analysis failed multiple times. As a result of this we were unable to reclass the roads layer on a suitability ranking of 0-5, therefore we were unable to include the proximity to roads in the habitat suitability model. Due to the lack of logging and forestry management data we were unable to include this in our habitat suitability model. Despite these limitations the habitat suitability model, produced sufficient data on the suitability of British Columbia for habitat selection of the woodland caribou based on human population density and land cover types.
