COS 97-2 - How do humans shape the spatial interactions between predator and prey?

Background/Question/Methods

For wildlife, landscape changes create a tension between resource acquisition and avoidance of areas associated with humans. Anthropogenic linear features represent one of the most significant human impacts on landscapes and are often linked to alterations in wildlife behaviour and predator-prey dynamics. For large, mobile species, including moose and wolves, linear features may represent a trade-off between increased feeding opportunities and increased mortality risk. Early regrowth along linear features, such as logging roads, promote habitat use for moose but increase encounters with wolves. Understanding the complex interplay between anthropogenic disturbance, wildlife movement, and predator-prey dynamics can provide critical information for mitigating the impacts of industrial activities.

Results/Conclusions

We model fine-scale movement and selection of both predator and prey using integrated Step Selection Analysis. In our study system, we found GPS-collared wolves select for linear features such as secondary roads as movement corridors but avoid areas with high levels of human use. Wolves are also more likely to select for risky linear features when in dense, movement-restrictive habitat. We subsequently test the effects of this variation in anthropogenic linear features on the movement and habitat selection of moose, while simultaneously accounting for wolf habitat selection. Preliminary results indicate that moose use space to balance human and wolf risk. Moose exhibit the strongest selection for linear features not actively used by humans nor wolves (tertiary roads) and avoid linear features either selected for by wolves (secondary roads), or used by humans (primary roads). Landscape features and human presence interact to create hot spots where wolves are most likely to commute. The resulting spatial variation in wolf presence has generated nuanced distributions of risk that moose must now navigate.