Seasonal resource selection of woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) across a gradient of anthropogenic disturbance

Resource selection functions are useful tools for land-use planning, especially for wide-ranging species with sensitivity to anthropogenic disturbance. We evaluated five a priori hypotheses describing seasonal habitat selection of woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou (Gmelin, 1788)) across three regions in northern Ontario. Two regions were Boreal Shield dominated, one area relatively high anthropogenic disturbance (due to commercial forestry) and one relatively low anthropogenic disturbance. The final region was located on the wetland-dominated Hudson Bay Lowlands. Each region encompassed two caribou management ranges: one was used for model development and the other for model evaluation. We developed seasonal resource selection probability functions (RSPFs) using seasonal utilization distributions and isopleths derived from GPS collar data (from 212 caribou) to identify high- and low-use areas. We explored selection across 5 spatial scales; selection patterns were strongest at the 10 000 ha scale. We found temporal and spatial variation in all environmental predictors across ranges and seasons, especially in the Hudson Bay Lowlands. Our results consistently supported the integrated global model (with common variables but range-specific coefficients) where caribou habitat use is related to minimizing apparent competition with moose (Alces alces (L., 1958)) while avoiding disturbed areas, and utilizing areas with adequate forage.The accepted manuscript in pdf format is listed with the files at the bottom of this page. The presentation of the authors' names and (or) special characters in the title of the manuscript may differ slightly between what is listed on this page and what is listed in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript; that in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript is what was submitted by the author