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Beavers and Their Role in Riparian Restoration in Montana (Oral and Poster)
No full textBeavers are one of the most influential species on Montana’s landscapes. In the right situations and settings, their activities can greatly enhance patch‐scale and landscape‐scale biodiversity through the creation of complex, unique floodplain habitats. Beaver dams in headwater streams can slow the progression of snowmelt, prolonging water resources later into the year to benefit both wildlife and humans. Because of these potential benefits, reestablishing beavers in areas of their former range has become the focus of international efforts to restore degraded stream systems. In recognition of the importance of beavers on the landscape, in 2023 a team of fisheries and wildlife biologists with the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks released a white paper on the role of beavers in riparian restoration in Montana. This document covers the five major forms of beaver restoration: 1) conflict management, 2) land management changes, 3) beaver mimicry, 4) encouraging natural colonization, and 5) transplantation. The overarching goal of this document is to outline the settings and situations where beaver restoration can be implemented to achieve the benefits of beavers while discussing the limitations or pitfalls of restoration that can limit the use of these techniques. Using the white paper as a guide, this poster and presentation will highlight each of these five forms of beaver restoration and provide examples of current and future projects related to beaver restoration in Montana
Comparison of Beaver Dam Densities Between Drainages Open and Closed to Trapping (Poster)
No full textMontana Fish, Wildlife and Parks has implemented beaver trapping closures in 19 drainages within 11 counties throughout the state. Since beaver trapping closures were implemented, there has not been an analysis of beaver activity in these drainages, nor has there been a comparison to drainages with similar characteristics that remained open to trapping. Using the Beaver Restoration and Assessment Tool (BRAT), we identified drainages that were comparable in the amount of suitable beaver habitat but have remained open to trapping. We included information on public versus private land ownership and level of accessibility to these drainages, variables that may affect beaver dam counts and trapping pressure. We used Google Earth to conduct beaver dam counts as a measure of beaver occupancy and influence. Initial results from 12 pairs of drainages show a majority of drainages that have been closed to trapping have more beaver dams per kilometer of suitable habitat than paired drainages that have remained open to trapping, though this trend is inconsistent across the study area. Although the scope of this study does not account for other confounding factors such as disease and land use, our preliminary results suggest trapping closures may influence the impact of beavers in stream drainages in Montana. Our results can help inform biologists on where further study is needed and what actions could be taken to influence beaver populations. Our future plans are to find multiple open drainages for each closure for a more robust study
Spatiotemporal Review of Montana’s Sage Grouse Habitat Mitigation Framework
No full textIn 2015, Montana established the Sage Grouse Conservation Strategy in a range‐wide effort to avoid listing of greater sage‐grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) under the Endangered Species Act. As part of this effort, Montana implemented a compensatory mitigation system for sage grouse habitat in 2019. Since then, Montana has experienced an almost 6% statewide human population growth rate, likely increasing the wildland‐urban interface within sage‐grouse habitat. This ever‐increasing complexity across the landscape poses unique challenges for the Sage Grouse Habitat Conservation Program (Program) charged with conserving sage grouse habitat to maintain sage‐grouse populations. The development and application of the Habitat Quantification Tool (HQT) provides a non‐biased, science‐based, and stakeholder‐supported process to quantify sage‐grouse functional habitat within the compensatory mitigation framework. The HQT is an integrated deterministic, state‐based, geospatial model. Using biophysical sage‐grouse habitat attributes, the HQT establishes a statewide baseline of existing functional habitat represented by the HQT Base map. Over time, the HQT Base map is updated with new data, including impacts from new projects (both development and conservation) implemented across the landscape. By reviewing changes in functional habitat estimated with various iterations of the HQT Base map, the Program can use this assessment in conjunction with other metrics to determine whether Montana is meeting its goal of no net loss (net gain preferred) of sage‐grouse habitat. Using adaptive management, the Program can assess the HQT’s accuracy and revise the HQT and associated Base map through time based on new available science and provide additional recommendations for improving the effectiveness of the sage‐grouse mitigation system
The Effect of Precipitation Accumulation on Bull Elk Harvest in The Big Hole Area of Montana
No full textThis study examined the relationship between bull elk harvest in southwestern Montana and precipitation during Montana’s general big game hunting season. My hypothesis was that increased precipitation during November would correlate to higher bull elk harvest. I used harvest data gathered from Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks’ hunter check stations located to intercept hunters from several hunting districts surrounding the upper Big Hole Valley from Jackson to Divide, MT. I censored the harvest data to only include bull elk aged ≥2.5 years old since bulls younger than this are often still associated with cow‐calf groups and not with bachelor herds. This study provides insight into the intricate relationship between weather patterns and bull elk harvest and suggests that factors beyond precipitation influence elk harvest in the Big Hole area
Wolf Predation on Elk Populations in Yellowstone National Park in Relation to Climate Change
No full textClimate change drove ecosystem change within Yellowstone National Park over the past five decades (Vucetich 2005). The wolf population within Yellowstone National Park grew due to warm weather patterns favoring wolf (Canis lupus) reproduction success rates. Elk (Cervus canadensis nelson) interactions with wolves became more frequent leading to increased elk mortality. As elk are a keystone species of the Yellowstone ecosystem, increased mortality led to holistic ecosystem change. Elk calf survival rates fell 35% since the introduction of wolves to Yellowstone National Park (Christianson 2014). Cow elk mortality increased by 37% in areas of the park known to have wolf pack dens near elk herds. Researchers expected population decreases in elk herds after wolf reintroduction, however the rate of decline of the Yellowstone elk population outpaced predictions.This research hypothesized that wolf predation on elk within Yellowstone National Park increased due to climate change causing wolf population growth. While research has addressed that wolf population growth occurred due to warming weather and elk population declines occurred due to wolf reintroduction within Yellowstone National Park, no research has addressed the relationship linking climate change to elk mortality from wolf predation
Human Dimensions of Wolverine Perspectives and Attitudes of Backcountry Winter Recreationists (Poster)
No full textWith their young being born and subsequently raised beneath the snow’s surface each winter, the wolverine (Gulo gulo) is a species whose ecology is deeply tied to snow and its persistence on the landscape. Across the Northwest, areas of deep, long‐lasting snow are not only important to the wolverine, but to the region’s backcountry recreationists. Studies have shown both wolverine behavior and landscape occupancy to be impacted by motorized, and nonmotorized winter recreation (i.e., backcountry skiing and snowmobiling). While in recent years more work has been done to evaluate the impact of winter recreation on wolverine ecology, very little has been done in the way of evaluating the human dimensions of this relationship. As climate change continues to alter the winter landscapes of the Northwest and threatens to diminish and concentrate the region’s winter snow packs, it is of utmost importance that we strive not only to understand the ecological consequences of overlap between wolverines and winter recreationists, but also the attitudes of these recreationists towards wolverines and their conservation. As the North American wolverine has just been granted threatened status under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), improving our understanding of public perceptions of the species will play a vital role in species management
Evaluating the Motus Wildlife Tracking System for Monitoring Ground‐Dwelling Birds
No full textThe Motus Wildlife Tracking System is a collaborative research network that uses Automated radio telemetry arrays to record transmitter detections remotely and distribute the data to researchers through the Motus database system. While Motus technologies have successfully been used to track the phenology and large‐scale habitat use of migrating birds via Motus towers placed strategically worldwide, they have not yet been assessed for use in evaluating fine‐scale space use, particularly of ground‐dwelling birds. Our goal is to estimate the accuracy, precision, detection rates, and effective detection distances of Motus compatible transmitters relative to standard VHF transmitters. We completed 222 triangulations of transmitters using handheld Motus compatible and VHF radio telemetry technologies during the 2022 and 2023 field seasons. We fit a preliminary set of generalized linear (GLM) models to 180 successful triangulations. The data supported strong effects of transmitter type on all measures of transmitter performance metrics. Estimated location precision was greater for the Motus compatible technology at short distances but VHF technology was more precise at farther observer distances. Estimated locations of the Motus compatible technology were more accurate than VHF technology across all observed distances. However, the maximum observable distance of VHF transmitters was nearly twice that of the Motus compatible transmitters. Our results have important implications for monitoring of ground‐dwelling birds, including the space use and habitat selection of reintroduced sharp‐tailed grouse in western Montana
Investigating Non‐Invasive Survey Methods for Studying Harlequin Ducks on Their Breeding Grounds in the Northern Rockies
No full textLong‐term monitoring of Harlequin Ducks (Histrionicus histrionicus) (HADU) in Montana, Idaho, and Alberta has documented population declines on their breeding grounds leading to broad concerns about population status in the Northern Rockies. Additionally, biologists have struggled to monitor the status and trends in the Northern Rockies breeding population due to their rarity and the ruggedness of their habitat. Previous methods have primarily relied on direct, in‐person observations. However, results from these ground‐based foot surveys are highly variable owed to factors outside the observer’s control such as late spring flooding which can result in HADU nests being washed out and females leaving breeding streams earlier. This can affect detections of broods causing false negatives on potential breeding streams. Thus, there is a critical need to better understand the efficacy of existing methods and to explore other survey strategies to assess HADU population status and trends. We are comparing detection probabilities of eDNA, game camera, and ground‐based foot surveys to determine their relative efficacy in detecting HADU on streams. Given that HADU breeding habitat is highly variable and complex, we are evaluating these methods as related to habitat covariates. During 2022 and 2023, we visited ten streams two times each season and tested our three methods over three days. We were able to detect HADU during the late incubation and the brood rearing season using all three methods. We will discuss field techniques and preliminary results of our efforts
Lessons from Wyoming Mule Deer Herds on the Effectiveness of Recreational Harvest in Controlling Chronic Wasting Disease
No full textRecreational harvest is a commonly discussed and periodically used strategy for controlling chronic wasting disease (CWD) in cervid populations across the United States andCanada. Evaluating the efficacy of this strategy, however, is not straightforward, due to time lags, feedbacks, and confounding variables. For example, correlations between harvest rates and CWD prevalence may be due to the causal role of hunting on CWD or the reverse (e.g., the impact of CWD on harvest rates or quotas). We analyzed two decades of surveillance data (2000 – 2022) from 10 Wyoming mule deer herds to estimate the effects of harvest on CWD prevalence, using statistical approaches informed by causal inference theory to better control for feedbacks and confounding variables. We found that herds with consistently high harvest pressure across 20 years had significantly lower CWD prevalence. Our models predicted that harvesting 25% of adult males per year across 20 years would result in a prevalence of <10%, whereas if only 15% of males were harvested in each year, prevalence would increase to nearly 30%. Moreover, shifting the relative harvest pressure within a herd over a shorter period (e.g., three years) altered subsequent CWD prevalence, albeit to a smaller degree. Although high harvest is unlikely to completely eradicate CWD, our analysis suggests that maintaining hunting pressure on adult males is an important tactic for slowing CWD epidemics within Western mule deer herds. Our study also provides guidance for future analyses of longitudinal surveillance data, including the importance of demographic data and appropriate time lags
Montana Furbearer Monitoring - A Cyclical Approach to Track Species Occupancy and Spatial Distribution
No full textThe state of Montana offers a diverse array of wildlife species including a long list of furbearers. Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) actively monitors a number of these species on a 5‐year cycle to keep track of population level changes in occupancy and overall spatial distribution. Since 2016, FWP has deployed over 604 camera stations to monitor Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis), fisher (Pekania pennanti), marten (Martes caurina), swift fox (Vulpes velox), and wolverines (Gulo gulo) using a nested grid design based on the species average female home range size. These ongoing efforts are a part of the WAFWA multi‐species forest carnivore monitoring program conducted at a multi‐state scale. We use single‐species, single‐season occupancy modelling while considering modelled species habitat and other spatial features to estimate over‐winter (Dec 1 – April 31) occupancy and detection probabilities. The results of these projects help Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, and Washington effectively delineate and prioritize areas for future research, conservation, and management efforts in hopes for maintaining the distribution of these species across all suitable habitats