MODELING MOVEMENT CORRIDORS Woodland Caribou Selkirk Ecosystem
OBJECTIVE Identify potential corridors for caribou in the Selkirks using seasonal habitat quality maps Purpose of corridors is to maintain gene flow and allow recolonization, not seasonal migration. Seasonal habitat quality maps were available from a previous analysis.
STUDY AREA British Columbia Idaho Washington
SEASONAL DEFINITIONS Based on elevation Looked for significant changes in elevational use
Seasons Spring Apr 20 – Jul 7 Summer Jul 8 – Oct 16 Early Winter Oct 17 – Jan 18 Late Winter Jan 19 – Apr 19
CorridorDesigner software (Northern Arizona Univ) Assumption Habitat quality = permeability Or; The ease at which an animal can move through the landscape Least-cost modeling
Where should we put the corridors? Must identify “wildland blocks” which become corridor start and end points
Made Avg Hab Quality Map Moving window analysis (4.4 km radius) 62 sq km min patch size containing high quality habitat Wildland Block ID
Push the button and away she goes! Resulting corridors generated between adjacent wildland blocks. Now what?
Evaluate quality of the corridors using underlying habitat maps Corridor 2 km wide throughout at least 90% of its length 2 km = 3 days avg daily movement 42.3
Early Winter Habitat Value AB: 61.0 FK: 38.8 Compare Seasonal Habitat for different corridors
Seasonal Habitat Value SP: 58.4 SU: 57.1 EW: 70.1 LW: 61.0 Compare Seasonal Habitat w/in the same corridor Habitat Quality
Compare alternate routes F to K or F to G to K Habitat Land Ownership Human Activity Management Options
CAUTION!!! Just because you can model a corridor doesn’t make it a good corridor
SUMMARY (CARIBOU) Useful for mngmt options – Alternate ways to get to the same place; Is a corridor better during one season or another? Can look at underlying habitat maps to seek opportunities to improve corridor
SUMMARY (GENERAL) Must have habitat quality maps Assumptions are important Can develop separate corridors for several species then overlay maps
QUESTIONS?