Re-evaluating the northeastern Minnesota moose decline and the role of wolves
Journal of Wildlife Management
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Abstract
We re-evaluated findings from Lenarz et al. (2009) that adult moose (Alces alces) survival in northeastern Minnesota was related to high January temperatures and that predation by wolves (Canis lupus) played a minor role. We found significant inverse relationships between annual wolf numbers in part of the moose range and various moose demographics from 2003 to 2013 that suggested a stronger role of wolves than heretofore believed. To re-evaluate the temperature findings, we conducted a simulation study, mimicking the approach taken by Lenarz et al. (2009), to explore the potential for concluding a significant relationship exists between temperature and survival, when no association exists. We found that the high R2s and low probabilities associated with the regression models in Lenarz et al. (2009) should be viewed cautiously in light of the large number of fitted models (m = 45) and few observations (n = 6 for each of 5 response variables).
Suggested Citation
Mech, L.D., and Fieberg, J., 2014, Re-evaluating the northeastern Minnesota moose decline and the role of wolves: Journal of Wildlife Management, v. 78, no. 7, p. 1143-1150, https://doi.org/10.1002/jwmg.775.
Study Area
| Publication type | Article |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
| Title | Re-evaluating the northeastern Minnesota moose decline and the role of wolves |
| Series title | Journal of Wildlife Management |
| DOI | 10.1002/jwmg.775 |
| Volume | 78 |
| Issue | 7 |
| Publication Date | August 26, 2014 |
| Year Published | 2014 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | The Wildlife Society |
| Contributing office(s) | Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center |
| Description | 8 p. |
| Larger Work Type | Article |
| Larger Work Subtype | Journal Article |
| Larger Work Title | Journal of Wildlife Management |
| First page | 1143 |
| Last page | 1150 |
| Country | United States |
| State | Minnesota |