Links
- Larger Work: This publication is Chapter 3 of Arctic Refuge coastal plain terrestrial wildlife research summaries
- Download citation as: RIS | Dublin Core
Abstract
Documentation of the natural range of variation in ecological, life history, and physiological characteristics of caribou (Rangifer tarandus) of the Porcupine caribou herd is a necessary base for detecting or predicting any potential effects of industrial development on the performance (e.g., distribution, demography, weight-gain of individuals) of the herd. To demonstrate an effect of development, post-development performance must differ from pre-development performance while accounting for any natural environmental trends.
We had 2 working hypotheses for our investigations: 1) performance of the Porcupine caribou herd was associated with environmental patterns and habitat quality, and 2) access to important habitats was a key influence on demography.
We sought to document the range of natural variation in habitat conditions, herd size, demography (defined here as survival and reproduction), sources and magnitude of mortality, distribution, habitat use, and weight gain and loss, and to develop an understanding of the interactions among these characteristics of the herd.
In addition, we investigated ways that we could use this background information, combined with auxiliary information from the adjacent Central Arctic caribou herd, to predict the direction and magnitude of any potential effects of industrial oil development in the 1002 Area of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge on Porcupine caribou herd calf survival on the herd's calving grounds during June.
Study Area
| Publication type | Report |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | Federal Government Series |
| Title | The porcupine caribou herd |
| Series title | Biological Science Report |
| Series number | 2002-0001 |
| Chapter | 3 |
| Year Published | 2002 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | U.S. Geological Survey |
| Publisher location | Reston, VA |
| Contributing office(s) | Alaska Science Center |
| Description | 30 p. |
| Larger Work Type | Report |
| Larger Work Subtype | Federal Government Series |
| Larger Work Title | Arctic Refuge coastal plain terrestrial wildlife research summaries (Biological Science Report USGS/BRD/BSR-2002-0001) |
| First page | 8 |
| Last page | 37 |
| Country | Canada, United States |
| State | Alaska, Northwest Territories, Yukon Territory |
| Other Geospatial | Arctic Refuge Coastal Plain, Arctic National Wildlife Refuge |
| Google Analytic Metrics | Metrics page |