Including biotic interactions with ungulate prey and humans improves habitat conservation modeling for endangered Amur tigers in the Russian Far East

M. Hebblewhite; D. G. Miquelle; H. Robinson; D. G. Pikunov; Y. M. Dunishenko; V. V. Aramilev; I. G. Nikolaev; G. P. Salkina; I. V. Seryodkin; V. V. Gaponov; M. N. Litvinov; A. V. Kostyria; P. V. Fomenko; A. A. Murzin

doi:10.1016/j.biocon.2014.07.013

Including biotic interactions with ungulate prey and humans improves habitat conservation modeling for endangered Amur tigers in the Russian Far East

M. Hebblewhite, D. G. Miquelle, H. Robinson, D. G. Pikunov, Y. M. Dunishenko, V. V. Aramilev, I. G. Nikolaev, G. P. Salkina, I. V. Seryodkin, V. V. Gaponov, M. N. Litvinov, A. V. Kostyria, P. V. Fomenko, A. A. Murzin

W. A. Franke College of Forestry and Conservation

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

58 Scopus citations

Abstract

Wild tiger numbers continue to decline despite decades of conservation action. Identification, conservation and restoration of tiger habitat will be a key component of recovering tiger numbers across Asia. To identify suitable habitat for tigers in the Russian Far East, we adopted a niche-based tiger habitat modeling approach, including biotic interactions with ungulate prey species, human activities and environmental variables to identify mechanisms driving selection and distribution of tiger habitat. We conducted >28,000 km of winter snow tracking surveys in 2004/2005 over 266,000 km² of potential tiger habitat in 970 sampling units (~171 km²) to record the presence of tracks of tigers and their ungulate prey. We adopted a used-unused design to estimate Resource Selection Probability Functions (RSPF) for tigers, red deer, roe deer, sika deer, wild boar, musk deer and moose. Tiger habitat was best predicted by a niche-based RSPF model based on biotic interactions with red deer, sika deer and wild boar, as well as avoidance of areas of high human activity and road density. We identified 155,000 km² of occupied tiger habitat in the RFE in 17 main habitat patches. Degradation of tiger habitat was most extreme in the southern areas of the Russian Far East, where at least 42% of potential historic tiger habitat has been destroyed. To improve and restore tiger habitat, aggressive conservation efforts to reduce human impacts and increase ungulate densities, tiger reproduction and adult survival will be needed across all tiger habitat identified by our tiger habitat model.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	50-64
Number of pages	15
Journal	Biological Conservation
Volume	178
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2014.07.013
State	Published - Aug 8 2014

Keywords

Biotic interactions
Carnivore
Conservation planning
Panthera tigris altaica
Predator-prey
Siberian tiger
Sika deer
Species distribution modeling

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10.1016/j.biocon.2014.07.013

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Hebblewhite, M., Miquelle, D. G., Robinson, H., Pikunov, D. G., Dunishenko, Y. M., Aramilev, V. V., Nikolaev, I. G., Salkina, G. P., Seryodkin, I. V., Gaponov, V. V., Litvinov, M. N., Kostyria, A. V., Fomenko, P. V., & Murzin, A. A. (2014). Including biotic interactions with ungulate prey and humans improves habitat conservation modeling for endangered Amur tigers in the Russian Far East. Biological Conservation, 178, 50-64. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2014.07.013

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title = "Including biotic interactions with ungulate prey and humans improves habitat conservation modeling for endangered Amur tigers in the Russian Far East",

abstract = "Wild tiger numbers continue to decline despite decades of conservation action. Identification, conservation and restoration of tiger habitat will be a key component of recovering tiger numbers across Asia. To identify suitable habitat for tigers in the Russian Far East, we adopted a niche-based tiger habitat modeling approach, including biotic interactions with ungulate prey species, human activities and environmental variables to identify mechanisms driving selection and distribution of tiger habitat. We conducted >28,000 km of winter snow tracking surveys in 2004/2005 over 266,000 km2 of potential tiger habitat in 970 sampling units (~171 km2) to record the presence of tracks of tigers and their ungulate prey. We adopted a used-unused design to estimate Resource Selection Probability Functions (RSPF) for tigers, red deer, roe deer, sika deer, wild boar, musk deer and moose. Tiger habitat was best predicted by a niche-based RSPF model based on biotic interactions with red deer, sika deer and wild boar, as well as avoidance of areas of high human activity and road density. We identified 155,000 km2 of occupied tiger habitat in the RFE in 17 main habitat patches. Degradation of tiger habitat was most extreme in the southern areas of the Russian Far East, where at least 42% of potential historic tiger habitat has been destroyed. To improve and restore tiger habitat, aggressive conservation efforts to reduce human impacts and increase ungulate densities, tiger reproduction and adult survival will be needed across all tiger habitat identified by our tiger habitat model.",

keywords = "Biotic interactions, Carnivore, Conservation planning, Panthera tigris altaica, Predator-prey, Siberian tiger, Sika deer, Species distribution modeling",

author = "M. Hebblewhite and Miquelle, {D. G.} and H. Robinson and Pikunov, {D. G.} and Dunishenko, {Y. M.} and Aramilev, {V. V.} and Nikolaev, {I. G.} and Salkina, {G. P.} and Seryodkin, {I. V.} and Gaponov, {V. V.} and Litvinov, {M. N.} and Kostyria, {A. V.} and Fomenko, {P. V.} and Murzin, {A. A.}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2014 Elsevier Ltd.",

year = "2014",

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doi = "10.1016/j.biocon.2014.07.013",

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Hebblewhite, M, Miquelle, DG, Robinson, H, Pikunov, DG, Dunishenko, YM, Aramilev, VV, Nikolaev, IG, Salkina, GP, Seryodkin, IV, Gaponov, VV, Litvinov, MN, Kostyria, AV, Fomenko, PV & Murzin, AA 2014, 'Including biotic interactions with ungulate prey and humans improves habitat conservation modeling for endangered Amur tigers in the Russian Far East', Biological Conservation, vol. 178, pp. 50-64. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2014.07.013

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T1 - Including biotic interactions with ungulate prey and humans improves habitat conservation modeling for endangered Amur tigers in the Russian Far East

AU - Hebblewhite, M.

AU - Miquelle, D. G.

AU - Robinson, H.

AU - Pikunov, D. G.

AU - Dunishenko, Y. M.

AU - Aramilev, V. V.

AU - Nikolaev, I. G.

AU - Salkina, G. P.

AU - Seryodkin, I. V.

AU - Gaponov, V. V.

AU - Litvinov, M. N.

AU - Kostyria, A. V.

AU - Fomenko, P. V.

AU - Murzin, A. A.

PY - 2014/8/8

Y1 - 2014/8/8

N2 - Wild tiger numbers continue to decline despite decades of conservation action. Identification, conservation and restoration of tiger habitat will be a key component of recovering tiger numbers across Asia. To identify suitable habitat for tigers in the Russian Far East, we adopted a niche-based tiger habitat modeling approach, including biotic interactions with ungulate prey species, human activities and environmental variables to identify mechanisms driving selection and distribution of tiger habitat. We conducted >28,000 km of winter snow tracking surveys in 2004/2005 over 266,000 km2 of potential tiger habitat in 970 sampling units (~171 km2) to record the presence of tracks of tigers and their ungulate prey. We adopted a used-unused design to estimate Resource Selection Probability Functions (RSPF) for tigers, red deer, roe deer, sika deer, wild boar, musk deer and moose. Tiger habitat was best predicted by a niche-based RSPF model based on biotic interactions with red deer, sika deer and wild boar, as well as avoidance of areas of high human activity and road density. We identified 155,000 km2 of occupied tiger habitat in the RFE in 17 main habitat patches. Degradation of tiger habitat was most extreme in the southern areas of the Russian Far East, where at least 42% of potential historic tiger habitat has been destroyed. To improve and restore tiger habitat, aggressive conservation efforts to reduce human impacts and increase ungulate densities, tiger reproduction and adult survival will be needed across all tiger habitat identified by our tiger habitat model.

AB - Wild tiger numbers continue to decline despite decades of conservation action. Identification, conservation and restoration of tiger habitat will be a key component of recovering tiger numbers across Asia. To identify suitable habitat for tigers in the Russian Far East, we adopted a niche-based tiger habitat modeling approach, including biotic interactions with ungulate prey species, human activities and environmental variables to identify mechanisms driving selection and distribution of tiger habitat. We conducted >28,000 km of winter snow tracking surveys in 2004/2005 over 266,000 km2 of potential tiger habitat in 970 sampling units (~171 km2) to record the presence of tracks of tigers and their ungulate prey. We adopted a used-unused design to estimate Resource Selection Probability Functions (RSPF) for tigers, red deer, roe deer, sika deer, wild boar, musk deer and moose. Tiger habitat was best predicted by a niche-based RSPF model based on biotic interactions with red deer, sika deer and wild boar, as well as avoidance of areas of high human activity and road density. We identified 155,000 km2 of occupied tiger habitat in the RFE in 17 main habitat patches. Degradation of tiger habitat was most extreme in the southern areas of the Russian Far East, where at least 42% of potential historic tiger habitat has been destroyed. To improve and restore tiger habitat, aggressive conservation efforts to reduce human impacts and increase ungulate densities, tiger reproduction and adult survival will be needed across all tiger habitat identified by our tiger habitat model.

KW - Biotic interactions

KW - Carnivore

KW - Conservation planning

KW - Panthera tigris altaica

KW - Predator-prey

KW - Siberian tiger

KW - Sika deer

KW - Species distribution modeling

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SN - 0006-3207

VL - 178

SP - 50

EP - 64

JO - Biological Conservation

JF - Biological Conservation

ER -

Including biotic interactions with ungulate prey and humans improves habitat conservation modeling for endangered Amur tigers in the Russian Far East

Abstract

Keywords

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