Science

PR (Wolf 2020): 114 - Do North American Migratory Barren-Ground Caribou Subpopulations Cycle?

Unlike all other members of the deer family, subpopulations of barren-ground caribou (Rangifer tarandus groenlandicus) are typically sine-cyclic. We used Bayesian Information Criteria (BIC) to rank competing population dynamics models for 11 North American barren-ground caribou subpopulations. Nine of these subpopulations were best described as sine-cyclic with periods ranging from a minimum of 26 years (Bluenose-East and Porcupine) to a maximum of 55 years (Western Arctic); and amplitudes ranging from a minimum of 8 455 (Cape Bathurst) to a maximum of 327 432 (George River).

PR (Wolf 2020): 107 - Long-term abundance patterns of barren-ground caribou using trampling scars on roots of Picea Mariania in the Northwest Territories, Canada.

The aim of this study was to reconstruct population dynamics of barren-ground caribou (Rangifer tarandus groenlandicus) herds from the frequency of trampling scars on tree roots of black spruce (Picea mariana [Mill.] BSP) in the forest-tundra of central Northwest Territories, Canada. Two groups of sites were sampled that roughly corresponded with the migration routes of the Bathurst and Beverly caribou herds. The caribou migrate annually for long distances from the forest to the open tundra in late spring, and return to the forest in the autumn.

PR (Wolf 2020): 098 - Raven scavenging favours group foraging in wolves.

Wolves, Canis lupus, routinely live in large packs that include unrelated individuals and mature offspring. Studies show that individual wolves that live in large packs suffer reduced foraging returns. Therefore,
group hunting and group living (sociality) in wolves is generally thought to be favoured by indirect fitness gains accrued through kin-directed altruism. However, we show that kin-directed altruism cannot account

PR (Wolf 2020): 098 - Raven scavenging favours group foraging in wolves.

Wolves, Canis lupus, routinely live in large packs that include unrelated individuals and mature offspring. Studies show that individual wolves that live in large packs suffer reduced foraging returns. Therefore,
group hunting and group living (sociality) in wolves is generally thought to be favoured by indirect fitness gains accrued through kin-directed altruism. However, we show that kin-directed altruism cannot account