When is habitat recovered? Understanding the mechanisms of population decline to evaluate habitat recovery for boreal caribou
Abstract Recovering habitat is a central objective for conserving species imperiled by habitat alteration. Yet, determining when habitat is recovered is challenging. For terrestrial wildlife, habitat recovery often focuses on regenerating vegetation, but vegetation changes may provide limited insigh...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2025-08-01
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| Series: | Conservation Science and Practice |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1111/csp2.70113 |
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| author | Craig A. DeMars Melanie Dickie Doug W. Lewis Thomas J. Habib Mark M. Wong Robert Serrouya |
| author_facet | Craig A. DeMars Melanie Dickie Doug W. Lewis Thomas J. Habib Mark M. Wong Robert Serrouya |
| author_sort | Craig A. DeMars |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Recovering habitat is a central objective for conserving species imperiled by habitat alteration. Yet, determining when habitat is recovered is challenging. For terrestrial wildlife, habitat recovery often focuses on regenerating vegetation, but vegetation changes may provide limited insight as to whether and when habitat is recovered. To be effective as a conservation action, habitat recovery should be linked to demographic responses of the focal species. Moreover, we suggest that habitat recovery be linked to changes in the strength of mechanisms driving population decline. Here, we illustrate such a framework using boreal woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou), which are threatened by altered predator–prey dynamics stemming from habitat alteration. Monitoring habitat recovery is challenging for boreal caribou because demographic effects may take decades to manifest and the spatial scale for demographic monitoring is larger than typical disturbance features or restoration projects. To address these challenges, we propose a continuum of habitat recovery where interim, multi‐scale indicators are linked to primary mechanisms underlying caribou population declines. Because habitat recovery varies geographically, indicators may need to be refined on a regional basis. Developing stronger inferences on recovery indicators will require adaptive management, where habitat recovery is implemented over larger spatial extents and longer timeframes. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-af91d255aaaa4599b44d899e4037b6aa |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2578-4854 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-08-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Conservation Science and Practice |
| spelling | doaj-art-af91d255aaaa4599b44d899e4037b6aa2025-08-20T03:05:39ZengWileyConservation Science and Practice2578-48542025-08-0178n/an/a10.1111/csp2.70113When is habitat recovered? Understanding the mechanisms of population decline to evaluate habitat recovery for boreal caribouCraig A. DeMars0Melanie Dickie1Doug W. Lewis2Thomas J. Habib3Mark M. Wong4Robert Serrouya5Wildlife Science Centre, Biodiversity Pathways Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute Edmonton Alberta CanadaWildlife Science Centre, Biodiversity Pathways Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute Edmonton Alberta CanadaBC Ministry of Water, Land, and Resource Stewardship Kamloops British Columbia CanadaAlberta‐Pacific Forest Industries Boyle Alberta CanadaBC Ministry of Water, Land, and Resource Stewardship Smithers British Columbia CanadaWildlife Science Centre, Biodiversity Pathways Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute Edmonton Alberta CanadaAbstract Recovering habitat is a central objective for conserving species imperiled by habitat alteration. Yet, determining when habitat is recovered is challenging. For terrestrial wildlife, habitat recovery often focuses on regenerating vegetation, but vegetation changes may provide limited insight as to whether and when habitat is recovered. To be effective as a conservation action, habitat recovery should be linked to demographic responses of the focal species. Moreover, we suggest that habitat recovery be linked to changes in the strength of mechanisms driving population decline. Here, we illustrate such a framework using boreal woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou), which are threatened by altered predator–prey dynamics stemming from habitat alteration. Monitoring habitat recovery is challenging for boreal caribou because demographic effects may take decades to manifest and the spatial scale for demographic monitoring is larger than typical disturbance features or restoration projects. To address these challenges, we propose a continuum of habitat recovery where interim, multi‐scale indicators are linked to primary mechanisms underlying caribou population declines. Because habitat recovery varies geographically, indicators may need to be refined on a regional basis. Developing stronger inferences on recovery indicators will require adaptive management, where habitat recovery is implemented over larger spatial extents and longer timeframes.https://doi.org/10.1111/csp2.70113apparent competitionboreal caribouconservationendangered specieshabitat alterationhabitat restoration |
| spellingShingle | Craig A. DeMars Melanie Dickie Doug W. Lewis Thomas J. Habib Mark M. Wong Robert Serrouya When is habitat recovered? Understanding the mechanisms of population decline to evaluate habitat recovery for boreal caribou Conservation Science and Practice apparent competition boreal caribou conservation endangered species habitat alteration habitat restoration |
| title | When is habitat recovered? Understanding the mechanisms of population decline to evaluate habitat recovery for boreal caribou |
| title_full | When is habitat recovered? Understanding the mechanisms of population decline to evaluate habitat recovery for boreal caribou |
| title_fullStr | When is habitat recovered? Understanding the mechanisms of population decline to evaluate habitat recovery for boreal caribou |
| title_full_unstemmed | When is habitat recovered? Understanding the mechanisms of population decline to evaluate habitat recovery for boreal caribou |
| title_short | When is habitat recovered? Understanding the mechanisms of population decline to evaluate habitat recovery for boreal caribou |
| title_sort | when is habitat recovered understanding the mechanisms of population decline to evaluate habitat recovery for boreal caribou |
| topic | apparent competition boreal caribou conservation endangered species habitat alteration habitat restoration |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1111/csp2.70113 |
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