Sensitivity analysis demonstrates limits to utility of lactation index for white‐tailed deer management
ABSTRACT Recruitment estimates are critical for making wildlife harvest decisions. Lactation rate is used to estimate recruitment in monotocous species and as a recruitment index for polytocous species such as white‐tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus). However, the relationship between lactation an...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2018-09-01
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| Series: | Wildlife Society Bulletin |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/wsb.904 |
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| author | Kamen L. Campbell Bronson K. Strickland Stephen Demarais Guiming Wang Phillip D. Jones Chad M. Dacus |
| author_facet | Kamen L. Campbell Bronson K. Strickland Stephen Demarais Guiming Wang Phillip D. Jones Chad M. Dacus |
| author_sort | Kamen L. Campbell |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | ABSTRACT Recruitment estimates are critical for making wildlife harvest decisions. Lactation rate is used to estimate recruitment in monotocous species and as a recruitment index for polytocous species such as white‐tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus). However, the relationship between lactation and recruitment has never been formally tested, and the suitability of the lactation index as a management tool for deer has been assumed rather than confirmed. We simulated the response of lactation rates to variation in fawn recruitment stemming from changes in fecundity and neonatal mortality. Additionally, we examined effects of sample size on precision of lactation rate estimates. The relationship between recruitment and lactation rate was nearly linear when fecundity = 1.0, but became progressively less so as fecundity increased. Fawn mortality and herd fecundity explained 99% of the variability in lactation rate, and fawn mortality explained five times more variability than fecundity. Precision of lactation rate was highly affected by sample size, greatly reducing the quality of information available from small samples. Confidently assessing recruitment trends in moderately to highly productive populations may commonly require sample sizes unavailable on small properties. Biologists on properties with limited sample size should seek other, unrelated measures of recruitment to supplement or replace lactation rate. © 2018 The Wildlife Society. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-cba65ffc1f304b0ebae600b903343745 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2328-5540 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2018-09-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Wildlife Society Bulletin |
| spelling | doaj-art-cba65ffc1f304b0ebae600b9033437452025-08-20T01:57:49ZengWileyWildlife Society Bulletin2328-55402018-09-0142344445110.1002/wsb.904Sensitivity analysis demonstrates limits to utility of lactation index for white‐tailed deer managementKamen L. Campbell0Bronson K. Strickland1Stephen Demarais2Guiming Wang3Phillip D. Jones4Chad M. Dacus5Mail Stop 9690 Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and AquacultureMississippi State UniversityMS39762USAMail Stop 9690 Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and AquacultureMississippi State UniversityMS39762USAMail Stop 9690 Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and AquacultureMississippi State UniversityMS39762USAMail Stop 9690 Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and AquacultureMississippi State UniversityMS39762USAMail Stop 9690 Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and AquacultureMississippi State UniversityMS39762USAMississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks1505 Eastover Drive, JacksonMS39211USAABSTRACT Recruitment estimates are critical for making wildlife harvest decisions. Lactation rate is used to estimate recruitment in monotocous species and as a recruitment index for polytocous species such as white‐tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus). However, the relationship between lactation and recruitment has never been formally tested, and the suitability of the lactation index as a management tool for deer has been assumed rather than confirmed. We simulated the response of lactation rates to variation in fawn recruitment stemming from changes in fecundity and neonatal mortality. Additionally, we examined effects of sample size on precision of lactation rate estimates. The relationship between recruitment and lactation rate was nearly linear when fecundity = 1.0, but became progressively less so as fecundity increased. Fawn mortality and herd fecundity explained 99% of the variability in lactation rate, and fawn mortality explained five times more variability than fecundity. Precision of lactation rate was highly affected by sample size, greatly reducing the quality of information available from small samples. Confidently assessing recruitment trends in moderately to highly productive populations may commonly require sample sizes unavailable on small properties. Biologists on properties with limited sample size should seek other, unrelated measures of recruitment to supplement or replace lactation rate. © 2018 The Wildlife Society.https://doi.org/10.1002/wsb.904fawn mortalityfecundityharvest ratelactation indexOdocoileus virginianusrecruitment |
| spellingShingle | Kamen L. Campbell Bronson K. Strickland Stephen Demarais Guiming Wang Phillip D. Jones Chad M. Dacus Sensitivity analysis demonstrates limits to utility of lactation index for white‐tailed deer management Wildlife Society Bulletin fawn mortality fecundity harvest rate lactation index Odocoileus virginianus recruitment |
| title | Sensitivity analysis demonstrates limits to utility of lactation index for white‐tailed deer management |
| title_full | Sensitivity analysis demonstrates limits to utility of lactation index for white‐tailed deer management |
| title_fullStr | Sensitivity analysis demonstrates limits to utility of lactation index for white‐tailed deer management |
| title_full_unstemmed | Sensitivity analysis demonstrates limits to utility of lactation index for white‐tailed deer management |
| title_short | Sensitivity analysis demonstrates limits to utility of lactation index for white‐tailed deer management |
| title_sort | sensitivity analysis demonstrates limits to utility of lactation index for white tailed deer management |
| topic | fawn mortality fecundity harvest rate lactation index Odocoileus virginianus recruitment |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/wsb.904 |
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