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Journal Publications
Cluff D., Paquet P., 2003 Large Carnivores
as Umbrellas for Reserve Design and Selection in the North 2003
Canadian Council on Ecological Areas
(PDF
= 363KB)
Abstract
The Northwest Territories Protected Areas
Strategy (NWT-PAS) seeks to identify and protect
biodiversity in Canada’s North as one of its goals. However, detailed
distribution and abundance
data are lacking for many species of concern. Furthermore, an unprecedented
level of industrial
development continues to occur across Canada’s Central Arctic region as the
resource-based
economy grows. Consequently, decisions about which lands to protect cannot
be postponed
indefinitely until missing information becomes available. The use of
umbrella species as a
surrogate for this information is an attractive solution, however,
criticisms of the technique abound.
We briefly review the use of umbrella species in conservation planning and
consider its
applicability in Canada’s North, an area still comprised of relatively
pristine wilderness and not
subject to the landscape fragmentation seen further south. We consider the
wolf, grizzly bear, and
wolverine as candidate umbrella species. We identify wolves as having the
greatest potential as an
effective umbrella species but incorporating multiple surrogate species is
advantageous. We
highlight the caribou-wolf dynamic as likely the best model for success for
the north. Information
gaps of this migratory caribou-wolf system still exist but they should not
preclude selecting initial
candidate sites for protection. We maintain that linkages are still required
among any core
protected areas that may be selected given the objective of conserving
wide-ranging species.
Finally, we advocate the integration of spatially explicit population models
where time permits to
increase efficiency of the conservation network. |
