Yellowstone wolf (Canis lupus) denisty predicted by elk (Cervus elaphus) biomass
Canadian Journal of Zoology
Links
- More information: Publisher Index Page (via DOI)
- Download citation as: RIS | Dublin Core
Abstract
The Northern Range (NR) of Yellowstone National Park (YNP) hosts a higher prey biomass density in the form of elk (Cervus elaphus L., 1758) than any other system of gray wolves (Canis lupus L., 1758) and prey reported. Therefore, it is important to determine whether that wolf–prey system fits a long-standing model relating wolf density to prey biomass. Using data from 2005 to 2012 after elk population fluctuations dampened 10 years subsequent to wolf reintroduction, we found that NR prey biomass predicted wolf density. This finding and the trajectory of the regression extend the validity of the model to prey densities 19% higher than previous data and suggest that the model would apply to wolf–prey systems of even higher prey biomass.
Study Area
| Publication type | Article |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
| Title | Yellowstone wolf (Canis lupus) denisty predicted by elk (Cervus elaphus) biomass |
| Series title | Canadian Journal of Zoology |
| DOI | 10.1139/cjz-2015-0002 |
| Volume | 93 |
| Issue | 6 |
| Year Published | 2015 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Canadian Journal of Zoology |
| Contributing office(s) | Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center |
| Description | 4 p. |
| First page | 499 |
| Last page | 502 |
| Country | United States |
| State | Idaho, Montana, Wyoming |
| Other Geospatial | Yellowstone National Park |
| Online Only (Y/N) | N |
| Additional Online Files (Y/N) | N |
| Google Analytic Metrics | Metrics page |