Autumn foraging dynamics of woodland caribou in experimentally manipulated habitat

Unlike other North American cervids, woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) in the Selkirk ecosystem do not forage on browse. Therefore, during autumn as forbs become senescent and deciduous shrubs defoliare, caribou foraging decisions are narrowed. Shallow snow depths preclude a dier shift to arboreal lichen (Ascomycetes) in standing trees, as is observed in late winter. The objective of this research was to determine the importance of the two principal forage items previously reported in autumn diets: (1) arboreal lichen on windthrown trees and (2) the evergreen shrub myrtle boxwood (Pacbistima myrsimtes). Foraging trials were conducted with three tame woodland caribou in six 5000 m 2 pens experimentally manipulated to either remove all windthrown trees and myrtle boxwood or retain extant myrtle boxwood and add "windthrown" trees by felling trees. Additionally, the pen design was such that half was in an oldgrowth stand of western red cedar (Thuja plkata)! wesrern hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla) and half was in an adjacent clear-cut.

Abstract licence: CC BY

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