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Comparison of occupancy modeling and radiotelemetry to estimate ungulate population dynamics

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Population Ecology

Abstract

Radiotelemetry and unmarked occupancy modeling have been used to estimate animal population growth, but have not been compared for ungulates. We compared white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) population growth estimates from radiomarked individuals and occupancy modeling of unmarked individuals and evaluated advantages and disadvantages of each method. Estimates of population growth were obtained using remote camera (N = 54/year) detection/non-detection occupancy surveys of unmarked deer and from survival and recruitment data of radiomarked adult females (N = 87) and neonate fawns (N = 127) in a predominantly forested region of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, USA, 2009–2011. We hypothesized that occupancy models and radiotelemetry data would have similar population growth trends because both methods sampled the same temporally closed population. Percent changes in camera trap data generally reflected finite population growth (λ) of radiomarked deer which increased (λ = 1.10 ± 0.01) from 2009 to 2010, but decreased (λ = 0.87 ± 0.02) from 2010 to 2011. Also, unmarked adult female abundance and fawn:adult female ratios generally reflected trends in radiomarked deer survival and recruitment. Royle–Nichols occupancy model abundance estimates had wide confidence intervals, which may preclude using this method from accurately estimating deer population growth. Radiotelemetry provided more precise population growth estimates, while allowing collection of vital rates and location data. However, the Royle–Nichols occupancy model may be preferred to radiotelemetry because it reflected yearly variation in population growth with reduced labor and no invasive marking. Researchers should consider the objectives and logistics of their study when choosing a specific method.

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Acknowledgments

This project was supported by the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act under Pittman-Robertson project W-147-R. We thank Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Mississippi State University Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Aquaculture, the Mississippi State Carnivore Ecology Lab, and the Mississippi State Forest and Wildlife Research Center for logistical and financial support. We thank Safari Club International Foundation, and Safari Club International–Michigan Involvement Committee for additional financial support. Much gratitude to G. DelGiudice, G. Zuehlke, D. O’Brien, B. Roell, G. Sasser, J. Branen, T. Petroelje, R. Karsch, J. Edge, T. Swearingen, C. Corroy, L. Kreiensieck, K. Smith, H. Stricker, C. Ott-Conn, A. Nelson, M. Harrigan, N. Levikov, and D. Martell for field and technical support and participating landowners for land access. Finally, we thank B. D. Leopold and B. K. Strickland for useful comments on an earlier version of this manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Carnivore Ecology Laboratory, Forest and Wildlife Research Center, Mississippi State University, Box 9690, Mississippi State, MS, 39762, USA

    Jared F. Duquette, Jerrold L. Belant & Nathan J. Svoboda

  2. Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Division, 1990 US Highway 41 S, Marquette, MI, 49855, USA

    Dean E. Beyer Jr.

  3. Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Division, 6833 US Highway 2 41 M35, Gladstone, MI, 49837, USA

    Craig A. Albright

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  1. Jared F. Duquette
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Correspondence to Jared F. Duquette.

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Duquette, J.F., Belant, J.L., Svoboda, N.J. et al. Comparison of occupancy modeling and radiotelemetry to estimate ungulate population dynamics. Popul Ecol 56, 481–492 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10144-014-0432-7

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