Molecular ecology and conservation of caribou (rangifer tarandus) in western North America

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dc.contributor.advisorMusiani, Marco
dc.contributor.authorWeckworth, Byron Vance
dc.date.accessioned2017-12-18T22:32:11Z
dc.date.available2017-12-18T22:32:11Z
dc.date.issued2012
dc.descriptionBibliography: p. 122-139en
dc.descriptionSome pages are in colour.en
dc.description.abstractAs the scale and intensity of human-mediated impacts on the planet reaches unprecedented levels, there is a need for evaluating and describing the repercussions of these changes on the planet's flora and fauna. Woodland caribou are a threatened species that exemplify the challenge of protecting widespread, large species with expansive habitat requirements. Woodland caribou declines relate to habitat destruction and the consequent changes in predator-prey dynamics. Hindering conservation and management efforts is a lack of understanding the distribution of caribou diversity and the relationship of changes in habitat and environmental variables on caribou movements. Here I use a multiple methods, emphasizing molecular tools, to evaluate these knowledge gaps. First, I reconstruct the evolutionary history of caribou in Western North America, clarifying phylogeographic and broad patterns of diversity that inform delineation of conservation units. Next, I focus on west-central Alberta to evaluate landscape genetics perspectives on environmental and demographic variables that influence caribou population dynamics. Finally, I review current federal conservation policy and actions in the context of genetic variability, with a closing chapter emphasizing conservation challenges posed with ongoing climate change. Phylogenetic results demonstrate a new understanding of caribou evolution requiring the restructuring of the taxonomic identities of caribou ecotypes, a more widespread region of post-glacial "hybrid swarm," and clearer delineation of meta-populations of threatened Mountain and Boreal ecotypes. Landscape genetics show that preferred habitat and effective population size are the best predictors of genetic relationships of west-central populations, and that effective population sizes are at alarmingly low levels, emphasizing the need for management to focus on bolstering population numbers and maintaining habitat connectivity. The newly defined Designatable Units represent another version of Evolutionary Significant Units with similar limitations, particularly on the description of Boreal caribou. The proposed management recovery strategy for Boreal populations is fraught with seeming subjective criteria and emphasizes a scale of conservation unit (local population) that fails to ensure the protection of Boreal evolutionary and ecological integrity. Incorporation of the new genetic and population results detailed here offer information that can improve management and conservation objectives and promote a scientifically rigorous catalyst for policy change.
dc.format.extentxii, 139 leaves : ill. ; 30 cm.en
dc.identifier.citationWeckworth, B. V. (2012). Molecular ecology and conservation of caribou (rangifer tarandus) in western North America (Doctoral thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca. doi:10.11575/PRISM/4791en_US
dc.identifier.doihttp://dx.doi.org/10.11575/PRISM/4791
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/1880/105792
dc.language.isoeng
dc.publisher.facultyEnvironmental Design
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Calgaryen
dc.publisher.placeCalgaryen
dc.rightsUniversity of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.
dc.titleMolecular ecology and conservation of caribou (rangifer tarandus) in western North America
dc.typedoctoral thesis
thesis.degree.grantorUniversity of Calgary
thesis.degree.nameDoctor of Philosophy (PhD)
ucalgary.item.requestcopytrue
ucalgary.thesis.accessionTheses Collection 58.002:Box 2097 627942969
ucalgary.thesis.notesUARCen
ucalgary.thesis.uarcreleaseyen
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