Resources ≀ Predator/Prey Relationships

Ongoing studies that examine the influences of environmental, intrinsic, and demographic factors on survival and cause-specific mortality rates of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) have been critical to enhancing our understanding of population performance and to improving management. A recent evaluation … read more

Competition between apex predators can alter the strength of top-down forcing, yet we know little about the behavioral mechanisms that drive competition in multipredator ecosystems. Interactions between predators can be synergistic (facilitative) or antagonistic (inhibitive), both of which are widespread … read more

A relationship between winter weather and survival of northern ungulates has long been established, yet the possible roles of biological (e.g., nutritional status) and environmental (e.g., weather) conditions make it important to determine which potential limiting factors are most influential. … read more

In the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, there are numerous factors that may act singularly or in combination to influence deer abundance. For instance, if food availability was greatly reduced, especially during critical times, or habitat that is essential for survival … read more

Elk (Cervus canadensis) are an iconic species throughout the western United States and play a large role across ecological (Kauffman et al. 2010), social (Haggerty and Travis 2006) and economic (US Department of the Interior et al. 2014) landscapes. However, … read more

Identifying limiting factors for animals with seasonally dynamic life histories sometimes requires understanding intra-annual periods of resource scarcity (e.g., Ashmole, 1963). For ungulates living in northern environments, winter is generally a period of negative energy budget when forage provides some … read more