Evaluating Corridor Conservation as a Drought Resiliency Strategy for Mule Deer Across a Gradient in Human Development
Project Overview
Migratory big game species, like mule deer, are at risk due to human development and more frequent drought events that can limit access to food resources during migration. To address this, researchers supported by this North Central CASC project will collaborate with State, Tribal, and Federal agencies to examine the effectiveness of corridor conservation as a strategy to improve drought resilience for over 40 mule deer herds across Western states. Ultimately, results from this project will benefit ongoing conservation efforts by identifying what levels of development impacts the species’ ability to deal with drought.
Project Summary
Every year, migratory big game move across landscapes to seek out important food resources and to avoid harsh weather. Yet, the landscapes animals move through are experiencing rapid changes from human development and shifting climatic conditions, which put these ecologically and culturally important migrations at risk. Mule deer, for example, are negatively impacted by drought, which changes when and where key food resources will be available along their migration route. To conserve big game migrations, State, Tribal, and Federal agencies are working together to map and protect migration corridors. Although it is often assumed that corridor conservation should enhance the resilience of migrants to climate change, the idea remains poorly tested.
This project will examine the effectiveness of corridor conservation as a drought resiliency strategy for mule deer across the West. As climate change leads to more frequent and longer drought events, it will likely become even more important for deer to freely move and access critical and limited food resources during migrations. At the same time, mule deer movements are altered by human disturbances, which can cause deer to miss out on foraging opportunities. This project will bring together data and partnerships to investigate these two threats on more than 40 mule deer herds across the West, with the aim of understanding the importance of freedom of movement in the survival and resiliency of mule deer in a changing world.
Results from this project will identify the amount of human development that constrains the movements of mule deer and the impacts of diminished mobility on drought resiliency. This research links two USGS priorities – conserving big game migrations and enhancing climate resiliency – while filling important knowledge gaps needed to strategically target ongoing conservation efforts.
- Source: USGS Sciencebase (id: 65f8739ad34e97daac9ff53b)
Project Overview
Migratory big game species, like mule deer, are at risk due to human development and more frequent drought events that can limit access to food resources during migration. To address this, researchers supported by this North Central CASC project will collaborate with State, Tribal, and Federal agencies to examine the effectiveness of corridor conservation as a strategy to improve drought resilience for over 40 mule deer herds across Western states. Ultimately, results from this project will benefit ongoing conservation efforts by identifying what levels of development impacts the species’ ability to deal with drought.
Project Summary
Every year, migratory big game move across landscapes to seek out important food resources and to avoid harsh weather. Yet, the landscapes animals move through are experiencing rapid changes from human development and shifting climatic conditions, which put these ecologically and culturally important migrations at risk. Mule deer, for example, are negatively impacted by drought, which changes when and where key food resources will be available along their migration route. To conserve big game migrations, State, Tribal, and Federal agencies are working together to map and protect migration corridors. Although it is often assumed that corridor conservation should enhance the resilience of migrants to climate change, the idea remains poorly tested.
This project will examine the effectiveness of corridor conservation as a drought resiliency strategy for mule deer across the West. As climate change leads to more frequent and longer drought events, it will likely become even more important for deer to freely move and access critical and limited food resources during migrations. At the same time, mule deer movements are altered by human disturbances, which can cause deer to miss out on foraging opportunities. This project will bring together data and partnerships to investigate these two threats on more than 40 mule deer herds across the West, with the aim of understanding the importance of freedom of movement in the survival and resiliency of mule deer in a changing world.
Results from this project will identify the amount of human development that constrains the movements of mule deer and the impacts of diminished mobility on drought resiliency. This research links two USGS priorities – conserving big game migrations and enhancing climate resiliency – while filling important knowledge gaps needed to strategically target ongoing conservation efforts.
- Source: USGS Sciencebase (id: 65f8739ad34e97daac9ff53b)