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Behavioral “bycatch” from camera trap surveys yields insights on prey responses to human-mediated predation risk
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  • Cole Burton,
  • Christopher Beirne,
  • Catherine Sun,
  • Alys Granados,
  • Michael Procko,
  • Cheng Chen,
  • Mitchell Fennell,
  • Alexia Constantinou,
  • Christopher Colton,
  • Katie Tjaden-McClement,
  • Jason Fisher,
  • Joanna Burgar
Cole Burton
University of British Columbia

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Christopher Beirne
University of British Columbia
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Catherine Sun
University of British Columbia
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Alys Granados
The University of British Columbia
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Michael Procko
University of British Columbia
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Cheng Chen
University of British Columbia
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Mitchell Fennell
University of British Columbia
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Alexia Constantinou
University of British Columbia
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Christopher Colton
University of British Columbia
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Katie Tjaden-McClement
University of British Columbia
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Jason Fisher
University of Victoria
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Joanna Burgar
The University of British Columbia
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Abstract

Human disturbance directly affects animal populations but indirect effects of disturbance on species behaviors are less well understood. Camera traps provide an opportunity to investigate variation in animal behaviors across gradients of disturbance. We used camera trap data to test predictions about predator-sensitive behavior in three ungulate species (caribou Rangifer tarandus; white-tailed deer, Odocoileus virginianus; moose, Alces alces) across two boreal forest landscapes varying in disturbance. We quantified behavior as the number of camera trap photos per detection event and tested its relationship to predation risk between a landscape with greater industrial disturbance and predator abundance (Algar) and a “control” landscape with lower human and predator activity (Richardson). We also assessed the influence of predation risk and habitat on behavior across camera sites within the disturbed Algar landscape. We predicted that animals in areas with greater predation risk (more wolf activity, less cover) would travel faster and generate fewer photos per event, while animals in areas with less predation risk would linger (rest, forage), generating more photos per event. Consistent with predictions, caribou and moose had more photos per event in the landscape where predation risk was reduced. Within the disturbed landscape, no prey species showed a significant behavioral response to wolf activity, but the number of photos per event decreased for white-tailed deer with increasing line of sight (m) along seismic lines (i.e. decreasing visual cover), consistent with a predator-sensitive response. The presence of juveniles was associated with shorter behavioral events for caribou and moose, suggesting greater predator sensitivity for females with calves. Only moose demonstrated a positive association with vegetation productivity (NDVI), suggesting that for other species influences of forage availability were generally weaker than those from predation risk. Behavioral insights can be gleaned from camera trap surveys and provide information about animal responses to predation risk and the indirect impacts of human disturbances.
07 Mar 2022Submitted to Ecology and Evolution
07 Mar 2022Submission Checks Completed
07 Mar 2022Assigned to Editor
10 Mar 2022Reviewer(s) Assigned
04 Apr 2022Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
19 Apr 2022Editorial Decision: Revise Minor
14 Jun 20221st Revision Received
15 Jun 2022Submission Checks Completed
15 Jun 2022Assigned to Editor
15 Jun 2022Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
22 Jun 2022Editorial Decision: Accept
Jul 2022Published in Ecology and Evolution volume 12 issue 7. 10.1002/ece3.9108