Vital rates of two small populations of brown bears in Canada and range-wide relationship between population size and trend.

ABSTRACT: Identifying mechanisms of population change is fundamental for conserving small and declining populations and determining effective management strategies. Few studies, however, have measured the demographic components of population change for small populations of mammals (<50 individuals). We estimated vital rates and trends in two adjacent but genetically distinct, threatened brown bear (Ursus arctos) populations in British Columbia, Canada, following the cessation of hunting. One population had approximately 45 resident bears but had some genetic and geographic connectivity to neighboring populations, while the other population had <25 individuals and was isolated. We estimated population-specific vital rates by monitoring survival and reproduction of telemetered female bears and

SUBMITTER: McLellan ML 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8019027 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature