Ecology and conservation of peripheral populations in the face of increasing disturbance

西部森林野火的规模、频率和严重程度都在增加。这些景观的重大变化对森林野生动物物种的影响是未知的，特别是在种群可能处于生态边缘的山脉边缘。生态学家不知道哪些边缘种群在长期内是可行的，哪些不太可能持续存在，我研究的一个主要目的是确定哪些因素可以预测边缘种群的持久性。这条调查路线与生态学理论（为什么物种会在那里）和应用保护决策直接相关，例如，当其他司法管辖区的范围核心种群没有危险时，是否为一个国家或省份的濒危范围边缘种群提供法律保护。考虑到火灾同时影响着范围边缘和范围核心的种群，我也在研究物种对火灾的反应是否在整个范围内相似，或者范围边缘的种群是否更脆弱。因此，我的研究询问了几种森林野生动物物种如何应对不同地区不同年龄、大小和严重程度的火灾；我还将研究野生动物对火灾后抢救性伐木的反应。我在这里提出的研究包括5个研究生项目，在不列颠哥伦比亚省中部和南部、华盛顿州、蒙大拿州和怀俄明州的研究区域。我和我的学生将研究雪鞋兔、加拿大猞猁、山猫、老鼠和田鼠对火灾的反应。我们将使用一系列现场方法，包括无线电项圈，实时捕获人口估计，以及详细的积雪跟踪来评估运动和行为。最后，第六名学生将在保护政策方面工作，研究如何使用法律标准来保护濒危物种立法下列出的物种的关键栖息地，以及在多大程度上将火灾等干扰纳入政策决策。我的工作扩展了我们对野生动物如何应对火灾和抢救伐木的生态知识，以及火灾是否更严重地影响了范围边缘的种群。这项工作对加拿大具有重要的实际意义，因为我们可以选择哪些物种或种群列入法律保护名单，保护濒危物种的栖息地，管理毛皮收获，并就规定的火灾，救助采伐和景观尺度的森林管理做出重要决定。

Wildfires in western forests are increasing in size, frequency, and severity. These substantial changes in the landscape have unknown impacts on forest wildlife species, especially near the range edges where populations may be ecologically marginal. Ecologists lack knowledge for which range edge populations are viable in the long-term versus unlikely to persist, and one major aim of my research is to determine which factors predict persistence of range edge populations. This line of inquiry is directly relevant both for ecological theory (why species are where they are) and for applied conservation decisions, for example whether to offer legal protection to imperiled range edge populations in one country or province when the range core populations in other jurisdictions are not at risk. Given that fires are affecting populations both in range edges and range cores, I am also examining whether species' responses to fire are similar throughout the range or if range-edge populations are more vulnerable. My research thus asks how several forest wildlife species respond to fires of different ages, sizes, and severities in different parts of the range; I will also examine how wildlife respond to post-fire salvage logging. The research I propose here includes 5 graduate student projects in study areas in central and southern British Columbia, Washington, Montana, and Wyoming. My students and I will examine snowshoe hares, Canada lynx, bobcats, and mice and voles in response to fire. We will use a range of field methods including radio-collaring, live-trapping for population estimates, and detailed snow-tracking to assess movements and behaviours. Finally, a 6th student will work in conservation policy, examining how legal criteria are being used to protect critical habitat for listed species under endangered species legislation, and the extent to which disturbances such as fire are being incorporated in policy decisions. My work expands our ecological knowledge of how wildlife respond to fires and to salvage logging, and whether fires impact range edge populations more severely. This work has important practical implications for Canada, as we choose which species or populations to list for legal protection, protect habitats for imperiled species, manage furbearer harvests, and make important decisions about prescribed fires, salvage logging, and landscape-scale forest management.